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1971 - Baseball Clip - Great Moments in Cubs History - Highlights · Retro Sports Radio: Classic Games from History

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This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons
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.com for more sports history. The Chicago Cubs
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are on the air. Here's the one and two pitch
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to Billy Williams. A swing and a long drive.
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Deep to right center. Well hit. Center fielder
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at the wall. Hold run. Hold run. Hold. Lines
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up again. It rolls in. Brickell swings to Bounder.
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Grimm leaps into the air, gets it, and throws
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to the plate. And they trap the runner between
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third and home. And Hartnett runs up and tags
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him and turns. But Brickell hadn't got past first
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base. A very, very nice play by Hartnett. Billy
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Jurgis dives for the ball. Now he flips it to
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Bounder at second base. It's out. Very close,
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but what a play. The pitch to Kessinger. Swing
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and a fly ball to deep center field. Matty Alou
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is going back. It's over his head. It's going
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to the wall. Kissinger around second base. Mattie
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Lowe hasn't got it in yet. He's going to try.
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He's going to try. Here's a throw for the shortstop.
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He scores. An inside to park home run. He swings.
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Brown ball right side. Beckert ranging part of
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his left. He throws it. Throws the first. He's
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ready. And a save by Beckert. Incredible. First
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game drive at the end of the outfield drive.
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Love that ball. One -handed world and thrill
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in a flash. Yes, few teams in all of sports have
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shared with their fans more wild, wonderful,
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and memorable moments than the team that evolved
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from the Chicago White Stockings, Colts, and
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Orphans into the Chicago Cubs. Attention. Attention,
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please. Have your pencil and scorecards ready,
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and I'll give you the correct lineup for today's
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ballgame. The battery for the Cubs. Bush and
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Hartnett. Batting order. Herman, second base.
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English, third base. Kyler, right field. Stevenson,
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left field. Center field. Grimm, first base.
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Hartnett, the catcher. Koenig, shortstop. And
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Bush, the pitcher. For the Cubs today, it's going
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to be Stan Hack at third base. Johnson will play
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second. Peanuts Lowry will be in left field.
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Phil Cabaretta at first base. Andy Pathko in
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center field. Bill Nicholson in right field.
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Livingston will do the catching. Hughes is going
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to play shortstop. And the cup pitcher, big right
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-hander Claude Passard. Some 1 ,300 players have
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worn the uniform of the Chicago National League
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Ball Club. They date back to the team that helped
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organize the league in 1876. Chicago scored assorted
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baseball firsts in the 1870s. The first team
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to be shut out was 9 -0 New York. The first team
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to post a 1 -0 shutout. The first team to be
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victimized by a no -hit -no -run game, the pitcher,
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Philadelphia's Joe Borden. Baseball had a saying
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in those days, if a team was shut out, it was
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Chicago'd. On May 2, 1917, Jim Hippo Vaughn of
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the Cubs and Cincinnati's Fred Toney matched
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nine innings of hitless ball in baseball's greatest
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pitching duel. But it will be 38 years before
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Cub fans experience another no -hitter in Chicago.
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May 12, 1955. Sam Toothpick Jones holds the Pirates'
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hit list through eight innings, but opens the
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ninth by walking Gene Freese, Preston Ward, and
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Tom Saffel. Base is loaded. Nobody out. After
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a brief conference with manager Stan Hack, Jones
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proceeds to strike out Dick Grote and rookie
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Roberto Clemente. The last Pirate hope, slugging
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Frank Thomas. Sam Jones looks around that infield.
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Somebody on every base. All set again. Here we
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go. Strike two. Thomas from behind. High curve.
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One and two. Jones needs one more strike for
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you know what. One more strike. The umpire peering
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over McCullough's shoulder. Watch it now. Jones
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against Thomas. The pitch. Strike five. Jones
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is the first black to pitch a no -hitter in the
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majors, an achievement that enriches a Chicago
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record that includes the first league championship,
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the first batting champion, and the first 400
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-hitter, both in the person of second baseman
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Ross Barnes. Chicago is also the first team with
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a player who powers three home runs in a single
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game. Ed Williamson pioneers the feat in 1884.
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60 years before a tobacco -chewing, left -handed
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Slugger takes his familiar crouch against the
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New York Giants. Here comes the pitch. He hits
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it. There goes another long drive. It may be
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out of here. It's going. It is gone. The third
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home run today for Slugger Bill Nicholson of
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the Cup. Nicholson will hit another home run
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in the second game with the twin Bill, his sixth
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in four games to tie a major league record. During
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the next era of Cub power, another tobacco -chewing
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Cub outfielder will duplicate Nicholson's feet
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twice, both times amazingly against the same
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pitcher. Eighth inning now. Ball on the count
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on Sauer. Big Hank already has two homers off
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Kurt Simmons in this ballgame. You know, it's
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kind of ironic that Sauer got three homers off
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Simmons in one game in August of 1950 just before
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Kurt left for the service. Remember that? Now
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here's Hank trying to do it again. Kurt's ready.
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Here's the pitch. The Cubs win three consecutive
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pennants starting in 1906 and are the first team
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to capture two consecutive World Series. They
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do it in 1907 and 8. In the 1929 Classic, the
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Cubs counterbalance the honor by misplaying the
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wildest scoring inning in series history. Philadelphia
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bombs the Cubs for ten runs in the seventh to
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overcome an eight -run Chicago lead. The Athletics
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win the game and subsequently the series four
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games to one. Three years later, with Charlie
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Root again the pitcher and the Yankees on the
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way to a four -game sweep of the series, Babe
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Ruth drops his own special bombshell. Here's
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the one -and -one pitch. Go past him also. He
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never took the bat off his shoulder. One and
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two on Ruth. Calpe braces that figure again and
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looks out at Charlie. Ruth gets his sign from
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Gabby. Into the windup. Here's the one and two
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pitch. A swing. Did Ruth call his shot? You will
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find arguments on both sides to this very day.
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But there's no debating the 21 straight victories
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that bring the Cubs another pennant in 1935.
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The storybook finish puts the Cubs, losers of
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four series in a row, against a Detroit club
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that has yet to win a world championship. The
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Tigers lead the series three games to two. Game
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six, score tied in the ninth. One out. The Tigers'
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Mickey Cochran singles and advances to second
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on an infield out. This puts the issue squarely
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up to the Cubs' Larry French and Detroit veteran
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Bruce Gosling. That has become the pricing required
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here in Detroit. Mickey Cochran, the potential
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winning run, is at second. Larry French goes
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into the stretch. The softball delivers. By now,
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baseball broadcasts from Wrigley Field had become
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one of radio's most popular attractions. At one
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time, no less than five Chicago stations carried
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the Cubs games. Among the familiar Cub voices
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of their day were Quinn Ryan. And Kyler swings,
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and there's a good, solid hit over second. Well,
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folks, Kyler's on first with the Cubs' third
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hit of the ball game. Hal Totten. And the pitcher
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stands there getting his sign. He winds up again
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now and throws and Grimm swings the ground ball
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toward right field. Kerr goes over far to his
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left, gets it, throws the first, and it's two
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out. in the second inning for the Cubs. A slow
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ground ball toward right field. Johnny Kerr went
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over, got it. He seemed to fumble it a second
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up in his arms. He didn't get it in his hands,
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but he finally got a hold of it and threw it
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to first. So it's two out in the second inning
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for the Cubs, and Gabby Hartnett is at bat. Jolly
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Charlie Grimm. Big Bill Lee gets the sign from
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Gabby Hartnett. Gets it in the tying run at third
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base. Zell saws the hitter. Big Bill goes into
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his stretch, and here's the... Lou Fonseca. Jim
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Dom swings. It's a hit. Don D 'Alessandro lined
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that ball right over Higby's head. And the fireplug,
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who walks like a man, pulls up at first with
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a solid single. And Pat Flanagan. Welsh winds
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another one up. The field is in shadow now. Sun's
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gone back to the cloud. There goes the ball towards
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second. Herman gets it, makes the throw to first,
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and Brickhell is out. Brickhell out from Herman
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to Grimm. Perhaps the single most dramatic moment
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in Cubs history occurs on a dark, dreary September
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day in 1938. By dropping the opener to the Cubs,
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the first -place Pirates see their lead trim
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to a scant half game. In the crucial second game,
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with darkness closing in, the score tied 5 -5
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and two out in the bottom of the ninth, manager
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Gabby Hartnett steps out of the shadows of the
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dugout for his turn at bat. It's official now.
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There won't be another inning. National League
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president Ford Frick is in the press box, and
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the umpires have passed up the word. It's now
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or never, Leo. Gabby steps back into the box.
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Brown goes into his windup. He throws. Gabby
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swings. He hits it. It's a long, long drive,
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way, way out in the left center. Lloyd Weiner
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is racing back. It's going. It's going. It may
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be. It may be. the bases, stopping on each bag
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as he passes it. Of course in 1938 when we hit
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the home run, that was really the highlight of
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my career. Because when I get to second base,
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I couldn't see third with so many people on the
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field. And believe me, when I touched third base,
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my feet never touched the ground until I got
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to home. The Pirates are a beaten ball club.
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The Cubs mop up the following day 10 to nothing.
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and the 1938 pennant race to all intents and
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purposes is history. Such is the joy over Hartnett's
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dramatic home run that not even the power -laden
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Yankees frighten Cub loyalists. And in the first
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two games of the series, at least, it's not Yankee
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power that beats the Cubs. New York takes the
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opener in a close 3 -1 ball game. In game two,
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the Cubs' Dizzy Dean nurses a one -run lead going
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into the second inning. With two men on, two
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out. Joe Gordon works the count to 3 -2. Well,
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DiMaggio and Gehrig are on base. They're two
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out here in the Yankees' second. 3 -2, the count
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on Gordon. Something's got to give on this pitch.
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Dean into the stretch, the pitch. There's a ground
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ball, and it's going through the left side. Jurgis
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and Heck have collided going after the ball.
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The ball is rolling slowly out into left field.
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Here's DiMaggio scoring. Gehrig is scoring. Gordon
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pulling up a second base, and Dean. The misapp
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keeps the game close until the latent Yankee
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power surfaces in the late innings, touching
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off another four -game New York sweep. The Cubs'
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pennant -every -three -years chain, which began
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in 1929, is broken in 1941. Under manager Jimmy
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Wilson, the Cubs finish a distant sixth. It isn't
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until 1945, in a league shorn thin of talent
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by military demands, that the Cubs scramble past
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the favored Cardinals to capture another pennant.
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The 45 series goes the full seven games before
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the Tigers pull it out. The series is sparked
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by Claude Passau in game number three. Well,
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Passau getting ready to pitch now to a very dangerous
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right -hand batter, Rudy York. York steps into
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the batter's box. The big Indian up there, a
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very, very dangerous man. Here comes the pitch.
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York swings and hits the ball to center field.
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It's a good, clean single. Now he holds up at
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first base. Well, I'm looking over at the dugout
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and now I see McHale is walking out of the dugout
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and is apparently going to bat for Webb. Now
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this will be the Tigers' last chance as there
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are two out here in the bottom half of the ninth
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inning. Passar has pitched a truly brilliant
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game. He's allowed only one hit. That was by
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York, you recall, at single to center field in
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the second inning. The only other man to reach
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was on the wall. Paso looking down at Livingston,
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getting his sign. He goes into the windup, delivers.
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McHale swings, and there's a high pop -up behind
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the plate. Livingston is moving over under it.
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He makes the catch, and the ball game is over.
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The Cubs have won the third game of the World
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Series, 3 -0 behind the brilliant pitching of
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Claude Paso. Paso allowed only one base hit,
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a single to center field. Well, now we move on
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to Chicago for the fourth game with the Cubs
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holding a 2 -1 edge in the series. The Cubs lose
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the series but gain a star. The all -around hitting
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and defensive play of Andy Pafko establishes
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the boy from Boyceville, Wisconsin as a bright
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young pro with a great future and some great
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catches ahead of him. But the catch Andy Pafko
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will never forget is the one he doesn't quite
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make. Or did he? That's why I definitely caught
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the ball. Two out now, top of the ninth inning.
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Cubs one, Cardinals nothing. The Cub battery
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rushing Sheffing still. Slaughter leads off first.
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Rocky Nelson digging in there at the plate. Here's
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the pitch. Fly ball. Left center. Falling kind
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of fast. And he races in. Papko dives for the
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ball. Did he catch it or didn't he? Umpire Al
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Varlick out there. Signals no catch. Papko's
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furious. He's racing in, holding up the ball
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high. Connor scoring. Third base coach Tony Kaufman
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is waving Nelson around. Charlie Graham is screaming
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at Papko to throw the ball. He finally does.
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And the ball. The late 40s and 50s are empty
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years for the Cubs. That fan interest remains
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is due in no small measure to the contagious
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enthusiasm and eternal optimism of Burt Wilson,
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the voice of the Cubs. I've had a good chance
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to see all the promising young rookies who will
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be fighting for a job this summer, and believe
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me, they look great. The Cubs infield is generally
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recognized as one of the best in the league already,
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and there are several outfielders who look like
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real major leaguers. With Hank Sauer back in
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left field where he belongs, Center and right
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are wide -open affairs, but fellows like Ted
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Tappy, a real giant whom the Cubs obtained from
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Cincinnati and several others, look like the
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outfield should be in good hands this year. Pitching
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is a cinch to be better, and the catching department
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was given a big boost when Harry Chidi, a fellow
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built like Gabby Hartnett, came back from the
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service. Yes, it looks like a very interesting
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season for the Chicago Cubs this year, and here's
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the good news. At the tail end of 53, a shy,
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gangling shortstop joins the Cubs from the Kansas
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City Monarchs. Hello again, baseball fans. This
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is Bert Wilson, the radio voice of the Chicago
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Cubs from the spring training camp in Mesa, Arizona.
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And today we're going to talk to bingo. In other
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words, that's that famous bingo to bango to bilko
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or fondy double play combination. And I'm speaking
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of Ernie Banks, the great rookie shortstop of
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the Chicago Cubs, or he was a rookie last year.
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Ernie, you look like you're ready to go for 1955.
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Yeah, already, Bert. I understand that you might
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have gone to the New York Yankees or the Chicago
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White Sox, but Wood Matthews kept after somebody
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and got you in the Chicago Cub organization.
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Well, I think it's a fine organization, and I
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really like playing with the Cubs. You're only
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23 years old, and last year was your first year
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in professional baseball. So it looks like you're
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going to have a long and glorious career, Ernie.
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Last year you hit .275, which only two other
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shortstops outhit you last year. And I think
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it's amazing to me how you get so much power
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out there, Ernie. You don't use a lot of real
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swing around. It's that wrist action that does
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it, I guess. Is that natural, that wrist action?
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Yeah, I guess it's natural. I just swing that
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way, and I guess I just try to meet the ball,
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and it's go. Despite the emergence of Banks into
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a full -fledged superstar, the Cubs continue
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to wallow in the second division. The frustrations
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of the mid -50s and early 60s are perhaps best
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characterized by this seemingly routine play.
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Here is Hamner. He singled his last time at bat.
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He has one for two the first time up in the ballgame.
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He struck out. Semenik is on third base. Kazansky
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on second. Ashburn is on first. Here's the windup
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in the pitch. Hamner hits a high pop -up off
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the right side. It's in foul territory. Landreth
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and Fondy both there. Landreth waits, and it
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drops in front of him. It dropped right between
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them. When the ball hit the ground, Fondy was
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looking at Landreth, and Landreth was looking
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at Fondy. One of the weirdest plays of them all,
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however, occurs in a game against the Cardinals.
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Bob Anderson is all set to work on Stan Musial
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once again at the plate. Now Musial has a count
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of three balls and one strike. Sammy Taylor,
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Chicago catcher, flashes out the next sign. Here's
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the wind -up by Bob Anderson, the next pitch
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into Musial. There's a ball that goes all the
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way by Taylor, ball four, and Musial strutting
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up to first base, but Taylor's not chasing the
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ball. Instead, he's arguing with the plate umpire,
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Vic Delmore, evidently claiming that the ball
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hit Musial's bat. Musial now is on his way to
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second base. The throw down to second base sails
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over Tony Taylor's head into right center field.
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There's another ball coming out from behind the
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plate somewhere. It's taken by the shortstop.
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Bernie Banks, Musial gets up from his slide and
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is going to try for third base. And Banks runs
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him down and puts the tag on Musial. Boy, what
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a big lube bar we have in the field right now.
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Bill Joukowsky, the second base umpire, I believe
20:17
is the one who was called Musial out between
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second and third. The Cardinals are up in arms
20:21
about it now. The big point is here, which is
20:24
the official baseball? The ball four that went
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by Sammy Taylor went back to the base of the
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screen. It evidently was picked up by the third
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baseman, Al Dark. who threw out to Ernie Banks
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the other baseball I think was thrown by the
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pitcher Bob Anderson. He evidently acquired in
20:39
some way the baseball from the plate umpire Vic
20:42
Delmore, thus allowing two baseballs to be in
20:45
play at the same time. Not all the bloopers are
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confined to the playing field. Lou, since we've
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been working with Weebolts this year, I'm learning
20:52
more about women's clothes every day. Now, for
20:55
example, do you know what a shadow panel is?
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Well, old chap, I have it the foggiest. What
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is it? It's a lining they put in women's slips.
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And they have these slips at Weebolts? Do they?
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Say, don't ad -lib, just read what's on the script.
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Well, Kaiser makes them in nylon, and it's light
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as a feather. These slips are edged with lace
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at the top and bottom. They sound great, huh?
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They sure do. That's the last one of those we'll
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get all summer, I bet. How about it, fellas?
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One more time. And another thing, Jackson. This
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year, for the first time, Wee Bolts is including
21:52
popular stretch pantyhose in this sale. They're
21:55
regularly $3, but now you can get them for $2
21:58
.39. The Cubs efforts to produce a winning team
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in those years are marked more by individual
22:23
achievement than by overall team effectiveness.
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Here's the wind -up by Don Cardwell and the 3
22:35
-1 pitch. Strike called, 3 -2, and Cunningham
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is arguing now. He's really sore. He is really
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peeved at that strike two that was called. He's
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back here barking at Tony Benson, the plate umpire.
22:52
Three balls, two strikes to count. One more pitch
22:56
could end the ballgame. You know what kind of
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a pitch we're hoping for. The dark one. Blow
23:03
it past him, Don. Three balls. Two strikes. Cunningham
23:06
waits. Cardwell into the windup. Here's the biggest
23:09
pitch of this ballgame. Lined into left field.
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Here's Moore. Coming. He got it! Minus the dramatics,
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a hustling Cubs second baseman also writes his
23:35
name into the record books. The 2 -1 pitch to
23:38
Johnny Edwards. Fastball hit on the ground to
23:40
Kenny Hubbs. Here it is, the record breaker.
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He throws him out, and that's number 415 for
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Hubbs, which breaks the record. He just threw
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Johnny Edwards out to retire the side, and it's
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the 415th consecutive chance for Hubbs without
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an error, and Dusty Boggess gives him the baseball,
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and that'll go in a very treasured place. Cubs
24:00
comes out and accepts the ball from Boggess and
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tips his cap, acknowledging the cheers of the
24:05
fans here in Cincinnati. 1966. Baseball by committee
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gives way to the uniquely singular leadership
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of Leo DeRocher. Hard -nosed, winning baseball
24:19
returns to Wrigley Field. The Cubs open the 1969
24:24
season against Philadelphia. Bottom of the 11th.
24:28
With two out, a man on, and the Cubs trailing
24:30
by a run, pinch hitter Willie Smith lights the
24:33
fuse to one of the most explosive years in Chicago
24:36
Cubs history. Willie hits one high, deep right
24:40
field. It could be. It is a home run. A home
24:46
run for Willie Smith. as a welcoming committee
24:59
for Willie. They mob him at home plate. The Cubs
25:05
have pulled it out on Willie Smith. Two -run
25:08
pinch hit homer into the bleachers in right field.
25:13
Given little more than an outside chance in preseason
25:16
polls, the Cubs break fast in their drive to
25:18
bring Chicago its first National League flag
25:20
in 24 years. Sharing the early season heroics
25:23
that carry the Cubs to the top of the National
25:25
League East. are Fergie Jenkins en route to another
25:28
20 -game season, his battery mate Randy Huntley,
25:31
Willie Smith, Al Spangler, Don Kessinger, Phil
25:35
Regan, but the pace setter of them all, the leader
25:38
whose spirited performance exemplifies the inspired
25:41
play of this 1969 ball club is Mr. Cub himself,
25:45
Ernie Banks. Pass ball to swing and there's one
25:48
hit deep. Goes to left field. Hits way back.
25:50
Hits goal. Going. Goal! a grand slammer for Ernie
25:55
Banks, number 12 of his career. In all the excitement
26:01
of the Cubs' early surge, little attention is
26:03
given the improving New York Mets, whose promising
26:06
young staff blossoms almost overnight. On July
26:10
9th, the Cubs are treated to a personal demonstration
26:12
of this overpowering pitching brilliance. Before
26:15
a capacity crowd at Shea Stadium, Tom Seaver
26:18
sets the Cubs down one, two, three, through eight
26:21
perfect innings. With the crowd roaring on every
26:24
pitch, fate comes to bat in the person of Jimmy
26:27
Qualls. He swings a drive into left center field.
26:30
It's in there for a base hit. There goes the
26:33
perfect ball game, and Qualls is on with a line
26:35
drive single. The Cubs drop two out of three
26:38
to New York, but the Northsiders rebound to take
26:41
the Mets the following week in Wrigley Field.
26:43
And by August 6th, their division lead has zoomed
26:46
to a comfortable eight and a half games. San
26:50
Diego. August 13th, the Cubs threatening. Stretching
26:54
the 3 -2 pitch to Williams. Runner's going. He
26:56
swings a liner back to Necro. He grabs it. Steps
26:59
on second for one. Out for the second out. And
27:02
then tags Brent Beckert for a triple play. Even
27:09
a triple play can't deny Bill Hands his 15th
27:12
victory of the season. A season that reaches
27:15
its peak the following week. The Braves at Wrigley
27:18
Field. Kenny Holtzman on the threshold of one
27:20
of those things. Hammering Henry Aaron at bat
27:23
on the 7th. 2 -2 pitch. Aaron swings. That baby
27:26
is hit. Look out. It's way back there in left
27:28
field. Bailey Williams back to the bleachers.
27:30
Back to the corner. Keep up. Holy mackerel. That
27:37
ball was seconded to go to the bleachers. And
27:40
the wind moved it just away from the bleachers
27:42
to the farthest. With two outs in the ninth and
27:50
the Braves still without a hit, the dangerous
27:53
Mr. Aaron returns as Atlanta's last hope. A nervous
27:57
crowd, an excited crowd here at Wrigley Field
28:00
on a beautiful afternoon. That open looking down
28:05
looks to be called. Dotsie's head steps back.
28:07
Here's the pitch. Fastball. He swings. Ground
28:09
ball to Bickert. Here's the throw. He's out.
28:12
Do it! Holtzman's masterpiece lifts the Cubs
28:40
to new heights, but the rarefied air proves too
28:43
much as the division leaders drop their next
28:45
three games, setting the stage for Mr. Dependable,
28:48
Jim Hickman. Satchel Paige used to say, never
29:06
look back. You never know who may be gaining
29:08
on you. Well, a season of looking back finally
29:11
begins to catch up with the tiring Chicago club.
29:14
Their lead shrinking fast, the Cubs are but one
29:17
out away from a big win over the Pirates. Just
29:20
one out away. Stargell at bat. There's a well
29:26
-hit ball. Look out. That's gone. Way back there,
29:30
all the way out on Wayland Avenue, or rather
29:32
on Sheffield Avenue, over the right field wall.
29:34
That is a home run, and we have a brand new ball
29:37
game at Wrigley Field. Pittsburgh scores two
29:40
unearned runs in the 11th to win the game many
29:42
call the turning point of the season. September
29:45
10th. After a season -long chase, the Mets catch
29:48
and pass the Cubs. The New Yorkers streak on
29:50
to win the Eastern Division title and the National
29:52
League pennant, then upset Baltimore to win the
29:55
World Series. It was all over now but the shouting.
29:59
The shouts from disappointed but not disheartened
30:02
Cub fans. Wait till next year. It's a mature,
30:22
determined Chicago Cub team that takes to the
30:24
field in 1970. The wounds of the 69 collapse
30:28
hopefully healed. Pennant race aside, fan interest
30:32
early in the season focuses on the individual
30:34
performances of two all -time Cub greats. The
30:37
first milestone culminates April 30th, the Cubs
30:40
at Atlanta. Here comes Billy Williams. They make
30:43
the announcement here that this is his 1 ,000th
30:46
consecutive game, a National League record. Now
30:49
on the auxiliary scoreboard, it says congratulations,
30:51
Billy, and he gets it. A very fine hand and several
30:55
of the customers here in Atlanta, Georgia tonight
30:58
are beginning to stand and more and more of them
31:01
now getting to their feet to give Billy a standing
31:06
ovation. May 12th, the friendly confines of Wrigley
31:10
Field. It's patron saint at bat. His moving fingers
31:14
and cocked wrists taking aim at the record book.
31:17
1 -1 pitch. He swings and a drive. Leiter left
31:19
field. It is. There it is. Thanks, let's just
31:23
get it. Not all of Banks' big hits, however,
31:55
are for the distance, as Ernie proves to the
31:57
Mets' Gary Gentry the following day. Fastball
31:59
swung on, drive into left field, comes on, dropped
32:02
by the left fielder, Dave Marshall gets behind
32:04
him, Banks makes the turn and holds at first
32:07
base, and Jimmy Enright, the official scorer,
32:10
has to decide whether that's the first hit of
32:13
the ballgame or an error. It is a hit! May 28th,
32:17
That Man Hickman. picks up where he left off
32:20
in 69 to spark the Cubs' early charge. Hickman
32:24
swings a drive. Deep left field. It is back.
32:27
It is a home run, and the Cubs win at Hickman.
32:32
Line, drive, home run. Holy mackerel. What a
32:39
water. Hickman's hot bat will continue to sizzle
32:44
through most of the campaign. On June 3rd, his
32:47
game -winning homer against the Dodgers moves
32:49
the Cubs two and a half games up on the Mets.
32:51
But the lead doesn't hold. The advantage of an
32:55
early 11 -game winning streak is all but erased
32:57
as the Cubs are unable to shake a slump. On June
33:00
24th, the Mets get in their licks twice. Holborn
33:03
looks at first, Chamsky swings, base hit into
33:05
left field. Here's Harrelson coming up the line
33:08
to score easily. Jones stops at second on the
33:13
sharp single to left field off the bat of Shamsky.
33:16
So he gets into the RBI act and the Mets now
33:19
lead us 8 -1. Game two follows suit. 2 -0 pitch.
33:23
Dyer swings a drive into left field for a base
33:26
hit. Here comes Yost waving that runner around
33:28
third. And Billy Williams throw cut off by Popovich.
33:31
Throw to second. The runner gets back just in
33:34
time. This is Andy Olsen, the second base umpire.
33:40
Mets lead 4 -1. And the New Yorkers' double win
33:43
moves them past Chicago into the division lead.
33:46
The Chicago losing streak reaches 12, one shy
33:50
of the all -time Cub record, before Fergie Jenkins
33:53
snaps the string by blanking the Cardinals 5
33:56
-0. July 5th, with the Northsiders again beginning
34:00
to close in, the pennant race and tempers heat
34:02
up as the Cubs and the Pirates do their July
34:04
4th celebrating a day late. Rocher's having some
34:08
words with Ellis. Ellis, yeah. Ellis not looking
34:10
at him right away. But before Leo leaves, he's
34:12
some 20 feet away from Ellis. He's letting have
34:15
some of Leo's finest language right now. And
34:18
Leo is now making a gesture to Ellis as though
34:20
he's challenging him. And Leo is walking over
34:23
towards home plate. And Galassi steps between
34:25
them. So does the other umpire. And both dugouts
34:28
are empty. And it's Joe Amalfitano who puts his
34:33
arms around his skipper. Takes him away. Don
34:37
Leppert, one of the coaches, is trying to get
34:40
to Leo. And now we're having a free -for -all.
34:43
A fight has erupted here at Wrigley Field this
34:46
afternoon. And squads of both teams here. Some
34:50
holding players back. Some are in the melee and
34:52
the fighting. And it all started over the brushback
34:58
pitch. First to Hickman and then to Doc Ellis.
35:02
Beckert is in there. He is on somebody. Pirate
35:06
comes up. He's trying to swing and he's being
35:08
held back. And now he wants to get at whoever's
35:10
on that ground. And they're pulling players apart.
35:14
July 6th. Peace and quiet return to Wrigley Field
35:17
until Ron Santo steps up to the plate. There's
35:21
one kiss. It's going. It's going. Stay fair.
35:24
It does. It's gone. Kiss it goodbye. Ron Santo
35:28
hits a two -run home run. High out of the screen,
35:32
beyond the catwalk, in deep left field. That
35:36
gives the Cubs the lead, 2 -0. Way into the drive,
35:40
deep center field. Back goes Oscar, back to the
35:43
Vines. It's a home run! A great slammer for Sato!
35:50
His second of the year, the Cubs lead 4 -0. There's
35:55
the drive, deep center field. This baby is way,
35:57
way... a shot out about 440 feet. Has he got
36:14
the range? Man, oh man. The Cubs sweep both ends
36:18
of the twin bill with the Expos, but remain in
36:20
third place four and a half games out. Joining
36:23
newcomer Milt Pappas to give the Northsiders
36:25
a late season lift, Chicago's exciting new center
36:28
fielder adds to the attack with his first Cub
36:31
hit. Here's the pitch to Pepitone. He swings
36:33
and lines that ball into right field for a base
36:35
hit. Billy Williams rounds third. There goes
36:37
Hickman. 2 -3rd, and the Cubs now lead 1 -0 on
36:42
Pepitone's line drive base hit. August 19th,
36:47
Cub power returns. Oh, man, does it return. Here's
36:52
a stretch, 3 -0 pitch, Hickman swings. It's gone!
36:55
There's a tremendous hope there for Hickman.
36:58
Way over the left field, Waiters on the way to
37:01
an avenue. The Cubs lead 3 -0. Curve, he swings.
37:06
That may be his tag. It is gone. Another home
37:10
run for Hickman. Into the bleachers. And the
37:15
Cubs lead 7 -0. There's a swing and a well -hit
37:20
drive for center field. Casting back, back, back.
37:24
Home run onto the asthma turf. Covering the center
37:28
field bleachers and Bergey with that long, loping
37:31
front. Tours the bases and the fans stand up
37:34
and give him an ovation. Wind up by Dukes. Fastball
37:37
swung on. That baby is hit hard. Right field.
37:39
Way back. Hold run for Billy. He throws one into
37:45
the right field bleachers. Boy, did he kiss it.
37:48
Here's the wind -up 2 -1 pitch. Pepitone swings.
37:51
A drive deep right field. That baby is gone.
37:55
He swings. There's a well -in drive deep to right
37:58
field. That is... Here's the swing, a while at
38:02
drive, left field, Becker may have one. It is
38:06
a home run for Jay Becker in the left field feature.
38:12
Oh, a backer. Holder number seven for the Cubs
38:17
today. The Cubs' on -again, off -again late -season
38:20
charge keeps them in the pennant pack. September
38:23
12th, in a crucial Cubs -Pittsburgh showdown,
38:26
shades of 1969, Stargell at bat. He goes after
38:30
the first pitch and he hits a shot high and deep
38:32
to right center field. Look out. It's gone. Home
38:35
run. Hickman's homer in the ninth makes it close,
38:38
but the Cubs still lose. September 13th. Two
38:43
outs in the ninth. The Cubs trailing. And an
38:45
easy pop fly is about to write finish for Chicago
38:48
in 70. There's a swing and a high fly ball. This
38:51
game is going to be over. Coming in is Matty
38:53
Alou. Coming on. Coming on. He reaches out. He
38:56
drops the ball. Quinn carrying it in, and the
39:00
puck's going to break. Willie Smith reaches second
39:02
base as Matty Alou and the high fly ball. Started
39:07
in rather slowly, and then with the wind pushing
39:09
it in, tried to put out a burst of speed. Alou,
39:12
that's the way they turn things around. Yes,
39:14
it can with Kessinger here. Both glass, and Sagian
39:18
was jumping up, thinking they had to third out.
39:20
But when I looked up, Matty Alou was really playing
39:23
very deep. for Willie Smith with that wind blowing
39:26
it in. So here could be a break for the Cubs.
39:29
Let's hope we can take advantage of this opportunity.
39:32
In fact, this could change the entire complex
39:35
of the rest of this season. The Cubs are quick
39:38
to capitalize on the break and win the game,
39:40
but their momentum stops right there. Instead
39:43
of demoralizing the Pirates, the error becomes
39:45
a rallying point around which Pittsburgh builds
39:48
a drive that takes them to the division title.
39:50
So the Cubs bid for a pennant fall short for
39:53
the second year in a row. But as they say, that's
39:55
baseball. You win some, you lose some. The Cubs
39:59
know. They've run the gamut. They've won ten
40:01
pennants in the 20th century. They've finished
40:04
last, too. But they always come back. The Chicago
40:08
Cubs. Pop Anson. Frank Chance. Johnny Ebers,
40:12
Joe Tinker, Rube Waddell, Rogers Hornsby, Grover
40:17
Cleveland Alexander, Gabby Hartman, Mordecai
40:21
Brown, Bill Lee, Larry French, Lon Warnicke,
40:25
Tex Carlton, Vern Olson, Hank Baroi, Johnny Schmitz,
40:30
Clay Bryant, Bob Rush, Emil Cush, Ed Hanaszewski,
40:35
Charlie Root, Larry Jackson, Dick Ellsworth,
40:39
Dutch Leonard, Dizzy Dean. And hundreds more.
41:06
The Chicago Cubs. with a rich heritage built
41:10
on a tradition as old as organized baseball itself.
41:14
Another championship can't be too far away for
41:17
our own wild, wonderful, and unforgettable Chicago
41:22
Cubs.