Baseball history unpacked, June 29

We’ll have to settle for meatloaf. The simCubs scored a ton of runs Sunday. But the simYankees scored more. Jon Lester and Masahiro Tanaka and their gaudy stats looked like they were in the PCL as barrel met ball repeatedly in the first inning and sporadically afterward. Oh it was ugly. But the game looked great.

I wrapped the meatloaf in bacon and made barbecue sauce gravy. It’s the least I could do for you, oh simCubs fans.

Please ignore the parts of the highlights that say ‘Yankees’. Ian Happ took over the team lead in RBI with a first-inning grand slam and there were a great many other Cub-specific bits.

Our simCubs are still in first by a country mile and are all over the leaderboards.Check out the standings and league leaders:

Today the simCubs travel back home to Wrigley to take on the second-place, wild-card-leading Brewers. The mound opponents are Tyler Chatwood (3-1, 3.25), who won his last outing after a long spell of four-inning stints, and Adrian Houser (4-5, 4.32), which means that the bullpens had better be rested. Al will have more about the game in the game post at 2:30 p.m. CT, and then I’ll post the actual URL to the stream at 3 p.m. CT. Or you can catch the game at the BCB Media Center and also catch past games and game videos, 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:

• 1897 - The Chicago Colts (Cubs) of the National League establish the record for most runs scored in a game by one team when they clobber the Louisville Colonels, 36-7. The Cardinals will beat the Phillies 28-6 at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl in 1929 to set the modern NL mark. (1,3)
• 1909 - Playing their last game in Exposition Park, the Pirates score four runs in the 1st inning off Mordecai Brown and sail to an 8-1 win over Chicago. Lefty Leifield is the winner. Tomorrow, the Pirates will move to Forbes Field, a spacious venue constructed of concrete and steel, named after British General John Forbes, who captured Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War.
• 1916 - Only one baseball is used during the Reds’ 9-6 win over the Cubs at Redland Field. There are no home runs or foul balls which land in the stands during the contest. (1)
• 1937 - In a 10-2 loss to Brooklyn, Chicago’s first baseman Ripper Collins does not make a putout during the nine-inning game. Although this is just the third occurrence of the rare feat, it is the second time for the Cubs infielder, who also didn’t make a putout playing first for the Cardinals in a game played against the Braves two seasons ago. (1)
• 1952 - Trailing 8-2 with two outs and none on in the top of the ninth inning, the Cubs stage an incredible comeback, beating the Reds at Crosley Field, 9-8. Chicago puts nine consecutive runners on base thanks to five hits, two walks, an HBP, and an error to take the lead by scoring seven runs in the final frame. (1)
• 1969 - Billy Williams plays in his 896th consecutive game to surpass Stan Musial’s mark established in 1957, when the Cubs sweep a doubleheader from the Cardinals 3-1 and 12-1, with the Chicago outfielder going 4-for-5 with a single, a double, and two triples in the nightcap. The team honors the accomplishment with an emotional ceremony between games of the twin bill on ‘Billy Williams Day’ before a crowd of 41,060 at Wrigley Field that visibly moves Sweet Swingin’ Billy from Whistler, Alabama. (1)

Cubs birthdays: Bobby Morgan, John Boccabella, Bruce Kimm, Pedro Valdes, Brooks Raley. Also notable: Dizzy Trout, Harmon Killebrew HOF.

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!