Category: Chicago Cubs (Page 1 of 26)
Cubbies
Like a kid in a candy store, I’ve been sorting baseball cards for the last few days. My son brought over his collection of sports cards, many of which were mine many years ago. I simply put them all in order, removed all the duplicates, and added some of those to my binders. The triplicates I’ll take to Blue Breaks, my local store and put them in the kid’s box – free cards to perhaps motivate a youngster to adopt the hobby.
Since I’ve been nursing a sore leg, sitting and sorting seems like a good idea. However, then it stiffens even more and makes walking miserable. It seems to be getting worse rather than better and a call to the doctor’s office yesterday didn’t seem to speed up the process of getting an MRI. No one knows what to do for me until I get these results, so progress is at a standstill. I’ll work out the pain in the morning and then am able to do my workouts at the gym or the pool. However, sedate evenings of watching TV or distractions like baseball cards, lead to hours on a soft couch. This seems to aggravate the nerve. It’s like a hamstring injury, with stabbing pain running down my left leg into my calf. Ice provides temporary relief, but a heating pad last night didn’t seem to help. I’m lost for a solution.
The baseball world that I live in this time of year keeps me sane. Kyle Schwarber hit 3-homers in a single game this week, the first, a lead-off shot, tied him with Alfonso Soriano for the season record. Japanese phenom Shota Imanaga hurled 7-innings of no-hit ball for the Cubs, and two relievers combined to finish off the game, holding the Pirates hitless. Aaron Judge pursues the 60-mark and Shohei Ohtani inches closer to the 50/50 Club. However, the White Sox continue to lose at a record pace. I still check the box scores in the middle of the night and go to the Topps Baseball site every afternoon to purchase cards that capture those moments of actions. History is made almost every day on the diamond. In another month or so, my entire focus will shift to I.U. basketball. Too much idle time, like this, is driving me crazy. I need to find something constructive to do with my days.
My wife spent another day teaching school, while I took the dogs to the park. She almost didn’t get home, considering the fact that her Lexus key fob fell apart, and she couldn’t get the car started. Fortunately, she was able to improvise and drove to Sarasota to pick up a pricy replacement. The nearly 20-year-old sports car, her baby, needs an oil change, tune-up, and struts, so hopefully the rest of it won’t fail in the near future. She has errands tomorrow and I’ll need it Saturday, but school is on hold until Monday. I need this leg to heel, so I can go back to work.
See Post #2476 for an introduction.
My proposed Hall of Shame, within the Hall of Fame, would be like purgatory, waiting to get into Heaven as the case is debated. Baseball Commissioners have proven to be stubborn with their decisions. However, future circumstances might dictate these fallen player’s eligibility back in baseball, just as the Armando Gallarraga 28-out game (ruled out of a perfect game on the last out) eventually spurred the addition of replay and continues to be discussed. It opened eyes! Who knows, maybe a future commissioner will see the difference between good players and bad actions?
There were several “bad” players unofficially banned from baseball before the creation of the office of Commissioner of Baseball in 1921. They later had their bans made “official” by baseball’s first Commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who made it clear that gambling would not be tolerated. Landis barred a total of nineteen people during his tenure, five more than all of his successors combined. Of the nineteen, two were re-instated by Landis, one was re-instated by a successor and sixteen remain banned.
Long before Landis came to power and dating back to 1865, Thomas Devyr, Ed Duffy, and William Wansley of the New York Mutuals were banned for associating with known gamblers. John Radcliff of the Chicago White Stockings was banned in 1874 after attempting to bribe an umpire. The White Stockings, predecessors of the Cubs, were prohibited from using “Chicago” as part of their name beginning in 1900. The city of Chicago was soon to become the poster child for bad behavior in baseball.
All of these early players were eventually reinstated. George Bechtel of the National League Louisville Grays was banned in 1876 for conspiring to intentionally lose a game and never reinstated. His teammates, Jim Devlin, George Hall, Al Nichols, and Bill Craver followed in 1877 and were also never reinstated. Fellow NL competitor Lip Pike of Worchester arose suspicions for his play in 1881, and was banned, blacklisted, then finally reinstated in 1883.
As for non-players before the Landis regime, bans were issued to umpire Dick Higham in 1882 for conspiracy, New York Giants team physician Joseph Marie Creamer, III for bribery, St. Louis Browns managers Jack O’Connor and Henry Howell for attempting to fix the outcome of the 1910 American League batting title, and the 1912 Philadelphia Phillies owner, Horace Fogel for asserting that umpires were making unfair calls against his team. The are no records of reinstatement for any of these men.
Henry Zimmerman, also known as “Heinie” or “The Great Zim” was another famous case. He played third base for the Chicago Cubs and New York Giants, winning the National League triple crown in 1912. He was banned for fixing games with suspicion arising after his poor performance in the 1917 World Series. This was two years before the Black Sox scandal, but it took another two years for it to become official by Landis in 1921, following the trial testimony of his manager John Mcgraw, who was reluctant to turn him in.
Joe “Moon” Harris of the Cleveland Indians was banned in 1920 when he chose to play for an independent team rather than the Indians, violating the reserve clause. This proved to be simply breaking the rules but not the law, and he was justifiably reinstated by Commissioner Landis in 1922, in part for his service during WW II. Another non-gambling related ban occurred back in 1877, when Oscar Walker was accused of “contract jumping” by signing to play for another team while still under contract to the team he left. This was 98-years prior to free agency, another example of how time changes the rules.
The following year, Hal Chase of the New York Giants was banned for gambling with accusations extending back to 1910. This indiscretion also cost him a managerial position. He was also suspended in 1918 by Reds manager Christy Mathewson for fixing games and traded to the Giants. By the end of the 1919 season, NL president John Heydler disclosed evidence of Chase bribing players on other teams and had him blackballed, so neither league would touch him. 1921 was a bad year to face Commissioner Landis. Joe Gedeon of the St. Louis Browns, and Eugene Paulette of the Philadelphia Phillies, Lee Magee of the Chicago Cubs were all banned for conspiring or associating with known gamblers. Heinie Groh of the Cincinnati Reds was banned for two-days before agreeing contract salary terms. Play or face lifetime banishment was Landis’ ultimatum. On the criminal side, Bennie Kauff of the New York Giants was banned for selling stolen cars. Even though he was acquitted, the Judge considered him “no longer a fit companion for other ball players.” Ray Fisher of the Reds violated his contract by accepting a coaching position at the University of Michigan, Landis ruled. Bowie Kuhn reversed this decision in 1980, following the death of Landis.
In 1922, Dickie Kerr of the White Sox, one of the “Clean Sox,” was banned for violating the reserve clause in his contract and was reinstated three-years later. Also, Phil Douglas of the New York Giants received a Landis ban for allegedly threatening to “jump” the team for the pennant stretch to spite coach McGraw. Judge Landis was obviously a no-nonsense strict ruler, and players began to fall in line after his first year in office.
1923 was quiet but in 1924, Jimmy O’Connell of the New York Giants and his coach, Cozy Dolan, were both banned for bribing a Phillies shortstop. William D. Cox, the owner of the Phillies, was the last living person banned by Landis in 1943 for betting. Landis seemed to feast on Philly owners.
In his most celebrated case, Judge Landis officially went to work on the eight players of the Chicago White Sox. All were banned in 1921 for conspiring with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series, known as the Black Sox scandal. We’ll get into that in the next installment.
Shohei Ohtani joined the 30-30 Club, despite a recent draught that has hopefully only temporarily dropped him out of the Triple Crown race. In Chicago related sports, the Cubs took the series from the Cardinals to at least rise from the cellar to face the Twins and White Sox, while bed-ridden Steve McMichael was honored by the HOF and the Bears won a rain-shortened game over the Texans in Canton. Former Cubs World Series hero, Kyle Schwarber, now a Philly, hit his 41st career leadoff homer, and the 10th of this season in a 6-0 victory over the trade-depleted Marlins. Alfonso Soriano’s 13 in 2003 as a Yankee is the record he is chasing. Schwarbs and Ohtani faced each other in LA, both in a DH role.
Schwarber homered once in game two and three times in game 3 to boost his season total to 27 (11 lead-off shots) while Ohtani homered in the opener (#34).
Currently tied for seventh on the single season leadoff homer list, Schwarber joined Soriano as the only players with multiple seasons of 10-plus leadoff homers and is not done yet. If Schwarber can get to 3 more home runs from the top of the batting order at any point this season, he will be the first player since at least 1974 to have three consecutive such years. In addition, he’s the first Phillies player since Jayson Werth in 2008 with 3 homers and 7 RBIs in a game. He ties a career high and delivers his first ever 4-4 game. He is batting 364 over the last 15 games.
Ohtani and the Dodgers are slumping, as the surging Diamondbacks and Padres, both with 9 wins in their last 10 games, have closed the gap to two games — the smallest margin since late April. Ohtani’s batting average has slipped to .294 after the Brewers series and from .316 since the All-Star break. He and his teammates travel to St. Louis and Busch Stadium for Players Weekend where he has yet to have a career homer.
Gavin Sheets matched a career high with four hits and drove in four runs, Korey Lee and Brooks Baldwin homered and the Chicago White Sox gave interim manager Grady Sizemore his first win, pounding the New York Yankees 12-2. This was of course after losing 24 of 25.
The Little League World Series is underway, and as we passed through New Jersey, I couldn’t help but think of 1998 when Toms River, New Jersey, defeated Kashima, Ibaraki, Japan in the championship game of the 52nd Little League World Series. The title game was punctuated by a standout performance by future White Sox and 2015 MLB Home Run Derby champion Todd Frazier, who went 4-for-4 with a lead-off home run, and was also the winning pitcher. He retired from baseball in 2022.
As a final note or two, TruTV has agreed to broadcast five Savannah Banana games. I’ve set my record function in hope of catching some of the action. After all, tickets are both expensive and hard to get. Plus, Da Bears are now 3-0 in the preseason. It could be a good year.
July marked the end of the MLB trade deadline, so I was keeping an eye on the wire while we traveled. The Cubs picked up a reliever, Nate Pearson, and All-Star Isaac Paredes in exchange for popular Christopher Morel. The White Sox, after 14-straight losses and only 27-wins in 108-games had yet to make a move until the last few days… pitcher Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham to the Cards, along with Michael Kopech to the Dodgers in a 3-way swap, while the Cubs dealt Mark Leiter, Jr. to the Yanks for futures. The Sox got more prospects in exchange but nothing to rescue this pitiful season.
As the trade deadline loomed, Pham was back with the Cards, former teammate Paul DeJong, also with the Pale Sox, went to the Mets, and Jorge Soler was reunited with the Braves. Danny Jansen of the Blue Jays, sent to the Red Sox, could end up playing for both teams in the same suspended game. This has yet to happen in the 121-year history of the MLB. Injury-prone Eloy Jimenez is moving his medical baggage to Baltimore.
The chump White Sox lost their franchise record 15th, no 16th, no 17th, no 18th, no 19th, no 20th, no 21st straight game, swept by the Mariners, Royals, Twins, and A’s, dubiously besting Baltimore’s 1988 swoon. It beat their previous mark of 14 set less than two months ago, another of the Top-40 all-time losing streaks in MLB history (tied at #38). It’s been that kind of year! They matched the 1988 Orioles with 21 consecutive losses after becoming the seventh team in MLB history to lose 20 games in a row. They join the company that includes:
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1961 Philadelphia Phillies, 23 games
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2024 Chicago White Sox. 21 games
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1988 Baltimore Orioles, 21 games
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1969 Montreal Expos, 20 games
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1943 Philadelphia Athletics, 20 games
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1916 Philadelphia Athletics, 20 games
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1906 Boston Americans, 20 games
The pain and embarrassment finally ended on the threshold of the 1961 Phillies record with a 5-1 win over the A’s. Jonathan Cannon gave up one run over six innings to stave his personal drought while helping the White Sox to their first victory since early July. One straight win! Never mind, “One Straight Loss” thanks to the A’s, followed immediately by the firing of Manager Pedro Grifol, just in time to play the Cubs, another two losses and perhaps the beginning of another record slump by the chumps.
Despite my better judgement, I keep buying baseball cards. It’s a sad addiction that now seems to be my sole retirement hobby, besides writing about it. I check the Topps Now website daily and recently subscribed to their e-mails, as if I don’t get enough already. I’m also a “Top Fan” of the local Blue Breaks Card Shop and participate in their weekly Hobby RIP Nights. I guess you could say that I now have so many baseball cards that the store owner is starting to display them for me. Most all of my Shohei Ohtani cards (and I’m not even a Dodger’s fan) are stored in a glass case there, hoping for a buyer.
I am a White Sox fan, and follow the Cubs, but most of those player cards have dropped in value to the point that they are worthless. The Sox are easily the worst team in baseball, having lost their 65th game last night. Tim Anderson, following the trade to Miami, was recently designated for assignment, Jose Abreu, traded to the Astros, is washed-up. Yoan Moncada is injured while stars like Luis Roberts and Eloy Jimenez are hitting .230 – no need to dwell. My extensive collection of Sherm Lollar merchandise is unwanted. The Cubs are in last place in the Central division and all my favorites like Bryant, Rizzo, and Baez are playing for other teams.
Last week, on RIP Night, I traded the Blue Jays for the White Sox. I might have had a valuable Vladimir Guerrero card, instead I got a Tim Anderson, just hours before he was sent back to the minors. This week in “The Break” I drew the Twins and Royals, hoping for Jose Miranda, Bobby Whitt, Jr., or Joe Ryan, players that I really don’t care about. I also can’t explain why I bought a Topps Now Miranda yesterday after he made a historical twelve consecutive hits. I guess I did it for trade bait, but I’ve yet to find anyone to trade.
I’ve used the word “Break” in reference to baseball cards during several recent posts. Allow me to have an internet “expert” clarify what it means: “Breaking refers to the practice of opening multiple boxes or cases of a product at the same time, and then distributing the cards to a larger group of paying customers. Breakers sell ‘slots’ to their breaks, and customers receive a defined portion of the opened product. In some cases, the customers will pay for a specific team, which entitles them to any card belonging to a player from that team; in other cases, the customer is simply given a randomized allotment.”
“Breaking has become a major business within the trading card world. Breakers operate websites and often stream their breaks on social media platforms. For high-stakes breaks, it isn’t uncommon for thousands of people to tune in and watch even though they aren’t paying for a slot or receiving any cards.”
I’ve admittedly experimented with Fanatics sites like Mama Breaks and Black Tie Breaks to try and understand this phenomenon. It reminds me of playing fantasy sports where you pick your players, hoping that they perform well. I never had much luck with that game either, because I get too emotional when I pick my players or teams, like the White Sox and Cubs. It’s all gambling, disguised as a hobby, but I’m addicted. In reality, anyone that I pick is likely to “break” an arm or leg.
I’ve been to a lot of Cubs games in my lifetime, most at Wrigley Field but some at Sox Park during the Crosstown Classic. I’ve seen them in Phoenix during Spring Training and during Covid had tickets for games that were cancelled. Most importantly, I watched them win a World Series game in the Wrigley stands thanks to my wife and her ticket contacts. Since that time, I rarely got to see them play, living so far away and without access to tickets. Our retirement from the media business has limited our opportunities to see free concerts and games. However, my wife and I have been on a bit of a road winning streak these last few years.
We saw them win in San Francisco with the entire family in 2017 and again in 2018 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Finally, in 2021 we all went to Pittsburgh for a 9-0 victory. Last night, it all came to an end in the bottom of the 9th against the Rays at Tropicana Stadium. A walk-off 3-run homer by Brandon Lowe sealed the loss, a first for my son in many years to going to Cubs games, even without me. I was privileged last night to watch the game with “Three Generations of Cub Fans,” including my grandson and my wife who bought us a brick with that inscription, embedded in the walkways around Wrigley Field. My grandson isn’t much of a baseball fan and in fact bought a new Rays cap just before that final blow. My son’s wife and two daughters did not join us, so their Cubs victory streak is still intact.
I followed some other baseball last night while sitting in the stands, gorging myself on hot dogs, pulled pork nachos, and dip-n-dots. As you can see, not all was lost. We had good family bonding time and a 2-0 lead most of the game. Our area, after a persistent draught, has had a deluge of recent rainfall, while heavy showers made it challenging to get to and from St. Pete. I was glad my son was driving. Too many unknowledgeable neighbors and friends asked if the game was rained-out, not realizing that it is a covered stadium. It made for pleasant, dry and airconditioned conditions. In other MLB action, two of my favorite players, former Cub, Kyle Schwarber had two home runs for the Phillies last night, while Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers also homered. Sadly, my White Sox lost too, their 51st of a season that’s not even half over!
“Take me out to the ballgame,” always makes a game memorable, as we all sang along arm-in-arm. “Root, root, root for the CUBBIES,” drowned out the home-team Rays chant, so a lot of fans went home disappointed thanks to the “L” rather than “W.” There are two games left in the series, but we won’t make the drive again this year, and it will be several more years before the Cubs schedule will allow them to return. Who knows when we’ll see the Cubs play again, but thanks to our Braves Spring Training facility next door, there will be much more baseball in our lives. Go, Cubs, Go!
We got a pale and baked version, instead of the much-anticipated fried chicken last night, although my wife, in her cowboy boots, still enjoyed the line dancing. Several of our neighbors were there to join in the false advertising complaints against the homeowner’s association. The caterer, Publix, was apparently to blame. I left, with a bad taste in my mouth, in the middle of a rainstorm to take care of the dogs, taking advantage of the opportunity to get away from the crowded dance floor.
The rain has continued this morning, while chair yoga has been cancelled because the instructor is not feeling well. I don’t think she was there for last night’s chicken. We are headed to St. Pete tonight for the Cubs game thankful that it’s an indoor stadium. My son bought the tickets, so I’m in charge of food. Maybe they’ll have fried chicken? However, I’m more inclined to Ballpark Franks. The dogs get to go to Schnauzerville, although we are driving back after the game.
I have a wallet full of cash after yesterday’s successful visit to the coin shop. It was an easy transaction and I got pretty much as expected. Trust me, it will all be gone (and more) after this weekend’s family trip to Disney World, if not at the concession stands tonight. Orlando is the first stop on our way to Portland to visit friends and more family. It will be good to get away from the hot, steamy Florida weather in favor of the cool Northwest. Pizza and wine are on the agenda, as we celebrate my wife’s birthday with her oldest daughter and husband.
I’m headed to the gym again today, a daily routine that has replaced running. I’ve been there every day religiously for over a month now along with some pool workouts, despite seeing the chiropractor about my painful leg issues. Walking still continues to be a problem, limited to only about twenty minutes. There will be a gym where we’re staying in Orlando, but I’m concerned about being on my feet all day in the Mouse Park. I should also be able to use my son-in-law’s equipment while we’re in Portland. Hopefully, three more visits to the chiropractor this week will help resolve the cramping and Charlie Horses so I can get back on my feet, please!
Another Memorial Weekend is in the books – my 73rd and counting. While remembering those we’ve lost – we mourn yet another in Bill Walton, basketball star, personality, and Grateful Dead fan. He was a young 71. My first indirect contact with him was on March 24, 1973, when he scored 17-points in a 70-59 UCLA win over my Indiana Hoosiers. I watched from home after injuring my hand changing a flat tire. It was not a good day.
Before the announcement of Walton’s passing from cancer, we had already attended the annual Venice Symphony Memorial Day tribute at Cool Today Park. As has been the tradition these past two years, our Indianapolis friend who now lives in Vero Beach has come to visit. It was a beautiful night, capped with fireworks over the stadium. My wife and I have now seen 3-and-a-half of these shows since having moved to Florida. The first year we only count as half since we watched from the parking lot in our convertible without buying a ticket.
We returned to the house Saturday night after the fireworks to watch the Pacers “choke” in Playoff game one against the Celtics. The Cubs also lost to the Cardinals, the Sox got beat by the Orioles, the Dodgers lost to the Reds, and the Hoosiers eliminated in the BIG tourney. Our friend’s father once played for the Dodgers, so it was not a good sports day for either of us. My wife, who could care less, took the dogs for a walk while the two of us ranted.
Sunday was race day and we had invited a house full of people to watch. Unfortunately, there was a rain delay, but no one seemed to care with plenty of food and drink to ease the pain. The weather was ideally hot here in Florida, so we had plenty of space to entertain 40-people with tables on the lanai. It was reminiscent of the many times that we had visitors back in Indiana, stuck in our home waiting for the rain to stop and the race to start. The only problem there was that these were overnight guests, and it was sometimes days before the green flag dropped.
Our party guests on Sunday were mostly all neighborhood acquaintances that retreated to their nearby homes once the afternoon had ended. The race did eventually run in the evening, so there were only the three of us left to watch. It was an exciting finish and our favorite driver, and son of a friend, finished a respectable 10th. The Cubs lost again to the Cardinals, as did the Sox to the Orioles, and the Dodgers to the Reds.
Holiday Monday finally arrived with more baseball losses and the Walton shocker. Although I never met Bill in person, I’ve certainly followed his career. My Portland friends knew him from the time of his Trailblazers championship, so they were lamenting his passing in our text messages. We enjoyed the day by the resort pool, eating leftovers from the party. I left early to tend to the pups. A Zoom call with Indianapolis friends filled the evening before a final Pacers loss on top of more Cubs and Sox shortcomings. At least, the Dodgers mercifully were rained out against the Mets. They will all try again today, but the Pacers are done for the season.
With a memorable, long weekend behind me, I return to Chair Yoga this morning, followed by another trip to the gym. With my surgery, I have not been to class since January, while the gym these past few weeks has given me some stamina. I could tell how sadly out of shape I am, struggling breathlessly to negotiate all the stadium steps the other night. I obviously have a long way yet to go in recovery. The girls are headed to Boca Grande beach this afternoon after Aqua-Fit class. I’ll be in charge of the dogs. We’ll dine in tonight but tomorrow night will be our friend’s 69th birthday celebration. We’ll then probably do it all again next year for her 70th – just another of many a “Memorable Memorial!”
It’s the middle of May and the start of the WNBA regular season, while the NBA playoffs begin to wind down. The Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark had a tough debut against the Connecticut Sun, while the Indiana Pacers failed to maintain their winning momentum and fell badly to the Knicks. Shohei Ohtani had another big night at the plate for the Dodgers, while the Cubs lost to the Braves and the Sox split with the Nats. The Phillies and Kyle Schwarber were the first team to 30-wins, while the White Sox joined the Marlins in the 30-loss club. I.U. baseball plays the final series of the regular season against Michigan. Alex Palou won the Indy Grand Prix, in preparation for the upcoming Indy 500. That’s about it for me in the world of sports.
I just added my 250th item to the Sherm Lollar collection, a couple of more magazine clippings from 1947 and 1962. His #10 White Sox uniform hangs in my office, along with a photo/plague, catcher’s mitt, signed ball, and tribute cups. The rest of the items are organized from 1945-1970 in three big binders, the span of his career as a player, coach, and manager. It may very well be the largest collection of his memorabilia in the world – if anyone cares. I still contend that he should be in Cooperstown, but that includes a long list of worthy candidates. He’s been in my heart since childhood but died of cancer at age 53.
My other collection is baseball cards, also mainly in binders. I did get a bit carried away with my Topps Now purchases of Shohei Ohtani cards. I’ve captured his U.S. career starting with his rookie debut with the Angels and leading up to the more recent Dodgers. He’s wowed us with his pitching and hitting, often compared to Babe Ruth. This year he’s on a quest for .400 and the triple crown, taking a break from pitching after surgery. I’ve amassed about 125 of his cards, captured at various stages of his young career. They are for sale and on display at a local Venice card shop, Blue Breaks, and have even been to Japan in search for a buyer.
I maintain binders full of Cubs and White Sox cards, that follow the careers of Kyle Schwarber, Javy Baez, Chris Sale, Joan Moncada, Luis Roberts, Elroy Jiminez, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and the 1959 American League Champion White Sox that began my interest in card collecting. I’m at the point in life now where I’m more in the mood to get rid of things rather than accumulate.