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Happy birthday to Bill North, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, for example, in 1935 – Lou Gehrig steals home in a 4-0 Yankee win over the Tigers. It is his 15th and last steal of home, all of which were double steals, and other stories as well.
Plus, since there so many Cubs-related stories, I thought I’d set up a special segment. 1905 – Luther Taylor and the Giants edge the Chicago Cubs, 1-0, the first of three straight collars by Giants pitchers.
Or a story such as in 2013, Jeff Samardzija wins for the first time since Opening Day and hits a two-run homer off Jon Garland in the second in leading the Cubs to a 6-3 victory over the Rockies .
Today in baseball history:
- 1899 – Willie Keeler, one of the smallest players and best bunters, drives the ball past startled LF Ed Delahanty of the Phillies for an inside-the-park grand slam and an 8-5 victory for Brooklyn.
- 1912 – Ty Cobb charges into the stands at Hilltop Park in New York and attacks a crippled heckler named Claude Lueker. Other fans and Tigers mix it up before order is restored. Ban Johnson suspends Cobb indefinitely for the incident.
- 1918 – In an 18-inning game, Senators legend Walter Johnson defeats Lefty Williams, who also pitches the entire game, and the White Sox, 1-0.
- 1938 – Buck O’Neil made his Negro League debut with the Kansas City Monarchs.
- 1948 – At Brooklyn, Jim Russell‘s first-inning home run is the only score as Boston’s Warren Spahn beats Rex Barney, 1-0. It’s the third shutout in a row for Brave hurlers.
- 1955 – New York’s Irv Noren hits an inside-the-park grand slam in an 8-4 victory over the A’s. New York wins the nitecap to sweep the A’s. Mickey Mantle is 4 for 9 for the afternoon and is hitting .311.
- 1961 – The Alou brothers and Orlando Cepeda lead an 18-hit attack as San Francisco overpowers the Cubs, 14-1. Cepeda hits two homers and a double and drives in five runs, while Felipe Alou hits his first grand slam and brother Matty Alou his first major league homer.
- 1963 – Down 3-0 to the Twins, Mickey Mantle hits a two-run homer off Pedro Ramos to put the Yankees on the board. Mantle later scores the winning run as New York wins, 4-3.
- 1967 – Roberto Clemente clubs three homers to all fields plus a double off the scoreboard in left-center, driving in all seven Pittsburgh runs in the process. the 12-time Gold Glover comes up big in the 9th, scaling the right-field fence to prevent a walk-off homer from Reds reliever Gerry Arrigo, against whom Clemente himself has just gone deep.
- 1970 – After the Mets have a day off, ace Tom Seaver matches Gary Gentry by allowing one hit in beating the Phillies and Woodie Fryman, 4-0. The two consecutive one-hitters tie a major league record.
- 1973 – California’s Nolan Ryan strikes out 12, including the side in the 1st, and hurls his first career no-hitter in beating Kansas City, 3-0. For C Jeff Torborg, it is his third no-hitter. SS Rudy Meoli preserves the no-no with a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in the eighth. It is the first of a record seven no-hitters the “Ryan Express” will throw during his career, including another one in two months.
- 1978 – His seventh-inning, two-run homer moves Willie Stargell past the late Roberto Clemente into sole possession of second place on Pittsburgh’s all-time RBI list, his total of 1,307 now trailing only Honus Wagner‘s 1,475. Stargell’s blast takes a page out of his late mentor’s book, going out to the opposite field. It concludes a four-run seventh, giving Pittsburgh starter Bert Blyleven a five-run cushion which proves inadequate as the Dodgers storm back with three-spots in the seventh and ninth, featuring, respectively, Reggie Smith‘s two-run home run and walk-off, two-run double.
- 1991 – Paul Molitor of the Brewers hits for the cycle in a 4-2 victory over Minnesota. Molitor triples in the first, singles in the third, doubles in the fifth, and homers in the seventh.
- 1996 – After a two-hour delay in Milwaukee because of fog, Frank Thomas leads the way with six RBI as the White Sox bang the Brewers, 20-8. This ties a 1975 mark for the most runs given up by Milwaukee in a game. The Sox, with 21 hits, score six runs in the 2nd and another six in the sixth.
- 2011 – The Braves defeat the Phillies, 3-2, in the annual Civil Rights Game at Turner Field. Both Phillies runs are the result of John Mayberry, Jr.‘s sixth-inning homer, but Dan Uggla scores all three Atlanta runs, the game-winner coming on a solo homer off Roy Halladay in the 8th inning.
Special Cubs’ Historical stories on this date (We should know that they’re all not going to be good):
- 1901 – Christy Mathewson (6-0) tosses his third straight shutout, outpitching Jack Taylor to beat the Orphans, 4 – 0. The Giants move into first place with the win over Chicago.
- 1928 – The Giants turn six double plays against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, but lose, 10-7.
- 1960 – After being traded from the Phillies, Don Cardwell no-hits the Cardinals in his Cub debut. The Winston-Salem, NC native becomes the first pitcher to keep the opponents hitless in a first start after being traded.
- 1962 – Cubs P Barney Schultz ties Roy Face‘s major-league record by relieving in his ninth consecutive game for Chicago, against the Mets. Roger Craig, en route to a 10-24 year, is the winner.
- 1971 – Fergie Jenkins (7-2) pitches and bats the Cubs to a 6-4 win over San Diego. Jenkins hits a two-run home run and finishes his seventh game in eight starts. Billy Williams connects for his 300th home run.
- 1994 – Six Florida Marlins pitchers combine to shut out the Cubs, 3-0.
- 1997 – The Chicago Cubs hit four triples – three in the same inning – to beat the visiting Padres, 8-2. The Cubs score four runs in the seventh off Tim Scott as Brian McRae, Doug Glanville and Sammy Sosa all triple.
Cubs Birthdays: Rafael Ortega, Jim Adduci, Bill North,* Fred Baczewski, Ed Baecht, Steve Yerkes, Fred Goldsmith. Also notable: John Smoltz HOF. George Brett HOF.
Today in history:
- 1492 – Cheese & Bread rebellion: German mercenaries kill 232 residents of Alkmaar, Netherlands.
- 1841 – First emigrant wagon train to reach California leaves Independence, Missouri, on a 1,730-mile journey over the Sierra Nevada.
- 1928 – Mickey Mouse makes his first appearance in the silent film “Plane Crazy”.
- 1953 – In his first world heavyweight title defense, Rocky Marciano KOs former champion Jersey Joe Walcott in the 1st round at Chicago Stadium.
- 1972 – Assassination attempt on US Governor George Wallace of Alabama by Arthur Bremer in Laurel, Maryland.
- 2022 – British rock band “The Who” returns to Cincinnati, Ohio for the first time since tragic December 1979 stampede that killed 11 concert goers.
Special Music-related stories on this date:
- 1961 – “Bonanza” by Al Caiola Orchestra hits #19.
- 1963 – Folksinging trio Peter, Paul & Mary win their 1st Grammy for cover version of Pete Seeger‘s song “If I Had a Hammer”.
- 1976 – “Fonz Song” by Heyettes hits #91.
- 1976 – Kentucky Moonrunner by Cledus Maggard hits #85.
- 1981 – George Harrison releases single “All Those Years Ago” in UK: the song was a tribute to John Lennon, and featured Ringo Starr on drums, and Paul and Linda McCartney on backing vocals.
- 2001 – “Fiesta” single released by R. Kelly featuring Jay-Z and Boo & Gotti (Billboard Song of the Year 2001).
*pictured.
