June 29, 1908 - Cubs lose, newspaper comics are not funny

Cubs commit three errors to lose 5-3. Also let a run score during argument with the umpire. In other news, the newspaper comics aren't funny.

The good news is today's game marks the return of the Big Sexy Orval Overall, who's been out with an injury. Unfortunately, the Cubs played terrible defense that pretty much cost them the game. In addition to three errors in the field, a mental error during an argument with the umpire in the first inning allowed another run to score.

Remember kids ... it is very important to always call time out before you start letting an umpire know how much he sucks!

Reds first baseman John Ganzel hit a base hit to right, and third baseman Hans Lobert managed to score on the play, narrowly avoiding the tag of Cubs catcher Johnny Kling. At least that's what the umpire thought. Kling and the Cubs thought differently, and began arguing their case to the ump. And while doing this, the runner on third Dode Paskert somehow managed to sneak home behind the backs of three Cubs players while they stood there right around home plate yelling at the umpire.

Sigh ... Orval Overall should've batted his baby blue eyes at the umpire ... that would've had a much better chance of working. He's so dreamy!

Things just got worse from there with three errors in the field, including one from Joe Tinker, who hadn't made an error in over a month. Meanwhile for the Reds, a guy who had been working in a New York police court as a clerk, Jack Doscher, held the Cubs in check to pick up the win. That's right, just days before he was pushing papers in some court room and playing semi-pro ball on the weekends, and today he managed to defeat the defending World Champions for one of only two wins in his major league career. Unfortunately for Jack, this was win #2, and he never won another game. Losing three decisions for the Reds during the rest of the season and then never appearing in the majors again.

But who's the big winner today? Jack's the big winner!

In non-baseball news, I guess I just don't understand newspaper comics and why they were such a big deal. Sure I read a little Garfield and Charlie Brown as a kid, but this was the FRONT PAGE of the Tribune on this day in 1908 ...

Ummm ... Huh?

Is this supposed to be funny? Or were they going for "scare the crap out of children right before the 4th of July?" If it was choice #2, I think it was working.

Firework injuries must've been a big deal back then (or at least firework detonation), because I've seen something about firework safety mentioned in the paper every day for the last week.

Happy 4th of July kids ... try not to go blind!

In summary ... the 5-3 Cubs loss drops them to 37-22 on the year. Pittsburgh got rained out, so unfortunately that means bye bye first place, because the Pirates now have a half game lead. Two more games in Cincy, followed by six big ones against those very Pirates.