Looking Back at Cracker Jack’s 100th Anniversary

The Cubs celebrated the 100th anniversary of Cracker Jack on June 16, 1993 with a party at Wrigley Field that included distributing free servings of the candy-coated popcorn and peanut treat that was introduced at the Chicago World Fair in 1893. They played the Marlins, so it was even more fitting that Sailor Jack, the company’s mascot, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

It was a Wednesday, with Jose Bautista facing Luis Aquino. The wind was blowing in gently, and there were some white fluffy clouds on the horizon. The Cubs scored six runs that day, three of them driven in by Ryne Sandberg, who had a two-RBI double and a run-scoring single. Randy Myers posted his 21st save, though he allowed a single run in his inning, when the pinch-hitting Greg Briley drove in Walt Weiss, who had doubled.

Dwight Smith, Rick Wilkins, and Derrick May also drove in runs as the Cubs ran their record to 31-35, in a season in which they ended up 84-78, with a lot of young stars, including 1992 arrival Sammy Sosa and veterans like Sandberg and Mark Grace.

Wilkins hit 30 homers that year, good for 6.6 bWAR, which he would never come close to again in his 11-year career. Grace hit .325, won a Gold Glove, drove in 98 runs, amassed 4.7 bWAR, got MVP votes, and appeared at the All-Star Game with Sandberg, who missed a lot of time with an injury but turned in a .309/.359/.412 season.

Sosa turned in his first big season, slashing .261/.309/.485, with 33 home runs, 36 steals, and 93 RBI. This was before Jeff Pentland taught the slugger to accept his walks, and well before his vitamin habit mushroomed into steroid infamy.

The pitching staff, outside of standout reliever Myers and his 53 saves, was ordinary at best. Bautista (10-3) led the staff with 1.8 bWAR, and he was a reliever who got a few starts. The relief cadre was below average, with lefty arms particularly odious. Paul Assenmacher and Myers were the only southpaw arms in the bullpen to have positive bWAR (or fWAR, for that matter).

But on that day, we were all winners, if only because of the free Cracker Jack. I’ll have you know that my male dog is named Bingo, and this is why.

Thanks for reading.