Today’s Cubs Birthdays (January 18)

~Babe Twombly 1896 (Cubs 1920-1921)
The Cubs have had lots of players nicknamed “Babe” over the years, but unfortunately none of their last names were Ruth. Babe Twombly played for the Cubs for two seasons and hit over .300 in a part-time role, but he never managed to secure a full-time slot. He probably got the nickname “Babe” because his big brother “Silent George” Twombly was already a big leaguer when Babe came to the Cubs.

~Charlie Eden 1855 (White Stockings 1882)
He was a second baseman in Chicago for one season and later also played in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, but is apparently no relation to “I Dream of Jeannie” star Barbara Eden.

~Billy Grabarkewitz 1946 (Cubs 1974)
By the time the Cubs acquired the former all-star second baseman in 1974, he was strictly a backup. He played for the Cubs part of the 1974 season.

~Dave Geisel 1955 (Cubs 1978-1981)
Geisel pitched for the Cubs for three seasons, and later also pitched for the Blue Jays and Mariners, and probably never knew that another Cub was born exactly one hundred years before he was. Although he would have understood the “I Dream of Jeannie” reference.