Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright, The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light; And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout, But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out. With the 2020 baseball season delayed, there certainly is no joy.
Abner Doubleday was a career officer in the Union Army during the Civil War, achieving the rank of 2-star General. In the early days of the war, Doubleday fired the first shot at the Battle of Fort Sumter. He also played a pivotal role in the Battle of Gettysburg. He was, however, relieved of his …
Come take batting practice with us, Danny…. for ever and ever and ever.
He loved what he did in life and he died doing what he loved.
In 1927, as a minor leaguer, Del Bissonette led the International League in five categories — runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, and RBIs. The next season, Del signed with the Brooklyn Robins (a team that would eventually become the Brooklyn Dodgers) as a first baseman. He achieved a .320 batting average and became only the third Major Leaguer to be …
There is no “I” in “team,” however there is one in “fixed.”
Right out of high school, Ralph “Putsy” Caballero signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. After a few years in the minor leagues, Putsy made his major league debut at third base for the Phillies in 1948. In his one season as an everyday player, Putsy achieved a batting average of .245, amassing only 86 …
Young, eager Choo-Choo Coleman was drafted by the Washington Senators in 1955, however he was soon released. He was picked up by the Brooklyn Dodgers but signed with the Philadelphia Philles in a Rule 5 draft. In 1961, after getting hit by a pitch in his first Major League plate appearance, he played in 33 …
Kevin Connors dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, one day playing for his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers. At an imposing six-foot-five, the athletic Connors was a natural at first base, often yelling “Chuck it to me! Chuck it to me!” to his teammates on the neighborhood ball clubs, thus earning him the nickname “Chuck.” Equally …
Nineteen-year-old Ruth Steinhagen went to a Chicago Cubs game in 1947 and was never the same. She became obsessed with Eddie Waitkus, the Cubs’ good looking, young first baseman. Ruth began to gather every bit of information she could on Waitkus. She sought out photos and newspaper clippings about him. Her room in her parents’ …
