Today we welcome back Bill Schaefer with an interesting essay detailing the career of The Brat, Eddie Stanky
JIM “MUDCAT” GRANT AND A CERTAIN ”MISTER X”
I’ve learned over the years that whenever I write an essay for my website, Baseball History Comes Alive, it goes out to a wide audience. I never know exactly who it might reach or how it might affect someone…
The Tragedy of Fred Merkle, Part One
“Strength to overcome adversity…that is the enduring legacy of Fred Merkle’s life.’”…
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…
Ballplayers and Their Children, Part Three: Hack Wilson and Son Bobby.
The diminutive Hack Wilson was one of the most accomplished power hitters in the game during the late 1920s and early 1930s…
Ballplayers and Their Children, Part Two: “Sad” Sam Jones
In the featured photo from the George Brace collection with his two son, George and Paul,
THE AMAZING STORY OF REX BARNEY
“I should have been up there with the greats. I should have gone right up the ladder, but too many rungs were missing.” -Rex Barney
Let’s Remember the “Boy Wonder,” Hall-of-Famer Bucky Harris
“If you can’t play for Bucky Harris, you don’t belong in the major leagues.” -Joe DiMaggio…
DON MATTINGLY: FAME SECOND TO FAITH AND FAMILY
I loved watching Don Mattingly play baseball. A flawless fielder and an imposing figure in the batter’s box: powerful sloping shoulders, intense concentration…
My How Baseball Has Changed! Big Ed Walsh Wins Both Ends of a Doubleheader
One hundred and fifteen years ago yesterday, on September 26, 1905, a very unusual game was played at Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds in Boston…
Tribute to the Great Dead Ball Era Pitcher, Smoky Joe Wood
“I threw so hard I thought my arm would fly right off my body.” Smoky Joe Wood, quoted in “The Glory of Their Times”….
Larry Yount: King of the One Game Wonders!
Baseball history is replete with weird, one-time-only oddities. And so here’s a real good one I stumbled onto yesterday.
“Dalko”: The Untold Story of Baseball’s Fastest Pitcher
“I wish he could have accomplished more. He was slated for big things. It’s just unfortunate that he didn’t.…But he’s still a legend”…
“The Curse of Chico Ruiz”: The Phillies Blow the 1964 Pennant!
“It was about the dumbest play I’ve ever seen…except that it worked.” -Pete Rose, speaking of teammate Chico Ruiz’ 1964 steal of home…
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!”…
PAUL DOYLE’S TRIBUTE TO CARROLL HARDY-Every Fan’s Underdog
An obituary of an old-time ballplayer appeared in the news the other day. Memories of childhood sprang to the forefront of my mind after reading the obit…
“Hippo” Vaughn and Baseball’s Rarest of Feats: The “Double No Hitter”
What are the odds of a double no-hitter? Well, I read somewhere the odds of a no-hitter in any game are 13,000-to-one…
“Shufflin’ Phil” Douglas and the 1918 Pennant-Winning Cubs
I always used to designate 1918 as the most dysfunctional year in baseball history, but I’m afraid this year, 2020, will now hold that dubious distinction…
THE GREAT BASEBALL NAME GAME: “VINEGAR BEND” MIZELL
Part of the lore and lure of baseball are the wonderfully screwy names of baseball players…
We’re Contacted by Grandson of Former Major Leaguer, Ken Lehman!
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ALBERT BELLE FOR THE HALL OF FAME
Today we welcome the first guest post from Daniel McNamara. He makes an interesting case that the surly slugger, Albert Belle is Hall-of-fame worthy based on his performance between the white lines…
Let’s Shine Our Player Spotlight: Leon Day, “One of the Best Ever!”
“There wasn’t any position he couldn’t really play. He was something to behold, on the mound or in the field.” -Monte Irvin, speaking of Leon day
A Look Back at the Career of the Great “Double X,” Jimmie Foxx!
“How in the hell do you manage to hit all those home runs with those scrawny arms?” –Jimmie Foxx to his young teammate, Ted Williams…
Forty-Year-Old Warren Spahn Throws a No-Hitter!
It happened exactly 59 years ago yesterday, April 28, 1961. Warren Spahn, just five days past his 40th birthday, becomes the second-oldest pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter…
Let’s Remember Elston Howard and the Yankees’ Historic Day, April 14, 1955
“A man of great gentleness and dignity, one of the truly great Yankees.” –Inscription on Elston Howard’s Monument Park plaque…
Tribute to Baseball’s “Toy Cannon,” Jim Wynn
“Jimmy’s success on the field helped build our franchise from its beginnings. After his retirement, his tireless work in the community impacted thousands of young people in Houston…”
Baseball’s Forgotten Stars! Jim “Junior” Gilliam
While not a Hall-of-Famer, Gilliam was a clutch performer who had a fine career. It included membership, as either a player or coach, on ten Dodger pennant winners and four World Series championships…
From the Lighter Side: The Marriage of Lefty Gomez and Actress June O’Dea
It’s been a long while since I featured ballplayers and their wives, so now’s a good time to shine our baseball spotlight on Hall-of-Famer, Lefty Gomez and his marriage to the beautiful actress, June O’Dea…
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…
Another Edition of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars!”: Phil Cavarretta!
I think there’s a real good chance the former 1930s-’40’s baseball star Phil Cavarretta saw the classic 1992 movie A Few Good Men sometime during his long life…
Another Edition of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars”: Willie Kamm, Plus, “More Fun with Triple Plays!”
“There is the best third-base prospect I’ve seen since my days with the old Baltimore Orioles.” –White Sox manager Kid Gleason, speaking of Willie Kamm…
HOFer Max Carey: One Of The Greatest Base Stealers Ever!
“Stealing bases is the art of picking up little things – things like a spitball pitcher who never threw to first if he was going to throw a spitter to the plate.” – Max Carey
The Indians’ Hal Trosky: The Best Player Who Was Never An All-Star!
Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time! I think we can all feel for Hal Trotsky. If your All-Star competition at first base was Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Hank Greenberg, your chances of making the All-Star team would probably not be very good!
Another Edition of Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: 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” –Dodger Manager Leo Durocher…
Baseball’s Forgotten Stars: Ossie Bluege, “The Brooks Robinson of the 1920s and ‘30s!”
“Brooks Robinson was the 1960s and ‘70s version of Ossie Bluege!”…
“Baseball’s Forgotten Stars!” Let’s Highlight the Career of Wes Ferrell
I love going through the 1930’s looking for stars who’ve been largely forgotten over the passage of time. And believe me, there’s plenty of them!…
The 1912 World Series: Fred Snodgrass and the “$30,000 Muff!”
“I never lost that World Series. I never took the blame for losing any World Series.” –Fred Snodgrass…
Let’s Remember the Dean Brothers: Dizzy and Daffy!
“Gee, Paul”, if I’d a-known you was gonna throw a no-hitter, I’d a-throw’ed one too!” -Dizzy Dean, after his brother threw a no-hitter in the nightcap of a double-header…
The Wit and Wisdom (and Luck!) of Yogi Berra
“Slump? I ain’t in no slump. I just ain’t hitting.” – Yogi Berra
Let’s Remember Pumpsie Green: Baseball’s Reluctant Pioneer
An obituary notice last month in the national newspapers got very little attention, except maybe from a few die-hard baseball history fans…