Thursday, February 6, 2014

Favorite Team.. Win Or Lose

First I have to say my apologies to the Cubs fans who read this blog. Growing up I was a Cubs fan myself before moving on to the Mariners, and Rockies.

A few months ago the MLB Network started showing the Ken Burns Baseball. Until we started watching the first inning. I had never had any interest in watching the documentary. Getting older I have started to appreciate more things about baseball as I go. While there have been moments in the documentary that I started to fade it always seemed to suck me back in before I was totally gone. Its been a great watch that has been taking us longer than expected to get through. Things moved along faster this past weekend while at the coast though. Before heading over we were at the start of the seventh inning. After leaving we were halfway through the bottom of the tenth. It's so much easier to watch the documentary on Netflix than having to fast-forward through every commercial break.

It wasn't until I believe the tenth inning that something really peaked our interest. One of the people talking made the comment that he was a Cubs fan. During the comment he said the Cubs even lost on the day I was born. This got the wife, and myself thinking about how common is that of an occurrence really? Curiosity got the best of me as I went straight to work on the day I was born. Without giving the exact date here is what I learned.

HOUSTON ASTROS-10
CHICAGO CUBS- 4


Winning pitcher Jack Billingham went 5 innings giving up three runs off five hits while striking out three.


Pappas took the loss giving up six runs in six innings. Milt struck out five, and gave up two home runs in the loss.

Looking at both teams rosters the Cubs had the most names I have heard. The Astros roster consisted of Joe Morgan, Jim Wynn, and Cesar Geronimo. Not all big names, but names I recognized nonetheless. Names for the Cubs were Poppas, Don Kessinger, Billy Williams, and the great Ron Santo. I think if I was still a Cubs fan odds are I'd recognize the entire roster, but I was young.

Keeping the wife's info out here is what I came up for her date of birth.

CHICAGO CUBS- 3
CINCINNATI REDS- 12


Only pitching for 2.1 innings, and giving up six runs off six hits. Hobbie took the loss as things didn't slow down when he was replaced by John Buzhardt. Another three runs crossed the plate after Hobbie left in the third. After the inning would end the Cubbies were already down 9-2


While Hobbie would struggle against the Reds, Purkey dominated the Cubs. Pitching a complete game six hit, and three run gem. Not only did he dominate the mound he was just as brutal at the plate. Hitting a double, and a home run. Purkey would finish with four RBI's in helping his own cause.

A quick look at the rosters gave the Cubs the advantage on players I've heard of. For the Cubs it was Bobby Thomson, and "Mr. Cub" Ernie Banks. The Reds came through with 1st baseman Frank Robinson. 

Rather than to keep picking on the Cubs. I'd love to hear what the final score was for your favorite team on the day you were born. You don't need to give a date just the score.

6 comments:

  1. I was born 5 days after the World Series concluded in '65. So the closest I have is Koufax beating Kaat and the Dodgers winning game 7 2-0 to take the trophy.

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  2. The Cubs didn't lose on the day I was born.....in fact they've never lost on my birthday.

    I was born on November 11.

    They've never won on my birthday, either.

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  3. I love the Ken Burns Baseball documentary. My dad watched each one, renting two at a time from Blockbuster (remember them?) A few years ago, before the advent of Netflix, I found 8 out of the 9 (before they released the 10th inning) on VHS from a thrift store and bought them for him for Christmas. That was a fun gift to give, he loved 'em.

    The Padres beat the Reds 1-0 on my birthday. Goose Gossage got the win and Tony Gwynn went 1 for 3 to raise his average to .369. Fun exercise, thanks for the idea!

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  4. I've actually written about this a couple of times on my blog. The A's beat the Tigers 4 to 1 and Joe Rudi hit a home run. On the other hand, the Padres were blown out by the Cubs 14 to 3 at Wrigley. Elrod Hendricks hit a pair of home runs that day.

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  5. I'm a December baby (1952) and nothing significant happened in baseball that day that I can find and obviously the Orioles (as a major league team) didn't exist.

    But on my twin sons (named for Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer) birthday, July 17 1989, the O's beat they Mariners, 8-4. I snapped a picture of them that day with a USA Today headline that reflected the previous day's win over the Angels: "O's Fly High" I think it was. I need to dig that up and post it on my blog.

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    1. That is cool. Would be an awesome story to hear about.

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