Baseball history unpacked, December 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.

Today in baseball history:

• 1876 - The first annual meeting of the National League is held. The New York Mutuals and the Philadelphia Athletics are expelled because the two teams had decided not to play their final games in the west without permission. Also, William Hulbert is elected to succeed Morgan Bulkeley as president. (2)
• 1937 - Five of baseball’s pioneers are added to the Hall of Fame: Connie Mack‚ John McGraw‚ Morgan G. Bulkeley‚ Ban Johnson‚ and George Wright. (2)
• 1939 - Lou Gehrig, age 36, is elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Gehrig, whose illness forced an end his streak of 2,130 consecutive games played, hit 493 home runs and batted .340 over his career. He is the first player to have the existing rule waived that required a player to be retired one year before he could be elected. (1,2)
• 1966 - The Cubs trade P Dick Ellsworth to the Phils for P Ray Culp and cash. (2)
• 1983 - In a complicated three-team swap‚ pitcher Scott Sanderson is traded from the Expos to the Cubs. Montreal receives pitcher Gary Lucas from San Diego‚ and the Padres get P Craig Lefferts‚ 1B-OF Carmelo Martinez and 3B Fritzie Connally from Chicago, and IF Al Newman from Montreal. (2)
• 1998 - The Cubs sign two free agents, 3B Gary Gaetti and OF Glenallen Hill. (2)
• 2016 - There is a lot of action at the Winter Meetings in National Harbor, MD. The Nationals acquire OF Adam Eaton from the White Sox for three young pitchers: Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning. The Royals trade closer Wade Davis to the Cubs in return for OF Jorge Soler and the Giants send P Chris Heston to the Mariners for a player to be named. Finally, the Rockies sign SS-turned-OF Ian Desmond for five years and $70 million. (2)
• 2017 - The Cubs sign free agent P Tyler Chatwood to a three-year deal worth $38 million. While Chatwood led the NL with 15 losses last year, he has also posted excellent road ERAs for the last two seasons and is seen as a potential break-out candidate now that he no longer needs to pitch his home games in Coors Field. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Ed Morris, Don Johnson, Jorge Comellas, Mark Freeman, Don Cardwell, Scot Thompson, Ryan Theriot, Mike Baxter, Kyle Hendricks*. Also notable: Johnny Bench HOF.

Today in history:

• 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and politician is assassinated in Formiae.
• 185 - Emperor Lo-Yang, China sees supernova (MSH15-52).
• 1787 - Delaware is the first state to ratify the US constitution.
• 1877 - Thomas Edison demonstrates his phonograph (gramophone) to the editors of “Scientific American.”
• 1909 - Inventor Leo Baekeland patents the first thermo-setting plastic, Bakelite, sparking the birth of the plastics industry.
• 1941 - Imperial Japanese Navy with 353 planes attack the US fleet at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii, killing 2,403 people.

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.