1931 World Series

Pepper Martin
Wikipedia - "In the 1931 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Athletics in seven games, a rematch and reversal of fortunes of the 1930 World Series. The same two teams faced off during the 1930 World Series and the Athletics were victorious. The only day-to-day player in the Cardinals' lineup who was different in 1931 was the "Wild Horse of the Osage", Pepper Martin—a 27-year-old rookie who spent seven (7) years in the Minor Leagues. He led his team during this series in runs scored, hits, doubles, runs batted in and stolen bases, and also made a running catch to stifle a ninth-inning rally by the A's in the final game."
Wikipedia
Baseball Almanac
Pepper Martin: baseball’s leap day legend
Sportsmans Park during World Series game, ca. 1931
YouTube: CARDINALS WIN 1931 WORLD SERIES over Philadelphia A's, HOOVER WATCHES GAME THREE OF 1931 WORLD SERIES

Brenda Gannam

having an affair
with his buddy's wife
the DH


----------


handsome pitcher
my eyes drift down
to the mound


-----------


home team rally
outside the stadium
the roar of Harley engines


-----------


in the stands
his arm around his wife
he winks at me


-----------

slow, high fly
somewhere down the line
the whistle of a train



Baseball Haiku

The 30, Week 3: Cardinals on the Move

"Injuries and a few giant question marks haven't stopped St. Louis from lighting up the league. Big moves in the East(s), the AL Central gets interesting, and a change at the bottom. It's Week 3 of The 30."
Grantland
G - The Second Century Is Always the Hardest; Dark times at Fenway Park

Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball? (1949 Version)

Woodrow Buddy Johnson & Count Basie (1949)
"Did you see Jackie Robinson hit that ball?
It went zoomin cross the left field wall.
Yeah boy, yes, yes. Jackie hit that ball."
YouTube
Baseball Almanac
LoC: Baseball and Jackie Robinson
amazon

Joe Nuxhall

Wikipedia - "Joseph Henry Nuxhall (... July 30, 1928 – November 15, 2007) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, mostly for the Cincinnati Reds. Immediately after retiring as a player, he became a radio broadcaster for the Reds from 1967 through 2004, and continued part-time up until his death in 2007. Nuxhall held the team's record for career games pitched (484) from 1965 to 1975, and still holds the team mark for left-handers."
Wikipedia, Baseball Reference
87. Joe Nuxhall: A portrait of The Old Left-hander as a young man
Joe Nuxhall Photo Gallery
SI: Joe Nuxhall

Maj Ragain - "Blyleven's Fourth Shutout, June, 1985"

The Cleveland Indian are up
two to nothing, bottom of the eighth.
The Dutchman has his curveball tonight.
I can hear it snap off,
even on the car radio.
I am sitting half drunk
in the driveway, listening to game
in my pinstripes.
The women and children have gone to the house.
The new summer darkness counts the outs.

Somebody should drop
a cold mountain on the car
right now, bury me
in the driveway with the shutout.
I'd live a day or two
till the battery, the beer or
the game ran out.

My grown son Sean
is a second baseman
in the slow-pitch league.
He would be the one
to climb the mountain of my grave
and live with the puzzle
of the short series
playing against
the soles of his shoes.


Line Drives

The 30, Week 2: Rangers Take Control

"It's Week 2 of Grantland's weekly rundown of baseball's best to worst, and already this column's got a new name: The 30. Hopefully the name will stick. The same can't be said for this week's rankings, which featured some big moves over the past seven days. That volatility should eventually subside as baseball's hierarchy stabilizes. For now, we're left with a mishmash of current results and an assessment of overall team quality. That means the team with the best record won't necessarily be no. 1, just as the team with the worst record isn't a lock for no. 30. You might even occasionally see one team ranked above another that just cleaned its clock. Just remember: This is baseball, not college football. It's a long season."
Grantland

MLB Power Rankings, Week 1

Martín Dihigo

Wikipedia - "Martín Magdaleno Dihigo Llanos (May 25, 1906 - May 20, 1971) was a Cuban player in baseball's Negro leagues and Latin American leagues who excelled at several positions, primarily as a pitcher and second baseman. He was born in the sugarmill Jesús María (town of Cidra) in Matanzas Province, Cuba."
Wikipedia
SABR: Martín Dihigo
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
Negro League Baseball Players Association
500 Home Run Club
Martin Dihigo Bio
NYT: Where Have You Gone, Martin Dihigo?
DailyMotion: 1977 Hall of Fame Inductee Bio Martin Dihigo

William (Sugar) Wallace - "Anthem"

Catfish, Mudcat, Ducky, Coot.
The Babe, The Barber, The Blade, The Brat.
Windy, Dummy, Gabby, Hoot.
Big Train, Big Six, Big Ed, Fat.

Greasy, Sandy, Muddy, Rocky.
Bunions, Twinkletoes, Footsie, The Hat.
Fuzzy, Dizzy, Buddy, Cocky.
The Bull, The Stork, The Weasle, The Cat.
Schoolboy, Sheriff,
Rajah, Duke,
General, Major,
Spaceman, Spook.

The Georgia Peach, The Fordham Flash,
The Flying Dutchman. Cot.
The People's Cherce, The Blazer. Crash.
The Staten Island Scot.
Skeeter, Scooter,
Pepper, Duster,
Ebba, Bama, Boomer, Buster.

The Little Professor, The Iron Horse. Cap.
Iron Man, Iron Mike, Iron Hands. Hutch.
Jap, The Mad Russian, Irish, Swede. Nap.
Germany, Frenchy, Big Serb, Dutch,
Turk. Tuck, Tug, Twig.
Spider, Birdy, Rabbit, Pig.

Fat Jack, Black Jack, Zeke, Zack. Bloop.
Peanuts, Candy, Chewing Gum, Pop.
Chicken, Cracker, Hot Potato, Soup.
Ding, Bingo.
Hippity-Hopp.

Three-Finger, No-Neck, The Knuck, The Lip.
Casey, Gavvy, Pumpsie, Zim.
Flit, Bad Henry. Fat Freddie, Flip.
Jolly Cholly, Sunny Jim.
Shag, Schnozz,
King Kong, Klu.
Boog, Buzz,
Boots, Bump, Boo.

King Carl, The Count. The Rope, The Whip.
Wee Willie, Wild Bill, Gloomy Gus. Cy.
Bobo, Bombo, Bozo. Skip.
Coco, Kiki, Yo-yo. Pie.
Dinty, Dooley,
Tuffy, Snuffy,
Stubby, Dazzy,
Daffy, Duffy.

Baby Doll, Angel Sleeves, Pep, Sliding Billy,
Buttercup, Bollicky, Boileryard, Juice.
Colby Jack, Dauntless Dave, Cheese,
Gentle Willie,
Trolley Line, Wagon Tongue, Rough,
What's the Use.

Ee-yah,
Poosh 'Em Up,
Skoonj, Slats, Ski.
Ding Dong,
Ding-a-Ling,
Dim Dom, Dee.

Famous Amos. Rosy, Rusty.
Handsome Ransom. Home Run, Huck.
Rapid Robert. Cactus, Dusty.
Rowdy Richard. Hot Rod, Truck.
Jo-Jo, Jumping Joe,
Little Looie,
Muggsy, Moe.

Old Folks, Old Pard, Oom Paul. Yaz.
Cowboy, Indian Bob, Chief, Ozark Ike.
Rawhide, Reindeer Bill. Motormouth. Maz.
Pistol Pete, Jungle Jim, Wahoo Sam. Spike.
The Mad Hungarian.
Mickey, Minnie.
Kitten, Bunny.
Big Dan, Moose.
Jumbo, Pee Wee; Chubby, Skinny.
Little Poison.
Crow, Hawk, Goose.

Marvelous Marv.
Oisk, Oats, Tookie.
Vinegar Bend.
Suds, Hooks, Hug.
Hammerin' Hank.
Cooch, Cod, Cookie.
Harry the Horse.
Speed, Stretch, Slug.

The Splendid Splinter. Pruschka. Sparky.
Chico, Choo Choo, Cha-Cha, Chub.
Dr. Strangeglove. Deacon. Arky.

Abba Dabba. Supersub.
Bubbles, Dimples, Cuddles, Pinky.
Poison Ivy, Vulture, Stinky.
Jigger, Jabbo
Jolting Joe
Blue Moon
Boom Boom
Bubba
Bo


The Fireside Book of Baseball IV

Top 10 Left-Handed Pitchers In Baseball History

Steve Carlton
"Randy Johnson and Tom Glavine could enter the Hall of Fame together sometime in the next decade. But how do they measure in the history of the game? Presenting the top 10 left-handed pitchers to ever take the mound in a major league game..."
Top 10 Left-Handed Pitchers In Baseball History
Discover: Why Do So Many Lefties Play Baseball? It’s Built for Them
W - Left-handed specialist
Bleacher Report: MLB Power Rankings: The 25 Best Left-Handed Starters In Baseball
Hardball Times: The advantage of batting left-handed
First Base Pickoffs for Lefty Pitchers
Fangraphs: Why Are Lefties Crafty?

1977 World Series

Wikipedia - "The 1977 World Series was the 83rd edition of Major League Baseball's (MLB) championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the New York Yankees, champions of the American League (AL) and defending American League champions, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, champions of the National League (NL). The Yankees defeated the Dodgers, four games to two, to win the franchise's 21st World Series championship, their first since 1962, and the first under the ownership of George Steinbrenner. The Series was played between October 11 and October 18, broadcast on ABC. Home field advantage for the Series went to the Yankees on the basis of their superior regular season record. During this series, Reggie Jackson earned his nickname 'Mr. October' for his heroics."
Wikipedia
1977 World Series | Game 6
Baseball Almanac
MLB: Recalling the 1977 World Series (Video)
YouTube: Post-game 1977 World Series
Fack Youk: 1977 World Series
1977 World Series New York Yankees 4 games to 2 over Los Angeles Dodgers

2011 November: When The Bronx Was Burning

Who's Who in Baseball

"'Who's Who in Baseball', published once in 1912 and annually since 1916, features the complete minor and major league statistics of all active major league players of the previous season. Who's Who also features a thumbnail photo, vital statistics, and a full transaction history for each player."
Baseball Reference
amazon: Who's Who in Baseball 2012
Dean's Cards

Dennis Lee - "Father's Gone"

It was just distance
confusing perception, not
motion swinging the brain
into the skull like a slab

of meat on a hook in
the frozen-locker downtown
Chicago, in the heat of
a summer when the Sox

couldn't lose, as we
sat in the bleachers with
hot dogs painted yellow,
beer cups dripping with

Sunday, a promise kept
too late in season, a
silence too big for the
hometown crowd.


Elysian Fields Quarterly

Fenway Park

Fenway Park in 1914
Wikipedia - "Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. ... Because of the ballpark's age and constrained location in the dense Fenway–Kenmore neighborhood, the park has had many renovations and additions over the years not initially envisioned, resulting in unique, quirky features, including 'The Triangle', 'Pesky's Pole', and most notably the famous Green Monster in left field."
Wikipedia
ballparksofbaseball
MLB: 100 Years Fenway Park
ESPN: Time stands still at Fenway
Baseball Almanac
pbs: Inside Fenway Park: An Icon at 100
W - Green Monster
SI: Fenway Park
Fenway Park: A history through pictures
fenwaypark100
YouTube: History of Fenway Park: Greatest Sports Buildings, Fenway Park (May 2004), Fenway Park Renovations - SBE&R

Mega 2012 MLB Preview

"In a few hours, the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins will take the field for the first time, signaling the start of the 2012 baseball season (sort of) and the battle for 75-foot fishy supremacy. That means it's time to unveil our predictions for the 2012 season. Division and wild-card races, awards, playoff winners, the whole megillah..."
Grantland

Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball

Wikipedia - "Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball is a New York Times best-selling 1990 book about baseball. It was written by American Pulitzer Prize-winning author George Will, and published by Macmillan Publishers. The book focuses on four successful Major League Baseball figures, three of them players, representing different aspects of baseball: a manager, a pitcher, a hitter, and a fielder."
Wikipedia
Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball – by George F. Will
Slate: George F. Will
George Will’s Marxist Theory of Baseball
amazon

Robin Rule - "2nd Inning"

When I graduated from 6th grade
I wore a white summer dress
that had no mink oil stains on it
The neighborhood con man promised the next week
to take my girlfriend Shannon and me
to the clubhouse to lunch with the Angels
before the game

I got up early
ate breakfast in my slip
got dressed in the white with the matching sandals
and stood at the curb
tossing a ball loosely from hand to glove
for hours waiting for the sonofabitch

In Anaheim
twilight hits late in the summer
My mother didn't start dinned
until it cooled down in the kitchen
I came in finally
turned the last two innings on the radio
set the table
and threw the dress deep into right field



2011 August: "1st Inning, Glove Minus Zero Equals No Limit"

Baseball I Gave You All the Best Years of My Life

Opening Day

President Eisenhower. Washington Senators on April 18, 1960, at Griffith Stadium.
Wikipedia - "Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book titled, Why Time Begins on Opening Day. Many feel that the occasion represents a newness or a chance to forget last season, in that the 30 major league clubs and their millions of fans begin with 0-0 records."
Wikipedia
Baseball Almanac
ESPN - Power Rankings: Yankees in top spot to start year
This Sunday: Baseball books for opening day, and the lives of novelists
Poetry: "Opening Day" by Don Angel
NYT: "Sports of The Times; Opening Day Never Grows Old" (George Vecsey)
Opening Day Baseball Quotes
"Opening day 2011: Nationals have added gloves — and strikeouts" (Thomas Boswell)
"The Metaphysics of Baseball", April 4, 1992, Rev. Clyde F. Crews
SI: "Write Of Spring"