Today’s Cubs Birthdays (July 20)

~Gary Woods 1954–2015 (Cubs 1982-1985)
Woods was a backup outfielder for the Cubs in the early to mid-80s, and hit in the .240s during his stay on the North Side, which included the division-winning season of 1984. He also played for Oakland, Toronto, and Houston. (Photo: 1986 Fleer Baseball Card)

~Jake Fox 1982– (Cubs 2007-2009)
Fox had big-time power, but he didn’t play any defensive position well. The University of Michigan Wolverine played 1B, 3B, C, RF, and LF for the Cubs. They were desperate to find a spot for him in the lineup because of his power. In 2009, he got his most extended time in the lineup and he hit 11 homers, many of them dramatic. Jake hit over 20 homers in ten of his eleven minor league seasons. Fox later played with the Orioles and A’s.

~Matt Szczur 1989– (Cubs 2014-2017)
Szczur (pronounced “Caesar”) got his first crack at the big leagues in 2014. The former Villanova football star was a backup outfielder and pinch hitter for the Cubs, and got a few short shots in the big leagues during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. In 2016, he spent the entire season with the big league club and was an important bat off the bench. He hit 5 homers and knocked in 24 runs in 107 games, and picked up a World Series ring. Unfortunately for Matt, a roster crunch in 2017 forced the Cubs to let him go. Szczur finished the season as a starting outfielder in San Diego.

~Duane Underwood Jr. 1994– (Cubs 2018-2019)
Duane was the second round pick of the Cubs the first year of the Epstein/Hoyer era. He got his first taste of big league action in a June 2018 spot start. He pitched well, though he lasted only four innings and took the loss. His only blemish was giving up a homer to KiKi Hernandez of the Dodgers. In 2019, he once again spent most of the season in the minors, but he did get a cup of coffee with the big league club, appearing in twelve games.