After a 103-loss season in 1966 that tied the Cubs franchise record for defeats, few would have expected the Cubs to roar into contention and even into first place briefly in July, the first time they’d been there that late in the year since 1945.
A few of the trades from 1966 bore fruit, particularly the Fergie Jenkins deal. 1967 turned out to be a quieter year trade-wise, and there was at least one made that hurt the Cubs going forward.
April 3: Acquired Dick Bertell from the Giants for Don Bryant
Bertell was the Cubs’ primary catcher much of the time from 1961-64, and in 1965 was included in the deal with the Giants that brought Harvey Kuenn and Ed Bailey to Chicago.