The last full week of February. Position players report date is Monday and the Cubs have a little meeting scheduled for Tuesday to discuss Carlos Zambrano and his 2007 paycheck. Plus Cubs single game tickets go on sale on Friday….those are just of the few highlights of the week ahead.
As for historically, this was the week the Cubs traded Manny Trillo, resigned Greg Maddux, blew up the Bartman Ball, Murphy sold to Taft, construction began and lights were approved for Wrigley. Today marks the 9th Anniversary of Harry Caray’s death.
Will the Cubs write another chapter in their history books this week? Without further delay….to the ‘Way Back Machine’…. February 18
- 2004 – Greg Maddux resigned with the Chicago Cubs after spending 11 seasons with the Atlanta Braves
- 1998 – Harry Caray died four days after collapsing at a Valentine’s Day dinner.
- 1958 – Cleveland Indians traded Jim Hegan (1960) and Hank Aguirre (1969-1970) to the Tigers for J.W. Porter and Hal Woodeshick
February 19
- 2004 – The Pirates signed free agent Randall Simon (2003)
- 1957 – The Kansas City Athletics traded Art Ditmar, Bobby Shantz (1964), Jack McMahan, Clete Boyer, Curt Roberts and Wayne Belardi to the New York Yankees for Maury McDermott, Tom Morgan, Gary Coleman, Jack Urban, Irv Noren, Billy Hunter and Milt Graff
February 20
- 1963 – Bob Kennedy (1963-1965, part of the College of Coaches) was named manager of the Cubs. The hiring put an end to the College of Coaches.
- 1943 – P.K. Wrigley and Branch Rickey chartered the All-American Girls Softball League. The league operated around the Chicago area and was formed as a sports backup in case the government shut down Major League Baseball. The league later changed its name and switched to hardball with a pitching distance of 40 feet and bases 68 feet apart, eventually evolving to distances close to the major league lengths.
- 1920 – The Cubs gave an unconditional release to Lee Magee (1919) after they learned he had been betting against his team. Magee sued the Cubs for his salary of $4,500.
February 21
- 1958 – Alan Trammell, born
- 1958 – Ed Bouchee (1960-1961) plead guilty to a series of sex offenses, such as indecent exposure, involving young girls. He received a 3-year probationary sentence and entered a rehabilitation program until the end of May 1958.
- 1957 – Walter O’Malley “traded” Minor League franchises with P.K. Wrigley. O’Malley gave up the Dodgers’ Ft. Worth Texas Club for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League.
- 1914 – Charles W. Murphy (Owner, 1905-1914) sold the Cubs to Charles P. Taft (Owner, 1914-1916) of Cincinnati
February 22
- 1942 – Cubs’ manager Jimmie Wilson (1941-1944) opened training camp by issuing 10 commandments for proper behavior. Wilson’s laws prohibited Cubs players from bowling, poker playing and betting on the horses. Players were also discouraged from smoking and wrestling in the clubhouse, and were prohibited from “throwing ice water on nude ballplayers either in the shower or elsewhere (rule 9).”
- 1922 – Pickles Dillhoefer (1917) died from typhoid fever following an operation
February 23
- 2000 – Cubs’ manager Don Baylor (Manager, 2000-2002) named four captains: Mark Grace (1988-2000), Sammy Sosa (1992-2004), Kevin Tapani (1997-2001) and Rick Aguilera (1999-2000). These were the first Cubs’ Captains since Ron Santo (1960-1973).
- 2000 – The Padres signed Matt Clement (2002-2004) to a 4-year deal.
- 1988 – A committee of Chicago alderman voted 7-2 to allow the Cubs to install lights and play up to 18 night games a year at Wrigley Field. The Cubs feared losing the 1990 All-Star Game, as well as future playoff and World Series games, if lights were not installed.
- 1979 – The Cubs traded Manny Trillo (1975-1978, 1986-1988), Greg Gross (1977-1978) and Dave Radar (1978) to the Phillies for Barry Foote (1979-1981), Jerry Martin (1979-1980), Ted Sizemore (1979) and two Minor Leaguers
- 1921 – The Boston Braves traded Rabbit Maranville (1925) to the Pirates for Billy Southworth, Fred Nicholson and Walter Barbare
- 1914 – Chicago Federals President Charles Weeghman announced work had begun on the building of Weeghman Park (Wrigley Field) at the corner of Clark and Addison. Construction crews tore down a few frame home and seminary buildings before ground-breaking ceremonies a week later.
February 24
- Nothing found on this date in Cubs History
Will the Cubs make any History this week?
Sources – www.baseballlibrary.com, www.cubs.com, www.nationalpastime.com, www.todayinbaseballhistory.com, the Vine Line and Day by Day in Cubs History