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Reliever Bonham was converted to starting midway through 1973, and the following season his 22 losses tied for the league lead despite his 7.07 strikeouts-per-nine-innings, third best in the NL. Plagued by wildness and playing for bad Cubs teams, he improved his record only marginally. On July 31, 1974, he struck out four batters in one inning; that season, his eight balks tied what was then the ML record. On August 5, 1975, he set a ML record when he allowed seven consecutive hits to start the game. A trade to the Reds for the 1978 season (for Woodie Fryman and Bill Caudill) turned his career around, and he finally had a winning season as a starter (11-5, 3.54). He contributed a 9-7 record to the 1979 Reds' division championship. (JFC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 21, 1972: Billy Williams drives in six runs to lead the Cubs to an 11–3 win over the Astros. Williams has four hits, including a double and homer to give Bill Bonham (1–0) his only win of the year. Ken Forsch takes the loss. » April 24, 1974: A scoreless dual between the Cubs Bill Bonham and the Reds Jack Billingham ends with a bases-loaded 9th inning walk to George Foster. The Reds beat the Cubs, 1–0. » July 31, 1974: During a 7–4 loss to the Expos, the Cubs Bill Bonham strikes out four batters in the 2nd inning, tying the ML record. » August 5, 1975: The first seven Phillies hit safely—good for 15 bases—against Bill Bonham (10–8)and the Cubs, in setting a ML record. No pitcher has ever started a game by allowing seven straight hits. Dave Cash leads off with a single, and Larry Bowa matches it. Garry Maddox homers over the LF fence. Greg Luzinski singles, and Jay Johnstone and Tommy Hutton follow with doubles to make it 5–0. Mike Schmidt then hits his 22nd homer to finally drive Bonham out of the game. His replacement, Ken Crosby (making his ML debut) gives up a single to Johnny Oates for the 8th straight hit. Dick Ruthven lays down a sac bunt for the first out, but three walks, two hits and a balk make it 10–0. As historian Lyle Spatz notes, the Phils last scored 10 runs in a frame on August 13, 1948. Schmidt adds a 2nd homer to help push the final to 135. » August 11, 1976: At Wrigley, the Cubs take a 10–1 lead after three innings, only to lose to the Reds, 13–10. Cincy scores two runs in the 6th, four in the 7th helped by a Johnny Bench 3-run homer, one in the 8th and two runs in the 9th. Ken Griffey's 2-run homer in the 9th ties the game. The Reds continue scoring with three in the 10th off Bill Bonham to hand the win to Pat Zachry. » May 17, 1977: The Cubs hit seven home runs and wallop the Padres 23–6. Three of the home runs are consecutive shots in the 5th by Larry Biittner, Jerry Morales, and Bobby Murcer. With a lead of 22–2, starter Bill Bonham is yanked after six frames and Ramon Hernandez finishes, allowing up four earned runs in three innings. But he 'earns' his first and only save as a Cub. He goes from Cubman to Hubman in 11 days when Chicago swaps him for Boston's Bobby Darwin. » July 6, 1977: The Expos top the Cubs, 8–6, as pitcher Dave Stanhouse helps the offense with a grand slam, off Bill Bonham. It is Stanhouse's only ML homer. » October 31, 1977: The Reds trade pitchers Woody Fryman and Bill Caudill to the Cubs for P Bill Bonham. » July 22, 1979: In the first of two at Wrigley Field, the Reds roll over the Cubs 12–1, behind Bill Bonham. Johnny Bench ties the National League record by collecting five walks and Dave Concepcion hits an 8th inning grand slam, off Willie Hernandez to put the score in double digits. The Cubs come back in game two to win, 8–4. » August 8, 1979: At Riverfront, Reds P Bill Bonham surrenders just two hits in beating the Braves, 3–1.