By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Mar 31st, 2024
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How long ago was 1908? A Republican is the Mayor of Chicago. That’s right, a Republican. The Honorable Fred Busse(photo) was voted into office last year by reform minded Chicagoans. Unfortunately for the reformers, they don’t know Busse likes going down to the Levee. They don’t know he li...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Mar 31st, 2024
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3572 Views
~Gonzalo Marquez 1946–1984 (Cubs 1973-1974) Gonzalo was a star in his native Venezuela, leading his team to the Caribbean World Series in 1970. The big first baseman was never more than a fringe player in the big leagues, but he did show flashes of power with both Oakland and the Cubs. After hi...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Mar 30th, 2024
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3635 Views
–Ripper Collins 1904–1970 (Cubs 1937-1938) His real name was James Anthony Collins, but everyone called him Rip or Ripper. He said he got his nickname when, as a boy, he hit the team’s only ball and snagged it on a fence nail, ripping its cover. Collins was a star with the Cardinals, and to be ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1945
Mar 29th, 2024
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This week during the last year the Cubs won the pennant (before 2016)… World War II Rages On *American troops liberate their first Nazi concentration camp, Ohrdruf death camp in Germany. They are shocked by the conditions there. (Photo left: Colonel Hayden Sears with Ohrdruf survivors) *Soviet ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Mar 29th, 2024
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2773 Views
~Domingo Ramos 1958– (Cubs 1989-1990) Domingo was a backup infielder for the Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners, Indians, and Angels before coming to the Cubs in 1989. Ramos proved be an invaluable member of that division winning Cubs team in 1989. He got the most extensive playing time of his career...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Mar 28th, 2024
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4508 Views
~Lon Warneke 1909–1976 (Cubs 1930-1936, 1942-1945) His nickname, “The Arkansas Hummingbird”, was given to him by sportswriter Roy Stockton because of his “sizzling fast and darting form of delivery.” And, of course, because he hailed from Arkansas. He wasn’t just the owner of a great nickname, ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Mar 27th, 2024
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4457 Views
~Johnny Gill 1905–1984 (Cubs 1935-1936) His teammates called him “Patcheye.” Johnny didn’t wear a patch over his eye, although he must have at least once, because the nickname “Patcheye” stuck with him throughout his career. He was a minor-league lifer, playing more than 23 seasons. He was one ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Mar 26th, 2024
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4062 Views
~Jimmy Lavender 1874–1960 (Cubs 1912-1916) Jimmy won only 63 games in his MLB career (all but six of them for the Cubs), but for one glorious day, he was unhittable. On August 31, 1915, he made his mark in history. Lavender pitched a no-hitter in the first game of a double header in New York [&...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Mar 25th, 2024
1 Comment
4318 Views
~Dutch Leonard 1909–1983 (Cubs 1949-1953) Dutch was one of the oldest players to ever suit up for the Cubs, and the oldest player in all of baseball during his time with the Cubs. Dutch was already 40 when the Cubs acquired the four-time All-Star (with the Senators during the war years) in 1949...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Mar 24th, 2024
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6786 Views
How long ago was 1908? The first few years of the century the Cubs conducted spring training in Frank Chance’s home state of California (in Los Angeles and Santa Monica). During their first pennant season of 1906, they trained in Champaign, Illinois. The site of spring training before their fir...
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