Chicago Cubs history unpacked, May 15

Today in baseball history:

• 1899 – Willie Keeler, one of the smallest players and best bunters, drives the ball past startled LF Ed Delahanty of the Phillies for an inside-the-park grand slam and an 8-5 victory for Brooklyn.
• 1912 – Ty Cobb charges into the stands at Hilltop Park in New York and attacks a crippled heckler named Claude Lueker. Other fans and Tigers mix it up before order is restored. Ban Johnson suspends Cobb indefinitely for the incident.
• 1918 – In an 18-inning game, Senators legend Walter Johnson defeats Lefty Williams, who also pitches the entire game, and the White Sox, 1-0.
• 1938 – Buck O’Neil made his Negro League debut with the Kansas City Monarchs.
• 1948 – At Brooklyn, Jim Russell‘s first-inning home run is the only score as Boston’s Warren Spahn beats Rex Barney, 1-0. It’s the third shutout in a row for Brave hurlers.
• 1955 – New York’s Irv Noren hits an inside-the-park grand slam in an 8-4 victory over the A’s. New York wins the nitecap to sweep the A’s. Mickey Mantle is 4 for 9 for the afternoon and is hitting .311.
• 1961 – The Alou brothers and Orlando Cepeda lead an 18-hit attack as San Francisco overpowers the Cubs, 14-1. Cepeda hits two homers and a double and drives in five runs, while Felipe Alou hits his first grand slam and brother Matty Alou his first major league homer.
• 1963 – Down 3-0 to the Twins, Mickey Mantle hits a two-run homer off Pedro Ramos to put the Yankees on the board. Mantle later scores the winning run as New York wins, 4-3.
• 1967 – Roberto Clemente clubs three homers to all fields plus a double off the scoreboard in left-center, driving in all seven Pittsburgh runs in the process. the 12-time Gold Glover comes up big in the 9th, scaling the right-field fence to prevent a walk-off homer from Reds reliever Gerry Arrigo, against whom Clemente himself has just gone deep.
• 1970 – After the Mets have a day off, ace Tom Seaver matches Gary Gentry by allowing one hit in beating the Phillies and Woodie Fryman, 4-0. The two consecutive one-hitters tie a major league record.
• 1973 – California’s Nolan Ryan strikes out 12, including the side in the 1st, and hurls his first career no-hitter in beating Kansas City, 3-0. For C Jeff Torborg, it is his third no-hitter. SS Rudy Meoli preserves the no-no with a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in the eighth. It is the first of a record seven no-hitters the “Ryan Express” will throw during his career, including another one in two months.
• 1978 – His seventh-inning, two-run homer moves Willie Stargell past the late Roberto Clemente into sole possession of second place on Pittsburgh’s all-time RBI list, his total of 1,307 now trailing only Honus Wagner‘s 1,475. Stargell’s blast takes a page out of his late mentor’s book, going out to the opposite field. It concludes a four-run seventh, giving Pittsburgh starter Bert Blyleven a five-run cushion which proves inadequate as the Dodgers storm back with three-spots in the seventh and ninth, featuring, respectively, Reggie Smith‘s two-run home run and walk-off, two-run double.
• 1991 – Paul Molitor of the Brewers hits for the cycle in a 4-2 victory over Minnesota. Molitor triples in the first, singles in the third, doubles in the fifth, and homers in the seventh.
• 1996 – After a two-hour delay in Milwaukee because of fog, Frank Thomas leads the way with six RBI as the White Sox bang the Brewers, 20-8. This ties a 1975 mark for the most runs given up by Milwaukee in a game. The Sox, with 21 hits, score six runs in the 2nd and another six in the sixth.
• 2011 – The Braves defeat the Phillies, 3-2, in the annual Civil Rights Game at Turner Field. Both Phillies runs are the result of John Mayberry, Jr.‘s sixth-inning homer, but Dan Uggla scores all three Atlanta runs, the game-winner coming on a solo homer off Roy Halladay in the 8th inning.

Special Cubs’ Historical stories on this date (We should know that they’re all not going to be good):

• 1901 – Christy Mathewson (6-0) tosses his third straight shutout, outpitching Jack Taylor to beat the Orphans, 4 – 0. The Giants move into first place with the win over Chicago.
• 1928 – The Giants turn six double plays against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, but lose, 10-7.
• 1960 – After being traded from the Phillies, Don Cardwell no-hits the Cardinals in his Cub debut. The Winston-Salem, NC native becomes the first pitcher to keep the opponents hitless in a first start after being traded.
• 1962 – Cubs P Barney Schultz ties Roy Face‘s major-league record by relieving in his ninth consecutive game for Chicago, against the Mets. Roger Craig, en route to a 10-24 year, is the winner.
• 1971 – Fergie Jenkins (7-2) pitches and bats the Cubs to a 6-4 win over San Diego. Jenkins hits a two-run home run and finishes his seventh game in eight starts. Billy Williams connects for his 300th home run.
• 1994 – Six Florida Marlins pitchers combine to shut out the Cubs, 3-0.
• 1997 – The Chicago Cubs hit four triples – three in the same inning – to beat the visiting Padres, 8-2. The Cubs score four runs in the seventh off Tim Scott as Brian McRae, Doug Glanville and Sammy Sosa all triple.

Cubs Birthdays: Rafael Ortega, Jim Adduci, Bill North,* Fred Baczewski, Ed Baecht, Steve Yerkes, Fred Goldsmith. Also notable: John Smoltz HOF. George Brett HOF.

Today in history:

• 1492 – Cheese & Bread rebellion: German mercenaries kill 232 residents of Alkmaar, Netherlands.
• 1841 – First emigrant wagon train to reach California leaves Independence, Missouri, on a 1,730-mile journey over the Sierra Nevada.
• 1928 – Mickey Mouse makes his first appearance in the silent film “Plane Crazy”.
• 1953 – In his first world heavyweight title defense, Rocky Marciano KOs former champion Jersey Joe Walcott in the 1st round at Chicago Stadium.
• 1972 – Assassination attempt on US Governor George Wallace of Alabama by Arthur Bremer in Laurel, Maryland.
• 2022 – British rock band “The Who” returns to Cincinnati, Ohio for the first time since tragic December 1979 stampede that killed 11 concert goers.

Special Music-related stories on this date:

• 1961 – “Bonanza” by Al Caiola Orchestra hits #19.
• 1963 – Folksinging trio Peter, Paul & Mary win their 1st Grammy for cover version of Pete Seeger‘s song “If I Had a Hammer”.
• 1976 – “Fonz Song” by Heyettes hits #91.
• 1976 – Kentucky Moonrunner by Cledus Maggard hits #85.
• 1981 – George Harrison releases single “All Those Years Ago” in UK: the song was a tribute to John Lennon, and featured Ringo Starr on drums, and Paul and Linda McCartney on backing vocals.
• 2001 – “Fiesta” single released by R. Kelly featuring Jay-Z and Boo & Gotti (Billboard Song of the Year 2001).

*pictured.