Baseball history unpacked, August 29

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:

• 1908 - In Chicago, the Cubs beat the Giants again, 3-2, to record their eighth straight win. It is Three Finger Brown besting Christy Mathewson again, allowing five Giants hits and giving up six walks. (2)
• 1918 - The Chicago Cubs won the National League pennant with a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. (1)
• 1930 - In the Cubs’ second successive extra-inning game, Pat Malone beats Burleigh Grimes, 9-8, in 13 innings, to halt the Cardinals’ nine-game win streak. With captain Charlie Grimm out of the lineup with a spike wound, the Cubs sign George Kelly, released a month earlier by Reds. (2)
• 1969 - Bill Hands pitches the Cubs to a 2-1 win over Atlanta and is helped by two spectacular catches by Oscar Gamble in the ninth. The Cubs’ lead stands at 3½ games. (2)
• 1989 - Trailing 9-0 after five innings, the Cubs rally to beat Houston, 10-9, in 10 innings at Wrigley Field. Rafael Ramirez drives in seven runs for the Astros, but the winning margin is provided by defensive replacement Dwight Smith. Smith comes in to play RF for Chicago and singles home a run in the seventh, throws out a runner at the plate in the eighth, ties the game with a sacrifice fly in the eighth, and singles in the game-winner in the 10th. (2)
• 2002 - At Milwaukee’s Miller Park, Mark Bellhorn becomes the first National Leaguer and joins Carlos Baerga as the only other switch-hitter to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning. The Cub infielder connects off southpaw Andrew Lorraine to start Chicago’s 10-run fourth inning and then goes deep again with a three-run homer with two outs off Jose Cabrera. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Ensign Cottrell, Dave Cole, Henry Blanco, Anthony Recker, Logan Watkins.

Today in world history:

• 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708).
• 1831 - Michael Faraday demonstrates 1st electric transformer.
• 1911 - Ishi, considered the last Native American to make contact with European Americans, emerges from the wilderness of northeastern California.
• 1966 - The Beatles’ last public concert before a crowd of 25,000, and 7,000 unsold seats, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California.

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