The most infamous trade in Chicago Cubs history took place this week in 1964 (June 15). They traded Lou Brock.

At the time, it wasn't considered a horrible trade. In fact, St. Louis fans thought they were getting ripped off. Why? The guy the Cubs received for Brock, Ernie Broglio had won 18 games in 1963. And Lou wasn't exactly the fully developed he player he later became.

Coming up during the ill-fated College of Coaches experiment, in an organization that provided very little guidance at all for their players, Lou Brock was hopelessly lost at the plate, and was a liability in the outfield on June 15, 1964. He had been yanked this way and that, and wasn't given the opportunity to find himself. Ron Santo still believes to this day that the College of Coaches is the reason Brock didn't star sooner.

Lou Brock hit .263 in '62, .258 in '63, and was only hitting .251 in 1964 when the trade was completed. Still, Cubs players knew immediately that they had been ripped off. Every player on the bench to a man couldn't believe that the Cubs had traded Brock. He had obvious star qualities, had hit long home runs, had shown incredible speed and skill on the bases, and was only 24 years old.

All he really needed was guidance and coaching. He got that in St. Louis. After he arrived there in 1964, he hit .348 and led them to the World Series. The Cardinal coaches saw what needed to be done to get the most out of their star pupil. After he became a Cardinal, they told him he wasn't a power hitter--and he should stop trying to hit home runs. Also, they told him he had the green light to steal bases, and they highly encouraged him to run. This shocked Lou. The Cubs discouraged that part of his game.

As a Cardinal, he would lead the league in stolen bases 8 of the next 10 years, and would retire as the record holder for most stolen bases in a career. He wouldn't hit that many home runs, but with his new found stroke concentrating on utilizing his speed, he became a .300 hitter. Even with his mediocre Cub years included in the total, his lifetime average ended up at .293. Plus, he was a clutch hitter. In 3 World Series with the Cardinals, he would hit .391. He won the Babe Ruth Award as the MVP of the 1967 World Series.

Cubs fans have often wondered what could have been if the Cubs had kept him. They imagine adding him to the lineup in the late 60s and early 70s. After all, he was exactly what that team was missing. A leadoff man, .300 hitter, hitting in front of Banks, Williams, and Santo? Speed added to a power team?

It's possible that Leo Durocher (who arrived in Chicago in 1965) would have given Lou the guidance he never received during his Cubs career. Of course, it's just as likely Lou Brock never would have developed into the superstar he became with the Cardinals.

On the other hand, the guys the Cubs received in return were stiffs. Ernie Broglio went 7-19, Bobby Shantz won zero games, and Doug Clemens played a grand total of 182 games as a backup outfielder.

Anyway you slice it, this trade lives up to it's status as the worst trade in Cubs history.