Baseball history unpacked, November 19

A wildly popular Cubs-centric look at baseball’s past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along as we review select scenes from the rich tapestry of Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball history. We invite you to investigate the linked material, which will illustrate the bullets somewhat.

There are only a couple of notes today, but they’re relatively important in the scheme of things. Sammy won an MVP and Bill Mueller resurrected his career with the Cubs, which led to his winning a batting title with the Red Sox and becoming an important figure in their renaissance.

You might be interested in the story of noted evangelist and former Cubs outfielder Billy Sunday, who famously remarked that “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile,” and who played a pivotal role in the enactment of Prohibition. Or not.

His biography is available at Project Gutenberg. A Chicago bar ironically named after him has a drink called the Rizzo.

Today in baseball history:

• 1998 - Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa is an easy winner in the National League MVP Award balloting over Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals, creating an historic Hispanic American sweep of the MVP awards with Texas Rangers OF Juan Gonzalez winning the award in the American League this season. Sosa received 30 of 32 first-place votes after leading the Cubs to a wild card spot in the playoffs. (3)
• 2000 - The Chicago Cubs obtain third baseman Bill Mueller from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for pitcher Tim Worrell.
• Cubs birthdays: Billy Sunday, Stu Martin, Manny Jimenez, Dickie Noles, Jeff Hartsock, Jeff Gray, Also notable: Roy Campanella (HoF)

Sources:

• (1) — The National Pastime.
• (2) — Today in Baseball History.
• (3) — Baseball Reference.
• (4) — Society for American Baseball Research.
• (5) — Baseball Hall of Fame.

Thanks for reading.