By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Sep 20th, 2021
0 Comments
2295 Views
~Zeke Bonura 1908–1987 (Cubs 1940) Bonura was a track and field star as a teen, setting a record for the javelin throw. Zeke started off his baseball career with a bang too, averaging 20 homers and 100+ RBIs four seasons in a row for the White Sox. After going to the Senators and Giants, Bonura...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Sep 9th, 2021
1 Comment
3613 Views
~Frank Chance 1876–1924 (Cubs 1898-1912) His real name was Frank Chance, but even his teammates called him “The Peerless Leader.” (Sometimes they just shortened it to “PL”). He was the undisputed leader of the best Cubs team in history, the Cubs of the ’00s. With the Peerless Leader at the helm...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Aug 18th, 2021
1 Comment
3746 Views
How long ago was 1908? Orville Wright (photo) celebrates his 37th birthday in Washington on August 19th. It has only been four and a half years since the Wright Brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk. Because only five people witnessed that first flight, Wilbur and Orville still haven’t att...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 27th, 2021
0 Comments
4647 Views
~Leo Durocher 1905–1991 (Cubs manager 1965-1972) How did people really feel about Leo Durocher? A quote from Jack Brickhouse: “In the early days Leo was an SOB, but a sharp SOB. By the time he finished in Chicago he was just an old SOB.” Suffice it to say, Leo was not beloved. When he was [&hel...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 21st, 2021
0 Comments
3078 Views
~Johnny Evers 1881–1947 (Cubs 1902-1913, Cubs manager 1913) Johnny Evers was the starting second baseman for the greatest Cubs team of all-time, the 1906-1910 dynasty. He got his nickname, the Crab, for the way he sidled up to grounders, but he lived up to his nickname in another way. Evers was...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Jul 21st, 2021
1 Comment
3913 Views
Two Cubs stars celebrate a birthday this week. Second baseman Johnny Evers (left photo) celebrates his 26th birthday (July 21) and shortstop Joe Tinker (right photo) celebrates his 28th birthday (July 27). It’s pretty clear that they won’t be celebrating it together, however, because they...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Jul 17th, 2021
2 Comments
5615 Views
July 18, 1910 The poem “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon” written by Franklin Adams was published in the New York Evening Mail. It’s probably the most famous poem ever written about the Cubs, and it was so memorable it probably got Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance elected into...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Jul 14th, 2021
1 Comment
3833 Views
How long ago was 1908? The Cubs are facing their arch rivals this week, the New York Giants. Two of the most memorable games of the rivalry take place at the 4-game series at West Side Grounds. One day Giants star pitcher Christy Mathewson (photo) is called on as a relief pitcher after he thought [&h...
The Pothole Store | Eckhartz Press | Rick Kaempfer's Blog | Illinois Entertainer
Site construction by WorkSite, LLC