From the Archives: Harry Lunte—The Man Who Tried to Replace Ray Chapman

On August 16, 1920 the Cleveland Indians prepared to take the field against the New York Yankees to start a crucial three-game series at Yankee Stadium that pitted the first-place Indians against the third-place Yankees. Cleveland was a mere four percentage points ahead of the Chicago White Sox in the standings; New York stood within […]

Early Offseason Predictions

Winter may be rapidly approaching, but that is not stopping the MLB from creating exciting news nearly every day. Every team in the league is looking to make a key free agent signing or trade that will propel them to greatness next season. These will be the five biggest moves made this offseason. Braves Trade […]

Ike Futch on Life in the 1960s Minor Leagues

Two years ago, I interviewed Ike Futch, who played second base, mostly, for a variety of Yankee minor league teams from 1959 through 1964, about his experiences as a minor leaguer in the Yankee organization at the tail end of its long dynasty. Ike, after graduating high school in Louisiana, always hit .300+ while playing […]

Most Deserving All-Star Candidate From Each American League Team

Most Deserving All-Star Candidate From Each Team: AL Edition   Baltimore: Manny Machado While Mark Trumbo is enjoying a bounce back season and currently leading the American League in homers, Manny Machado has been one of the best players in the MLB this season. He’s hitting .325, good for fourth in the American League, and […]

Why Alex Rodriguez’s Milestone Moments Drew Yawns

New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez recently had his 3,000th base hit and the historic moment drew a collective yawn. A sign of how unpopular baseball is? Hardly. Look at the television ratings the game is drawing at a local level. The national pastime is doing just fine, thank you. So, why was this milestone […]

Alex Rodriguez Undeserving of Record Cleansing For PED Use

Alex Rodriguez should be stripped of the 190 home runs hit over several seasons as punishment for failing drug tests. That is what Chicago Tribune columnist Philip Hersh believes. Why? Using the precedent of the International Olympic Committee stripping athletes who failed drug tests of medals, Hersh suggests in order to show the gravity of […]

What Baseball Means To Me

It is springtime again in America. Yeah, tens of millions are digging out from mountains of snow to go to work, but the trucks carrying our summer obsession have safely reached their destinations in Florida and Arizona. Once unpacked, another baseball season will be upon us and it can never come too soon. For me, […]

Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds Deserve Hall of Fame Induction

Chances are Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are not going to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame next summer in Cooperstown, NY, but they deserve the honor. The argument against Clemens and Bonds is valid. They, allegedly, juiced. Both men faced action in court and both beat perjury raps. If you are […]

A Look Back at When Babe Ruth Nearly Became the Detroit Tigers’ Player-Manager

By the end of the 1933 season, it was obvious that Babe Ruth didn’t have much left in the tank. He was coming off a campaign in which he had hit only 34 home runs, with 103 RBIs and a .301 batting average. While very good numbers for mere mortals, this was, after all, the […]

A Man Who Could Lead a Team and an Army

Hey baseball fans! A couple of days ago, it was Babe Ruth‘s birthday! However, considering I’ve blogged about him a number of times, today I will be telling you about one of his fellow Hall of Fame teammates. It’s not Lou Gehrig or Tony Lazzeri. It’s the Kentucky Colonel, Earle Combs! The Pebworth, Kentucky native played with just the Yankees […]

The Pine Tar Game

Hey baseball fans! A while back, I got the chance to interview Graig Nettles, a Yankee great and a member of the 300 home runs club. What I did not mention in that post was something he did that helped create one of the oddest, most interesting, and controversial moments not just in the history of […]

Matt’s Anti-Dream Team

Hey baseball fans! A while back, I wrote a post about my favorite players of all time at each position, my Dream Team. Recently, I’ve realized that a team is not a team without a rival. So, I’ve compiled a list of players that are rivals with one player specifically on my Dream Team at the […]

The 2013 Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Inductees

Hey baseball fans! I recently realized that I never did a post about the 2013 National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum inductees. Now these inductees are not people who you probably recognize. Why? Well, for the first time since 1996, no one got into the Hall of Fame via the Baseball Writers’ Association of […]

My Top Five Most Notorious Records in Baseball History

Hey baseball fans! There are some records in baseball history that everyone strives to break: Rickey Henderson‘s stolen bases and runs scored records, Nolan Ryan‘s strikeout record, or Cy Young‘s wins record. However, there are some records that no one would ever want to break. With that, I give you my top five most notorious records in baseball […]

The Seventh Game of the 1926 World Series: Was it Hollywood or Reality?

I can still remember seeing the 1952 film “The Winning Team” starring Ronald Regan and Doris Day.  Of course my knowledge of Grover Cleveland Alexander was non-existent until then.  In fact, I might have checked with my father and asked if it were a true story.  Which he informed me that Alexander was one of […]

An Interview with Hal Steinbrenner

Hey baseball fans! As many of you know, I am a die-hard Yankees fan, which would explain why I am so honored to have interviewed the man you are about to read about in the following paragraph. He has also been a lifelong Yankees fan, probably because of what his father did for a living. […]

Monday Night in Chicago

Nearly 100 years ago the South Side of Chicago was home to one of the greatest shames in baseball history when eight members of the 1919 White Sox were accused of taking money from gamblers and handing the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. Shame and controversy – and a battalion of reporters – returned […]

The Baseball Historian’s Notes for August 5, 2013: A-Rod Lacks the Good Will to Help Himself

News is expected today announcing the fate of maligned New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. For his role in the Biogenesis performance enhancer scandal, he is expected to face anything from a lengthy suspension to being banned from the game. He has reportedly vowed to fight to the end, and accept no punishment despite […]

Kid Blogger’s Live Interview with Rickey Henderson

Hey baseball fans! Here’s the last video in my series of Baseball Hall of Fame Classic live interviews. If you don’t know who it is, here’s a hint: this outfielder played in four decades and is most remembered for his ability to steal bases and score runs. If you haven’t guessed who he is, I’m […]

The Baseball Historian’s Notes for July 22, 2013: Teams Must Be Careful to Not Over-Extend Themselves

In these heady days of nine-figure contract extensions, it is becoming increasingly less likely to see a player spend their entire career with the same team. Those who do, like the New York Yankees’ Mariano Rivera, can achieve icon status. However, teams seeking to retain their signature players have to be careful not to make […]

Kid Blogger’s Live Interview with Goose Gossage

Hey baseball fans! Here’s the latest in my series of Baseball Hall of Fame Classic live interviews. If you’d like a hint: this person is a certain Hall of Famer who is not a mammal, but rather a type of bird. If you still need another hint: he pitched against George Brett in the famous “pine tar […]

My Favorite Hall of Fame Duos

Hey baseball fans! I’m sure you all know the dynamic duo of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. If you don’t, let me just tell you that they are a great Hall of Fame duo. Do you think they made my list of my top favorite Hall of Fame duos in baseball history? Read on and find […]

Call to the Pen: My All Time Foreign Dream Team

Hey baseball fans! I just put up my latest post for Fan Sided’s Call to the Pen. This one is a position by position analysis of who I think are the greatest MLB players ever who weren’t born in the United States. If you want to read more about this, just click here. I hope you enjoy […]

NJBM Kids’ Hot Korner: “Mr. What’s a Strikeout?”

Hey baseball fans! I just put up my latest post in the Kids’ Hot Korner section of New Jersey Baseball Magazine. This one is about Joe Sewell, the Hall of Famer who hardly ever struck out. If you want to read more about Joe, just click here. And check back in a couple of days for more of […]

My Top Five Red Sox Hall of Famers of All Time

Hey baseball fans! In case you don’t know, I’m a huge Yankees fan. That means that I am literally forced to hate the Red Sox. However, I don’t hate some of the Sox’s past players. In fact, by the end of this post, you will know my top five favorite Red Sox Hall of Famers […]

An Interview with Yankees Reporter Ken Davidoff

Hey baseball fans!I have a really cool interview for you today! It’s with BBWAA member, Ken Davidoff! “Ken Davidoff?” you ask. “Who is Ken Davidoff?” Well, if you read the following paragraph and interview, you will find out.Ken has been a member of the BBWAA since May 2001 (and was even its President).  He now […]

Through the Eyes of a Somerset Patriots Fan

A View from the Press Box Most Somerset Patriots fans are aware of the significance of June 7, 1999.  It was the team’s first home opener at their present ballpark.  This was after spending their 1998 inaugural season, on the road.  When the gates were lifted, it ushered in the fruition of Steve Kalafer’s vision […]

A Kid in the Hall of Fame

Hey baseball fans! I realize I haven’t blogged about actual baseball history in about a week and I apologize for that. Today, I will be blogging about one of my favorite catchers of all time. Yes, I am a Yankee fan, but I’m not talking about Yogi Berra or Bill Dickey. I’m also not talking about Mike Piazza, who […]

Sweet 60: The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates

For those who have known me for longer than fifteen minutes, learn that I am a ‘Die hard’ Pittsburgh Pirates fan.  The 1971 team is my favorite Pirates’ team of all-time.  But I have a strange relationship with the 1960 version.  One might describe it as destiny, like the Pirates beating the New York Yankees […]

Seamheads Podcasting Crew Fantasy League

Perhaps there should be age-appropriate fantasy baseball leagues, the real world equivalent of over-fifty baseball leagues. Some of the Seamheads writers play in those leagues I know–not to name names. Bill Gilbert and I ventured forth this season as the wise sages of the Seamheads Podcasting Crew fantasy league. We are likely a few years […]

Book Review: Drama and Pride in the Gateway City

When Mike Lynch asked whether any of his website contributors were interested in reading and writing a review of Drama and Pride in the Gateway City, I jumped at the chance. First off, I love to read, and read a lot.  Second, I love baseball.  Lastly, I have never been asked to give my opinion […]

Rose & Reggie: 40 Years Later

Rose & Reggie: 40 Years Later Reggie Jackson and Pete Rose are two of baseball’s all-time iconic figures, having put together nearly unparalleled careers in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Jackson and Rose played on piles of All-Star teams, won multiple World Series, earned millions on and off the field and were often loved and […]

Baseball Notes for March 31, 2013

Major League Baseball’s 2013 Opening Day is finally here! With another season comes the return of Baseball Notes. Without a single regular season game having yet been played, there is already plenty to talk about. ***One of the worst-kept secrets in baseball has been revealed to the public. Boston Red Sox rookie outfielder Jackie Bradley […]

Whitey is Mighty

Hey baseball fans! Today’s post is about one of my favorite players of all time. He is one of the only Yankee pitchers in the Hall of Fame, and he is considered one of the greatest clutch pitchers of all time. Ladies and gentleman, Whitey Ford! Edward “Whitey” Ford was the best pitcher on the great […]

All-Around Athletes

Hey baseball fans! As I promised in my Booming Batters post, today I will be blogging about some of the greatest all-around athlete nicknames in baseball history. Hope you enjoy: Stan the Man - Stan Musial From 1942-1963 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Musial had one of the best careers of all time. With 475 homers,  3,630 hits, and […]

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