The Looie (Aparicio) Curse
The news that Luis Aparicio has let the White Sox unretire his jersey, number 11, to let Omar Vizquel wear it in tribute to his Venezuelan predecessor called to mind the story of the Looie Curse, said...
View ArticleA Hurler Who Hit Better Than The Rest
A look at Louisville Colonels’ pitcher Guy Hecker’s 1886 season, when he became the first and only pitcher ever to lead a major league in batting. In the winter of 1885, it looked like a good bet that...
View ArticleThe Day “Sunny Jim” Made History
One of the great things about going to a baseball game is you’ll never know what you will see. Perhaps you might witness a no-hitter or a triple play. Or, as was the case for roughly 8,000 fans in...
View ArticleDonald’s Future Looks To Be At Second
At this time last year, infielder Jason Donald was playing with the Philadelphia Phillies Triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley trying to make every impression possible to somehow crack a Phillies...
View ArticleSteinbrenner’s legacy: Winning and entertainment
George Steinbrenner passed away today at the age of 80. Although he hasn’t been running the Yankees for some time now, his legacy will always be remembered. From 1973-2010, Steinbrenner created and...
View ArticleRattled in the Clinches: Manager Pie Traynor and the Epic Collapse of the...
On the evening of September 29, 1938, inside the funereal visitors’ clubhouse at Wrigley Field, a despondent Pie Traynor leaned back, fired up a cigarette, and prepared to lie through his teeth. His...
View ArticleJoe Girardi: The Perfect Modern Manager?
In our culture, villains are meticulous and cunning. Heroes jump off buildings and yell “yippee-kay-yay, mother-@#$%er!â€
View ArticleYankees Can Look Forward to a Busy Offseason
With the Yankees’ quest for a repeat championship crushed by a hungry and talented Rangers team, the Bronx Bombers face a long offseason of uncertainty. It’s amazing how many leaks can spring up in...
View ArticleScenes and Quotes From San Francisco and the Giants Clubhouse After Winning...
A while ago I hunted down the San Francisco Chronicle from the day after the Giants beat the Dodgers to win the 1962 N.L. pennant. It’s been overlooked by the World Series that followed, but the race...
View ArticleThe Ultimate Seven-Game Fall Classic: Game Two
In part one of my Ultimate Seven-Game Fall Classic series, I featured Game One of the 1988 World Series between the Oakland A’s and Los Angeles Dodgers. This time around, I’m traveling back to the...
View ArticleAt Home with the Browns
Hello. My name is Jeff and I’m a certified Brownsaholic. Don’t ask me why. The star-crossed franchise hasn’t existed in its St. Louis form since 1953, when the club was sent packing to Baltimore to...
View Article“We Had to Pay the Price:” How the Pirates Traded for Chuck Tanner
Chuck Tanner’s death last Friday struck particularly close to the hearts of longtime Pirate fans. He was the down-to-earth local kid who went away, made good, and then returned to lead his hometown...
View ArticleDC Opening Day Always a Historic Moment
Opening Day in Washington today was notable for the absence of two persons, the first being President Obama. Â Starting with President Taft more than a hundred years ago in 1910, they have been there....
View ArticleChildhood and Wally Bunker
The year 1964 when I was 7 years old, was a landmark for me. In February of that year, I saw the Beatles for the first time on my grandmother’s 13″ black and white television; a set so full of vacuum...
View ArticleThe Most Egregious MVP Snubs of All Time (at Least on Paper)
Not long ago I was watching an episode of “Prime 9″ on the MLB Network about the nine biggest MVP snubs of all time. Before the show even began, I knew what would be ranked number one because it’s...
View ArticleThe Lighting of the Hot Stove
Perhaps the Hot Stove season does not commence until after the World Series. Or maybe it adds fuel to the fire. Either way there are instructive failures from last year to consider. There were Carl...
View ArticleEarly Thoughts on the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year Race
While still early, the 2012 major league baseball season is now more than a third over, and many rookies have made intentions about being up to stay clear through their play. It’s never too early to...
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