This day in baseball: Spring training attendance record at Joe Robbie
Posted: March 30, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Florida Marlins, Hard Rock Stadium, Joe Robbie Stadium, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, sports, Spring Training 4 CommentsAn exhibition game held on March 30, 1991 at Joe Robbie Stadium (now known as Hard Rock Stadium) featured the New York Yankees versus the Baltimore Orioles. The contest drew a crowd of 67,654 fans, which, at that time, set a spring training attendance record. South Florida fans came out due in part to their eagerness to draw an expansion team to the area. You can find the Baltimore Sun‘s coverage of the event here.
The Florida Marlins would begin playing at Joe Robbie Stadium in 1993.
Hard Rock Stadium (stadiumsofprofootball.com)
Quote of the day
Posted: March 29, 2020 Filed under: Quote of the day | Tags: Albert Spalding, Baseball, cricket, quotes, sports Leave a commentCricket is a gentle pastime. Base Ball is War! Cricket is an Athletic Sociable, played and applauded in a conventional, decorous and English manner. Base Ball is an Athletic Turmoil, played and applauded in an unconventional, enthusiastic and American manner.
~Albert G. Spalding
Wikimedia Commons
SportsCentury: Joe DiMaggio
Posted: March 28, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century | Tags: Baseball, documentaries, ESPN, history, Joe DiMaggio, Major League Baseball, Marilyn Monroe, MLB, New York Yankees, sports 3 CommentsHere’s a documentary on Joe DiMaggio by ESPN that aired in 1999 as part of the SportsCentury series. It’s obviously an abbreviated documentary, not going into a lot of depth, but it is still certainly worth a watch.
This day in baseball: Robinson awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Posted: March 26, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Brooklyn Dodgers, history, Jackie Robinson, Major League Baseball, MLB, President of the United States, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Rachel Robinson, Ronald Reagan, sports 2 CommentsOn March 26, 1984, President Ronald Reagan awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to Jackie Robinson. Rachel Robinson accepted the award on behalf of her husband. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is considered the highest civilian honor given in the United States.
You can watch President Reagan’s remarks from that Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony in the video below. If you’d like to go straight to his remarks about Robinson, you can find them at the 16:03 timestamp.
“I’ve Never Written a Baseball Poem,” by Elisavietta Ritchie
Posted: March 25, 2020 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, books, Elisavietta Ritchie, poetry, sports Leave a commentThis poem is short and sweet, and it’s one that so many folks can identify with. We can’t all be great ballplayers, but one doesn’t have to be able to hit a fast ball to be in love with the game. I came across this one in Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.
*
I didn’t even make
the seventh grade
girls’ third team
substitute.
Still can’t
throw straight.
Last Easter, scrub game
with the kids,
I hit
a foul right through
Captain Kelly’s French doors,
had to pay.
Still, these sultry
country nights
I watch
the dark ballet
of players sliding
into base,
and shout “Safe!
He’s safe! He’s home!”
and so am I.
Quote of the day
Posted: March 23, 2020 Filed under: Quote of the day | Tags: Baseball, Major League Baseball, MLB, Paul Konerko, quotes, sports Leave a commentYou have to know what you’re doing and where you’re going. For some guys, the answer is just keep doing what you’re doing. For other guys, that might not be the case. It just depends on what kind you are.
~Paul Konerko
Wikipedia
“Beat on the Brat,” The Ramones
Posted: March 22, 2020 Filed under: Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, music, punk rock, Ramones, sports 1 CommentOkay, so this song isn’t exactly about baseball the game, but I do enjoy the sound of the old school punk bands, so I’m posting this one anyway. It does involve a baseball bat, so close enough, right?
