Baseball history unpacked, November 4

... on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue brings a you a lighthearted 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.

Today in baseball history:

• 1957 - With a new balk rule, an option now includes keeping the ball in play after the call is made. If a player gets a hit, a team can accept the outcome of the pitch, instead of being only limited to the advance of the baserunner(s). (1)
• 1959 - Ernie Banks (.304, 45, 143) wins his second consecutive National League MVP Award for the Chicago Cubs. Eddie Mathews finishes second. ‘Mr. Cub’ garners 10 of the writers’ 21 first-place votes, with Eddie Mathews (5) and Hank Aaron (2) of the Braves and Dodger Wally Moon (4) found on top of the remaining ballots. (1,2,3,6)
• 2010 - Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson dies in Thousand Oaks, California at 76. Nicknamed “Captain Hook” for his tendency to remove his starting pitchers early in the game - now standard practice - he was the first manager to win over 100 games in a season in both leagues, and the first to lead teams from both leagues to World Championships, doing so with Cincinnati in 1975 and 1976, and with Detroit in 1984. (3)
• 2016 - Five million fans turn out for the Cubs’ World Series victory parade in downtown Chicago.

The Chicago River is dyed in blue to celebrate the long-awaited title.

You probably remember it well.

• Cubs birthdays: Tom Hernon, Emil Kush, Carl Sawatski, Dick Selma Angel Salazar, Eric Karros, John Grabow. Also notable: Bobby Wallace (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.
• (6) — This Day in Chicago Cubs history.

Thanks for reading.