I was introduced to Major League baseball, like millions of my generation, by my dad, an inveterate fan of the New York Giants. Time upon end, I heard wondrous tales of the 1951 miracle pennant chase with the hated Bums of Brooklyn, beating them in the playoffs with the three run homer hit by Bobby […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?The two greatest defensive catchers during the Fin de siècle of the late 19th – early 20th century were the Bergen brothers, Marty and Bill. Both have distinct legacies in the annals of baseball history. Bill Bergen is undoubtedly the worst hitter in the history of the National Pastime. During an 11 year career spanning […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?Pete Browning was the hitter’s version of Rube Waddell. He was undoubtedly one of the greatest hitters of the 19th century, as well as one of the most colorful and oddest individuals in the history of the game. Like Waddell, he was immensely popular wherever he played, both for his immense talent as well as […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?On Christmas day, 2009, the Mets signed an obscure knuckleballer named R.A. Dickey. The cynical Mets’ fans whispered to each other that the Wilpon family, owners of the franchise, were broke, as a result of the Bernie Madoff scandal, and all they could afford to sign was a mediocre 35 year old career nomad, who […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?Nick Altrock was arguably one of the best southpaws in baseball at one time, but a love for malt liquor, and a happy-go-lucky attitude, contributed to his increasing ineffectiveness. Several years after being the hero of the World Series, he found himself struggling in the Minors. Clark Griffith, owner/Manager of the Washington Senators, picked up […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?*It should be noted that use of the Razzball Glossary is highly suggested in order to make any sense of the Title Heading of this article. It is likely that the development of Razzball’s own unique symbolic system may well create the long-term effect of the formation of a Greygambelian cult, but that is outside […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?It could be said that Mark Fidrych had the briefest, most spectacular pitching career in the history of baseball. He was 21 when he made the roster of the Detroit Tigers in 1976. He did not make his first start until May 15th that year, and then only because the starting pitcher was out with […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?Arlie Latham was one of the most colorful and biggest stars on Charley Comiskey’s rowdy St. Louis Brown squads of the 1880’s. There were no coaches back in baseball’s infancy; each player used to take turns coaching 1st and 3rd base. Arlie had a particular knack for the job; he used to run up and […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?There were scores of eccentrics, flakes, and colorful, picturesque characters in the history of the national pastime. However, none of them hold a candle to George “Rube” Waddell. His outlandish behavior is documented in countless stories, some of them no doubt susceptible to apocryphal exaggerations, but with the Rube, it was often difficult to discern fact […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?In a prior article posted in Razzball, “An Audacious Account of the Evolution of the Rules of Baseball,” I touched upon the various exploits of Michael “King” Kelly. However, some of Kelly’s antics were so outrageous, so entertaining, and his impact on the evolution of the game so profound, that I thought that he was […]
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