By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 21st, 2023
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3260 Views
~Freddie Lindstrom 1905 (Cubs 1935) Lindstrom was a big star in New York for the Giants. In his rookie season of 1924, he came up late in the year and led the Giants to the World Series. He had many great seasons in New York, especially 1928, when he finished 2nd in the MVP voting, […]...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 20th, 2023
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5342 Views
~Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis 1866 (Cubs fan 1893-1944) On this day in 1866, the future first commissioner of baseball was born, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. He is best remembered as the man who banned the Black Sox for life, and saved the game from the evils of gambling, but Judge Kenesaw Mountai...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 19th, 2023
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3134 Views
~Dickie Noles 1956 (Cubs 1982-1984, 1987) He was one of Dallas Green’s favorites, and the Cubs got him from the Phillies along with Keith Moreland shortly after Green arrived in Chicago. Noles would have gotten along great with the 1930 Cubs, Hack Wilson and Pat Malone. He was a drinker and a b...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 18th, 2023
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3230 Views
~Les Mann 1892 (Cubs 1916-1919) Mann was nicknamed Major after the World War 1 flying ace, Major Harry Mann. He was an outfielder for the Cubs in their inaugural season at the ballpark now known as Wrigley Field, but had also played there the year before, with the Federal League Whales. He actually b...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Nov 17th, 2023
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How Long Ago Was 1908? Cubs outfielder Jimmy Sheckard celebrates his 30th birthday (Nov 23). Sheckard was one of the first players Frank Chance had acquired when he took over the Cubs in 1905/06. He gave up four players and $2000 (a high price) to Brooklyn to acquire him—but he knew that Brooklyn was...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 17th, 2023
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3468 Views
~Mitch Williams 1964 (Cubs 1989-1990) Cubs fans would sing the rock song “Wild Thing” when Mitch Williams emerged from the Chicago bullpen in 1989, in reference to his explosive but uncontrollable fastball (and yes, he got that nickname before the movie “Major Leagues” came ou...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 16th, 2023
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3573 Views
~Rollie Zeider 1883–1967 (Cubs 1916-1918) He remains one of only two men to have played for three different professional teams in Chicago (he played with the Cubs, the Sox, and the Federal League Whales). His last three seasons in the big leagues were spent with the Cubs, serving as their utili...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 15th, 2023
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3258 Views
~Franklin P. Adams 1881–1960 (Cubs hater/immortalizer) He wrote the most famous poem ever written about the Cubs, “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon”, and it was so memorable it probably got Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance elected into the Hall of Fame. The poem went as follow...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 14th, 2023
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3053 Views
~Jim Brewer 1937–1987 (Cubs 1960-1963) Jim Brewer was a rookie pitcher for an unbelievably bad Cubs team in 1960. He was a little bit wild, and was having trouble controlling his pitches, and on one very unfortunate August day (8/4/60), he threw a fastball behind Cincinnati Reds infielder Billy...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 13th, 2023
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3467 Views
~Johnny Kling 1875–1947 (Cubs 1900-1911) Kling was one of the best catchers in baseball; a grizzled veteran who was so good defensively, he caused former catcher Frank Chance to move positions (to first base). Hall of Fame pitcher Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown often said that his secret weapon ...
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