Baseball history unpacked, July 8

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:

• 1907 - Bombarded by pop bottles in Brooklyn, irate Cubs manager Frank Chance throws one back into the stands where it cuts a boy’s leg. Chance is mobbed and leaves the park in an armored car with a police escort after the Cubs’ 5-0 victory. Three-Finger Brown emerges with the shutout win. (2)
• 1912 - At Chicago’s West Side Grounds, Giants hurler Rube Marquard’s consecutive game winning streak is stopped at 19 as the Cubs defeat New York, 7-2. (2)
• 1941 - At the All-Star Game at Briggs Stadium, Ted Williams, hitting .405 at the break, homers off Chicago Cubs P Claude Passeau with two out and two on in the ninth inning to give the American League a dramatic 7-5 victory. Williams’ four RBI are matched by National League SS Arky Vaughan, who hits homers in the 7th and 8th. (1,2)
• 1945 - The Cubs take the National League lead by winning two from the Phillies, 12-6 and 9-2. They never relinquish first place, despite losing 16 of 22 games to the Cards. (2)
• 1947 - Clutch pinch hits by Luke Appling and Stan Spence lead the American League to a 2 - 1 win over the National League in the All-Star Game at Wrigley Field. Schoolboy Rowe pinch-hits for Johnny Sain, becoming the first player to appear for each side. Rowe pitched three innings for the American League in 1936. Spec Shea is the first winning rookie pitcher in All-Star history. (1,2)
• 1952 - The National League defeats the American League, 3-2, in the 1952 All-Star Game behind the pitching of Philadelphia’s Curt Simmons and Cub Bob Rush in Philadelphia. The game is ended after five innings because of rain. Cub Hank Sauer’s homer with Stan Musial aboard in the fourth proves to be the deciding run. (2)
• 2008 - Ryan Dempster improves to 10-0 at home, the best start by a Cubs hurler at Wrigley Field since Rick Reuschel in 1977. Chicago beats the Reds, 7-3.
• 2008 - The Cubs also try to add some depth for the stretch run by acquiring A’s pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin in exchange for Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, Eric Patterson and Josh Donaldson.

Cubs birthdays: Buttons Briggs, Rowdy Elliott, Charlie Gilbert, Al Spangler, Ken Patterson, Jerome Walton*, Bobby Ayala, Jaime Garcia. Also notable: Hank O’Day HOF.

Today in world history:

• 1497 - Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs on his first voyage, will become the 1st European to reach India by sea.
• 1853 - Commodore Matthew C. Perry sails his frigate Susquehanna into Tokyo Bay, opening Japan to Western influence and trade.
• 1913 Alfred Carlton Gilbert’s patent for the Erector Set is issued, it becomes one of the most popular toys of all time.

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!