Who hit the biggest and most important home run in Cubs franchise history?

With Miguel Montero‘s 42nd birthday Wednesday, it helped spark a debate.

Does Montero take the crown as the author of the biggest homer in the 150-year history of the Cubs thanks to his grand slam in the 2016 NLCS?

The responses on social media were fast and furious, with responses varying across the board.

Some believe it was the biggest Cubs homer, while others think it was simply the loudest moment in Wrigley Field history.

The “Cubs Live!” crew debated the topic Wednesday evening and Marquee Sports Network contributor Bruce Levine emphatically shot down the idea:

“No, not even [the biggest homer] in that series,” Levine said, presumably referencing Addison Russell’s big homer in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Even if Montero’s Game 1 grand slam wasn’t the biggest homer in Cubs history, it was certainly an important moment — and in the conversation.

The Cubs were locked in a 3-3 tie with the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers in the bottom of the eighth inning when Montero stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He sent a Joe Blanton offering into the right-field bleachers and with it, sent Cubs fans into euphoria.

Dexter Fowler followed with a solo shot and the Cubs went on to win that crucial NLCS opener 8-4.

It was one of many seminal moments during the Cubs’ World Series run that fall.

But it is an interesting debate — if Montero’s blast isn’t the biggest homer in Cubs history, what is?

Some other options:

Dexter Fowler’s leadoff dinger in Game 7

The greatest baseball game ever played began with the Cubs’ “you go, we go” leadoff hitter setting the tone.

Fowler’s homer in Cleveland in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series was an “exhale” moment for the Cubs and their fanbase. It wasn’t the game-winner, as the Indians came back to tie the game late (everybody remembers Rajai Davis’ name right??) but it was an important tone-setter for the most pressure-packed game in franchise history.

Báez and Ross follow suit

Fowler’s homer may have started the night off, but the Cubs wouldn’t have 2016 World Series rings without the contributions of Javy Báez and David Ross in Game 7.

Báez was the breakout star of that fateful fall and hit a fifth-inning solo blast to help build a 4-1 lead for the Cubs.

The following inning, Ross hit a solo shot of his own to give the Cubs a 6-3 cushion.

Both homers were integral parts of the epic celebration on Chicago’s North Side that November.

Kris Bryant’s MVP act

Sticking with the 2016 World Series theme, that year’s NL MVP put the team on his back when they needed him the most.

As Game 5 of the World Series kicked off, you could feel the tension at Wrigley Field. The Cubs trailed 3-1 in the series and were on the brink of elimination in their first Fall Classic since 1945.

That concern grew to full-blow panic when Cleveland’s Jose Ramírez hit a solo homer off Jon Lester in the second inning.

But Kris Bryant quelled the negativity with a game-tying homer in the fourth inning — a moment that seemed to immediately inject life into the Cubs (and their fanbase).

The Cubs followed with two more runs that inning and ended up clawing out a 3-2 victory to send the series back to Cleveland — and we all know how that one ended up.

Báez’s blast

The fall of 2016 might have gone a whole lot differently for the Cubs if Báez didn’t end up playing hero in the team’s very first playoff game.

San Francisco’s Johnny Cueto was absolutely dealing in Game 1 of the NLDS, but Báez finally got to him with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was a towering shot…that only landed in the basket in left field thanks to the Wrigley wind.

The Cubs went on to win that game 1-0 and eventually took the series 3-1.

Russell also had some very big homers that fall, including longballs in Los Angeles in the NLCS and a grand slam in Game 6 of the World Series.

There are many other good candidates for the most important home run in Cubs history, including some from 2015 and in the century prior.

But it’s hard to argue any of those home runs carried more weight for the franchise than any of the 2016 blasts, since they led to the first championship in 108 years.

My personal ranking would look like this:

1. Fowler’s leadoff homer
2. Bryant’s Game 5 shot
3. Montero’s grand slam
4. Báez’s blast

There were certainly some other very entertaining home runs (Kyle Schwarber’s “Schwarboard” shot against the Cardinals or his Wild-Card homer off Gerrit Cole; Báez’s three-run dinger off John Lackey in 2015) but my “Mount Rushmore” of most important Cubs home runs would all come from the fall of 2016.

I feel like Fowler’s homer set the tone for a wild Game 7 and allowed the Cubs to catch their breath in a pressure-packed game. Again, that homer didn’t decide the game, but the intangible effect from it helped the Cubs hoist a trophy.

There was so much pressure entering that Game 7 and to lead off the contest with a home run — that’s truly a dream start. It immediately gave the Cubs a jolt and allowed them to settle in, instead of nerves completely taking over.

Bryant’s homer in Game 5 had a similar effect, helping to send a wave of belief (and relief) over his team and the crowd.

I echo the sentiment that Montero’s grand slam was the loudest moment I’ve ever experienced at Wrigley Field and certainly one of the coolest. Even nearly a decade late, I still get chills thinking about it.