Sports History

Gordon Blanchard Keats, better known as "Duke" or the "Iron Duke," wasn't your typical hockey player. He wasn't a flashy scorer or a bone-crushing defenseman. Yet, Duke Keats carved a unique path in hockey history, leaving his mark on the game with his exceptional talent, leadership, and unwavering dedication.

-Early Days and a WCHL Legacy

Born in 1895, Keats began his professional career at the tender age of 14, playing semi-professionally in the Cobalt Mining League. His journey continued with the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association (NHA) before taking a break to fight in World War I. Upon his return, he joined the Edmonton Eskimos of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) in 1919. This marked the beginning of a dominant era for Keats.

-A Star in the West

For the next five seasons, Keats established himself as a force in the WCHL. He was a complete player, excelling at both offense and defense. His leadership qualities were evident, earning him the captaincy of the Eskimos. Keats led the league in scoring on multiple occasions and was a fixture on WCHL All-Star teams. He helped guide the Eskimos to the league finals in 1923, showcasing his competitive spirit and clutch play.

-The NHL and a Brief, Impactful Stint

Despite his dominance in the WCHL, Keats' arrival in the NHL at the age of 31 was relatively late. He played for the Boston Bruins, Detroit Cougars, and Chicago Black Hawks between 1926 and 1929. Though his time in the league was brief, Keats left his mark. He was known for his strong work ethic, leadership qualities, and ability to elevate the play of his teammates. He even recorded the first hat trick in Detroit Cougars franchise history.

Duke Keats played for Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association, Edmonton Eskimos of the Western Canada Hockey League, and the Boston Bruins, Detroit Cougars and Chicago Black Hawks of the NHL. He is in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Born June 11, 1879, in Toledo, Ohio, was Baseball Hall of Fame Catcher Roger Bresnahan. Roger's MLB career extended for 18 seasons as he played on the Washington Senators (1897), Chicago Orphans (1900), Baltimore Orioles (1901–02), New York Giants (1902–1908), St. Louis Cardinals (1909–1912) and Chicago Cubs (1913–1915). Bresnahan also managed the Cardinals (1909–1912) and Cubs (1915). Roger was a pivotal player on the 1905 World Series Champion Giants team. Bresnahan helped make popular the use of protective equipment in baseball by introducing shin guards, for catchers, in 1907 and later a batting helmet.

Born November 20, 1869, was Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher and Outfielder Clark Griffith. This legend was a pioneer of baseball and had the lowest ERA of any pitcher of his time playing. Griffith played with the St. Louis Browns, Boston Reds, Chicago Colts, and Chicago Orphans. Later, he stayed on the bench, serving as the player-manager for the Chicago White Stockings and New York Highlanders ball clubs.

The BleedCubbieBlue.com crew goes all out to share some top moments on baseball for June 7 including:

1906 - The Chicago Cubs, now in first place again, score 11 runs in the first inning off Christy Mathewson and Joe McGinnity en route to a humiliating 19-0 defeat of the New York Giants.

1910 - In his major league debut, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Eddie Stack stops the Chicago Cubs, 1-0 on three hits.

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The BleedCubbieBlue.com crew goes all out to share some top moments on baseball for June 13 including:
1994 - Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs gives up $16 million in salary by announcing his retirement at the age of 34.

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The story of Chicago Cardinals owner Charlie Bidwill and his first sports investment, the Chicago Bluebirds baseball team

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Heat vs Bulls, April 4, 1996 from Basketball-Reference.com. NBA.com tells us that Chicago hit an NBA record 44th consecutive home game over two seasons and an NBA record 37 consecutive home games won to start a season. Both streaks were stopped in the next game in Chicago when the Bulls lost to the Charlotte Hornets 98-97 on April 8, 1996. Number 23, Michael Jordan recorded four steals against the Heat to become the fourth NBA player to reach 2,000 career steals.

Born May 31, 1909 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was Hockey Hall of Fame Defenseman, Art Coulter. Art played in the NHL for the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks, during his brilliant 12 year career. His great play helped him become a two time Stanley Cup Champion, as Coulter helped the Black Hawks win their first championship in 1933–34 and the Rangers to a Cup win in 1939–40.

Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7, 1976) is a Dominican former professional baseball left fielder and second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs

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The ThisDayinBaseball.com website provides dozens of June 17 events including this gem:
1915 - Cubs right-hander reliever Zip Zabel pitches 18 innings in relief.