Calvin & Hobbes: Baseball rules are confusing
Posted: September 30, 2018 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes, comics, humor, sports Leave a commentPoor Calvin. It’s hard to enjoy being a part of something when you have no understanding of what’s going on.

Bill Watterson
This day in baseball: Sole victory
Posted: September 28, 2018 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Chicago Colts, Chicago Cubs, Dave Wright, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates, sports Leave a commentChicago Colts (Cubs) pitcher Dave Wright won the only game of his major league career on September 28, 1897 (out of two total pitching appearances). The twenty-one-year-old gave up 14 runs on 17 hits, yet he still managed to eek out a 15-14 victory over the Pirates.

Dave Wright (Wikipedia)
Quote of the day
Posted: September 27, 2018 Filed under: Quote of the day | Tags: Baseball, humor, quotes, sports, Yogi Berra Leave a commentWhen you come to a fork in the road, take it.
~Yogi Berra

baseballinwartime.com
“The Interpretation of Baseball,” by Carole Oles
Posted: September 25, 2018 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, Carole Oles, poetry, sports 2 CommentsThis piece was published in the June 1988 issue of Poetry. I like the ephemeral feel of this piece. The use of the words “dream” and “memory” are so indicative and appropriate.
*
It took time to study who was missing
from the dream ball club that paraded
through the dark in uniforms and numbers
holding up posters of the lost teammate
as if campaigning for their man.
I had to walk the dream railroad track again
where my son followed me at first, then took
the lead, balanced, leaped forward over the ties,
poof–gone.
And to sit with the inquisitor who wore
my dachshund around his neck like a precious
fur with lacquered eyes.
I had to listen then to memory,
your fastball, your grand slams out of the park.
And go back to the bleachers at Yankee Stadium
where you took me at 7 though I was not the son
whose hear, that sly courser, unseated him.
He was the one you saved your prize for,
the baseball Babe Ruth signed.
At the game you tried to show me what you saw
but I was gabbing about something else:
another hot dog, how many more minutes.
It took time, Father, to see
you swinging, connecting.
Playing catch
Posted: September 24, 2018 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, comics, humor, sports Leave a commentI’d argue that maybe the kid was doing too good of a job keeping his eye on the ball.

gocomics
This day in baseball: New high score
Posted: September 23, 2018 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn Superbas, Cincinnati Reds, history, League Park, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports 2 CommentsThe Brooklyn Superbas established a new franchise record for runs scored in a game on September 23, 1901. In a game played at League Park in Cincinnati, Brooklyn scored 11 times in the fifth inning, blowing out the Reds, 25-6.

League Park (thedeadballera.com)
Quote of the day
Posted: September 21, 2018 Filed under: Quote of the day | Tags: Baseball, quotes, sports, Ted Williams Leave a commentBaseball is 50% from the neck up.
~Ted Williams
Infographic: Baseball’s Differing Stadium Dimensions
Posted: September 19, 2018 Filed under: 21st Century | Tags: Baseball, infographics, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports 2 CommentsI posted something similar to this a few years ago, but this infographic provides much more detail. Created in 2015 by Louis J. Spirito, this graphic not only shows the shape of each ball field, but also goes into the heights of and distances to their outfield walls.
Click on the image to link to a larger version.
This day in baseball: Mantle reaches 50
Posted: September 18, 2018 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Baseball, Billy Pierce, Bob Grim, Chicago White Sox, history, Major League Baseball, Mickey Mantle, MLB, New York Yankees, sports, Whitey Ford Leave a commentOn September 18, 1956, the Yankees’ Mickey Mantle became just the eighth player in baseball history to hit 50 home runs in a season. Mantle’s home run came in the top of the 11th inning off the White Sox’s Billy Pierce. Whitey Ford and Bob Grim combined efforts to shut down Chicago in the bottom of the inning, thus sealing the American League pennant for the Yankees.
“Joe DiMaggio Done It Again,” by Billy Bragg and Wilco
Posted: September 17, 2018 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, Billy Bragg, Joe DiMaggio, Major League Baseball, MLB, music, New York Yankees, sports, Wilco Leave a commentIf you’re having a hard time waking up this morning, this song might help. The tune is quite peppy and the lyrics are pretty amusing.