This day in baseball: Kenesaw Mountain Landis is hired
Posted: November 12, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Black Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Commissioner of Baseball, history, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports, World Series Leave a commentU.S. District Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis accepted the offer to become baseball’s first commissioner on November 12, 1920. The decision to hire a commissioner came in the wake of the 1919 World Series scandal, which involved eight White Sox players who were paid off by gamblers to throw the Series against Cincinnati. Landis would officially begin his new role in January 1921.
Carlton Fisk’s Hall of Fame induction speech
Posted: March 30, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century | Tags: Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Carlton Fisk, Chicago White Sox, Major League Baseball, MLB, National Baseball Hall of Fame, Rookie of the Year, sports, World Series 2 CommentsKnown in baseball as “Pudge,” Carlton Fisk played for both the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) and Chicago White Sox (1981–1993). In 1972, he became the first player unanimously voted American League Rookie of the Year, though he is probably best known for “waving fair” his game-winning home run in the 12th inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.
This speech is the longest one I’ve listened to so far, but it’s worth the time. It’s not hard to get a glimpse of the kind of work ethic and character that Fisk possessed through this oration. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000.
It’s Opening Day
Posted: March 28, 2019 Filed under: 21st Century | Tags: Baseball, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Major League Baseball, MLB, Opening Day, sports 4 CommentsUnfortunately, I am not getting out of work today, but I am still joining in the collective sigh of relief and happiness that Opening Day has finally arrived! And yes, the Royals-White Sox score will be up someplace where I can check in frequently.
This day in baseball: Weaver applies for reinstatement
Posted: January 13, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Black Sox, Black Sox Scandal, Buck Weaver, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports, World Series Leave a commentOn January 13, 1922, Buck Weaver applied for reinstatement to professional baseball. Weaver had been a member of the infamous 1919 Black Sox and one of eight players banned from baseball for his alleged involvement in the throwing of the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. This was one of six attempts by Weaver to get back into baseball, but he would remain banned from the sport for life.
Buck Weaver (Library of Congress)
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.
Davidson at the K
Posted: April 28, 2018 Filed under: 21st Century | Tags: Baseball, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Kauffman Stadium, Major League Baseball, Matt Davidson, MLB, social media, sports 2 CommentsI wake up this morning, and one of the first things I see on Twitter is this:
.@Matt_davidson24 now has seven homers at Kauffman Stadium this season.
That’s the most by a road hitter in a season EVER … It is April 27th. pic.twitter.com/JVBmGRVssC
— MLB Stat of the Day (@MLBStatoftheDay) April 28, 2018
Quite the accomplishment for Matt Davidson, for sure, especially when you consider that Kauffman Stadium is not the most home run-friendly ballpark in the league.
As a Royals fan, however, this is the kind of statistic one dreads to see making headlines.
Davidson has had three multi-home run games already this season, and all three of those games took place — you guessed it — at Kauffman Stadium. And since the Royals and the White Sox are division rivals, Davidson will have six more games at the K (including today’s doubleheader) to add to his record.
Royals fans already knew this would be a long season. Now we’re just throwing salt on the wound.
Infographic: Big Data & Baseball Statistics
Posted: April 5, 2018 Filed under: 19th Century, 20th Century, 21st Century | Tags: Allan Roth, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Bill James, Billy Beane, Boston Red Sox, Branch Rickey, Brooklyn Dodgers, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago White Sox, Earl Weaver, history, infographics, John Thorn, Major League Baseball, MLB, Oakland Athletics, Pete Palmer, quotes, SABR, Sean Smith, sports, statistics Leave a commentSomeone (unknown) once commented, “Baseball is an island of activity amidst a sea of statistics.” There’s no doubt statistics drive the game. Here’s a good general timeline on how that has played out over the years.
