OK…I had heard of Pete Runnels and knew he played for the Red Sox, and had a vague recollection that he was a good hitter, but, as a National League fan back then, that was about the extent of my knowledge of his career. Today, we welcome back Ron Christensen who sets the record straight on this fine ball player, including winning two batting titles!…
Roy Campanella’s Great Start to the 1953 Season!
On May 10, 1953, Roy Campanella hit a double and a home run against the Phillies at Ebbets Field. With those two hits, Campy drove in all five runs in the Dodgers’ 5-0 victory, which gave him over 40 RBIs in the first 30 games of the season, a feat that wouldn’t be matched for forty-four years…
Another Edition of “Baseball Oddities”: Ouch! Hit by A Pitch Twice…In The Same Inning!
I have to admit I’ve never heard of a Reds pitcher named Willard Schmidt. Yet, he found a way to get into the baseball record books, although not particularly a way he would have intended…
The Big Cat Has A Big Day!
Seventy-eight years ago today, April 24, 1947, the Big Cat, Johnny Mize, had a big day. The Giants’ first baseman hit three home runs in a losing cause as the Giants lost to the Boston Braves 14-5 in a game played at the Polo Grounds. In doing so, Johnny became the first major leaguer to hit three homers in one game five different times…
Forgotten Dodger Star Dolph Camilli, Part Two
Today, we continue with Part Two of Bill Gralnick’s interesting essay on former Brooklyn Dodger, Dolph Camilli, whose outstanding achievements have been overlooked over the passage of time. We’re happy to shine our baseball spotlight on this true baseball star from the 1940s…
Another Edition of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars!” Phil Cavarretta
“You can’t handle the truth!” I think there’s a real good chance the former 1930s-’40s baseball star Phil Cavarretta saw the classic 1992 movie A Few Good Men sometime during his long life. If so, we can be fairly certain he felt a sense of vindication as he heard the famous line.…
“Tinker to Evers to Chance”- But What About Harry Steinfeldt??
Whenever I think about the Cubs’ fabled Cubs’ infield of “Tinker to Evers to Chance,” I also wonder about third baseman, Harry Steinfeldt, who became, in my opinion, baseball’s version of “odd man out”…
Frank Lary, the Yankee Killer From Dixie
Our “senior” readers will remember Frank Lary, the Tigers fine pitcher who was known as the “Yankee Killer.” Today Vince Jankoski returns with a deep dive into his career and tries to analyze how the Alabama native had such success against the dreaded Yankees…
Rudy York, the 1930-40s Version of Kyle Schwarber!
With one-eighth Cherokee ancestry and a severe liability with the glove, Rudy York was once described, in those pre-PC days of the 1930s, as: “Part Indian and part first baseman.”…
Dick Williams Out as Manager of the Oakland A’s December 1973!
Those of us old enough to remember the Oakland A’s of the early 1970s can readily recall how good those teams were, winning three successive pennants and World Series championships (1972-1974). The roster of talent assembled over those years is truly staggering…
A Deep Dive Into the Career of Sandy Koufax (Warning: This essay comes from the sacrilege department. You may not like what you read!)
Vince Jankowski’s not afraid to tackle controversial subjects…and with today’s essay, “A Deep Dive Into the Career of Sandy Koufax,” it’s like controversy on steroids!…
Yankees Trade Roger Maris to the Cardinals, 1966!
Fifty-eight years ago today, December 8, 1966, a trade was made between the Yankees and the Cardinals. I think it’s fair to say the Redbirds got the better end of this deal!…
Have You Ever Heard of Dodger All-Star Norm Larker? I Hadn’t Either!
Today we welcome back Mark Kolier with an interesting essay on overlooked Dodger first baseman, Norm Larker, a player I had never really heard of. As is always the case, whenever you look into the career of a former major leaguer, you’ll find some interesting information. Such is the case with Mark’s essay today.
Yaz’s Heroics in the 1967 Red Sox Pennant Drive!
I think we’re all aware of what a great player Carl Yastrzemski was, and we’re aware of his heroic role in the Red Sox’ 1967 pennant drive and subsequent World Series championship. But when you read about all the specifics – as recounted for us today by Vince Jankoski – you’ll undoubtedly be as surprised as I was at just how spectacular his role was…
Another Edition of “Overlooked for the Hall of Fame”: Rocky Colavito
As I watched Detroit and Cleveland play their recent playoff series, I found myself thinking about a great player who starred for both these teams in days gone by. I was thinking, of course, of Rocky Colavito…
Pete Rose, RIP
The entire baseball world was deeply saddened today to learn of the passing of Pete Rose. Those of us who saw Pete Rose play regularly will never forget the fire he brought to the game. Love him or hate him, there’s no disagreement he was a great ballplayer – one of the best ever…
Let’s Remember the Dean Brothers On Their Great Day: Dizzy and Daffy!
Ninety years ago today, September 21, 1934, was a memorable day in baseball history. It was also a memorable day for the Dean family. In the second game of a doubleheader at Ebbets Field, 22-year-old Cardinal rookie pitcher Paul “Daffy” Dean became the fifth rookie to throw a no-hitter, beating the Dodgers, 3-0…
Let’s File This One Under: “My, How The Game of Baseball Has Changed!”
One hundred years ago yesterday, on September 6, 1924, something very unusual occurred. St. Louis Browns right-hander Urban Shocker started and completed both ends of a doubleheader against the White Sox at Comiskey Park…
Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Johnny Blanchard
A few years ago, I wrote an essay about backup catchers, an important team position that is often overlooked. Today Vince Jankoski sets the record straight with an interesting essay detailing the exploits of the Yankees’ backup catcher in 1961, Johnny Blanchard….
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…
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…
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!…
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!…
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…
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!…
Don Newcombe Retires, January 19, 1961
This past Friday, January 19, 2024 was the sixty-first anniversary of Don Newcombe’s release from the Indians, bringing to a close his remarkable twelve-year major league career…
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
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…
We Know Andre Dawson Was A Great Player, But Did You Know That…
“I always thought that Andre was a renaissance man, but this is taking it to a different level!” – Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson
Yankee Johnny Murphy Was A Pretty Good Pitcher, But Did You Know That…
As I’ve said many times, whenever you look closely into a major leaguer’s career, you’ll invariably discover something interesting and/or unusual — something more other than just the bare statistical information found on the Baseball Reference website…
We’re Contacted by Daughter of All-Star Catcher and Baseball Lifer, Birdie Tebbetts!
I recently had an interesting email exchange with Sue Tebbetts Mitchell, the daughter of baseball lifer, Birdie Tebbetts. I’m sure many of our “senior” readers will remember Birdie very well…
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…
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?…
Rogers Hornsby Traded Again!
“Nobody liked our manager Rogers Hornsby. There was a real pr**k. Except for his racing forms, there was no newspapers, no movies, no beer, nothing. Women and horses, that was his downfall.” – St. Louis Browns pitcher Les Tietje…
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!…
Let’s Remember the Great Lefty, Warren Spahn, born 102 Years Ago Today!
With today being the 102nd anniversary of the birth of Warren Sphan (April 23, 1921), I thought it would be a good occasion to turn our baseball spotlight on the great left-hander…
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…
The Sad Demise of Hack Wilson
“Hung over, yes, many times…drunk, no.” -Hack Wilson’s response when asked if he ever played drunk…
We’re Contacted By Son of Legendary Pirates’ Manager, Danny Murtaugh!
“Managing a ball club is like getting malaria. Once you’re bitten by the bug, it’s difficult to get it out of your bloodstream!” –Danny Murtaugh…