Baseball history unpacked, July 25

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:

• 1902 - At Chicago, the Reds’ Cy Seymour sets a major-league record by hitting four sacrifice flies in a 6-1 win over the Chicago Orphans. Seymour will be tied but never topped. (2)
• 1908 - Future Red Sox pitcher Hugh Bedient, pitching for a semi-pro Falconer, NY team, strikes out 42 batters in what is heralded as a world’s record. He does it in 23 innings against Corry, PA, finally winning, 3-1. He is matched all the way by Charles Bickford. When the wire services pick up the story, Bedient will receive 19 pro offers. (2)
• 1921 - Max Carey flags down 11 flies in centerfield in the Pirates’ 6-3 win over New York, tying three others for the National League record. (2)
• 1930 - The Athletics pull off triple steals twice in one game against the Indians. Al Simmons, Bing Miller, and Dib Williams are the base thieves in the first inning, and Mickey Cochrane, Simmons, and Jimmie Foxx steal together in the fourth. (1,2) This is reputedly unmatched.
• 1936 - The Cubs pound out 19 hits to beat the Phils, 17-4, and extend their lead over the Cardinals to three games. Curt Davis is the winner, holding his former teammates to six safeties. Three of the Philly hits come in the ninth when they score three runs on Walt Bashore’s single and consecutive homers by Chuck Klein and Dolph Camilli. The Cubs are led by homers from Augie Galan and Ethan Allen as they chase Bucky Walters with four runs in the 3rd, and add another nine off Syl Johnson in three innings. (2)
• 1937 - Washington’s Mel Almada ties the major-league record by scoring five runs in the first game of a doubleheader. When he adds four in the second game, he sets an 18-inning record, that still stands today. The Senators win, 16-10 and 15-5, in St. Louis. In 1987, Mark McGwire will score nine runs in consecutive days. (2)
• 1956 - Pittsburgh’s right fielder Roberto Clemente hits Cubs reliever Jim Brosnan’s first pitch off the cage surrounding the base of Forbes Field’s left field light tower, just to the right of the scoreboard, then circles the bases just in time to become the first big league player in the post-Deadball Era to hit a walk-off, inside-the-park grand slam, turning a three-run ninth-inning deficit into a dramatic win. It is Clemente’s first career grand slam. Jack Hernon of the Post-Gazette writes: “Brosnan made one pitch, high and inside. Clemente drove it against the light standard in left field. Jim King had backed up to make the catch but it was over his head. The ball bounced off the slanted side of the fencing and rolled along the cinder path to center field. Here came Hank Foiles, Bill Virdon and then Dick Cole, heading home and making it easily. Then came Clemente into third. Bobby Bragan had his hands upstretched to hold up his outfielder. The relay was coming in from Solly Drake. But around third came Clemente and down the home path. He made it just in front of the relay from Ernie Banks. He slid, missed the plate, then reached back to rest his hand on the rubber with the ninth run in a 9-8 victory as the crowd of 12,431 went goofy with excitement.” (2)
• 1972 - Cubs GM John Holland announces that Leo Durocher has stepped down as manager in favor of Whitey Lockman. Leo contends he was not fired, but has “stepped aside.” The Astros will hire Durocher in late August to replace Harry Walker. (2)
• 1980 - The Cubs fire manager Preston Gomez and replace him with Joey Amalfitano. Chicago is 38-52, last in the National League East. (2)
• 1990 - Twenty-five-year veteran umpire Bob Engel resigns after pleading no contest to charges of shoplifting baseball cards in California. (2)
• 2010 - In a ceremony held in Cooperstown, NY, outfielder Andre Dawson, manager Whitey Herzog and umpire Doug Harvey are inducted into the Hall of Fame. During his acceptance speech, Dawson urges the election of former teammates Tim Raines and Lee Smith. (2)
• 2015 - Cole Hamels of the Phillies no-hits the Cubs, 5-0, at Wrigley Field. It is the first time the Cubs have been victims of a no-hitter since 1965. (2)
• 2016 - In a rare development, the Yankees are sellers at the trading deadline as they send P Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs in return for a very rich package of prospects that includes OFs Rashad Crawford and Billy McKinney, IF Gleyber Torres and P Adam Warren. The Yankees were dealing from a position of strength, with two other top-class relievers on hand in Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances, while Chapman is headed for free agency after the season. He will re-sign with the Yankees, allowing them to have their cake and eat it too. (2)

Cubs birthdays: John Tener, Mick Kelleher, Jose Martinez.

Today in world history:

• 306 - Constantine I is proclaimed Roman Emperor by his troops.
• 1261 - Constantinople recaptured by Nicaean forces under Alexios Strategopoulos for Emperor Michael VIII, re-establishing Byzantine Empire.
• 1814 - English engineer George Stephenson introduces his first steam locomotive, a travelling engine designed for hauling coal on the Killingworth wagonway named Blücher.
• 1871 - Carousel patented by Wilhelm Schneider, Davenport, Iowa.
• 1952 - Puerto Rico becomes a self-governing US commonwealth (Constitution Day).
• 1963 - US, Russia & Britain sign nuclear Test ban treaty.
• 1990 Roseanne Barr sings the National Anthem at Cincinnati Reds-San Diego Padres MLB game.

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.

Thank you for your cooperation. And thanks for reading!