What a career the highly underrated, often overlooked Billy Pierce went on to have, including one day in 1958 when he flirted with the history books…
Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Herb Score Sets Rookie Strikeout Record!
In a game played at Washington’s Griffith Stadium sixty-nine years ago yesterday, Indians’ rookie left-hander Herb Score fanned nine Senators bringing his season total to 228, setting a new rookie record for strikeouts in a season…
Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Lynwood “Schoolboy” Rowe
It’s time for another edition to my ongoing series of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars. “Schoolboy” Rowe fits right in. He’s a great example of a star from days gone by who has been largely forgotten over the passage of time…
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….
BOB KUZAVA – WAS CASEY STENGEL A GENIUS…OR JUST PLAIN LUCKY?
Today Vince Jankoski returns with an interesting essay addressing the age-old baseball question of whether Casey Stengel was a genius – as many baseball fans think – or just lucky. His decisions in the seventh game of the 1952 World Series will leave you scratching your head…and with good reason!…
Frank McCormick’s an MVP You’ve Not Heard Of
Comparing merely great players to Hall-of-Famers is a subjective exercise. Two-time MVP winner HOFer Hank Greenberg born in 1911 is remembered as a no-brainer choice for Cooperstown…
Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Eddie Yost
Today Vince Jankoski returns with an eye-opening look at the career statistics of forgotten star Eddie Yost. How can I call a career .254 hitter a forgotten star? It’s because he played 18 years in the Bigs with a .394 on-base percentage, leading the league twice in the category (.435 in 1959 and .414 in 1960). Read Vince’s essay and see if you agree with me…
Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Jack Quinn – The Oldest Pitcher To Hit a Home Run!
Ninety-four years ago this week, on June 27, 1930, Philadelphia A’s pitcher Jack Quinn — just nine days short of his 47th birthday — became the oldest pitcher in major league history to hit a home run…
Forgotten Stars: Staten Island’s Finest, Hank Majeski
Today we welcome back Vince Jankoski with an interesting essay on forgotten star, Hank Majeski. I was familiar with him, but Vince really filled in the gaps as to what a fine ball player Hank Majeski was. I think you’ll enjoy what Vince has for us! -GL
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!…
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…
Dom DiMaggio, “The Little Professor”
“In his post-baseball life, he was one of the most successful players of his generation.”…
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…
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…
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,”…
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?…
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!…
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.
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.
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!
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…
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”…
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…
THE TURBULANT LIFE OF HARRY “THE HAT” WALKER
Harry Walker won the National League batting crown with a .363 batting average, in 1947…
RUBE WADDELL: THE ULTIMATE ZANY
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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!”…
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.”…
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…
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…
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
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
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!…
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…
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”…
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…
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 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!…
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…