In the annals of sports poetry, few verses have resonated as deeply or endured as long as Franklin Pierce Adams’ “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon.” Penned in a moment
Hal Chase was a master instigator, bad teammate, and a criminal who nested himself among gamblers who conspired to throw the World Series. He survived in pro baseball because he was a brilliant defensive player. But, eventually his nefarious actions caused his banishment from organized baseball for betting against his own teams.
Observers insist Dick Redding could throw a baseball at least as fast as Walter Johnson. Yet, the color of his skin kept him from proving it in the white major leagues.
Stuffy McInnis was the best fielding first baseman in the American League for nearly a decade, and he was employed by two of baseball’s greatest dynasties.
These pitchers had the most starts with one run earned run or less over 9 innings without getting a win.
Who was the greatest third baseman of all-time? Most would say Mike Schmidt. But in 1969 on MLB’s 100th anniversary, the pickings were slim and strange.
One of the fun things about diving into baseball history is finding stories that humanize men who are now only numbers on a career record to us. For Fred Clarke and Fred Tenney, theirs was an animosity that erupted into a physical confrontation more than once.
What was the secret that helped Walter Johnson throw so much harder than his contemporaries?
The last time Jack Taylor had his name in the headlines for his pitching it came in 1903 for the wrong reasons. That year, he was summoned
In 1905, Ty Cobb made his big league debut for the Detroit Tigers just days after his father was killed by his mother, who was facing murder charges.
Is there anything we can do to restore the dignity that Native Americans and African American players lost when they were stuck with racially insensitive nicknames years ago?
The 1909 World Series was important for a few reasons. It pitted two of the greatest stars in baseball at the time, one of them a veteran
A decision by the President of the United States indirectly led to Honus Wagner’s baseball card becoming one of the most valuable collectible in sports history. A T206 Wagner recently sold for $1.4 million.
Eddie Collins buried his bats during the off-season in shallow holes in his backyard that he called “graves” in order to keep them “lively.” That’s odd, for
There was always something unusual about Eddie Grant, but he was comfortable with that. He didn’t mind being different. In a brief life that stretched only 35
Ed Delahanty’s success on the diamond obscured a troubled personal life marred by gambling and booze. His debts frequently mounted to the point that “Big Ed” would
Joe Jackson batted .375 with 12 hits in the eight games of the 1919 World Series. He led the Chicago White Sox with six runs batted in
An infamous brawl during an exhibition game illustrates how competitive Ty Cobb was.
The 1918 baseball season was unusual in many ways because it was an unusual period in American history. For the first time, the nation was in a
Some filmmakers and authors have tried to make Shoeless Joe Jackson a victim. He wasn’t: he took money to throw the World Series.
A century ago when one of Boston’s most famous citizens killed himself under strange circumstances in a gruesome fashion, muttering final words that rival the gasping “Rosebud” of Charles Foster Kane, it prompted shock, sadness, and conspiracy theories.
When Detroit fans settled into Navin Field for the traditional Labor Day doubleheader in 1918, they had no idea that they would see a 41-year old coach pitch and get a victory, and that a pharmacist who came to watch the game, would play the outfield in place of Ty Cobb. But that’s what happened.
When Walter Johnson pitched his first professional game, he lost 21-0. Almost all of the runs were scored on third strikes that his catcher failed to secure because of their speed. Johnson threw hard.
In the “Peach State” on May 8, one of the most popular beverages in history was first concocted, and on December 18, a legendary ballplayer was born. As a result, Coca-Cola became a household name and one of the most profitable companies in the world, and Tyrus Raymond Cobb became a batting champion and eventually one of the first members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
When Ty Cobb arrived in Royston, Georgia, on August 10, 1905, his father was dead from a shotgun blast and his mother was facing arrest for manslaughter. The small community was abuzz over the shocking death of their most influential and prominent figure, while Ty was in a state of shock at the loss of his father.
