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.
We apologize in advance for any attempts at humor in these articles.
Today in baseball history:
- 1884 - In a five-inning game played on ice skates in Brooklyn, Chicago White Stockings ace pitcher Larry Corcoran leads his team of mostly amateurs to a 41-12 win over a team composed of mostly professionals. Corcoran’s team was assembled by veteran sportswriter Henry Chadwick. In four days, the pros will beat Corcoran and another group of amateurs, 16-8. (2)
- 1920 - A plan developed by Charles Ebbets many years ago is finally adopted: the annual drafting of players from the minor leagues will be done in inverse order of the final standings. (1,2)
- 1921 - Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis takes over his new role as Commissioner of baseball. Landis, who is given wide-ranging powers, replaces the three-man National Commission that had been running the game for nearly two decades. (2)
- 1961 - Charlie Grimm and Verlon Walker are named to the Chicago Cubs College of Coaches. Using this system, a different coach will manage the team each month during the season, and members of the group will move between the major league team and its minor league affiliates. (2)
Cubs birthdays: George Browne, Roy Easterwood, Phil Mudrock, Paul Reuschel*, Bill Madlock.
*pictured
Today in world history:
- 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople.
- 1836 - HMS Beagle with Charles Darwin reaches Sydney, Australia.
- 1915 - US House of Representatives rejects proposal to give women right to vote.
- 1939 - Timely Comics (later Marvel) founded by American publisher Martin Goodman in New York.
- 1948 - Mahatma Gandhi begins his final fast.
- 1959 - American record company Motown is founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records.
- 1986 - NFC Championship, Soldier Field, Chicago: Chicago Bears beat Los Angeles Rams, 24-0.
Common sources:
- (1) — Today in Baseball History.
- (2) — Baseball Reference.
- (3) — Society for American Baseball Research.
- (4) — Baseball Hall of Fame.
- (5) — This Day in Chicago Cubs history.
- For world history.
*Pictured.
There is a very active baseball history community and there are many facets to their views. We strive for clarity. Please be aware that we are trying to make the historical record as represented by our main sources coherent and as accurate as is possible. No item is posted here without corroboration. Some of these items spread from site to site without being verified. That is exactly why we ask for reputable sources, so that we can address them to the originators. BBRef is very cooperative in this regard, as are SABR and the Baseball Almanac. We have removed thenationalpastime from our sourcing list, as there have been multiple complaints about their content and they do not respond to attempts to communicate.
Also please remember that this is supposed to be fun.
Thank you for your cooperation. And thanks for reading!