Charlie Root was a pitcher for the Cubs for 16 seasons and had at least 10 wins in ten different seasons. His best season had to be 1927, when he went 26-15. That season he pitched 309 innings, completed 21 games, and led the league in wins, while pitching for a 4th place team.

In 1969 he was named the all-time greatest Cubs righthander, but despite all his accomplishments, he'll always be most remembered for something that never happened...Babe Ruth's called shot during the 1932 World Series. Root always denied that Ruth really did it.

"He was just saying he had one strike left," Root insisted. The man that gave up the supposed "called shot" had a reputation as a headhunter, which is why it's doubtful Ruth actually called the shot.

One time Charlie was hit in the elbow by another pitcher (Adolpho Lugue). When he got back to the mound, he knocked down all nine guys on Lugue's team. One after another, bang, bang, bang. He was going to keep going but the umpire finally stepped in after he got every guy once.

Charlie Root pitched in four different World Series for the Cubs, but never won a post season game (0-3, 6.75 ERA in the WS). He did, however, win over 200 games for the Cubs (the only pitcher who ever did).

When he retired in 1941, he was given a station wagon, a desk clock, a casting rod, $50 in gas coupons, and a live pig.