Baseball history unpacked, August 23

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:

• 1907 - The day after his 25th birthday, Pirates right-hander Howie Camnitz tosses an unofficial no-hitter, beating the Giants, 1-0, in an agreed-upon-beforehand shortened five-inning nightcap of a Polo Grounds twin bill. The Kentuckian, called Red by his teammates, finishes his 11-year career with a 133-106 (.556) record, including posting a 25-6 mark for the eventual World Champion Bucs in 1909. (1,3)
• 1929 - The Cubs buy Lon Warneke, 20, from Alexandria (Cotton States League) for $100. (3)
• 1952 - Bob Elliott of the Giants is tossed from the Cardinal game for protesting a strike two call and his replacement, Bobby Hofman, is also thrown out for arguing the third strike of the same at-bat. (3)
• 1980 - A’s owner Charlie Finley sells the club for $12.7 million to the Haas family of San Francisco, CA, owners of the Levi Strauss clothing empire, thus keeping the team in Oakland. (2,3)
• 1982 - Home plate umpire Dave Phillips ejects Mariners starter Gaylord Perry from the game for applying a foreign substance to the ball, making the ejection the first since the 1940s for doctoring the ball. Although suspected for years of cheating, the 43-year-old right-hander evaded detection until today. (1,3)
• 1992 - In a Class A Florida State League game, Andy Carter of the Clearwater Phillies defeats Scott Bakkum of the Winter Haven Red Sox, 1-0. Neither team gets a hit in what is believed to be the first double no-hitter in the minors in 40 years. (2)
• 1998 - With his 50th and 51st dingers, Cubs’ slugger Sammy Sosa joins Mark McGwire (53) of the Cardinals in hitting 50 home runs, making it only the second time two National League hitters have reached the plateau in the same season. Pirates outfielder Ralph Kiner and Giants first baseman Johnny Mize each hit a league-leading 51 round-trippers in 1947. (1,3,4)

Cub birthdays: Fred Andrus, Red Downs, Lew Richie, Roy Leslie, Guy Bush, Lonny Frey, Dave Dowling, Danny Murphy, Al Montreuil, Jerry White, Mark Bellhorn, Cole Liniak. Also notable: George Davis HOF, George Kell 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!