New York/ SanFrancisco Giants | Baseball History Comes Alive

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...

Posted on: February 14, 2024
By: Gary Livacari
With: 5 Comments

Memorable World Series Moments: 1917 World Series White Sox vs. Giants

Heine Zimmerman Chases Speedy Eddie Collins Across Home Plate!...

Posted on: October 22, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 4 Comments

Bobby Thomson’s Doubleplay Saved His “Shot” Legacy

Bill reminds us today of a fantastic twin killing initiated by Bobby Thomson in the final series of the 1951 pennant race that may very well have changed the course of baseball history...

Posted on: October 13, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 7 Comments

Michael Keedy’s Mystery Player Number Four!

Come back later today around 7:00 PM CT to see who it is that Michael Keedy is featuring today as Mystery Player Number Four. Here's a hint: He was on the 1951 Giants...and you'll find him in the photo gallery!...

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

THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD (THAT ALMOST WASN’T)

Today we welcome back Bill Schaefer with an interesting account of the 1951 game between the Dodgers and Phillies that necessitated the three-game playoff series between the Dodgers and Giants...

Posted on: February 4, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 16 Comments

I Never Get Tired of Talking About Willie!

For those of us weaned on baseball in the 50s and 60s, we never tire of talking about Willie Mays...

Posted on: January 15, 2023
By: Gary Livacari
With: 14 Comments

The Sad Demise of Hack Wilson

“Hung over, yes, many times…drunk, no.” -Hack Wilson’s response when asked if he ever played drunk...

Posted on: December 10, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 18 Comments

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."...

Posted on: December 2, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 14 Comments

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”...

Posted on: November 30, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 19 Comments

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!...

Posted on: September 10, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

MEL OTT—THE BIGGEST LITTLE GIANT

“Every time I sign a ball, and there must have been thousands, I thank my luck that I wasn’t born Coveleski or Wamsganss or Peckinpaugh.” -Mel Ott...

Posted on: June 15, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 8 Comments

June 3, 1932: A Truly Memorable Day In Baseball History With Three Historic Events!

I wonder if there’s ever been a day quite like June 3, 1932 when not one…not two…but three historic events occurred – two within the same game!...

Posted on: June 4, 2022
By: Gary Livacari
With: 4 Comments

The Three Alou Brothers Make History: All Three In The Same Outfield!

Can we put this one in the category: "It'll never happen again"? I think that's a safe bet!...

Posted on: November 5, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 4 Comments

THERE ARE ERRORS…AND THEN THERE ARE ERRORS!! Hank Gowdy and the 1924 World Series

“The mask held me like a bear claw," –Hank Gowdy, recalling his unfortunate incident in the 1924 World Series which led to Washington's winning run...

Posted on: October 23, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 7 Comments

The 1962 World Series (Part Three)

Today, in Part Three, I’ll provide some details about the 1962 World Series which also had a dramatic ending. This time it didn’t end in the Giants’ favor.

Posted on: October 17, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 11 Comments

Back Into The Dead Ball Era: The 1912 New York Giants!

"In playing or managing, the game of ball is only fun for me when I'm out in front and winning. I don't give a [hill of beans] for the rest of the game." -John McGraw...

Posted on: October 15, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 8 Comments

Followup To Paul Doyle’s Essay on the Dodger-Giant 1962 Playoff Series (Part Two)

A Bitter Stan Williams Recalls His Role In One Of The Worst Innings In Dodger History, October 3, 1962

Posted on: October 12, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 9 Comments

1962: THE LAST DODGERS-GIANTS “PLAYOFF” SERIES (Part One)

Most of us who read Baseball History Comes Alive treasure the 1951 National League Playoff Series where Bobby Thomson hit the "Home Run Heard 'Round the World."...

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

Baseball “Goats,” Part Three: Heine Zimmerman and the 1917 World Series

“Who the hell was I supposed to throw to, Bill Klem?”...

Posted on: September 1, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 0 Comments

Baseball “Goats,” Part Two: The “$30,000 Muff”

To follow up on my three-part series on the tragedy of Fred Merkle, I'm today starting another series on well-known baseball goats...

Posted on: August 25, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 2 Comments

The Merkle Tragedy, Part Two: The Warren Gill Game

The game isn’t over until that man touches second base! Why don’t you wait until the game is over, you big fathead!...

Posted on: August 14, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 1 Comment

The Tragedy of Fred Merkle, Part One

“Strength to overcome adversity…that is the enduring legacy of Fred Merkle’s life.’”...

Posted on: August 10, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 10 Comments

BILL SCHAEFER’S TWENTY MINUTES WITH WILLIE MAYS!

“He can hit. He can run. He can field...If he could cook, I’d marry him!” -Leo Durocher, speaking of Willie Mays...

Posted on: June 29, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 10 Comments

Baseball’s Version of “The Thrill of Victory…and The Agony of Defeat!” Part Two

Here’s the "flipside" to one of the most memorable days in baseball history: Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard Round the World” at the Polo Grounds in 1951...

Posted on: June 18, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 3 Comments

BASEBALL APPETIZERS FOR THE ’21 SEASON

We love to think about baseball and talk baseball and figure out how our favorite team is going to do this year...

Posted on: March 28, 2021
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

Shootings, Murders, Near-Tragedies, Part V: 1913-14 World Tour, Near Disaster Strikes – Twice!

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: August 26, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 0 Comments

Shootings, Murders, and Near-Tragedies, Part IV: The Amazing Story of Jack “Lucky” Lohrke!

"You were thinking of doing what??...Haha!...Don't make me laugh!"...

Posted on: August 23, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 3 Comments

Baseball Shootings and Murders, Part III: The Tragic Demise of Bugs Raymond

“Bugs Raymond took seven years off my life” – Giants’ manager John McGraw...

Posted on: August 15, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 4 Comments

Solving the Mystery of Togo Hamamoto

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Posted on: July 1, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 1 Comment

June 13th Was A Lucky Day For Christy Mathewson!

Who says the number 13 is unlucky? I doubt Christy Mathewson would agree with that old adage. “Big Six” recorded two career milestone victories on June 13th...

Posted on: June 13, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

SNAP SHOTS FROM A GIANTS FAN, THROUGH A SURREAL SEASON

Time To Put Your Thinking Caps On! Here's a picture of Babe Ruth as a Boston Brave with a bunch of players in Red Sox uniforms. It’s from the Boston Public Library Leslie Jones collection...

Posted on: May 5, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 6 Comments

Back Into the Dead Ball Era We Go! 1917 World Series: Heine Zimmerman Chases Speedy Eddie Collins Across Home Plate!

"Who the hell was I supposed to throw to, Bill Klem?" –Heine Zimmerman, commenting on one of the most controversial plays in World Series history...

Posted on: May 2, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 17 Comments

RIP Johnny Antonelli

The baseball world said a sad good-bye this week to a fine pitcher, Johnny Antonelli, who passed away on February 28 at age 89...

Posted on: March 3, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 0 Comments

Spring Training, 1912 Style in Marlin, Texas!

With spring training finally starting to heat up, here’s a neat photo from the Giants spring training camp in 1912...

Posted on: February 29, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 0 Comments

Let’s Recall Don Larsen’s “Perfect Game” Opponent, Sal “The Barber” Maglie

(Written at the time of the passing of Don Larsen in January 2020) With the passing of Don Larsen this week, the focus of the baseball world has understandably been on the Perfect Game gem he tossed for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series...

Posted on: January 3, 2020
By: Gary Livacari
With: 1 Comment

1913-14 “World Tour To End All Tours”: Near Disaster Strikes – Twice!

How many of you are aware that, in addition to a stomach ailment almost killed Charles Comiskey, the entire entourage of 67 people were almost wiped out - twice!...