Baseball history unpacked, August 18

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:

• 1915 - Wilbur Good becomes the only Cub ever to steal second base, third base, and home in the same inning. He does it in the 6th frame of a 9-0 beating of Brooklyn. (3)
• 1960 - Facing just 27 batters, Lew Burdette pitches a 1-0 no-hitter against the Phillies. Tony Gonzalez, the only Phil to reach base, is hit by a Burdette pitch in the fifth inning but erased on a double play. The Milwaukee pitcher also scores the only run of the game. (1,3)
• 1968 - In the opener of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field, umpire Chris Pelekoudas calls three illegal pitches on Cubs P Phil Regan, twice allowing a retired batter to hit again. Pete Rose singles after a called third strike. Pelekoudas can’t find any evidence on Regan and bases his calls on “the flight of the ball.” The Cubs, who lose both games, 2-1 and 6-3, protest the ump’s calls. The next day Warren Giles meets with Cubs officials and orders Pelekoudas to apologize to the church-going Regan, whom he calls a “fine Christian gentleman.” However, at the major leagues Winter Meetings, the Rules Committee will further amend the spitball rule to allow an ump to call an illegal pitch based on the flight of the ball. (3)
• 1972 - The Orioles trade C Elrod Hendricks to the Cubs for OF/1B Tommy Davis. )3)
• 1983 - In the continuation of the “Pine Tar Game”, Hal McRae strikes out for the last Kansas City out and Dan Quisenberry retires the Yankees in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the Royals’ 5-4 victory. The conclusion takes just 12 minutes (and 16 pitches) and, as the only game scheduled at Yankee Stadium, is witnessed by a crowd of 1,245. An odd feature of the game is lefty Don Mattingly playing 2B and pitcher Ron Guidry in CF. (3)
• 1995 - In a slugfest at new Coors Field, the Cubs defeat the Rockies by a score of 26-7. A 2½-hour rain delay interrupts the contest which takes more than six hours to play. OF Luis Gonzalez drives home six runs for Chicago while Sammy Sosa goes 4 for 4, with four RBIs and four runs scored. Several major league records are tied by the Cubs: nine teammates each score two or more runs (Scott Servais and Sosa score 4, while Mark Grace plates 3); 14 Cubs hit safely, and 26 RBIs (ties the National League mark) are collected. The Cubs now have scored 20 or more runs 39 times in their history, extending their record. Kevin Foster pitches the first three innings for Chicago, allowing only a Andres Galarraga homer before departing to rest with the Cubs up 9-1. Anthony Young picks up an easy win with 1⅓ innings of relief. (3)
• 2010 - The Braves acquire 1B Derrek Lee from the Chicago Cubs in return for three minor league pitchers (Robinson Lopez, Tyrelle Harris and Jeffrey Lorick) on the same day they place starting 1B Troy Glaus on the disabled list with inflammation around his left knee. As a ten-year veteran, who had played at least five years with the same team, the 34-year-old first baseman rejected a trade to the Angels last month because he thought LA had too much of a deficit to make up in the AL West race. (1,3)

Cubs birthdays: Eddie Hickey, Burleigh Grimes HOF, William Marriott, Mandy Brooks, Bernie Friberg, Bob Humphreys, Paul Popovich, Justin Wilson. Also notable: Roberto Clemente HOF.

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!