“Less than a foot made the difference between a hero and a bum.” -Pete Alexander, speaking of Tony Lazzeri’s long and barely foul shot during the 1926 World Series, before Alex struck him out…
The Tragedy of Fred Merkle, 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!…
New Blog Topic: More on Ty Cobb
As I’ve mentioned, I’m rereading Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty, by Charles Leerhsen and I’m finding a lot of interesting information about the Georgia Peach…
Tribute to Jim “MudCat” Grant
I’m very grateful to Paul Doyle for calling my attention to the recent passing of Jim “Mudcat” Grant on June 11 of this year, aged 85…
The Tragedy of Fred Merkle, Part One
“Strength to overcome adversity…that is the enduring legacy of Fred Merkle’s life.’”…
Another Edition of “From the Lighter Side”: Has A Woman Ever Batted In A Major League Game?
Question: “Has a woman ever batted in a major league game?” Answer: “Well, sorta’…”
You’ll have to read on to see what I mean!…
J.R. Richard, RIP
The baseball world was saddened yesterday as we learned of the passing of one of the great pitchers from the recent past, J.R. Richard…
Ty Cobb, Part Two: My Review of “Ty Cobb, A Terrible Beauty”
When I posted my essay about Ty Cobb here the other day, I also posted it on Facebook, as I usually do. A number of readers mentioned the biography of Cobb by Charles Leerhsen which came out a few years ago and caused quite a stir. It was called, Ty Cobb, a Terrible Beauty…
1912: Ty Cobb Sets Another Record!
Sportswriter: “Ty, what do you think you’d hit against today’s pitching?” Ty Cobb: “Only .300, but you’ve got to remember – I’m seventy-three!”…
Stan Musial Strikes Out Three Times!
Here’s something to really think about. It should wake up anyone who doesn’t think the game has changed drastically over the years…
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…
The Indians Change Their Name To The “Guardians”!
Regardless of how you may view the appropriateness of the decision, I’d have to say that all of us who love the game of baseball and respect its storied history and traditions were somewhat saddened to learn that the Cleveland major league baseball franchise will change its name…
1930: The Year Offense In Baseball Went “Off the Charts!”
1930 was a good year to be a hitter in the major leagues…but definitely not a pitcher!…
Joe DiMaggio’s 56-Game Streak Comes To An End: July 17,1941!
Even though I’m a couple days late on this, I couldn’t let the week go by without mentioning the 80th anniversary of Joe DiMaggio’s incredible 56-game hitting streak coming to an end…
Baseball “Babes,” Part Six: Ballplayer-Turned-Umpire, Babe Pinelli!
“Kill the SOB, Carl! Kill ’em!”- Umpire Babe Pinelli to Carl Furillo, who had Dodger manager Leo Durocher in a chokehold during an on-field melee in 1953…
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”…
Subscriber Matthew Clifford Creates A New Art Form: “Baseball Fence Art!”
Back in 2016, life-long Cub fan and avid baseball history fan Matthew Clifford bought a home on a half-acre of land in the rural northern Illinois town of Leland. The property came with a rickey-rack six-foot fence enclosing his backyard…
New Book By Our Subscriber, Adam Rothstein!
As I mentioned many times, we’re always happy to “plug” books written by our subscribers and/or contributors…
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…
A Baseball Babe “Four Bagger!” Babe Adams
In recent days, I’ve written about “Babe” Ruth, “Babe” Dahlgren, and “Babe” Herman. Thanks to one of the readers who suggested I make it a Babe “Four Bagger” by including “Babe” Adams, the rookie hero of the 1909 World Series…
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..
The Cubs’ Recent “Combined No-Hitter” Calls to Mind 1917!
I’m sure most of you heard that the Cubs recently threw a combined no-hitter. When I heard about it, my baseball history antenna immediately went off…
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…
“The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat,” World Series Style: Part III
Today in Part III of this series, I’ll do away with the “Defeat” and just concentrate on the “Thrill.”…
1939 East-West Negro League All-Star game!
Every so often, I like to repost this great photo from the 1939 Negro League East-West All-Star game…
Happy Fathers’ 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”…
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…
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!…
New Blog Topic: Just What Is It About This Game We All Love?
I thought I’d offer you something just a little bit different today. I’ll take off my “baseball history cap” for a moment and put on my “reflections cap.”…
New Blog Topic: YET ANOTHER CHEATING SCANDAL
Here we go again. Baseball has been hit with another scandal, undoubtedly the biggest since the so-called Steroid Era…
From the Lighter Side! Pepper Martin and his “Mudcat Band”
“Pepper Martin’s performance in the 1931 World Series was the greatest individual performance in the history of the World Series.” –John McGraw…
New Blog Topic: BASEBALL’S INJURY EPIDEMIC
Unlike many of today’s players, yesterday’s sluggers, including Ted Williams, were not musclebound. But they still did pretty well…
New Blog Topic: RANDOM MUSINGS OF A LIFE-LONG GIANTS FAN
Today, lifelong Giants fan Bill Schaefer shares with us some random thoughts and humorous stories he’s picked up over the years from observing at close hand the great game we all love…
NEW BLOG TOPIC: My Review of “Arky, The Baseball Life of Joseph Floyd ‘Arky’ Vaughan”
I recently finished the outstanding biography of Arky Vaughan written by our reader, Frank Garland. I really enjoyed the book and wrote a review…
NOBODY’S PERFECT: The Story Behind Baseball’s First Perfect Game
These last few baseball seasons have been puzzling to long time baseball fans who have been barraged by analytical terms such as launch angles, exit velocities…
Were the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics the Worst Team Ever?
Bill Gutman’s recent essay about the fine Dead Ball Era pitcher Jack Coombs got me thinking about the great Philadelphia Athletics teams from 1910-1914…
Baseball and the Military on Memorial Day Weekend
On this Memorial Day Weekend, 2021, here’s a little information about baseball and World War I…
New Blog Topic: Ty Cobb had it SO much easier than Mike Trout!
Already at least half the people reading this are aggravated with the headline!…
“SCIENCE” AND BASEBALL
All baseball history fans, especially old Cub fans like me who suffered through decades of mismanagement during the P.K. Wrigley years, will enjoy Paul Doyle’s interesting essay today…
New Blog Topic: WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HITTING?
Editor’s Note: If you’re concerned about the trend today’s game is on, I urge you to read Bill Gutman’s blog post today. What Bill has uncovered in his research is unsettling and a cause for concern for all of us who love the game…