Cubs 365, March 28

Every day in 2012, the Just One Bad Century blog will feature a story about this day in Cubs history. We're calling it Cubs 365.

On this day in 1909, future Cub Lon Warneke was born. His nickname, "The Arkansas Hummingbird", was given to him by sportswriter Roy Stockton because of his "sizzling fast and darting form of delivery." And, of course, because he hailed from Arkansas. He wasn't just the owner of a great nickname, he was also a great pitcher--the best pitcher on the Cubs from 1930-1936, especially during the '32 and '35 pennant seasons.

Unfortunately, he was traded for first baseman Ripper Collins in 1937—even though the Cubs already had star 1B Phil Cavaretta on the roster. That will go down as one of their worst trades ever. Collins played two seasons for the Cubs, but Warneke averaged 15 wins a season over the next five years with the hated St. Louis Cardinals, and appeared in two all-star games.

The Arkansas Hummingbird came back to the Cubs during the war (1942-1943, 1945), but wasn't the same pitcher anymore.

After his playing career ended, Lon Warneke became a Major League umpire.