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Making the Case: Cecil Travis For the Hall of Fame

Making the Case: Cecil Travis For the Hall of Fame

Two months ago, Michael Keedy submitted an essay highlighting the career of the Washington Senators' outstanding shortstop, Cecil Travis. As he did his research for this essay, he became impressed with the accomplishments of a player he had barely heard of. The more he read about Cecil Travis, the more convinced he became that a strong case can be made that this overlooked star belongs in the Hall of Fame...
The Classic 1946 World Series: Enos Slaughter’s “Mad Dash” 

The Classic 1946 World Series: Enos Slaughter’s “Mad Dash” 

The 1946 season was a great one for MLB.  World War II had ended, the regulars returned, and attendance soared. The World Series that year pitted the St. Louis Cardinals versus the Boston Red Sox.  Both teams were stocked with superior players, including two of the greatest hitters of all time: Stan Musial and Red Sox Ted Williams...
Joe Louis and Satchel Paige meet at Comiskey Park on August 13, 1948!

Joe Louis and Satchel Paige meet at Comiskey Park on August 13, 1948!

“The fact that most baseball fans did not see him in his prime is one of the great tragedies of the game.” –Iconic Baseball photographer George Brace, speaking of Satchel Paige. With February being Black History Month, here's a salute to the great Hall of Famer Satchel Paige, who many baseball historians think may be the greatest pitcher ever...
Black History Month Trivia, Part Three

Black History Month Trivia, Part Three

Today we continue with our tribute to Black History Month with Part Three of Vince Jankoski's 28 trivia questions. Before we get to the questions, here's a few words about the Homestead Grays. Photo sent to me by Chris Whitehouse....
The Shot BEFORE the Shot Heard ‘Round the World!

The Shot BEFORE the Shot Heard ‘Round the World!

Today we welcome back Matt Kastel with an interesting account of a tragic incident that occurred at the Polo grounds on July Fourth, 1950. This is something I had never heard of before. Many years later, it's still painful to read about what happened to a fan casually sitting in the stands and enjoying a ball game...
Salute to The Great Josh Gibson

Salute to The Great Josh Gibson

Today, I'll continue with our month-long celebration of Black History Month with a short tribute to Josh Gibson I wrote a few years ago. How he would have hit if allowed to compete against major league pitching for his entire career career, we'll never know. But there's no debate that he was a great hitter, one of the best ever...
BLACK HISTORY MONTH TRIVIA, Part Two

BLACK HISTORY MONTH TRIVIA, Part Two

Today, in our ongoing tribute to baseball and Black History month, we'll continue with Vince Jankoski's baseball trivia questions. As I mentioned last week, I'll be posting seven trivia questions each Thursday, one for each day of the week for the entire month...
“42” MOVIE REVIEW

“42” MOVIE REVIEW

Today we welcome back Bill Schaefer with an interesting "review of a review." Bill analyzes Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Ryan's "take" of the movie "42," written in 2013. Bill then adds his own comments as he goes along. Read Bill's essay, and see if you agree with Bob Ryan and/or Bill Schaefer!...
Great Photo of Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby!

Great Photo of Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby!

Here’s a real neat photo sent to me by a friend. That’s Larry Doby on the left and of course Jackie Robinson on the right. But here's a real surprise...Who do you think is the player on the far left, sitting on the dugout steps??...
Equal Time for the 1939 Reds!

Equal Time for the 1939 Reds!

We’ve all read a lot about the great Yankee teams of the 1930s, especially the 1939 team, which many historians consider one of the greatest of all time. That got me thinking about their National League opponents in the 1939 World Series, the Cincinnati Reds...
Bud Harrelson, RIP

Bud Harrelson, RIP

Today Vince Jankoski shares with us a tribute to recently deceased Bud Harrelson with an interesting analysis of his career. Vince addresses the question of how the light-hitting Harrelson (.236 career average) could have survived for 16 seasons in the major leagues...
Vern Stephens: The Most Ignored Great Shortstop

Vern Stephens: The Most Ignored Great Shortstop

When my son Gordon and I began our Almost Cooperstown podcast nearly four years ago, we set out to put nine players in the Hall of Fame who had not been elected. This was in our very first episode, and Gordon put out Vern Stephens, a player with whom I was completely unfamiliar...
Joe McCarthy’s Boston Years, 1948-1950

Joe McCarthy’s Boston Years, 1948-1950

Forty-six years ago today, January 13, 1978, Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy passed away in a Buffalo hospital at age 90. We’re all familiar with Joe McCarthy’s success as the winningest manager in Yankee history from 1931-1946...
My Review of “The Gashouse Gang,” by John Heidenry

My Review of “The Gashouse Gang,” by John Heidenry

Now that we are firming in what I call the baseball "No-Man's land," - the time between the last out of the World Series and until we hear the magic words, "Pitchers and catchers report" - it's a good time to catch up on some unfinished business. So I thought I'd post a review I wrote a few years ago but never got around to publishing. The book is The Gashouse Gang, by John Heidenry. I really enjoyed it and I hope my detailed review stimulates your interest to read it...
KEN MacKENZIE, RIP

KEN MacKENZIE, RIP

Vince Jankoski returns today with an interesting article about a player I’ve never heard of: Canadian-born pitcher Ken MacKenzie. Two things I’ve said many times here on BHCA: One, anyone who makes it to the major leagues is special in our eyes, whether a star or sub; and Two, when you look deep into the career of almost any major leaguer, you’ll invariably find something of interest...
A Memorable 1969 Day In The Wrigley Field Bleachers!

A Memorable 1969 Day In The Wrigley Field Bleachers!

For years I’ve been trying to get my good friend Mike Handley (aka: “Budman”) to send me details of the memorable day in September, 1969 when he was in the Wrigley Field bleachers and caught a home run ball hit by the Pirates’ Steve Blass. He finally did it!...
Stan Musial Named 1948 MVP!

Stan Musial Named 1948 MVP!

Seventy-five years ago,  December 2, 1948, Stan Musial was named the National League MVP. "Stan the Man" led the league in hitting with a .376 batting average and 131 RBIs, but just missed the Triple Crown by one home run.  So let's take a moment to pay tribute to the memory of one of the true greats in baseball history...
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