Unpacking baseball history, May 17

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.

• 1939 – The first baseball game ever televised – Princeton against Columbia at Baker Field – is watched by a handful of viewers via W2XBS in New York City. Bill Stern announces the ten-inning victory of visiting Princeton, 2-1. Reviewing the game the next day, the New York Times reports: “it is difficult to see how this sort of thing can catch the public fancy.” (1,2)
• 1959 – Roberto Clemente hits a two-out, ninth-inning homer that clears the diagonal fence behind the centerfield bleachers at Wrigley Field, barely missing being the first ball to hit the distant centerfield scoreboard. While no exact distance is recorded, it is one of the three or four longest home runs in the ballpark’s history. Alas, it is not enough as the Pirates fall one runs short, 7-6, in the second game, splitting a doubleheader against the Cubs. (2)
• 1977 – The Chicago Cubs hit seven home runs in beating the San Diego Padres, 23-6, at Wrigley Field. Larry Biittner (two), Gene Clines, Steve Ontiveros, Dave Rosello, Jerry Morales and Bobby Murcer homer for the Cubs, with Biittner, Morales, and Murcer hitting consecutive shots in the fifth inning. (2)
• 1979 – With the wind really blowing out at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies join in a wild ten-inning slugfest won by the Phillies, 23-22. Dave Kingman hits three home runs and collects six RBI for the Cubs while teammate Bill Buckner has a grand slam and seven RBI. Kingman’s third blast is a tape measure shot, touching down at almost the identical spot as his already legendary April 14, 1976 moon shot. Mike Schmidt belts two home runs for the Phils, including the game-winner in the 10th inning. Bob Boone, pitcher Randy Lerch, and Garry Maddox also homer for the Phillies and Steve Ontiveros and Jerry Martin do it for the Cubs. The eleven home runs between the two teams tie a major league game record. The contest includes 50 hits. In 2010, the MLB Network will name it the 20th greatest game of the previous 50 years.