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... as usual on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I bring 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 I’ve chosen as illustrative of the scenes, reproductions of period newspapers, images, and other such material as is often found lurking on the internet.
There are times when the material may be a tad droll. It is in fun, after all.
Today in baseball history:
- 1936 - After being sidelined at the start of the season because of a foot injury, Joe DiMaggio makes his much anticipated major league debut. The 21 year-old rookie outfielder lives up to the hype, collecting three hits, including a triple, and scores three runs in the Yankees’ 14-5 victory over the Browns in New York. (1)
- 1980 - Ferguson Jenkins becomes only the fourth major league hurler to win 100 games in each league when he defeats the Orioles, 3-2. The Ranger right-hander joins Cy Young, Jim Bunning, and Gaylord Perry in accomplishing the feat. (1)
- 1986 - Cubs third baseman Ron Cey hits his 300th and 301st home runs and Chicago scores four times in the top of the ninth to beat San Francisco 6-5. (2)
- 2012 - Ryan Dempster of the Cubs and Homer Bailey of the Reds both celebrate their birthday by pitching against each other. It is believed to be the first time in major league history that opposing starting pitchers are both pitching on their birthdays.
Box score. Neither man got the decision.
- Cubs birthdays: George Gore, John Hollison, Frank Morrissey, Ralph Michaels, Chris Cannizzaro, Davey Lopes, Joe Kmak, Ryan Dempster. Also notable: Eppa Rixey (HoF), Red Ruffing (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.