February 26th – March 4th
Spring Training is in full swing and the first game is on Thursday….the Ides of March are upon us. The CCO will be in Mesa next weekend, so don’t forget to check in throughout the weekend for updates and photos from Spring Training. This was a busy week in the life of Dave Kingman. Ryne Sandberg signed his huge contract in 1992 and Major League Baseball seemed to have picked this week in history to make rules changes. Will the Cubs write any history this week?
Now to the way back machine…. February 26
2004 – The Steve Bartman Ball was blown up at Harry Caray’s restaurant in Chicago
2001 – The Dodgers traded Devon White for Marquis Grissom (2006)
1957 – The New York Giants traded Hoyt Wilhelm (1970) to the Cardinals for Whitey Lockman (Manager, 1972-1974)
1935 – Babe Ruth was released by the Yankees
1906 – Charles Murphy announced the Cubs would not train in California; instead they would train in West Baden, Indiana and Champaign, Illinois
February 27
1970 – The FBI arrested Lawrence Bankhead in Chicago and charged him with making threatening phone calls to Ernie Banks (1954-1971)
1968 – Matt Stairs, born
1908 – The sacrifice fly rule is adopted. No time at bat is charged if a run scores after the catch of a fly ball. The rule will be repealed in 1931, then reinstated or changed several times before permanent acceptance in 1954.
1901 – The National League Rules Committee decreed that all foul balls are to count as strikes, except after two strikes. The American League will not adopt this rule for several more years.
February 28
1981 – The Mets traded Steve Henderson (1981-1982) and an estimated $100,000 to the Cubs for Dave Kingman (1978-1980). Kingman led the National League in Home Runs in 1979 with 48
1975 – The Mets purchased Dave Kingman (1978-1980) from the Giants
1972 – Dizzy Trout (Major League Pitcher, 1939-1952, 1957) died in Chicago. Dizzy was father of Cubs’ pitcher Steve Trout (1983-1987)
1966 – Leo Durocher (Manager, 1966-1972) became the Manager of the Cubs
February 29
Nothing found on this date in Cubs History
March 1
2005 – Construction for an additional 1,790 bleacher seats at Wrigley Field was approved and will begin after the season ends and is due for completition in time for Opening Day 2006. The deal was reached for expansion because the Cubs agreed to pay the city $3.1 million dollars prior to the start of the work and contributed funds for a local school park and a $400,000 traffic signal system near the ball park.
March 2
1992 – Ryne Sandberg (1982-1994, 1996-1997) became the highest paid player in baseball history. Ryno signed a 4-year contract extension worth $28.4 million dollars
1976 – The Cardinals traded Ted Sizemore (1979) to the Dodgers for Willie Crawford
March 3
1998 – Larry Doby, Lee MacPhail, George Davis and “Bullet” Joe Rogan were elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee
1998 – Jack Brickhouse (Broadcaster, 1941-1945; 1947-1981) had surgery to remove a tumor from the lining of his brain
March 4
2004 – Commissioner Bud Selig announced Major League Baseball will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day in every ballpark on April 15th
1994 – Michael Jordan had his first at bat during Spring Training
1948 – Leron Lee, born (Uncle of Derrek Lee)
1886 – The National League adopted the stolen base and the four-foot by seven-foot pitcher’s box
1884 – Club owners agreed to provide two separate team benches to minimize fraternizing among opposing players during games
Maybe, just maybe the Cubs will make some history this week….now Back to the Future
Sources – www.baseballlibrary.com, www.cubs.com, www.nationalpastime.com, www.todayinbaseballhistory.com and the Vine Line