In our previous edition, we wished a Happy Birthday to Dillon Maples, and provided other such information with which to enrich your experience. Today we have news of such exploits as National Baseball Day, Mr. Cub’s slam, Kerry Wood’s baker’s dozen K’s, and even more prodigious feats.
Today in baseball history:
- 1950 - Connecticut Senator Abe Ribicoff introduces legislation for the observance of a National Baseball Day. (1)
Ribicoff is known more for his role in the 1968 Democratic Convention (he famously opposed Mayor Richard J. Daley), and for being the only Jewish Senator from Connecticut, but he apparently championed this obscure bill. Opening Day should be a National Holiday, I submit. Clearly the bill didn’t pass, which is a shame. There’s a Canada Baseball Day, for cryin’ out loud...July 4th isn’t the day. Is it June 26? June 19? June 3? September 23? Enjoy the reads.
- 1955 - With the help of an Ernie Banks grand slam, Chicago snaps Brooklyn’s 11-game winning streak, 10-8. The bases-filled homer will be Mr. Cub’s first of five on the year. (1)
Box score. Here’s some cool stuff about Ernie that you might not have known. I’ll save some things for January 23 and January 31. Something might surface tomorrow...you never know. Here’s Ernie on Home Run Derby, just because.
- 1998 - Striking out 13 Diamondbacks, Cubs’ Kerry Wood sets a major league record for strikeouts in consecutive games with 33 in two games. (1)
Nice writeup on Wood.
- 2000 - Beating the Cubs, 14-8, it takes the Brewers four hours and twenty-two minutes to play a regulation nine-inning game. The time breaks the National League record and ties the mark set by the Orioles and Yankees on September 5, 1997 for the longest non-extra inning game ever played. (1)
Box score. Al’s writeup of the game. It’s notable for more than just the length of time it took to play. This happened:
- 2004 - Pittsfield city officials and historians release a 1791 document that they believe is the earliest written reference to baseball. The 213-year-old bylaw, used to protect the windows of the town’s new meeting house by prohibiting anyone from playing baseball within 80 yards of the building, was uncovered by baseball historian John Thorn while doing research on the origins of baseball. (1)
Maybe even earlier? Earlier still? No wonder the voice of Matt Vasgersian says I swing like a caveman. That’s some rabbit hole.
- 2016 - Max Scherzer ties the major league record by striking out 20 batters in a nine-inning game against his former team as the Nationals defeat the Tigers, 3 - 2. He now shares the mark with Roger Clemens, Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson. Scherzer does not issue a single walk in the game. (3)
- Cubs birthdays: Jim Connor, Dewey Adkins, Gene Hermanski, Mel Wright, Milt Pappas, Jerry Martin. Also notable: Charlie Gehringer (HoF).
Sources:
- (1) — The National Pastime.
- (2) — Today in Baseball History.
- (3) — Baseball Reference.
Thanks for reading.