More About Ted Kluszewski and Me

“Earl’s not gonna like that mustache.”  Earl was Earl Smith, head baseball coach at East Carolina University.  The mustache was mine.  Tim Bayless was a starting pitcher for the ECU Pirates and he knew I soon was headed to the school with the intention of becoming a Pirate.  On this particular day, however, Tim picked […]

Eight Ball in the Hot Corner Pocket…and Other Research Nuggets

August 30, 1915: George “Buck” Weaver is most known for being banned from baseball for life for having guilty knowledge of the 1919 World Series fix, which resulted in the banishment of eight White Sox players, including “Shoeless Joe” Jackson.  But that wasn’t the first time Weaver had experienced problems due to gambling. According to […]

The Broken Thumb of Fate, the Collapse of the ’64 Phillies

Frank Thomas and I have been faithful friends for nearly twenty years.  I am referring to the “Original” Frank Thomas who was a rookie for the Pirates in 1951 and an original New York Met in 1962; not to confuse him with the White Sox slugger of the nineties. I met Frank at a Pirates’ […]

Monument Dedication for Lou Criger

On Sunday, June 3, 2012at 2:00 p.m.at RiverviewParkin Elkhart, Indiana, a monument will be dedicated to the life and baseball career of Lou Criger, with the public encouraged to attend.  The event is set for the 100th anniversary of his last big league game that he played, which wasJune 3, 1912 as a member of […]

A Tribute to Billy Sullivan

On October 14, 1906, despite being big underdogs, the Chicago White Sox won the World Series with a victory over the cross-town Chicago Cubs. With excitement still running high, many members of the World Champion White Sox traveled to a small Wisconsin town named Edgerton, to play against their local team. Billy Sullivan, the catcher […]

Son Makes Good on Father’s Pledge

I recently read a story about my grandpa, Babe Dahlgren and his father Peter that I’d never heard before. After all the years spent talking with my grandpa, all the countless months researching his life and career, somehow this one slipped past me like the easiest of ground balls. The story appeared in the Minneapolis […]

2011 Pre-Season Preview: NL West – Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda Los Angeles Dodgers (2010 record: 80-82) Notable additions: C Rod Barajas, RHP Jon Garland, RHP Matt Guerrier, C Dioner Navarro, LF Marcus Thames, 2B Juan Uribe Notable subtractions: C Russell Martin, LF Scott Podsednik The offense: Catcher: Rod Barajas Infield: James Loney (1B), Juan Uribe (2B), Rafael Furcal (SS), Casey […]

Weber and Young Arms of Crow, Scheppers and Parise Making Their Mark in Spring Training

It would be much like splitting hairs if we tried to give a definitive answer as to who among the former Independent players hopeful of becoming a first time major leaguer is having the best spring training up to this point.  Jon Weber,  Aaron Crow and Tanner Scheppers certainly have offered up their work.  Pete […]

Two-Thirds of Players Who Start in Independent Play And Reach the Majors Are Pitchers

Among all players who would like to be the next success story by playing their first professional game in an Independent league and later making it to the major leagues, pitchers Aaron Crow, Pete Parise and Tanner Scheppers have to be the three leading candidates. It is pretty basic reasoning since they are in big-league […]