Cubs’ complete history in the MLB Home Run Derby

MLB All-Star Week festivities continue Monday night in Atlanta, kicking off the week with the annual Home Run Derby. While no player from the Chicago Cubs will be competing tonight, Cubs fans can reminisce about the performances of their favorite players in the Derby over the years.

Memorable Chicago Cubs Home Run Derby performances over the years

Ernie Banks: 1960

Today’s Home Run Derby was inspired by the 1960 TV show Home Run Derby, in which many future Hall of Famers participated in home run competitions for prize money. Ernie Banks competed in this competition on three occasions, defeating Gil Hodges by a score of 11-7, but falling to Mickey Mantle (5-3) and Jackie Jensen (14-11).

Ryne Sandberg: 1985, 1990

As one of the most prolific power-hitting second basemen in history, Ryne Sandberg tried his hand at the Home Run Derby on multiple occasions. With the old format of rules where players had ten “outs”, Sandberg hit two home runs in the inaugural Home Run Derby in Minnesota in 1985 and finished tied for seventh. Sandberg returned to the Derby when the All-Star Game came to Wrigley Field, giving Cubs fans what they came to see with a win on his home field.

Andre Dawson: 1987

Three years before Sandberg’s triumph, Andre Dawson took victory at the Home Run Derby in 1987 in Oakland, hitting four home runs for the first official Home Run Derby win for the Chicago Cubs. Dawson would go on to win the NL MVP with 49 home runs in a historic debut season on the North Side.

George Bell: 1991

1991 saw the Derby change, where players were given two rounds and a maximum of 10 outs per round. In his sole season with the Cubs, George Bell took to the Derby in Toronto having spent the previous ten seasons with the Blue Jays. Bell hit two home runs and finished tied for fourth with another Blue Jays icon in Joe Carter.

Sammy Sosa: 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004

“Slammin’ Sammy” appeared in the Derby on six occasions, putting forth a performance of the ages in Milwaukee, hitting a supposed seven home runs over 500 feet in Milwaukee in 2002. Statcast was not a thing in Major League Baseball at the time, but anyone who watched Sosa hit would believe those numbers. Sosa won the Derby in 2000, the last time the All-Star Game was in Atlanta.

Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant: 2015

2015 was the first year in which the current rules took form, where outs were replaced with a time limit. The “Bryzzo” pairing made their lone appearances in the Home Run Derby in 2015 in Cincinnati, each falling in the first round.

Javier Baez: 2018

Fan favorite Javier Baez appeared in the 2018 Derby in Washington in a season that saw him finish runner-up for the NL MVP to the Brewers' Christian Yelich. Baez would hit 16 home runs in the first round, falling to Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kyle Schwarber: 2018

The Cubs’ last Derby contestant may be the most controversial. Kyle Schwarber finally made his Home Run Derby debut in 2018, advancing to the final round against hometown hero Bryce Harper. Harper would defeat Schwarber in the finals, but many were quick to point out that Harper’s father was throwing pitches before the previous ball had landed, putting an unofficial asterisk on Harper’s win, at least in the minds of most Cubs fans.