Taking a stand… often at a cost…

June 25, 2018 by · Leave a Comment 

What do Michael Jones, Sandy Koufax, Eric Liddell, and Hakeem Olajuwon all have in common? They are all major athletes who made professional sacrifices due to their faith. In some cases the sacrifices made had only a minimal cost, but in others the cost was quite significant. This reality was recently brought to our attention through the eyes of a Detroit News from October 3, 1965. It tells of Sandy Koufax not being available to start the 1st game of the World Series due to his observance of Yom Kipper. Although the article states it really wasn’t a big deal, his missing the first game would mean he would not be available to pitch 3 times if the series took 7 games, unless he pitched with only 2 days rest – rarely a successful venture. After his team lost the first two games of the series, it sure appeared as if his decision would prove quite costly. However, in the end, he did pitch game 7 on only 2 days rest – won the game, and was named the Series MVP. However, what if they had lost? What about others who’s teams have lost or they themselves were excluded from major events due to their faith? Do you think many ever regret their decision to put their faith first? I’m guessing no, but perhaps others know otherwise.

The Traveler… how long did it go?…

April 16, 2018 by · Leave a Comment 

Today’s journeys toke me to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, by the way of Fitchburg Sentinel dated April 16, 1968 where I found a record-breaking sporting event. The Houston Astros and the New York Mets were playing at the Astrodome where “…things started getting pretty funny around the 17th inning. Roy Hofheinz officially sanctioned the humor of the situation five innings later… ‘After about the 17th inning everything sort of got funny’ said Staub, who batted nine times in the six-hour, six-minute contest. The game outlasted by two innings the longest night game played previously… The 24-inning game mercifully came to an end… with an error letting in the run after eight pitchers had battled valiantly to preserve the scoreless deadlock…”

This would become the longest scoreless Major League baseball game in history and still holds that record today.

~The Traveler

Women and baseball… Have things changed?

January 29, 2018 by · Leave a Comment 

Even when when baseball was in its infancy the connection between women and baseball was worthy of comment in the Porter’s Spirit of the Times” newspaper of Sept. 6, 1856.

Under the heading “Base Ball” which has much on a game played, are comments: “…and the attendance at each was not only very large, but made brilliant by great gatherings of ladies, whose interest in the sport seemed to be not at all short of that experienced by the most occupied observers of the other sex. We are inclined to think too, that this feature of these occasions has no little effect in inspiring the players in the games, and that the last energy of every contestant is taxed by the consciousness that he must win or lose in the minds of an exceedingly keen and scrutinizing class of lookers on. We are much pleased to see the beautiful and fair of this city lend the charm of their presence to the healthful out-door sports and exercises, and we have a shrewd opinion that more than one of them attends to ground with the view of sharply measuring among the players the qualities of what might make a serviceable future husband…”.

 

The Traveler… in the line-up…

October 16, 2017 by · Leave a Comment 

Today I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, by the way of The Atlanta Constitution dated October 14, 1917, where I found that it was world series time with the White Sox playing the fifth game against the Giants. I also found coverage on Jim Thorpe’s only appearance in a World Series game as well… “Because Cicotte, a right-hander, was pitching, Robertson batted in place of Thorpe, the Indian having been nominated to play right field when Russell was announced as the home hurler…” Thorpe’s name also appears in the box-score.

~The Traveler

 

The horrors of Billiards and Baseball… Those were the days…

May 12, 2016 by · Leave a Comment 

Blog-5-12-2016-1860-baseballA few days ago we posted a blog concerning one of the most shocking events of the 20th century: The 1969 Tate Murders by Charles Manson and his followers. As we reflect back on the turbulent 1960’s, the tragic and bizarre murders seem to have been a somewhat appropriate ending to a very troubled era in American history. Perhaps ironically, nearly 100 years prior and on the opposite coast, the New York Times (October 26, 1860) was reporting about two other societal stressors: billiards and baseball. While we all can appreciate the horrors of billiards (who doesn’t identify with “Ya got trouble, right here in River City”), the article on baseball is what catches our attention. Apparently, young boys playing baseball in the park were creating a high degree of angst among the strollers of the day. Who among us would not trade the distractions and temptations of today’s youth for the youthful pastime activities of yesteryear?

Great Headlines Speak For Themselves… Dodgers are moving!

August 13, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

The best headlines need no commentary. Such is the case with the HERALD EXPRESS-EXTRA, Los Angeles, California, October 8, 1957: “It’s Official! DODGERS COMING TO L.A.“…Blog-6-12-2015-Dodgers-Move-To-Los-Angeles

The aftermath of the Civil War… August, 1865

August 6, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

Blog-8-6-2015-Post-Civil-WarWhat news was reported in August, 1865 – approximately 150 years ago? The horrors of the Civil War were now in the past, but the emotions and sorrow of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln were still fresh. Where would the nation go from here? How would we move forward? Was unity possible?
Such a walk back in time through the eyes of those who read the daily and weekly newspapers of the period can be quite revealing. This is why we often say, “History is never more fascinating than when it’s read from the day it was first reported.” The following link will take you back in time to show the available newspapers from the Rare & Early newspapers website. There’s no need to buy a thing. Simply enjoy the walk back in time:

August, 1865

A sampling of what you will find may include articles and info regarding: Andersonville Prison – and the trial of Captain Wirz, a return to a degree of normalcy via sports (baseball, horse racing, rowing, etc.), the follow-up to the trial of the Lincoln conspirators, and much on cleaning up after the Civil War and the beginning of reconstruction. Key Civil War figures (Jefferson Davis, Frederick Douglass, Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, etc.) continue to make headlines as well. Please enjoy your travel into the past as you browse through the currently available original newspapers!

They put it in print… Cheating in baseball predates the “Black Sox” scandal of 1919…

May 29, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

Cheating in baseball may be as old as the the sport itself, but it was most notably brought to national attention with the infamous “Black Sox” scandal of 1919, when several players of the Chicago White Sox were Blog-5-29-2015-Baseball-Cheatingaccused of throwing the World Series that year for financial gain.

As newspaper report from shortly after the end of the Civil War gives evidence that it happened much earlier as well. The New York Times” issue of Sept. 29, 1865 reports on a game between the Mutuals and Eckford teams, ultimately won by the latter with a score of 23-11. Excellence in play was reported with: “…Some of the fly tips taken by Mills surpassed, anything we ever saw in that line of business, while their pitching came nearer to the Creighton mark in accuracy of delivery than any we have seen since his death…”. But records show that several Mutual players were later charged for accepting money to deliberately toss this game (see this hyperlink for the details). Ironically the summary mentions the poor play of the Mutuals marked by “…over-pitched balls, wild throws, passed balls, and failures to stop them…”. Interesting evidence that all was “not well” with the game.

Although the 1919 World Series remains prominent in sports history, this obscure game from 54 years earlier gives evidence to a a rather lengthy history of cheating in baseball.

Great Headlines Speak For Themselves… Dodgers are champions!

October 10, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

The best headlines need no commentary. Such is the case with the LOS ANGELES TIMES–EXTRA, September 30, 1959: “L.A. DODGERS CHAMPIONS ! “Blog-10-10-2014-Dodgers-Are-Champs-1959

The Traveler… Braves vs. Athletics creates new record…

October 6, 2014 by · 2 Comments 

This week I traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, via the Omaha Evening Bee of October 8 through 13, 1914 (excluding the 11th which was a Sunday), where I enjoyed the 1914 World Series between the Boston Braves and the Philadelphia Athletics (see below). This series was the first four-game sweep in World Series history, excluding any tie games. The Braves had even abandoned their home field and played at Fenway Park while awaiting construction of their new home field, thus not having any “home field advantage.”

This is a bit of a unique publication as the first page of each issue is printed on pink-colored paper and features the sports news as the major headline event and large illustrations. Further reporting is continued within the regular portion of the newspaper as well.

~The TravelerPhialdelphia Athletics 1914 Connie Mack

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