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Baseball history unpacked, October 28

Scenes from the rich tapestry of the game.

‘The Sporting News 100 Years of Sports Images’ Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images

... 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:

  • 1948 - On Lou Boudreau Day, held in his honor by the citizens of his hometown, Harvey (IL), the Indians skipper tells an audience his Indians were lucky to win the recent World Series. The Cleveland player-manager cites his infielders driving in more than 400 runs and the lack of injuries to key players as reasons why his “third-place” club excelled this season. (1)
  • 1953 - Red Barber resigns from the Brooklyn Dodgers broadcast booth and takes a job with the rival New York Yankees. (3)
  • 1958 - Construction began on the new ballpark for the Giants in San Francisco. The rocks in the area (Candlestick Point) resembled candlesticks. (2)
  • 1961 - Ground is broken for the Flushing Meadows stadium, the future home of the New York Mets. (2)
  • 1998 - “It is especially fitting that this legislation honors a courageous baseball player and individual, the late Curt Flood, whose enormous talents on the baseball diamond were matched by his courage off the field. It was 29 years ago this month that Curt Flood refused a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies. His bold stand set in motion the events that culminate in the bill I have signed into law.” - Bill Clinton, U.S. president, commenting on the Curt Flood Act.

President Clinton signs the Curt Flood Act of 1998, revoking baseball’s antitrust exemption for labor matters, but not for issues involving relocation, expansion, or the minor leagues. The passage of the legislation by the 105th Congress comes over seventy-five years after the Supreme Court ruled that the sport was not involved in interstate commerce or trade as customarily defined within the context of the Sherman Antitrust Act. (1)

Common sources:

*We vet each item as much as time allows. Please let us know if an item is in error, especially if you have a source. Thanks for reading!