Baseball history unpacked. May 4

The simCubs prevailed in yesterday’s game, running their winning streak to seven and sweeping the series.

Unfortunately the telecast ate the highlights, but they’re available at the very end of the gamecast. Tyler Chatwood pitched well between bases on balls, well enough to get the game to eventual winner Max Fried, who continues to throw well after his trade to Chicago. Craig Kimbrel came on for his tenth save. Anthony Rizzo, Ian Happ, and Kyle Schwarber went deep.

Today former Dodger Yu Darvish (2-2, 4.67) faces David Price (2-2, 2.63) in LA. The Dodgers are 19-14 and in first place in the NL West, the Padres having sunk to .500 at 17-17.

Al will have more information about that game in the game post at 2:30 pm CT, Tuesday, for our 3 p.m. start. I’ll drop the specific URL to the contest in the game thread, but you can lurk at the BCB Media Center and catch it there as well. All past games and highlights reels are available there too, if you want the full #simCubs experience.

... 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 hand-picked scenes from the rich tapestry of Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball history*.

Today in baseball history:

• 1869 - The Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first all-professional baseball team, start their first regular season with a 45-9 victory over the Great Westerns of Cincinnati. (3)
• 1943 - National League President Ford C. Frick demonstrates that the revised “balata ball” is livelier than the previous year’s ball by bouncing it on a carpet in his office. The major leagues have turned to the balata ball because of wartime restrictions on the supplies used to make standard baseballs. (3)
• 1963 - Bob Shaw of the Milwaukee Braves sets a major league record by committing five balks. In the 3rd inning, Shaw walks Billy Williams and sends him home with three straight balks. Shaw lasts five innings before he is ejected for arguing. The Chicago Cubs beat Milwaukee, 5-3. (3)
• 1976 - The Illinois Legislature declares today “Rick Monday Day” to honor his patriotic gesture on April 25th of saving an American flag from being burned by two spectators at Dodger Stadium. (3)
• 1980 - Ferguson Jenkins becomes only the fifth major league hurler to win 100 games in each league when he defeats the Orioles, 3-2. The Ranger right-hander joins Al Orth, Cy Young, Jim Bunning, and Gaylord Perry in accomplishing the feat. (1)
• 1986 - Cubs third baseman Ron Cey hits his 300th and 301st home runs and Chicago scores four times in the top of the ninth to beat San Francisco 6-5. (2)
• 2010 - Ernie Harwell, one of the greatest broadcasters in baseball history, dies at the age of 92 after a year-long bout with cancer. He was the radio and television voice of the Detroit Tigers for 42 years, retiring from the booth in 2002. He received the Ford Frick Award in 1981 and was a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame. (3)
• Cubs birthdays: John Malarkey, Vic Saier, Ted Turner, Ox Miller, Cy Block, Joe Borowski, Manny Aybar, Miguel Cairo, Ben Grieve.

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 try to vet each item. Please let us know if an item is in error, especially if you have a source. Thanks for reading, and please drive safely.