Forgotten Stars | Baseball History Comes Alive

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...

Posted on: January 17, 2024
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

Dom DiMaggio, “The Little Professor”

"In his post-baseball life, he was one of the most successful players of his generation."...

Posted on: September 3, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

Wes Ferrell: The 1930s Version of Ohtani!

Wes Ferrel may very well be one of the best players not in the Hall of Fame. As you will see, he was an outstanding pitcher and one of the best-hitting pitchers in major league history...

Posted on: July 22, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 12 Comments

SLUGGER TURNED MALAPROP MAESTRO: RALPH KINER

Today Bill Schaefer returns with a long-overdue tribute to slugger Ralph Kiner. If you ever had any doubts that Kiner is a legitimate Hall of Famer, as I once did, I think you'll be in for a surprise...

Posted on: June 23, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 9 Comments

Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: The “Mayor of Wrigley Field,” Hank Sauer!

In doing a recent search through the content on my Baseball History Comes Alive website, I realized that I had never even mentioned one of the true stars of the early 1950s, Hank Sauer...

Posted on: June 21, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 20 Comments

Michael Keedy’s Mystery Player No. Seven!

Today, our contributor and soon-to-be best-selling author, Michael Keedy - fresh off the release of his new book "Top Ten Greatest World Series Catches" - returns with another interesting installment in our ongoing series of "Mystery Players,"...

Posted on: June 7, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 12 Comments

Let’s Remember Baseball’s Rodney Dangerfield: Knuckleballer Wilbur Wood!

“Who did you say? Wilbur Wood? Yeah, I vaguely remember him. Wasn’t he one of those trick pitch knuckleballers?...

Posted on: May 27, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 23 Comments

Michael Keedy’s Mystery Player Number Six: Back Into the Dead Ball Era We Go!

Today Michael Keedy takes us back into my favorite era, the Dead Ball Era, with his excellent essay featuring Mystery Player Number Six. As usual, the "Mystery" won't be too hard to solve for all our many astute baseball history aficionados...but I think you'll have some fun with it anyway...and you'll learn a lot about this often-overlooked, outstanding player to boot!...

Posted on: May 5, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 4 Comments

Oh, Eddie!…Think What Might Have Been! Eddie Cicotte’s Great Span, 1917-1920

I read recently that Friday was the one hundred-sixth anniversary of Eddie Cicotte throwing a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns in a game played on April 14, 1917 and won by the White Sox 11-0.

Posted on: April 16, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 16 Comments

It’s Easter Sunday…So Let’s Salute Luke Easter!

"Luke Easter is the only player I ever saw who can hit a baseball as far as Babe Ruth.” –Jimmy Reese, former teammate of Babe Ruth...

Posted on: April 8, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 14 Comments

Bill Schaefer’s Mystery Player No. Three!

Bill Schaefer returns today with another Mystery Player. As with the first two entries to this series, the identity of No. Three won't be too difficult to discover for our baseball history "savvy" readers here on Baseball History Comes Alive.

Posted on: April 7, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 10 Comments

Michael Keedy’s “Mystery Player!”

Of course, it's no "mystery" that Michael Keedy's "Mystery Player" was none other than the great Dodger Hall of Famer, Dazzy Vance!

Posted on: March 24, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 17 Comments

We’re Contacted By Son of Former 1930s Cub Star, Stan Hack!

As I’ve mentioned many times, we always love it when we’re contacted by a relative of a former major leaguer. It makes no difference if the player was a star or a sub...

Posted on: March 1, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 14 Comments

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"...

Posted on: November 16, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 15 Comments

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...

Posted on: November 10, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 10 Comments

THE TURBULANT LIFE OF HARRY “THE HAT” WALKER

Harry Walker won the National League batting crown with a .363 batting average, in 1947...

Posted on: October 30, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 12 Comments

RUBE WADDELL: THE ULTIMATE ZANY

Scroll Down to Read Today's Essay Subscribe to Baseball History Comes Alive for automatic updates. As a Free Bonus, you'll get instant access…

Posted on: May 11, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 5 Comments

Let’s Remember the 1937 MVP and Triple Crown Winner, Joe “Ducky” Medwick!

"When Joe Medwick dies, half the National League will go to his wake just to make sure that S-O-B is dead!"...

Posted on: April 2, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 2 Comments

Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: “Pistol” Pete Reiser

He was known as Pistol Pete to friends and family after the cowboy movie hero, “Two-Gun Pete.”...

Posted on: March 23, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 16 Comments

We’re Contacted by the Son of Milwaukee Braves Outstanding Catcher, Del Crandall!

“He was a wonderful role model for our close-knit family. He set an example of how to live a good life." Bill Crandall, speaking of his dad, Del Crandall...

Posted on: March 20, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 18 Comments

We’re Contacted by Acquaintance of 1960s Slugger, Jim Gentile!

I recently had email exchanges with one of our readers, Everett Shockley. In recent years, Everett became friends the Orioles’ powerful left-handed slugger, Jim Gentile...

Posted on: March 9, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 12 Comments

Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Ewell “The Whip” Blackwell

“His pitching delivery looks like a Picasso impression of an octopus in labor”- Sportswriter Joe Williams, speaking of Ewell Blackwell

Posted on: December 17, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

Coach Johnny Sain for the Hall of Fame!

"I don't know of a greater pitching coach in my career. . .he should be in Baseball's Hall of Fame." -White Sox GM Roland Hemond, speaking of Johnny Sain

Posted on: November 17, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 7 Comments

Another Edition Of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars!”: Wes Ferrell

I love going through the 1930s-'40s looking for stars who’ve been largely forgotten over the passage of time. And believe me, there’s plenty of them!...

Posted on: September 19, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 2 Comments

Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars! Bill “Swish” Nicholson!

Let’s shine the spotlight on Bill “Swish” Nicholson...and remember the unusual "gift" he received in 1944...

Posted on: July 27, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 4 Comments

We’re Contacted By “Acquaintance” of 1930s-40s Star Dolph Camilli!

“Dolph Camilli was a quiet, gentle man but he was as strong as an ox. Nobody knew how well Dolph could fight because, quite frankly, nobody had ever wanted to find out”...

Posted on: July 15, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 10 Comments

Baseball “Babes,” Part Five! A Trade of the “Babes”: Babe Dahlgren for Babe Phelps!

In recent days, I’ve written about Babe Ruth, Babe Dahlgren, Babe Herman, and Babe Adams. I thought I’d go for a “clean sweep” with a few words about another “Babe,” Babe Phelps...

Posted on: July 11, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 3 Comments

Another Baseball “Babe”: Babe Herman!

Dubbed “The Headless Horseman of Ebbets Field” by Dazzy Vance for his various base running misadventures, Herman was one of the great power hitters of the 1930s..

Posted on: July 6, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 11 Comments

The Thrill of Victory…and the Agony of Defeat, Part One

There’s nothing better in the great game of baseball than being a World Series hero – even if it’s only for a day!...

Posted on: June 16, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 4 Comments

Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Arky Vaughan

Recreating the life of a man born over a century ago is no easy task, and it’s even more daunting when that man has been dead for nearly 70 years...

Posted on: May 19, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

Tony Lazzeri Has One of the Greatest Days in Major League History!

“Tony Lazzeri was a money player almost without equal and one of the smartest athletics ever to patrol the diamond”...

Posted on: March 27, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 9 Comments

My How Baseball Has Changed! Big Ed Walsh Wins Both Ends of a Doubleheader

One hundred and fifteen years ago yesterday, on September 26, 1905, a very unusual game was played at Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds in Boston...

Posted on: September 27, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 8 Comments

Second in the Series: Pitchers Who Converted to Other Positions

Subscribe to Baseball History Comes Alive! for automatic updates (sign-up block found in right side-bar) As a Free Bonus for subscribing, you'll get…

Posted on: September 23, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

Cub Players Shot by Scorned Lovers, Part I: “The Showgirl and the Shortstop!”

“Billy Jurges was one in a hundred thousand. I met him at a party…and I fell hard.

Posted on: August 1, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 7 Comments

Tribute to Baseball’s “Toy Cannon,” Jim Wynn

“Jimmy’s success on the field helped build our franchise from its beginnings. After his retirement, his tireless work in the community impacted thousands of young people in Houston..."

Posted on: March 28, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 5 Comments

Baseball’s Forgotten Stars! Jim “Junior” Gilliam

While not a Hall-of-Famer, Gilliam was a clutch performer who had a fine career. It included membership, as either a player or coach, on ten Dodger pennant winners and four World Series championships...

Posted on: March 14, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 7 Comments

Another Edition of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars!”: Phil Cavarretta!

I think there’s a real good chance the former 1930s-’40’s baseball star Phil Cavarretta saw the classic 1992 movie A Few Good Men sometime during his long life...

Posted on: December 21, 2019
By: Gary Livacari
With: 2 Comments

Another Edition of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars”: Willie Kamm, Plus, “More Fun with Triple Plays!”

“There is the best third-base prospect I’ve seen since my days with the old Baltimore Orioles.” –White Sox manager Kid Gleason, speaking of Willie Kamm...

Posted on: December 18, 2019
By: Gary Livacari
With: 2 Comments

HOFer Max Carey: One Of The Greatest Base Stealers Ever!

“Stealing bases is the art of picking up little things – things like a spitball pitcher who never threw to first if he was going to throw a spitter to the plate.” – Max Carey

Posted on: December 14, 2019
By: Gary Livacari
With: 0 Comments

The Indians’ Hal Trosky: The Best Player Who Was Never An All-Star!

Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time! I think we can all feel for Hal Trotsky. If your All-Star competition at first base was Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Hank Greenberg, your chances of making the All-Star team would probably not be very good!

Posted on: December 7, 2019
By: Gary Livacari
With: 1 Comment