By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Sep 26th, 2023
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3708 Views
~Dave Martinez 1964– (Cubs 1986-1988, 2000) Martinez came up through the Cubs system and debuted in the big leagues with the Cubs. At the time, he was only 21 years old. In 1987 he won the starting center field job. He hit .292 with 16 stolen bases. Why did the Cubs trade the youngster the [&he...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Sep 22nd, 2023
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2772 Views
~Lou Johnson 1934– (Cubs 1960, 1968) His nickname was Sweet Lou or Slick. Lou played for the Cubs in two different seasons, his rookie year and his second to last season in the big leagues, and neither of those seasons were particularly remarkable. Lou is probably better remembered for what he ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Sep 17th, 2023
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4222 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
Sep 4th, 2023
1 Comment
4177 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, 2023
2 Comments
5628 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, 2023
3 Comments
5966 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 Today's Cub Birthday
Aug 22nd, 2023
1 Comment
3695 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 Week In Wrigley History
Aug 20th, 2023
1 Comment
5500 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, 2023
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3923 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...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Aug 9th, 2023
0 Comments
3410 Views
~Steve Swisher 1951– (Cubs 1974-1977) Swisher was acquired by the Cubs from the White Sox in the trade that sent Ron Santo over to the south side of the city. For most of his time with the Cubs, Swisher shared the catcher job with George Mitterwald. But in 1976, he had his best season in [&hell...
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