By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Oct 10th, 2023
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~Bill Killefer 1887–1960 (Cubs 1918-1921, Cubs manager 1921-1925) Bill Killefer was nicknamed Reindeer for his lumbering running style. Reindeer was a catcher and he ran like one. But he wasn’t just any catcher. Killefer was the personal catcher for Grover Cleveland Alexander, and he was the on...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Oct 8th, 2023
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October 8 In 1929, the Cubs fall 3-1 to Philadelphia in first World Series game at Wrigley Field. On this day in 1945, the Cubs won a World Series game for the very last time. It was Game 6 of the series versus the Detroit Tigers, and it was captured on film. On this day […]...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Sep 17th, 2023
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4491 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 This Weeks Historical Events
Aug 28th, 2023
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September 1, 1918 For the first time in baseball history, the season was ended a month early, by mutual agreement between baseball and President Wilson. Baseball was hit hard by the World War I. Some of the greatest players were shipped out. Cubs pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander was among them. He ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Aug 27th, 2023
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4724 Views
~Emil Verban 1915–1989 (Cubs 1948-1950) Verban was a second baseman for the Cubs. They called him the Antelope because of his speed early in his career, but by the time Verban played in Chicago, he wasn’t exactly tearing up the base paths. In his three seasons with the Cubs he stole a total of ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1945
Aug 23rd, 2023
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This week (Aug 23-Aug 29) during the last year the Cubs went to the World Series (before 2016)… World War II *The depth of the destruction in Japan is slowly seeping out. From the New York Times: “30,000 MORE DIE SLOW DEATH IN HIROSHIMA: JAPS – Report Many Sufferers Cry, ‘Kill...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Aug 22nd, 2023
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4024 Views
~Ray Burris 1950– (Cubs 1973-1979) Ray anchored the Cubs rotation in the mid-70s, twice winning 15 games in a season (’75 & ’76). Unfortunately for Ray, expectations were very high for him. He arrived on the Cubs just as Fergie Jenkins was departing, and the team hoped that Burris could st...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Aug 14th, 2023
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7672 Views
August 14, 1908 In the midst of the Cubs final championship season, a horrible race riot broke out in Springfield Illinois. Before the race riots were over, forty homes were burned to the ground, 24 businesses were destroyed, and seven people were dead: two black people (lynched by the angry mob) and...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Aug 7th, 2023
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3561 Views
August 7, 1931. Former Cubs catcher Jimmy Archer adds to his legend. Jimmy was one of the best players on the Cubs during his decade in a Chicago uniform, being named to the “All American” team three years in a row (1912-1914). His throwing arm was the envy of the league. Chief Meyers, th...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Aug 6th, 2023
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6040 Views
August 6, 1959 Billy Williams makes his major league debut with the Cubs. He plays left field and bats third, and in his first big league at-bat, facing journeyman Phillies pitcher Jim Owens, Billy drives in Tony Taylor with the first run of the game. That turns out to be the game winner, as the [&he...
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