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.

“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly.

Rest in peace, Rico Carty.

Today in baseball history:

• 1941 – With only three years of major league experience, shortstop Lou Boudreau is named as the Cleveland Indians’ manager. He takes over for Roger Peckinpaugh, who moves up to the front office as the Indians’ general manager. At the age of 24 years, four months, and eight days, Boudreau becomes the youngest skipper to pilot a team in the 20th century. Scotland-born Jim McCormick managed Cleveland in 1879 at age 23. (1,2)
• 1944 – Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the first Major League Baseball Commissioner, dies of a heart attack at age 78 in Chicago. Landis had ruled over baseball since November 1920 in the wake of the Black Sox scandal, and wielded authority perhaps unparalleled in any other industry. Landis had entered the hospital on October 2nd. He will elected to the Hall of Fame on December 9th in a special ballot. (1,2)
• 1958 – The Baseball Writers Association of America names Chicago Cubs slugger Ernie Banks as the National League Most Valuable Player. Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants is the runner-up. (2)
• 2003 – The Chicago Cubs trade first baseman Hee Seop Choi (who hit .210 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI) and Mike Nannini to the World Champion Florida Marlins in exchange for Gold Glove first baseman Derrek Lee* (.271, 31, 92). (2)
• 2004 – After spending $67 million to acquire its former president’s shares of the Seattle Mariners, Nintendo’s U.S. subsidiary now owns more than 50 percent of the franchise. Due to the presence of superstar Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle is one of the favorite major league teams in Japan. (2)

Cubs birthdays: Bert Cunningham, Frank Corridon, Joe Vernon, Jakie May, Jim Weaver, John Pyecha, Randy Veres.

Today in History:

• 1120 – ’The White Ship’ (6) capsizes near the Normandy coast while crossing the English Channel transporting many nobles, including the heir to the English throne, from France to England; about 300 die, only 1 survivor.
• 1500 – Governor De Bobadilla of Santo Domingo captures Christopher Columbus.
• 1741 – Elizabeth of Russia seizes power in a coup with the aid of Imperial Russian guards in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
• 1951 – Cleveland Browns halfback Dub Jones ties the NFL record for most touchdowns in a game with 6 (4 rushing, 2 catches) in 42-21 win over Chicago Bears at Cleveland Stadium. The Browns were also penalized a then-record 209 yards.
• 1976

• 1984 – William Schroeder is the second person to receive a Jarvik-7 artificial heart.

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.
• (6) Wikipedia.

*pictured.

Some of these items spread from site to site without being verified. That is exactly why we ask for reputable sources if you have differences with a posted factoid. We are trying to set the record as straight as possible. But it isn’t brain surgery.

Also, the ‘history’ segment is highly edited for space and interest. Of course a great many other things happened on those days. We try to follow up on the interesting or unfamiliar ones.

Thanks for reading.