This is a really good view of a bygone era at Wrigley Field, also sent to me by BCB reader Joe Coney.
I had to enhance the colors a bit; the original photo as sent to me was a bit washed out. This also made it easier to read the matchups on the scoreboard, and I had a hunch about this game even before that.
It’s clearly pre-Tribune Co. era, because there’s no message board. Going back a few more years, with no soccer clock under the scoreboard this has to be from before 1978.
The Braves are the visiting team, as you can see from the pitcher’s jersey. The Braves began wearing these road jerseys in 1976.
So now we’re down to 1976 or 1977. The Cubs pitcher is wearing No. 39 and, to this point in the game, is still pitching.
That has to be Mike Krukow, who debuted with the Cubs in September 1976. But he didn’t face the Braves that year.
Thus, this is one of the two starts Krukow made against the Braves in 1977. The first one was in early May, and the ivy is too full for that time of year.
Thus, this is the other Krukow start against the Braves that year. It was played Saturday, July 23, 1977. Everything on the board matches what happened that day.
The Cubs are leading 1-0 and it’s the bottom of the seventh inning. The runner on second is Jerry Morales and Steve Ontiveros (16 on the board) is at bat. There’s one out. Atlanta’s pitcher is Steve Hargan, who gave up a single to Ontiveros, with Morales taking third. After that the Braves replaced Hargan with Rick Camp, who gave up RBI singles to Manny Trillo and George Mitterwald, and the Cubs led 3-0 going into the eighth.
But Krukow faltered and gave up a couple of hits. Willie Hernandez relieved him and allowed RBI hits to Gary Matthews (who’d be a Cub seven years later!) and Willie Montanez, and the Braves took a 4-3 lead.
Ontiveros hit an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game 4-4, and Paul Reuschel threw the ninth, serving up a leadoff homer to Rod Gilbreath. The Cubs went out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth and lost the game 5-4.
Despite the loss the Cubs were 56-36 after this game and still led the NL East by 2.5 games, in the year many of us thought they’d finally make up for 1969. Well, you know what happened.
Just another little slice of Cubs history.
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