July 28, 1908 - Cubs rally for a big win. Also, what would you buy if you were REALLY rich?

Late inning heroics from catcher Johnny Kling gave the Cubs a come from behind 4-2 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Also, what would you buy if you were REALLY rich?

After yesterday's hard-luck loss in game two of the doubleheader, things seemed to be heading down that same unlucky path for the Cubs today. The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the 2nd on a cheap hit by opposing pitcher Harry McIntire, and the Cubs then stranded runners in scoring position three of the next four innings.

Fast-forward to the eighth inning where the Cubs still trailed by the same score, and looked poised to drop a second straight game to the bottom-feeding Brooklyn Dodgers. Fortunately, catcher Johnny Kling took matters into his own hands.

Del Howard led off the top of the eighth with a base hit, followed by a Solly Hofman flyout. So with one out in the inning, the dreamy Kling strode the plate with his flowing locks (NOTE: I'm laying on thick) and promptly crushed a ball to left-center field ... which was a spacious 443 feet (even deeper than the 424 to center!). Kling raced around the bases, and despite the oncoming relay throw from the outfield, rounded third and headed for home. The throw to the plate was high, and Kling slid safely under the tag of catcher Bill Bergen for a two run homer and a 3-2 lead. (And the reward of a new pair of shoes when he returns to Chicago!)

Hey girl ... How YOU doin'?

The Cubs added an insurance run in the 9th on an RBI single from Harry Steinfeldt that plated Frank Chance. Meanwhile on the mound, Orval Overall had a great game, going the distance and striking out 10 Dodgers. The two runs in the second inning was really the only flub on an otherwise very strong day from Orvie.

One final Cubs note ... Notorious hothead Johnny Evers sat this one out courtesy of a three-game suspension he received after getting tossed in game two yesterday. I didn't mention it yesterday since it seemed pretty innocent ... Evers got tossed for arguing balls from the dugout in the last inning of the Cubs loss.

However, turns out he must've said some pretty vile stuff to umpire Cy Rigler. Not only did Rigler toss him, but sent off a four page transcript of Evers' insults to the league office, which deemed the diatribe enough to earn a little unpaid vacation for a few days.

I don't like you

In other news ... What would you buy if you were REALLY rich? And I don't mean "Hey I just got a nice promotion at work," I mean "I now have Bill Gates-like money sitting in my bank account."

Me?

Cheese cave.

Mmm ... cheese

I'm a food nerd (some would say "food snob," which I couldn't really argue with). And in my nerdom, I love making tons of things that most people would just as soon buy at the store and not go through the effort ... condiments, pickles, preserved lemons, cocktail tonic, chicken stock, etc etc.

But if I was REALLY rich, I want my own fancy cheeses that resided in my own fancy cheese cave down in the catacombs of my mansion. (So yeah ... I also want catacombs). And naturally, this cheese cave would be right next to the smoked meats room where all my awesome salamis and hams hung from the ceiling like the coolest Italian butcher shop you've ever been in.

Well in 1908, Mrs. Mary Gennar found herself pulling in a $1,500 windfall from her husband's life insurance policy. So Mary ran out and bought a house, a grand piano, fancy silk clothes, and ... a $400 parrot.

I should point out that the HOUSE cost $800. So this was one REALLY expensive parrot. In the 2016 price equivalent, that's like a $100,000 bird!

I should also point out that unfortunately, this story was in the news because Mary blew threw all her money, didn't buy milk for her baby, and the baby ended up dying of starvation. NOOOO!! Now I need to distract you with a picture of hanging meats!

Pretend that previous paragraph never happened

In summary ... the Cubs win puts them at 51-36 on the year. Pittsburgh and New York had their game called because of darkness after 16 innings, so the Cubs gained a half game and now trail the Pirates by two. Five games against lowly Boston starts tomorrow.