Baseball history unpacked, January 2

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.

Today in baseball history:

• 1912 - Brooklyn Superbas president Charles Ebbets announces the purchase of 4.5 acres to build a 23,000-seat concrete and steel stadium in the Pigtown section of Brooklyn. Construction on the ballpark will start on March 14th. Ebbets decides to name the ballpark after himself, thus it is called Ebbets Field. Completed in just over a year, opening day will be on April 9, 1913. (1,2)
• 1977 - Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner for one year as a result of tampering charges in the Gary Matthews free agent signing. The Braves are permitted to keep the outfielder, however. (1,2)
• 1986 - Bill Veeck dies in Chicago, IL at age 71. Veeck was known for his flamboyant publicity stunts and the innovations he brought to the major leagues during his ownership of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox. He was the last owner to purchase a baseball franchise without an independent fortune, and is responsible for many significant contributions to baseball. (2)
• 2017 - Busch Stadium gets a temporary makeover as a hockey rink as St. Louis, MO welcomes the National Hockey League’s Winter Classic for the first time. The St. Louis Blues defeat the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-1, on a drizzly afternoon. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Ray Jacobs, Nick Dumovich. Also notable: José Méndez HOF, Edgar Martinez HOF.

Today in history:

• 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers, invading the Roman Empire.
• 1570 - Tsar Ivan the Terrible’s march to Novgorod begins.
• 1839 - First photo of the Moon (French photographer Louis Daguerre).
• 1893 - World’s Columbian Exposition opens in Chicago.
• 1906 - Willis Carrier receives a US patent for the world’s first air conditioner.
• 1999 - A brutal snowstorm smashes into the Midwestern United States, causing 14 inches (359 mm) of snow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and 19 inches (487 mm) in Chicago, where temperatures plunge to -13°F (-25°C); 68 deaths are reported.

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.