Baseball history unpacked, June 26

... 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:

• 1880 - Abner Dalrymple, George Gore and Larry Corcoran, all normally left-handed batters, cross over and bat right-handed against southpaw Lee Richmond and get one hit each as Chicago beats Worcester, 4 - 0. (3)
• 1906 - Herbert M. Whitney, a catcher for the Burlington Pathfinders, becomes the first professional baseball player to die as a result of being hit by a pitch. The beaning occurred two days ago in an Iowa State League contest against the Waterloo Microbes. (1,3)

Strangely, the Waterloo Institute for Microbial Research is in Canada. There’s only a tangential connection.

• 1916 - The Indians became the first major league club to field a team with numbered uniforms when they take on Chicago at Cleveland’s League Park. The use of large numerals on the players’ left sleeve and corresponding scorecards last just a few weeks, and, after a brief trial next season, the concept will be abandoned. (1)
• 1938 - Carl Hubbell wins his 200th game, as the Giants beat the visiting Cubs, 5 - 1, and stretch their lead over the second-place Reds to two games. Larry French takes the loss. Newly-acquired Bob Seeds, up from Newark, leads the way with a 470-foot inside-the-park homer to the Eddie Grant memorial in dead center. (1,3)

Box score.

• 1960 - With the help of Ron Santo, making his major league debut, the Cubs sweep a doubleheader from first-place Pittsburgh, 7-5 and 7-6. The rookie third baseman, who will be elected into the Hall of Fame posthumously by the Veterans Committee in 2012, goes 3-for-7, driving in five runs during the twin bill at Forbes Field. (1)

Box scores: Game one. Game two.

• 1966 - Ron Santo is struck in the face by a pitch thrown by Mets’ starter Jack Fisher. The Cubs third baseman’s fractured cheek ends his record consecutive streak at the hot corner at 390 games, but his 27-game hitting streak, one shy of the franchise mark, stays intact with a first-inning single. (1,3)

Box score.

• 1968 - The major league Executive Council decides that both the A.L. and N.L. will play 162-game schedules in 1969 and operate two six-team divisions. (2)
• 1985 - At Jack Russell Stadium, the organist is ejected by umpire Keith O’Connor from a Class A Florida League game for playing Three Blind Mice following a close call which goes against the Clearwater Phillies. The self-taught musician becomes famous, signing autographs, “Wilbur Snapp, Three Blind Mice organist’’ as the incident is reported by NBC’s Today show weatherman Willard Scott and is heard on Paul Harvey’s syndicated radio program. (1)

• 2015 - Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg resigns in his third season with his team in last place.
• Cubs birthdays: Topsy Hartsel, Elmer Ponder, Elmer Yoter, Babe Herman, George Milstead, Elmer Singleton, Howie Pollet, Dave Rosello, Manny Seoane, Mike Griffin, Rodney Myers, Jason Kendall. Also notable: Willard Brown (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.