Fly the W and fly high, number 31

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Ten years ago, the Cubs finally retired a jersey number in honor of a pitcher. Make that two...

On May 3, 2009, the number 31 was raised at Wrigley Field for Hall-of-Famers Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux. Fergie's flag floats in left field and the Maddux flag ripples in right field. Here's the funny part: after his trade to the Cubs in 1966, Fergie only wore #31 because his number with the Phillies, 30, was already taken by Cubs pitcher Ken Holtzman. Fergie says he negotiated with longtime clubhouse attendant Yosh Kawano.

"I said, well is 31 available? Because I was born on the 13th and it's just the number reversed. I wore that number for almost 18 years."

Jenkins and Maddux both won the Cy Young award while pitching for the Cubs and Fergie thinks the similarities don't end there with his fellow #31.  "Control was very important. Getting ahead of the hitter. Don't walk anybody and you might have 6 or 7 strikeouts, but I pitched to contact a lot of times in certain games," Jenkins said.

He was durable and dominant. Fergie Jenkins won 20 or more games seven times in his career. He won 15 or more games a stunning 12 times over 19 seasons. But you want durable? Jenkins threw more than 200 innings in 13 different seasons and more than 300 innings five times.

"I ran all the time to keep the core of my body strong. I didn't try to overthrow or throw sidearm. I was a 3/4 arm pitcher. I threw 4 pitches - fastball, curveball, slider and change-up. I tried to stick to that routine and I was fortunate to never have a sore arm."

Fly the W and fly high, number 31.

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