1.
Chicago
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Chicago, officially the City of Chicago, is the third-most populous city in the United States. With over 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the state of Illinois, and it is the county seat of Cook County. In 2012, Chicago was listed as a global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States—about $640 billion according to 2015 estimates, the city has one of the worlds largest and most diversified economies with no single industry employing more than 14% of the workforce. In 2016, Chicago hosted over 54 million domestic and international visitors, landmarks in the city include Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, Art Institute of Chicago, Museum Campus, the Willis Tower, Museum of Science and Industry, and Lincoln Park Zoo. Chicagos culture includes the arts, novels, film, theater, especially improvisational comedy. Chicago also has sports teams in each of the major professional leagues. The city has many nicknames, the best-known being the Windy City, the name Chicago is derived from a French rendering of the Native American word shikaakwa, known to botanists as Allium tricoccum, from the Miami-Illinois language. The first known reference to the site of the current city of Chicago as Checagou was by Robert de LaSalle around 1679 in a memoir, henri Joutel, in his journal of 1688, noted that the wild garlic, called chicagoua, grew abundantly in the area. In the mid-18th century, the area was inhabited by a Native American tribe known as the Potawatomi, the first known non-indigenous permanent settler in Chicago was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. Du Sable was of African and French descent and arrived in the 1780s and he is commonly known as the Founder of Chicago. In 1803, the United States Army built Fort Dearborn, which was destroyed in 1812 in the Battle of Fort Dearborn, the Ottawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi tribes had ceded additional land to the United States in the 1816 Treaty of St. Louis. The Potawatomi were forcibly removed from their land after the Treaty of Chicago in 1833, on August 12,1833, the Town of Chicago was organized with a population of about 200. Within seven years it grew to more than 4,000 people, on June 15,1835, the first public land sales began with Edmund Dick Taylor as U. S. The City of Chicago was incorporated on Saturday, March 4,1837, as the site of the Chicago Portage, the city became an important transportation hub between the eastern and western United States. Chicagos first railway, Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, and the Illinois, the canal allowed steamboats and sailing ships on the Great Lakes to connect to the Mississippi River. A flourishing economy brought residents from rural communities and immigrants from abroad, manufacturing and retail and finance sectors became dominant, influencing the American economy. The Chicago Board of Trade listed the first ever standardized exchange traded forward contracts and these issues also helped propel another Illinoisan, Abraham Lincoln, to the national stage
2.
Chicago Cubs
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The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League Central division. The team plays its games at Wrigley Field, located on the citys North Side. The Cubs are one of two league teams in Chicago, the other, the Chicago White Sox, is a member of the American League Central division. The Cubs, first known as the White Stockings, was a member of the NL in 1876. The Cubs have appeared in a total of eleven World Series, the 1906 Cubs won 116 games, finishing 116–36 and posting a modern-era record winning percentage of.763, before losing the World Series to the Chicago White Sox by four games to two. The Cubs won back-to-back World Series championships in 1907 and 1908, the 108-year drought was also the longest such occurrence in all major North American sports. Since the start of play in 1969, the Cubs have appeared in the postseason eight times through the 2016 season. The Cubs are known as the North Siders, a reference to the location of Wrigley Field within the city of Chicago, there is a divisional rivalry with the St. Louis Cardinals and also a newer rivalry with the Milwaukee Brewers. There is also a rivalry with the White Sox. The Cubs began play in 1876 as the Chicago White Stockings, joining the National League as a charter member. Owner William Hulbert signed multiple star players, such as pitcher Albert Spalding and infielders Ross Barnes, Deacon White, the White Stockings played their home games at West Side Grounds and quickly established themselves as one of the new leagues top teams. Spalding won forty-seven games and Barnes led the league in hitting at.429 as Chicago won the first ever National League pennant, which at the time was the games top prize. After back-to-back pennants in 1880 and 1881, Hulbert died, and Spalding, the White Stockings, with Anson acting as player-manager, captured their third consecutive pennant in 1882, and Anson established himself as the games first true superstar. In 1885 and 86, after winning N. L. pennants, both seasons resulted in match ups with the St. Louis Brown Stockings, with the clubs tying in 1885 and with St. Louis winning in 1886. This was the genesis of what would become one of the greatest rivalries in sports. In all, the Anson-led Chicago Base Ball Club won six National League pennants between 1876 and 1886. As a result, Chicagos club nickname transitioned, and by 1890 they had known as the Chicago Colts, or sometimes Ansons Colts
3.
History of the Chicago Cubs
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The Chicago National League Ball Club is the only franchise to play continuously in the same city since the formation of the National League in 1876. They are the earliest formed active professional sports club in North America, in their history, they have also been known as the White Stockings, Orphans, Colts, Panamas, Rainmakers, Spuds, Trojans, Microbes, and Zephyrs. It was common at the time for sportswriters to refer to teams by their colors, and it happens that Chicagos club. On April 29,1870, the Chicago White Stockings played their first game against the St. Louis Unions, and soundly defeated the Unions 7-1. The White Stockings divided their games between their downtown practice field, Ogden Park, and a facility set up at Dexter Park where they hosted games expected to draw larger crowds. C. Despite this East Coast dominance, Chicago won the NABBP championship that year, although the title was disputed by the opposing club, after their experiment with a race track in 1870, the White Stockings returned to the downtown for 1871, a decision that would prove fateful. The club arranged with the city to build a ballpark in the northeast corner of the park then known as Lake Park. The venue was dubbed the Union Base-Ball Grounds, and the club was a contender for the pennant until late in the season. On Sunday, October 8, the Great Chicago Fire erupted on the south side. The wooden ballpark was right in the path, and the grounds and all the teams equipment. Despite that disaster, the White Stockings played their 1871 season to completion, on the road and they managed to finish second, just 2 games short of the title that was won by Philadelphia. Although the original Red Stockings had disbanded after 1870, many of the players became members of a new club by the same name, but now based in Boston. Over the next four seasons, the Boston Red Stockings dominated the National Association and hoarded the games best stars, even those under contract with other teams. Hulbert, the White Stockings club president, was disgusted by the lack of contracts as well as the monopoly of the Boston club. Gambling and alcohol were seen as serious problems, with games too often being suspected of being thrown. As a result, Hulbert, spearheaded the formation of a new, stronger, the National Leagues formation meant the end of the NA, as its remaining clubs shut down or reverted to amateur or minor status. After the 1875 season ended, Hulbert was principal in the acquisition of key players, including Boston pitcher Albert Spalding. The club continued to play its games at 23rd Street
4.
Jimmy Wood
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James Leon Jimmy Wood was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball who hailed from Brooklyn, New York. He was the player-manager for four different teams in the National Association, woods career in organized baseball began as early as 1860 when he began play for the Eckford of Brooklyn team, with whom he played for nine seasons during the following decade. In 1870, he took the position of player-manager for the Chicago White Stockings and it was here that he is credited for inventing spring training when he moved his team down to New Orleans, Louisiana prior to season to train in warmer weather. The next season,1873, he managed the Philadelphia White Stockings for a year until he was able to reorganize a new Chicago team, in 1874, he tried to lance an abscess on his leg with a pocketknife. This caused an infection which led to an amputation of the leg. This did not end his career, though, he returned to the Chicago White Stockings. He then retired from baseball and moved to Florida and began investing in citrus interests. His daughter, Carrie, married William Chase Temple, who was at one time and it was he who the Temple Cup was named after. Woods granddaughter, Dorothy Temple, married pitcher Del Mason, woods whereabouts had been debated for years until recently. In 1885, he operated a goods store in Chicago. He was traced all over the United States and Canada and eventually wound up in San Francisco, career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
5.
1875 Hartford Dark Blues season
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In their second season in the National Association, the 1875 Hartford Dark Blues finished in third place. They were managed by starting third baseman Bob Death to Flying Things Ferguson, the Dark Blues, with future Hall of Famers Candy Cummings and Tommy Bond, had the best pitching staff in baseball. Cummings won 35 games, and the 19-year-old Bond finished second in league ERA at 1.56, following the season, they were one of the NA teams chosen to join the new National League. Note, Pos = position, G = Games played, AB = At Bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting Average, HR = Home Runs, RBI = Runs Batted In Tommy Bond #2 in NA in ERA Candy Cummings #3 in NA in wins #3 in NA in ERA Johnson, Lloyd, Wolff, Miles, the Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. 1875 Hartford Dark Blues season at Baseball Reference
6.
Jim Devlin
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James Alexander Devlin was an American Major League Baseball player who played mainly as a first baseman early in his career, then as a pitcher in the latter part. He played for three teams during his career, the Philadelphia White Stockings and the Chicago White Stockings of the National Association. However, after admitting to throwing games and costing the Grays the pennant in the 1877 Louisville Grays scandal, he, in 1876, the National Association folded and was replaced by the National League that lives on to this day. In this year, Devlin began pitching for the Louisville Grays, starting 68 games with an impeccable 1.56 ERA and his best pitch was a drop pitch, now known as a sinker, which Devlin may have been the first to throw. In 1877, Devlin pitched every inning of his teams games, led by Devlin and slugger George Hall, the Grays opened up a four-game lead in the NL pennant race by mid-August. However, the Grays suffered a horrendous road trip and endured a losing streak. The Grays relinquished their lead and eventually finished second, seven games behind the Boston Red Caps, meanwhile, certain Grays were seen around town wearing fancy new jewelry and ostentatiously dining at exclusive restaurants. At the end of the season, suspicion arose that players were being paid to lose games. Team vice president Charles Chase, who had received but disregarded telegrams informing him that gamblers were betting against the Grays in certain games. Devlin and Hall confessed, and Chase demanded that his players allow him to inspect their telegrams, the telegrams confirmed that Nichols was coordinating the games with New York gamblers. William Hulbert, the president of the National League, decided to make a stand against gambling and he immediately banned Devlin, Hall, Nichols, and Craver for life. Craver, against whom no evidence of gambling has ever found, was outraged and appealed the suspension. Devlin also appealed to the League for reinstatement every year for the rest of his life, however, Hulbert remained resolute and none of the Louisville Four ever played major league baseball again. Devlin, who work in Philadelphia as a police officer, died poor of tuberculosis in 1883, survived by a wife. He is interred at New Cathedral Cemetery in Philadelphia
7.
Mike Golden
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Michael Henry Golden was an American Major League Baseball player who pitched and played in the outfield for three teams during his two season career. Born in Shirley, Massachusetts, Golden made his debut on May 4,1875 for the Keokuk Westerns of the National Association. He was their starting pitcher for all 13 games the team was in the Association, completing all 13, with 113 innings pitched, a 2.79 ERA, when the Westerns folded, he signed with the Chicago White Stockings for the rest of the season. He pitched 119 innings in 14 games pitched for the White Stockings, with a 2.79 ERA, a 6–7 W-L records,12 complete games, in addition to pitching, he also played 27 games in the outfield. In total, he played in 39 games, hitting.258, the only other season he played at the top level of professional baseball, and his only Major League season, was for the 1878 Milwaukee Grays of the National League. He pitched in 22 games that year, starting 18, and he again played in the outfield when he didnt pitch, playing in a total of 55 games for the Grays, hitting.206, had 3–13 pitching record, and a 4.14 ERA. Goldens career totals include a 10–32 pitching record, a 3.37 ERA, Golden died in Rockford, Illinois at the age of 77, and is interred at Saint Mary and Saint James Cemetey in Rockford. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
8.
George Zettlein
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George Zettlein was a professional baseball pitcher. Zettlein began playing in 1865 for Eckford of Brooklyn in the National Association of Base Ball Players and he joined the Brooklyn Atlantics in 1866, and remained with the team until 1870. In 1871, he joined the professional White Stockings of the NA and he went on to give up the leagues first grand slam in September of the same year. He had a record of 18-9 with a league-leading 2.73 ERA that year, the following season, Zettlein played for the Troy Haymakers and Brooklyn Eckfords, combining for 15 wins and 16 losses between the two teams. He went on to win 36 games for the Philadelphia White Stockings in 1873, partway through the 1875 season, he rejoined the Philadelphia White Stockings, and ended his career in 1876 with the Philadelphia Athletics. He finished his career with 129 wins,112 losses, list of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
9.
Scott Hastings (baseball)
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Winfield Scott Hastings was a major league baseball player and manager in the late 19th century. Primarily a catcher and outfielder, Hastings also appeared as a first baseman, second baseman, and shortstop over the course of his career. Born in Hillsboro, Ohio, Hastings made his league debut on May 6,1871 for the Rockford Forest Citys of the National Association as the starting catcher and manager of the team. The team disbanded after the 1871 season and Hastings moved to the Cleveland Forest Citys for the 1871 campaign as a player-manager again, rotating between catcher, second base and outfield, Hastings was batting.391 when the team folded on August 19. Hastings then moved to the Baltimore Canaries to finish out the season, Hastings remained with the Canaries for the 1873 season, batting.281 and rotating with two other players at the catching position as well as filling in as a fourth outfielder. He moved to the Hartford Dark Blues in 1874, once again platooning at catcher, Hastings had a good year, hitting.325 and leading the team in runs scored. Hastings was on the move again for 1875, joining the Chicago White Stockings, Hastings was the regular catcher for Chicago but his average fell to.254. White Stockings owner William Hulbert found Hastings expendable as he signed Deacon White from the Boston Red Stockings to replace him, Hastings caught on with the Louisville Grays for the 1876 season in the new National League. Hastings was the center fielder for the Grays, and although leading the team in runs scored Hastings average was only.258 and was looking for a new team again after the season. In 1877, Hastings played for the Cincinnati Reds and was one of six players who caught five games or more, the job was Hastings to lose and he did, batting only.141 for the season, his last in the majors. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
10.
Dick Higham
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Richard Higham was an American professional baseball player born in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. However, he is best known as the umpire to be banned from baseball. He was born on July 24,1851 in Ipswich, England, highams family immigrated to the United States when he was two years old, and they settled in Hoboken, New Jersey. During his career he was a versatile player, fielding multiples positions. In 1871, he joined the New York Mutuals of the National Association during its season and played until the league was dissolved after the 1875 season. He then moved on to the newly formed National League, baseballs first recognized major league, where he hit in the first NL triple play against the Mutuals on May 13,1876. In 1877, he served as captain of the Syracuse Stars in the year of the International League. After his playing days were over, he served as an umpire for two years, however, in 1882, William G. Thompson, owner of the Detroit Wolverines got suspicious about some of the calls Higham made against his team. He hired a detective, who turned up several letters between Higham and a well-known gambler. Higham outlined a simple code—if the gambler received a telegram from him saying Buy all the lumber you can, no telegram meant that the gambler was to bet on his opponent. As a result of evidence, Higham was fired as an umpire. To date, he is the umpire to have been banished from the game. He moved back to Chicago, Illinois and became a bookkeeper and it was here where he died and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery. List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders Tim Donaghy Seymore, Harold, Baseball, The Early Years, Higham, Harold V. and Larry Gerlach. Dick Higham, Star of Baseballs Early Years, career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference Baseball Almanac BaseballLibrary SABR Baseball Project Retrosheet Umpires timeline from MLB. com
