September 7, 1908: Sober Cubs lose, drunk Cubs win. Also, somebody tried to shoot the President.

Today was Labor Day in 1908, and it appears that the literal celebration of the term "Labor Day" was in full effect, because the Cubs got to play a doubleheader today, fresh off a doubleheader yesterday.

Oh ... and did I mention that the first game of the doubleheader was at 10am? (And yes, I'm well aware that I hadn't mentioned that yet since I'm one sentence into this article, but you get the point.)

I've been around enough baseball players in my life to know one thing for sure ... they are NOT morning people. They're up late playing a baseball game that leaves them wired, and then they spend several hours unwinding (a.k.a. drinking most normal people under the table).

Needless to say, a 10am game is NOT anything they are ever looking forward to, and despite the fact that nobody actually comes out and says the team was hungover for game one today, I have to totally assume they were hungover.

You can look about as far as Cubs pitcher Chick Fraser, who made his way to the pitcher's mound and promptly walked the first two batters he faced. In fact, the whole team was as flat as a three day old, half-drunk can of Diet Coke and by the 5th innings the visiting Cincinnati Reds had a 4-0 lead despite getting ZERO hits. Just walks, errors, and some well placed sacrifices and the game was pretty much over.

19 year old Reds pitcher Jean Dubuc scattered six hits and five walks, adding in four strikeouts for a 6-0 shutout of the defending World Champion Cubs.

Dubuc's 1909 baseball card

But then ... let the drinking begin!

I'm guessing since this was Labor Day (and the first game was so early), things were different than a normal day and both teams were allowed to break for lunch before having to begin game two. And where do you think most of the Cubs players went for their "lunch?" Yep ... the bar that was right next to the stadium.

Granted, they did eat actual food there too, but I have no doubt a little hair of the dog treatment was being practiced as well. Fortunately for the Cubs, it looks like it totally worked. Even the Tribune pointed out that the team was "visibly refreshed from their midday eats and drinks."

In game two, with the stench of the boozy night prior finally removed from their systems, the team came right and scored a run in the first on doubles from Jimmy Slagle and Frank Schulte. They then added two more runs in the 4th on a Del Howard sac fly and a Joe Tinker single, and one more in the 6th for the final score of 4-0.

The happiest person on the day, however, was likely Cubs pitcher Andy Coakley, who fired a four hit shutout for the win. Why? Cuz he just got released by the Reds last week ... that's why! Now in Cincinnati's defense, the dude was 8-18 on the year, so he probably deserved it, but I'm sure the victory still made him feel all warm inside (or maybe that was all the whiskey at lunch).

Release ME? I'll shows ya!

In other news ... pretty big news actually ... somebody tried to shoot President Teddy Roosevelt. I'm not sure how much you are brushed up on your American history, but Roosevelt was a bit of a badass. He was a cowboy in the Dakotas, hunted criminals in the Montana Badlands, and then after his Presidency went on an African safari expedition where the shot 11,000 animals. That's not a typo!

Hi I'm Teddy. I'll shoot just about anything.

Hunting beliefs aside, he also survived several assassination attempts, some while he was President like this one and some later in life like one in 1912 where he got shot in the chest right before giving a speech, and opted to go through with the speech before going to the hospital. (Full story here) There was a bullet hole in the speech when he pulled it out of his coat pocket!!!!

Anyway, on this day in 1908 while in Oyster Bay, NY a crazy guy hid in the bushes with a loaded revolver and managed to get a clean shot off at President Roosevelt while he was out riding a horse. Fortunately the bullet narrowly missed his head and the man was arrested, but it was definitely a pretty close call. Oh and for the record ... since Teddy was a badass ... he simply rode off and went home.

In summary, the Cubs split puts them at 77-51 on the year. The Giants also split a doubleheader today, so the Cubs remained in third place, but only two games back from first. Game three of the four game series with Cincinnati takes place tomorrow at the West Side Grounds.