Baseball history unpacked, July 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 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:

• 1882 - The Louisville Eclipse’s Tony Mullane becomes the first major leaguer to pitch both left- and right-handed in the same game; the ambidextrous ace, however, loses to the Baltimore Orioles, 9-8. (1,2) Sadly, he breathed only air this time.
• 1908 - The Cubs win by a run, beating the Giants, 5-4, behind Orval Overall. Hooks Wiltse takes the loss as Joe Tinker once again wins the game, this time with a two-run double in the 9th inning. Tinker also has a sixth-inning triple off Hooks. (2)
• 1912 - Gavvy Cravath swipes home in the 11th inning to give the Phillies a 9-8 win over the Cubs. Reliever Tom Seaton is the winner over Jimmy Lavender. Seaton also pitches the second game but loses, 4-2, to Ed Reulbach. (1,2)
• 1916 - In Chicago, with the score tied 4-4 in the 10th, umpire Bill “Lord” Byron forfeits a game to Brooklyn when Hippo Vaughn, protesting alleged sign stealing by baserunners, refuses to pitch. (2)
• 1922 - Ray Grimes celebrates his return to the Cubs’ lineup with a home run, double, and two singles as Chicago thrashes the Phils, 6-3. Grimes, who missed 10 days with an injury, has now driven in runs in 12 consecutive games. (2)
• 1948 - In the first of two before 39,623, the Chicago Cubs beat the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2. With two outs and the bases loaded in the 9th inning, rookie Robin Roberts hits Phil Cavarretta and Andy Pafko on the back with successive pitches to force home the winner. Chicago’s Johnny Schmitz allows just four hits, three by Johnny Blatnik. The Jays (as they are still occasionally referred to in print) win the nightcap, 6-4, collecting 17 hits, including a homer by Del Ennis. Schoolboy Rowe evens his record at 5-5, beating Russ Meyer. (2)
• 1957 - Ernie Banks and Chuck Tanner of the Cubs both hit inside-the-park homers at spacious Forbes Field. The Cubs nip Pittsburgh, 6-5. (2)
• 1989 - Donnie Moore*, 35, shoots himself to death at his home after shooting and critically wounding his estranged wife Tonya. Friends say Moore was haunted by the two-run home run he surrendered to Dave Henderson in Game Five of the 1986 ALCS, costing the Angels a trip to the World Series, and that he had been even more depressed since his release last month by minor league Omaha. (2)
• 1990 - Arbitrator George Nicolau rules in favor of the Players Association saying that the 26 major league owners colluded and were aware of a databank that detailed 1987 salary offers. The owners will be forced to pay significant damages to the affected players. (2)
• 2011 - It takes a hot and humid evening in Chicago to slow down Phillies ace Roy Halladay. Making his first start since starting the All-Star Game, Doc leaves the game with none out in the fifth, trailing 3-1, weakened by the weather conditions at Wrigley Field. It is his shortest outing as a Philly. He is charged with his team’s 6-1 loss; his opponent, Rodrigo Lopez, fares much better, going 6 2/3 innings to earn the win. Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena homer for the Cubs. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Larry Hoffman, Larry McLean, Robert Gsellman. Also notable: Joe Torre HOF.

Today in world history:

• 64 - Great Fire of Rome begins under the Emperor Nero.
• 1743 - 1st half-page newspaper ad is published (NY Weekly Journal).
• 1897 - Cap Anson is 1st to get 3,000 hits.
• 1927 - Ty Cobb’s 4,000th MLB career hit.
• 1984 - 21 people are killed and 19 are injured in a massacre in a McDonalds restaurant in San Ysidro, California; it ends with the shooting of its perpetrator, James Oliver Huberty.

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.

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Also please remember that this is supposed to be fun.

Thank you for your cooperation. And thanks for reading!