Baseball history unpacked, April 17

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:

• 1820 - Alexander Cartwright, considered by many the father of the national pastime, is born in New York City. This pioneer banker, who is given credit for establishing three strikes for an out and three outs for each half inning, will be elected into the Hall of Fame in 1938 after a review of his journals reveals his many contributions in developing and promoting the sport of baseball. (2)
• 1892 - In the first Sunday game in National League history, the Cincinnati Reds defeat the St. Louis Browns, 5-1. (1,2)
• 1923 - In the longest National League opener to date, the Brooklyn Robins and Philadelphia Phillies battle to a 14-inning, 5 - 5 tie. Dutch Ruether, who beat the Phillies seven straight in 1922, goes the distance. (2)
• 1945 - Pete Gray, a one-armed outfielder, plays his major league debut game with the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman’s Park. Gray hits a single off Les Mueller in four at-bats, and handles no chances in the outfield. St. Louis beats the Detroit Tigers, 7 - 1, for their ninth straight Opening Day win, setting a major league record that the 1975-1983 New York Mets will tie. Gray, one of many players recruited to perform during World War II, will hit .218 (51 for 254) in his only major league season. (2)
• 1951 - Golf great Sam Snead tees off from home plate and hits the center field scoreboard at Wrigley Field before the Cubs’ home opener. The Associated Press reports: “Sammy Snead settled a long-standing argument today over whether a golf ball could be driven from home plate over the towering scoreboard at Wrigley Field. It can, by a golfer like Sam. Wearing street clothes, Snead sent a ball zooming well over the scoreboard with a No. 2 iron after hitting the board with a swing with a No. 4 iron. Snead calculated the carry was 175 yards. The scoreboard rises 89 feet in the air some 50 feet behind the 400-mark on the centerfield wall.” (2)
• 1969 - At Connie Mack Stadium, Bill Stoneman of the Montreal Expos pitches a 7-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in only the ninth game of the Expos’ existence. Rusty Staub hits a home run with three doubles and three RBI to pace Stoneman’s gem. (2)
• 1974 - C George Mitterwald** has a career day in leading the Cubs to an 18-9 win over the Pirates. He goes 4-for-4 with a walk, a double, three homers, and 8 RBI. The next Cub catcher to hit three homers in a game will be Dioner Navarro, in 2013. (2)
• 1976 - At Wrigley Field, Mike Schmidt leads a Philadelphia Phillies assault with a single, four home runs in consecutive at-bats, and eight RBI to overcome a 12-1 deficit after three innings and beat the Chicago Cubs in 10 innings, 18-16. Chicago ties the game in the 9th after the Phillies have taken a 15-13 lead. Hitting .167 going into the game, Schmidt connects for two homers off Rick Reuschel, one off Mike Garman, and the last, a two-run shot off Reuschel’s brother Paul in the 10th inning. Schmidt also becomes the first National League player in modern times to hit four home runs in a row.

• 1979 - At Oakland, only 653 fans show up to watch the A’s beat the Mariners 6-5. (1)
• 1993 - In the Baltimore Orioles’ 7-5 loss to the Angels, Baltimore winds up with three runners on third base in a rare display of dumb baseball. With the bases loaded and one out, Mike Devereaux hits a fly ball which is trapped by Angels center fielder Chad Curtis, who throws home. Jeff Tackett, the baserunner on third, returns to the base after running halfway home. Brady Anderson, who was on second, advances to third. Chito Martinez, the baserunner on first base, rounds second and heads for third. Angels catcher John Orton walks to third base where he tags all three runners. Tackett is called out on a force, and Martinez is also called out, completing the rare inning-ending double play. (1,2)

Cubs birthdays: Cap Anson HOF, Mike Jacob, Tom Needham, Morrie Schick, Bob Osborn, Roberto Pena.

Today in history:

• 1387 - Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” characters begin their pilgrimage to Canterbury (according to scholars).
• 1492 - Christopher Columbus signs a contract with the Spanish monarchs to find the “Indies” with the stated goal of converting people to Catholicism. This promises him 10 percent of all riches found, and the governorship of any lands encountered.

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.

Some of these items spread from site to site without being verified. That is exactly why we ask for reputable sources if you have differences with a posted factoid, so that we can address that to the originators and provide clarity if not ‘truth’. Nothing is posted here without at least one instance of corroboration (this also includes the history bullets). Thanks for reading, and thanks also for your cooperation.