Lost Baseball Teams
Posted: May 12, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century | Tags: Baseball, Boston Braves, documentaries, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports, St. Louis Browns Leave a commentWhile this is far from a comprehensive collection of “lost” teams in baseball history, this short clip provides an interesting look at the St. Louis Browns, Boston Braves, and Philadelphia Athletics. Being the number two team in your own city is never an easy position to overcome.
This day in baseball: Luis Castro’s major league debut
Posted: April 23, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Connie Mack, history, Luis Castro, Major League Baseball, MLB, Orlando Ramirez, Philadelphia Athletics, sports Leave a commentLuis Castro made his major league debut on April 23, 1902, making him the first player from Colombia to play in the big leagues. Castro took the field at second base for Connie Mack’s Philadelphia’s A’s in an 8-1 victory over the Orioles at Oriole Park that day. The 25-year-old Medellin native would play in 42 games that year and would also prove to be the last player from Colombia to appear in major league baseball until Orlando Ramirez broke in with the Angels in 1974.
Castro in 1902 (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: A Series of shutouts
Posted: October 14, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Chief Bender, Christy Mathewson, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Giants, Philadelphia Athletics, sports, World Series Leave a commentThe 1905 World Series was the only World Series in history in which every game ended as a shutout. Game 5 of the Series, played on October 14th, featured Christy Mathewson of New York against Chief Bender of Philadelphia on the mound. Mathewson defeated the A’s 2-0, marking his third victory of the Series to secure the Giants’ World Series victory.
Christy Mathewson (Chicago Historical Society)
This day in baseball: Out confusion
Posted: September 14, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Bob Reach, Boston Red Stockings, Cap Anson, Fergy Malone, George Wright, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports Leave a commentIn a game between the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Stockings on September 14, 1872, the Athletics led 4-1 in the seventh inning with runners on first and second. Fergy Malone popped up to shortstop George Wright, who caught the ball in his hat and then proceeded to throw the ball to third base. The ball was then thrown to second base. Wright claimed a double play has been completed, as a batter cannot be retired with a “hat catch,” and thus runners Cap Anson and Bob Reach should have been forced out. This naturally caused some confusion, and ultimately , the umpire decided to give Malone another at bat, declaring nobody out on the play. The Athletics won this game, 6-4.
George Wright, 1872 (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: Double steal fiasco
Posted: August 13, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Dave Fultz, Detroit Tigers, Harry Davis, history, Philadelphia Athletics, sports Leave a commentOn August 13, 1902, the Philadelphia A’s attempted a double steal against the Tigers. Harry Davis took off from first base while Dave Fultz, the runner on third, waited for the Tigers to make the throw. However, Detroit conceded second base to Davis, thus holding Fultz to third.
Not willing to give up the play so easily, Davis returned to first base on the next pitch. He took off for second base again, this time drawing a throw. Fultz managed to score from third on the throw, and Davis was called safe at second.
Davis was credited with just one stolen base out of the ordeal.
Harry Davis (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: Williams’s six-game streak
Posted: August 2, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Baseball, Ken Williams, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports, Sportsman's Park, St. Louis Browns Leave a commentKen Williams of the St. Louis Browns homered in his sixth consecutive game on August 2, 1922, setting what was at the time an American League record. However, the Browns still lost to the Athletics, 8-4, at Sportsman’s Park.
Library of Congress
This day in baseball: Double triple steal
Posted: July 25, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Cleveland Indians, League Park, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports 2 CommentsAt Cleveland’s League Park on July 25, 1930, the Philadelphia Athletics pulled off a rare triple steal in the first inning of a game against the Indians, then proceeded to repeat the feat in the fourth inning. The A’s pounded Cleveland 14-1 in that game.
the deadballera.com
Arlie Latham
Posted: June 13, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, 20th Century | Tags: American Association, American Civil War, Arlie Latham, Baseball, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, history, League Alliance, Major League Baseball, MLB, National Association of Base Ball Players, National League, New Hampshire, New York Giants, Philadelphia Athletics, Players' League, sports, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators 2 Comments
Wikipedia
Nicknamed “The Freshest Man On Earth,” Walter Arlington Latham was born March 15, 1860 in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Latham’s father served as a bugler for the Union Army in the American Civil War, and at the conclusion of the war, young Arlie became interested in baseball when soldiers returning from the battlefield brought the game home with them.
By the time he was fourteen, Latham had become good enough to play with the General Worth nine, a local team in Stoneham, Massachusetts, where the family had moved. Latham started out as a catcher, but later took up playing third base to avoid getting beat up behind the plate. In 1877, Latham played with the Pittsfield, Massachusetts club as their third baseman, and then in 1879, he made his professional debut in minor league baseball with Springfield in the National Association.
Twenty-year-old Latham made his Major League debut on July 5, 1880 with the Buffalo Bisons of the National League, becoming the first man from New Hampshire to play in the majors. He then played for the Philadelphia Athletics of the National Association in 1881, then the Philadelphia Phillies of the League Alliance in 1882.
Latham then joined the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in 1883. He stayed in St. Louis through the 1889 season, during which time the Browns won four consecutive pennants (1885-1888) in the American Association. Latham led the AA in runs scored with 152 during the 1886 season. He also batted .316 and stole 142 bases, then tacked on another 12 stolen bases in the playoffs. Adding to a reputation as an excellent base stealer, in 1887, Latham stole 129 bases, and he also led the league in stolen bases with 109 during the 1888 season.
In 1890, Latham jumped to the Chicago Pirates of the Players’ League. Later that year, in July, he returned to the NL with the Cincinnati Reds, where he served as a utility player and coach. Latham played for Cincinnati through 1895, then was traded to the Browns after the 1895 season. The Browns then released Latham after the 1896 season. Latham bounced around the minors for a few years before winding up with the Washington Senators in 1899. He later made four appearances for the New York Giants in 1909 at age 49.
Personality-wise, Arlie Latham was considered one of the funniest players in baseball. I’m not sure exactly how he earned the nickname “The Freshest Man on Earth,” but Latham was well-known for playing practical jokes. According to one account, the existence of the third base coach’s box is thanks to Latham. He would taunt opposing players third base coach, taking advantage of the lack of a coach’s box by running up and down the third base line yelling insults at the pitcher while he was in the middle of his windup.
His tendency to shout and gesticulate, not only as a coach, but also as a player, earned Latham the unofficial title of “the father of ‘chatter’.” The implication, of course, being that the practice of infield chatter that exists to this day had begun with Arlie Latham.
Latham finished his playing career with 742 stolen bases in seventeen professional seasons with a .269 batting average, .334 OBP, and .341 slugging. Latham died on November 29, 1952 at the age of 92 in Garden City, New York. He is buried in Greenfield Cemetery in Uniondale, New York.
This day in baseball: First perfect game
Posted: May 5, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Cy Young, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, Rube Waddell, sports Leave a commentCy Young threw the first perfect game in American League history on May 5, 1904. In the game, Young led the Red Sox to a 3-0 victory over Rube Waddell and the Philadelphia A’s. It also marked the first perfect game in the majors since 1893, when the distance from the mound to the plate was changed from 45 feet to 60 feet, 6 inches.
“Cy Young” by Bain News Service
Cap Anson
Posted: January 30, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century | Tags: Albert Spalding, Baseball, Cap Anson, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings, cricket, Harry Wright, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, National Association of Base Ball Players, National Baseball Hall of Fame, New York Giants, Philadelphia Athletics, Rockford Forest City, sports Leave a comment
Cap Anson (Wikipedia)
Adrian Constantine “Cap” Anson was born on April 17, 1852 in a log cabin in Marshalltown, Iowa. He was the youngest son of Henry and Jeannette Rice Anson. Henry and Jeannette Anson had moved westward to the area from New York state with their oldest son, Sturgis, in a covered wagon, and young Adrian was the first pioneer child born in Marshalltown. Jeannette Anson died when Adrian was merely seven years old.
Henry Anson enrolled his sons in a preparatory course at the College of Notre Dame, and then later again at the state college in Iowa City (now the University of Iowa), but Adrian Anson was more interested in baseball and skating than in his studies. As a teenager, Adrian earned a place on the town baseball team, the Marshalltown Stars. With Henry Anson playing third base, Adrian’s brother Sturgis in centerfield, and Adrian at second base, the Stars went on to win the Iowa state championship in 1868.
In 1870, the Rockford Forest City baseball club and its star pitcher, Al Spalding, came to Marshalltown for a pair of games. The Forest City team won both games, but the Anson men played so well that Rockford management sent contract offers to all three of the Ansons. Henry and Sturgis turned the offer down, but Adrian accepted and joined the Forest City team in the spring of 1871.
Adrian Anson batted .325 for Rockford while playing third base, but the team disbanded at the end of the season. He was then signed by the Philadelphia Athletics, where he batted .415 in 1872, third best in the National Association. In 1874, Cincinnati Red Stockings manager Harry Wright and pitcher Al Spalding organized a three-week trip to England. Both the Athletics and the Red Stockings sailed across the Atlantic to play both baseball and cricket in front of British crowds. Anson led both teams in hitting throughout the tour, and he and Spalding developed a friendship during this trip, as well.
Anson’s numbers declined slightly in 1874 and 1875, but he still captured the attention Chicago White Stockings president William Hulbert. Anson signed with Chicago, and he went on to be named captain-manager of the club in 1879, moving across the diamond to play first base. His new role as captain-manager led to his nickname, “Cap,” short for “Captain Anson.” Under Anson’s leadership, the White Stockings won five pennants between 1880 and 1886. Anson introduced new tactics to the game, including the use of a third-base coach, having fielders back up one another, signaling batters, and the pitching rotation.
Anson played twenty-two seasons for Chicago, hitting at least .300 in twenty of those years. He led the league in RBIs eight times between 1880 and 1891, winning batting titles in 1881 and 1888. He retired after the 1897 season at the age of forty-five, having collected big league records for games, hits, at-bats, doubles and runs. He also finished with 3,081 hits, making him the first player ever to cross the 3,000-hit line.
After leaving Chicago, Anson managed the New York Giants for 22 games in 1898 before his big league career came to an end. He died on April 14, 1922 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.
