This Week in Wrigley History (July 9–July 15)

July 10, 1990
The All-Star Game was played at Wrigley Field. It was a miserable, rainy night, but the fans were treated to the sight of some all-time greats plying their trade.

The American League team featured the likes of future Hall of Famers Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs, Kirby Puckett, Dennis Eckersley, and Cal Ripken, not to mention Ken Griffey Jr.

The National League team countered with future Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson (both representing the Cubs), Ozzie Smith, Roberto Alomar, and Tony Gwynn. The Cubs sent another player to the game; shortstop Shawon Dunston.

None of the Cubs did much in front of the hometown fans.

Ryne Sandberg (starting at 2B) was 0-3. He grounded out to 3rd in the bottom of the first with nobody on. He grounded out to third in the bottom of the third with Barry Larkin in scoring position. And he flew out to center in the bottom of the sixth with nobody on.

Andre Dawson (starting in RF) was 0-2. He grounded out to the pitcher (Bob Welch) in the bottom of the second with nobody on, and struck out against Dave Stieb in the bottom of the 4th (with nobody on).

Shawon Dunston (replacing Barry Larkin at SS) was 0-2. He flew out to left field in the bottom of the 6th with nobody on, and hit into a fielder’s choice to end the bottom of the eighth (Barry Bonds was forced out at 2B).

On the other hand, the Cubs players were not alone in their offensive futility. This All-Star game was certainly not a slugfest. Only two runs were scored, and both of those came in the top of the 7th inning. Julio Franco knocked in the American League runs with a double, and was rewarded by being named the All Star Game MVP.

Ex-Cub Dennis Eckersley got the save.

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July 9: In 1937, Construction begins on Wrigley Field bleachers and centerfield scoreboard…In 1944 during World War II, the Cubs invited some of their old stars to the ballpark to help sell War Bonds. Among the Cubs there that day: Mordecai Brown, Jimmy Archer, Hippo Vaughn, Freddie Lindstrom, and Rogers Hornsby. The 1944 Cubs respond by sweeping a double-header against the Giants…In 2003, Kerry Wood strikes out 12 Marlins and wins the game 5-1. (Against the same team in game 7 of the playoffs later that year, he has a much different game)

July 10: In 1948, Johnny “Bear Tracks” Schmitz takes the mound and limits the Pirates to only two hits. They manage to score two runs with those hits, but the Cubs are still victorious 4-2…In 1990, the All-Star Game is held at Wrigley Field. The AL wins 2-0, and Julio Franco is the MVP. (Read more about it above)

July 11: In 1965 the Cubs have a double header and record a double shutout. Ace Larry Jackson does it in Game 1, and Cal Koonce does it in the second game. Both games are 6-0 victories over the defending champion Cardinals. Cubs catcher Chris Krug homers in both games.

July 12: In 1946, the Cubs hammer Brooklyn pitching for a 13-2 win. Peanuts Lowrey knocks in seven runs, three of those with his 5th inning home run.

July 13: In 1936, the Cubs scratch out one run to beat Carl Hubbell. That’s something that won’t happen to Hubbell again over his next twenty-four decisions… In 1959, Lee Walls hits his seventh hit in a row in a double header, and then adds an eighth hit in a row the following day…In 1962, Cal Koonce tosses a one-hitter.

July 14: Clay Bryant retires 23 batters in a row, and wins an eventual 3-hitter in the first game of a double-header against the Phillies in 1938. The Cubs win the second game too.

July 15: The Cubs’ first season at Weegham Park (now Wrigley) is Jimmy Archer’s last year in a Cubs uniform. On this day he hits his final career home run, a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game 5-4. Hippo Vaughn gets the win in relief.

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July 13, 1995

Chicago was in the midst of the worst heatwave in city history. From July 12 to July 16, 1995, Chicago roasted, and people died. The high of 106 °F on July 13 set the record for the warmest July temperature since records began at Midway Airport in 1928. When the record humidity levels were added, the heat index reached 119° at O’Hare and 125° at Midway.

These are the temperatures (minus the heat index) on those days…

July 11: 90°
July 12: 98°
July 13: 106°
July 14: 102°
July 15: 99°
July 16: 94°

Luckily for the Cubs, they were in the middle of the All-Star Break the first day of the heatwave. Sammy Sosa, Mark Grace and Randy Myers represented the Cubs that year, and Myers earned the save for the National League win.

The second day of the heatwave the Cubs were lucky to playing a makeup game in Montreal.

But on July 13th, the hottest day during the hottest week in Chicago history, the Cubs hosted the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Although the game didn’t start until 7:05 that night, the game-time temperature was still 103 degrees. The Cubs had their slowest working pitcher on the mound—Steve Trachsel. Trachsel didn’t make it out of the second inning. Barry Larkin torched the Cubs for three hits (including a triple and a homer), and three RBI, and former Cub Jerome Walton knocked in two more as the eventual Division-champion Reds won the game 11-5.

Over that sticky sweaty four game series, 136,353 fans came out to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs lose three out of four games to the Reds during the worst heat wave in Chicago history.