4 (+1) Things You Might Not Have Known: 6/13
1945 World Series Edition
- To save money on travel during WWII, the first three games of the series were played in Detroit and the last four were played in Chicago.
- The Tigers hit 2 home runs during the series; Hank Greenberg hit both of them. Phil Cavaretta hit the Cubs only homer in the 7 games.
- Detroit pitcher Virgil Trucks was released from the Navy just weeks before the end of the 1945 season. He threw just 5.1 innings in the regular season before starting Game 2 of the WS, a complete game 4-1 victory.
- The 1945 World Series was played as a back-drop to the ending of WWII. I haven’t seen every war movie made about WWII, but here is my top 8 in no particular order.
Midway
The Longest Day
Stalag 17
Inglourious Basterds
The Great Escape
Saving Private Ryan
The Dirty Dozen
36 Hours
Bonus: The 1945 WS was a 10-year anniversary/rematch of the 1935 WS that saw the Tigers beat the Cubs 4 games to 2. Four players played in both series. Hank Greenberg and Tommy Bridges for the Tigers; Phil Cavaretta and Stan Hack for the Cubs.
4 (+1) Things You Might Not Have Known: 5-18
Cubs vs White Sox Inter-league Play Edition
1. The Cubs are 39-45 in Inter-league play against the White Sox.
2. 42 different Cubs have hit HR’s vs the White Sox. Aramis Ramirez has hit the most (13). Paul Kornerko has the most for the Sox (18).
3. Carlos Zambrano has the most wins (6) vs the Sox, he also has the most loses (4).
4. I’m not really a big fan of either, but I think Phillip Phillips is gonna win over Jessica Sanchez on this years American Idol.
Bonus: Mark Grace has the longest hit streak (15) in the Cubs – Sox matchups. Magglio Ordonez is second with 12. Paul Konerko had two 9 games streaks.
4 (+1) Things You Might Not Have Known- 3/2
Wild Card Edition
1.The first two Wild Card teams were the New York Yankees (79-65, 7GB) and the Colorado Rockies (77-67, 1GB) in 1995.
2. In the 17 post-seasons since the start of the Wild Card in 1995, 10 wild card teams have made it to the World Series. They are 5-5.
3. Wild Card teams have met in the World Series once. In 2002 the Anaheim Angels defeated the San Francisco Giants 4 games to 3.
4. If you have some free time, pick up Submarine at Redbox, it’s one of the better movies you have never heard of.
Bonus. The Florida (Miami) Marlins have never won their division; in fact they have only made the playoffs twice in their 19 year history, both times as a wild card. Both times they won the World Series (1997, 2003).
4 (+1) Things You Might Not Have Known- 2/22
Spring Training Edition
- Last spring Jake Fox lead all players with 10 spring training Home Runs. He hit 2 during the regular season.
- Alfonso Soriano hits well in spring training. Over the past 5 seasons with the Cubs, Soriano has hit .281 with 19 HR’s
- In 2011, Erik Almonte of the Brewers led all players in hits with 32. He finished the spring with a .416 batting average. During the regular season he was 3 for 29 (.103)
- I’ve watched the first two episodes of HBO’s Luck, maybe it will take some time to grow on me, but so far…… I’m not impressed.
Bonus. Last year’s World Series winning St Louis Cardinals were 14-16 in the spring. The best record belonged to Kansas City at 20-10. The Royals finished the regular season at 71-91.
Other things you may not have known
4 (+1) Things You Might Not Have Known – 2/7
Cubs Edition
1. David DeJesus was drafted by the Royals with the 4th pick in the 4th round (104th overall) of the June 2000 draft. The Cubs had the 103rd pick; they choose Todd Wellemeyer who last pitched in the majors in 2010 with the Giants. The 105th pick just behind DeJesus was Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee.
2. In 1985 Ryne Sandberg (54) and Davey Lopes (47) combined to steal 101 bases for the Cubs. During the past 14 seasons, the Cubs as an entire team have only stolen 100+ bases once (2006).
3. Over the past 93 years, the Cubs have had the same Opening Day lineup (not including pitcher) just twice. They did in 1972 and 1973. Their combined record those two years was 162-154.
4. I thought Madonna was good during the halftime show of the Superbowl®, but I would have liked to have heard her sing Boderline and Holiday
Bonus. In 1971 the Cubs drafted Burt “Happy” Hooton with the second pick in the first round of the June secondary draft. Burt was born 62 years ago today in 1950. Happy Birthday Burt!
4 (+1) Things You Might Not Have Known – 4/14
Home Run Edition
1. Last night Carlos Zambrano hit his 22nd career
home run. That places him tied for 10th on the all-time list for
pitchers. Wes Ferrell is the leader with 38 career homers. During Zambrano’s
career, 2001-2011, all other Cubs pitchers have combined for 15 homers.
2. 23 different Cubs
have hit 3 or more home runs in 1 game. 6 of those players have done it more
than once. 2 of those 6 are on the Cubs 2011 roster, Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso
Soriano.
3. Kirk Gibsons World Series Home Run is the most memorable of my lifetime.
4. Three different Cubs have hit home runs in 5 consecutive
games.
Bonus: Only 20 players have hit 100 or more home runs in a
Cubs uniform. Number twenty on the list with exactly 100 is new Cubs radio
announcer Keith Moreland.
4(+1) Things You Might
Not Have Known – 2/9
4 (+1) Things You Might Not Have Known – 2/9
1: Pete Rose ($7.1) and
Tom Seaver ($5.8) combined to make approximately $12.9M during their playing
career. Kosuke Fukudome will make $13.5M in 2011. The value of money changes over time of
course. But to put this in perspective, Roses’ largest single season salary was
$1M in 1986. In today’s money that would be approx $2.1M.
2: The Cubs open the
season on April 1st against the Pirates. Ryan Dempster will probably
be the Cubs starting pitcher. In 45 career appearances against Pittsburgh, Ryan
is 6-10 with a 5.63era.
3: I really think
George Clooney is one of the best actors making movies right now. But even a
great actor can’t save a bad movie. I watched The American a couple of days ago, you shouldn’t bother.
4: 76 players have
made 10,000+ plate appearances in MLB history. Jim Thome (9803), Manny Ramirez (9757), and
Chipper Jones (9654) should join the list this year.
Bonus: William
(Bill) Veeck was born 97 years ago today. As the owner of the Cleveland Indians
in 1947, Veeck signed Larry Doby to be the first black player in the American
League. One year later he signed Satchel Paige at the age of 41. Paige went 6-1
in 1948 and went on to play parts of 5 more seasons.
4 (+1) Things You Might Not Have Known – 1/26
1: In the 135 year
history of the Cubs, they have had only one left handed hitter hit more than 33
home runs in a single season. That Cub was Billy Williams and he did it three
different times. Can Carlos Pena be the second to do it?
2: Ryan Dempster is
number 3 on the Cubs all-time Saves list behind Lee Smith (180) and Bruce
Sutter (133). He has saved 87 games. Carlos Marmol is 5th on the
list with 61. BTW, Dempster is 41st on the Wins list with 52.
3: Melted Mild
Mexican Velveeta Cheese with chopped petite tomatoes and onion over a plate of
tortilla chips makes for a tasty “Big Game” treat.
4: The most pitchers
ever used by the Cubs in one season is 25. In 1999 Jim Riggleman used 25 different
pitchers for a team that finished in last place with a 67-95 record. Felix Heredia
led the team with 69 appearances.
Bonus: The Bears won
Superbowl XX 25 years ago today.
WrigleyRegular
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