Baseball history unpacked, May 18

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 deep dives into various narratives that we can observe as they expand and change 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:

• 1912 - The Detroit Tigers use a team of replacement players against the Philadelphia Athletics. With 19 players on strike in protest of the recent suspension of Ty Cobb, manager Hughie Jennings recruits college players and a number of local semipro players to avoid a forfeit and fine. Detroit loses to the Athletics, 24-2, as pitcher Al Travers gives up all 24 runs on 26 hits. Box score. (1,2)
• 1933 - The first All-Star Game is announced for July 6th at Comiskey Park. It will be played as part of the Chicago World’s Fair celebration and is sponsored by the Chicago Tribune. Fans will pick the players. (2)
• 1935 - Bucky Walters of the Philadelphia Phillies shuts out the Chicago Cubs for ten innings and bats a RBI single to win the game, 1-0. Box score. (2)
• 1950 - At the Polo Grounds, Rube Walker hits a grand slam in the sixth inning for the Chicago Cubs. In the bottom of the inning, Monte Irvin also hits a grand slam for the New York Giants. It is the first time in major league history that each team hit a grand slam in the same inning. The game is called on account of rain after six innings, and the Giants win, 10-4. Box score. (2)
• 1990 - Chicago Cubs Ryne Sandberg’s errorless game streak at second base comes to an end after 123 games and 584 chances. (2)
• 1999 - Mark Grace hits a three-run home run in the 11th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 4-1 victory over the Florida Marlins. Alex Gonzalez has all three of Florida’s hits. Box score. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Chris Ward, Eric Young Sr.*, Rich Garces, David Patton, Randy Rosario.

Also notable: Brooks Robinson HOF, Reggie Jackson HOF.

Today in world history:

• 1565 - Turkish Armada arrives to begin the Great Siege of Malta, aiming to establish the island as their gateway for the conquest of Europe.
• 1642 - Ville-Marie (later Montreal), Canada, founded by the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal.
• 1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed Emperor of France by the French Senate.
• 1830 - Edwin Budding of England signs an agreement for the manufacture of his invention, the lawn mower.
• 1897 - Herbert Henry Dow founds Dow Chemical in Midland, Michigan.
• 1971 - Stanley Cup Final, Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL: Henri Richard scores twice as Montreal Canadiens beat Chicago Black Hawks for a 4-3 series victory. (I was there)
• 1980 - Mount St Helens erupts in Washington state, causing the largest landslide in history, killing 57 people and costing $1 billion in damage.

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!