March 29, 2024

“The Greatest Game Ever Pitched” At 50

July 2, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Today is the 50th anniversary of a pitching duel I chronicled in a book called “The Greatest Game Ever Pitched.” On July 2-3, 1963, 42-year-old Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves and 25-year-old Juan Marichal of the San Francisco Giants staged a 16-inning, 428-pitch clash that might still be going if it weren’t for a […]

Roy Smalley, Jr.—A Baseball Classic

October 27, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

This past week baseball lost Roy Smalley, Jr., another member of the World War II generation that has been rapidly slipping away in recent years. He was a player, a manager, an armed services veteran, and the father of Roy Smalley III, also a major leaguer. He was part of a vanishing generation that played […]

When Twelve Weren’t Enough

February 10, 2011 by · 4 Comments 

Where were you on the afternoon of April 17, 2010? That afternoon the Cardinals and Mets embarked on a 20-inning game that lasted close to seven hours. On the way to their 2-1 win, I wonder if anyone on the Mets had epiphanies of Harvey Haddix. Haddix pitched a perfect game for 12 innings in […]

Ty Cobb Returns to Georgia!

August 25, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

Tyrus Raymond (The Georgia Peach) Cobb returned to his old stomping grounds of Atlanta, Augusta, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina in the guise of Cobb impersonator and re-inactor, Norm Coleman of Half Moon Bay, California. Coleman was invited by SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research, to perform his one-man show, “Ty Cobb: The Greatest […]

Hammering Away with Henry

July 7, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

For much of his life, Henry Aaron has felt marginalized. Hank Aaron arguably sits atop the baseball pyramid as its home run king. But what about Henry? Blessed with baseball talent that landed him among the best all-around players ever, Hank Aaron assumed a public persona. Meanwhile, “The Hammer” effectively subjugated his private side, Henry. […]