General

Chicago National League Ball Club of 1876 Honored On Monument

July 3, 2019 by David Stalker

On May 18, 2019, a monument dedication was held at Little Cubs Field in Freeport, Illinois. The black granite memorial honors the Chicago National League Ball Club of 1876 known as the Chicago White Stockings and today’s Chicago Cubs. The public was invited and joining the event were family members of the catcher of the 1876 Chicago White Stockings,... Read more of this article

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Vinnie Pestano: Former Side-Arm Reliever Reflects on Successful Major League Career

June 30, 2019 by Andrew Martin

Right-handed pitcher Vinnie Pestano was on a sure-fire major league trajectory in college when a severe injury cast everything into doubt. Fortunately, a team recognized his inherent talent and took a chance on his recovery, and he bounced back to have a solid six-year career in the big leagues. A side-armer, Pestano grew rapidly as a closer for Cal... Read more of this article

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Mariano Rivera Hits an Inside-the-Park Home Run: The Baseball Historian’s Notes for June 23, 2019

June 23, 2019 by Andrew Martin

The 2019 baseball season is in full swing. Along with a full slate of exciting games, comes regular remembrances of players, teams and occurrences from the past. This is the next edition of the Baseball Historian’s Notes. -There is an exciting new baseball museum exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum. “Detroit Stars & The Negro Leagues” opened... Read more of this article

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The Other Wright Brothers: George, Harry and the Team that Made Baseball Famous

June 14, 2019 by Jim Kaplan

It’s almost too much for the senses to absorb: two precedent-setting Hall of Famers and their team that played coast to coast, beat everyone and sold the country on professional baseball. George Wright was the Babe Ruth of his day in the 1860s and ’70s, and he went on to become arguably the most versatile sportsman in American history. His brother... Read more of this article

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Todd Greene: Catching Up with the Slugging Backstop

June 9, 2019 by Andrew Martin

Certain skill sets can get a baseball player noticed a lot more quickly than others. One of those is power, as that’s something that can’t be taught. One of the best slugging prospects in the last half-century was Todd Greene, who had the benefit of also being a catcher, which made his dangerous bat all the more coveted and helped him go on to... Read more of this article

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Bill Buckner: Redefining a Remarkable Career

May 29, 2019 by Andrew Martin

After battling dementia, baseball stalwart Bill Buckner passed away this past weekend at the age of 69. Having spent parts of 22 seasons in the major leagues, he will forever be one of the most recognizable names in the game. While many immediately think of him because of one misplayed ball made on the biggest of stages, his legacy deserves to be much,... Read more of this article

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Emmy-Nominated Author Granville Wyche Burgess Discusses His New Book The Last At-Bat of Shoeless Joe

May 23, 2019 by Andrew Martin

Emmy-Nominated Author Granville Wyche Burgess has written a new historical fiction book, titled The Last At-Bat of Shoeless Joe (Chickadee Prince Books, May 1, 2019). Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the Black Sox scandal, The Last At Bat of Shoeless Joe re-imagines the final days of disgraced baseball legend Joe Jackson and his relationship... Read more of this article

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Selling Ripe Bananas and Making Banana Bread

May 23, 2019 by Ted Leavengood

My 93-year old mother-in-law, bless her dear, departed soul, once opined that she was too old to buy a green banana. Ted Lerner, who was until recently the principal owner of the Washington Nationals is now 93, and many of his decisions in recent years regarding the Nationals have been made out of his desire to see a World Series team in DC during his... Read more of this article

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The Old Ballgame? You Have No Idea

May 18, 2019 by Doug Gladstone

For a sport that relies heavily on older fans watching its product, Major League Baseball (MLB) sure treats its retired players disrespectfully. Take 77-year-old Carmen Fanzone for instance. The Sherman Oaks resident was a valuable utility player who appeared in 237 career games with the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. Fanzone and 632 other men, such... Read more of this article

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The Big Train Rolls No More

May 14, 2019 by Doug Gladstone

I just learned that my pen pal, Ray Peters, died on May 4. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Janis, and two sons. Ray, who once pitched in the big leagues, was a Harvard grad. He played for the Crimson in 1967 and 1968. His former coach, Norman Shepard, thought so well of him that, in an article published on February 12, 1969, he told Al Brenholts... Read more of this article

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