Baseball history unpacked, August 25

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:

• 1900 - Criticism of administration in the National League continues. The Sporting News offers the new American League some editorial encouragement: “An organization opposed to the National League will be welcome because it will mean the elevation of the game if it is successful.” (3)
• 1922 - After leading 25-6, thanks to scoring ten second-inning runs and adding another 14 in the fourth, the Cubs need to hold on to defeat Philadelphia 26-23. The slugfest, which sets the major league mark for most tallies scored in one game and the most hits with a combined total of 51, ends with the Phillies leaving the bases loaded in the ninth. (1)

Box score.

• 1947 - The Cubs’ Billy Jurges, shifted from coach to active player two days ago, smashes a two-run homer in the 10th to give Chicago a 9-7 win over the Giants. Also homering are Bob Scheffing and Andy Pafko for Chicago and Willard Marshall and Bobby Thomson for the Giants. (3)
• 1965 - Moonlight Graham dies in Chisholm, MN. Graham played in one major league game, for the 1905 Giants, and did not get to bat. His character in W.P. Kinsella’s Field of Dreams, later played by Burt Lancaster in the movie of the same name, will eventually make him a baseball household name. (3)
• 1969 - Joe Niekro is traded by the Cubs, along with Gary Ross and Francisco Libran, in exchange for right-hander Dick Selma. The 22-year-old never became a favorite of Chicago skipper Leo Durocher, due to his insistence on throwing a knuckleball, the signature pitch that will result in 221 career victories. (1,3,4)
• 1978 - Major League umpires stage a one-day strike in defiance of their contract, in order to gain recognition for their union as their bargaining agent with Major League Baseball. Semipro and amateur umps are pressed into service until a restraining order forces the strikers to return. The umpires will walk out again at the beginning of the 1979 season. (3)
• 1980 - At Exhibition Stadium, Rangers P Ferguson Jenkins is arrested for possession of illegal drugs after customs officials discover an estimated $500 worth of cocaine, marijuana, and hashish in his suitcase. The arrest stuns the entire country, where Jenkins, a Canadian citizen, is considered a national hero. (3)
• 1991 - Cubs OF Doug Dascenzo commits an error in Chicago’s 12-9 loss to San Diego, ending his National League-record streak of 242 consecutive games without a miscue (442 chances). The streak, which began in 1988, is two games short of the American League record. (3)
• 2020 - Lucas Giolito of the White Sox pitches the first no-hitter of the season, defeating the Pirates, 4-0. He strikes out 13 while allowing just one walk. (3)

Cubs birthdays: Rube Kroh, Gary Matthews Jr., Doug Glanville, Adam Warren. Also notable: Rollie Fingers 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!