This day in baseball: Irvin signs with the Giants
Posted: January 28, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Ford Smith, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Monte Irvin, National Baseball Hall of Fame, Negro Leagues, New York Giants, sports Leave a commentMonte Irvin and Ford Smith became the first African-American players to sign with the New York Giants on January 28, 1949. Irvin would only play five full seasons in the major leagues, but he is considered by many to be the best of the players who made the jump from the Negro Leagues to the majors. In 1973, Irvin was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, primarily for his play in the Negro Leagues.

Wikimedia Commons
This day in baseball: Elaine Weddington Steward promoted
Posted: January 26, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Elaine Weddington Steward, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports, Women Leave a commentOn January 26, 1990, Elaine Weddington Steward was promoted to assistant general manager for the Boston Red Sox. She had been working with the franchise since 1988 as an associate counsel. Her promotion in 1990 made her the highest-ranking black female executive in Major League Baseball.

Elaine Weddington Steward (The Business Journals)
Hall of Fame, Class of 2019
Posted: January 23, 2019 Filed under: 21st Century | Tags: Baseball, Edgar Martinez, history, Major League Baseball, Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, MLB, National Baseball Hall of Fame, Roy Halladay, sports 2 CommentsCongratulations to Mike Mussina, Edgar Martinez, Mariano Rivera, and Roy Halladay on their election to the Baseball Hall of Fame! And bonus congrats to Rivera, the first ever elected with 100% of the vote.
This day in baseball: Feller’s contract
Posted: January 21, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Bob Feller, Cleveland Indians, Dazzy Vance, history, Lefty Grove, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports 2 CommentsTwenty-two-year-old Bob Feller signed a deal with the Indians on January 21, 1941 reportedly worth $30,000. This made Feller the highest paid pitcher in baseball history. The previous high salary for a single season of pitching had been $27,500 to Dazzy Vance and Lefty Grove.

Wikimedia Commons
“Polo Grounds,” by Rolfe Humphries
Posted: January 18, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, Pop culture | Tags: Baseball, history, Jack Humphries, Literature, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Giants, poetry, Polo Grounds, Rolfe Humphries, sports 2 CommentsGeorge Rolfe Humphries was born in 1894, the son of Jack (John) Humphries, an 1880s professional baseball player. Rolfe Humphries grew up to write poetry, translate literature, teach Latin, and coach athletics, but naturally, his interests also gravitated towards baseball. “Polo Grounds” is his tribute to New York Giants baseball — as well as, it appears, to his father.
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Time is of the essence. This is a highly skilled
And beautiful mystery. Three or four seconds only
From the time that Riggs connects till he reaches first,
And in those seconds Jurges goes to his right,
Comes up with the ball, tosses to Witek at second,
For the force on Reese, Witek to Mize at first,
In time for the out—a double play.
(Red Barber crescendo. Crowd noises, obbligatio;
Scattered staccatos from the peanut boys,
Loud in the lull, as the teams are changing sides) . . .
Hubbell takes the sign, nods, pumps, delivers—
A foul into the stands. Dunn takes a new ball out,
Hands it to Danning, who throws it down to Werber;
Werber takes off his glove, rubs the ball briefly,
Tosses it over to Hub, who goes to the rosin bag,
Takes the sign from Danning, pumps, delivers—
Low, outside, ball three. Danning goes to the mound,
Says something to Hub, Dunn brushes off the plate,
Adams starts throwing in the Giant bullpen,
Hub takes the sign from Danning, pumps, delivers,
Camilli gets hold of it, a long fly to the outfield,
Ott goes back, back, back, against the wall, gets under it,
Pounds his glove, and takes it for the out.
That’s all for the Dodgers. . . .
Time is of the essence. The rhythms break,
More varied and subtle than any kind of dance;
Movement speeds up or lags. The ball goes out
In sharp and angular drives, or long slow arcs,
Comes in again controlled and under aim;
The players wheel or spurt, race, stoop, slide, halt,
Shift imperceptibly to new positions,
Watching the signs according to the batter,
The score, the inning. Time is of the essence.
Time is of the essence. Remember Terry?
Remember Stonewall Jackson, Lindstrom, Frisch,
When they were good? Remember Long George Kelly?
Remember John McGraw and Benny Kauff?
Remember Bridwell, Tenney, Merkle, Youngs,
Chief Meyers, Big Jeff Tesreau, Shufflin’ Phil?
Remember Mathewson, Ames, and Donlin,
Buck Ewing, Rusie, Smiling Mickey Welch?
Remember a left-handed catcher named Jack Humphries,
Who sometimes played the outfield, in ’83?
Time is of the essence. The shadow moves
From the plate to the box, from the box to second base,
From second to the outfield, to the bleachers.
Time is of the essence. The crowd and players
Are the same age always, but the man in the crowd
Is older every season. Come on, play ball!
This day in baseball: Kansas City Cowboys join the AA
Posted: January 17, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American Association, Baseball, Brooklyn Dodgers, history, Kansas City Cowboys, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Mets, sports Leave a commentThe Kansas City Cowboys were admitted to the American Association on January 17, 1888, after the New York Metropolitans folded. The Brooklyn Dodgers purchased what remained of the Mets, hoping to obtain the services of the now-unemployed New York players. The Cowboys, meanwhile, would have a rough inaugural season, finishing with a 43-89 record, putting them in last place in the AA.

1888 Kansas City Cowboys (Wikipedia)
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)