Charlie Root from the Chronology

Aug 27, 1941 - Charlie Root uses his arm and then his bat‚ hitting a clutch single with the sacks full in the Cubs 3-run 9th inning‚ to win his 200th game. The Braves get one back but the visiting Cubs win 6-4. The 42-year-old Root had taken over in the first inning from Ken Raffensberger. Root will win one more and his 201 wins is the all-time Cub mark. He will also hold the club record for games (605) and innings pitched (3137.1).

Aug 10, 1941 - At Wrigley Field‚ 18‚739 fans cheer for "Charlie Root Day." The popular pitcher‚ whose retirement was announced‚ receives a check‚ a station wagon paid for by the fans‚ and a pig for his farm. The Reds are unimpressed and hand Root and the Cubs a 3-1 defeat. Johnny Vander Meer gets the win.

Jun 1, 1939 - At Brooklyn‚ Gene Moore's steal of home in the bottom of the 14th gives the Dodgers a 3-2 win over the Cubs. Vito Tamulis takes the W over Charlie Root.

Aug 28, 1937 - In the 2nd game of a doubleheader with the Boston Bees‚ Cubs reliever Clay Bryant breaks a 6-6 tie with a 10th inning grand slam‚ off Gabler. The Cubs win 10-7. Bryant took over for starter Charlie Root‚ who earlier hit a homer. It is the second time this century that two pitchers on the same team have hit homers in a game. It will happen again in May 1942.

Aug 13, 1937 - The Hellenic Societies of Chicago hold a day for Alex Kampouris of the visiting Reds. He gets a car‚ and the Cubs get a 22-6 win‚ as Kampouris makes 3 errors and fans twice. The Reds total eight errors and the league-leading Cubs total 22 hits-four each by Frank Demaree and Ken O'Dea. Charlie Root is the winner over Bill Hallahan‚ who started the fateful 4th inning when the Cubs score 9 runs on 8 hits and 4 errors.

Jul 5, 1937 - Before 39‚240 at Wrigley Field the Cubs outlast the Cardinals in a doubleheader‚ winning the opener 13-12 in 14 innings‚ and taking the nitecap 9-7. Bill Lee starts both games for the Cubs‚ and hangs on for the victory in game 2. Charlie Root is the winner in game one with 6 innings of relief. Billy Jurges drives home the winner in the first game and Frank Demaree is 6-for-7. Demaree manages another 2 hits in the nitecap. The two games last 6-1/2 hours. The Cubs now lead the Giants by 2 games.

Aug 19, 1936 - The Cubs fall to 2 1/2 in back of the Cards when they drop a 5-4 decision to the Pirates. Pittsburgh reliever Bill Swift halts a Cub rally in the 8th‚ then drives home the winning run in the 9th with a single off Charlie Root.

Sep 18, 1935 - With 30‚000 fans watching at Wrigley‚ first-place Chicago tallies 20 hits in thrashing the Giants 15-3. Charlie Root picks up the win. The win is Chicago's 15th straight and drops the Giants 6 1/2 games behind the Bruins.

Sep 14, 1935 - The Cubs outlast the Dodgers‚ 18-14‚ for their 11th straight win and go into first place. In winning‚ the Cubs use a relief pitcher for the 1st time in 11 games. Chicago scores 5 in the 2nd and 8 in the 6th in outhitting Brooklyn 18 hits to 15. Johnny Babich starts and goes a third of an inning to take the loss; Starter Charlie Root is the Chicago winner.

Sep 10, 1935 - Chicago beat the Braves‚ 4-0‚ behind Charlie Root for their 7th straight win. Freddie Lindstrom is the batting star with a double and single to drive home a pair as Chicago stays a game behind the Cardinals and 1 1/2 ahead of the Giants. The Giants win a pair today‚ 4-3 and 4-2 over the Pirates‚ while the Cards score 3 in the 8th to edge the Phils‚ 4-2.

Sep 5, 1935 - The Cubs keep the pressure on by edging the Phils in 11 innings‚ 3-2‚ on Frank Demaree's single. Charlie Root picks up the win.

Jul 4, 1935 - The Cardinals move into 2nd place with a twin win over the Cubs‚ The Cards manage just 3 hits off Charlie Root in the opener‚ but win 5-3. In the nitecap‚ 4 Cub errors help Dizzy Dean to a 6-4 win. St. Louis trails the Giants by 9 games at the season's midpoint.

Jun 20, 1934 - The first-place Giants score 7 runs in the 3rd to crush the Cubs‚ 12-7. Mel Ott leads the way with two homers -his 16th and 17th-and drives in 6 runs. Joe Moore has 4 hits including a homer and Fred Fitzsimmons‚ who weakened in the 8th‚ is credited with the win. Charlie Root‚ who got none out in the 3rd before retiring‚ is the loser. The Giants now lead the Cards by five games.

Jul 2, 1933 - The Brooklyn Dodgers sweep a pair from the Chicago Cubs, winning 7-3 and 4-3. Dodgers catcher Al Lopez homers in the first game. In game two, Lopez steals home with two outs in the 9th and Cubs ace Charlie Root on the mound in relief.

Oct 1, 1932 - The WS moves to Chicago‚ and the Yankees continue to torment the Cubs‚ winning 7-5. In the fifth inning‚ Babe Ruth waits until he has 2 strikes and then gestures to P Charlie Root. He belts the next pitch into the CF bleachers‚ Ruth's 2nd HR of the game. Gehrig also hammers out 2 round-trippers. including his 2nd homer‚ in the 5th off Root following Ruth's "called shot."

Apr 24, 1932 - In Chicago‚ the Cubs' Kiki Cuyler breaks a bone in his left ankle chasing a fly ball. He'll be sidelined for seven weeks. Chicago's Charlie Root goes on to beat Pittsburgh 12-3.

Apr 19, 1931 - The visiting Cubs take advantage of an unusual call to beat the Cardinals‚ 4-1‚ behind Charlie Root. A line drive by the Cards Jim Bottomley is botched by Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson who allows the ball to bound into the crowd. Nevertheless‚ umpire Charles Evans makes an out call‚ stating that the fans verbally interfered with the play. The Cards protest the ruling‚ but NL Prexy John Heydler backs up Evans' interpretation on the call.

Aug 10, 1930 - Before 45‚000 fans‚ the Cubs sweep two from the Boston Braves at Wrigley to move a game in back of Brooklyn. Hack Wilson drives home 7 runs on 3 homers‚ the last his 39th‚ to back up Charlie Root's 3-hit shutout in the opener. The Cubs win 6-0 beating Bob Smith. Pat Malone completes the sweep. twirling a 5-hitter to beat Bruce Cunningham‚ 11-1‚ in the nitecap.

Jul 28, 1930 - The Cubs sweep the Reds‚ 3-2 and 5-3‚ behind Charlie Root and Guy Bush. Benny Frey and Jakie May take the losses. In game two‚ Hack Wilson drives home Kiki Cuyler in the 4-run 3rd inning‚ but Charley Grimm get credited on the official scorecard with the RBI. This "lost RBI" would give Wilson 191 ribbies for the year‚ and will finally be corrected by ML baseball in 1999. As James Braswell will first note in 1977‚ the lost ribbie gives Wilson 11 straight games (July 24-August 5) with at least one RBI‚ a ML mark that Wilson will share with Mel Ott.

Jul 21, 1930 - The Cubs ruin the first Ladies Day at the Polo Grounds as Pat Malone and Charlie Root shut out the Giants 6-0. Malone is the winner over Tiny Jim Chaplin. About 3‚500 women are admitted free‚ and then see Hack Wilson club two homers‚ #28 and #29‚ to help Chicago move back into first place. Hack also whiffs with the bases jammed in the 9th. This is the first of regular Friday afternoon Ladies Day promotions that New York will be running.

Jul 16, 1930 - At a packed doubleheader in Ebbets Field‚ the Cubs Pat Malone stops the Dodgers 6-4 in the opener. The 2nd game is a free-for-all that features Brooklyn's Del Bissonette trying to stretch a triple and being tagged out at home by Gabby Hartnett. Bissonette is knocked unconscious and leaves on a stretcher. Dodger P Dolf Luque‚ despite being hit by a pitch from Charlie Root‚ defeats the Cubs 5-3.

May 7, 1930 - The Cubs beat the Dodgers‚ 9-5‚ at Wrigley Field behind the 9-streikeout pitching of Charlie Root. Root gives up successive homers to Wright and Del Bissonette early and then the only run after that is a Bissonette ground ball down the RF line that obunces into the stands for a HR.

Apr 19, 1930 - In a 2-1 win over the Cubs‚ Reds pitcher Benny Frey helps his cause by starting a triple play in the 3rd inning. Frey grabs Footsie Blair's popped bunt attempt with runners on 1st and 2B‚ and throws to 3B Tony Cuccinello‚ who tags the sliding Charlie Root for the 2nd out. Cooch's throw to SS Hod Ford catches Woody English for the TP.

Oct 8, 1929 - Howard Ehmke (7-2)‚ who has been scouting the Cubs for a week‚ is the Athletics' surprise starter in game 1 of the WS at Chicago. A crowd of 50‚740 Cubs fans watches Ehmke strike out a WS-record 13 that will stand until Brooklyn's Carl Erskine fans 14 Yankees in 1953. He holds the Cubs scoreless until the 9th for a 3-1 win. Charlie Root (19-6) yields just 3 hits‚ but one is a HR by Jimmie Foxx in the 7th.

Sep 29, 1929 - At Wrigley‚ Charlie Root and the Cubs edge the Reds‚ 1-0. Roger Hornsby's 39th homer‚ off Benny Frey‚ is the only score. He also adds 2 singles and a double.

Sep 9, 1929 - The Cubs win their 90th‚ beating Boston‚ 4-3. Following two rain delays‚ Hack Wilson hits his 37th homer in the 7th to tie the game at 2-2. After Charlie Root walks in a run in the 9th‚ Riggs Stephenson's homer ties at 3-3‚ and two more hits hand Percy Jones the loss. Wilson and Chuck Klein are now tied for the NL lead in homers.

Aug 8, 1929 - Rogers Hornsby cracks a 4th inning homer-one of his 4 hits-as Chicago edges the Reds 1-0 at Wrigley. Charlie Root allows 7 hits in beating rookie Benny Frey.

Jul 31, 1929 - Braves OF Lance Richbourg leads Boston to a 1st game win over the Cubs‚ 7-1‚ when he lines a record-tying three triples in the opener against Charlie Root. Veteran Socks Seibold‚ out of the majors for 10 years‚ picks up the win on his way to a team-high 12 victories. Pat Malone takes the nitecap for Chicago‚ 6-3.

Sep 15, 1928 - At Boston the Cubs manage to split with the Braves‚ winning the nitecap‚ 6-1‚ after dropping the opener. 5-2. Ben Cantwell bests Charlie Root in game one‚ and Guy Bush does the same to Ed Brandt.

Aug 24, 1928 - The Cubs sweep two games from the Braves‚ winning 4-1 and 4-3‚ to pull within 3 1/2 games of the NL lead. Pat Malone and Charlie Root are the winners‚ though Boston's porous defense victimizes Bob Smith in the nitecap.

Aug 6, 1928 - At Philadelphia‚ Hack Wilson clouts two homers‚ #25 and #26‚ for the Cubs‚ but the Phillies still emerge the winners‚ 8-7. Veteran Bob McGraw is the victor over Sheriff Blake. The Phils‚ with the worst record in baseball‚ also win the nitecap‚ 5-1 as Alex Ferguson beats Charlie Root. The Phils will whip the Cubs tomorrow‚ 4-2‚ dropping Chicago into 4th place‚ and improving the Phillies' record to 27-70.

May 19, 1928 - The Cubs win their 13th straight‚ edging the Braves‚ 3-2. Pitcher Charlie Root breaks a 2-2 tie with a sacrifice fly. Hack Wilson clubs a homer for Chicago. The Cubs are in first place‚ but will lose tomorrow‚ and in 3 days‚ the Reds will regain the lead with a win over Pittsburgh.

May 14, 1928 - In Chicago‚ Charlie Root beats the Giants‚ 8-2. Fred Fitzsimmons takes the loss. Outside the park after the game‚ John McGraw is knocked down by a taxicab and suffers a broken leg that will keep him out of the dugout 6 weeks. Roger Bresnahan takes over.

Apr 11, 1928 - In Cincinnati‚ the Reds top the Cubs‚ 5-1. Dolf Luque scatters 7 hits‚ including Freddie Maguire's first and only ML homer‚ to beat Charlie Root. Bubble Hargrave and Chuck Dressen score the winning runs in the 5th inning when Cubs C Gabby Hartnett overthrows 3B on a double steal attempt. Hack Wilson tears a ligament and will be lost to the Cubs for two-three weeks. Maguire's homer causes the Reds prexy McDiarmid to have some of the OF seats removed and tomorrow several drives into the area will be outs.

Dec 4, 1927 - Pirates OF Paul Waner noses out Frankie Frisch for NL MVP honors with 72 points to 66. Rogers Hornsby‚ Cubs P Charlie Root‚ and Giants SS Travis Jackson also score high.

Aug 16, 1927 - Charlie Root pitches the Cubs to a 3-0 win over Brooklyn‚ increasing Chicago's lead over the Pirates to 6 games. Doug McWeeny is the loser as Root wins his 22nd.

Jul 18, 1927 - At the Polo Grounds‚ 18-year-old Mel Ott hits his first ML homer in a 6-4 10-inning win over the Cubs. Ott hits a line drive on which CF Hack Wilson attempts a shoe string catch. The ball bounds all the way to the CF club house and Ott easily circles the bases. He's the youngest player in the 20 century to hit an inside-the-park homer: Pat Callahan‚ in 1884‚ was not 18 when he hit his. Ott will hit one more IPHR in his career‚ in 1929. Freddie Fitzsimmons gets the decision over Charlie Root‚ dropping the Cubs to 2nd place.

Jul 8, 1927 - Cubs righthander Charlie Root's tosses the first one hitter of the year‚ a 1-0 win over Bucs ace Lee Meadows. Pitt has the top three hitters in the league (Harris‚ Waner‚ Barnhart) but it is C Johnny Gooch's two-out single in the 8th that breaks the no-hitter. Chicago scores its only run on a throwing error by Buc's captain Pie Traynor. Root wins his 15th‚ and will lead the NL with 26 wins and 309 IP.

Jun 21, 1927 - The Cardinals sweep two games from the Cubs‚ but lose SS Tommy Thevenow when he breaks his leg in the 4th inning of the 2nd game. It will be Rabbit redux‚ as Maranville will be signed to take the shortstop spot. Jess Haines wins the opener‚ 6-5 in 13 innings over Charlie Root‚ who twice is given extra inning leads; Flint Rhem coasts to a 12-3 win in the nitecap as the Cards slam Buck Brillheart. Jim Bottomley chips in with a ML record-tying three triples.

Sep 6, 1926 - The Reds split a doubleheader with the Cubs‚ losing 2-0 to Charlie Root‚ before winning 7-4. The Reds also lose P Jakie May (13-9)‚ who is spiked in the opener‚ and is out for the remainder of the season.

Sep 2, 1926 - In the first game of a twinbill between Chicago and St. Louis‚ Pete Alexander exacts revenge on the Cubs‚ whipping them 2-0. Charlie Root is the loser. The Cards take the nitecap‚ 9-1.

Jul 4, 1926 - The Cubs blank the visiting Reds‚ 2-0‚ as Charlie Root beats Emil Yde.

Jun 26, 1926 - The Cardinals move into 2nd with an 8-7 win over the Cubs at Wrigley. Bill Hallahan is victorious over Charlie Root.