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Happy birthday to Lance Johnson, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1970 – At Wrigley Field, it’s all Ron Santo today. Ron’s two-run homer in the opener gives the Cubs a 3-2 win over the Expos. In the nightcap, Santo drives in another eight runs on two homers and a bases-loaded walk as the Cubs win, 14-2, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
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2010 – Alex Rodriguez hits the 21st grand slam of his career and adds a solo homer to bring his career total to 597 long balls. CC Sabathia wins his seventh consecutive start to improve to 11-3 on the year. A-Rod’s slam ties him with Manny Ramirez for second on the all-time list, two behind Yankee legend Lou Gehrig.
Today in Cubs history:
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1932 – Cubs SS Billy Jurges is shot twice in his Chicago, IL hotel room by a spurned girlfriend, Violet Popovich Valli. In a scuffle for the gun, Jurges is hit in the shoulder and hand. Jurges fails to prosecute, and Valli will be signed to a 22-week contract to sing in local nightclubs and theaters. She is billed as “Violet (What I Did for Love) Valli – the Most Talked About Girl in Chicago.”
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1980 – Cub relief pitchers hold the Pirates hitless for 12.2 innings but it goes for naught in a 5-4, 20-inning loss. Cliff Johnson‘s two-out homer in the ninth off Bert Blyleven ties it for Chicago. Jim Bibby (11-1) takes the win.
Cubs Birthdays: Lance Johnson*, Frank Kellert.
Today in history:
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1776 – American Declaration of Independence announced on front page of “PA Evening Gazette”.
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1853 – William Wells Brown publishes “Clotel,” the first novel by an African American.
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1885 – Louis Pasteur successfully gives an anti-rabies vaccine to 9-year-old Joseph Meister, saving his life.
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1928 – First all-talking motion picture shown in NY (Lights of New York).
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1957 – John Lennon (16) and Paul McCartney (15) meet for the first time as Lennon’s rock group, the Quarrymen, perform at St. Peter’s Woolton Parish Church in Liverpool; mutual friend Ivan Vaughn introduces them.
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1971 – White House Plumbers unit formed to plug news leaks.
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2003 – Martina Navratilova claims her 20th all-time Wimbledon title as she and Leander Paes beat Andy Ram & Anastassia Rodionova 6-3, 6-3 in the mixed doubles final.
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2022 – Dramatic day in British politics as more than 40 government ministers and aides withdraw their support from PM Boris Johnson and resign, a 24 hour record.
*pictured.
