Baseball history unpacked, November 23

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,” he says, in a dry professorial tone.

Today in baseball history:

• 1930 - At the Polo Grounds, St. Louis Browns outfielder Red Badgro, playing for the NFL New York Giants, catches a touchdown pass against the Green Bay Packers. It is the third TD catch of the season for Badgro, all from quarterback Benny Friedman. In 1981, Badgro will be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (3)
• 1943 - Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis rules that Philadelphia Phillies owner William D. Cox is permanently ineligible to hold office or be employed for having bet on his own team. The Carpenter family of Delaware will buy the Philadelphia club and Bob Carpenter, at age 28, will become president. (3)

Cox’s obituary, from the New York Times.

• 1944 - Five groups totaling 23 players, managers, umpires and sportwriters visit war theaters as part of the United Service Organizations program. Included are Mel Ott, Dutch Leonard, Frankie Frisch, Bucky Walters, Harry Heilmann, Carl Hubbell, Freddie Fitzsimmons, Bill Summers, Beans Reardon, Johnny Lindell, Tuck Stainback, Steve O’Neill, Leo Durocher, Joe Medwick, Nick Etten, Dixie Walker, Paul Waner and Rip Sewell. (3)
• 2005 - Relief pitcher Bobby Howry agrees to a $12 million, three-year contract with the Chicago Cubs, joining fellow reliever Scott Eyre, who spent last season with the San Francisco Giants. Like Eyre, Howry once pitched for the cross-town White Sox. (3)

Many wished he’d stayed. Others wished Eyre would have stayed. Just sayin’.

• 2007 - While visiting his wife’s family and scheduled to be the best man at a wedding later in the day, Joe Kennedy awakes and collapses in the bedroom at 1:00 am and dies unexpectedly. The 6’4”, 250-pound Blue Jays southpaw reliever, who signed with the club in September after being released by the Diamondbacks, also played for the A’s, Rockies, and Devil Rays during his seven-year career. (1)
• Cubs birthdays: Jimmy Sheckard, Jesse Petty, Claude Jonnard, Herman Reich, Billy Ott.

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.