BCB reader Clark Addison sent me some more photos to sleuth, and said none were easy.
Well! I love a sleuthing challenge.
Today, we have a photo of actor Joe Mantegna, a big Cubs fan and creator of the play “Bleacher Bums.” He’s with Cubs manager Joe Maddon, which already dates it between 2015 and 2019.
The first clue is on the jersey Mantegna is wearing. The No. 18 likely means this was taken in 2018.
The next clue — and the most important one — is on the ribbon board you can see behind the two men.
Nick Pivetta is pitching against the Cubs. Only part of the Cubs pitcher’s name is visible, but it’s clearly Tyler Chatwood.
Pivetta was pitching for the Phillies in 2018. There was just one game he pitched against the Cubs in Wrigley Field that year, and indeed, the Cubs pitcher that day was Tyler Chatwood.
That game happened Thursday, June 7, 2018.
Anthony Rizzo homered to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the fourth. The Phillies tied it up off Chatwood in the top of the fifth, but in the bottom of the inning, the Cubs put three on the board. Tommy La Stella and Kris Bryant had RBI singles and Rizzo’s sac fly scored the third run of the inning.
The Phillies scored a pair off reliever Brian Duensing in the sixth, but Justin Wilson, Pedro Strop and Brandon Morrow shut them down the rest of the way and the Cubs won 4-3. They were 35-24 after this win and in second place in the NL Central, half a game behind the Brewers.
Fortunately, this game happened in a time when MLB was putting all games on YouTube after they went final, so here’s the entire game:
Obviously, Joe Mantegna was at Wrigley that day to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. There’s no video I’ve been able to find of this, but here’s a photo taken that day:
Lastly, if you look very closely at the fans in the bleachers in the photo at the top of this post, I’m in it. Back row, section of the bleachers closest to the foul pole.
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