The first thing to know about this game is that it was an unusually warm day for April in Chicago. It was 85 degrees at game time, and wound up being 92 degrees, which is still, 45 years later, the highest temperature ever recorded in Chicago in the month of April.

This was just the ninth game of the season. The Cubs had lost three of five in New York and Pittsburgh to begin the season, but then swept the Mets at Wrigley Field and entered this series against the Cardinals with a 5-3 record.

The wind was blowing out, per the boxscore at 22 miles per hour, pretty strong for a sustained wind. And hitters took advantage. The two teams combined for six home runs, including one by Cardinals pitcher Bob Forsch, and one by Cub shortstop Ivan de Jesus, who had five hits and hit for the cycle. Sin

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