What is the story about?
Free
of charge for the discerning reader. Happy birthday, Bobby Hill! And other stories.
Today in baseball history:
- 1901 – Connie Mack accuses Christy Mathewson of reneging on a Philadelphia Athletics contract signed in January. Mathewson had accepted advance money from Mack, but jumped back to the New York Giants in March. Mack considers going to court, but eventually accepts the loss of the young pitcher.
- 1919 – One of the most bizarre off-the-field incidents in history takes place in Jacksonville, Florida. New York Yankees outfielder Ping Bodie competes against an ostrich named “Percy” in a spaghetti-eating contest! Bodie wins the competition when Percy passes out after its 11th plate of pasta.
- 1923 – In Chicago, IL, two Black Sox sue the White Sox. Swede Risberg and Happy Felsch seek $400,000 in damages and $6,750 in back salary for conspiracy and injury to their reputation in the aftermath of the scandalous 1919 World Series court case. Their suit will be unsuccessful.
- 1984 – Arbitrator Richard Bloch rules that the Royals’ Willie Wilson and the Mets’ Jerry Martin can return to action on May 15th, the day their year-long suspensions for cocaine abuse are first due to be reviewed.
- 1985 – MLB Players’ Association agrees to expand the League Championship Series from five to seven games.
- 1987 – The Chicago Cubs trade starting pitcher Dennis Eckersley to the Oakland Athletics for three minor leaguers. Eckersley will emerge as the game’s dominant closer, saving 291 games over the next eight seasons.
- 2006 – The Chicago Cubs roll to their fourth straight opening day victory, 16-7, over a Cincinnati Reds team that can bring the president to town but can’t stop the Cubs’ run of first-game success. US President George W. Bush throws a ceremonial pitch at the invitation of new Reds owner Bob Castellini, one of his former ownership partners with the Texas Rangers. No current president had ever thrown an opening day pitch in Cincinnati, the traditional site of the National League’s opener.
Cubs Birthdays: Alex Grammas, Bobby Hill*, Jason Kipnis.
Today in History:
- 1043 – Edward the Confessor crowned King of England.
- 1367 – An alliance of King Peter of Castile, Edward the Black Prince and John of Gaunt of England, Aquitaine, Majorca and Navarra defeats Count Henry of Castile in the Battle of Navarrete, fought near Nájera in La Rioja, Castile.
- 1860 – Start of the Pony Express, delivers mail by horse and rider relay teams between St Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California.
- 1882 – American outlaw Jesse James is shot in the back of the head and killed by Robert Ford at home in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Thanks for reading. À bientôt.
* pictured
