Literary birthday greetings: The Penguin and Sliding Billy

February 15, 2011

No, not Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, but Ron Cey, the six-time all-star third baseman for the LA Dodgers, and later the Chicago Cubs and Oakland A’s, turns 63 today.

I actually found a book “by” Cey: How To Play Third Base: A Movie In Your Pocket, published in 1977 and described by a used book store as follows: “Follett, 1977. Not paginated. Short oblong trade paperback. Near Fine. Bottom rear corner has a small thin crease. ISBN: 0695808672 $12.95. Flip book with photos of Cey on each page demonstrating how to field 3rd base, with accompanying text tips.”

Hall of Famer “Sliding Billy” Hamilton was born on this date in 1866. Hamilton was considered one of the greatest base-stealers in the history of the game, swiping 100 or more four times and accumulating 914 in 14 seaons (65+ a year) , a record that stood until Lou Brock topped him in 1978.

Roy Kerr published Sliding Billy Hamilton: The Life and Times of Baseball’s First Great Leadoff Hitter (McFarland, of course) in 2009.

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Tagged as: Billy Hamilton, Ron Cey

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