Baseball history unpacked, November 11

... 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:

• 1886 - The Executive Council of the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players, formed the previous year, meets and chooses officers. Monte Ward is re-elected president, Dan Brouthers vice president, and Tim Keefe secretary-treasurer. (3)
• 1891 - The National League meets and dismisses the charges of collusion and game throwing against the eastern clubs brought by the Chicago Colts, thereby formally giving the Boston Beaneaters the pennant. The league also plans its strategy for conquering the American Association by consolidating the four strongest Association clubs into a 12-team league for next year. (1,3)
• 1962 - His major league peers select Ken Hubbs as the recipient of the Gold Glove for his performance at second base. The 21-year-old Cubs infielder is the first rookie to be honored with the prestigious fielding award. (1)
• 1981 - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela becomes the first rookie ever to win a Cy Young Award, edging Tom Seaver of the Cincinnati Reds by a 70-67 margin for National League honors. Valenzuela was the first rookie since Herb Score in 1955 to lead his league in strikeouts with 180. (2,3)
• 1987 - Jim Frey, who managed the Chicago Cubs to the 1984 NL East division title, and spent last season as a broadcaster for the Cubs, is named the club’s director of baseball operations. His first major move will be to hire longtime friend Don Zimmer as manager on November 20th. (3)
• 1996 - Milwaukee Brewers owner Bud Selig meets with Don Fehr, the players’ labor leader, in a futile attempt to convince Fehr to accept the owners’ demands. With the deadline for an agreement at midnight on the 14th, there is virtually no hope that the two sides will agree. If the two sides reach the deadline without an agreement, the interleague schedule for next year will be wiped out, and a traditional schedule follow. (3)
• Cubs birthdays: Bert Abbey, Rabbit Maranville HOF, Scott May. Also notable: Pie Traynor HOF.
• Site note: Ashley MacLennan is under the weather (don’t worry, definitely not COVID); Outside The Confines will resume on Friday.

Common sources:

• (1) — The National Pastime.
• (2) — Today in Baseball History.
• (3) — Baseball Reference.
• (4) — Society for American Baseball Research.
• (5) — Baseball Hall of Fame.
• (6) — This Day in Chicago Cubs history.

*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!