When you look back at the 1979 Chicago Cubs, the first thing that comes to mind is likely Bruce Sutter’s Cy Young award. After that, however, the season seems rather forgettable, with the team placing fourth in the NL East with only 80 wins.
There was, however, one other major bright spot on that team besides the dominant Hall of Fame closer. Slugger Dave Kingman joined the Cubs in 1978 on a deal that would earn him $275,000 per year for the next five years. 1979 would be the most significant year of his career.