August 31, 1908: Cubs win their 9th straight and are now tied for first place. Also, long live stra

The Cubs continued to stay red hot, picking up their 9th win in a row as they kicked off a five game series with the St. Louis Cardinals. I imagine many Cubs fans will relish in the fact that the Cardinals were straight up awful in 1908. They were already in last place as they entered this game, and from this point forward go a miserable 7-31 to close out the season.

(And yes, I can picture all the Cards fans saying "At least we've won since 1908!" but I'm pretending I can't hear them.)

This day was all about the Cubs, in particular pitcher Orval Overall who fired a four hit shutout while striking out 11 Cardinals and walking only two. Orvie was dominant all day long and only one Cardinal player even made it to second place.

In addition, one of the four hits was described as a "joke hit" that only counted because of a technicality in the rules. In reading the game recap in the Tribune, my best guess as to what happened was that with two outs and a runner on first in the 7th, Walter Morris hit a ground ball to second that struck the base runner Bobby Byrne. The runner was declared out on the interference, but 1908 baseball scoring rules were that the batter was still awarded a hit. Why? I have no idea, but that's what I think happened.

On offense, first baseman Frank Chance sat this one out with a bum finger and toe, but the rest of the team picked up the slack with little issue. The Cubs got their first run in the bottom of the first when Solly Hofman led off the game with a walk and was later singled in by Johnny Evers.

The Cubs then added an insurance run in the 6th when Jimmy Sheckard led off with a single and later scored on an error by Cardinal shortstop Walter Morris. That was more than enough of a cushion for Orval Overall, who mowed the Cards down all day long.

The Giants were off today, tucking their tails from Chicago and heading back east to Boston to start a series with the Doves that starts tomorrow. That said, the Giants are FAR from done on this year, and things are about to get VERY interesting between them and our Cubs. But in the meantime, the Cubs are now tied for first place!

Chicago Tribune, September 1, 1908

In other news ... Long live the straw hat!

OK ... this is wacky, but I'm sure there will be PLENTY of things in the year 2123 that people living then will mock about us dummies in 2016 (Facebook for example). Apparently it was LAW in Chicago that come September 1st, people were no longer allowed to wear their summery straw hats.

Now, I have no idea if there was an actual fashion police that would come get you, but thanks to an unseasonably warm late summer in Chicago in 1908, Chicago mayor Fred Busse issued an ordinance to give the straw hats of Chicago a stay of execution until September 15th.

Rejoice straw hats ... you get to live!

(This was FRONT PAGE news by the way!)

Hi, I'm Fred Busse, lover of hats

So as you enjoy your fashionable straw hat, also enjoyt hat the Cubs are now 71-47 on the year and tied with idle New York for first place in the National League. Game two of five with St. Louis is tomorrow!