1940s Baseball

The Sad End to the Life of Cleveland’s Slugger Luke Easter

Easter was physically impressive: 6’4 and close to 250 pounds. He looked like a defensive end instead of a baseball player. He was a hulking, left-handed power hitter and a bit of an enigma. Few people knew where he was from or when he was born, and ultimately when Easter met his maker in a violent manner, he still clung to his secrets.

Lou Boudreau Proved Bill Veeck Wrong

Lou Boudreau may have had the greatest season a shortstop ever had. He’s the man who perfected the defensive shift, and was the player-manager of the last Cleveland team to win the World Series.

Ted Williams Hid His Mexican Heritage

Ted Williams was a superstar in the 1940s and 1950s, however, at first his Mexican heritage was a problem, because racism was even more prevalent at that time than it is today.

Feller was great pitcher, greater American

When a much different America suffered its “9/11” moment, Bob Feller – the best pitcher in baseball – didn’t hesitate to take action. On December 8, 1941, one day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Feller voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Navy. At the age of 23, already a six-year veteran of the major leagues, Feller was at the height of his fame and pitching brilliance. But his decision to enter the military wasn’t difficult.

Nine things you didn’t know about Bob Feller

Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller died on December 15, 2010, after living an amazing life that included inspirational service in the United States Navy in World War II and a storied baseball career. Here are nine things you may not have known about this great American.

Remembering Cecil Travis on Veterans Day

Veterans Day is a day to remember and thank those who have sacrificed so much for our country. Some gave their lives. Even those who came back from war have given up much for our country. In the history of baseball, one ballplayer gave up perhaps more than any other with his service to the country. Though he came back alive from World War II, he almost certainly was deprived of baseball immortality.

The duel of the century: Feller vs. Newhouser

Neither the Cleveland Indians nor the Detroit Tigers had any chance to win the pennant when they met in a late September game in 1946. But a much-anticipated meeting between the league’s two top pitchers drew a large crowd to Memorial Stadium.

When Hank Greenberg hit his 300th homer

Thanks to a mistake by the Washington catcher, Tiger slugger Hank Greenberg was able to deposit this baseball into the left field stands of Briggs Stadium. Not only was the home run of importance in that game, which Detroit won, 6-4, it was the 300th such blast of Greenberg’s esteemed career.

Bill Veeck’s “Night to end all nights”

Those who work in baseball for a living are fond of saying that without the fans there wouldn’t be a game. Rarely, however, do the fans get their due. One owner, Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, did his best to pay tribute to the fans and put them center stage.

Frick made huge impact on game of baseball

Few Hall of Famers forged as diverse a career in baseball as Ford Christopher Frick, who was instrumental in the establishment of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown.

Ted Williams’ walk-off homer in 1941 All-Star Game

Today we would call what Ted Williams did in the 1941 All-Star Game a walk-off home run. But for those who were in uniform in Detroit for that game, it’s simply a moment they’ll never forget. In what may still be the most thrilling All-Star Game in history, Williams belted a three-run, game-winning homer in Detroit’s freshly repainted Briggs Stadium on July 8, 1941, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, to give the American League a thrilling 7-5 victory.

Remembering Jackie Robinson

When Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, he blazed a trail for African American ballplayers. That legacy lives on today. In the last ten seasons, 15 of the 20 league Most Valuable Player Awards have been awarded to African American or Latino ballplayers.