Yes, Aardsma, first alphabetically in MLB history, pitched for both the Cubs and White Sox, but he ain’t got nothin’ on outfielder Dutch Zwilling, who is last alphabetically in MLB history (although since the Baseball Encyclopedia lists pitchers separately at the end, the last player listed there is pitcher George Zuverink).
Zwilling played only four seasons in the Majors, but managed to play for each of the Cubs, the White Sox, and the Chicago Whales of the Federal League (which was a major league in 1914 and 1915). Zwilling led the Federal League in homers in 1914 and in RBIs in 1915, but he was *terrible* against the tougher aL pitching in 1910 and NL pitching in 1916. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/z/zwilldu01.shtml
BTW, do you remember those Chicago Tribune commercials from the mid-to-late 1980s that they’d show on WGN, starring (IIRC) Mike Royko and Dennis Franz, where they’d quiz each other about Cubs history? One of the questions was “what was the first team to play in Wrigley Field?”, and the answer was “the Whales.” When the Federal League folded, the owner of the Chicago Whales, Charles Weeghman, was allowed to purchase the Cubs, and he moved the Cubs into the steel-and-concrete stadium he had built for the Whales, “Weeghman Park.” It was later known as “Cubs Park” and, after William Wrigley purchased the Cubs in 1921, it was renamed “Wrigley Field.”
Zwilling! Outstanding!
I’ve heard of the Whales, I didn’t know but they were Federal League Champs in 1915. It would be fun having a third league and a crazy round robin world series or something.
I’d settle for bringing the Arizona Cardinals home, though it would be better to have an AFC team.
I don’t recall ever seeing those commercials, I wouldn’t have if they haven’t re-showed them in more recent years. Sound cool, you have the right guys but I can’t find any video online. Still funny to me that Franz with his exaggerated “Chicago Accent” played a NY COP.