The Cubs were in spring training preparing for the upcoming season, and their manager was legendary Cubs great Phil Cavarretta. He had managed the team for a little more two seasons. In 1952, they had a decent year (5th place, 77-77, the only season of the decade anywhere near .500), and in 1953 it hadn't gone as well (7th place, 65-89), but the team had very little talent.
The Cubs were old and slow. Future Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner was toast. Hank Sauer, the MVP in '52, hit less than half as many home runs and RBI in '53 and was on the downside of his career. The starting catcher was a 36-year-old career platoon player named Clyde McCullough, who was so notoriously "dim" behind the plate one of his teammates said: "We used to swear he had to put his head down and see how many fingers he was putting down!" The ace of the pitching staff, Warren Hacker, was a 19-game loser. The best ERA in the bullpen was almost 5.00.
When Phillip Wrigley called Cavarretta into his office to talk about the upcoming season, Cavarretta leveled with the boss. He told him he only liked a few players on the team, including rookie shortstop Ernie Banks, and said he was still upset about the trades which had depleted his roster (like trading Andy Pafko and Johnny Schmitz to the Dodgers for four stiffs).
Wrigley listened intently to Cavarretta, and did what any owner would have done to a man who won an MVP and played in three World Series for him: He fired Cavarretta on the spot for being honest. Wrigley released a statement to the press: "Phil seems to have developed a defeatist attitude. We don't believe he should continue in a job where he thinks success isn't possible."
The man who had spent twenty three years of his life in a Cubs uniform was never associated with the team again. He finished his career with the White Sox.
Smiling Stan Hack managed the Cubs instead that year. His happy attitude led the team to a record of 64-90.
