By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Oct 6th, 2024
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4068 Views
~Jay Baller 1960– (Cubs 1985-1987) He pitched out of the Cubs bullpen for three seasons (’85-’87) and got progressively worse each season (3.46 ERA, 5.37 ERA, 6.35 ERA). After the ’87 season, the Cubs sent him packing. He later had a cup of coffee with the Royals and the Phillies. (Photo: Topps...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Sep 23rd, 2024
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6340 Views
September 24, 1943 The Cubs call up outfielder Andy Pafko from their Los Angeles minor league team, and put him in the lineup. He would remain there for the next eight seasons. His first game at Wrigley Field is played in absolutely miserable weather conditions. It is freezing cold, the wind is howli...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Sep 17th, 2024
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5033 Views
September 21, 1919 Grover Cleveland Alexander takes the mound against the Boston Braves. Ol’ Pete has had a season for the ages, shutting out every single team in the league at least once. With the season coming to a close, and both teams out of the pennant picture, Alexander bears down and takes car...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Sep 11th, 2024
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4279 Views
~Ray Grimes 1893–1953 (Cubs 1922-1925) Ray Grimes was an instant phenom for the Cubs when he joined them for his rookie season of 1922. He was an absolute RBI machine, one of the great clutch hitters of his era. During that season he set a record that still stands today when he got an RBI [&hel...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Sep 10th, 2024
1 Comment
7315 Views
September 12, 1998 Sammy Sosa becomes the first Cubs player to hit 60 home runs in a season. He does it in the sixth inning of wild slugfest against Milwaukee Brewers reliever Valerio de los Santos. Sammy’s homer is memorable, but it isn’t the most dramatic homer of the game. On a day the...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Sep 4th, 2024
1 Comment
5281 Views
September 9th, 1965. The place was Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles. 29,130 fans in the stands witnessed one of the best pitched games in Major League History. On the mound for the Dodgers was Sandy Koufax, on his way to his second Cy Young (he would a third in 1966). For the Cubs, Bob Hendley, [&helli...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Sep 3rd, 2024
2 Comments
6689 Views
September 3, 1936. A police officer may have cost the Cubs a victory. Henry Hanson was an ordinary Chicago cop. He was working security at a Cubs-Dodgers game. In the first inning of the game, young Cubs first baseman Phil Cavarretta hit a ball down the right field line, right were Hanson was standin...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Aug 27th, 2024
3 Comments
7507 Views
August 29, 1918 The Cubs clinched the National League pennant with a double-header sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. Lefty Tyler wins his 18th game in the opener, and Claude Hendrix wins his 20th game in the nightcap. It is the earliest any team in National League history clinched a pennant, but that rec...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Aug 20th, 2024
1 Comment
6519 Views
August 22, 1982 The Cubs retire the first number in franchise history: #14 in honor of Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks. No-one had worn #14 since Ernie retired as a coach in 1973, but by raising the #14 flag the Cubs make it official. In the lineup for the Cubs that day is a rookie third […]...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Aug 18th, 2024
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4678 Views
~Burleigh Grimes 1893–1985 (Cubs 1932-1933) Grimes never shaved on days he pitched, because the slippery elm he chewed to increase saliva irritated his skin, so he always had stubble on his face when he took the mound. That led to his nickname, Ol’ Stubblebeard. He wasn’t just known for his stu...
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