Cubs historical sleuthing: Bruce Sutter edition
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Bruce Sutter had a Hall of Fame career as a relief pitcher.
Unfortunately, because Cubs ownership under the Wrigleys couldn’t or wouldn’t pay him what he was worth, he had most of that career with the Cardinals and Braves.
The Getty supplied caption to this photo reads:
Cubs’ ace reliefer Bruce Sutter working the mound in the 10th inning against the Giants, got the win as Chicago beat San Francisco 1-0, breaking the Giants’ four game winning streak.
Yes, it says “reliefer.” My friend and former colleague Rob Neyer would be pleased; he uses that spelling.
Cubs historical sleuthing: Hank Aaron edition
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This photo is a great slice of Cubs and Wrigley Field history for a number of reasons.
First, Getty’s caption:
Chicago Cubs’ Rick Monday (7) beats Atlanta Braves pitcher’s throw to his first baseman, Hank Aaron on pickoff attempt in first inning of game.
That’s exactly what we are looking at. Let’s figure out when this was taken.
Monday and Aaron overlapped as a Cub and Brave in three seasons: 1972, 1973 and 1974. However, of those three seasons, Aaron played first base in just one of them: 1972.
And, Aaron played first base in just three games at Wrigley Field that year, July 14, July 15 and July 16.
Cubs historical sleuthing: Shea Stadium edition
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Here’s what Getty Images says about this photo:
Catcher Jerry Grote #15 of the New York Mets in action against the Chicago Cubs during a Major League Baseball game circa 1970 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. Grote played for the Mets from 1966-77.
While Grote did in fact play for the Mets from 1966-77, the Cubs wore that style of road uniform only from 1973-77, so that narrows it down a bit.
The Cubs player has a “4” on his jersey. The only Cubs player to wear “4” during that time was Vic Harris that’s definitely not Harris. So it has to be a player wearing 40 through 49.
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CHICAGO The flags that fly atop the foul poles at Wrigley Field feature the most recognizable numbers in Cubs history digits no player will don again on the North Side.
There is No. 10 for Ron Santo and No. 14 for Ernie Banks. Ryne Sandberg s No. 23 ripples in the Lake Michigan breeze, along with No. 26 for Billy Williams and No. 31 for both Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux. They took those numbers to great heights, but what about the other numbers worn throughout the Cubs long history?
What follows are our picks for the most notable player to wear each jersey number in team history. Maybe he was the most famous, the best or simply the most memorable. In some cases, there was a long list to choose from, and it was a difficult task. In others, the choice was obvious. And in a few situations, only a handful of players (or perhaps just one) wore the number on his back.