Free of charge for the discerning reader. Indians in Cleveland, women in the locker room, and other stories
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Today in baseball history
- 1897 – The Cleveland Spiders sign Penobscot Indian Louis Sockalexis. Although the former Holy Cross star plays only three seasons due to alcoholism, the fans admire his outstanding skills and refer to the team as the ‘Indians’- in 1915, the name will become official. (1)
- 1979 – Fearing legal consequences, Bowie Kuhn gives access to female reporters to enter major league locker rooms. The commissioner’s unpopular ruling puts the players in an awkward position in their once all-male domain. (1) Melissa Ludtke testifies. The actual case.
- 1995 – Major League Baseball owners unanimously approve two expansion teams: the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Each of the new clubs will pay a $130 million franchise fee and will begin play in 1998. (3)
- 2012 – Umpire Harry Wendelstedt, who officiated during 33 seasons in the National League and also trained two generations of umpires at his “Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School,” dies in Florida at the age of 74. (3)
- 2017 – Kris Bryant (.292, 39, 102), who made $652,000 in his rookie year, becomes the highest-paid second-year player when he comes to terms with the World Champion Cubs on a contract reportedly worth $1.05 million. The Chicago third baseman’s deal surpasses the previous record major league record of one million dollars, given to sophomore outfielder Mike Trout in 2014 by the Angels. (1,2)
Cubs Birthdays: Dale Alderson, Terry Mulholland, Benito Santiago, Koyie Hill*, Anderson Espinoza,
Clay Rapada. Also notable: Billy Southworth (HoF), Arky Vaughan (HoF).
Today in history:
- 1522 – Martin Luther begins preaching his “Invocavit Sermons” in the German city of Wittenberg, reminding citizens to trust God’s word rather than violence, helping bring to a close the revolutionary stage of the Reformation.
- 1765 – After a public campaign by the writer Voltaire, judges in Paris posthumously exonerate Jean Calas of murdering his son. Calas had been tortured and executed in 1762 on the charge, though his son had actually committed suicide.
- 1858 – Albert Potts of Philadelphia patents the street mailbox.
- 1897 – Cleveland Indians fans start calling the team “Indians” (in 1915 becomes official).
- 1959 – Barbie makes her debut at the American Toy Fair in New York.
- 1979 – MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn orders baseball to give equal access to female reporters.
- 2006 – Liquid water is discovered on Enceladus, the sixth largest moon of Saturn.
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.
- (6) — Wikipedia.
- (7) — The British Museum
- (8) — For world history.
*pictured.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
