Baseball history unpacked, May 10

... on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue brings a you 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. The embedded links often point to articles that pertain to the scenes, such as reproductions of period newspapers, images, and/or other such material as is often found in the wild.

Today in baseball history:

• 1910 - The Cubs’ Heinie Zimmerman makes four errors and collects four hits in a 9-5 win over the Giants. Red Ames, in relief of Christy Mathewson, is hammered for the loss. (3)
• 1955 - Dodger right-hander Don Newcombe faces only 27 batters when he one-hits Chicago at Wrigley Field, 3-0. Gene Baker, who will be thrown out trying to steal second base, ruins Newk’s bid for perfection, with a fourth-inning single. (1)

Box score.

• 1959 - In the first game of a doubleheader, Cubs reliever Elmer Singleton defeats reliever Lindy McDaniel of the Cardinals, 10-9. In the nightcap, McDaniel is the winner and Singleton the loser, 8-7. (3)

Game 1 box. Game 2 box.

• 1959 - The Phillies’ Jim Hearn comes on in relief to pitch 1⅓ innings against the Pirates. He allows two earned runs before the game is suspended with the Pirates ahead, 6-4. Hearn is released before the game is completed in July and will be charged with the loss two months after his retirement. (3)
• 1967 - Braves’ outfielder Hank Aaron hits an inside-the-park homer off Phillie hurler Jim Bunning. It will be ‘Hammerin’ Hank’s’ only home run which doesn’t clear the fence out of his record-setting 755 round-trippers. (3)
• 1989 - The Cubs lose to the Giants, 4-3 when a rally falls short. Jerome Walton is tagged for the last out as he is crawling to third base. Walton injures his hamstring on the play and will miss a month, then come back to win the Rookie of the Year Award. (3)

Box score.

• 1997 - In San Francisco, the Cubs pull off the first triple play in the majors this year, taking advantage of the infield fly rule and the wind to turn an odd one against the Giants. With two on, Stan Javier lofts a fly ball into shallow center field and umpire Bob Davidson waits before calling an infield fly. Three Cubs lunge for the ball before it bounces off center fielder Brian McRae’s glove and hits the ground for the first out. Kirk Rueter tries for third, but McRae’s throw beats him. Darryl Hamilton tries for second, but 3B Jose Hernandez’s throw to Ryne Sandberg nabs him to complete the triple play. The Giants will win the game, however, 4-2. (3)

Box score.

• 2001 - The Brewers defeat the Cubs, 11-1, as OF Jeromy Burnitz hits three home runs and drives in six runs. Devon White adds a grand slam, while Sammy Sosa does the only Cubs damage with his 398th career home run. The Brewers, 8-0 in their new ballpark, are just three games back of Chicago in the NL Central.

Box score.

• Cubs birthdays: Charlie Ferguson, Bill Davidson, Freddie Maguire, Russ Bauers, Jim Hickman, Merritt Ranew, Tim Hosley, Pierce Johnson.

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.