Baseball history unpacked, February 19

Miguel Batista pitches for the Expos vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Opening Day 1998 Getty Images On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past, with plenty of the lore and various narratives to follow as they unfold over the course of time. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along.

“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly.

Today in baseball history:

1889 - A tour of baseball players led by John Ward stages its first game in Europe, playing in Naples, Italy. (2)

1946 - Giants OF Danny Gardella becomes the first major leaguer to announce he is jumping to the “outlaw”…