#1985 Chicago White Sox

[thenewdemocratus]

NBC Sports: MLB 1985-8/04/-Chicago White Sox @ New York Yankees: Tom Seaver Goes For 300

To me at least, Tom Seaver and Steve Carlton are the two best starting pitchers of the Baby Boom era. Pitchers who came up in the 1960s and 70s and pitched into the 1980s or so. To me they are the two best pitchers post Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson, from the generation before them. The only other pitcher I would consider with Seaver and Carlton, would be Jim Palmer. And not, not because I’m an…

[gaymormonmike]

STUDS TERKEL

I am reading Terkel's book Coming of Age. It is a chronicle of interviews he had with people who shaped the 20th Century. These aren't the people you would be familiar with. Stud's hung out with and was friends to the marginalized . He fought against any prejudice aligning himself with Blacks such as Mahalia Jackson, gay and lesbians, downtrodden workers, unionists, and was comfortable with anyone that was open, honest and willing to speak out. He had a Chicago radio program that interviewed people (we would call them podcasts today) from 1952 to 1997. He wrote oral histories of his famous people and of the everyday person. His oral history of people on the home front during WWII won a Pulitzer prize and made me love the way he wrote and spoke and how much he wanted to record the unspoken stories of everyone. He understood that everyone had a story to tell. I am sharing this because if you never heard of Studs Terkel, you are missing an American treasure. Check him out. Here is part of his story from Wikpedia:

A political leftist, Terkel joined the Works Progress Administration's Federal Writers' Project, working in radio, doing work that varied from voicing soap opera productions and announcing news and sports to presenting shows of recorded music and writing radio scripts and advertisements. In the late 1940's he voiced characters in WMAQ's Destination Freedom series, written by Richard Durham.[5] His own well-known radio program, titled The Studs Terkel Program, aired on 98.7 WFMT Chicago between 1952 and 1997.[6] The one-hour program was broadcast each weekday during those 45 years. On this program, he interviewed guests as diverse as Martin Luther King Jr., Leonard Bernstein, Mort Sahl, Bob Dylan, Alexander Frey, Dorothy Parker, Tennessee Williams, Jean Shepherd, Frank Zappa, and Big Bill Broonzy.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Terkel was also the central character of Studs' Place, an unscripted television drama about the owner of a greasy-spoon diner in Chicago through which many famous people and interesting characters passed. This show, Marlin Perkins's Zoo Parade, Garroway at Large, and the children's show Kukla, Fran, and Ollie are widely considered canonical examples of the Chicago School of Television.

Terkel published his first book, Giants of Jazz, in 1956. He followed it in 1967 with his first collection of oral histories, Division Street: America, with 70 people talking about the effect on the human spirit of living in an American metropolis.[7][8][9]

He also served as a distinguished scholar-in-residence at the Chicago History Museum. He appeared in the film Eight Men Out, based on the Black Sox Scandal, in which he played newspaper reporter Hugh Fullerton, who tries to uncover the White Sox players' plans to throw the 1919 World Series. Terkel found it particularly amusing to play this role, as he was a big fan of the Chicago White Sox (as well as a vocal critic of major league baseball during the 1994 baseball strike), and gave a moving congratulatory speech to the White Sox organization after their 2005 World Series championship during a television interview.

Terkel received his nickname while he was acting in a play with another person named Louis. To keep the two straight, the director of the production gave Terkel the nickname Studs after the fictional character about whom Terkel was reading at the time—Studs Lonigan, of James T. Farrell's trilogy.

Terkel was acclaimed for his efforts to preserve American oral history. His 1985 book "The Good War": An Oral History of World War Two, which detailed ordinary peoples' accounts of the country's involvement in World War II, won the Pulitzer Prize. For Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression, Terkel assembled recollections of the Great Depression that spanned the socioeconomic spectrum, from Okies, through prison inmates, to the wealthy. His 1974 book, Working, in which (as reflected by its subtitle) People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, also was highly acclaimed. Working was made into a short-lived Broadway show of the same title in 1978 and was telecast on PBS in 1982. In 1995, he received the Chicago History Museum "Making History Award" for Distinction in Journalism and Communications. In 1997, Terkel was elected a member of The American Academy of Arts and Letters. Two years later, he received the George Polk Career Award in 1999.

[breathenbounce]

It's Just a Game

I grew up in a household that loved to watch sports. I was always against the grain when it comes to sports because in the past, I was a very antagonistic sports fan. My family tried to raise me on two premises. There are two baseball teams in Chicago, and you should always root for the team from where you were born. I disagreed with that as I was a White Sox fan through and through and despised the Cubs. I wasn't down with the 1985 Bears, but the 85 Dolphins since they beat them. I also loved the Blackhawks, and eventually found a way to root for the Miami Heat (because I was a very antagonistic sports fan.) However my feelings about sports have been starting to change over the years.

At the end of the day, sports is a game. It's where people compete, but unfortunately it has become much more than that over the years. What started as friendly competition between different humans has now become a pissing contest and a money heist.

First let me talk about the sports industry itself. There are billions of dollars at play here. Billions. Sports is a very marketable commodity and the athletes who participate are paid very large sums of money. I understand that this is what it is and it isn't' anyone's fault. As with most things, human begins find a way to take something beautiful and make it crazy. However, the way some of these athletes present themselves is not cool at all. They are role models to very impressionable young men and women who look up to them. Some of these athletes really do their best to maintain a positive image. People speak of hard work and getting your craft right, which i don't have a problem with. However, the drama show sports has become sucks. We should care more about what goes on in the field, than the locker rooms. The NFL has made itself a year round spectacle with the draft, the combine, and ofcourse we have salary caps and things like that which create much debate between fans.

Fueling the fans anger and "passion" about sports is the talking heads of ESPN and FS1. Listening to the ugliness that comes out of the mouths of people like Colin Cowherd, Skip Bayless just to name a few in insane. These people never have played sports, but they talk like they have so much knowledge about the game. They are very dismissive of people and their opinions. They add fuel to the hate machine that sportsmedia has become.

And the fans are taking things way too far. I have seen so many videos of fans fighting each other over silly stuff. I have seen fans dump popcorn on players heads. Anyone remember the malice at the palace? that was a result of a fan throwing a drink on a player.

As I said earlier, I like the Miami Dolphins. Their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is one of the nicest, humblest, players i have ever seen, and he had led Miami to a couple of winning seasons, something us Finfans haven't seen since the days of Marino (the guy who made ma fan.) Yet all the complaining and personal attacks on Tua are crazy.

My bottom line is I believe the sports world should be looking at ways where they put kindness and sportsmanship first. I respect peoples opinions but some of the sports talkers out there need to go. Sports has become a world of toxicity and I never really became a huge sports fan until I reached my late 20s and early 30s because I felt I couldn't identify with anything. As I have taken a deep dive into my life, I find myself caring less and less about sports, with the exception of football. Sports is quite the commitment. As I said the NFL runs a year long business. But its only 17 weeks and if you are lucky your team plays a few games in the playoffs where they win and go home. Its not the 162 game marathon baseball is or the 88 game season in basketabll and hockey. It goes by fast, easy to keep up with. However, something needs to be said about the sports culture. The innocence of sports is gone.

People need to remember at the end, its only a game. The players don't care whether or not you have negative feelings towards them. The media only wants you to buy the stuff they advertise in between innings, downs, time outs, whatever. People need to stop taking it so seriously. Start looking at why you take it so seriously. What are you missing? What will help you feel happier? What will make you feel joy? It may be the thrill of victory, but that's not guaranteed. What is guaranteed is the impression you leave on the people around you, and I would strongly caution many sports fans to take that in stride. When you make hurtful remarks, they cannot be taken back. When you go after players, you forget they are human too because of the pedestals they have been placed on. Many sports fans will say they're just spitting facts. Facts don't care about feelings, people do. So maybe less facts, and more empathy is what is needed in the athletic world. These athletes leave the game not the same, and they are lucky to make the money they have, but they bleed red like all of us.

I asked for kindness on a Dolphins fan page on Facebook one day, and people told me to shut up. That this is a sports page and this is how people talk. Change is the most beautiful thing in the world. It has to start somewhere. I hope there are others who feel like I do and want to see less anger and sarcasm. I was there. i was the worst, Looking back I am ashamed how I behaved during my Sox vs Cubs days. I have been trying to grow and at the end of the day, I can only do what I can do. I can decide what I allow in my environment and maybe if this continues, I may have to reconsider my fondness for football and choose kindness and grace instead.

Sorry I rambled alot this week, but it just was on my mind so I spoke on it. How do you feel?

M

[lboogie1906]

Darryl Eugene Strawberry (born March 12, 1962) is a former baseball right fielder and author who played 17 seasons in MLB. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most feared sluggers in the sport, known for his prodigious home runs and his intimidating presence in the batter's box with his 6 ft 6 in the frame and his long, looping swing that elicited comparisons to Ted Williams'. He helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series championship in 1986 and the New York Yankees to three World Series championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999. A popular player during his career, he was voted to the All-Star Game eight straight times from 1984–to 1991. He was an analyst for SportsNet New York. He was the starting right fielder five straight times and appeared at nine All-Star games. He batted .333 with two stolen bases and two runs in 12 career All-Star at-bats. He had two three-home run games in his career, both of which came against Chicago teams and were almost 11 years to the day between each other. The first game was against the Cubs on August 5, 1985, and the second was on August 6, 1996, against the White Sox. He is one of only five Major League Baseball players to hit two pinch-hit grand slams in the same season. He is one of only three players in MLB history to have played for all four of the former and current New York-based MLB teams- the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants. His memoir, Straw: Finding My Way, written in collaboration with author John Strausbaugh, was published on April 28, 2009. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CpsFXdrOYjJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ozzyscollectiblehub]

Bo Jackson: The Ultimate Two-Sport Legend

Bo Jackson is one of the most remarkable athletes in sports history. Known for his extraordinary abilities in both professional baseball and football, Jackson is the only athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports leagues. His combination of power, speed, and agility made him a legend and an icon of the 1980s and early 1990s, leaving an indelible mark on both the NFL and MLB.

Early Life and College Stardom

Born on November 30, 1962, in Bessemer, Alabama, Jackson grew up in a large family and displayed his athletic talents from an early age. He excelled in multiple sports, including baseball, football, and track. After high school, he attended Auburn University, where he became a dominant force in college football. In 1985, Jackson won the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious individual award in college football, solidifying his status as one of the nation’s top athletes.

At Auburn, Jackson also played baseball and ran track, showcasing his ability to dominate in multiple sports. His combination of speed and strength on the football field earned him a spot as one of the greatest college football players of all time.

The Dual-Sport Pro Career

Jackson’s dual-sport professional career began with a twist. He was initially drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the first overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft. However, due to issues related to his college eligibility and mistrust of the Buccaneers’ ownership, Jackson chose not to sign with them. Instead, he decided to pursue a career in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Jackson made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 1986. His raw power and speed on the field were immediately evident, and he quickly became one of the most exciting players in the game. In 1989, he was named an All-Star and even earned All-Star Game MVP honors after hitting a towering home run and showcasing his exceptional athleticism.

In the meantime, Jackson found his way to the NFL. After being drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders in the 7th round of the 1987 draft, he negotiated a unique contract that allowed him to play football after the conclusion of the MLB season. This rare arrangement led to one of the most captivating two-sport careers in history. Jackson’s football prowess was on full display as he regularly broke off long touchdown runs, including his famous 91-yard touchdown run on Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks, a moment that cemented his legacy in the NFL.

The “Bo Knows” Era

In the late 1980s, Jackson’s fame transcended sports. He became the face of Nike’s “Bo Knows” advertising campaign, which celebrated his ability to excel in both baseball and football. The campaign featured commercials where Jackson tried his hand at other sports like basketball, tennis, and hockey, humorously suggesting that there was nothing Bo couldn’t do. This marketing campaign was wildly successful and helped make Jackson a pop culture icon.

Career-Ending Injury

Unfortunately, Jackson’s remarkable career was cut short by a devastating injury. In a 1991 NFL playoff game, he suffered a dislocated hip while being tackled during a run. The injury was severe, and complications from the dislocation led to avascular necrosis, a condition that deteriorated the bone and cartilage in his hip. This injury forced Jackson to retire from football, but he made a valiant return to baseball in 1993 with the Chicago White Sox, playing for two more seasons before retiring from professional sports in 1994.

Legacy and Impact

Even though his professional career was shortened, Jackson’s impact on sports and popular culture is undeniable. His ability to play both baseball and football at such a high level was unprecedented, and his feats on the field continue to be the stuff of legend. His highlights are still frequently replayed, and he remains a symbol of athletic greatness.

Bo Jackson’s story is one of natural talent, perseverance, and a relentless drive to succeed. He is widely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, not just for his performances in football and baseball, but also for his legacy of pushing the limits of what an athlete can achieve.

[baseballbybsmile]

Today In 1985: Legendary pitcher Tom Seaver gets his 300th career win as the Chicago White Sox defeat the New York Yankees by a score of 4-1 at Yankee Stadium!

[liugeaux]

MLB Expansion: Why Am I Obsessed With It?

The World Series ended last week and the Rangers became the 25th MLB team to win the coveted championship. This leaves the Rockies, Brewers, Mariners, Padres, and Rays as the only teams without a "ring". (Fun fact: 1922 was the first year teams were awarded rings after winning the Series) This was just the 3rd time in MLB history that 2 expansion-era teams faced off for the title, with the other 2 being 2015 and 2019. Without a second thought this seems, at best, like a nifty little stat, but looking deeper, it's borderline amazing it took so long for two expansion teams to play each other in the Fall Classic.

First, let's define "Expansion" team. It's any team added to the league AFTER the first 16 teams. Here are those original teams.

Original 16 MLB Teams and the year they joined MLB

Chicago Cubs - 1876

Atlanta Braves - 1876

Pittsburgh Pirates - 1887

Philadelphia Phillies - 1883

San Francisco Giants - 1883

Cincinnati Reds - 1890

Los Angeles Dodgers - 1890

St. Louis Cardinals - 1892

Baltimore Orioles - 1901

Boston Red Sox - 1901

Chicago White Sox - 1901

Cleveland Guardians - 1901

Detroit Tigers - 1901

Minnesota Twins - 1901

Oakland Athletics - 1901

New York Yankees - 1903

Sure, some of these teams have moved and/or changed names a few times, but as official franchise lineage goes, these are the original Major League teams.

In a short 27 years, baseball exploded to 16 teams. Originally, they were clustered in the east, only stretching as far as St. Louis. Those teams, battled it out for 57 years before any others joined the fray. Most measurements will tell you, to this day, that these 16 teams are still the more popular of the franchises. It's hard to compete with the popularity of the Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Braves, Cubs and Red Sox.

With the rise of commercial air travel, the success of the Braves' move to Milwaukee, and the ousting of the Dodgers and Giants to the West Coast, it was clear Baseball could handle teams in smaller markets all over the US. In 1961 MLB started growing by adding a second Los Angeles-based team, the Angels, and the Senators in Washington DC. The latter moved to Dallas in 1972 to become today's Rangers.

This kicked off a 37-year expansion that saw 14 teams added to the league. Teams popped up everywhere, from the southernmost tip of Florida to Canada to Seattle.

14 Expansion Era Teams and the year they joined MLB

Los Angeles Angels - 1961

Texas Rangers - 1961

Houston Astros - 1962

New York Mets - 1962

Kansas City Royals - 1969

Milwaukee Brewers - 1969

San Diego Padres - 1969

Washington Nationals - 1969

Seattle Mariners - 1977

Toronto Blue Jays - 1977

Colorado Rockies - 1993

Miami Marlins - 1993

Arizona Diamondbacks - 1998

Tampa Bay Rays - 1998

The league nearly doubled in size which, mathematically, made it harder to win a World Series. In 1969, the Mets were the first expansion team to win a title, but for the most part, the expansion teams were absent from the Series altogether. For most new teams, success did not come quickly. In fact, there have only been 14 expansion team champions since the start of the expansion era (1961). Here they are.

Expansion teams that have won a World Series

1969 - Mets 1985 - Royals 1986 - Mets 1992 - Blue Jays 1993 - Blue Jays 1997 - Marlins 2001 - Diamondbacks 2002 - Angels 2003 - Marlins 2015 - Royals 2017 - Astros 2019 - Nationals 2022 - Astros 2023 - Rangers

In 62 years of expansion, only 14 of those years have been won by new teams. If you spread the numbers out and do some math, during the expansion era (1961-2023), the original 16 teams together have had 976 eligible "campaigns" for a World Series, while expansion teams have only had 652 (that's counting each team per year they were in the league, minus the '94 strike year.) That's a 3/2 ratio for the expansion teams during the expansion era. Of course, since the new teams trickled in over the years, that stat is on a sliding scale, but I still feel like they should have had more success, faster.

For a better sample we'll need to look at all the Series played since 1998 (once all the teams were included.) That's 26 years of baseball with a 30-team level playing field. Theoretically, with true parity, 47% of the teams in the series should be expansion teams, and those teams should win 47% of the time. Let's see if that happened.

'98-'23 saw 20 expansion teams play in the World Series. That's 38%, about 9% away from true parity. That period also had 8 expansion World Series champs. That's 31%, even farther from parity. So the phenomenon that brought me to this journey, (2015 the first all-expansion team World Series) is starting to make a little more sense, but it still blows my mind that it took SO long.

I guess, given that most of the newer teams are from smaller markets with smaller fan bases and thus have a smaller cash flow, they can't afford to go out and buy who they need to fill the holes in their lineups like a bigger market can. A hard salary cap could really help in this dept. The bigger markets are also natural tiebreakers themselves. Would you rather make 20 million and play in Tampa, or make 20 million and play in LA?

If we only focus on recent memory, the last 10 years, the expansion teams have been done much better. 12 of the last 20 teams to make the World Series have been from the new batch, and they've won half of them.

More Fun Facts: The Mets and the Astros are tied for the position of most successful expansion franchises as they've both been to 5 Series and Won 2. The Marlins and the Blue Jays won both of the Series they played in, but have only made it to 2 each.

Here's where I dedicate a paragraph to the Phillies. They have been in the league since 1883 and have only won 2 championships. The only other original team to win just 2 World Series is the Guardians, but they joined the league 18 years after the Phillies. The Phils have been historically bad for a long time. If it hasn't been obvious that I'm a Braves fan, this should be the tipping point. :)

I don't think I'm trying to make a point here, maybe MLB should have a hard salary cap, or expansion teams should have found a way to be better, faster. I mean, how can you happily be a Padres, Brewers, or Mariners fan? 45+ years of failure has to create resentment towards the team and baseball as a sport. Hell, if the Braves go 2 years without winning their division, I get antsy.

Regardless of all of this, I'm just fascinated by MLB history. Seeing all these teams start trickling in through the later half of the 20th century, find their footing, and then win a World Series is like watching a child being born, grow, and become an adult. The circle of life.

[garysamazingwife]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: 1985 Chicago White Sox Patch.

[bobmccullochny]

History

September 22

1776 - Nathan Hale was hanged by the British as a spy for the colonies during the Revolutionary War. In fairness to the British, this war hero was spying on them.

1789 - The US Post Office was established by congress.

1911 - Pitcher Cy Young beat Pittsburgh 1-0 for his final career victory - number 511.

1920 - A Chicago Grand Jury convened to investigate charges that 8 White Sox players conspired to fix the 1919 World Series. They did.

1964- Fiddler on the Roof opened on Broadway.

1964 - The Man from U.N.C.L.E. premiered on NBC.

1982 - tales of the Gold Monkey premiered on ABC

1985 - Farm Aid wast first broadcast, on TNN and in syndication

1986 - ALF debuted on NBC

1987 - Full House premiered on ABC

1989 - ABC debuted TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Friday) from 8:00pm to 10:00pm, a new programming block for Friday Nights with four shows (Full House, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, and Just the Ten of Us)

1994 - Friends premiered on NBC

2002 - Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on a mysterious island, beginning the six-season series of LOST.

2004 - Lost premiered on ABC

2009 - The Good Wife premiered on CBS

2011 - CERN scientists announced their discovery of neutrinos breaking the speed of light. There were reasonably sure that the experimant would not cause a black hole that would suck up the entire planet. So far, so good.

[chaunceyandchumleysdad]

I’ve got a lot of baseball on my mind today so I’m just going to throw it all on one post.

1) Glenn Beckert passed away two days ago (April 12, 2020) at the age of 79. He played most of his relatively short career for the Cubs (1965-1975). He was a rock-solid second baseman and part of a great middle infield with Don Kessinger. Primarily a singles hitter, he hit .342 in 1969 yet finished 3rd in the NL Batting Title. Check out this list from that year: Joe Torre (STL) .363, Ralph Garr (ATL) .343, Beckert (CHC) .342, Roberto Clemente (PIT).341, Hank Aaron (ATL) .327, Manny Sanguillen (PIT) .319, Cleon Jones (NYM) .319, Matty Alou (STL) .315, Lou Brock (STL) .313., Rusty Staub (MON) .311. I guess lowering the pitching mound from 15 to 10 inches after the 1968 “Year of the Pitcher” had a positive effect.

2) Jim Frey passed away yesterday (April 13, 2020) at the age of 88. He led the 1980 Kansas City Royals to the World Series. (They lost to Philadelphia.) He went on to manage the Chicago Cubs to their first post-season appearance in 39 years in 1984. (Cubs choked against San Diego, losing a 5-game series after winning the first 2 games.) In 1989, he was the Cubs general manager when a group of youngsters and mostly no-names won the NL East. (They lost to the Giants in the division playoffs.) During the 1987 and 88 seasons, he was a color commentator on the Cubs radio broadcasts. I spent a lot of time on the road back then and listened to a lot of Cubs games on the radio. One of my favorite moments was when, during a game, Frey was asking Lou Boudreau about the College of Coaches from the Cubs early 1960’s team. Hearing Frey pepper Boudreau with questions, Boudreau trying to offer answers suggesting the system made some sense, and Frey’s maniacal laughter after each answer made for superb radio comedy. (You’ll have to Google College of Coaches to understand what I’m talking about.)

3) Kirk Gibson - My wife sent me a post from Twitter that asked, “What is the greatest home run you’ve ever seen in person?” For me it was May 10, 1985, Chicago White Sox vs Detroit Tigers at the original Comiskey Park. It was a balmy spring evening and we were sitting in infield seats on the 3rd base side of home plate. Tom Seaver was pitching. Kirk Gibson hit a home run over the right field roof. It cleared the roof at 350 feet and was an estimated total distance of 525 feet. With my view looking down the first base line, I was able to watch the trajectory of the ball as it disappeared into the night. I’ll never forget that moment.

4) Tony Armas – This is my runner up. It occurred during a Saturday afternoon game at Comiskey Park on April 28, 1984. The White Sox were playing the Red Sox and Tony Armas cranked a line drive into the center field bleachers, only the 6th of 7 such home runs hit in the 80-year history of the ballpark. (As with Gibson’s home run, Tom Seaver was the White Sox pitcher.) Comiskey Park bleachers were small (compared to it’s North Side counterpart Wrigley Field that sports bleachers from foul pole to foul pole). They were just a small section underneath the score board in center field. The center field fence was 415 feet from home plate, but the bullpens were behind it. The actual seating area was about 450 feet from home plate. My wife and I were sitting in the outfield grandstands that day, maybe 20 feet from the bleachers. But here’s the thing; I had left my seat to get beer or food or whatever and I missed it! When I came back, my wife calmly said to me, “You should have seen this home run.” And casually pointing at the bleachers, “It went in there.” I was like, “W-H-A-T?!? There was a home run hit in the bleachers! AND I DIDN’T SEE IT!!!” At any rate, I tried finding video of that home run along with Kirk Gibson’s home run but came up empty. (The other home runs in the Comiskey Park bleachers were Jimmie Foxx (1934), Hank Greenberg (1938), Alex Johnson (1970), Dick Allen (1972), Richie Zisk (1977) and George Bell (1985).

[aagciii]

#13 - Ozzie Guillén - SS - Chicago White Sox (1985-1997)

[riversidearchives]

Put Me In, Coach!

The year was 1919.  Babe Ruth would play his final season in a Boston Red Sox uniform.  The Chicago White Sox would lose the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in what was later known as the Black Sox Scandal.  Major League Baseball was comprised of only 16 teams.  And no team could call a city its home west of St. Louis, Missouri for almost 4 decades.

Baseball, however, was America’s pastime from coast to coast and quite popular at Camp Kearny in San Diego, California.  Today’s document was located while reviewing an unprocessed series of correspondence files of the Quartermaster of the camp.  It is a letter from the Hillerich and Bradsby Company, the manufacturer of Louisville Slugger Baseball Bats, to the Quartermaster at Camp Kearney.  This letter, dated January 3, 1919, confirms shipment of three crates containing 100 “Playground Bats” on December 31, 1918.

We hope you enjoy this document!

For more about the history of Louisville Slugger bats, please visit this site.

For further information about Camp Kearny in San Diego, California, please visit this webpage.

Series: Subject Files, ca. 1917-ca. 1922.  Record Group 92, Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985.

[bballhofportraits]

Hoyt Wilhelm – P (Primary team Chicago White Sox) – elected in 1985 with 83.8% of the vote.

[baseballsisco]

On This Day in Baseball History April 9, 1985: Chicago White Sox starter Tom Seaver takes the mound for his record setting 15th Opening Day start.  The prior record of 14 Opening Day starts was held by Hall of Famer “Big Train” Walter Johnson. Seaver would earn his 289th victory with a 4-2 win against the Milwaukee Brewers at Milwaukee County Stadium. 

In total Seaver started eleven Opening Days for the New York Mets (1968-77, 1983), three Opening Days for the Cincinnati Reds (1978-79, 1981) and two Opening Days for the Chicago White Sox (1985-1986). His sixteen Opening Day starts remains the established record for number of Opening Day starts.  

For Further Reading:

Tom Seaver’s Career Statistics from Baseball Reference

Pitchers with the most Opening Day starts by Andrew Simon from MLB.com dated March 28, 2019

[lboogie1906]

Vada Edward Pinson Jr. (August 11, 1938 – October 21, 1995) was a baseball player and coach. He played as a center fielder in MLB for 18 years (1958–75), most notably for the Cincinnati Reds, for whom he played (1958-68) as a four-time National League All-Star. He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1977. He batted and threw left-handed, combined power, speed, and strong defensive ability.

He was born in Memphis and his family moved to Oakland when he was a child. He attended McClymonds High School. He had an interest in the trumpet in the school’s band, to the point where he considered playing trumpet as a career, but his baseball coach George Powles convinced him otherwise, developing him into a player by cultivating his athletic ability and talent.

In an 18-year career, playing for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, California Angels, and Kansas City Royals, he appeared in 2469 games, compiling a .286 batting average, with 2757 hits, 1365 runs, 485 doubles, 127 triples, 256 home runs, 1169 RBI, 305 stolen bases, 574 walks, .327 on-base percentage, and .442 slugging percentage. He had four 200+ hit seasons in 1959, ‘61, ‘63, and ‘65, batting over .300 in each season. He recorded a career .981 fielding percentage and was a two-time gold glove winner (1961 and 1962).

He was a coach for the Seattle Mariners (1977–80; 1982–83), Chicago White Sox (1981), Detroit Tigers (1985–91), and Florida Marlins (1993–94) after his playing days ended. He coached on the inaugural editions of two expansion teams, the Mariners (1977) and the Marlins (1993).

He became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1981. In his 15 years on the ballot, his highest ballot total was 15.7% in 1988. He fell off the ballot in 1996, receiving just 10.9% of the votes.

He was married to Jacqueline Garibaldi Pinson. He had three daughters, Valerie, Renee, and Kimberly, and one son, Vada Pinson III. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[baseballbybsmile]

Today In 1985: Legendary pitcher Tom Seaver gets his 300th career win as the Chicago White Sox defeat the New York Yankees by a score of 4-1 at Yankee Stadium!