Baseball history unpacked, July 14

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:

• 1938 - In Toledo, OH the American Association All-Star squad becomes the first team to experiment with uniforms designed to be worn during night games. The red, white and blue shiny satin uniforms are believed to reflect the light during the evening contests. (3)
• 1956 - Mel Parnell of the Boston Red Sox pitched a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox for a 4-0 victory at Fenway Park. (2)
• 1958 - Superior Court Judge Arnold Praeger voids the Chavez Ravine pact, stating the city of Los Angeles cannot sell its land to private concerns. The city will appeal the judge’s ruling. (3)
• 1964 - The Cubs overcome making five errors in the top of the third inning and beat the Mets, 4-2. The Chicago miscues, that include shortstop Andre Rodgers and catcher Dick Bertell each committing two and first baseman Ernie Banks contributing to the total by dropping a pop fly, account for all of New York’s scoring in the Wrigley Field contest. (1,3,4)
• 1967 - Eddie Mathews of the Astros hit his 500th home run off San Francisco’s Juan Marichal at Candlestick Park. Houston beat the Giants 8-6. (2)
• 1969 - At Wrigley Field, Bill Hands and the Cubs edge Tom Seaver and the Mets, 1-0. After the game’s last out, Ron Santo jumps up and clicks his heels for the first time, a move the third baseman will repeat each time Chicago wins for the rest of his career. (1,3,4)
• 1972 - In a major league first, the plate umpire and the catcher in a game are brothers. Bill Haller is the ump and Tom Haller is the Detroit Tigers catcher during a game with the Kansas City Royals. Kansas City wins, 1-0. (3)
• 1978 - Umpire Doug Harvey ejects a shocked Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Don Sutton in the 7th after discovering three scuffed balls. Sutton takes the loss, 4-1, against the St. Louis Cardinals with Pete Vuckovich getting the win. (3)
• 1995 - Ramon Martinez throws the 22nd no-hitter in franchise history when he beats the Marlins at Dodger Stadium, 7-0. The Dodger right-hander, booed by the home crowd in his last outing, walks Tommy Gregg on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the seventh inning, spoiling his bid for a perfect game. (1,3)
• 1997 - In the longest night game at Wrigley Field, 5 hours, 19 minutes, Ricky Gutierrez singles home the go-ahead run in the 15th to give the Houston Astros a 9-7 win over the Chicago Cubs. (3)
• 1999 - In an ill-conceived move, umpires union chief Richie Phillips announces that 57 umpires will resign on September 2. Among other things, the umps reportedly are upset at the three-day suspension Tom Hallion received for bumping Rockies C Jeff Reed on July 2. (3)
• 2000 - A report presented to owners, The Commissioner’s Initiative: Women and Baseball, finds women make up 46 percent of the average crowd at a big-league game and urges teams to market more to women patrons. According to the same study, forty-three percent of women could not name a player on their home team’s roster. (1)
• 2005 - The first-known baseball card, which is part of a children’s educational game, illustrates several boys playing together in a field as one pitches a ball to another holding a bat, makes its public debut at the Smithsonian Institution. The historic card, which was discovered in an attic in Maine, dates to the early 19th century and predates other known cards by several decades. (2,3)

Cubs birthdays: Jiggs Parrott, Art Nichols, Julio Bonetti, Steve Stone, Chuck Rainey, Derrick May, Jose Hernandez, Derrick May, Jack Leathersich.

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.

Thanks for reading!