When the Cubs acquired Bill Buckner from the Dodgers in January 1977, he wasn’t happy with the deal. He’d come through the Dodger system with Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Steve Garvey and others. They’d won the 1974 NL pennant together and he strongly felt part of that group, “bleeding Dodger blue,” for lack of a better term.
Over Buckner’s first seven years in a Cubs uniform, 1977-83, though, he became not only a productive player, but a Cubs fan favorite.
With the Cubs’ acquisition of Gary Matthews to play left field just before the 1984 season began, Leon Durham was moved to first base.