The Cubs had repeatedly contended from 1967-73, as you know they never won anything. After ‘73 GM John Holland traded away many of the stars who’d become popular, and later Cubs legends despite that failure to win.
So the 1974 season began with a revamped lineup, and the Cubs split their first six games, all at Wrigley Field. The season thus got off to at least a decent start, and the seventh game of the year was to be the second of a three-game set with the Pirates.
I'll let Richard Dozer of the Tribune give you the game details, and then tell you a couple of stories about this game — some from personal experience, at least one perhaps apocryphal.