Have so many ever cheered so much for so little? The Chicago Cubs last won the World Series in 1908 and last appeared in the Fall Classic the year World War II ended.Yet Cubs fans are among the most loyal, most knowledgeable, and most rabid in baseball. The teams they have loved and the players they have cherished have provided some of the game's finest moments, as well as a treasure trove of baseball lore. The Cubs' home park, Wrigley Field, is as much a national landmark as the Empire State Building or the Golden Gate Bridge. A charter member of the National League, the Cubs were born in 1876 -- the same year the Seventh Cavalry fought at Little Big Horn. Cap Anson, baseball's first superstar and possibly the finest player of the 19th century, played for early Cubs squads. In the early years of the 20th century, the fantastic double-play combination of Tinkers to Evers to Chance was immortalized in verse. Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, Grover Cleveland Alexander, and Fergie Jenkins rank among baseball's greatest pitchers, while hitters Kiki Cuyler, Hack Wilson, Billy Herman, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Sammy Sosa have put up amazing numbers. But the Cubs transcend baseball much the same way that Paris transcends Europe. The story of the Cubs is part legend, part pathos, often heroic, and, on occasion, hilarious. The lore of two storied franchises that haven't won a championship in the lifetimes of most readers is addressed in these volumes. Both teams have a wide and devoted following. These books make for light and breezy reading as they are basically compilations of anecdotes, some off-color, and odd facts about the greats and lesser-known players. Arranged alphabetically by last name, the anecdotes are separated and bordered by graphics of baseballs. Some illustrations of players also appear throughout. The humor of the books should appeal to young adults as well as their parents. The anecdotes strive to be insightful, though some readers might consider the stories to be bland at best. These books are optional purchases that regional libraries may consider. [The Red Sox's last World Series championship came at the expense of the even more starcrossed Cubs, in 1918.DEd.].DPaul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., I. -.DPaul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. Pete Cava is a native of Staten Island, New York. He graduated from Fordham University before beginning his journalism career as a sports reporter for the "Manhattan Mercury" (Kansas) and as a broadcaster for KJCK Radio in Junction City, Kansas. Cava served as media information officer for the AAU for six years before joining USA Track & Field, then known as The Athletic Congress. During a 25-year career in Olympic sports, he was in charge of media services at hundreds of national and international events, including weightlifting, wrestling, and track and field championships. In 1998 Cava left track to field to create International Sports Associates, a writing/research/consulting firm whose clients include the United States Olympic Committee, the Sacramento Sports Commission, Indiana Olympians, and American Sports Nutrition. Used Book in Good Condition