March 2020 – Archived Innings

This day in baseball: Spring training attendance record at Joe Robbie

March 30, 2020

An 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 Miami — Hard Rock Stadium (stadiumsofprofootball.com)

Quote of the day

March 29, 2020

Cricket 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

SportsCentury: Joe DiMaggio

March 28, 2020

Here’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

March 26, 2020

On 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

March 25, 2020

This 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

March 23, 2020

You 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

“Beat on the Brat,” The Ramones

March 22, 2020

Okay, 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?

This day in baseball: Ty Cobb re-signs with the Tigers

March 21, 2020

On March 21, 1908, 21-year-old Ty Cobb re-signed with the Tigers for $4000, with an $800 bonus if he hit over .300 for the year. Cobb finished the season with a league-leading .324 batting average with the Tigers.

ty cobb

Washing the world

March 19, 2020

It may be Thursday and there might not be baseball right now, but I find myself identifying with this sentiment right now. It is currently raining in my city, with the forecast showing rain and storms throughout the day, meaning that I’m going to have a hard time squeezing my run in.