“Grand Slam,” by Marjorie Maddox
Posted: February 27, 2017 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, Marjorie Maddox, poetry Leave a commentThis piece manages to create in me a sense of nostalgia, a touch of depression, and feelings of peace and hope all at the same time. It is short and sweet, and every time I read it, it evokes a different emotion entirely. Written by Marjorie Maddox, this poem was published in Rules of the Game: Baseball Poems in 2009.
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Countdown to Opening Day
Posted: February 25, 2017 Filed under: 21st Century | Tags: Baseball, Major League Baseball, Opening Day Leave a commentSpring Training is underway, which means that the countdown to Opening Day is also in full swing! 37 days to go…
Quote of the day
Posted: February 22, 2017 Filed under: Quote of the day | Tags: Baseball, Don Drysdale, quotes Leave a commentThe pitcher has to find out if the hitter is timid. And if the hitter is timid, he has to remind the hitter he’s timid.
~Don Drysdale

LA Times
1904 Yale vs. Princeton
Posted: February 21, 2017 Filed under: 20th Century | Tags: Baseball, College baseball, Library of Congress, Princeton University, Yale University 1 CommentHere’s a cool, old school panoramic of a Yale-Princeton game, dated July 2, 1904, found in the Library of Congress collection. The photo was contributed by R.H. Rose & Son, and the game took place in Princeton, New Jersey. I tried to find a box score or other details about the game, but didn’t have any success in doing so. However, if you go to the photo link here, you can zoom in and pan around the photo. In doing so, you can get some cool views, like this one:
This day in baseball: Gehrig’s new deal
Posted: February 19, 2017 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Baseball, history, Lou Gehrig, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, sports 3 CommentsOn February 19, 1935, Lou Gehrig signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees for $30,000. The previous season, Gehrig hit .363, 49 homers, and led the American League with 165 RBIs.
Just make contact
Posted: February 17, 2017 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, comics, humor, Steve Moore Leave a commentWe’ve all heard this bit of advice before. Here’s an interesting new way to think about it.
Quote of the day
Posted: February 15, 2017 Filed under: Quote of the day | Tags: Babe Ruth, Baseball, George Bernard Shaw, quotes 2 CommentsWho is this Baby Ruth? And what does she do?
~George Bernard Shaw

Bernard Shaw, 1894 (Wikipedia)
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Posted: February 14, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Baseball, Holidays, sports, Valentine's Day 2 CommentsNot my favorite holiday, personally, but at least I have something else I love to celebrate!
Spring Training begins tomorrow!
Posted: February 13, 2017 Filed under: 21st Century | Tags: Baseball, Major League Baseball, Spring Training 4 CommentsFinally!
This day in baseball: First catcher’s mask
Posted: February 12, 2017 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Frederick Thayer, Harvard University, history, James Tyng, sports Leave a commentOn February 12, 1878, Harvard captain Fredrick Thayer received a patent for the first catcher’s mask. Thayer invented the mask for Harvard’s catcher, James Tyng, who apparently was a bit skittish, in spite of his talent. The mask was adapted from a fencing mask, with eyes holes that supported a series of pads made from animal skins. The catcher’s mask caught on quickly among pros and amateurs alike and was in wide use by the 1880s.

Vic Willis wearing a catcher’s mask, circa 1900 (Wikimedia Commons)