Baseball history unpacked, November 4

... 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:

• 1889 - After a formal meeting of representatives from all National League chapters, the Brotherhood issues a “Manifesto” in which it claims that “players have been bought, sold and exchanged as though they were sheep instead of American citizens.” This bold statement constitutes a declaration of war between the Brotherhood and major league officials which will soon explode into the formation of the Players League. (3)
• 1935 - NFL standout Cal Hubbard becomes an American League umpire. The former Green Bay Packers offensive tackle will become the only person to be enshrined at both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame. (1,3)
• 1959 - Ernie Banks (.304, 45, 143) becomes the first National Leaguer to win consecutive MVP awards. ‘Mr. Cub,’ playing for a fifth-place team, garners 10 of the writers’ 21 first-place votes, with Eddie Mathews (5) finishing second. (1,2,3)
• 1976 - The first mass-market free agent re-entry draft is held at the New York Plaza Hotel. Among those available are Reggie Jackson, Willie McCovey, Joe Rudi, Don Gullett, Gene Tenace, Nate Colbert, Rollie Fingers, Don Baylor and Bobby Grich. McCovey and Colbert are the only two players not selected, but McCovey will catch on with the Giants in spring training and have a banner year at his old first base position. (3)
• 1980 - Japan’s all-time home run hitter, Sadaharu Oh, retires from professional baseball. The Tokyo Yomiuri Giants’ first baseman hit a record 868 home runs in his 22-year playing career. (1)
• 1981 - The Philadelphia Phillies announce that Pat Corrales will be the club manager next season, replacing Dallas Green, who quit to become the Chicago Cubs’ general manager. (3)
• 2010 - Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson dies in Thousand Oaks, California at 76. Nicknamed “Captain Hook” for his tendency to remove his starting pitchers early in the game - now standard practice - he was the first manager to win over 100 games in a season in both leagues, and the first to lead teams from both leagues to World Championships, doing so with Cincinnati in 1975 and 1976, and with Detroit in 1984. (3)
• 2016 - Five million fans turn out for the Cubs’ World Series victory parade in downtown Chicago, IL, 108 years in the making. The Chicago River is dyed in blue to celebrate the long-awaited title. (3)

• Cubs birthdays: Tom Hernon, Tommy Leach, Emil Kush, Carl Sawatski, Dick Selma, Angel Salazar, Eric Karros, John Grabow, Also notable: Bobby Wallace HOF

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!