Baseball history unpacked, June 30

... on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue brings a you a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s long and colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along. Don’t be afraid to click the links, as that subtext will add perspective.

Today in baseball history:

• 1901 - Pete Dowling of Cleveland throws the first no-hitter in American League history, 7-0 against his former team, Milwaukee - except hardly anyone notices. This is because most game reports credit him with a one-hitter, the single safety being hit in the seventh inning by Wid Conroy on a ball that 3B Bill Bradley fails to snag. However, the official scorer soon reverses his decision, charging Bradley with an error, and Milwaukee’s papers give the hurler proper credit, but they’re reach is not wide enough to prevent Dowling’s feat to be largely lost in the mists of history until it is re-discovered in the 21st century. (3)
• 1908 - At New York’s Hilltop Park, Red Sox legend Cy Young no-hits the Highlanders (Yankees), 8-0. The contest marks the third time the 41-year-old has accomplished the feat. Cy also tallies three hits and drives in half the Pilgrims’ runs off Rube Manning. (1,3,4)
• 1909 - Chicago’s Ed Reulbach spoils Pittsburgh’s dedication of Forbes Field before 30,338, allowing three hits and beating Vic Willis, 3-2. The new state-of-the-art ballpark, named for General John Forbes, who was an officer in the French and Indian War, is the first stadium to be made completely of steel and poured concrete. Built at a cost of over $1 million, it is the most expensive ballpark built to this point and the first to feature amenities such as elevators and an underground parking garage for motorcars. (1,3)
• 1948 - At Briggs Stadium, Indians right-hander Bob Lemon throws the first American League night time no-hitter, blanking the Tigers, 2-0. The Tigers’ home was the last park in the Junior Circuit to use lights, installing illumination only two weeks ago. (1,4)
• 1959 - At Wrigley Field, a bizarre play occurs in the fourth inning when two balls are put into play. On a 3-1 count, Bob Anderson’s pitch to Stan Musial is wild and bounces back to the screen. Catcher Sammy Taylor ignores the ball, assuming it ticked off Musial’s bat, but Cubs 3B Alvin Dark rushes in to retrieve the wild pitch/foul tip. The bat boy tosses the ball to field announcer Pat Pieper, and Dark finally retrieves it from him. Meanwhile home plate ump Vic Delmore has handed a second ball to Anderson. Through all this, Musial reaches first with what he thinks is ball four, and then streaks for second base. Simultaneously, Dark and Anderson fire to the bag. Anderson’s throw goes into CF, but Dark’s to Ernie Banks catches the sliding Musial. Stan ignores the tag and rambles to third base as play is stopped. Delmore then rules Musial is out at second, while Al Barlick rules Stan safe at first base. Both managers play the game under protest, but the Cards drop theirs after dropping the Cubs, 4-1. The National League will drop Vic Delmore at the end of the season. (2,3)
• 1962 - With the aid of 13 strikeouts and a Frank Howard home run, Sandy Koufax no-hits Bob Miller and the Mets, 5-0 in Los Angeles. Sandy starts off the game by fanning the side on nine pitches in the first inning, the first National League pitcher to strike out the side on nine pitches since Brooklyn’s Dazzy Vance, in 1924. It will be the first of four career no-hitters thrown by Koufax. (1,3)
• 1964 - At Wrigley Field, the Reds’ Joey Jay allows just two hits but loses to the Cubs, 1-0. Larry Jackson does him one better, allowing just one hit and driving in the lone run with a single. Jackson’s no-hit bid is stopped in the sevrnth when Pete Rose singles. (3)
• 1998 - With an eighth-inning homer against the Diamondbacks, Cubs’ slugger Sammy Sosa extends his major league record for home runs in a month, hitting his 20th round-tripper in June. (1,3)
• 2020 - Minor League Baseball officially announces the cancellation of its season, as Major League Baseball will not make players available to minor league teams this year. Teams will instead keep a “taxi squad” of eligible players ready to be added to the major league roster if the need arises. The decision was pretty much inevitable in any case, as minor league teams are dependent on gate receipts to cover most operating expenses, and did not have the option of playing games solely for a television audience as their major league counterparts are now preparing to do. (3)

Cubs birthdays: Jocko Flynn, Davy Jones, Johnny Hudson, Joe Stephenson. Paul Toth, Doug Dascenzo, Mark Grudzielanek.

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.

There is a very active baseball history community and there are many facets to their views. We strive for clarity. Please let us know (nicely) if you feel that an item is in error and we will address that issue to the originator(s), if at all possible.