Truth in advertising? (Or Who’s on third?)

"Oddballs"

Only the die-hards keep a scorecard during spring training games. There are so many substitutions, it’s hard to keep track. And it’s not only a standard ML roster of 25. You’ve also got the minor leaguers and invitees in camp. Which is why this is so honest and entertaining:  Maybe it’s time for an update […]

Read the full article →

Lest we forget: Al Ross

"Ripped from today's headlines..."

The long-time New Yorker cartoonist died on March 22 at the age of 100. Here’s his obit from The New York Times by Bruce Weber.   The joke in the above cartoon is a bit hard to see; one ump has a picture of Roger Maris in his locker, while the other has one of […]

Read the full article →

Lest we forget: Bert Sugar (Second Update)

Lest We Forget

The veteran boxing writer had a soft spot for the national pastime as well. He passed away today at the age of 75, the result of a cardiac arrest. He published Bert Sugar’s Baseball Hall of Fame: A Living History of America’s Greatest Game in 2009, as well as Hall of Fame Baseball Cards in […]

Read the full article →

The Bookshelf Podcast: Molly Lawless

2011 title

Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman remains the only Major Leaguer to die from injuries sustained during a game, the result of being hit in head by a pitcher from Carl Mays, then with the New York Yankees, on August 17, 1920. (It should be noted that some consider the death of “Doc” Powers — a […]

Read the full article →

Here goes nothing (Update)

Because I can...

Getting ready for my team’s first softball practice of the season. I’ve been dealing with what the doctors call a strained abdominal muscle since October and this will be the real first. Although I have been going to the gym three times a week for the past couple, I don’t have high hopes. If I […]

Read the full article →

Hail and Farewell, Chipper Jones

"Ripped from today's headlines..."

I have a soft spot for ballplayers who remain on one team for their entire career. Especially in the post reserve clause era, when athletes often look for the biggest paycheck, if not the best fit. Loyalty is a hard thing to come by these days. How many Cardinals fans expected Albert Pujols would re-sign […]

Read the full article →

Glove story: An update

"Ripped from today's headlines..."

A little bit ago, I posted this piece from The Atlantic (along with my own morose ramblings) about a whole new kind of baseball glove. Viola, from a recent ABC News story:

Read the full article →

New book features interviews with Jewish Major Leaguers

2012 title

Editor’s note:  JTA published this excerpt from Jewish Major Leaguers in Their Own Words: Oral Histories of 23 Players,  edited by Peter Ephross and published by McFarland. Talkin’ baseball: Jewish Major Leaguers and why we care about them by Peter Ephross Nearly all fans of baseball history have heard of Hank Greenberg. Most have heard […]

Read the full article →

Mr. Postman: Recent arrivals

2012 title

Over the past few days, a number of interesting items have come my way. Summer of ’68: The Season That Changed Baseball–and America–Forever, by Tim Wendel, makes me feel old. “History” should only apply to events that took place before I was born. This was the first year I really started paying attention to baseball […]

Read the full article →

Enjoy Ichiro while you can

Baseball Cards

He’s not getting any younger. This post on Cardboard Icons may not the the most illuminating (all due respect to the blogger), although it does explain how some card companies to not have the blessings of Major League Baseball and therefore cannot show any official logos (i.e., they didn’t pay any licensing fees) . But […]

Read the full article →

The latest “Baseball Card Mystery”: Tim Foli

"Oddballs"

Via Bruce Markusen at The Hardball Times.

Read the full article →

Baseball authors galore at Bergino Clubhouse

2012 title

The Bergino Baseball Clubhouse, located at 67 East 11th Street in Manhattan, has just announced their spring lineup of author discussions and as usual it’s packed with all-stars. Wednesday, April 18: Tim Wendel, author of Summer of ’68: The Season That Changed Baseball–and America–Forever Thursday, April 26: Harvey Araton, Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berra, Ron […]

Read the full article →

Because you can keep a bobblehead on your bookshelf…

collectibles

Rob Neyer thinks something’s amiss in this “tribute” to Pablo Sandoval. I’m thinking a ball, but maybe it’s even more obvious that I just don’t get?

Read the full article →

Baseball Reliquary program honors Bill Veeck

2012 title

The always-entertaining, education, and interesting Baseball Reliquary will host  “Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick,” an exhibition at the Arcadia Public Library, Arcadia, California, from April 9 and through May 24. The exhibition is based on Paul Dickson’s book, Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick, the first major biography on this American original, which is due out […]

Read the full article →

Bits and pieces, March 19

2012 title

Alex Belth, author of Stepping Up: The Story of All-Star Curt Flood and His Fight for Baseball Players’ Rights and Lasting Yankee Stadium Memories: Unforgettable Tales from the House That Ruth Built, conducted this in-depth interview with Rob Fleder, editor of the new collection of essays, Damn Yankees: Twenty-Four Major League Writers on the World’s […]

Read the full article →

Author appearance: Robert Fitts

2012 title

The author of Banzai Babe Ruth: Baseball, Espionage, & Assassination during the 1934 Tour of Japan will discuss his latest book at Oblong Books & Music, 6422 Montgomery St., Rhinebeck, NY on Saturday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 845-876-0500.  

Read the full article →

Lest we forget: Furman Bisher

"Ripped from today's headlines..."

One of the legends of the sportswriting world passed away yesterday at the age of 93. Bisher began writing for the Atlanta Journal Constitution in 1950, retiring in 2009. he began his newspaper career in 1938 at the Lumberton Voice in North Carolina. I recall him from his work as a region writer covering the […]

Read the full article →

The Bookshelf Podcast: Ari Alexenberg

Audio

This week’s podcast is a little different. Ari Alexenberg is no author (although as a pitcher I’m sure his “authored” some great games over his long amateur career). Rather he is the subject of Coming Home, a documentary currently under production. The film tells the story of his participation in the only season of the […]

Read the full article →

Bookshelf Review: The Emerald Diamond

2012 title

Mt review of Charley Rosen’s book appears on this week’s Bookreporter.com. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Charley Rosen offers a tip of the tam o’ shanter to the many men who helped shape the national pastime into the game we enjoy today in this fast-paced history. Rosen — whose previous baseball book (following […]

Read the full article →

I love St. Patrick’s Day, but thank goodness it comes just once a year

"Ripped from today's headlines..."
Read the full article →
script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-5496371-4']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();