“(Give it Up For) Buck O’Neil,” Bob Walkenhorst
Posted: June 2, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, Buck O'Neil, Kansas City Monarchs, music, Negro Leagues, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, sports Leave a commentBuck O’Neil is hailed as a legend, especially here in the Kansas City area. Not only was O’Neil a great ballplayer, but his achievements off the field were arguably even greater. He not only worked to spread interest in the Negro leagues, he also played a huge part in the establishment of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.
“Backyard,” by Rochelle Nameroff
Posted: June 1, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, life, poetry, Rochelle Nameroff, sports Leave a commentThis piece by Rochelle Nameroff was first published in 1990 in the collection Into the Temple of Baseball. It reminds me a lot of playing ball, really just sports in general, in the backyard with my brothers as a kid. My oldest brother is twelve years older than me, and he was (still is) quite the sports fanatic. Thus, he took it upon himself to pass on to his younger siblings (and now on to his two sons) whatever knowledge he could about the different sports and how to play them well.
*
For Larry
“There are two theories on hitting the knuckleball.
Unfortunately, neither of them works.”
It was all so serious
as he taught me,
digging the knees together:
a deliberate hunkering,
the back & forth wiggle
shifting the weight.
It screws yr behind in the ground he said.
Protection I guess
or the secrecy of boys.
He called it
The Stan Musial Crouch,
& man how I practiced
getting it right to unwind
breathless exquisite & deadly.
The permission to love
without going crazy.
& o big brother,
how much I remember.
This day in baseball: Double leadoff homers
Posted: May 30, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Harry Hooper, Major League Baseball, MLB, Oakland Athletics, Rickey Henderson, sports 1 CommentOn May 30, 1913, Red Sox outfielder Harry Hooper became the first major leaguer to lead off both games of a doubleheader with a home run. The feat would not be repeated until 80 years later, in 1993, when A’s leadoff hitter Rickey Henderson opened each game of a twin bill against Cleveland with a homer.
Hooper in 1912 (Wikipedia)
Quote of the day
Posted: May 28, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, Quote of the day | Tags: Babe Ruth, Baseball, Heywood Broun, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, quotes, sports Leave a commentThe ball started climbing from the moment it left the plate. It was a pop fly with a brand new gland and, though it flew high, it also flew far.
When last seen the ball was crossing the roof of the stand in deep right field at an altitude of 315 feet. We wonder whether new baseballs conversing in the original package ever remark: “Join Ruth and see the world.”
~Heywood Broun
Heywood Broun, 1935 (Wikipedia)
Polo Grounds documentary
Posted: May 26, 2020 Filed under: 19th Century, 20th Century | Tags: Baseball, documentaries, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Giants, Polo Grounds, sports 2 CommentsHere’s a delightful little documentary about the Polo Grounds. I’ve always loved the metaphor of a baseball stadium as a church or cathedral. I feel the same way about Kauffman Stadium every time I attend a Royals game.
It’s always a shame when stadiums like this get torn down. I understand that progress sometimes dictates the need for such things, but so much history gets lost in the process, too.
This day in baseball: Bradley’s four-game streak
Posted: May 24, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Babe Ruth, Baseball, Bill Bradley, Cleveland Indians, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports Leave a commentOn May 24, 1902, Cleveland third baseman Bill Bradley became the American League’s first player to hit a home run in each of four consecutive games. This record would not be matched until Babe Ruth accomplished the same in June of 1918.
Library of Congress
This day in baseball: Jersey numbers everywhere
Posted: May 13, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Baseball uniforms, Cleveland Indians, history, League Park, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, sports Leave a commentFor the first time in history, on May 13, 1929, a major league game featured both teams wearing numbers on the backs of their jerseys. The Indians played host to the Yankees at League Park in Cleveland, winning by a score of 4-3. The digits would become a permanent fixture on each club’s ensemble.
1929 Cleveland uniform (baseballhalloffame.org)
