The reason I love this photo is because it reminds me that after watching baseball for over 65 years, I still can’t understand the signals the catcher puts down for the pitcher!…
The Sad Demise of Hack Wilson
“Hung over, yes, many times…drunk, no.” -Hack Wilson’s response when asked if he ever played drunk…
The “Amazin Mets!” 1962-69
“The Mets have shown me more ways to lose than I even knew existed.” -Manager Casey Stengel
The Heart-Warming Story of Babe Ruth and Little Johnny Sylvester
“I’ll knock a homer for Wednesday’s game. Babe Ruth” –Inscription on baseball scrawled by Babe Ruth during the 1926 World Series and given to little Johnny Sylvester, recovering from a near-fatal illness….
Michael Keedy’s Top Ten Greatest World Series Catches, Number Four: Willie Mays, “The Catch,” and the 1954 World Series
“Part of the charm of the Polo Grounds…is that a man pitching a game can, without turning his head, listen to fans in the right-field stands ask each other for matches.”…
GIANTS, DODGERS AND A BRAWL FOR THE AGES
“Baseball fights can be more dangerous than hockey fights, where two players square off, because you’ve got guys running all over the place and people throwing punches at you that you don’t see half the time”…
Frank Robinson Wins the 1961 MVP Award!
This past week marked the sixty-first anniversary of Frank Robinson’s first MVP award…
Michael Keedy’s Top Ten Greatest World Series Catches, No. Five: Dwight Evans and the 1975 World Series!
The very mention of “Game Six” is almost certain to evoke sharp visions of Carlton Fisk’s walk-off homer in the 1975 World Series…
Happy Thanksgiving From Baseball History Comes Alive!
As some of you may remember, I always try to find some connection between our national holidays and baseball history…
Here’s one Red Sox fans will remember: Jackie Jensen Wins 1958 MVP Award!
Sixty-four years ago today, on November 19, 1958, Jackie Jensen was selected as the American League Most Valuable Player. With his selection, Jensen broke the four-year dominance of Yankee MVPs (Yogi Berra, 1954-’55, Mickey Mantle, 1956-’57)…
Do You Have A Funny Caption For This Photo?
I thought it might be fun to start a new ongoing series that I’m calling: “Do You Have A Caption For This Photo?” I’ll be asking you guys for help. If you stumble on to a baseball photo that we could have some fun with coming up with a humorous caption, please send the photo to me at: Livac2@aol.com…
Let’s Recall the 1940 “Cry-Babies Incident” and the Principal Player Involved, Hal Trosky!
Today marks the 82nd anniversary of the “Cry-Babies Incident,” when Indians owner Alva Bradley finally fired unpopular manager, Ossie Vitt, who had referred to his players as “cry-Babies”…
Reflections on Chicago Baseball in the 1950s
To those of us who cut our baseball “teeth” in the 1950s in Chicago, we initially had very little awareness that we were living in the Golden Age of baseball—The Fifties—and that New York, with its great three teams was the center of the baseball universe…
Annual Veteran’s Day Tribute to Baseball and the Military: 1917 White Sox In Military Formation!
Here’s a repost of one of my favorite “baseball and military” photos. It’s part of my annual Veteran’s Day tribute to baseball and the military…
Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Billy Pierce
On November 10, 1948, the White Sox acquire left-hander Billy Pierce and $10,000 from the Tigers for All-Star catcher Aaron Robinson…
Let’s Recall the Classic 1955 World Series!
“The Yankee Stadium clock reads 3:45 on Tuesday, October 4, 1955, freezing for all time the greatest single moment in Brooklyn Dodger history.”…
Michael Keedy’s Top-Ten Greatest World Series Catches, No. 6: Mickey Mantle, 1956
Anybody who followed big-league baseball in the 1950s and ’60s remembers Mickey Mantle, who had to be God’s gift to the sport…
THE TURBULANT LIFE OF HARRY “THE HAT” WALKER
Harry Walker won the National League batting crown with a .363 batting average, in 1947…
Michael Keedy’s Greatest World Series Catches, No. Seven: “Back-Back-Back In Time!” Al Gionfriddo and the 1947 World Series
If ever any American alive in the first half of the twentieth century were surprised to discover a team from New York in the World Series, he couldn’t have been much of a baseball fan…
New Book by Pete Aman: Fielders’ Choice – Life Lessons from Baseball
One of our readers, Pete Aman, has just released a new book, Fielders’ Choice – Life Lessons from Baseball…
Michael Keedy’s Top-Ten Greatest World Series Catches! No. Eight: Billy “The Kid” Martin, 1952
Today Michael Keedy continues with his ongoing series featuring Top-Ten World Series Catches. Today’s entry features Billy Maritn’s Series-saving grab in 1952.
“Deep Dive” into Black Sox Scandal: Concluding Thoughts to My Black Sox Essays
Throughout this collection of essays, I have attempted to make the point that the conventional wisdom regarding the Black Sox scandal and the 1919 World Series does not tell the complete story…
“Deep Dive” Into the Black Sox Scandal: 1919 Cincinnati Reds – Talk About Being Overshadowed!
Today I’ll continue my weekly “deep dive” into the Black Sox scandal with a look at the 1919 Cincinnati Reds, a strong team completely overshadowed by the events of the scandal…
Baseball’s Deadliest Day: Black Saturday – The tragedy that changed ballpark construction forever
Black Saturday began innocently enough when a 13-year-old girl ran an errand for her aunt that took her past where the Phillies were playing a doubleheader…
“Mr. Baseball,” Bob Uecker, and His “Flycatcher” Tuba! plus: Uke’s Hilarious Miller Lite Commerical!
“Ueck” was trying to ‘loosen things up’ before Game Two of the 1964 World Series between the Cardinals and Yankees at Busch Stadium, so he grabbed a tuba and proceeded to catch fly balls!…
Michael Keedy’s Top-Ten Greatest World Series Catches! No. Nine: Joe Rudi, 1972
Joe Rudi’s spectacular World Series grab happened in Game Two, played on October 14, 1972, and whether it “saved” the first of Oakland’s three consecutive world championships is open to debate among baseball scholars…
“Deep Dive” into the Black Sox Scandal: Was Charles Comiskey “Cheap”?
If you ask most knowledgeable baseball fans the question, “Why did eight Black Sox players conspired to ‘fix’ the 1919 World Series?” the answer you would likely hear is this: “It was Comiskey’s fault. He was a cheapskate.”…
Babe Ruth’s Called Shot: “Did He or Didn’t He?”
The story goes that Ruth pointed to the center-field bleachers during the at-bat. But did he?…
Michael Keedy’s New Series: The Top-TenGreatest World Series Catches Of All Time! No. Ten: Bobby Richardson, 1962
The Pittsburgh Pirates, outscored in the 1960 Series by more than double, had Lady Luck to thank for their world championship season…
“Deep Dive” Into the Black Sox Scandal: Eddie Cicotte’s Performance in Game One
Conventional wisdom tells us that Game One was “thrown” by the White Sox and Eddie Cicotte was the main culprit. Read this essay and see what you think…
What Does Cub Rookie Pitcher Have In Common With Sandy Koufax? An Immaculate Inning!
I have to admit that, as long as I’ve been following this game, I had never heard of an “immaculate inning” until Chris Sale threw one last year…
What Are Your Impressions of Some of the Old Ball Parks?
Many thanks again to Ray Banko who has come up with another great idea. Ray thought it would be interesting to hear stories from our readers about visiting some of the old ballparks…
Review of Deadball Trailblazers, by Ron Waldo
If you’re a fan of the Dead Ball Era as I am, you’ll find Ron Waldo’s new book, Deadball Trailblazers to be a real gem…
Mickey and Bobby, an Unlikely Pairing
Many thanks to Steve Falco for sending me this historic photo from Mickey Mantle Day…
“Deep-Dive” Into the Black Sox Scandal: Ringleader Chick Gandil Tells His Side of the Story!
While we often hear cries calling for the reinstatement of Shoeless Joe Jackson or Buck Weaver, there has never been any love lost for Gandil…
BASEBALL’S CUTTING EDGE HUMOR: “THE GLORY OF THEIR (FUNNY) LINES”
With a pun on the great baseball book, The Glory of Their Times, Bill Schaefer treats us today with an extensive collection of some of the greatest lines of baseball humor and wisdom…
“Deep-Dive” Into the Black Sox Scandal: Was Buck Weaver Treated Fairly by Judge Landis?
If there is a case to be made for reinstatement of any of the “Eight Men Out” banned for life by Judge Landis in the aftermath of the 1919 Black Sox scandal, it would be for Buck Weaver…
Giants’ Manager Bill Terry Learns A Lesson – the Hard Way!
You’ve heard the old saying: “Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman”? Well, it applies in spades to scorned baseball fans!…
Shoeless Joe Jackson, Part Three: “Joe and the Tainted $5,000”
Today I’ll continue with my “deep dive” into the 1919 Black Sox scandal with part three of my three-part series on Joe Jackson. Today’s topic is the”Tainted $5,000.”…
Has The Game Changed Or What?? Pete Alexander Pitches Two Complete Games In A Doubleheader!
“The Cubs finished last last year and if they finish last again, I’d rather it be without Alexander.” –Cubs’ manager Joe McCarthy…