[Willie Bee]

With the Cubs the subject of our 2007 preview today, thought we'd come up with a few Chicago queries to test your memory.

1) Ok, everyone who's followed baseball, be they Cubs fans or not, over the last few years knows the name Steve Bartman. He's the fan wrongly reviled for costing the Cubs the 2003 NLCS when he went after a foul ball down the LF line that seemed to open the doors for an 8-run 8th-inning by the Marlins en route to the Game 6 win and, ultimately, the 2003 NLCS.

Question: Who was the Florida batter who got a second chance at the plate as a result of Bartman's 'interference,' who was the Cubs pitcher on the mound when it happened and who was the LF umpire who ultimately ruled there had not been any fan interference?

2) Since 1965 when MLB moved to its amateur draft system pretty much still employed today, the Cubs have had the #1 overall pick just once. Who did they select with that pick?

3) Derrek Lee won the NL batting crown in 2005 with a splendid .335 mark, with that .335 also tops in the majors. Who was the last Cub to lead the big leagues in batting average for a season?

[Illusion]

I believe the answer to question 3 is Ryne Sandburg.

[Willie Bee]

Not Ryne Sandberg, the player in question was on Chicago's North Side before Ryno.

[LT Profits]

2 - Shawon Dunston

3 - Bill Madlock

[Stumpage]

#1 Luis Castillo batting against Mark Prior, but I have no idea who the ump was.....

[cobra_king]

Stumpage, i'm certain you are correct with Castillo and Prior, and i believe that the umpire was Mike Everett, tho he could have been an ump in another disputed game and i've just mixed him up.

[Willie Bee]

2 - Shawon Dunston

3 - Bill Madlock

Correct. In 1982 the Cubs selected Shawon Dunston with the #1 overall pick, Dunston coming out of Thomas Jefferson HS in Brooklyn. The Blue Jays followed with shortstop Augie Schmidt out of Univ of New Orleans (never made the majors), and the Padres selected Jimmy Jones out of Thomas Jefferson HS in Dallas with the third pick. Dwight Gooden was the fifth pick by the Mets. David Wells, Bo Jackson and a guy named Barry Bonds were all 2nd-round picks in the draft.

Before Derrek Lee led the majors in 2005 with a .335 average, the last Cubs player to lead the majors in hitting was Bill Madlock in 1976 when he batted .339 to lead all big leaguers.

[Willie Bee]

#1 Luis Castillo batting against Mark Prior, but I have no idea who the ump was.....

...and i believe that the umpire was Mike Everett, tho he could have been an ump in another disputed game and i've just mixed him up.

Right on all accounts. Luis Castillo popped the foul ball off Mark Prior, with Prior eventually walking Castillo on a wild pitch ball 4 that would advance Juan Pierre to third before the floodgates opened for eight Marlins runs.

And Mike Everitt was the umpire working the LF line.

Good work, free beer all around

[LT Profits]

I guess I showed my age by getting the older answers right and not getting the one that happened a few years ago.