5 Chicago Cubs All-Stars you’ve definitely forgotten about

#3: George Altman is an unsung All-Star for the Banks-era Cubs

Coming in as the only player on this list to earn multiple trips to the All-Star Game as a Cub, George Altman is a bit of a forgotten figure during one of the most entertaining eras of Cubs baseball. For two years, Altman could go toe-to-toe with the likes of Banks and Santo and prove himself as a dude worthy of his spot in the heart of that lineup. From 1961 to 1962, it’s fair to even say Altman outplayed both Cubs legends handily, yet he didn’t have near the same sustained success.

Altman made his debut with the Cubs in 1959 at the age of 26, though he didn’t start to see real success in MLB until 1960 when he brought his OPS+ up from a paltry 86 to a respectable 115. Playing alongside the legendary Banks and the up-and-coming Santo, Altman seemed like a solid contributor, but not the star of the show.

Then 1961 happened. Altman had a massive breakout season, taking his slash line up to .303/.353/.560 while leading the league in triples and topping the team in RBI. At the time, Banks was beginning to decline, leaving Altman as the best hitter in the lineup, trumping Banks’ 123 OPS+ with an impressive 138. With Santo still finding his footing in the majors, Altman briefly anchored the offense, earning not one, but two All-Star nods that year.

He followed up his 1961 effort with a slightly worse but still insanely impressive 1962 campaign. What Altman lost in slugging he almost completely gained back in OBP, putting together a .318/.393/.511 slash line in 147 games, good for an OPS+ of 137. That season would mark Altman’s third All-Star nod and the end of his first stint with the Cubs as he would be flipped to the Cardinals at the end of the year.

Altman took a huge step back in St. Louis before cratering after a trade to the New York Mets. He rejoined the Cubs in 1965 and never hit near the meteoric highs of his early days with the team. It’s hard to imagine anyone outshining Banks and Santo in the Cubs lineup, but Altman peaked at just the right time to become a brief and very impressive star in Chicago.