Chicago Cubs: 25 best all-time players in franchise history

Chicago Cubs Greatest All-Time Players: No. 15 – Johnny Evers

WAR: 41.0

Even if you’re not familiar with the details of Johnny Evers’ career, the last name likely rings a bell because of the iconic baseball poem that honored the Cubs’ trio of Joe Tinker, Evers and Frank Chance – a double play trio that was unparalleled at the time defensively.

But there’s a lot more to Evers than passing mention in a piece of written word that’s stood the test of time. And when you dive into the numbers, they provide a stark reminder of just how different an era this was in the game’s history.

Evers called Chicago home for 12 years, from 1902 to 1913 – helping the franchise win a pair of World Series titles and two more NL pennants on top of it. At the plate, he was solid, but hardly spectacular. Where he really shined was with the leather. He ranks sixth all-time in Cubs history with a 12.8 Defensive WAR, per Baseball Reference.

That’s not to say he was a slouch at the dish. During the team’s 1908 World Series-winning campaign, Evers hit .300 on the nose with a .402 OBP – good for a 143 OPS+. In 126 games, he racked up 125 hits, including 19 doubles and six triples. And, at the end of the day, the two rings he won with the Cubs say a lot, too.

Accomplishments & Awards

• Two-time World Series champion (1907, 1908)