Lefty had one great season for the Cubs, going 19-8 in 1918, and pitched well in the World Series that year, but developed a strange shoulder injury the next year. He was sent to Minnesota by the Cubs to get examined at the Mayo Clinic. They said there was nothing wrong with his shoulder...his problems were caused by unusually bad teeth. They extracted almost all of his teeth to cure his shoulder injury, which amazingly, didn't do the trick.
Lefty was never the same after that. By the end of 1921, his big league career was over.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Ted Lilly
Ted Lilly was a fan favorite during his time with the Cubs (2007-2010). His full name is Theodore Roosevelt Lilly, and yes he was named after the president. Although he didn't really walk softly and carry a big stick. He was simply a reliable pitcher, something all too rare on the North Side of Chicago.
On the back of this baseball card you'll see his 2008 stats: 17 wins, 9 losses, and a 4.09 ERA. His 34 starts that year led the league.
Other Cubs Birthdays
He was just a 22-year-old kid with the Cubs when he got some playing time at the end of the 1925 season, but he really blossomed after he left the team. In 1927 he was the best defensive centerfielder in the league for the Chicago White Sox.
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