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On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue brings a you a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past, with plenty of the lore and deep dives into various narratives that expand over the course of time. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along. Don’t be afraid to click the links for ‘inside baseball’ on the entries, which change from year to year as we re-examine the subjects.
Today in baseball history:
- 1917 - The Red Sox play a benefit game against an American League all-star team and Babe Ruth and Rube Foster combine for a 2-0 shutout. The AL squad features Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, and Joe Jackson in the outfield. More than $14,000 is raised for the family of sports writer Tim Murnane, who died February 13th. Murnane had played and managed in Boston in the 19th century. Actress Fanny Brice helps sell programs and former heavyweight champ John L. Sullivan coaches 3B for the Sox. Ruth wins the fungo hitting contest with a drive of 402 feet, while Joe Jackson has the longest throw at an impressive 396 feet. (2)
- 1928 - With the Giants just a half game behind the Cardinals, New York loses the 1st game of a doubleheader to the Cubs, 3-2. On a controversial play at the plate in the 6th inning, New York’s Shanty Hogan hits a ball back to pitcher Art Nehf who throws to third to get the runner. But the runner, Randy Reese, was off with the crack of the bat and bowls over catcher Gabby Hartnett. Hartnett grabs the runner to keep from falling. and as Hartnett holds him, Reese is tagged out by the Cubs 3B. The Giants bench erupts, but umpire Bill Klem rules Reese is out. The subsequent protest will be disallowed, despite a photo clearly showing Hartnett up the line holding Reese. The Giants win the nitecap, 2-0, but a loss tomorrow clinches the pennant for St. Louis. (2)
- 1930 - Hack Wilson clubs two homers to finish with a National League record of 56 that will hold until 1998. The Cubs win, 13-8, over the Reds at Wrigley Field as Pat Malone wins his 20th of the year. (1,2)
- 1935 - The Cubs clinch the National League pennant in the first game of a doubleheader with the Cardinals, 6-2, besting Dizzy Dean, as Bill Lee wins his 20th. The Cubs tally 15 hits off Diz, led by Freddie Lindstrom’s 4. With Roy Henshaw’s victory, 5-3, in the nitecap, the Cubs extend their win streak to an incredible 21 games and reach the 100-win mark. Only once during the winning streak have the Cubs pitchers given up more than three runs. The streak ties the franchise mark set in 1880. (1,2)
- 1987 - In his final plate appearance of the year at Wrigley Field, Andre Dawson crashes his 47th home run to lead the Cubs to a 7-3 win over the Cardinals. Dawson will finish with 49 round trippers on his way to the MVP award. He also draws just 32 walks. (2)
- 1993 - In a 7-3 victory over the Dodgers, Cubs reliever Randy Myers becomes the first National League pitcher to record 50 saves in a season. (1,2)
- 2003 - Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa blasts his 40th home run to establish a National League record by reaching the plateau for the sixth consecutive season. The Chicago right fielder, who had previously been tied with Ralph Kiner and Duke Snider, needs another season of at least 40 homers to equal Babe Ruth’s major league mark of seven seasons set from 1926 to 1932. (2)
Cubs birthdays: Don Schulze. Also notable: Mike Schmidt HOF.
Common sources:
- (1) — Today in Baseball History.
- (2) — Baseball Reference.
- (3) — Society for American Baseball Research.
- (4) — Baseball Hall of Fame.
- (5) — This Day in Chicago Cubs history.
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