Cubs historical sleuthing: A rare Joe Girardi error

Getty Images says:

Cubs’ catcher Joe Girardi and first baseman Mark Grace drop ball of bat of Phillies Mike Schmidt (background) in second inning. Girardi (L) was given an error on the play in foul territory.

The first clue here is that this has to be Opening Day, given the bunting on the brick wall.

The batter, seen standing at the right of the photo, is longtime Cubs nemesis Mike Schmidt.

Schmidt retired in the middle of the 1989 season, so this has to be Opening Day 1989, because that was Girardi’s rookie year. In fact, other than catching pitches from Rick Sutcliffe that afternoon, this dropped popup, on which Girardi was in fact charged with an error, happened in the top of the second…