By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 8th, 2024
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4791 Views
~Hank O’Day 1859–1935 (Cubs manager 1914) He was the umpire who made the most controversial call in baseball history…the play that became known as “The Merkle Boner.” The NY Giants never forgave him for favoring the Cubs on that play, and were especially suspicious of him because he was born an...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 7th, 2024
0 Comments
4138 Views
~Billy Herman 1909–1992 (Cubs 1931-1941) He was named William Jennings Bryan Herman after the famed orator, and this Billy had an incredible big league career. He was a 10-time All-Star in 15 big league seasons (and his first two years, the All-Star game hadn’t been invented yet). He was consid...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 6th, 2024
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4368 Views
~Lance Johnson 1963– (Cubs 1997-1999) Johnson had a very impressive 14-year big league career that included playoff appearances with the Cardinals (1987) White Sox (1993), and Cubs (1998), and an All-Star appearance as a member of the Mets (1996). He was a speedy center fielder who hit for aver...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 5th, 2024
0 Comments
4332 Views
~Goose Gossage 1951– (Cubs 1988) He was so universally referred to by his nickname when he arrived in Chicago in 1988, even the baseball card makers (Fleer) didn’t bother using his real first name anymore. (It was Rich.) Unfortunately for the Cubs, Rich got richer pitching for the Cubs only aft...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 4th, 2024
0 Comments
4122 Views
~Chuck Tanner 1928–2011 (Cubs 1957-1959) Chuck Tanner played in the big leagues for parts of eight different seasons. His career started with a bang — a home run in his very first big league at-bat for the Milwaukee Braves in 1955. They released him near the beginning of the 1957 season, and th...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 3rd, 2024
0 Comments
3909 Views
~Moises Alou 1966– (Cubs 2002-2004) Moises had a borderline Hall of Fame career. He was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger award winner, a World Series champion, hit over .300 for his entire 17-year career, and slugged more than 300 lifetime homers. Those numbers are very nearly H...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 2nd, 2024
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3722 Views
~Angel Pagan 1981– (Cubs 2006-2007) Pagan came up to the big leagues with the Cubs and served as their fourth outfielder during his two years in Chicago. He got sick in his second season in Chicago, and lost a lot of weight. Cubs GM Jim Hendry didn’t think he would be able to contribute much, [...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 1st, 2024
1 Comment
5200 Views
~John Clarkson 1861–1909 (White Stockings 1884-1887) John Clarkson would have won several Cy Young Awards if he wasn’t a contemporary of Young. He started 70(!) games for the Cubs in 1885 and won 53(!) of them, easily the most in the league. 10 of those wins were shutouts. In 1887 he led the le...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jun 30th, 2024
0 Comments
4594 Views
~Mark Grudzielanek 1970– (Cubs 2003-2004) Mark was an All-Star early in his career with the Expos and a Gold Glover at second base for the Royals late in his career, but he also made several other big league stops along the way, including Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cleveland, and of course, the Cu...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jun 29th, 2024
0 Comments
4074 Views
~John Boccabella 1941– (Cubs 1963-1968) Boccabella was considered one of the brightest prospects in the Cubs organization. He was so highly touted that Cubs manager Leo Durocher couldn’t wait to play him at first base and send Ernie Banks out to pasture. In the only season Boccabella got over 2...
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