With all the “heavy writing” we do around here, it’s fun sometimes to step back and turn our baseball spotlight on some of baseball’s zany characters. Mike Janacek returns today with a fun piece highlighting some of the most “memorable” quips of one of the game’s great personalities, “El Goffo,” Lefty Gomez. I think you’ll enjoy it!…
Mickey Mantle Wins Second MVP In 1957!
Sixty-eight years ago yesterday, November 22, 1957, Mickey Mantle edged out the great Ted Williams to win the American League MVP. In a controversial vote, the 26-year-old Mantle won the award for the second time, his first coming the previous year…
The Classic 1926 World Series: Was “Old Pete” Alexander Nursing A Hangover In The Bullpen??
“Less than a foot made the difference between a hero and a bum.” -Grover “Old Pete” Alexander, speaking of the long and barely foul ball hit off him by Tony Lazzeri during the 1926 World Series before striking him out…
“A good ole Canadian boy makes good!” Let’s Remember George Selkirk
The quote in the tile below is how Mike Janacek described his fellow Canadian, George Selkirk. As Mike relates, there haven’t been a lot of Canadians who made it to the majors, but there have sure been some good ones…and George Selkirk was one of the best…
Happy Birthday Maz! Lets remember Bill Mazeroski’s “Homer for the Ages”
With today being Bill Mazeroski’s 89th birthday, I’d like to wish Bill a “Happy Birthday” by saying a few words about the classic 1960 World Series and Bill’s homer in the seventh game – possibly the most dramatic walk-off home run in baseball history…
“It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over!” The Fourteen-Year Feud Between Yogi Berra and George Steinbrenner Finally Comes to An End!
“It’s over…I forgive you, George.” And with those words, the man who famously coined the phrase, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” Yogi Berra, declared that his 14-year feud with “The Boss,” George Steinbrenner, had finally come to an end…
Jackie Mitchell: The “David” Who Slew Two “Goliaths!
Jackie Mitchell was the second ever woman to sign a professional baseball contract. What makes Jackie’s tale truly historic is that in 1931 while facing the New York Yankees, seventeen year old Jackie Mitchell struck out Babe Ruth on four pitches and Lou Gehrig on three!
Baseball’s Demon Barber: Sal Maglie
I’m pleased to post Ron Christensen’s essay on Sal Maglie today. Sal was not only one of baseball’s most complex characters, he was also a great pitcher, as Ron vividly details. When his teams were in a must-win game, Sal was the one they wanted on the mound…
Here’s a Streak From 1941 You Probably Aren’t Aware Of! (And no, I’m not talking about DiMaggio!)
The 1941 baseball season is considered by many baseball historians to be one of the greatest ever. As we all know this was the year of Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. It was also the year of Ted Williams’ .406 average, the last time a player hit over .400. In addition, the Dodgers won their first pennant since 1920, and faced the Yankees in the Fall Classic. But there was another memorable steak that year that often gets overlooked…
Ray Caldwell’s Unusual Contract – And that’s putting it mildly!
Today Mike Janacek returns with an interesting story of Ray Caldwell’s very unusual contract terms, given to him by his manager, that well-known “Doctor” of psychology, Tris Speaker. As weird as it appears, it seems to have worked!…
Bob and Irish Meusel – A baseball family affair
Mark Kolier returns today with an interesting essay about the two Meusel brothers, Emil (Irish) and Bob. Younger brother “Long Bob” had a near-Hall-of-Fame career and is better known due to being a part of the 1927 Yankees’ Murders’ Row. But older brother Irish had a fine career too, as you’ll soon see…
Waite Hoyt and the Dead Body in the Trunk!
Amidst all the “heavy” writing we do around here on Baseball History Comes Alive, it’s fun to sit back every once in a while and have a good laugh. I guarantee that will be your reaction when you read Ron Christensen’s essay today about “Waite Hoyt and the Body in the Trunk”…
THE 1934 MVP Race: What?!? Really?!? (Part Two)
I’m happy today to continue with Ron Christensen’s deep dive into the 1934 MVP selection between the two primary contenders, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Cochrane. Only baseball history nerds like us can appreciate the extensive effort that Ron has made…
The 1934 MVP Race: What?!? Really?!?!
What could the sportwriters have been thinkiong when they gave the 1934 MVP award to Mickey Cochrane instead of Lou Gehrig??…
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…
Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe “Tie the Knot!”
“Whenever I sat at a table with Joe and other people…all the men were always looking at Joe instead of me!!” – Marilyn Monroe, speaking of her husband Joe DiMaggio…
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…
“Curse of the Bambino” Started 105 Years Ago This Week!
Baseball players are a superstitious lot by nature; and so when something like a trade goes south, it can have lasting effects as it becomes firmly embedded into the team’s baseball lore…
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!…
Who Is the “Mystery Player” in this Famous 1927 Yankees Team Photo?
As we all know, the 1927 Yankees are often cited as the greatest team of all-time. Who can argue with that assertion, considering that it included the famous “Muderous’ Row”?…
Congrats to the Dodgers! Now Let’s Recall the Classic 1955 Dodger-Yankee World Series!
With the exciting conclusion of the 2024 World Series last night – and congrats to the Dodgers! – I thought the time was right to recall one of the best WS ever – from the Dodgers’ perspective!: the 1955 Fall Classic….
1964: Baseball’s Version of “Musical Chairs!” Johnny Keane Gets Yogi’s Job!
As we get closer to the start of the 2024 World Series, this is a good time to start my annual tour through memorable World Series incidents Today we’ll take a look back at the aftermath of the 1964 World Series….
Let’s Revist the 1960 World Series!
Today Vince Jankoski takes us on a revisit to the 1960 World Series. Vince takes a deep dive into some of the more subtle reasons the Yankees lost the 1960 World Series to the Pirates despite besting them in virtually every offensive and pitching category…
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: Luis Arroyo
On September 9, 1961, the New York Yankees celebrated Whitey Ford Day at Yankee Stadium. Ford was in the midst of his greatest season, the only season in which he would win a Cy Young Award. Ford was in the process of being showered with gifts when a car drove up with a giant Life Saver candy package in the rear seat. As the car came to a halt, the lid on the Life Saver popped open and relief pitcher Luis Arroyo emerged…
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!…
The Day Yogi Berra Had A Real-Life “Deja Vu Moment!”
“It was déjà vu all over again!” -Famous quote attributed to Yogi Berra
It happened on September 28, 1951…
Yankee Stadium. Yankees vs. Red Sox. First game of a doubleheader. Two outs, top of the ninth, Yankees ahead 8-0. If they can sweep the twinbill, they win their third pennant in a row…
Twenty-One-Year-Old Joe DiMaggio Makes His First Appearance in a Yankee Uniform on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1936!
Happy St. Paddy’s Day!
“When I sat at a table with Joe and other people…all the men were always looking at Joe instead of me!!” – Marilyn Monroe, speaking of husband Joe DiMaggio….
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…
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…
WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR THE YANKEES TO MAKE YOGI BERRA THEIR REGULAR CATCHER?
Vince Jankoski returns today with an interesting essay detailing Yogi Berra’s path to becoming the Yankees’ regular catcher. It wasn’t as clear-cut as you might think, as Vince makes clear…
Let’s Revisit the 1941 World Series…and the Mickey Owen Passed Ball!
“That was a tough break for Mickey to get. I bet he feels like a nickel’s worth of dog meat!” –Yankee Tommy Henrich, the beneficiary of Mickey Owen’s passed ball…
The Wit and Wisdom – and Luck! – of Yogi Berra
There are certain players you can never quite get enough of. For me, the list includes Willie Mays, certainly the great Bambino Babe Ruth, Stan Musial, Roberto Clemente, and, most definitely, the player born Lorenzo Pietro Berra, known to us as Yogi Berra…
Deep Dive Into the Question: “Was Kansas City Really a ‘Farm Team’ For the Yankees?”
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…
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.”…
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…
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…
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…
