Baseball history unpacked, December 16

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:

• 1905 - The Cubs trade OF Jack McCarthy and Billy Maloney, 3B Doc Casey, and P Buttons Briggs to Brooklyn for Jimmy Sheckard, who will take over LF for the National League champions of the next three years. (2)
• 1926 - Judge Landis is given a new seven-year term as commissioner with a raise to $65,000. (1,2)
• 1976 - Court proceedings in Charlie Finley’s $10 million damage suit against Commissioner Bowie Kuhn begin in Chicago. At issue is Kuhn’s voiding of Finley’s attempted player sales last June. The proceedings will take 15 days, and the decision will take three months, but it will uphold the Commissioner’s authority to act “in the best interests of baseball.” (1,2)
• 2011 - Sentencing is announced in the trial of Barry Bonds. The major leagues’ all-time leading home run hitter is handed a two-year probation with a term of house arrest after being found guilty of obstruction of justice on April 13th. He is also fined $4000 and ordered to perform 250 hours of community service. (2)
• 2020 - In a groundbreaking decision, Major League Baseball grants major league status to the Negro Leagues for the period 1920-1948, meaning that statistics compiled by their players will now be part of the official baseball record. The decision affects seven leagues and some 3,400 players, including 35 Hall of Famers. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Sammy Strang, Tony Kaufmann, Joe Berry, Adolfo Phillips, Paul Noce, Tyler Chatwood*.

Today in history:

• 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion during Chinese Tang Dynasty.
• 1392 - Nanboku-chō - Emperor Go-Kameyama of Japan abdicates in favor of rival claimant Go-Komatsu.
• 1431 - King Henry VI of England crowned King of France (only English monarch to wear both crowns).
• 1620 - Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts [New Style calendar: Dec. 26]. Myles Standish and a group of 18 settlers are confronted by 30 Native Americans, which became known as the “First Encounter”.
• 1773 - Boston tea party incident - Sons of Liberty protesters throw tea shipments into Boston Harbor in protest against British imposed Tea Act.
• 1929 - Chicago Blackhawks first game at Chicago Stadium, beat Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-1.

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.