The 1986 Cubs weren’t a very good team. Any thought that they could recapture the 1984 magic departed after a 14-24 start put them 12½ games out of first place May 22. By mid-June Jim Frey had been fired as manager and replaced by Gene “Stick” Michael, the longtime Yankees manager and executive who always seemed a bit out of place in Chicago.
They played a bit better after that, going 15-11 in July, but an 11-20 August put the ‘86 Cubs in the position the team is now — postseason spoiler.
That wasn’t even the case when they met the Phillies at Wrigley Field September 9, 1986 in front of just 8,785 at Wrigley Field, an accurate count back in the day when the actual turnstile count was the number announced.