There aren't really enough clues in this photo to determine the date, though I think you could probably make an educated guess. The identity of the hitter should be pretty obvious -- go past the jump to find out when it was taken.
The hitter is Jim Hickman and the photo was taken on July 23, 1970. Hickman, though always a good hitter, was never at All-Star level -- except in 1970, one of the bigger fluke seasons in recent major league history. He set career highs that year -- by huge margins -- in runs, HR, RBI, doubles, walks and OPS. His 1.001 OPS was third in the National League, he made the All-Star team for the only time in his career, and finished eighth in MVP voting.
You may remember the famous collision at home plate in the 1970 All-Star Game between Pete Rose and Ray Fosse; it broke Fosse's collarbone and he was never quite the same player after that. It was Hickman who got the hit that drove Rose in on that play in the 12th inning.
On July 23, 1970, the Cubs beat the Reds 1-0. Milt Pappas, acquired one month earlier, was making only his sixth Cub appearance (fifth start). He threw a four-hit shutout and appeared to be a godsend -- he had posted a 1.29 ERA in those six outings. The only run in the game was unearned, scoring on a throwing error. Hickman was 1-for-2 with a walk in the game; the photo may have been taken in the seventh inning when he got that hit, but it's impossible to tell.
The 1970 Cubs had a fair amount of bad luck. Their Pythagorean projection was for a 94-68 record; they actually won ten fewer games. They scored almost 100 more runs than they did in 1969, but still finished five games behind the division-winning Pirates. They did manage a 7-5 record against the Reds, who won 102 games; the only other team who had a winning record vs. Cincinnati that year was the Padres, who went 10-8 against them.
0 recs | 55 comments
And thanks to Jack Brickhouse
I’ll always remember that Hickman was born in Henning, Tennessee.
rlpete - December 30, 2009
OT: Alex Haley
Alex Haley, the author of Roots, was from Henning, Tennessee. I always like to prop up folks from west Tennessee.
memphiscub - December 30, 2009
1970 Cubs
You could make a case that the 1970 squad came the closest of any Cubs team between 1945 and 1984 to making postseason play. They were only 1.5 games out with 11 to go. Of course, they promptly went 4-7 the rest of the way. As Al noted, that team only finished five games out in second place. The 1973 team only finished 5 games out but also finished in fifth place. I would say the 1970 Cubs were closer because they finished higher in the standings and with a better record than the 1973 team. I will note that the 1967, 1969, and 1972 clubs had better records than the 1970 team. All three of those teams finished more games out than the 1970 Cubs.
memphiscub - December 30, 2009
The bullpen didn't help again.
Except for ‘68 when Phil Regan was amazing, the Cub bullpen of the late 60s-early 70s was not good at all. I think Regan again led the team in appearances in ’70 and maybe even in ’71. I don’t remember specifics, I just remember me and my dad groaning when Jenkins, Hands, Holtzman or Pappas had to leave the game.
I didn’t realize the Cubs had scored 100 more runs than in ’69. You add Pappas and even to some degree, Pepitone, and you think that might have pushed them over the top.
Al – I think you and I have mentioned the September game against the Pirates when Matty Alou dropped the easy fly that would have been the final out and the Cubs went on to get a string of hits that won the game and brought them within that game and a half of Pittsburgh. Had the Cubs gone on to win that year, there would have been several million Cub fans claiming that they had been at that game. Would be one of the most famous games in Cub history. But… you know.
the nth - December 30, 2009
The game you're talking about is...
… this one. After this game the Cubs were only one game out of first place after that win. We were all very optimistic.
The Cubs went 8-9 and the Pirates 12-5 after that day, unfortunately.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
Oh. And once again in 1970,
no center fielder.
the nth - December 30, 2009
who was the last, best CF that we had?
cooliogirl47 - December 30, 2009
Had some
brief success with Walton (one year) Bob Denier had a couple years. And we can not forget about Ty Waller.
wild bill - December 30, 2009
I loved Bobby Denier...
everyone else was a Sandberg fan….I brought a green and yellow sign with me to a game once that said “nothing runs like a Denier” …get it? I thought it was so clever!
cooliogirl47 - December 30, 2009
Do you remember
Tuffy Rhodes? He had an unbelievable Opening Day against Doc Gooden in 1994. It was all down hill from there, though.
deadcatbounce - December 30, 2009
He
did go on to Japan I think and did well. Yes he had three dingers that day. Correct down hill from that day on with his stay with the Cubbies.
wild bill - January 12, 2010
Lance Johnson?
Or Kenny Lofton for half of a season.
tripdenten - December 30, 2009
The last really good CF the Cubs had...
…. for any length of time was Rick Monday, who had five good years in the 1970’s.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
wow...that's a long time ago....excuse my language, but, wtf?
cooliogirl47 - December 30, 2009
Well, you have a point.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
AS CFs go, it might have been nice
to hold onto Bill North. Oh well. We got Bob Locker and North got two World Series rings. It was a win-win!
the nth - December 30, 2009
AS CFs go, it might have been nice
to hang on to Bill North. Oh well. We got Bob Locker and North got two World Series rings. It was a win-win!
Sorry. Don’t know what happened to the other post.
the nth - December 30, 2009
Could have kept Oscar Gamble, too.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
Forgettable
Some of the more forgettable CF’s during my time were, Al Heist, Ellis Burton, Billy Cowan, Ty Cline, Ty Waller, Cleo James, Brock Davis, Boots Day, Don Young. And don’t forget the ill-fated attempts at making a CFer out of guys who had no business ouit there, like, Sori, GlenAllen Hill, Joe Pepitone, Jim Hickman, and Leon Durham.
KedzieKid - December 30, 2009
Sosa was both
Started out in CF with Texas, White Sox and even first couple years with Cubs before moving to RF. Can’t recall how he did defensively, but seeing as how he was still young and fast, I imagine he wasn’t a complete moran out there.
But when the Cubs went with the elephant outfield in 1999, that was comical seeing Sammy in center, flanked by Oh Henry! in left and GAHill in right.
ballhawk - December 30, 2009
LOL @ "elephant outfield"
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
Glenallen Hill
He had tremendous raw power even though he wasn’t as physically big as some of his contemporaries. He never was consistent enough at the plate. Well, that “defense” didn’t even rise to the level of mediocre. He was just plain bad in the field.
memphiscub - December 30, 2009
"Wasn't a complete moran"
I hope he wasn’t a morOn either…
Musicdude10 - December 30, 2009
He was referencing this classic Cardinals pic...
carmen_fanzone - December 30, 2009
I LOVE that picture
I don’t think I’d like as much if the guy wasn’t wearing the cardinals shirt
Musicdude10 - December 31, 2009
Rick Monday
I only remember Monday as a Dodger with that home run on a Monday in Montreal to beat the Expos in the NLCS. I didn’t get home from my third grade class until that game was over. In fact, I didn’t see that game in its entirety until MLB Network re-ran it as one of its “All-Time Games”. I see that Monday was actually a more productive player with the Cubs than he was with Los Angeles. A lot of my people my age don’t know that.
memphiscub - December 30, 2009
I have an old Louisville Slugger
with Rick Monday’s name etched into the barrell, well before my time.
tripdenten - December 30, 2009
thats what i have heard too
StevenABQ - December 30, 2009 via mobile
thats what i have heard too
But man seems like along time ago
StevenABQ - December 30, 2009 via mobile
Jerome Walton
Looked like he was going to be there Center Fielder for the next 10 years or more. But he never again came close to the year he had as a rookie.
NYCUB FAN - December 30, 2009
Honesty compels me to say,
I totally agree……….I was convinced we had something special with Jerome Walton …….but goshdamnit….it was not to be.
deadcatbounce - December 30, 2009
First game I ever attended
This was the first baseball game I ever attended. I was 5 years old and my cousins took me to the game. I can remember enough of the game to have found the box score a few years ago.
I guess this game is what made me a Cubs fan. The only thing that could have been better is if Ernie Banks had played so I could have said I saw him play
John in DC - December 30, 2009 via mobile
I believe the Cubs have now what we should call "The Curse of Sammy Sosa"
ever since he walked away from this team in 2004, we haven’t been able to permantely replace him in the outfield
2005: Jeromy Burnitz
2006: Jacque Jones
2007: Murton//Cliff Floyd, and sometimes Jones
2008: Kosuke Fukudome
2009: Milton Bradley
2010: ?
It’s a mess..
Chanman25 - December 30, 2009
2009 will be Kosuke Fukudome in RF.
The CF will be new.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
eh, well still, the position has been unstable since 2004
Chanman25 - December 30, 2009
The only constant since Sosa in the OF
Has been Soriano. And it’s not like we’d hold onto him if we could get rid of him
Musicdude10 - December 30, 2009
I remember the days...
of Rick Monday in CF for the Cubs well. I spent alot of time out in the bleachers back then. Al, I remember Monday as a power hitting leadoff man. Did he ever hit anywhere else in the batting order as a Cub?
montecarlo - December 30, 2009
Looking at his game logs...
… the only year he batted primarily leadoff was his last year as a Cub, 1976. The other years he batted all over the order — most commonly, 5th or 6th.
Even in those days, he was miscast as a middle of the order hitter. His best year as a Cub was ’76, the year he hit leadoff, though oddly, his OBA was lowest of the 5 years he had as a Cub, while his SLG went up. Go figure.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
where can I find these answers????
…why does where a player bat in the line-up mean so much….how does Free agency work, arbitration, how do more than 2 teams make a trade. How does a player get in the HOF, how does a commissioner get in, how does he get out? and who’s this Scott Boras guy? How do players work their way up thru the minors….I’m reading Cubs by the Numbers now (which seems like it was written just for me and I’m loving it) but in addition to it I’d like a baseball referance-type book…..any suggestions?
cooliogirl47 - December 30, 2009
Wow, that's a lot of different questions.
Let me think about it or maybe someone else can chip in.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
...that would be great, thanks:)
…until then…I’m on to Jersey “#8: The Hawk”
cooliogirl47 - December 30, 2009
Here's a couple of suggestions.
Regarding the economics of baseball, try two books by Andrew Zimbalist: “Baseball and Billions”, and “In The Best Interests of Baseball?” The latter is a good examination fo the commissioner’s office.
Michael Lewis’ “Moneyball” is an excellent read to see how a modern front office works.
For info about the Hall of Fame, try Bill James’ Historical Baseball Abstract or his “Whatever Happened to the Hall of Fame?”
That’ll get you started.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
Cool... Thanks!!
cooliogirl47 - December 30, 2009
You're welcome.
Glad you are enjoying “Cubs By The Numbers”, too.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
1970 Cubs
Ironically this team broke my heart as much as the 69 team. Hickman was a stud this year. I had the opportunity to meet him a few times and he was the most humble gentleman you could meet. The starting pitching that year was great with the addition of Pappas. They led the league with 59 complete games. Fergie had 24 of them. Dont think anybody is going to do that in 2010! They were 2 games out in mid September but had to play their last 14 games on the road! Brutal end to another disappointing season.
Tingham - December 30, 2009
You know, I had forgotten that.
A 14-game road trip to end the season? That would be unheard-of today. I suspect they might have scheduled that to piss off Durocher. Most of baseball hated Durocher by then — it’s one reason the Cubs had such a crappy bench in those days, no one wanted to make a deal with Durocher.
The 1970 Cubs were 46-34 at home, 38-44 on the road (had to make up a home rainout on the road). But what really killed them was their bullpen — they were 17-21 in one-run games.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
1970?
That was the last year for the Bears at Wrigley. Perhaps Wrigley granted them early access for some pre-season games?
Or, most likely Halas paid Wrigley for the right to prepare the park earlier for games.
That seems the most likely reason for a 14-game road trip to end the season.
The Bears never had to worry about losing some extra dates for home games in September, when you think about it. (Unfortunately….)
I believe the Astros vacated the Astrodome for nearly 3 weeks when the GOP held their convention in Houston in 1992….
San Diego Smooth Jazz Man - December 30, 2009
The Bears did play a home game in September 1970...
… before that, they had opened on the road till October virtually every year. The game was on 9/27, which was the final Sunday of the regular baseball season in 1970. Don’t know how long it took to set up those temporary bleachers.
I doubt it was for preseason games. If you recall, most NFL preseason games in that era were NOT played in the teams’ home stadiums.
It may have been a post-merger NFL mandate to have at least one home game in September for every team. It seems very unlikely that the Cubs would have voluntarily gone on the road that long.
Al Yellon - December 30, 2009
Wasn't the September game in 1970 the one
the Bears and Eagles played in Evanston?
the nth - December 30, 2009
I checked and it was indeed the game played at NU's Dyche Stadium
The Bears won in true Bear fashion 20-16. Cecil Turner returned a kickoff for a TD. The Bear offense “piled up” twelve first downs.
No Bear runner averaged close to three yards a carry. Mike Hull, that guy who stood in the backfield next to O.J. Simpson at USC, carried the ball the most for the Bears – 8 times for 17 yards. The Bears had taken Hull in the first round a couple of years earlier apparently in the mistaken belief that having the best view of O.J. Simpson’s runs at USC would somehow rub off and make him a productive pro. He wasn’t.
Jack Concannon threw for 105 yards but the only TD pass for the Bears was thrown by Ronnie Bull to Dick Gordon in the second quarter. Here are the details on this “thrilling” victory.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197009270chi.htm
the nth - December 31, 2009
Thanks for looking that up.
I had forgotten the Bears did play that home game in Evanston.
That makes it even more silly for the Cubs to have had to end the season with a 14-game road trip.
Al Yellon - December 31, 2009
Anyone remember this guy...Adolpho Phillips
One of the most talented players I’ve ever seen. He was traded to the Cubs along with Fergie Jenkins in 1966. Interesting story…
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=1393671
njcub - December 31, 2009
Loved Hickman!!
He was a great pickup by GM Holland, for whom?? I forgot…lotta key homers in 69 to help the Cubs take that big lead…replaced Ernie starting in ’70. Where did he hit in the lineup, anyone remember? was usually Kess, beckert, Williams, Santo for sure, then Hickman? Before Banks (when Hickman played CF).
I don’t remember his defense being bad in OF either altho I assume he was no speedster, he got to the balls hit near him, nothing flashy.
I was unhappy when Cubs traded him—to St. Louis, I think, for a mediocre IF whose name escapes me. Decent bench/PH for Cards for awhile, and then back to Henning, TN.
The Cubs LP Great Moments in Cub history contains some incredible HR calls by Vince Lloyd…."Hickman swings….It’s gone!!! There’s a tremendous home run for Hickman….’’
QuincyCub - December 31, 2009
That was one of Holland's better trades.
He got Hickman AND Phil Regan from the Dodgers for Jim Ellis and Ted Savage.
Al Yellon - December 31, 2009
yea, excellent
It’s often said or believed the Cubs weren’t trying to win under Wrigley ownership. That may have been true for times in the ‘50 and early ’60s but not in late ’60s and early ’70s they made a lotta shrewd trades (this, Pappas, Jenkins, etc.) and picked up players toward end of season (Pizarro, Peppi, Carty etc.) to try to get over the hump. Budget wasn’t much of a factor in those days, it was never mentioned what players made as free agency didn’t exist until, when, 1977 or so?
Last 10 years of ownership were pretty horrible tho after 1973 but some good players continued to pass through late 70s before Trib took over and got a little more serious about winning.
QuincyCub - December 31, 2009
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