8/2/1952: Hank Sauer hit a homer at Brooklyn in the third inning with two on base. The pitcher was Ben Wade. The game was rained out in the fifth inning. Sauer ended the season tied for the home run lead with Ralph Kiner with 37.
On June 19, 1952 At Ebbets Field, Carl Erskine throws a no-hitter against the Cubs in the Dodgers’ 5-0 victory. A third-inning walk to the opposing pitcher, William Ramsdell, which accounts for the only runner to reach base, may have been a result of skipper Chuck Dressen telling the 25 year-old right-hander to speed up…
On June 14, 1952, Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves strikes out 18 Chicago Cubs in a 15-inning game. The future Hall of Famer allows only six hits in pitching the marathon. At the plate, Spahn hits a home run, but his efforts don’t prevent the Braves from losing the game, 3-1, on Hal Jeffcoat’s…
1951 – Former Chicago Cubs first baseman and future star of the TV series The Rifleman Chuck Connors becomes the first player to refuse to participate in the major league draft. Currently the 1B for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League, Connors wants to stay in California, instead of going to whatever team might draft him for the major leagues. The PCL views his refusal in a positive manner, allowing them to ask for higher prices for minor league players than what the major leagues usually offers.
Preacher Roe wins his 20th game against just two losses, as the Dodgers edge the Pirates, 3 – 1. Andy Pafko hits his 14th homer for Brooklyn, still six games ahead of the Giants.
Against the Phillies, Cubs player-manager Phil Cavarretta earns his money by driving home three runs in a first-game win, 5 – 4, snapping the Cubs’ 10-game home losing streak. His triple in the 6th off Robin Roberts ends the Cubs’ scoreless inning skein of 31 innings, and the consecutive scoreless innings by Phils pitchers at 41. Cavarretta takes the bench in the second game but inserts himself as a pinch-hitter in the 7th when Roberts relieves, and hits a grand slam home run as the Cubs sweep, winning the nitecap, 8 – 6. The nitecap loss goes to Bubba Church, who put two runners on before giving way to Roberts. It is Church’s first and only career loss to Chicago after nine straight wins.
1951 – With the Cubs 10 games under .500 at 35-45, Phil Cavarretta replaces Frankie Frisch as manager. They will go 27-47 the rest of the way to finish in last place.
May 16, 1951 at Wrigley Field Baseball stars Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Andy Pafko of the Chicago Cubs compare fists with the Heavyweight Champion, Ezzard Charles. Pafko and the Cubs will rout Jackie and the Dodgers, 14-4. Charles was in town to defend his title against Joey Maxim, his 8th…
The Cubs knock the Phillies out of a tie for first place, sweeping a doubleheder, 8 – 0 and 10 – 3. The Cubs lose Phil Cavarretta when he is hit by a Ken Johnson pitch in the first game, fracturing his forearm. Hank Sauer takes over at 1B. Walt Dubiel fires the shutout and Doyle Lade is the complete game winner in the second game. The loss in the second contest goes to Bob Miller, the first defeat for the rookie after eight straight wins. Ex-Bruin Russ Meyer loses the first game after defeating the Cubs five straight times. The Mad Monk, the greatest ever Cubs killer, will win his next 17 decisions against Chicago before losing on May 11, 1955.
Cincinnati Reds sell veteran pitcher Johnny Vander Meer to the Chicago Cubs
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