As we get closer to the All-Star break, I thought it’d be a good idea to revisit the first All-Star game, played before 49,200 fans at Comiskey Park on July 6, 1933…
Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Eddie Yost
Today Vince Jankoski returns with an eye-opening look at the career statistics of forgotten star Eddie Yost. How can I call a career .254 hitter a forgotten star? It’s because he played 18 years in the Bigs with a .394 on-base percentage, leading the league twice in the category (.435 in 1959 and .414 in 1960). Read Vince’s essay and see if you agree with me…
Roger Bresnahan, A Baseball Life, by John R. Husman, Reviewed by Gary Livacari
If you asked most baseball history students what they know about Roger Bresnahan, you would likely hear something like this: “Isn’t he the guy who invented shin guards? Isn’t that the reason he’s in the Hall of Fame?”…
Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Jack Quinn – The Oldest Pitcher To Hit a Home Run!
Ninety-four years ago this week, on June 27, 1930, Philadelphia A’s pitcher Jack Quinn — just nine days short of his 47th birthday — became the oldest pitcher in major league history to hit a home run…
Joe McCarthy’s Odd Choice of Denny Galehouse To Start the 1948 Playoff Game!
Vince Jankoski returns today with an interesting essay on the choice of Denny Galehouse to start the one-game playoff between the Indians and the Red Sox, the winner advancing to the 1948 World Series. The choice didn’t seem to make sense then and still doesn’t all these years later!…
HOFer Max Carey Gets Two Hits in One Inning – Twice in the Same Game!
There was a memorable game played at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis between the Cardinals and the Pirates, 99 years ago yesterday, June 22, 1925. In that game, future Hall of Famer Max Carey got two hits in the first inning and then again got two hits in the eighth innings,..
Tribute to Willie Mays (1931-2024), RIP
“What can I say about Willie Mays after I say he’s the greatest player any of us has ever seen?…If he could cook, I’d marry him!” –Leo Durocher, speaking of Willie Mays…
Happy Father’s Day!
“It was at St. Mary’s that I met and learned to love the greatest man I’ve ever known…He was the father I needed. He taught me to read and write, and the difference between right and wrong.” -Babe Ruth, speaking of his father figure and mentor, Brother Mathias
The Cardinals Record Historic Comeback Against the Giants!
Did you ever wonder what was the greatest comeback in National League History? I discovered that it happened 72 years ago today…
Tribute to Lefty O’Doul: What His Career Could Have Been
Today, we welcome back Mark Kolier with an interesting essay on a great hitter who has been overlooked for the Hall of Fame, Lefty O’Doul. Lefty was also one of baseball’s greatest ambassadors who played a vital role in establishing baseball in Japan…
Forgotten Stars: Staten Island’s Finest, Hank Majeski
Today we welcome back Vince Jankoski with an interesting essay on forgotten star, Hank Majeski. I was familiar with him, but Vince really filled in the gaps as to what a fine ball player Hank Majeski was. I think you’ll enjoy what Vince has for us! -GL
From the Lighter Side: There’s No Crying—Or Sleeping!—In Baseball!
Don’t believe me? You could have asked Hall-of-Famer Edd Rousch! (if he was still around)…
The Greatest World Series Game Ever?
“When you’re going good it doesn’t get any better than being in New York. But when you’re going bad it doesn’t get any worse.”-Met’s manager Davey Johnson…
Boston Brave Babe Ruth Plays His Final Game, May 30,1935
“All ballplayers should quit when it starts to feel as if all the baselines run uphill.” –Babe Ruth, 1935…
Baseball’s First Night Game: May 24, 1935
This week marks the eighty-ninth anniversary of the first night game in major league history. The game was played between the Reds and Phillies at Crosley Field on a chilly night before 20, 422 fans on Friday, May 24, 1935…
Book Review: What’s in Ted’s Wallet? The Newly Revealed T206 Baseball Card Collection of Thomas Edison’s Youngest Son
Fans of the Deadball Era, along with those who have an active interest in vintage baseball card collections, will enjoy the new book by J.B. Manheim and Lawrence Knorr, What’s in Ted’s Wallet? The book details the early 19th century baseball card collection of Thomas Edison’s son, Theodore, which dates to 1909-1910…
Red Ames: “The Harvey Haddix of the Deadball Era”
If Harvey Haddix were alive today, he could take some solace in the fact the he’s not alone on baseball’s all-time list of “hard-luck” pitchers. He’d be pleased to know that Deadball Era pitcher Red Ames is right there with him!…
White Washing the Black Sox: A Tale of Gamblers, Gamers, Guilt, and Greed
I’m happy to report that my first venture into novel writing, “White Washing the Black Sox: A Tale of Gamblers, Gamers, Guilt, and Greed” is finished and is now available on Amazon…
Mothers Day Tribute to Baseball Mothers!
We can’t let an occasion like this pass without a connection to old-time baseball! So here’s my little contribution to the day, a salute to “Baseball Mothers!”…
More On “Baseball Goats”: Contemporary Goats
Most of us remember Bill Buckner’s error in Game Six of the 1986 World Series. While Buckner was largely blamed for the loss, there was plenty of blame to go around, especially from the Red Sox bullpen…
A New Major League Record…For Balks!
“I never called a balk in my life. I didn’t understand the rule., so I never called one.” – Major League Umpire Ron Luciano (1969-1979)
Let’s Recall Hank Aaron’s First Major League Home Run!
This week marked the seventieth anniversary of “promising rookie” Hank Aaron hitting the first of his 755 home runs. Hank’s solo round tripper came on April 23, 1954, at Busch Stadium…
Tribute to Carl Erskine, RIP
The baseball world was saddened to learn this past Tuesday, April 16, of the passing of Carl Erskine, age 97, the last surviving member of the Dodgers’ Boys of Summer Brooklyn teams…
Special Category: Gene Mauch – A Managerial “Goat”
Vince Jankoski returns today with an essay telling us that a manager can be a “goat,” too. According to Vince, “Managers, even good managers, make glaring mistakes that cost their teams crucial games”. He cites Gene Mauch as Exhibit One!…
Jerry Grote, RIP
“If Jerry Grote and I were on the same team, I would be playing third base” –Johnny Bench…
THE DODGERS’ GOATS
Today Vince Jankoski returns with Part Two of his four-part series on baseball goats, focusing on the Dodgers. The first two incidents, involving Mickey Owen and Ralph Branca are well known, but the third involving the great Gil Hodges and his unfortunate – and uncharacteristically poor – performance in the 1952 World Series is not as well known…
Here’s lookin’ at you Toots!
Today we welcome back Mark Kolier with something just a bit different. Mark recounts the story of Toots Shor’s restaurant and sports bar. During its heyday, it was a favorite hangout of some of the biggest names in sports and show business…
Let’s Get Dick Allen Into the Hall of Fame!
“Dick Allen hits the ball harder than any player I’ve ever seen!” –Willie Mays. Now that’s quite a quote!…
THE GREATEST “GOATS” OF ALL TIME
Today, I’m happy to announce that we will be featuring the first of four installments by Vince Jankoski in his series on “Baseball’s Goats.” Today, Vince starts out with two well-known goats from the Deadball Era, Fred Merkle and Fred Snodgrass…
Let’s Remember Gil Hodges on the One Hundredth Anniversary of His Birth!
Let’s take a moment to remember this fine ball player on the one-hundredth anniversary of his birth this week, April 4, 1924, with a few words about his outstanding career…
Happy Easter from Baseball History Comes Alive!
As many of you know by now, I always like to find a connection between baseball history and holidays. Today, Easter Sunday is no exception. But when I did a Google search for “Baseball and Easter,” I wasn’t expecting much to come up….
We made it!! Happy Opening Day!!
For old-time baseball fans like us, if there’s a better day of the year than Opening Day, I’m not sure what it is!…
Dodgertown Opens March 23, 1951!
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An Unlikely Path To The Negro Leagues
Today we welcome back Thomas Marshall with an interesting account of an ugly incident in American history. If ever a silver lining can be found in such an incident as this, it was that it ed to certain Leavenworth inmates playing in the Negro Leagues. I think you’ll find Tom’s essay interesting…
Twenty-One-Year-Old Joe DiMaggio Makes His First Appearance in a Yankee Uniform on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1936!
Happy St. Paddy’s Day!
“When I sat at a table with Joe and other people…all the men were always looking at Joe instead of me!!” – Marilyn Monroe, speaking of husband Joe DiMaggio….
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…
1941: The Dodgers start wearing helmets. Let’s Recall the Tragedy of Ray Chapman
Eighty-three years ago today, the Dodgers announced their players would start to wear helmets, but the safety headgear would not be made mandatory in the National League until 1954, with the American League following suit four years later….
Player Spotlight: The Senators’ Tom Cheney – The Real Strikeout King!
Today Vince Jankoski returns with an interesting essay setting the record straight on who actually is the record holder for strikeouts in a major league game. It’s not someone I ever would have guessed!…
Tribute to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League!
What better way to celebrate Women’s Month than with a tribute to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League….
Black History Month Trivia, Part Four!
As our month-long tribute to Baseball and Black History Month comes to an end, here’s Part Four of Vince Jankoski’s trivia quiz. We thank Vince for the great job he did in putting this together…