Baseball history unpacked, August 4

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:

• 1884 - At Detroit’s Recreation Park, Bison hurler Pud Galvin throws the most lopsided no-hitter in baseball history when the team beats the Wolverines, 18-0. The victory is the second career no-hitter for the 27-year-old Buffalo right-hander, who also held the Worcester Worcesters hitless in 1880. (1,3)
• 1948 - Ernie Harwell, filling in for Red Barber, recovering from a bleeding ulcer, calls his first major league game as the Dodgers beat the Cubs at Ebbets Field, 5-4. To obtain the future Hall of Fame broadcaster, Brooklyn general manager Branch Rickey trades minor league catcher Cliff Dapper to the Atlanta Crackers. (1,3)
• 1955 - Ernie Banks hits three home runs in a game for the first of four times in his career when the Cubs outslug the Pirates, 11-10 at Wrigley Field. The Chicago first baseman accomplishes the feat off three different Buc hurlers, going deep off Lino Donoso in the first, connecting in the fourth off Max Surkont, and adding a two-run blast in the eighth off Dick Littlefield to give the team the lead for good. (1,3,4)
• 1971 - In a Texas League contest, Tommy Walker hurls a 15-inning no-hitter, beating the Albuquerque Dukes, 1-0. The Dallas-Fort Worth Spur right-hander faces only 47 batters during the minor league game, two over the minimum. (1)
• 1982 - After driving in the winning run in a Mets 7-4 victory over the Cubs, Joel Youngblood is traded and later in the day flies to Philadelphia and singles for the Expos, becoming the first player to have a hit for two different teams in the same day in different cities. (2,3)
• 2008 - At the start of the rain delay during the Astros and Cubs game at Wrigley Field, fans are advised to take cover in the concourse due to a tornado warning being issued by the National Weather Service for downtown Chicago. The game resumes in 2 hours, 45 minutes, but approximately an hour later, more thunder and lightning and another 39-minute stoppage cause the contest to be called in the bottom of the eighth, with Houston credited with a 2-0 rain-shortened victory. (1)

Cubs birthdays: Henry Clarke, Tuck Stainback. Bill Schuster, Gabe Gabler, Rich Nye, Troy O’Leary, Mike Freeman, Jason Adam. Also notable: Jake Beckley HOF, Dallas Green.

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!