Baseball history unpacked, December 3

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue brings a you a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past, with plenty of the lore and deep dives into various narratives that expand over the course of time. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along. Don’t be afraid to click the links for ‘inside baseball’ on the entries, which change from year to year as we re-examine the subjects.

Today in baseball history:

• 1901 - At the league meeting, the Milwaukee Brewers franchise is officially dropped from the American League and is replaced by the St. Louis Browns. (2)
• 1962 - Former players Frank Crosetti and Johnny Schulte file a suit to halt any increased Major League Baseball pension benefits that fail to include old-time players. (2)
• 1968 - The MLB Rules Committee adopts a series of changes designed to increase the amount of offensive run production in both leagues. In the most significant alterations, the committee agrees to decrease the size of the strike zone and lower the height of the pitcher’s mound from 15 inches to 10 inches. The rules changes will result in increased run-scoring in 1969. (2)
• 1971 - The Chicago Cubs trade P Jim Colborn and two other players to the Milwaukee Brewers for OF Jose Cardenal. (2)
• 2002 - The Los Angeles Dodgers trade 1B Eric Karros, 2B Mark Grudzielanek and cash to the Chicago Cubs. In return, the Dodgers get C Todd Hundley and OF Chad Hermansen. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Cozy Dolan, Bennie Tate, Mike Martin, Damon Berryhill, Manny Corpas.

Today in world history:

• 1586 - Sir Thomas Herriot introduces potatoes to England from Colombia.
• 1689 - First recorded successful separation of conjoined twins Elisabet and Catherina Meijerin, completed by Swiss surgeon Johannes Fatio in Basel.
• 1736 - Astronomer Anders Celsius takes measurements that confirm Newton’s theory that the earth was an ellipsoid rather than the previously accepted sphere.
• 1818 - Illinois becomes the 21st state.
• 1931 - Alka Seltzer goes on sale.
• 1961 - The Beatles meet future manager Brian Epstein.
• 1967 - First human heart transplant performed in South Africa by Dr Christiaan Barnard on Louis Washkansky.

Common sources:

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

There is a very active baseball history community and there are many facets to their views. We strive for clarity. Please be aware that we are trying to make the historical record as represented by our main sources coherent and as accurate as is possible. No item is posted here without corroboration. Some of these items spread from site to site without being verified. That is exactly why we ask for reputable sources, so that we can address them to the originators. BBRef is very cooperative in this regard, as are SABR and the Baseball Almanac. We have removed thenationalpastime from our sourcing list, as there have been multiple complaints about their content and they do not respond to attempts to communicate.

Also please remember that this is supposed to be fun.

Thank you for your cooperation.