Cubs announce retirement of longtime head team physician and medical director, Stephen Adams, M.D.

MESA – The Chicago Cubs today announced the retirement of longtime Head Team Physician and Medical Director, Stephen Adams, M.D.

“Dr. Adams has had such a positive impact not only on the Chicago Cubs but also on the sport’s medical policies and guidelines,” said Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer. “His service, empathy and dedication to our organization and the game has benefited countless players, uniformed personnel and front office associates. We thank Dr. Adams for his many years of caring for our team, staff and families.”

Dr. Adams’ affiliation with the Club has spanned over five decades. He covered the First Aid Station at Wrigley Field as well as the Cubs in both Arizona and Chicago in the 1980s. Dr. Adams earned Board Certification in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Sports Medicine, and he has been the Head Team Physician and Medical Director since 2000 as well as a team physician for almost three decades.

Dr. Adams has served as President of the Major League Baseball Team Physician’s Association and was the Chairman of the Commissioner’s MLB Medical Advisory Committee for well over a decade. He was presented the Frank Jobe, M.D., Award at the 2019 MLB Winter Meetings.

Notably, during his tenure, Dr. Adams oversaw the medical care of four division championship teams and the 2016 World Series champions. The first emergency physician to be a head team physician for an MLB club, he served under three team ownership groups, five club presidents, six general managers, 10 field managers and cared for at least six Cubs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

A Professor of Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Orthopedic Surgery, Dr. Adams is the Chief of the Division of Sports Medicine and the Chief Emeritus of the Division of Emergency Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He also was the Medical Director of Emergency Management at Northwestern Medicine and is an Attending Physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Adams will continue his relationship with the Cubs as Special Advisor to both the President and the General Manager.