Today's Featured Cub: Alvin Dark
On this day in 1922, future Cub Alvin Dark was born. Dark had his best years with the Giants in New York, but as a member of the Cubs he was involved in one of the strangest plays in baseball history. It happened on June 30, 1959.
It all started when a missed strike three got away from Cubs catcher Sammy Taylor. Taylor, thinking it was a foul ball, didn't go after the ball. The bat boy, also thinking it was a foul ball, picked it up and tossed it to field announcer Pat Pieper.
Pieper saw that the batter was running to first base, so he realized it was a live ball, and let it drop at his feet. Third baseman Alvin Dark ran over to grab it. Meanwhile, the umpire gave Sammy Taylor a new ball out of habit.
In the confusion, the runner on first base, Stan Musial, made a run for second base. Cubs pitcher Bob Anderson took the ball out of Sammy Taylor's catcher's mitt and fired it to second base at the same time that third baseman Alvin Dark threw his ball to second base. Ernie Banks was covering second and caught one of the balls heading his way, while the other ball escaped into centerfield.
Ernie tagged out Musial with one ball, while center fielder Bobby Thomson lobbed the other ball into the dugout. Thinking that "real" ball has been tossed into the dugout, Musial kept on running and scored.
The umpires had a very long discussion about this play on the field before finally ruling that Musial was out because Ernie tagged him. The Cardinals were enraged by the call on the field and lodged an official protest.
The protest wasn't necessary.
The Cardinals won the game anyway, 4-1.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Alfonso Soriano
(2012 Topps Heritage Baseball Card)
Alfonso Soriano was born on this day in 1976. When he signed an eight year contract with the Cubs, he was heralded as a huge signing. After all, he had a rare combination of power and speed (40 homers and 40 steals). Unfortunately, that speed left him pretty quickly after he joined the team, and it wasn't long before he heard the boo birds. In fairness he did have several good seasons with the team, and by the end of his time here, the fans were almost sad to see him go.
The stats on the back of this baseball card are from 2011: 475 at bats, 116 hits, 27 doubles, 1 triple, 26 homers, 2 stolen bases and a .244 batting average.
Nickname of the Day: Kitty
Kitty Bransfield played for the Cubs in his last season in the big leagues, 1911. He was a great first baseman for the Pirates before coming to the Cubs, and they called him Kitty there. The reason for the nickname, according to the Baseball Biography Project: "His original nickname was "Kid," but a reporter with bad hearing heard it as "Kitty" and the name stuck."
You can read Kitty's entire profile at the Baseball Biography Project here.
Cup of Coffee
Dick Calmus got into 21 games with the 1963 Dodgers but didn't get back up to the big leagues until September 2, 1967. He was the starting pitcher for the Cubs that day in the second game of a double header against the Mets at Wrigley Field. The Cubs spotted him a 4-1 lead, but Calmus couldn't hold it. He gave up two home runs to the Mets second baseman Jerry Bucheck, and was pulled in the fifth inning. It was his last big league appearance. He was 23 years old.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~Dad Clarke 1865 (1888 White Stockings)
He was a pitcher who eventually pitched seven years in the big leagues, but his stay in Chicago lasted only two games at the age of 23.
~Al Todd 1902 (1940-1943 Cubs)
He was 38 when he joined the Cubs, but he was the starting catcher for them in 1940.
~Doug Capilla 1952 (1979-1981 Cubs)
He was a big part of the Cubs bullpen in his seasons with the Cubs, but he had control issues.
A/V Club
When Soriano connected, it was a thing of beauty. Why anyone in the league ever threw him a fastball is one of life's greatest mysteries. Watch his swing in slow motion...
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
JOBC Cubs Almanac--January 6
Today's Featured Cub: Clyde Beck
On this day in 1900, Clyde Beck was born. Beck was a backup infielder for the Cubs for most of his five year Cubs career (1926-1930). He started nearly 90 games for them in the 1928 season, and then went back to the bench for the pennant winning 1929 season. The highlight of his career was probably May 12, 1930. The Cubs hit four homers in the seventh inning that day and were only the second team in history to do it. Clyde Jersey Beck hit the record-tying HR.
Beck hit a career-high six HR that season but batted only .213, 90 points below the league average. The Cubs shipped him off to Cincinnati after the season, and that's where he played his final year in the big leagues.
He died in 1988 in his native California.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Lee Walls
(1958 Lee Walls Topps Baseball Card)
Lee Walls was born on this day in 1933. The Cubs acquired him (and Dale Long) from the Pirates for Gene Baker and Dee Fondy, and Walls had a couple of good years for the Cubs. In 1957 he hit for the cycle in a game against the Reds. In 1958 he had his best big league season and was named to the All-Star team.
On the back of this baseball card, you'd get the following stats from his 1957 season: 366 at bats, 88 hits, 10 doubles, 5 triples, 6 homers, 33 RBI, and a .240 batting average.
Nickname of the Day: Jersey
Clyde Beck was known as Jersey by his Cubs teammates.
A/V Club
This is a real treat. A Vin Scully called game between the 1957 Cubs (including Lee Walls) and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. Sandy Koufax is pitching for the Dodgers and Dick Drott for the Cubs. There's a wonderful lazy summertime feel to the broadcast, and Vin Scully is a master communicator.
On this day in 1900, Clyde Beck was born. Beck was a backup infielder for the Cubs for most of his five year Cubs career (1926-1930). He started nearly 90 games for them in the 1928 season, and then went back to the bench for the pennant winning 1929 season. The highlight of his career was probably May 12, 1930. The Cubs hit four homers in the seventh inning that day and were only the second team in history to do it. Clyde Jersey Beck hit the record-tying HR.
Beck hit a career-high six HR that season but batted only .213, 90 points below the league average. The Cubs shipped him off to Cincinnati after the season, and that's where he played his final year in the big leagues.
He died in 1988 in his native California.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Lee Walls
(1958 Lee Walls Topps Baseball Card)
Lee Walls was born on this day in 1933. The Cubs acquired him (and Dale Long) from the Pirates for Gene Baker and Dee Fondy, and Walls had a couple of good years for the Cubs. In 1957 he hit for the cycle in a game against the Reds. In 1958 he had his best big league season and was named to the All-Star team.
On the back of this baseball card, you'd get the following stats from his 1957 season: 366 at bats, 88 hits, 10 doubles, 5 triples, 6 homers, 33 RBI, and a .240 batting average.
Nickname of the Day: Jersey
Clyde Beck was known as Jersey by his Cubs teammates.
A/V Club
This is a real treat. A Vin Scully called game between the 1957 Cubs (including Lee Walls) and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. Sandy Koufax is pitching for the Dodgers and Dick Drott for the Cubs. There's a wonderful lazy summertime feel to the broadcast, and Vin Scully is a master communicator.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
JOBC Cubs Almanac--January 5
Today's Featured Cub: Riggs Stephenson
On this day in 1898, future Cub outfielder Riggs Stephenson was born. Stephenson was a former All-American football player, and his nickname Old Hoss fit his build. Old Hoss was a great hitter, one of the best in Cubs history. He still holds the Cubs record for hitters with more than 2000 ABs, with a .336 lifetime average.
In the Cubs' 1929 pennant-winning year, he combined with Hall of Famers Hack Wilson and Kiki Cuyler to form the only outfield in National League history with 100 RBI players at each spot. (Stephenson 110, Wilson 159, Cuyler 102).
He had his problems in the outfield, however. Old Hoss threw like an Old Hoss thanks to an old football injury. He had major arm problems which hampered him, and eventually shortened his career (1926-1934).
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Bob Dernier
(Topps 1988 Baseball Card)
Bobby Dernier was born on this day in 1957. He was the lead-off man for the 1984 Cubs; the first Cubs team to make the playoffs in 39 years. He and #2 hitter Ryne Sandberg were dubbed the Daily Double by Cubs announcer Harry Caray. Both Dernier and Sandberg got on base a lot, played great defense up the middle (Dernier was the centerfielder), and stole bases (45 in '88). Unfortunately injuries got the best of Bobby and by the time this baseball card came out, he wasn't getting on the field enough to contribute as he could.
The stats on the back from his 1987 season read as follows: 199 at bat, 63 hits, 4 doubles, 4 triples, 8 homers, 21 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and a .317 average.
Nickname of the Day: Bad Bill
Bill Dahlen played shortstop and third base for the Cubs (then known as the Colts) for most of the 1890s. They called him "Bad Bill" because he had a violent temper and was a ferocious competitor. He is considered by some baseball experts to be one of the greatest players still excluded from the Hall of Fame. He certainly has the credentials. He once had a 42-game hitting streak, he hit over .350 twice, he had the record for games played when he retired, and still holds the record for total chances as an infielder. He was a great hitter, a great fielder, and he had a great nickname.
Cup of Coffee
Daryl Robertson was born on this day in 1936. Daryl got a very brief trial with the Cubs in 1962 during the College of Coaches era. He came to the Cubs in the Moe Drabowsky trade, and got into nine games in May of 1962. In 19 at bats, he managed only two hits. That was his only shot at the big leagues. The Cubs traded him to the Cardinals in June, and they kept him in the minor leagues. Daryl may not have had a long big league career, but he did play alongside three Hall of Famers: Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Billy Williams.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~Bob Caruthers 1864 (1893 Colts)
The very fashionable "Parisian Bob" was a great pitcher (two-time 40-game winner), but unfortunately that was for other teams. When he came to Chicago he only played a handful of games in the outfield.
~Zaza Harvey 1879 (1900 Orphans)
He only got three at-bats for Chicago, but later got a little more playing time in Cleveland.
~Chuck Wortman 1892 (Cubs 1916-1918)
He was a backup infielder for the Cubs for a few years, and even got an at-bat in the 1918 World Series.
~Henry Cotto 1961 (Cubs 1984)
He was only with the Cubs for one season, but he was a key sub on that team. He got a hit in his only at-bat in the NLCS.
~Danny Jackson 1962 (Cubs 1991-1992)
He was a very good starting pitcher and two-time all-star...before and after his stint with the Cubs. With the Cubs, not so much.
~Jeff Fassero 1963 (Cubs 2001-2002)
He was a very good starting pitcher before he came to the Cubs. After being turned into a reliever he did save 12 games for the Cubs.
~Chris Nabholz 1967 (Cubs 1995)
Like many players, he finished his career with the Cubs. He had a few good seasons with the Expos before he came to town.
~Ruben Quevedo 1979 (Cubs 2000)
He was supposed to be the hot pitching prospect the Cubs got in the Terry Mulholland & Jose Hernandez trade with the Braves. He went 3-10 with 7.70 ERA.
A/V Club
On this day in 1961, the television show Mr. Ed premiered. What does that have to do with the Cubs? Well, it provided an outlet for future Cubs manager Leo Durocher who was featured in this famous episode of the show...
On this day in 1898, future Cub outfielder Riggs Stephenson was born. Stephenson was a former All-American football player, and his nickname Old Hoss fit his build. Old Hoss was a great hitter, one of the best in Cubs history. He still holds the Cubs record for hitters with more than 2000 ABs, with a .336 lifetime average.
In the Cubs' 1929 pennant-winning year, he combined with Hall of Famers Hack Wilson and Kiki Cuyler to form the only outfield in National League history with 100 RBI players at each spot. (Stephenson 110, Wilson 159, Cuyler 102).
He had his problems in the outfield, however. Old Hoss threw like an Old Hoss thanks to an old football injury. He had major arm problems which hampered him, and eventually shortened his career (1926-1934).
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Bob Dernier
(Topps 1988 Baseball Card)
Bobby Dernier was born on this day in 1957. He was the lead-off man for the 1984 Cubs; the first Cubs team to make the playoffs in 39 years. He and #2 hitter Ryne Sandberg were dubbed the Daily Double by Cubs announcer Harry Caray. Both Dernier and Sandberg got on base a lot, played great defense up the middle (Dernier was the centerfielder), and stole bases (45 in '88). Unfortunately injuries got the best of Bobby and by the time this baseball card came out, he wasn't getting on the field enough to contribute as he could.
The stats on the back from his 1987 season read as follows: 199 at bat, 63 hits, 4 doubles, 4 triples, 8 homers, 21 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and a .317 average.
Nickname of the Day: Bad Bill
Bill Dahlen played shortstop and third base for the Cubs (then known as the Colts) for most of the 1890s. They called him "Bad Bill" because he had a violent temper and was a ferocious competitor. He is considered by some baseball experts to be one of the greatest players still excluded from the Hall of Fame. He certainly has the credentials. He once had a 42-game hitting streak, he hit over .350 twice, he had the record for games played when he retired, and still holds the record for total chances as an infielder. He was a great hitter, a great fielder, and he had a great nickname.
Cup of Coffee
Daryl Robertson was born on this day in 1936. Daryl got a very brief trial with the Cubs in 1962 during the College of Coaches era. He came to the Cubs in the Moe Drabowsky trade, and got into nine games in May of 1962. In 19 at bats, he managed only two hits. That was his only shot at the big leagues. The Cubs traded him to the Cardinals in June, and they kept him in the minor leagues. Daryl may not have had a long big league career, but he did play alongside three Hall of Famers: Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Billy Williams.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~Bob Caruthers 1864 (1893 Colts)
The very fashionable "Parisian Bob" was a great pitcher (two-time 40-game winner), but unfortunately that was for other teams. When he came to Chicago he only played a handful of games in the outfield.
~Zaza Harvey 1879 (1900 Orphans)
He only got three at-bats for Chicago, but later got a little more playing time in Cleveland.
~Chuck Wortman 1892 (Cubs 1916-1918)
He was a backup infielder for the Cubs for a few years, and even got an at-bat in the 1918 World Series.
~Henry Cotto 1961 (Cubs 1984)
He was only with the Cubs for one season, but he was a key sub on that team. He got a hit in his only at-bat in the NLCS.
~Danny Jackson 1962 (Cubs 1991-1992)
He was a very good starting pitcher and two-time all-star...before and after his stint with the Cubs. With the Cubs, not so much.
~Jeff Fassero 1963 (Cubs 2001-2002)
He was a very good starting pitcher before he came to the Cubs. After being turned into a reliever he did save 12 games for the Cubs.
~Chris Nabholz 1967 (Cubs 1995)
Like many players, he finished his career with the Cubs. He had a few good seasons with the Expos before he came to town.
~Ruben Quevedo 1979 (Cubs 2000)
He was supposed to be the hot pitching prospect the Cubs got in the Terry Mulholland & Jose Hernandez trade with the Braves. He went 3-10 with 7.70 ERA.
A/V Club
On this day in 1961, the television show Mr. Ed premiered. What does that have to do with the Cubs? Well, it provided an outlet for future Cubs manager Leo Durocher who was featured in this famous episode of the show...
Saturday, January 4, 2014
JOBC Cubs Calendar--January 4
Today's Featured Cub: Lefty Tyler
On this day in 1918, the Cubs acquired a left handed starting pitcher named Lefty Tyler. He was in his 8th major league season when he came to the Cubs from the Boston Braves. (That's Lefty on the far left, along with fellow 1918 rotation members Hippo Vaughn, Phil Douglas and Claude Hendrix)
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
(2009 Upper Deck Baseball Card)
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
~Alex Metzler 1903 (Cubs 1925)
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.
A/V Club
Al Bridwell was also born on this day in 1884. He played very briefly for the Cubs in 1913, but he had a long career with the Giants before that, and was involved in the most controversial moment in Giants & Cubs history. Bridwell hit the ball that led to the famous Merkle boner. That story is told in this exclusive JOBC video...
On this day in 1918, the Cubs acquired a left handed starting pitcher named Lefty Tyler. He was in his 8th major league season when he came to the Cubs from the Boston Braves. (That's Lefty on the far left, along with fellow 1918 rotation members Hippo Vaughn, Phil Douglas and Claude Hendrix)
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
(2009 Upper Deck Baseball Card)
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
~Alex Metzler 1903 (Cubs 1925)
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.
A/V Club
Al Bridwell was also born on this day in 1884. He played very briefly for the Cubs in 1913, but he had a long career with the Giants before that, and was involved in the most controversial moment in Giants & Cubs history. Bridwell hit the ball that led to the famous Merkle boner. That story is told in this exclusive JOBC video...
Labels:
Al Bridwell,
Alex Metzler,
Chicago Cubs,
Cubs Calendar,
January 4,
JOBC,
Lefty Tyler,
Merkle's boner,
Ted Lilly
Friday, January 3, 2014
JOBC Cubs Almanac--January 3
Today's Featured Cub: Ed Sauer
On this day in 1919, future Cub Ed Sauer was born. Sauer was a member of the last Cubs pennant winning team (1945). After two years as a seldom used reserve, Sauer was in the 1945 Opening day lineup because of the holdout of Peanuts Lowrey and the injury to Frank Secory, and remained on the roster all season. He even get two at-bats in the World Series. Unfortunately, he struck out both times.
When all of the World War II veterans came back to baseball the following season, Sauer went back to the minors. Ed got his last shot at the big leagues with the Cardinals and Braves in 1949, and by then, his big brother Hank had taken his slot in the Cubs outfield.
Hank Sauer won the MVP as a Cubs outfielder in 1952.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Adrian Garrett
(Topps 1974 Baseball Card)
Garrett got a chance to play for the Cubs in parts of three different seasons, 1973, 1974, and 1975. He played a little catcher and outfield, but was primarily used as a pinch hitter because he had a lot of power. (He hit 280 homers in the minors and 102 in Japan). On the back of this baseball card you'd see his 1973 stats: 54 at bats, 12 hits, 0 doubles, 0 triples, 3 Homers, 8 RBI, and a .222 average.
His little brother Wayne was a member of the 1969 Miracle Mets.
Nickname of the Day: Chico
Future Cub catcher Salvador Hernandez was born on this day in 1916. His teammates called him "Chico" and in 1942 he and Cubs pitcher Hi Bithorn formed the very first all-Latin battery in big league history. Chico was from Cuba. Bithorn was from Puerto Rico.
Cup of Coffee
Future Cub Pete Turgeon was born on this day in 1897. He played for the Cubs at the very end of the 1923 season and managed to get into three games and get six at bats. Four of those at bats came in the final game of the season when he started at shortstop for the Cubs. He got a single and scored a run in 6-3 loss to the Cardinals. He was back in the minors the following year and never made it back up for another taste of the show.
Pete Turgeon died in Texas in 1977.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~John Fluhre 1894
He played briefly for the Cubs in the 1915 season, including one game under the pseudonym William G. Morris.
~John Andre 1923
He was a Filipino-American who pitched for the Cubs at the age of 32 during the 1955 season, his only season in the big leagues.
~George Piktuzis 1932
He was a local Chicago boy from Morgan Park High School, but served in the military at the height of his baseball career, and only pitched in two games for the Cubs in 1956.
~Archie Reynolds 1946
Pitched in parts of three seasons for the Cubs, 1968-69-70, but didn't get significant time in any of those seasons. Later pitched for Angels and Brewers.
~Michael Restovich 1979
He played six big league seasons (2002-2007), but only one year with the Cubs (2006) and only got 12 at bats.
On this day in 1919, future Cub Ed Sauer was born. Sauer was a member of the last Cubs pennant winning team (1945). After two years as a seldom used reserve, Sauer was in the 1945 Opening day lineup because of the holdout of Peanuts Lowrey and the injury to Frank Secory, and remained on the roster all season. He even get two at-bats in the World Series. Unfortunately, he struck out both times.
When all of the World War II veterans came back to baseball the following season, Sauer went back to the minors. Ed got his last shot at the big leagues with the Cardinals and Braves in 1949, and by then, his big brother Hank had taken his slot in the Cubs outfield.
Hank Sauer won the MVP as a Cubs outfielder in 1952.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Adrian Garrett
(Topps 1974 Baseball Card)
Garrett got a chance to play for the Cubs in parts of three different seasons, 1973, 1974, and 1975. He played a little catcher and outfield, but was primarily used as a pinch hitter because he had a lot of power. (He hit 280 homers in the minors and 102 in Japan). On the back of this baseball card you'd see his 1973 stats: 54 at bats, 12 hits, 0 doubles, 0 triples, 3 Homers, 8 RBI, and a .222 average.
His little brother Wayne was a member of the 1969 Miracle Mets.
Nickname of the Day: Chico
Future Cub catcher Salvador Hernandez was born on this day in 1916. His teammates called him "Chico" and in 1942 he and Cubs pitcher Hi Bithorn formed the very first all-Latin battery in big league history. Chico was from Cuba. Bithorn was from Puerto Rico.
Cup of Coffee
Future Cub Pete Turgeon was born on this day in 1897. He played for the Cubs at the very end of the 1923 season and managed to get into three games and get six at bats. Four of those at bats came in the final game of the season when he started at shortstop for the Cubs. He got a single and scored a run in 6-3 loss to the Cardinals. He was back in the minors the following year and never made it back up for another taste of the show.
Pete Turgeon died in Texas in 1977.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~John Fluhre 1894
He played briefly for the Cubs in the 1915 season, including one game under the pseudonym William G. Morris.
~John Andre 1923
He was a Filipino-American who pitched for the Cubs at the age of 32 during the 1955 season, his only season in the big leagues.
~George Piktuzis 1932
He was a local Chicago boy from Morgan Park High School, but served in the military at the height of his baseball career, and only pitched in two games for the Cubs in 1956.
~Archie Reynolds 1946
Pitched in parts of three seasons for the Cubs, 1968-69-70, but didn't get significant time in any of those seasons. Later pitched for Angels and Brewers.
~Michael Restovich 1979
He played six big league seasons (2002-2007), but only one year with the Cubs (2006) and only got 12 at bats.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
JOBC Cubs Almanac--January 2
Today's Featured Cub: Bill Madlock
Future Cub Bill Madlock was born on this day in 1951.
The Cubs complained for years about not having a third basemen to replace Santo, but the guy who immediately followed him was that guy. He won two battle titles with the Cubs before being traded for the nearly washed up Bobby Murcer. Madlock won two more batting titles, played eleven more seasons, had 2000 hits, and won a World Series. Murcer had one semi-good season in 1977, and was traded in 1979 for a guy named Pete Semall, who never made it to the majors.
Madlock was a great hitter, and he was tough. In September of 1974, he decided to teach the Mad Hungarian a lesson. Instead of just waiting for Al Hrabosky's ridiculous ritual between pitches, he would step out of the batters box every time Hrabosky got set to pitch--thereby forcing the ritual to start all over again.
This not only angered Hrabosky, it angered the crowd, and it angered the umpire. He told Madlock to "get back in the box." When Madlock stepped out again, the umpire told Hrabosky to throw the pitch anyway. The Mad Hungarian threw one right down the middle to an empty batter's box, and the ump called it a strike.
Now the Cubs were hopping mad. The next batter (Jose Cardenal) and the manager (Jim Marshall) both came out to argue and were standing in the general area of the batter's box, when Hrabosky pretended to be following the umpire's instructions again. He threw another pitch, but this time he drilled one of the Cubs. That was it.
The benches emptied. Punches were thrown (and like most baseball fights--not landed). Players wrestled each other to the ground.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Bill Madlock
(1975 Topps Baseball Card)
The stats on the back of this card tell the tale of very good 1974 rookie season: 453 at bats, 142 hits, 21 doubles, 5 triples, 9 homers, 54 RBI and a .313 average.
Nickname of the Day: Mad Dog
Bill Madlock's first nickname was not Mad Dog, that came later. His Cubs teammates noticed his big keester, and nicknamed him "Buns".
But Mad Dog suited him better because of his competitive nature, and it stuck. He was fined by the league in 1975 for arguing about a third strike. In 1976 he charged the mound against the Giants and started a brawl. The same year he got mad at his own pitchers for not protecting him from brushback pitches. He was the anti-Ernie, the kind of player that owner P.K. Wrigley just didn't like. There was no way he was going to pay him a big raise after his second batting title, and that's the main reason he was shipped out after the 1976 season.
Cup of Coffee
Future Cub Ray Jacobs was born on this day in 1902. He played exactly two games in the big leagues and both of them were with the Cubs in 1928.
In his first game, at Wrigley Field on April 20th, he pinch hit late in the game for Cubs first baseman Joe Kelly. He struck out.
His second and last at bat came a few weeks later at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Once again he came in as a pinch hitter, this time for Cubs pitcher Percy Jones--who had been getting rocked. Jacobs made another out, and never got another chance. Despite only playing in two games (both Cubs losses), he played alongside and against several Hall of Famers. His Cubs teammates at the time included Kiki Cuyler and Hack Wilson. The Pirates team he played against sported three Hall of Famers in their lineup that day, brothers Paul and Lloyd Waner, and Pie Traynor.
Jacobs died in 1952.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~Nick Dumovich 1902 (Cubs 1923)
He was just a 21-year old kid when he got his chance, but in his only season in the bigs, the young pitcher was hit hard and didn't have good control.
~Dave Sappelt 1987 (Cubs 2012-2013)
He was obtained in the Sean Marshall trade but never really caught on as a fourth outfielder candidate for the Cubs.
A/V Club
The strange 1974 fight between the Cardinals and the Cubs is now on video via YouTube. It's even stranger than I described it...(Ignore the pro-Cardinals Ted Simmons slant after the fight)
Future Cub Bill Madlock was born on this day in 1951.
The Cubs complained for years about not having a third basemen to replace Santo, but the guy who immediately followed him was that guy. He won two battle titles with the Cubs before being traded for the nearly washed up Bobby Murcer. Madlock won two more batting titles, played eleven more seasons, had 2000 hits, and won a World Series. Murcer had one semi-good season in 1977, and was traded in 1979 for a guy named Pete Semall, who never made it to the majors.
Madlock was a great hitter, and he was tough. In September of 1974, he decided to teach the Mad Hungarian a lesson. Instead of just waiting for Al Hrabosky's ridiculous ritual between pitches, he would step out of the batters box every time Hrabosky got set to pitch--thereby forcing the ritual to start all over again.
This not only angered Hrabosky, it angered the crowd, and it angered the umpire. He told Madlock to "get back in the box." When Madlock stepped out again, the umpire told Hrabosky to throw the pitch anyway. The Mad Hungarian threw one right down the middle to an empty batter's box, and the ump called it a strike.
Now the Cubs were hopping mad. The next batter (Jose Cardenal) and the manager (Jim Marshall) both came out to argue and were standing in the general area of the batter's box, when Hrabosky pretended to be following the umpire's instructions again. He threw another pitch, but this time he drilled one of the Cubs. That was it.
The benches emptied. Punches were thrown (and like most baseball fights--not landed). Players wrestled each other to the ground.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Bill Madlock
(1975 Topps Baseball Card)
The stats on the back of this card tell the tale of very good 1974 rookie season: 453 at bats, 142 hits, 21 doubles, 5 triples, 9 homers, 54 RBI and a .313 average.
Nickname of the Day: Mad Dog
Bill Madlock's first nickname was not Mad Dog, that came later. His Cubs teammates noticed his big keester, and nicknamed him "Buns".
But Mad Dog suited him better because of his competitive nature, and it stuck. He was fined by the league in 1975 for arguing about a third strike. In 1976 he charged the mound against the Giants and started a brawl. The same year he got mad at his own pitchers for not protecting him from brushback pitches. He was the anti-Ernie, the kind of player that owner P.K. Wrigley just didn't like. There was no way he was going to pay him a big raise after his second batting title, and that's the main reason he was shipped out after the 1976 season.
Cup of Coffee
Future Cub Ray Jacobs was born on this day in 1902. He played exactly two games in the big leagues and both of them were with the Cubs in 1928.
In his first game, at Wrigley Field on April 20th, he pinch hit late in the game for Cubs first baseman Joe Kelly. He struck out.
His second and last at bat came a few weeks later at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Once again he came in as a pinch hitter, this time for Cubs pitcher Percy Jones--who had been getting rocked. Jacobs made another out, and never got another chance. Despite only playing in two games (both Cubs losses), he played alongside and against several Hall of Famers. His Cubs teammates at the time included Kiki Cuyler and Hack Wilson. The Pirates team he played against sported three Hall of Famers in their lineup that day, brothers Paul and Lloyd Waner, and Pie Traynor.
Jacobs died in 1952.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~Nick Dumovich 1902 (Cubs 1923)
He was just a 21-year old kid when he got his chance, but in his only season in the bigs, the young pitcher was hit hard and didn't have good control.
~Dave Sappelt 1987 (Cubs 2012-2013)
He was obtained in the Sean Marshall trade but never really caught on as a fourth outfielder candidate for the Cubs.
A/V Club
The strange 1974 fight between the Cardinals and the Cubs is now on video via YouTube. It's even stranger than I described it...(Ignore the pro-Cardinals Ted Simmons slant after the fight)
Labels:
A/V club,
Bill Madlock,
Cubs Almanac,
Dave Sappelt,
January 2,
JOBC,
Mad Dog,
Nick Dumovich,
Ray Jacobs,
video vault
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
JOBC Cubs Almanac--January 1
Today's Featured Cub: Hack Miller
On this day in 1894, future Cub Lawrence "Hack" Miller was born. He was the son of a circus performer named "Sebastian the Strong Man", and he was one of the more interesting figures in Cubs history. Here's a short excerpt from the Baseball Biography Project...
"Hack Miller entertained teammates by using his bare hand to pound tenpenny nails through two-inch planks of wood and taking the same-size nails and bending them with his fingers. It has been written that he pulled up “fair-sized trees by the roots” during spring training. He once was photographed holding a baseball bat above his head like a barbell, with a teammate hanging from each end. He bragged that one winter he lifted a car to free a woman who had been trapped beneath its wheels. And though he normally swung a 47-ounce bat, on occasion in the minor leagues he wielded a 65-ounce club that was two pounds heavier than those used by modern major leaguers of the 21st century."
Read the full Hack Miller profile here.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Ethan Allen
(Photo: 1933 Goudy Baseball Card)
Future Cub Ethan Allen was born on this day.
The Cubs were a strong team throughout the 1930s, including the 1936 season. They were the defending National League champions that May when they traded future Hall of Famer Chuck Klein (a relative disappointment with the Cubs) back to the Phillies for pitcher Curt Davis and a speedy left fielder near the end of his career; Ethan Allen.
Allen anchored left field for the rest of the season--his last year in the majors as a regular. The lifetime .300 hitter did manage to hit .295 for the Cubs, and he stole 12 bases, but it was obvious that he wasn't in the long-term plans for the team. They sold him to the Browns after the season.
But the Ethan Allen story doesn't end there, and it doesn't end with the end of his playing days in 1938. Allen may have had a bigger impact in the world than any other member of the 1936 Cubs. (No, he wasn't the founder of Ethan Allen furniture.)
Three years after he retired from baseball, former Cub Ethan Allen invented the Cadaco-Ellis board game All Star Baseball, which remains the best-selling baseball board game of all time.
Boys who grew up in the 40s, 50s, and 60s surely have fond memories of playing All-Star Baseball. The annual versions of the game were released every year between 1941 and 1993, the year Allen passed away. It wasn't discontinued until shortly thereafter because of competition from new computer games and greatly increased player licensing costs.
Allen wasn't just an entrepreneur after his playing days. He also became a college baseball coach; coaching the mens varsity team at Yale University. Among his players was a skinny first baseman who would go on to become the President of the United States: George Herbert Walker Bush.
He might not have had a big impact on the 1936 Cubs, but Ethan Allen made his mark on America.
Wrigley at 100
(Photo: Wrigley Field postcard, 1940s)
On this day in 2009, Wrigley Field was turned into an ice arena. The Detroit Red Wings came to town and played the Chicago Blackhawks in an actual NHL regular season game. They called it the 2009 NHL Winter Classic. It was the first sporting event at Wrigley that wasn't a baseball game since the Chicago Sting played their final home game at Wrigley in 1984.
Sadly, the Blackhawks lost the game 6-4.
Cup of Coffee
Also born on this day in 1948 was future Cubs catcher Randy Bobb. Randy got exactly one hit in the big leagues on August 21, 1968, a single against pitcher Ron Reed. He got into three more games in September the following season (during the epic 1969 collapse), and was traded to the Mets before the 1970 season for veteran catcher J.C. Martin. He never made it back to the big leagues. He was 21 years old at the time. Randy Bobb died in a car accident in 1982.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~Hugh Nichol 1858 (Infielder/Outfielder 1881-1882 White Stockings)
Hugh was born in the UK.
~Ned Garvin 1874 (Pitcher, 1899-1900 Orphans)
Ned was kicked out of the National League for attacking the team's traveling secretary.
~Tom Downey 1884 (Infielder, 1912 Cubs)
Tom had a good career with other clubs, most notably the Cincinnati Reds)
~Teddy Kearns 1900 (First Baseman, 1924-1925 Cubs)
Teddy only played in seven games for the Cubs over two seasons.
~Roberto Rivera 1969 (Pitcher, 1995 Cubs)
He was a September call up for the Cubs, but also later pitched out of the bullpen for the Padres.
On this day in 1894, future Cub Lawrence "Hack" Miller was born. He was the son of a circus performer named "Sebastian the Strong Man", and he was one of the more interesting figures in Cubs history. Here's a short excerpt from the Baseball Biography Project...
"Hack Miller entertained teammates by using his bare hand to pound tenpenny nails through two-inch planks of wood and taking the same-size nails and bending them with his fingers. It has been written that he pulled up “fair-sized trees by the roots” during spring training. He once was photographed holding a baseball bat above his head like a barbell, with a teammate hanging from each end. He bragged that one winter he lifted a car to free a woman who had been trapped beneath its wheels. And though he normally swung a 47-ounce bat, on occasion in the minor leagues he wielded a 65-ounce club that was two pounds heavier than those used by modern major leaguers of the 21st century."
Read the full Hack Miller profile here.
Today's Featured Baseball Card: Ethan Allen
(Photo: 1933 Goudy Baseball Card)
Future Cub Ethan Allen was born on this day.
The Cubs were a strong team throughout the 1930s, including the 1936 season. They were the defending National League champions that May when they traded future Hall of Famer Chuck Klein (a relative disappointment with the Cubs) back to the Phillies for pitcher Curt Davis and a speedy left fielder near the end of his career; Ethan Allen.
Allen anchored left field for the rest of the season--his last year in the majors as a regular. The lifetime .300 hitter did manage to hit .295 for the Cubs, and he stole 12 bases, but it was obvious that he wasn't in the long-term plans for the team. They sold him to the Browns after the season.
But the Ethan Allen story doesn't end there, and it doesn't end with the end of his playing days in 1938. Allen may have had a bigger impact in the world than any other member of the 1936 Cubs. (No, he wasn't the founder of Ethan Allen furniture.)
Three years after he retired from baseball, former Cub Ethan Allen invented the Cadaco-Ellis board game All Star Baseball, which remains the best-selling baseball board game of all time.
Boys who grew up in the 40s, 50s, and 60s surely have fond memories of playing All-Star Baseball. The annual versions of the game were released every year between 1941 and 1993, the year Allen passed away. It wasn't discontinued until shortly thereafter because of competition from new computer games and greatly increased player licensing costs.
Allen wasn't just an entrepreneur after his playing days. He also became a college baseball coach; coaching the mens varsity team at Yale University. Among his players was a skinny first baseman who would go on to become the President of the United States: George Herbert Walker Bush.
He might not have had a big impact on the 1936 Cubs, but Ethan Allen made his mark on America.
Wrigley at 100
(Photo: Wrigley Field postcard, 1940s)
On this day in 2009, Wrigley Field was turned into an ice arena. The Detroit Red Wings came to town and played the Chicago Blackhawks in an actual NHL regular season game. They called it the 2009 NHL Winter Classic. It was the first sporting event at Wrigley that wasn't a baseball game since the Chicago Sting played their final home game at Wrigley in 1984.
Sadly, the Blackhawks lost the game 6-4.
Cup of Coffee
Also born on this day in 1948 was future Cubs catcher Randy Bobb. Randy got exactly one hit in the big leagues on August 21, 1968, a single against pitcher Ron Reed. He got into three more games in September the following season (during the epic 1969 collapse), and was traded to the Mets before the 1970 season for veteran catcher J.C. Martin. He never made it back to the big leagues. He was 21 years old at the time. Randy Bobb died in a car accident in 1982.
Other Cubs Birthdays
~Hugh Nichol 1858 (Infielder/Outfielder 1881-1882 White Stockings)
Hugh was born in the UK.
~Ned Garvin 1874 (Pitcher, 1899-1900 Orphans)
Ned was kicked out of the National League for attacking the team's traveling secretary.
~Tom Downey 1884 (Infielder, 1912 Cubs)
Tom had a good career with other clubs, most notably the Cincinnati Reds)
~Teddy Kearns 1900 (First Baseman, 1924-1925 Cubs)
Teddy only played in seven games for the Cubs over two seasons.
~Roberto Rivera 1969 (Pitcher, 1995 Cubs)
He was a September call up for the Cubs, but also later pitched out of the bullpen for the Padres.
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