A M-W-F digest, replete with #Cubs, #MLB, and #MiLB content, gathered from reputable sources. The 2003 collapse and other stories.
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.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly.
Today in baseball history:
- 1905 – Christy Mathewson shuts out the Philadelphia Athletics, 2-0, to give the New York Giants the World Series in five games. All are shutouts, with Mathewson getting three, Joe McGinnity one, and Charles Bender of Philadelphia one. (1,2)
- 1906 – The Chicago White Sox jump on the Chicago Cubs’ Three Finger Brown for seven runs in the first two innings and coast behind Doc White to a 7-1 World Series-ending victory. The losers share of $439.50 for the Cubs is the lowest ever. (2)
- 1908 – Before the smallest crowd in World Series history (6,210), the host Detroit Tigers are tamed on three hits by Orval Overall, who strikes out 10 in a 2-0 triumph. The Chicago Cubs win the World Series in five games. Upset over seating arrangements at the World Series, sports reporters form a professional group that will become the Baseball Writers Association of America. (1,2)
- 1929 – The Philadelphia Athletics rally for three runs in the 9th inning to beat the Chicago Cubs, 3-2, and take the World Series in five games. A two-run home run by Mule Haas ties the game and Bing Miller hits a RBI double to get the victory. There won’t be another winning rally by a team down two runs in the 9th inning of a Series final game in the 20th century. The Arizona Diamondbacks, in 2001, will do it next. (2)
- 2003 – Holding a 3-0 lead and needing only five more outs to reach the World Series for the first time since 1945, the Chicago Cubs give up eight runs on five hits, three walks and an error to the Florida Marlins. Chicago appears to come apart after a Cubs fan, sitting along the left-field foul line at Wrigley Field, tries to catch a foul ball that is about to be caught by Cubs’ outfielder Moises Alou for the second out of the inning, although the bigger blow comes when SS Alex Gonzalez misplays a routine double play grounder a few moments later. The Cubs also will lose the seventh and final game of the NLCS.
Cubs Birthdays: Joe Start, Charlie Waitt, Tom Poorman, Ed Eiteljorg, Hugh Casey, Art Shamsky, Joe Girardi, Julian Merryweather, Brad Wieck. Also notable: Oscar Charleston HOF.
Today in History:
- 1066 – Battle of Hastings: William, Duke of Normandy and his Norman army defeat the English forces of Harold II who is killed in the battle.
- 1322 – Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats King Edward II of England at Byland, forcing Edward to accept Scotland’s independence.
- 1884 – George Eastman patents paper-strip photographic film.
- 1945 – Chicago Cardinals end a record 29-game losing streak, beat Bears.
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. We are trying to set the record as straight as possible. But it isn’t brain surgery.
Also, the ‘history’ segment is highly edited for space and interest. Of course a great many other things happened on those days. We try to follow up on the interesting or unfamiliar ones.
Thanks for reading.