Baseball history unpacked, December 5

Dec 5, 2022 - 12:00 PM

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past, with plenty of the lore and various narratives to follow as they unfold over the course of time. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along.

Today in baseball history:

• 1927 - In an attempt to combat “chain store” baseball, the American Association votes to bar further ownership of its clubs by the major league clubs. (2)
• 1957 - The Cubs send veteran Bob Rush and two players to the Braves for C Sammy Taylor and P Taylor Phillips. (2)
• 1973 - Ron Santo becomes the first player to invoke the new 10-and-5 rule. The Cubs want to trade Santo to the Angels for two pitchers, but he vetoes the deal. (2)
• 1988 - The Cubs and Rangers complete a nine-player swap, with Chicago giving up OF Rafael Palmeiro, P Jamie Moyer and P Drew Hall in exchange for IF Curtis Wilkerson and pitchers Mitch Williams, Paul Kilgus, and Steve Wilson, and a pair of minor leaguers to be named. (2)
• 1996 - The players executive board unanimously approves the new collective bargaining agreement. This is the final obstacle in bringing interleague play and a guarantee of no work stoppages until 2001 to major league baseball.
• 2011 - Ron Santo, former Chicago Cubs third baseman in the 1960s, who died last year, is the lone player elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. He receives 15 of 16 votes from members of the “Golden Era” Committee. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Patsy Tebeau, Dick Cogan, Gus Mancuso, Bobby Mattick, Mike Mahoney, Cliff Floyd, Trevor Megill, Hayden Wesneski.

Today in history:

• 771 - Charlemagne becomes the sole King of the Franks after the death of his brother Carloman.
• 1623 - First copies purchased of William Shakespeare’s First Folio, collecting his plays posthumously into one volume, bought by Edward Dering.
• 1766 - World’s largest auction house - Christie’s hold their first sale in their permanent saleroom in Pall Mall, London.
• 1848 - US President James K. Polk triggers Gold Rush of 1849 by confirming a gold discovery in California.
• 1933 - Prohibition ends in the US when 21st Amendment to the US Constitution ratified, 18th Amendment repealed (5:32 PM EST).
• 1955 - Historic bus boycott begins in Montgomery, Alabama by Rosa Parks and other civil rights activists.

Common sources:

• (1) — Today in Baseball History.
• (2) — Baseball Reference.
• (3) — Society for American Baseball Research.
• (4) — Baseball Hall of Fame.
• (5) — This Day in Chicago Cubs history.
• For world history.

*pictured.

There is a very active baseball history community and there are many facets to their views. We strive for clarity. Please be aware that we are trying to make the historical record as represented by our main sources coherent and as accurate as is possible. No item is posted here without corroboration. Some of these items spread from site to site without being verified. That is exactly why we ask for reputable sources, so that we can address them to the originators.

Also please remember that this is supposed to be fun.