Baseball history unpacked, September 20

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:

• 1902 - Jim ‘Nixey’ Callahan of the Chicago White Sox pitches the first no-hitter in franchise history as he defeats the Detroit Tigers 2-0. (1,2)
• 1907 - Nick Maddox of the Pittsburgh Pirates no-hits the Brooklyn Superbas, 2-1. At the age of 20 years and ten months, Maddox becomes (and still is) the youngest pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the major leagues. (2)
• 1908 - Frank Smith of the Chicago White Sox throws his second career no-hitter for a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics. (1,2)
• 1924 - At age 37, Grover Cleveland Alexander wins his 300th game as the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Giants, 7-3, in 12 innings. He will finish with 373 victories during his 20-year career. (1,2)
• 1951 - The owners elect National League President Ford Frick as the third baseball commissioner for a seven-year term at $65,000 per annum. (1,2)
• 1953 - Second baseman Gene Baker*, the other half of the Kansas City Monarchs double play duo along with shortstop Ernie Banks*, joins his former Negro League teammate making his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs three days after Ernie. Banks hits his first major league home run against Gerry Staley, but the St. Louis Cardinals win, 11-6. (1,2)
• 1958 - Recently-acquired Orioles knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm pitches a 1-0 no-hitter against the New York Yankees at Memorial Stadium, with the only run coming on a home run by battery-mate Gus Triandos. It will be the last time in the 20th century the Yankees will fail to get a hit in a game.
• 1998 - Cal Ripken, Jr. takes himself out of the starting lineup and does not play in the Baltimore Orioles’ loss to the New York Yankees, ending his consecutive games played streak at 2,632. After nearly 16 years, Ripken says he decided the time was right to end the streak, which began on May 30, 1982. (2)
• 2008 - The Cubs clinch, taking the NL Central with a 5-4 win over the Cardinals. It is their first time to repeat in the postseason since 1908. Ted Lilly gets his 16th win and Kerry Wood his 32nd save. (12)
• 2009 - The Cubs suspend OF Milton Bradley for the remainder of the season one day after he criticized the team in an interview with a suburban newspaper. GM Jim Hendry explains that the penalty is for conduct detrimental to the team and lack of respect for its fans. It is only the latest in a long series of brushes with authority for the fiery outfielder. The Cubs then go on to beat St. Louis, 6-3, in 11 innings at Busch Stadium, thanks to a two-run homer by Jake Fox. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Larry Schlafly, Zeke Bonura, Randy Kramer, Cory Abbott.

Today in history:

• 1519 - Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan sets off on the 1st successful circumnavigation of the globe (Magellan killed en route).
• 1746 - Scotland’s Bonnie Prince Charlie flees to France from Scotland.
• 1814 - ”Star Spangled Banner” published as a song, lyrics by Francis Scott Key, tune by John Stafford Smith
• 1870 - Mayor William Tweed accused of robbing NY treasury.
• 1954 - First FORTRAN computer program run.

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.