A Crushing Defeat.(1984 game between the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres)

After winning the first two games, Chicago lost the final three contests in the best-of-five playoff series to San Diego including a heartbreaking defeat in the finale

IN 1984, THE CUBS POSTED THE best record in the National League, but a long-established scheduling format prevented them from enjoying a home-field advantage in the five-game playoff series for the pennant against the San Diego Padres.

Since 1969, the National League arrangement had dictated that in even years, the team winning the East Division would play at home in the first two games of the best-of-five championship series. So it was ordained that Chicago would be the site of the first two playoff matches in 1984, with the remaining games played in San Diego.

"We were close to being unbeatable at Wrigley Field that season," recalled Bob Dernier, who played center field and was the leadoff hitter for the 1984 Cubs. "I'm not using that as an excuse for us losing to the Padres, but if we had played three games at home the result might have been different."

The Cubs that year were indeed tough playing on the slow, natural grass of the "friendly confines" of Wrigley Field, where they won 51 of 80 games for an impressive .638 winning percentage. They completed the season with a 96-65 record under manager Jim Frey to capture the East Division title and send their fans in Chicago and in many parts of the Midwest into a state of euphoria.

Could it be that the Cubs, after 39 years of deprivation, were actually headed for another World Series? The question would be answered the first week in October when they were scheduled to meet the Padres, who had run away from mediocre competition in the West Division to finish with a 92-70 mark under manager Dick Williams.

Although the Cubs were favored in the league championship playoffs, it was hard to overlook the fact the two teams had played evenly during the season, splitting their 12 games against each other. The Cubs had won three and lost three games at Wrigley, while the Padres fashioned a similar record at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego. And the parity between the two clubs was highlighted by one other note: seven of the 12 games had been decided by one run.