~Joe DiMaggio 1914 (Offered to the Cubs 1934) He was never a member of the Chicago Cubs, but he could have been. That’s right: The Chicago Cubs passed on Joe DiMaggio. Is there anything that sums up a bad century better than that sentence? The sa...

How Long Ago Was 1908? The King of Ragtime Scott Joplin turns 41 on Nov 24. Though he is from St. Louis and recently moved to New York, his music is the soundtrack for Chicago’s notorious Levee District, including “The Entertainer,” a...

~Dave Hansen 1968 (Cubs 1997) Hansen was one of the best pinch-hitters of his generation. He played one full season for the Cubs in 1997, but that turned out to be a rather unpleasant experience. After being on a perpetual winner in Los Angeles, the 0-...

~Harpo Marx 1888 (Cubs Fan) The Marx family moved from New York to Chicago in 1909. For much of that time they lived in a large house at 4512 South Grand Boulevard (now called Martin Luther King Boulevard). The house is still there. The Marx Brothers (...

~Dick Bartell 1907 (Cubs 1939) Acquired in a trade with the Giants (for among others, starting shortstop Billy Jurges, and outfielder Frank Demaree), Dick was the starting shortstop for the Cubs in 1939. Bartell was accustomed to the hardscrabble New Y...

~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 f...

~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...

~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, Hac...

~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 befo...

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 Broo...