Deadball Era Baseball

1909 World Series Scorecard

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

Was Ed Delahanty murdered?

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

Shoeless Joe Jackson was guilty

Some filmmakers and authors have tried to make Shoeless Joe Jackson a victim. He wasn’t: he took money to throw the World Series.

The mysterious death of Red Sox manager Chick Stahl

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.

Setting the record straight: The last ball caught before World War I

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.

Ty Cobb sold me a Coke

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.

Ty Cobb’s horror: Murder in Royston, Georgia

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.