Today, we welcome guest contributor Vince Jankoski, who takes an in-depth look at trades between the Kansas City Athletics and the Yankees in the 1950s and early 1960s, dispelling the myth that the A’s were a “farm team” for the Yankees…
What a Week! Including Baseball’s 24th Perfect Game!
My baseball history alarm bells went off so many times this week that I thought I was in a four-alarm fire! The week including Domingo Germain’s Perfect Game…
The All-Quirky All-Star Team!
“Ah…You can’t beat fun at the old ballpark,” famously said beloved broadcaster, Harry Caray. For that matter you can’t beat fun here on our Baseball History Comes Alive website, either!…
We’re Contacted by Relative of Joe “Ducky” Medwick!
My essay on Joe “Ducky” Medwick last week really touched a nerve. It’s now been seen by over 2.7 million Facebook users, has received over 6,400 “likes” and generated hundreds of 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…
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…
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…
Joe “Ducky” Medwick Beaned and Nearly Killed, June 18, 1940
“When he dies, half the National League will go to his wake just to make sure that S-O-B is dead.” –Unknown former teammate, speaking of Joe Medwick…
Great New Yogi Berra Documentary: “It Ain’t Over”
If you’re a baseball fan, you’ve got to find the time to watch the new Yogi Berra documentary, which I viewed last night. Aptly titled, It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over, I found it to be an outstanding production and gives equal coverage to both Yogi’s baseball career and his personal life…
“Babe Ruth Day” at Yankee Stadium, June 13, 1948 and the Twenty-Five Year Reunion of the 1923 Yankees!
This photo was taken 75 years ago yesterday, June 13, 1948, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of Yankee Stadium, which, of course, later became known as “the House That Ruth Built.”…
Baseball History Comes Alive Tops the One Million Hits Mark!
Seven and a half years ago, on January 20, 2016, the Baseball History Comes Alive website was born…
Peter Wilt’s Journey to Find the “Eight Men Out,” Part Two
In Part One, Peter described his visits to the graves of Joe Jackson, Hap Felsch, and Buck Weaver. He continues his story with visits to the graves of Eddie Cicotte, Lefty Williams, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, and the ringleader, Chick Gandil.
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,”…
Babe Ruth’s “Improbable” Combined No-hitter!
Question: Did Babe Ruth ever throw a no-hitter? Short Answer: “Yeah…sort of. It’s in the record books.”
Long answer: Well, you’ll just have to read on to learn the details and you can decide for yourself if he actually threw a no-hitter…
My Journey to Find the “Eight Men Out”
Today we welcome a guest essay from Peter Wilt. Peter is a man after my own heart: just as I do, he has an ongoing interest in the Black Sox scandal…
The Interesting Connection Between Early American Baseball and International Soccer
As a sports-playing fanatic growing up in the Northern Suburbs of Chicago, it was baseball in the spring and summer, basketball in the winter, and football in the fall, or, as we knew them, the All-American games…
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?…
Hot Off the Press! Michael Keedy’s New Book Now Avilable!
I’m very pleased to announce that a new book by our outstanding contributor, Michael Keedy, is now available on Amazon: “Michael Keedy Counts Down the Top Ten Greatest World Series Catches”…
Tribute To Baseball’s Great Innovators!
On May 15, 1915, 108 years ago the Pirates player-manager Fred Clarke files a patent for flip-down sunglasses designed for outfielders…
Wearn Field…and The Ghost of Phillies’ Spring Training Past
Today we have something a bit different. Guest contributor Matt Kastel returns with an interesting account of Phillies’ Spring Training – 1919 style – at Charlotte’s Wearn Park…
Fun With Baseball Ejections!
With all the ‘heavy writing” we do around here, every once in a while it’s fun to step back and just have a little fun. So I thought this might be a good time to put out of my old file cabinet an essay I wrote about four years ago on an overlooked baseball topic: ejections…
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!…
The Joe McCarthy Era Begins in New York!
Ninety-two years ago this month, on April 13, 1931, Joe McCarthy made his debut as Yankee manager, beating the Red Sox at Yankee stadium, 6-3. That was the beginning of one of the most successful runs in baseball history. In 16 seasons at the Yankee helm, all he did is go 1460-867 (.627) with eight pennants and seven World Series championships…
Bill SCHAEFER’S MYSTERY PLAYER NUMBER FIVE!
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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…
One-Hundredth Anniversary of Yankee Stadium!
Thanks to Michael Keedy for reminding me that today is the one hundredth anniversary (April 18, 1923) of the first game played at Yankee Stadium, the scene of so many great days in baseball history…
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.
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!…
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…
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.
Mystery Player Number Two!
Today Bill Schaefer jumps into our new Mystery Player series with an interesting essay about a fine ballplayer who is not widely recognized for his ability…
We made it!! Happy Opening Day!!
We made it!! Happy Opening Day!! The Boston Braves Give New Meaning to “The Wearin’ o’ the Green!” Opening Day, 1946
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!
Joe Pepitone, Rest In Peace
There may have been more troubled souls in baseball’s long history than Joe Pepitone, but you’d be hard-pressed to name one…
The Red Sox’ “Golden Outfield!”
“They were the greatest outfield I ever saw…They were smart and fast. They could move into another country if the ball happened to fall there…” -Sportswriter Grantland Rice
PLAY BALL! Reflections on Opening Days Past!
Well, we’re almost there with bubbling over anticipation, when all big-league teams will be in action on one Opening Day, March 30, for the first time since 1968…
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…
Johnny Evers and Joe Tinker End 33-Year Feud!
With the opening of Spring training this week, here’s something that will warm your heart—and may even bring a tear to your eye!…
Happy Presidents’ Day! Let’s Recall President Eisenhower’s “Baseball Secret!”
“Not making the baseball team at West Point was one of the greatest disappointments of my life, maybe my greatest.” -Dwight Eisenhower