1908 Chicago Cubs and Bear Mascot Framed Matted Photo

This black and white photograph captures the legendary 1908 Chicago Cubs alongside the now-famous “bear mascot” that has become one of the most unforgettable images in Chicago sports history. Taken at Chicago’s West Side Park during the Cubs’ championship era, the photograph has endured for more than a century because of its blend of old baseball, early Americana, and sheer personality. The bear itself wasn’t actually an official mascot, but a performer in costume appearing during a pregame promotion in the summer of 1908. Over time, the image became something much bigger - part sports history, part Chicago folklore.

The photo was taken on July 10, 1908 by George R. Lawrence, a Chicago-based photographer. The Cubs hosted the Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago's West Side Park that afternoon and won the game 3 to 2 in 11 innings. Members of the legendary roster that featured the famous double-play trio of Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance, as well as Hall of Fame pitcher Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown. The bear figure is often identified as Arthur Hill, a British actor known for playing animal roles, including the Cowardly Lion in the 1902 stage production of The Wizard of Oz.

The players stand stoic and composed while this wildly oversized bear figure stands front and center, giving the entire photograph an energy that feels both elegant and slightly rebellious - exactly the kind of vintage sports image that belongs in a bar, office, library, or layered gallery wall. Historic, unmistakably Chicago, and impossible not to look at twice.

Framed in a white matt in a 12.5 x 15.5" black wall frame with high definition glass.