By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Dec 7th, 2023
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~Don Cardwell 1935 (Cubs 1960-1962) The Cubs acquired Cardwell from the Phillies in exchange for second baseman Tony Taylor. Taylor went on to play big league ball for 16 more seasons, but it looked like a great trade at the time. On May 15, 1960, in his first start in a Cubs uniform, Don Cardwell [&...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Dec 4th, 2023
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Lee Smith 1957 (Cubs 1980-1987) When Big Lee came up with the Cubs in 1980, he was a starting pitcher. They moved him to the closer role after they floundered in 1981 after the trade that sent Bruce Sutter to the Cardinals. Big Lee turned out to be one of the most consistent closers in […]...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week In Wrigley History
Dec 1st, 2023
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December 2, 1965: Cubs acquire Bill Hands and Randy Hundley December 3: In 1971, Cubs acquire Jose Cardenal…In 2003, Cubs sign LeTroy Hawkins. December 4, 2002: Cubs trade Todd Hundley for Grudzielanek and Karros December 5, 1987: Cubs trade Palmeiro, Moyers and others for Mitch Williams Decemb...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 29th, 2023
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~Howard Johnson 1960 (Cubs 1995) His parents obviously had a sense of humor, because they named their son Howard, the same name as a famous hotel and restaurant chain. His nickname naturally ended up being the same thing as the restaurant’s nickname (HoJo), but he had the last laugh. Howard Joh...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 15th, 2023
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~Franklin P. Adams 1881–1960 (Cubs hater/immortalizer) He wrote the most famous poem ever written about the Cubs, “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon”, and it was so memorable it probably got Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance elected into the Hall of Fame. The poem went as follow...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Nov 3rd, 2023
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~Ken Holtzman 1945– (Cubs 1966-1971) He would become one of the rarest animals on the North American continent…a quality homegrown Chicago Cubs starting pitcher. But Holtzman was the real deal. He went 9-0 for the Cubs while serving in the National Guard in 1967, and when his military service w...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Nov 1st, 2023
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November 10, 1483 Martin Luther was born. He is known, of course, for starting the Protestant Reformation in Europe, but some Cub fans believe he also has a hand in keeping the Cubs out of the World Series. How can that be? Consider this. Before Charles Weeghman built the ballpark we now know as Wrig...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Oct 23rd, 2023
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5261 Views
October 23, 1886 The Cubs finished up the World Series. The 1886 National League team from Chicago was known as the White Stockings–it would be another fifteen years before the Cubs name emerged. But they were a powerhouse team; the defending champions. Led by their first baseman/manager Cap An...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1908
Oct 20th, 2023
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How long ago was 1908? Broadway superstar George M. Cohan (photo) takes the victorious World Series champs out to Rector’s restaurant in Chicago to celebrate their big victory. He and his Broadway troupe perform for Frank Chance, Joe Tinker, Harry Steinfeldt, Del Howard, Jimmy Sheckard and thei...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Oct 9th, 2023
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6261 Views
This week in history, the Cubs were actually involved in historical events… October 9, 1907 The Cubs were playing the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. It was Game 2 of the series–the first game had ended in a tie (called because of darkness). More than 21,000 braved the cold October Ch...
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