By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Sep 17th, 2023
1 Comment
3496 Views
~Wildfire Schulte 1882–1949 (Cubs 1904-1916) Wildfire (real name Frank) didn’t get his nickname for his style of play (although he stole home 22 times), or his tendency to hit the town (although Frank Chance used to chide him for that in the press). He got it because he named his favorite pony ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Sep 4th, 2023
1 Comment
4290 Views
~Eddie Waitkus 1919–1972 (Cubs 1941-1948) Eddie Waitkus was a fresh-faced young first baseman for the Cubs who joined the Cubs briefly in 1941 before being drafted into the military. He returned for the 1946 season as a highly decorated military hero (four battle stars) and promptly took over t...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Aug 11th, 2023
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4702 Views
How long ago was 1908? One of the ugliest racial riots in American history occurs this week (Aug 14) in Springfield, Illinois. Before the race riots are over, forty homes are burned to the ground, 24 businesses are destroyed, and seven people are dead: two black people (lynched by the angry mob) and ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Jun 4th, 2023
3 Comments
6478 Views
June 5, 1985 The Cubs played the game featured in the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”. If you’ve seen the movie, you probably remember the three goof offs spending the day at the ballpark. It wasn’t a recreated game–it was an actual Wednesday afternoon game at Wri...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Dec 15th, 2022
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4522 Views
How Long Ago Was 1908? Fred Merkle celebrates his 20th birthday (Dec 20) in New York by laying low and hoping nobody tries to kill him. Everyone in New York is still mad at him for his base-running blunder that allowed the Cubs to win the pennant. Little does he know that people will NEVER […]...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Dec 1st, 2022
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4235 Views
How long ago was 1908? The Chicago Coliseum (photo) is the largest venue in Chicago. Earlier this year it hosted the Republican Convention, which turned into quite a party. Every December, however, it holds an even bigger party, the party event of the year in Chicago–the First Ward Ball. The Fi...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Dec 1st, 2022
0 Comments
3111 Views
~Javier Baez 1992– (Cubs 2014-Present) Baez was the 9th overall pick of the 2011 draft: the last first round pick of the Jim Hendry era. At each level of the minors, Baez was a superstar, but when he joined the Cubs in August 2014, Javy struggled. Despite hitting a game-winning homer in his fir...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 16th, 2022
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3157 Views
~Rollie Zeider 1883–1967 (Cubs 1916-1918) He remains one of only two men to have played for three different professional teams in Chicago (he played with the Cubs, the Sox, and the Federal League Whales). His last three seasons in the big leagues were spent with the Cubs, serving as their utili...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 7th, 2022
0 Comments
3203 Views
~Joe Niekro 1944–2006 (Cubs 1967-1969) His brother Phil was already a star pitcher for the Braves when Joe Niekro was drafted in the third round by the Cubs in 1966. In his rookie season in Chicago (1967), Joe won 10 games. He won 14 games for the Cubs in 1968, but manager Leo Durocher, never [...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Oct 20th, 2022
0 Comments
4038 Views
~Wid Matthews 1896–1965 (Cubs GM 1950-1956) When Matthews came to the Cubs in 1950, he arrived with a sparkling reputation. Wid had been an assistant to Branch Rickey with the Dodgers, and he promised to return the Cubs to their glory days. He did do one thing that was long overdue before he le...
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