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... 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:
- 1901 - 22-year-old Christy Mathewson becomes the first rookie to throw a no-hitter in baseball history in the modern era. The 20 year-old right-hander, who will hurl another no-hit game in 1905, holds the Cardinals hitless in the Giants’ 5-0 victory at Robison Field in St. Louis. (1)
- 1939 - National League president Ford Frick orders two-foot screens affixed inside all foul poles after Billy Jurges of the Giants and umpire George Magerkurth spit at each other after a disputed foul ball call down the left field line at the Polo Grounds. The American League will soon follow the Senior Circuit lead and will also install foul ball screens. (1)
- 1969 - The New York Mets rough up Fergie Jenkins for three home runs, including Al Weis’s second in two days, to beat the Chicago Cubs, 9 - 5. The Cubs now lead New York by 3½ games. At the end of the game Tom Seaver jumps out of the dugout and clicks his heels several times, mocking Ron Santo’s gesture of the day before. (3)
- 1975 - The National League rallies for three runs in the 9th inning to win the All-Star Game at Milwaukee, 6 - 3. The Chicago Cubs’ Bill Madlock and the New York Mets’ Jon Matlack share the game’s MVP award. (3)
- 1985 - At the Metrodome in Minnesota, the first Home Run Derby, a new tradition to take place the day before the All-Star Game, is won by Reds right-fielder Dave Parker. Although these types of hitting exhibitions have occurred in the past, the event marks the first time Major League Baseball will acknowledge the contest. (1)
- Cubs birthdays: Bubbles Hargrave, Bruce Edwards, Bob Will, Chris Denorfia.
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.