Baseball history unpacked, October 31

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past, with plenty of the lore and various narratives to follow as they unfold over the course of time. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along.

Today in baseball history:

• 1931 - The St. Louis Cardinals release the last legal spitballer, pitcher Burleigh Grimes. (2)
• 1953 - After touring Japan with the New York Giants, commissioner Ford Frick compares the level of Japanese play to that of Class-A minor league baseball. (2)
• 1961 - A federal judge rules that Birmingham, Alabama laws against integrated playing fields are illegal, eliminating the last barrier against integration in the Southern Association. The circuit will choose to disband rather than abide the ruling and will be replaced in 1964 by the integrated Southern League. (2)
• 1995 - Retired second baseman Ryne Sandberg announces that he will return to the major leagues in 1996. The ten-time All-Star signs a one-year contract to play for the Chicago Cubs. (2)
• 2014 - The Cubs fire manager Rick Renteria* after only one season, opening a spot for hiring Joe Maddon in a few days. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Dee Fondy, Fred McGriff, Steve Trachsel, Alex Hinshaw, Tony Kemp.

Today in history:

• 1517 - Martin Luther sends his 95 Theses to Albrecht von Brandenburg, the Archbishop of Mainz, precipitating the Protestant Reformation.
• 1815 - Cornishman Sir Humphry Davy patents miner’s safety lamp.
• 1846 - Donner party, unable to cross the Donner Pass, construct a winter camp.
• 1864 - Nevada admitted as 36th state of the Union.
• 1938 - Great Depression: In an effort to try restore investor confidence, the New York Stock Exchange unveils a fifteen-point program aimed to upgrade protection for the investing public.
• 1984 - Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh at her home in New Delhi.
• 1999 - Roman Catholic Church and Lutheran Church leaders sign the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, ending a centuries-old doctrinal dispute over the nature of faith and salvation.
• 2014 Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Frank Thomas, Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa and Joe Torre are inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY.

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.

Also please remember that this is supposed to be fun.