August 18, 1908: Cubs get spanked. Also, trying to tell a woman what to do ... yeah ... good luck w

The Cubs got whipped today by the visiting Phillies 8-3. Also, anyone that thinks they can tell a woman what they can and can't do is nuts.

Minor speed bump today as the Cubs' illustrious one-game winning streak was snapped with an 8-3 thumping by visiting Philadelphia. I will say this, the Phillies definitely had the Cubs' number back in 1908, especially as the visiting team.

With this game closing out the current four game series, the Phillies finish the 1908 season taking eight of their 11 games at the West Side Grounds. Definitely not the numbers you expect for your "home field advantage."

The Cubs jumped out to an early lead in the second inning thanks to a two-run homer from shortstop Joe Tinker, but the wheels came off in the 4th inning when the Phillies put three on the board against Cubs starter Carl Lundgren.

Lundgren managed to keep the Phillies scoreless in the 5th, but then the floodgates opened in the 6th when Philadelphia put five runs on the board against Lundgren and reliever Chick Fraser. Phillies first baseman Kitty Bransfield led the offensive charge, going 3-5 and scoring twice. Shortstop Mickey Doolin added a couple hits and a run as well and the Cubs were toast after the 6th inning explosion.

I did a bad job today

So let's look for a silver lining in this big dumb storm cloud ... Pittsburgh lost today too, so the Cubs didn't lose any ground! That makes it all better, right? No? OK ... well at least it doesn't make it worse.

In other news, telling a woman what she can and can't do is never a good idea. As a (happily) married man with two kids, I know two things about women ...

1) Never tell them what to do

2) That I know nothing else

It's sort of like the rules of Fight Club ... just always refer back to rule #1 and nothing else really matters.

Don't screw this up!

Well today in 1908, the Tribune is definitely not following rule #1 of Woman Club. Nor is the Chicago Transit Authority, who were in the process of trying to figure out different ways to get the city's public transportation to run faster and more efficiently.

Their solution? Women need to stop being so dumb. Their words, not mine ... don't kill me! Remember ... I follow rule #1 of Woman Club!

Turns out that in 1908 there were cars on the train that were specifically designated as smoking cars, and women were BANNED from these cars. Yup ... we can't possibly let your frail little lungs participate in this manly activity. We need you heathy so you can go home and make us dinner and do all the housework!

The transportation "expert" in the story, Millard B. Hereley sums it up best in this spectacular quote that he "had no hopes of finding out why, in general, [women] will or will not do things that they ought to do."

I'll tell you why ... YOU FORGOT RULE #1 OF WOMAN CLUB YOU DUMMY!!!!

So yeah ... women didn't really give a crap that they weren't allowed in the smoking car, and they went in there anyway. Shocker!

And you know who I feel the worst for in this story? Mrs. Millard B. Hereley. Good luck dealing with that dude back at home!

This is not Millard, but let's pretend it is

In summary, the Cubs loss drops them to 59-46 on the year, but the Pittsburgh loss keeps them at five and a half games out of first. In good news, the lousy Boston Doves flap their wings into town tomorrow for a four game series that presents a great chance to kick off a nice winning streak. (Foreshadowing!)