By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Oct 4th, 2024
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4454 Views
~Tony LaRussa 1944– (Cubs 1973) On April 6, 1973, the Cubs won the opener 3-2 over the Expos in the bottom of the ninth because the best relief pitcher in baseball, Mike Marshall, walked in two runs. The winning run was scored by Tony LaRussa in his only game as a Cub. He came in […]...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Sep 26th, 2024
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4087 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, 2024
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3112 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, 2024
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4690 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, 2024
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4807 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
6274 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
6913 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, 2024
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4364 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, 2024
1 Comment
6096 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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4372 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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