By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jun 24th, 2024
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~Rollie Hemsley 1907–1972 (Cubs 1931-1932) Rollie was the backup catcher on the Cubs in 1931 and 1932, but he didn’t get along with manager Rogers Hornsby. Although Hornsby was a degenerate gambler, he was also a teetotaler that really cracked down on the team drinkers. Offenders included just ...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Jun 12th, 2024
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6686 Views
June 18, 1912 During the 1912 Republican convention in Chicago at the Chicago Coliseum (1513 S. Wabash Ave.), Theodore Roosevelt’s supporters in the gallery tooted horns and rubbed sandpaper together to imitate the sounds of the “Taft steamroller” which was running them over without considering their...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Jun 2nd, 2024
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How long ago was 1908? One of the biggest stories in Chicago is the “epidemic of white slavery.” White immigrant girls and innocent White American farm girls are being lured from all over the country to come to Chicago under false pretenses. They think they have received marriage proposal...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
May 26th, 2024
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How long ago was 1908? The Chicago Cubs were all set to play a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at West Side Grounds. Cubs outfielder Jimmy Sheckard, a known prankster, began teasing Cubs backup infielder Heinie Zimmerman about his terrible fielding. The players had to be separated on the field. A...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
May 10th, 2024
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4267 Views
~Jim Hickman 1937–2016 (Cubs 1969-1973) After eight forgettable seasons with three different teams, Jim Hickman was magically transformed from a perennial struggler to a powerful slugger. In 1970 at the age of 33, “Gentleman Jim” somehow batted .315, with 32 home runs, 115 runs batted in, and 1...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
May 4th, 2024
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~Vic Saier 1891–1967 (Cubs 1911-1917) Vic was one of the players who played in the last season at West Side Grounds, and the Cubs’ first season at Wrigley. The first baseman had huge shoes to fill on the Cubs–he replaced the Peerless Leader, Frank Chance. When he was healthy, Saier was a beast–...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Apr 21st, 2024
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5507 Views
How long ago was 1908? Opening day is a huge day in Chicago for the defending champs. The Cubs have their home opener at the newly refurbished West Side Grounds (April 22). Owner Charles Murphy has turned the ballpark into a shrine for his players. There are two big sculptures outside the park, one o...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Mar 24th, 2024
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7001 Views
How long ago was 1908? The first few years of the century the Cubs conducted spring training in Frank Chance’s home state of California (in Los Angeles and Santa Monica). During their first pennant season of 1906, they trained in Champaign, Illinois. The site of spring training before their fir...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Mar 10th, 2024
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How long ago was 1908? Chicago’s aldermen of 1908 make today’s look like alter boys. Meet “Bathhouse John” Coughlin. He is one of the aldermen from Chicago’s notorious First Ward. Along with his partner in crime (literally), Hinky Dink Kenna, Bathhouse protects Chicago&#...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Mar 3rd, 2024
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5300 Views
How long ago was 1908? *Alexander Graham Bell turns 61 (March 3), and is one of the most famous men in America–known as the inventor of the telephone. Now he is experimenting with aviation. He and his aviation team are working very hard on preparing his aeroplane “Red Wing”. It will make the fi...
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