Games involving a ball and some sort of a wooden stick type of device have been around since well before written history began. It is believed that in Northern Africa, the Berbers were playing such games as early as 6000 BC. I myself would not be surprised if it had been played in the caveman era. I can just see it two rival hunting parties hunting close to each other, unaware of the others presense. One member of one party spots the other. The two parties at least know each other. The one member points them out to another member of his own party and threatens to throw histories first beanball. His victim turns in time to hit the first gopherball well over the hurlers head. A game then breaks out!!
Today we mark the anniversary of Baseballs first game between two clubs. The game was played on June 19, 1846 at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey. This version of the game was called the New York Game. Alexander Joy Cartwright and his Knickerbocker Club altered the rules of game and later took their version of the game on a tour that ended in Hawaii. Cartwright settled in Hawaii, thus explaining why there is a cartwright road in Honolulu. On this date they challenged a group formed to play the game with them called the New York Nine. The game was played in Hoboken because the Knickerbockers could not find a suitable place in play in Manhatten, the future home of the Polo Grounds and several other sports facilities. The New York Nine won the game easily and quickly disbanded afterwards with their place in sports history secure.
Tomorrow we look at a Womens Basketball League at its founding.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
A record game
On June 18, 2005 the Tri-Cities Fever played a National Indoor Football League game at Three Rivers Coliseum, in Kennewick, Washington against the Lincoln Capitols. The home team won the game by a score of 100-17. I had hoped to find more information on this event however, I was unable to do so. I was hoping at the very least to find out how the scoring went by quarters.
Among other events occurring on June 18th in past years:
In 1893 the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Louisville Colonels by a score of 30-12.
In 1895 the Detroit Tigers of the Western Leagur defeated the Grand Rapids Gold Bugs by a score of 27-11. The Gold Bugs later became the the Cleveland Indians.
In 1932 League Park in San Antonio, Texas burned down.
In 1941 in Northeast Arkansas League Clarence Iott of the Paragould cardinals struck out 25 Batesville Pilot batters in a 4-2 win.
In 1953 The Boston Red Sox set a modern day record with a 17 run 7th inning in a 23-3 win over the Detroit Tigers
In 2001 The East Coast Hockey League approved the transfers of the Hampton Roads, Virginia Club to Columbus, Georgia and the Tallahassee, Florida Club to Macon, Georgia.
These seven events are among 34 June 18th events profiled in my upcoming book!!
Tomorrow we look at Baseballs first game under New York rules.
Among other events occurring on June 18th in past years:
In 1893 the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Louisville Colonels by a score of 30-12.
In 1895 the Detroit Tigers of the Western Leagur defeated the Grand Rapids Gold Bugs by a score of 27-11. The Gold Bugs later became the the Cleveland Indians.
In 1932 League Park in San Antonio, Texas burned down.
In 1941 in Northeast Arkansas League Clarence Iott of the Paragould cardinals struck out 25 Batesville Pilot batters in a 4-2 win.
In 1953 The Boston Red Sox set a modern day record with a 17 run 7th inning in a 23-3 win over the Detroit Tigers
In 2001 The East Coast Hockey League approved the transfers of the Hampton Roads, Virginia Club to Columbus, Georgia and the Tallahassee, Florida Club to Macon, Georgia.
These seven events are among 34 June 18th events profiled in my upcoming book!!
Tomorrow we look at Baseballs first game under New York rules.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
How do you score 40 runs in a game and....
In todays Major Leagues they do not schedule doubleheaders. They do on occansion play them, but it something that they do no tlike doing anymore. I dont even think that they schedule doubleheaders in the minor leagues any more. When the do play doubleheaders in the minors, they make both games 7 innings in duration. Some league used to schedule 9 inning first games and 7 inning second games, however 7 inning games in the minors for doubleheaders are now standard practice. It is amazing how many times a team would score a large number of runs in the first game and lose the second game by a single run. Today we are looking at an extreme case.
On June 17, 1951 the Danville Dans and the Vincennes Velvets gathered for a Mississipi-Ohio Valley League doubleheader at Danville Stadium in Danville, Illinois. From the beginning, game one clearly belonged to the Dans. The home team scored 7 runs in the first inning and 11 runs in the second inning. By the time all was said they had 32 hits to go along with 40 runs in a 40-5 win over the Velvets who kicked in 8 errors. Four hitters had 4 hits to key the rout.
Then came the second game, the Velvets took an 8-7 decision from the home team. I am quite sure that the home fans had wished for 38-5 win in game one and a 9-8 win in the second. A combined 60 run doubleheader is quite a feat! It is much easier to find a twinbill with only two runs scoring.
Tomorrow we look at a football team that scored 100 points.
On June 17, 1951 the Danville Dans and the Vincennes Velvets gathered for a Mississipi-Ohio Valley League doubleheader at Danville Stadium in Danville, Illinois. From the beginning, game one clearly belonged to the Dans. The home team scored 7 runs in the first inning and 11 runs in the second inning. By the time all was said they had 32 hits to go along with 40 runs in a 40-5 win over the Velvets who kicked in 8 errors. Four hitters had 4 hits to key the rout.
Then came the second game, the Velvets took an 8-7 decision from the home team. I am quite sure that the home fans had wished for 38-5 win in game one and a 9-8 win in the second. A combined 60 run doubleheader is quite a feat! It is much easier to find a twinbill with only two runs scoring.
Tomorrow we look at a football team that scored 100 points.
A Very Sad Day
Today we mark a very sad anniversary in all of sports. On June 16, 1970 the sports world lost a very couragous man when Brian Piccolo of the Chicago Bears passed way at the age of 26. To just look at his death, would not do his life justice.
Brian was born on October 31, 1943 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, exactly 20 years to the day before me. Brian excelled in football at Wake Forest, yet at 6 foot even he was not drafted by any NFL teams. He did manage to land a contact as a free agent with the Bears, where he met his best friend Gale Sayers. Their friendship was the subject of the film Brians Song. That is without a doubt my favorite football movie. Enough said.
Tomorrow we look at a day where one team scored 40 runs and still split a doubleheader.
Brian was born on October 31, 1943 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, exactly 20 years to the day before me. Brian excelled in football at Wake Forest, yet at 6 foot even he was not drafted by any NFL teams. He did manage to land a contact as a free agent with the Bears, where he met his best friend Gale Sayers. Their friendship was the subject of the film Brians Song. That is without a doubt my favorite football movie. Enough said.
Tomorrow we look at a day where one team scored 40 runs and still split a doubleheader.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Tired Scorekeeper
I have been researching minor league baseball for 25 years now. I have researched big leagues like the Pacific Coast League and the International League with long histories spanning the history of the game. I have researched small leagues with short histories that opening day hardly makes the headlines before the league folds into the history books, waiting for people like me to find. I have researched leagues like the 1995 Golden State League, 1986 Connecticut State League and the 1915 Rio Grande valley Association. I have researched womens leagues, negro leagues, foreign leagues, winter leagues and instructional leagues. I have but one game where a team has scored more then 49 runs in one game. The game where 49 runs were scored in a game in the National Association in the early 1870s. The only time is score was exceeded was on June 15, 1902.
On that Sunday afternoon in the State of Texas, the Corsicana Oil Cities team set several professional baseball records that stand to this day. The Oil Cities Club was not allowed to play Sunday games at home. They did schedule sunday games in nearby Ennis, Texas. They scheduled on such game with the Texarkana Casketmakers. It did not help the Casketmakers that the Oil Cities Club was in the middle of a 27 game winning streak.
By the time the Oil Cities Club was done the final score was 51-3. Yes 51-3, not the 5-3 score that many telegraph operators were reporting as a 51-3 score was hardly that of a normal baseball game. The Oil Cities catcher, a future major leaguer, Justin "Nig" Clarke had an amazing 8 home runs, 16 RBIs and 32 total bases. Clarke had collected 8 of his clubs 21 home runs!! His teammate and second baseman William Alexander had 3 home runs and a double. Another teammate Mike O'Conner went 7 for 8 with 3 home runs. In collecting 53 hits and scoring in every inning, they still managed to leave 15 runners on base.
Less then a month later the Casketmakers were gone. On July 8, the Casketmakers and the Waco Tigers folded, leaving four clubs in the league. Tomorrow we will look at Brians' Song.
On that Sunday afternoon in the State of Texas, the Corsicana Oil Cities team set several professional baseball records that stand to this day. The Oil Cities Club was not allowed to play Sunday games at home. They did schedule sunday games in nearby Ennis, Texas. They scheduled on such game with the Texarkana Casketmakers. It did not help the Casketmakers that the Oil Cities Club was in the middle of a 27 game winning streak.
By the time the Oil Cities Club was done the final score was 51-3. Yes 51-3, not the 5-3 score that many telegraph operators were reporting as a 51-3 score was hardly that of a normal baseball game. The Oil Cities catcher, a future major leaguer, Justin "Nig" Clarke had an amazing 8 home runs, 16 RBIs and 32 total bases. Clarke had collected 8 of his clubs 21 home runs!! His teammate and second baseman William Alexander had 3 home runs and a double. Another teammate Mike O'Conner went 7 for 8 with 3 home runs. In collecting 53 hits and scoring in every inning, they still managed to leave 15 runners on base.
Less then a month later the Casketmakers were gone. On July 8, the Casketmakers and the Waco Tigers folded, leaving four clubs in the league. Tomorrow we will look at Brians' Song.
Monday, June 14, 2010
How about a quick game of Hot Potatoe?
Today many sports admire the skills exhibited by todays Major League Baseball fielders. We watch highlight shows showing play after play made with seeming effortless ease of fielding plays made that the average person can only dream about making. Baseball in the beginning of course was not like this. So what was it like? Back in the first season the National League it was not uncommon for a team to have 10 errors and still win a game.
You are probably asking, how bad was the worst of the lot? It was really, really bad. Today we observe the anniversary of the worst fielded game in MLB history, June 14, 1876. The game was played during the National Leagues first season at South End Grounds in Boston, Massachusetts between the Boston Red Caps and the Saint Louis Brown Stockings.
Red Caps second baseman Andrew J. Leonard lead the way racking up 9 miscues throughout the course of the game. His teammates kicked in another 15 errors. The Brown Stockings them- sevles booted another 16 plays for a total of 40 errors in the game. This of course was not the norm but, the extreme. In all due respect, South End Grounds like many ballparks of its day were not the well groomed parks that we know and love today. Rocks were quite plentiful on the surface of the playing field. Tarps for rainy days were unknown. Gloves were yet another advantage that the fielders of the day did not have available. So next time your favorite player boots and easy grounder or drops a lazy fly ball, remember this post and what it was like in the National League 134 years ago. The question now is who won the game? The Brown Stockings won by a score of 20-6.
Tomorrow we look at a Sunday game played in Texas to record results.
You are probably asking, how bad was the worst of the lot? It was really, really bad. Today we observe the anniversary of the worst fielded game in MLB history, June 14, 1876. The game was played during the National Leagues first season at South End Grounds in Boston, Massachusetts between the Boston Red Caps and the Saint Louis Brown Stockings.
Red Caps second baseman Andrew J. Leonard lead the way racking up 9 miscues throughout the course of the game. His teammates kicked in another 15 errors. The Brown Stockings them- sevles booted another 16 plays for a total of 40 errors in the game. This of course was not the norm but, the extreme. In all due respect, South End Grounds like many ballparks of its day were not the well groomed parks that we know and love today. Rocks were quite plentiful on the surface of the playing field. Tarps for rainy days were unknown. Gloves were yet another advantage that the fielders of the day did not have available. So next time your favorite player boots and easy grounder or drops a lazy fly ball, remember this post and what it was like in the National League 134 years ago. The question now is who won the game? The Brown Stockings won by a score of 20-6.
Tomorrow we look at a Sunday game played in Texas to record results.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
They played 23 innings
On June 13, 1919 the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association played a 23 inning game at Andrews Field in Chattanooga, Tenneesee. Ask todays sports fan to guess how long this game lasted they might guess 5, 6 or even 7 hours. This game was completed in 3 hours and 30 minutes, when it was called a 2-2 tie.
How in the world did they play 23 innings in 3 1/2 hours? First back then games were not on TV or even radio at that. One of the big keys was that all 18 starters including Crackers pitcher Raymond Roberts and Lookouts pitcher Rube Marshall finished the game. It is obvious that neither manager needed to make too many trips to the pitchers mound if they did not make any pitching changes. Marshall had 10 strikeouts and 0 walks. Roberts had 4 strikeouts, 4 walks and 1 wild pitch. 14 strikeouts and 4 walks in an entire 23 inning game, those hitters must have come to plate to swing and make contact. Both clubs had 16 hits. Both leftfielders, Lookouts Guy Lacy and Crackers Fritz Bratchi went 0 for 9.
One of the most interesting things about this game was the fact that the next day, the Crackers exploded for a 15-1 win over the Lookouts. 17 of the 23 members of the Crackers including Roberts and Bratchi would see the majors in their careers, while 8 of the 18 members of the Lookouts would see the majors. Bratchi ended up playing for both clubs during the season, one of three players to do so. The Crackers went on to win the pennant, while the Lookouts finished the year in 6th place among the eight league clubs.
Tomorrow we look at a game from the National Leagues first season.
How in the world did they play 23 innings in 3 1/2 hours? First back then games were not on TV or even radio at that. One of the big keys was that all 18 starters including Crackers pitcher Raymond Roberts and Lookouts pitcher Rube Marshall finished the game. It is obvious that neither manager needed to make too many trips to the pitchers mound if they did not make any pitching changes. Marshall had 10 strikeouts and 0 walks. Roberts had 4 strikeouts, 4 walks and 1 wild pitch. 14 strikeouts and 4 walks in an entire 23 inning game, those hitters must have come to plate to swing and make contact. Both clubs had 16 hits. Both leftfielders, Lookouts Guy Lacy and Crackers Fritz Bratchi went 0 for 9.
One of the most interesting things about this game was the fact that the next day, the Crackers exploded for a 15-1 win over the Lookouts. 17 of the 23 members of the Crackers including Roberts and Bratchi would see the majors in their careers, while 8 of the 18 members of the Lookouts would see the majors. Bratchi ended up playing for both clubs during the season, one of three players to do so. The Crackers went on to win the pennant, while the Lookouts finished the year in 6th place among the eight league clubs.
Tomorrow we look at a game from the National Leagues first season.
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