Death on the Ball Field

 Several years ago while working on a book about Johnny Pesky, Bill Nowlin noticed a headline in the May 4, 1949 Boston Globe entitled SECOND BOY KILLED BY SAME PITCHER. It was a brief 6 paragraph account of a high school pitcher named Clifford Dirks, who had accidentally killed 2 ball players within one year during the course of a ball game.

Nowlin’s subsequent articles regarding this tragedy appear in the 2004 The National Pastime, a SABR publication, and on the Field Of Dreams Chapter website. Please take the time to read these wonderful thought provoking articles.

While pitching for his High School team, the Oxford Junction Pirates, on a dreary rainy September day in 1948, Clifford Dirks slipped on the wet mound while delivering a pitch to Norman Latare. The ball hit Latare squarely in the temple, and because the ball was delivered with so little velocity, Latare was not even knocked down by the pitch. As a precaution he was removed from the game, but he died just 2 days later from his concussion related injuries.

On May 3, 1949 Clifford Dirks was pitching in an American Legion game with Glen Rhoads leading off second for the opposing team. Dirks threw to 2nd on an attempted pickoff play and Rhoads was hit at the base of his skull with the thrown ball. He went down, but did not lose consciousness. He was removed from the game and taken home. He died later that evening.

This is a story of tragedy on the baseball diamond, and how the families and players of a small town in Iowa coped with that tragedy then, and are still coping today. In these articles Bill Nowlin describes his apprehensions in talking to those involved, while providing some surprising yet inspiring stories. Nowlin writes with a compassion and tenderness that makes these articles a must read for everyone.

Baseball Card/Memorabilia Reminiscing

  Featured cards:

Robert Burke(Senators), Randy Moore(Braves), Heinie Sand(Orioles), Babe Ruth(Yankees), Tris Speaker(Mgr-KC Blues), Pat Malone(Cubs)

Sam Jones(White Sox), Eppa Rixey(Reds), Pete Scott(Oakland Oaks), Pete Jablonowski(Yankees), Clyde Manion(Reds), Dibrell Williams(A’s)

Glenn Spencer(Giants), Ray Kremer(Pirates), Phil Todt(St Paul Saints), Russell Rollings(Crackers), Earl Clark(Albany Senators), Jess Petty(Millers)

Frank O’Rourke(Mgr-Brewers), Jesse Haines(Cards), Horace Lisenbee(Bisons), Owen Carrol(Dodgers), Tom Zachary(Braves), Red Ruffing(Yankees)

 

The 1933 Goudey bubblegum card set is one of my favorites. This set was one of the 1st bubblegum sets ever released, and was very popular when released, and is still very popular with collectors. This is a poster of the cards numbered 49-96 and featured some guy named Ruth. The poster would have been displayed prominently in the window, so that the kids would know that the latest group of cards were now available. This is an original poster that was never used for display and is one of the finest known to exist. It sold at auction for $17,400 back in 2005.

As you can see there are several Minor league players in the set, a common practice with the early card sets. One of these days I’m going to have to pick up one of these cards on Ebay.

Who’s In The Hall of Fame-Cap Anson

 

 

Adrian Constantine Anson was born in Marshalltown, Iowa and actually attended Notre Dame for one year. He went on to play 5 seasons in the National Association(1871-1875) and 22 seasons(1876-1897) with the National League Chicago White Stockings.  Anson was the 1st player to reach 3,000 hits.

He was a contemptible human being who made enemies of players, teammates, and umpires. He was an incorrigible racist, and an incessant whiner when things didn’t go his way. I am not a fan.

Doesn’t he look a little deranged?

Name Change

I’ve taken the HUGE step of changing the name of this blog to Baseball Revisited. The web address will not change. I didn’t want to be missing out on some potential readers just because they weren’t interested in baseball replays. The blog will still involve the replays,and it will still contain other tidbits of baseball history.
If you have my site listed on your blogroll, please change the name at your convenience. And, if you have a baseball blog and I’m not on your blogroll……what’s your problem man? I bleed horsehide and pine tar for this blog, and you ignore me??
Seriously…thank you for any considerations you give to my humble blog.

Kevin Graham
SABR member since 2011

1909 DMB World Series-Game #3

NOTE: The Pirates beat the Tigers in the actual 1909 World Series in 7 games. This replay uses as played line ups.

 

DONIE BUSH WINS IT FOR THE TIGERS IN EXTRA INNINGS

Donie Bush finished 3rd in the MVP voting in 1914, despite hitting just .252 with no home runs.

The Pirates didn’t make it easy for Tiger starting pitcher Ed Summers, getting runners on base in every inning, with 10 hits and 7 walks, but never coming through with the clutch hit.

Kickapoo Ed Summers took his .106 1909 average to the plate in the 3rd inning and popped a high towering drive down the right field line that just got over the fence 325 feet away for a solo home run and a 1-0 Tiger lead. That would be the only run Pirate starter Nick Maddox would allow through 9 innings.

The Pirates tied the score in the 7th when Bobby Byrne lead off the inning with a triple, and scored on Tommy Leach’s 3rd double of the game. Summers would pitch into the 9th inning, but after getting the 1st 2 outs in the inning, a completely gassed Summers gave up a single, a wild pitch and 2 walks to load the bases. Ralph Works would come out of the bullpen for his 3rd straight game to get Bill Abstein to flyout to end the inning.

Nick Maddox entered the 10th having allowed just 4 hits, but a walk a sac bunt and an intentional walk set the stage for Donie Bush to be the hero. Bush lined a 1-0 pitch into leftfield, Fred Clarke charged the ball and threw home, but Boss Schmidt just slid under the tag for the game winner.

The Pirates lead this series 2 games to 1.

 

10/11/1909, Pit09-Det09, Bennett Park
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10     R  H  E   LOB DP
1909 Pirates           0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0     1 10  1    14  0
1909 Tigers            0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1     2  5  1     8  0

Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Tigers               AB  R  H BI   AVG
Byrne             3b  5  1  2  0  .333    Jones,D           lf  3  0  0  0  .182
Leach             cf  4  0  3  1  .500    Bush              ss  4  0  1  1  .273
Clarke            lf  4  0  1  0  .417    Cobb              rf  4  0  0  0  .250
Wagner,Ho         ss  2  0  0  0  .182    Crawford          cf  4  0  1  0  .182
Miller,D          2b  4  0  1  0  .091    Delahanty,Ji      2b  4  0  0  0  .273
Abstein           1b  5  0  2  0  .385    Moriarty,G        3b  4  0  2  0  .167
Wilson,C          rf  4  0  1  0  .364    Jones,T           1b  4  0  0  0  .083
Gibson            c   5  0  0  0  .077    Schmidt,Bo        c   3  1  0  0  .100
Maddox            p   5  0  0  0  .000    Summers           p   3  1  1  1  .333
                     38  1 10  1           Works            p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           McIntyre         ph  0  0  0  0  .000
                                                               33  2  5  2
Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Maddox           L 0-1           9.1  5  2  2  3  1 131  80  1.93
                                 9.1  5  2  2  3  1 131  80
Tigers                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Summers                          8.2 10  1  1  7  2 155  79  1.04
Works            W 1-0           1.1  0  0  0  0  0  14   9  0.00
                                10.0 10  1  1  7  2 169  88
Det: McIntyre batted for Works in the 10th

E-Wagner,Ho, Crawford. 2B-Leach 3(4). 3B-Byrne(1). HR-Summers(1).
RBI-Leach(3), Bush(2), Summers(1). CS-Byrne, Leach. K-Clarke, Gibson,
Summers. BB-Leach, Clarke, Wagner,Ho 3, Miller,D, Wilson,C, Jones,D, Bush,
Schmidt,Bo. SH-McIntyre. HBP-Jones,D. HB-Maddox. WP-Summers.
GWRBI: Bush
Temperature: 53, Sky: clear, Wind: right to left at 3 MPH.

1909 DMB World Series-Game #2

NOTE: The Pirates beat the Tigers in the actual 1909 World Series in 7 games. This replay uses as played line ups.

 

CAMNITZ TAMES THE TIGERS

Chief Wilson hit a triple in 5 consecutive games in 1912 on his way to 36 for the season. Both records that still stand.

For the 2nd game in a row I use a taming of the tiger reference in the headline. But what else do you do to tigers, except tame them?

Game 2 of the 1909 DMB World Series saw the weather bring the rain and Chief Wilson bring the thunder. In the Pirates 2nd inning Honus Wagner lead off with a triple, but he didn’t budge when the next 2 batters both grounded out with the infield in. It looked like Wild Bill Donovan was going to pitch out of trouble, but Chief Wilson crushed an 0-2 pitch deep into the right field stands for a 2 run home run. Thus the thunder.

The DMB game engines provides for rain delays, but it doesn’t allow for rain outs. What it does like to do is cause a starting pitcher’s arm to stiffen up, forcing him out of the game. So when a rain delay occurs you never know if you’re going to lose your pitcher, so the 2 rain delays of 70 and 55 minutes didn’t take Bill Donovan out of the game, but it seemed to have adversely affected Bill Donovan.

After the Tigers had halved the score to 2-1 in the 5th, Bill Abstein lead off the Pirates 5th with a triple. The rains came down for the 2nd time in the game and when play resumed Bill Donovan had completely lost it. Chief Wilson just missed his 2nd home run of the game when he sent Ty Cobb to the wall for a sac fly. George Gibson reached on an error, a wild pitch, a walk, and another booming sac fly was followed by a 2 run double off the bat of Fred Clarke, giving the Pirates an insurmountable 6-1 lead.

Howie Camnitz pitched the 5 hit complete game victory,

The Pirates lead the series 2 games to 0.

 

10/9/1909, Det09-Pit09, Forbes Field
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1909 Tigers            0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0     1  5  2     7  0
1909 Pirates           0  2  0  0  4  0  0  0  x     6  6  1     5  1

Tigers               AB  R  H BI   AVG    Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG
Jones,D           lf  4  0  1  0  .250    Byrne             3b  3  0  0  1  .286
Bush              ss  4  0  1  1  .286    Leach             cf  3  1  1  0  .375
Cobb              rf  4  0  1  0  .375    Clarke            lf  3  0  1  2  .500
Crawford          cf  3  0  0  0  .143    Wagner,Ho         ss  4  1  1  0  .222
Delahanty,Ji      2b  4  0  2  0  .429    Miller,D          2b  4  0  0  0  .000
Moriarty,G        3b  4  0  0  0  .000    Abstein           1b  4  1  2  0  .375
Jones,T           1b  4  0  0  0  .125    Wilson,C          rf  3  1  1  3  .429
Schmidt,Bo        c   3  1  0  0  .143    Gibson            c   4  1  0  0  .125
Donovan           p   1  0  0  0  .000    Camnitz,Ho        p   2  1  0  0  .000
McIntyre         ph  0  0  0  0  .000                         30  6  6  6
Works            p   0  0  0  0  .000
                     31  1  5  1
Tigers                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Donovan          L 0-1           6.0  5  6  3  2  2  78  46  4.50
Works                            2.0  1  0  0  1  2  41  27  0.00
                                 8.0  6  6  3  3  4 119  73
Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Camnitz,Ho       W 1-0           9.0  5  1  1  4  4 132  75  1.00
                                 9.0  5  1  1  4  4 132  75
Det: McIntyre batted for Donovan in the 7th
E-Bush, Delahanty,Ji, Wagner,Ho. 2B-Clarke(1). 3B-Wagner,Ho(1), Abstein(1).

HR-Wilson,C(1). RBI-Bush(1), Byrne(2), Clarke 2(3), Wilson,C 3(4). K-Cobb,
Jones,T, Schmidt,Bo, Donovan, Clarke, Miller,D, Gibson, Camnitz,Ho.
BB-Crawford, Schmidt,Bo, Donovan, McIntyre, Leach, Clarke, Camnitz,Ho.
SF-Byrne, Wilson,C. WP-Donovan.
GWRBI: Wilson,C
Temperature: 57, Field: wet, Sky: threatening, Wind: out to right at 3 MPH,
Rain Delays: 70 and 55 minutes.

1909 DMB World Series-Game #1

NOTE: The Pirates beat the Tigers in the actual 1909 World Series in 7 games. This replay uses as played line ups.

BABE ADAMS TAMES THE TIGERS

The Tigers scored 1st on the rookie Adams, when Sam Crawford laced a 2 out double to score Donie Bush in the 1st inning. Adams settled down and allowed just a meaningless run in the 8th for the remainder of the game.

The Pirates staged an unlikely 2 out rally in the 2nd, plating 5 runs to put the game away. After George Mullin retired the 1st 2 Pirates easily Chief Wilson dribbled a slow ground ball to short that he just beat out for an infield single. George Gibson then stroked a 2 out single into right field to put runners on the corners. With the weak hitting Babe Adams and his .059 average coming to the plate, the Tigers had little worry that the inning would be over. Unfortunately Adams hit a seeing eye ground ball just past the diving George Moriarty at 3rd for a game tying single. An unnerved Mullin then gave up an rbi single to Bobby Byrne, a 2 rbi double to Tommy Leach and an rbi single to Fred Clarke. The 5 runs were all the Pirates needed to secure the game 1 victory.

 

10/8/1909, Det09-Pit09, Forbes Field
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1909 Tigers            1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0     2  8  1     7  0
1909 Pirates           0  5  0  0  0  0  2  0  x     7 13  0     9  1

Tigers               AB  R  H BI   AVG    Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG
Jones,D           lf  4  0  1  0  .250    Byrne             3b  4  1  2  1  .500
Bush              ss  3  2  1  0  .333    Leach             cf  5  1  2  2  .400
Cobb              rf  4  0  2  0  .500    Clarke            lf  5  0  3  1  .600
Crawford          cf  4  0  1  1  .250    Wagner,Ho         ss  5  1  1  0  .200
Delahanty,Ji      2b  3  0  1  1  .333    Miller,D          2b  3  1  0  0  .000
Moriarty,G        3b  4  0  0  0  .000    Abstein           1b  4  0  1  1  .250
Jones,T           1b  4  0  1  0  .250    Wilson,C          rf  4  1  2  1  .500
Schmidt,Bo        c   4  0  1  0  .250    Gibson            c   4  1  1  0  .250
Mullin            p   3  0  0  0  .000    Adams             p   3  1  1  1  .333
Works            p   0  0  0  0  .000                         37  7 13  7
Stanage          ph  1  0  0  0  .000
                     34  2  8  2
Tigers                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Mullin           L 0-1           6.2 11  7  7  0  5  96  71  9.45
Works                            1.1  2  0  0  1  1  30  19  0.00
                                 8.0 13  7  7  1  6 126  90
Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Adams            W 1-0           9.0  8  2  2  1  5 122  79  2.00
                                 9.0  8  2  2  1  5 122  79
Det: Stanage batted for Works in the 9th

E-Delahanty,Ji. 2B-Crawford(1), Jones,T(1), Leach(1). RBI-Crawford(1),
Delahanty,Ji(1), Byrne(1), Leach 2(2), Clarke(1), Abstein(1), Wilson,C(1),
Adams(1). SB-Bush(1). K-Cobb, Moriarty,G, Mullin 2, Stanage, Byrne 2, Leach,
Wagner,Ho, Wilson,C, Gibson. BB-Bush, Byrne. SH-Adams. HBP-Delahanty,Ji,
Miller,D. HB-Mullin, Adams.
GWRBI: Byrne
Temperature: 51, Sky: clear, Wind: out to left at 12 MPH.

Home Run Derby

I’m sure we’ve all seen bits and pieces of the classic  “Home Run Derby” TV show that aired in 1960 and was featured on ESPN Classic around 2003. I watched it when it was on ESPN and was really surprised at how young the players looked. I didn’t become aware of baseball until 1967 and by then all of these players were aged veterans, but on “Home Run Derby” they were all in the prime of their youth and it was great to see Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Banks and others looking so youthful. Ernie Banks looked like a teenager.

Was I Lyin?

The biggest problem with the show was that because they only used 3 cameras, there was no sense of distance for the home runs. Many of the home runs were described as long shots but because just 1 camera from behind home plate was used to follow the flight of the ball, they all looked the same to me.

The show was the brain child of sportscaster Mark Scott, who was also the host of the show. It was filmed right after the conclusion of the 1959 season in Los Angeles, in Wrigley Field, the former home of the Pacific Coast League Angels. It had not been used since 1957, but it would become the home of the expansion Los Angeles Angels in their inaugural 1961 season. Wrigley Field was ideal not only because it was not being used, but also because of the climate and the home run friendly park dimensions. Just 340 down the line with a 15 foot ivy covered wall, and power alleys of just 345 feet.

Wow, he does look like a killer.

Participants:

Hank Aaron(Braves)

Eddie Mathews(Braves)

Willie Mays(Giants)

Mickey Mantle(Yankees)

Jackie Jensen(Red Sox)

Dick Stuart(Pirates)

Gus Triandos(Orioles)

Duke Snider(Dodgers)

Ernie Banks(Cubs)

Al Kaline(Tigers)

Harmon Killebrew(Senators)

Bob Allison(Senators)

Jim Lemon(Senators)

Frank Robinson(Reds)

Rocky Colavito(Indians)

Ken Boyer(Cardinals)

Bob Cerv(A’s)

Wally Post(Phillies)

Gil Hodges(Dodgers)

That’s 9 Hall of Famers by my count.

Mark Scott and a very young Hank Aaron

Every team was represented by at least 1 player except the Chicago White Sox. Despite being the American League Champions in 1959, they only hit 97 home runs as a team, with the forgettable Shem Lollar leading the team with just 22 home runs.

The incentive for the players was of coarse money. The winner would get $2,000 and the loser would get $1,000. There would also be bonus money if a player hit 3 or more home runs in a row.

It would be a 9 inning contest with an out being recorded on any ball that was not a home run or a called strike by major league umpire Art Passarella.

The 1st matchup was between Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Mays hit the 1st pitch for a home run and eventually hit 4 for the inning. Mays really swung from his heals. Mantle fought back from an 8-2 deficit after 5 innings. He tied it 8-8 in the 8th and won it in the bottom of the 9th with a home run on the 1st pitch of the inning. An exciting start for the “Home Run Derby”.

There would be 25 more matchups pitting each weeks winner against another opponent. Some players that lost would come back in later shows.

Of the 25 games 12 would be decided by 1 home run. No player got shut out, although Al Kaline, Duke Snider, and Gus Triandos would hit just 1 home run. 4 times the winner hit just 3 home runs. Dick Stuart(11), Willie Mays(11), Ernie Banks(11) Mickey Mantle(13), and Jackie Jensen(14) would reach double digits in victory, while Ernie Banks(11) and Jackie Jensen(10) would reach double digits while losing. Jackie Jensen beat Ernie Banks 14-11 in the highest scoring game.

To the dismay of Cleveland Indian fans, Rocky Colavito would lose in both of his appearances while wearing an Indians jersey. He was traded to the Tigers shortly after the taping of those shows.

Mickey Mantle won the 1st 3 contests and Hank Aaron won 6 in a row. His 6 wins were the most by any player as was the $13,500 that he won. Mickey Mantle hit 44 home runs in his 5 appearances, the most of any player.

Mantle beat Jackie Jensen 13-10 in the last show of the series. Jensen did however hit 5 home runs in a row in the 4th inning picking up a cool $2,000 bonus.

“Home Run Derby” was extremely popular when it aired in 1960. Baseball fans got a close up look at their favorite players, something that was not generally available back then, and most of the games were really close contests. Mark Scott was very good with the players, and his enthusiasm came across as very genuine. So why did it air for just one season?

Six months after filming ended Mark Scott suffered a fatal attack. The last several episodes actually aired after his death. The network decided not to renew the show without him. Too bad. It would have been nice to see a couple of more seasons with more cameras, better technology, and maybe even color.

1909 World Series Pirates vs Tigers

Before we simulate Ty Cobb’s last World Series, let’s take a look at what really happened in the 1909 World Series.

This World Series featured 2 of the marquee players in the history of the game. A 22 year old Ty Cobb enjoyed a triple crown season while Honus Wagner won his 4th straight NL batting title. Wagner would outshine Cobb, but they would both pale to Babe Adams, the rookie pitcher from Indiana.

Neither team hit particularly well with the Pirates hitting just .224 and the Tigers not faring much better at .236. Both pitching staffs struggled with consistency and both posted identical 3.10 ERAs. The big difference was the aggressive base running of the Pirates, and the pitching of Babe Adams. The Pirates stole 18 bases, a record that still stands, while Babe Adams went 3-0, all complete games with a 1.33 ERA. Adams is the only rookie to win 3 World Series games. Cobb hit just .231 but he lead the Tigers with 5 rbi. Sam Crawford struggled as well hitting just .250. Mid Season acquisition Jim Delahanty(.356) and rookie Donie Bush(.313) were the only Tigers to hit over .300. Tommy Leach lead all batters with a .360 average.

Cobb and Wagner talking hitting

GAME #1 10/8/09@Forbes Field

George Mullin vs Babe Adams

Pirates 4

Tigers 1

Player manager Fred Clarke started rookie Babe Adams and may have had 2nd doubts when he walked 2 of the 1st 3 batters he faced. A Jim Delahanty 2 out single scored Ty Cobb and the Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 1st. It could have been worse, George Moriarty smacked a hard groundball that was ticketed for right field, but it hit Delahanty for the 3rd out of the inning. Unfortunately for the Tigers they would not score again as Adams settled down allowing just 4 more hits over the final 8 innings.

Mullin was cruising along with a no hitter, until Fred Clarke parked one into the right field stands with 2 outs in the 4th to tie the game 1-1. George Gibson’s rbi double in the 5th knocked in the eventual game winner.

GAME #2 10/9/09 @ Forbes Field

Bill Donovan vs Howie Camnitz

Tigers 7

Pirates 2

This time the Pirates jumped out to the early lead, scoring 2 in the 1st, with Tommy Leach and Dots Miller providing rbi doubles. That was all the Pirate scoring in the game as Donovan allowed just 3 more hits while striking out 7.

The Tigers reached Camnitz for 2 runs in the 2nd and 3 in the 3rd to put this game away. The big blow was a 2 run double from Delahanty and a steal of home from Ty Cobb. Boss Schmidt drove in 4 runs for the Tigers.

GAME #3 10/11/09 @ Bennett Park

Nick Maddox vs Ed Summers

Pirates 8

Tigers 6

Ed Summers lasted just 1/3 of an inning as the Pirates jumped on him for 5 runs. 5 of the 1st 6 batters reached base and all 5 scored off Summers. He was replaced by Ed Willett after recording just 1 out.

Nick Maddox pitched 6 innings of shutout ball and then was touched up for 6 runs over the final 3 innings. Despite the 6 runs and 11 hits allowed Maddox pitched a complete game.

Donie Bush had 4 hits for the Tigers, and Honus Wagner had 3 hits and 3 stolen bases for the Pirates.

GAME #4 10/12/09 @ Bennett Park

Lefty Leifield vs George Mullin

Tigers 5

Pirates 0

George Mullin tossed a 5 hit shutout, and Ty Cobb and Oscar Stanage both drove in 2 runs as the Tigers evened the series at 2 games apiece.

GAME #5 10/13/09 @ Forbes Field

Ed Summers vs Babe Adams

Pirates 8

Tigers 4

Davy Jones lead off the game against Adams with a long home run to centerfield, but the Pirates scored single runs in the 1st 3 innings and Fred Clarke hit his 2nd home run of the series, a 3 run shot in the 7th to give the Pirates an easy win.

GAME #6 10/14/09 @ Bennett Park

Vic Willis vs George Mullin

Tigers 5

Pirates 4

The Pirates started the game with 3 singles and a 2 run double off the bat of Honus Wagner and staked Vic Willis to a 3-0 lead. The Tigers tied the score in the 4th on rbi singles from George Moriarty and Tom Jones. Jim Delahanty’s rbi double in the 5th and Ty Cobb’s rbi ground rule double in the 6th provided the margin of victory for the Tigers. This was the only 1 run game in the series.

Babe Adams

GAME #7 10/16/09 @ Bennett Park

Babe Adams vs Bill Donovan

Pirates 8

Tigers 0

In the 1st game 7 in the fall classic, Babe Adams tossed a 6 hit shutout for his 3rd win of the series, and Bill Donovan pitched just 3 innings taking the series deciding loss in his 2nd straight World Series. The Pirates had just 7 hits, but received 10 walks off Tiger pitching. Fred Clarke walked 4 times, a World Series record.

The Tigers will be defending their DMB World Series crown, and I think they might be successful again. Sam Crawford is an all time favorite of mine so I’ll be rooting for him and the Tigers to pull off another upset.

 

Society of American Baseball Research +1

Since I started this blog almost 2 years ago it’s slowly evolved from strictly a  World Series replay blog to a baseball history blog incorporated around the replays. I’ve simulated every post season from 1876 to 1908, with 1909 arriving shortly, but the pace in which the replays have been played has slowed down to allow for more baseball history.  I’m considering renaming the blog to Baseball Revisited, a term I used in the logo at the top of the page, but I’m not sure what hassle this might create. Anyway,  I like the direction the blog is heading and I think I’ll continue to expand the content moving forward into my 3rd year of this blog.

I’ve heard from several members of SABR over the last 23 months, mostly with regard to factual errors that I made, but also to offer help with some research problems that I had. So I decided to take the plunge and become a member of this wonderful organization. SABR offers a lot of research tools that should come in handy, but I joined more for a show of appreciation for the work that they do, and for the help that I received personally. Plus my wife and daughter think that I’ve   reached a whole new level of baseball geekdom. I can live with that.

Kevin Graham

SABR member since 2011