This Day in Chicago Cubs History

This Day In Chicago Cubs History

April 18, 1962
Ernie Banks hits a walk-off HR in the 10th inning for a 3-2 Cubs victory. It is his 300th career home run.

Cubs History-April 18

Great Cubs Games

April 11 to 20

April 12, 1965

The Cubs and Cardinals have a wild home opener. A high scoring game has the Cardinals leading 9-6 going into the 9th inning. The Cubs get 2 quick outs with no one on base when Ron Santo draws a walk, George Altman singles and Ernie Banks follows with a 3-run home run to tie the game at 9-9. Neither team scores in the 10th inning, but Lou Brock drives in a run in the 10th inning and Ron Santo ties it at 10-10 in to the bottom of the 10th inning. The Cubs load the bases in the bottom of the 10th inning, but fail to score any more runs. Since Wrigley Field did not have lights in 1965, the game was called due to darkness.

April 13, 1969

The Cubs hot streak to begin the 1969 season continues as the team goes 5-1 for the season with a great comeback at Wrigley Field.

With the Cubs trailing 6-4 into the ninth inning, Jim Hickman reaches on an error and scores on Don Kessinger's double. Ron Santo draws a bases loaded walk to tie the game and Ernie Bank's single drives in Don Kessinger for a Cubs walk-off 7-6 victory.

April 13, 1976

A walk-off home opener at Wrigley Field as the Cubs defeat the Mets 5-4. Jerry Morales has a big game with 2 home runs and 3 RBI. Manny Trillo leads off the ninth inning with a triple, the Mets walk 2 batters intentionally (Champ Summers & Joe Wallis) and Rick Monday comes through with a 2-out single to send Cubs fans home happy with a 5-4 victory.

April 14, 1978

Cubs defeat Pirates 5-4 at Wrigley Field. Larry Biittner gets the walk-off home run on the first pitch in the 9th off Pirates, Jim Bibby.

April 15, 1961

The Cubs got a walk-off victory on 4/14/61 when Al Heist singled in 9th inning with 2 outs and Sammy Taylor followed with a 2-run walk-off home run.

The next day, the Cubs are tied 5-5 into the 9th inning and they get a 2nd straight walk-off to begin their home season as Al Heist hits a grand slam scoring Cubs greats, Don Zimmer, Ron Santo and Ernie Banks.

April 16, 1972

In just his 4th major league game, 22 year old, Burt Hooton pitches a no-hitter against the Phillies at Wrigley Field. Cubs win 4-0, Randy Hundley drives in 2 runs and Ron Santo & Billy Williams each have 3 hits. Hooton struck out 7 batters and walked 7 batters as well.

April 17, 2015

Kris Bryant makes his Cubs debut in a 5-4 loss to the Padres at Wrigley Field. He went 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts.

April 18, 1962

Ernie Banks hits a walk-off HR in the 10th inning for a 3-2 Cubs victory. It is his 300th career home run

April 18, 1998

Kerry Wood gets his first major league victory for the Cubs against the Dodgers at Wrigley Field. In the first inning, he gives up a single to Eric Young and than picks him off from first base. In the bottom of the first inning, the Cubs get 8 runs off the Dodgers, Hideo Nomo and Wood even contributes with an RBI single and scoring a run.

Wood pitches 5 solid innings, giving up 4 hits, striking out 7 batters and walking 3, giving up no runs. The Cubs defeat the Dodgers 8-1.

Dave Kingman

April 19, 1980

The Cubs trail 7-0 and 9-5 to the Mets at Wrigley Field, but come back and score 7 runs in the 8th
inning to win 12-9.

Sixto Lezcano hits a home run, Ivan Dejesus drives in 2 runs with a single and Dave Kingman gets the big hit with a Grand Slam to finish the big inning for the Cubs.

For Kingman, it was his 2nd home run in the game and he drove in 6 runs on the day. Ivan Dejesus also hit a home run and drove in 3 runs and Jerry Martin also hit a home run for the Cubs.

Cubs History-April 19

Vic Saier

April 20, 1916
Cubs played their first game at Wrigley Field. It's a walk-off victory for the Cubs as Vic Saier hits an 11th inning sacrifice fly to defeat the Reds 7-6.

Cubs History-April 20

Fergie Jenkins

April 21, 1966
A great Cubs trade. Cubs send Bob Buhl & Larry Jackson to Phillies for Fergie Jenkins, Adolfo
Phillips & John Hernstein.

Cubs History-April 21

April 22, 1934
Lon Warneke of the Cubs pitches his second consecutive one-hitter, beating the St. Louis Cardinals and Dizzy Dean, 15 - 2 at Sportsman's Park. On April 17, 1934, Warneke's 1-hitter against the Reds, the Wrigley Field home opener, was even better as he shut out the Reds and struck out 13 batters in the game. His early season consecutive scoreless inning streak will end on April 27, 1934 when the Cardinals score a run, but Warneke does go 3-0 for the year pitching all 11 innings in a 3-2 win over the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Warneke will win 22 games for the 1934 Cubs.

Cubs History-April 22

Fergie Jenkins

April 23, 1966
A great beginning to Fergie Jenkins Cubs career. Jenkins comes in to relieve Bob Hendley and pitches 5 1/3 scoreless innings, picks up the win and drives in both runs for the Cubs with his first home run as a Cub and a single driving in Randy Hundley. Both hits were off Hall of Famer, Don Sutton as the Cubs hand Sutton the first of 13 consecutive losses he'll have against the Cubs. Cubs win over the Dodgers at Wrigley Field, 2-0.

Cubs History-April 23

April 24, 1931
A big game for Hall of Famer, Rogers Hornsby. With the Cubs trailing in the top of the 3rd inning 5-0, Hornsby hits a 3-run home run to cut the lead to 5-3. In the 5th inning, he hits another 3-run home run to give the Cubs a 6-5 lead and in the sixth inning, he hits a 2-run home run to give the Cubs a 9-5 lead that the Cubs will not relinquish on their way to a 10-6 Cubs victory at Forbes Field 10-6.

Cubs History-April 24

April 25, 1976
Rick Monday rescues the American flag that was about to be burned in the outfield at Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles). The Dodgers defeat the Cubs 5-4 in ten innings This day also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first Cubs game ever played.

Cubs History-April 25

Rick Monday Saves American Flag

Ben Zobrist's big 10th inning hit in Game 7 of 2016 World Series

David Ross being carried off the field after Cubs 2016 Game 7 Victory