This Day In Sports History

How cool is that! The season that saved baseball!

Definitely was - even better that my dad was there as well. Long story short, a group of friends that worked together got 4 tickets to a bunch of games that year (including Cubs/Sosa later), the biggest McGwire fan in our group had to bail due to work, called my dad and asked if he wanted to see the game. He met us at The Vet, seats were 1st row down in the left field corner by the ball girl. When we go to baseball games, we play what is called "The Cup Game" - money in and out of a cup based on what each batter does, and passed person to person after every AB. My dad had the cup for all 3 Big Mac HR's - he walked out with about $75 in his pocket. Our friend was torqued for weeks that he missed the show!
 
Definitely was - even better that my dad was there as well. Long story short, a group of friends that worked together got 4 tickets to a bunch of games that year (including Cubs/Sosa later), the biggest McGwire fan in our group had to bail due to work, called my dad and asked if he wanted to see the game. He met us at The Vet, seats were 1st row down in the left field corner by the ball girl. When we go to baseball games, we play what is called "The Cup Game" - money in and out of a cup based on what each batter does, and passed person to person after every AB. My dad had the cup for all 3 Big Mac HR's - he walked out with about $75 in his pocket. Our friend was torqued for weeks that he missed the show!
That's awesome, so glad you got to share that memory with your dad especially, and your friends too! I remember that season as being special just because I hadnt been watching baseball for several years really at that time, and my Grandparents (both Cub fanatics!) were following every second of every game, and it was super cool all around. I also remember that Griffey was in the hunt for a while at the beginning of the season, but it didnt take long for McGwire and Sosa to emerge as the frontrunners!

Love the Cup Game too!!
 
CD4AF0F0-A84C-41C3-BCE2-564D41EF2459.jpegFound a great account on Twitter @custom_baseball who does his own graphics everyday for this day in sports history, this is todays work.

His last at bat was May 30, but #OTD in 1935, Babe Ruth retired at age 40, after just 28 games with the Boston #Braves. He retired as the owner of the following records: HR 714, Slg % .690, RBI 2,213, BB 2,062, and OBS 1.164.
 
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Hadn't realized today was his retirement, and also didnt know that he played only 28 games with the Braves. Super cool, thanks for sharing!
 
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June 9, 1914 - Pittsburgh Pirate baseball shortstop Honus Wagner is 2nd player to get 3,000 hits.

And really, any excuse to post up this iconic card in a thread, right?

Without looking, who can name the first 3000 hit club member?
 
I want to bump this cool thread up again to start the New Year off....truly an odd moment in sports history today, one that really received a ton of coverage at the time, today is the 29th anniversary of the attack on Nancy Kerrigan on 1.6.1994 during the US Championships prior to the Lillehammer Olympic Games!

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Another significant moment, while not part of a game or contest, but Hall of Famer Ernie Banks passed away today in 2015. This was significant to me as he was my Grandfather's favorite player, and I heard so much about Ernie growing up in Chicago in the 80s. Always smiling, always positive, a great player and teammate!

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He started his career briefly in the Negro Leagues, and came to the Cubs because of another former Negro League player and manager, Buck O'Neil, the first Black coach in Major League baseball!
 
Today, friends, is Lee Elia Day in Chicago, commemorating April 28th, 1983, when Lee uttered his now-famous tirade. You see, Lee became sad when the reporters asked about the underperforming Cubs and small turnout from the fans, and he made his feelings known in no uncertain terms.

It has been analyzed many times over the past 4 decades, and this is a hilarious article about it, including the audio recording of Lee losing it:


My best friends are twins and we have a group text that we often talk sports....this is what I woke up to this morning:

"A Happy Lee Elia Day to all- 40 years and counting! May your situation never be disheartening, and may you not consider Wrigley Field a playground!"

"May you always be part of the 85%!"

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