Baseball history unpacked, October 7

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. We also include Cubs’ player birthdays and a bit of world history, for context.

Today in baseball history:

• 1933 - Flags are at half staff for Game 5 to honor William L. Veeck, Chicago Cubs president, who died suddenly. (1,2)
• 1935 - Goose Goslin of the Detroit Tigers drives in Mickey Cochrane to win the World Series. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Goslin’s hit gives the Tigers a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. (2)
• 1945 - Hank Greenberg hits three doubles to lead the Detroit Tigers to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs, giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead in the World Series. (1,2)
• 1969 - The St. Louis Cardinals trade outfielder Curt Flood to the Philadelphia Phillies in a blockbuster deal involving slugging first baseman Richie Allen. Flood will refuse to report to the Phillies and will take baseball to court over the reserve clause that binds a player perpetually to one team. (2)
• 1984 - The San Diego Padres win the National League pennant with a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the final game of the NLCS. The Padres win three straight after dropping the first two at Wrigley Field. (2)
• 2015 - The Cubs defeat the Pirates, 4-0, in the Wild Card Game thanks to a four-hit shutout by Jake Arrieta and homers by Kyle Schwarber and Dexter Fowler off Gerrit Cole. The Bucs are out of the postseason after a 98-win season. (2)
• 2017 - In Game 2 of the NLDS, Chicago has 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, thanks to a solo homer by Willson Contreras and a two-run shot by Anthony Rizzo, both off Gio Gonzalez, but Washington explodes for five runs against Carl Edwards Jr. and Mike Montgomery to take a 6-3 win and even the series at one apiece. In the fateful inning, Bryce Harper hits a two-run shot and Ryan Zimmerman another good for three runs as all the scoring comes on long balls (Anthony Rendon had homered in the first for Washington’s other run). (2)
• Cubs birthdays: Frank Donnelly, Ernie Ovitz, Fred Fussell, Chuck Klein HOF, Frank Baumholtz, Red Adams, Grady Hatton, Sammy Drake, Morrie Steevens, Jose Cardenal, Adrian Sampson*, Kohl Stewart.

Today in world history:

• 1492 - Christopher Columbus misses Florida when he changes course.
• 1542 - Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo discovers Catalina Island off the coast of California.
• 1737 - A cyclone causes 40 foot waves that are believed to have killed 300,000 in Calcutta, India.
• 1806 - Carbon paper patented in London by inventor Ralph Wedgwood.
• 1856 - Cyrus Chambers Jr patents folding machine that folds book & newspapers.
• 1882 - First World Series Baseball Game 2: Chicago White Stockings (NL) beats Cincinnati Red Stockings (AA), 2-0 at Bank Street Grounds, Cincinnati.
• 1919 - KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines, established (oldest existing airline).
• 1984 - Walter Payton passes Jim Brown as NFL’s career rushing leader.

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.