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In 2004, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in historic fashion. This book, published on the 20th anniversary of the 2004 championship, celebrates that team by collecting biographies all of the players on the roster alongside essays about that unprecedented postseason run and its ripples throughout New England. These biographies include everyone on the team, from the stars like David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, and Johnny Damon to a couple of guys who would later manage their own teams in the big leagues in Dave Roberts and Gabe Kapler, to the manager, Terry Francona, and his coaches.Seeing the team win the World Series for the first time in 86 years resonated throughout New England and "Red Sox Nation" beyond, tapping into the strong sentiments that people have rooting for the underdog. When Dan Shaughnessy wrote the book The Curse of The Bambino, the title resonated with every Red Sox fan. But the "curse" was reversed when the Red Sox avenged that and every other loss to the Yankees by becoming the first team to ever win a seven-game series after being down three games to none.Chicago Cubs and White Sox fans have had even longer waits, but only the Red Sox had so many excruciating last-minute losses along the way. We hope readers will enjoy the story of Kathryn Gemme, who finally saw her Red Sox win it all again, when she was 109 years old. Also in the book we include the memories of a few dozen fans and details of the first-of-its-kind "trophy tour" to all 351 towns in Massachusetts.This book began as a project of the Boston Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research, but grew to embrace the contributions of 68 different SABR members, including both Yankees and Cardinals fans. SABR's Digital Library has now passed 100 volumes, all created, researched, and written by SABR members.

Long before the Red Sox "Impossible Dream" season, Boston's now nearly forgotten "other" team, the 1914 Boston Braves, performed a baseball "miracle" that resounds to this very day. The "Miracle Braves" were Boston's first "worst-to-first" winners of the World Series. Shortly after the turn of the previous century, the once mighty Braves had become a perennial member of the National League's second division. Preseason pundits didn't believe the 1914 team posed a meaningful threat to John McGraw's powerful New York Giants. During the first half of that campaign, Boston lived down to such expectations, taking up residence in the league's basement.Refusing to throw in the towel at the midseason mark, their leader, the pugnacious George Stallings, deftly manipulated his daily lineup and pitching staff to engineer a remarkable second-half climb in the standings all the way to first place. The team's winning momentum carried into the postseason, where the Braves swept Connie Mack's heralded Athletics and claimed the only World Championship ever won by Boston's National League entry. And for 100 years, the management, players, and fans of underperforming ball clubs have turned to the Miracle Braves to catch a glimmer of hope that such a midseason turnaround could be repeated. Through the collaborative efforts of a band of dedicated members of the Society for American Baseball Research, this benchmark accomplishment is richly revealed to the reader in The Miracle Braves of 1914: Boston's Original Worst-to-First World Series Champions. The essence of the "miracle" is captured through a comprehensive compendium of incisive biographies of the players and other figures associated with the team, with additional relevant research pieces on the season. After a journey through the pages of this book, the die-hard baseball fan will better understand why the call to "Wait Until Next Year" should never be voiced prematurely.

In One-Win Wonders, we meet 78 players whose time in the major leagues included only a single pitching win. One-Win Wonders is a companion book to the 2021 SABR book One-Hit Wonders, which included biographies of players who had gotten only a single hit.The 78 players whose biographies are presented here are among the 915 players who completed their major-league career with just one win. An astonishing 229 of those never lost a game, ending with a career record of 1-0. Some simply had very brief stays in the majors, like Bill Ging "With the Wonderful Wing" who joined the Boston Beaneaters at the tail end of 1899 and secured a 2-1 complete game victory over the New York Giants, but found himself without a team when the National League contracted from 12 teams to eight in 1900. Then there's Nick Adenhart, whose career was tragically cut short by a drunk driver hours after securing his win for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Others, like catcher Brent Mayne, were position players who wound up on the mound and left with a victory. Mayne's win came in an epic extra-innings contest between the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves, after the last pitcher on the roster was ejected after a brawl. Each of the current 30 major-league franchises is represented by at least one such wonder, as are a number of other teams, some dating back to the nineteenth century. One-Win Wonders represents the collaborative work of nearly 60 researchers, authors, and editors from the Society for American Baseball Research.

Ebbets Field is one of the most cherished of baseball's lost ballparks. This book tells the story of Ebbets Field through several feature essays and stories of nearly 100 historic games played there.Relive the historic debut of Jackie Robinson, the 1949 All-Star Game, and the first start by 19-year-old Sandy Koufax-a two-hitter in which he fanned 19 batters. Brooklyn's triumphs and heartbreaks in multiple World Series are here, too, along with Jeff Pfeffer's 18-inning complete game in 1919, and Johnny Vander Meer's second straight no-hitter. These games encompass ample heroics of Cookie Lavagetto, Dolph Camilli, Don Newcombe, Sal Maglie, Babe Herman, and Joe Black.Named after Charles Ebbets, majority owner of the Brooklyn baseball club from 1902 until his death in 1925, Ebbets Field was the home of the Dodgers from 1913 until their relocation to Los Angeles after the 1957 season. Whether they were called the Superbas, the Robins (after skipper Wilbert Robinson) or the Dodgers, the club played over 3,400 games at Ebbets Field, as well as 28 World Series games in nine different postseasons. The games included in this volume reflect every decade in the ballpark's history, from the inaugural regular-season game, against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 9, 1913, to the last one, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, in front of just 6,702 spectators on September 24, 1957.This volume is a collaborative effort of dozens of members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).

In 1934, Ed Bolden's Philadelphia Stars joined the new Negro National League II (NNL2), which had been founded one year earlier. After fending off their intrastate-rivals, the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the Stars claimed the NNL2's second-half championship and faced the first-half champions for the title. They defeated the Chicago American Giants to claim the NNL2 crown.Over two dozen SABR members researched the Stars' history for this book, which includes biographies of as many of the team's players as possible, even those who participated in only a single game. The 1934 Stars featured future Hall of Famers Raleigh "Biz" Mackey and Jud Wilson; stalwarts like Phil Cockrell, Webster McDonald, and Chaney White; shooting star Stewart "Slim" Jones; and temporary fill-ins like Frederick Coleman and Clifford "Whip" Irons.Majority owner Ed Bolden, a vital figure in the history of Philadelphia baseball, and minority owner/booking agent Eddie Gottlieb-who is better known to basketball fans-are both featured, as well, along with the history of the Stars' home ballpark in 1934, Passon Field, named after another prominent local baseball entrepreneur. Also included is a complete season timeline, articles about select games such as the epic September 9 Satchel Paige-Slim Jones pitching duel at Yankee Stadium, and a comprehensive write-up of the NNL2 championship series complete this portrait of the 1934 title-winning team.

Willie Mays thrilled baseball fans for more than two decades. He could do it all-in the outfield, at bat, and on the bases. Five Tools tells the story of arguably the greatest baseball player in the game's history, through more than 20 insightful essays and recaps of over 30 of the most significant games in his career. Some essays explore Mays' time in the Negro Leagues and minor leagues, while others examine the the relationship of Mays to his managers, the press, and his mentoring of Bobby and Barry Bonds.The National League Rookie of the Year in 1951 with the New York Giants, Mays made his big-league debut just four years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's shameful color line. He brought with him a dynamic blend of power and speed. Just a few years into his amazing career, he left with his teammates for San Francisco.Mays batted .301 lifetime and belted 660 home runs. He hit more than 50 homers in two seasons and led the National League in stolen bases four times. Mays also won 12 Gold Gloves for his fielding excellence in center field. The "Say Hey Kid" earned a spot on a record 24 All-Star teams. Incredibly, he won just two MVP awards.A collaborative effort of 51 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), this book celebrates a player who was known by some as "Wondrous Willie."

Yankee Stadium 1923-2008: America's First Modern Ballpark represents a 100th anniversary celebration of the original Yankee Stadium. The work is the combined effort of 79 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), founded as a nonprofit in 1971.This was the first "modern" stadium; baseball had never seen anything like Yankee Stadium before it was built. It was the first ballpark to include three levels of seating, accommodating more fans by far than any in the country. In its 85-year existence, it hosted more World Series (37) than any other venue and stood as a shrine to baseball generations past in one of the nation's largest cities.Intended as a multipurpose venue from the outset, the Stadium is seen through 40 essays covering not only baseball, but memorable football games, boxing matches, soccer seasons, track and field meets, and wrestling competitions, not to mention rodeos, concerts, and religious and political assemblies. Baseball events at the Stadium embraced not only the New York Yankees-the facility also hosted more than 200 Negro Leagues contests, Hearst Sandlot Classics for developing youth stars, and even an AAGPBL exhibition game.Baseball was always central, though, and the book also includes accounts of 50 of the most notable games in the history of The House that Ruth Built.

The long-awaited third issue of Turnstyle: The SABR Journal of Baseball Arts is now available for all to enjoy. Featuring over 20 poems, and over 40 total pieces of fiction and creative essays, the issue also includes over 40 original photographs, paintings, and illustrations. Following in the tradition of publications such as Elysian Fields Quarterly, The Minneapolis Review of Baseball, and Spitball, Turnstyle continues the tradition of sharing baseball literature, artwork, and imagery. Writers, artists, poets, photographers, and others participate in and reflect on baseball and the arts. The first issue of Turnstyle interspersed contemporary creations by SABR members with examples of baseball literature from the past, while issue 2 was filled entirely with contemporary works. With issue 3, the number of submissions was so voluminous that work on issue 4 has already begun.For many of us, the spectre of COVID-19 meant that attending baseball games was not an option; solitude and quarantine became the norm. During the pandemic, a great number of SABR bards, biographers, photographers, memoirists, storytellers, and artists put pen to paper, brush to canvas, and fingers to keyboard. May we now enjoy the fruits of their labors.This issue includes poems by Kalwinder Singh Dhindsa and Ron Kaplan, essays by Margie Lawrence, Norman L. Macht, and George Skornickel, paintings by Paul Borelli, Adam Korengold, and David Holden, and a photo essay on Hinchcliffe Stadium by Donna Muscarelli, along with many additional contributions by John Jakicic, Joey Nicoletti, Richard M.Campbell,Jr., Dick Butler, Francis Kinlaw, John L. Green, Gabriel Bogart, Matthew Perry, Peter M. Gordon, George Skornickel, Joseph Stanton, William B.(Bryan) Steverson, Jared Wyllys, Duane Victor Keilstrup, Jack Buck, Ryan Isaac, Bruce Harris, Adam Young, Paul Moorehead, Jason A. Schwartz, Kyle Newman, and Justin Klugh.

Ty Cobb has reigned over baseball history as a titan of the game, and according to quotes repeated by Cobb’s biographers, he believed the name “Tyrus” to be unique to him. Was the name an invention of his father’s, meant to be a historical or Biblical reference of some kind? In this issue, Dr. William “Ron” Cobb debunks the spurious explanations given by previous chroniclers as to the origin of the name, and offers insight into Cobb family history. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: “More Relief Pitchers Belong in the Hall of Fame: Which Ones?” by Elaina and John Pakutka Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of the Board of Directors of The National Baseball Hall of Fame, reminds us each year on inudction day that the Hall contains the top 1% of major-league players. But that 1% is not evenly distributed across eras or positions. If the “best 1%” standard were applied to the subset of relief pitchers we study in this article, 20 to 30 of them would be in the Hall of Fame. Only nine have won induction. Relief pitchers generate about 10% of the total WAR each year, but constitute only 3% of Hall of Famers. “Balancing Starter and Bullpen Workloads in a Seven-Game Postseason Series” by David J. Gordon, MD, PhD In general, the strategy of routinely removing a starting pitcher in the fifth or sixth inning when the batting order turns over for the third time may win some games by rescuing starters from the Third Time Through the Order Penalty (TTOP), but it leaves a shortfall of innings that must be covered in a seven-game series, leading to overexposure of a limited pool of relievers. The deleterious effect of repeatedly using relievers—an increase of as much as .076 in wOBA—substantially outweighs the effect the TTOP on starters (approximately a .030 increase in wOBA). Protecting starters from the significant but relatively small TTOP does no good if your best high-leverage relievers become fatigued and/or “old hat” to opposing hitters by the time they are needed in the deciding game of a seven-game series. “Keith Hernandez and Cooperstown: A Data Synthesis and Visualization Project” by Stephen D. Dertinger, PhD Our player performance analyses provide interesting insights into Keith Hernandez’s Hall of Fame case. A key component of the ToxPi methodology involves synthesizing multiple, carefully chosen performance metrics into composite scores. Player performances are distilled into single values, while the associated visuals provide a clear indication of where they excelled (and where they did not). Hernandez’s ToxPi Profiles reveal defensive excellence both compared to his contemporaries and compared to Hall of Fame first basemen... [but also] make it clear that his offense also contributes to his Hall of Fame case. Whether considering traditional or advanced statistics, these analyses support the contention that Keith Hernandez belongs in Cooperstown.

The Winter Meetings have been Organized Baseball's annual offseason ritual since the early days of the game. This is SABR's second volume on their history, covering 1958 - 2016, plus a special section on the Negro Leagues winter meetings. The latter years of the 20th century included many monumental changes in the business of baseball. This volume covers multiple rounds of expansion, the advent of free agency, several work stoppages, collusion among the owners, and the elimination of the American and National League presidents' offices and consolidation of the two leagues as a single business entity. With contributions by 40 members of the Society for American Baseball Research: Abigail Miskowiec, Andy Bokser, Bob Whelan, Chad Hagan, Charles H. Martin, Chip Greene, Chris Jones, Christopher Matthews, Clayton Trutor, Dan Levitt, Darren Munk, David M. Kritzler and Alan P. Henry, Donald G. Frank, Duke Goldman, Gregory H. Wolf, Hawkins DuBois, Jason C. Long, Jason Myers, Jeff Barto, Jerry Swenson, Jessica Frank, John Bauer, John Burbridge, Kent Henderson, Luca Rossi, Mark Armour, Mark S. Sternman, Michael Huber, Mike Lynch, Paul D. Brown, Paul Hensler, Robert K. Whelan, Rodger A. Payne, Ross E. Davies, Steve Cardullo, Steve Weingarden, Steve West, Tim Rask, Tom Cuggino, Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr.

You have to be a very good pitcher to lose 20 games in one season. Why would a manager keep putting you out there to pitch, time after time, if you didn't have a chance to win the game? More than 25 percent of the pitchers in the National Baseball Hall of Fame are pitchers who lost 20 or more games in a single season. One of them even lost 20 or more games for 10 years in a row!The names in this book are often well-known names. Cy Young lost more than 20 games in three different seasons. Other 20-game losers were Steve Carlton, Walter Johnson, Phil Niekro, Robin Roberts, and Red Ruffing, to name a few.We've included here every one of the 23 Hall of Famers who are 20-game losers, as well as some lesser-known names, over sixty biographies in all. Mike Maroth and Brian Kingman, the two most recent pitchers to lose 20 games, are here. So is Jack Nabors thanks to his 1-20 season. You will find Guy Hecker, whose record of 52-20 constituted the best winning percentage of any 20-game loser. And we feature one woebegone pitching staff which had four 20-game losers in the same season.By our count 499 major-league pitchers have had seasons in which they lost 20 or more games. Only two of them had ERAs over 6.00. This take on pitching records offers plenty of quirks to explore. 53 members of SABR combined their efforts to create this truly fascinating book.

This book was inspired by the last Negro League World Series ever played and presents biographies of the players on the two contending teams in 1948 - the Birmingham Black Barons and the Homestead Grays - as well as the managers, the owners, and articles on the ballparks the teams called home.Also included are articles that recap the season's two East-West All-Star Games, the Negro National League and Negro American League playoff series, and the World Series itself. Additional context is provided in essays about the effects of Organized Baseball's integration on the Negro Leagues, the exodus of Negro League players to Canada, and the signing away of top Negro League players, specifically Willie Mays.The lack of detailed press coverage of the Negro Leagues, the fact that not every player was a star with a lengthy career, and gaps in public records of the era (especially in regard to African Americans) present a situation in which it is not possible to detail the life of every single player as fully as in other SABR publications. In the face of such challenges, the SABR researchers who have contributed player biographies and feature articles to this book have done utmost diligence to uncover every possible nugget of information that is currently available and, in many instances, new discoveries have been made. Many of the players' lives and careers have been presented to a much greater extent than previously. This book represents the collaborative efforts of 49 authors and editors from the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).

The '67 Red Sox fulfilled a seemingly Impossible Dream, overcoming 100-to-1 odds by climbing out of ninth place to capture the pennant for the first time in 21 years. Thousands of delirious fans streamed onto the field at Fenway Park mobbing the team, dismantling the scoreboard, climbing the screen behind home plate. It truly was, in the words of Sox radio announcer Ned Martin, "pandemonium on the field." As Peter Gammons once wrote of this great season, "It wasn't always the way it is now, and might never have been but for '67." This book is a tribute to the members of the Impossible Dream team, including biographies of all 39 players that year as well as appreciations of this remarkable season by an all-star lineup featuring Joe Castiglione, Ken Coleman, Gordon Edes, Peter Gammons, Jim Lonborg, and many more. The book also presents over 300 rare photographs and memorabilia from this special Red Sox season. A project of the Boston chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research, this volume gathers the collective efforts of more than 60 SABR members and friends of the non-profit research society.

A collaboration of 34 SABR members. This book includes biographies of all the umpires in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, other notable arbiters, essays about professional female umpires, umpiring in the Negro Leagues, explorations of the baseball rules, umpire equipment, and much more.During the work on this book, we interviewed 56 major league umpires, former umpires, supervisors and umpire administrators, and others whose jobs cause them to interact with umpires. We hope to shed light on the umpiring profession past and present, the work involved on the field, and the arduous challenges and sacrifices it takes to become an umpire at the top of the profession.We have tried to look at the occupation from many different angles. No book can cover all facets of the job, but we hope to give readers a fuller appreciation of baseball and those charged with the integrity of the game.HALL OF FAME UMPIRESAl BarlickNestor ChylakJocko ConlanTommy ConnollyBilly EvansDoug HarveyCal HubbardBill KlemBill McGowanHank O'DayOTHER NOTABLE UMPIRESEmmett AshfordCharlie BerryAugie DonatelliTom GormanSteve PalermoBabe PinelliErnie QuigleyBeans ReardonRev. Dr. Crew Chief Ted BarrettChris GuccioneHISTORICAL DATARetired Numbers (and un-retired) from the Umpires Media GuideHonor Rolls of BaseballUmpires who Played and/or Managed in the Major LeaguesUmpire RecordsUmpires and No-HittersHistorical Timeline of Major League Umpiring from the Umpires Media GuideUmpires in PostseasonOTHER UMPIRES, OTHER PLACESUmpires in the Negro LeaguesThree Arizona League UmpiresAround the World of Umpiring by Clark G. "Red" MerchantLarry Young and International UmpiringCuban UmpiringUmpiring in KoreaPROFESSIONAL WOMAN UMPIRESAmanda Clement: The Lady in BlueThe Stained Grass Window by Perry BarberYanet Moreno, the First Woman Umpire in Any Country's Major LeagueMore essays:Umpire Schools: Training Grounds for the Guardians of the GameAn Umpire School DiaryA Visit to the Wendelstedt Umpire School in 2017The Evolution of Umpires' Equipment and UniformsTed Barrett's Chest Protector and Plate BrushWhat Do Umpires Do Exactly?When the Rules Aren't the RulesBaseball Q & A - Applying the RulesUmpire MechanicsUmpire Changes During A GameA History of Umpire EjectionsThrowing Out 17 Players In One GameDave Mellor, Director of Grounds, Fenway ParkDean Lewis, Umpires Room AttendantChris Cundiff, BatboyReplay As An Umpiring ToolLarry Vanover - the first umpire to make a call at the Replay Operations CenterRich Rieker, Director of Umpire DevelopmentUmpire Observer Kevin O'ConnorRoss Larson, Instant Replay CoordinatorReplay Behind the Scenes - At the BallparkAndy Andres, Field Timing CoordinatorDan Fish, Replay Headset CoordinatorJeremy Almazan, Replay Headset CoordinatorJohn Herrholz, Ballpark Camera TechnicianUmpire AnalyticsThe Chest Protector

This volume by members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) presents the 50 greatest games in Montreal Expos history. The games described here recount the exploits of the many great players who wore Expos uniforms over the years—Bill Stoneman, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Steve Rogers, Pedro Martinez, and others. The book details games from the earliest days of the franchise, to the glory years of 1979- 1981, the what-might-have-been years of the early 1990s, and the sad, final days. It describes the famous first game at Shea Stadium on April 8, 1969, when the Expos defeated that year’s eventual world champion New York Mets. It also details the first regular season major league game ever played outside the United States, when fans jammed little Jarry Park and began a love affair with the team. These game summaries don’t just retell the runs, hits, and errors. They give a context to the times and individuals involved. The article about Dennis Martinez’s perfect game also describes how he overcame his struggle with alcohol to resurrect his career. The piece about Curtis Pride recounts how he reached the major leagues despite the disadvantages of deafness, and what it felt like when 45,000 fans cheered as Expos coach Jerry Manuel spurred him through gestures to acknowledge the crowd. Foreword by Dave Van HorneAPRIL 8, 1969Bienvenue to Major League Baseball by Norm KingAPRIL 14, 1969Mack Lays Claim to Jonesville by Norm KingAPRIL 17, 1969Stoney Sets Record for Fastest No-Hitter by a Franchise by Adam J. UlreySEPTEMBER 25, 1970Mauch’s Prediction Comes True by Norm KingOCTOBER 2, 1972Stoney’s Second No-No by Norm KingJULY 26, 1973Steve Rogers Tosses One-Hit Shutout To Win First Big-League Game by Gregory H. WolfSEPTEMBER 17, 1973Montreal’s First Lead in a Pennant Race by Rory CostelloJUNE 11, 1974Expos Blow Up Big Red Machine by Gregory H. WolfAPRIL 21-22, 1976Tim Foli Gets on his Cycle by Norm KingMAY 29, 1977Parrish Goes 5-for-5, Hits Three Consecutive Homers by Alan CohenJUNE 9, 1978Larry Parrish’s Bat, Ellis Valentine’s Arm Highlight Expos’
Come-From-Behind Victory by Gregory H. WolfJULY 20, 1978Chris Speier Hits for the Cycle by Norm KingJULY 30, 1978Expos Visit the Launching Pad by Alan CohenOCTOBER 1, 1978Twenty Wins for Ross the Boss by Gregory H. WolfMAY 29-31, 1979How ’bout them Expos by Norm KingJUNE 17, 1979Back-to-Back-to-Back Jacks by Norm KingSEPTEMBER 24, 1979Expos Regain First Place from Pirates by Rod MickleburghAUGUST 12, 1980Triple (Play) Your Pleasure by Norm KingAUGUST 24, 1980“This is a dumb man’s game.” by Norm KingSEPTEMBER 10, 1980Expos Rookie Gullickson Whiffs 18 by Gregory H. WolfMAY 10, 1981Lea Pitches a Giant No-Hitter by Gregory H. WolfSEPTEMBER 21, 1981This Game Had it All by Norm KingOCTOBER 3, 1981We’re Going to the Playoffs by Mark S. SternmanOCTOBER 11, 1981Rogers Leads Expos to NLCS by Norm KingOCTOBER 16, 1981Rogers Wins Game Three of NLCS by Norm KingSEPTEMBER 22, 1982Speier Goes Crazy with Eight RBIs by Brian P. WoodAPRIL 13, 1984Pete Rose Gets His 4,000th Major League Hit by Bill SchneiderSEPTEMBER 24, 1985Dawson Hits Three Home Runs by Tom HeinleinMAY 2, 1987Raines Makes Grand Return to Expos by Mark SimonAUGUST 16, 1987Tim Raines Hits for the Cycle by Tom HeinleinJULY 28, 1991

In modern baseball history, only one team not named the New York Yankees has ever won three consecutive World Series. That team was the Oakland Athletics, who captured major league baseball's crown each year from 1972 through 1974.Led by such superstars as future Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter and Rollie Fingers, in the final years before free agency and the movement of players from one team to another forever changed the game, the Athletics were a largely homegrown aggregate of players who joined the organization when the team called Kansas City its home, developed as teammates in the minor leagues, and came of age together in Oakland.But it was the way in which they did it that immortalized those teams. For if the story of the Oakland Athletics' championships is that of one of baseball's greatest teams, it's also the story of enigmatic owner Charles O. Finley and how those players succeeded in spite of Finley's larger-than-life persona and meddlesome ways. Indeed, before the Yankees' George Steinbrenner, there was Charles Oscar Finley, of the Athletics.Featuring the contributions of 46 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), Mustaches and Mayhem: Charlie O's Three-Time Champions shares the stories of each of the roster players on each of the A's championship teams, in addition to the managers, coaches, Finley himself, the team's radio announcer, and even Charlie O, the mule, Finley's legendary mascot. Summaries of each spring training and World Series, too, will complete the tale of one of baseball's most colorful and successful teams.Biographies included: Charlie Finley, Charlie O (the Mule), Sal Bando, Vida Blue, Bert Campaneris, Rollie Fingers, Dick Green, Dave Hamilton, Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Ted Kubiak, Blue Moon Odom, Joe Rudi, Gene Tenace, Jerry Adair (coach), Matty Alou, Brant Alyea, Dwain Anderson, Curt Blefary, Bob Brooks, Larry Brown, Ollie Brown, Orlando Cepeda, Ron Clark, Tim Cullen, Dave Duncan, Mike Epstein, Adrian Garrett, Larry Haney, Mike Hegan, George Hendrick, Ken Holtzman, Joe Horlen, Vern Hoscheit (coach), Mike Kilkenny, Darold Knowles, Allan Lewis, Bob Locker, Angel Mangual, Gonzalo Marques, Marty Martinez, Dal Maxvill, Denny McLain, Bill McNulty, Don Mincher, Irv Noren (coach), Bill Posedel (coach), Jim Roland, Diego Segui, Art Shamsky, Don Shaw, Bill Voss, Gary Waslewski, Dick Williams, Glenn Abbott, Jesus Alou, Mike Andrews, Pat Bourque, Rico Carty, Billy Conigliaro, Vic Davalillo, Chuck Dobson, Ray Fosse, Rob Gardner, Phil Garner, Tim Hosley, Deron Johnson, Jay Johnstone, Paul Lindblad, Rich McKinney, Jose Morales, Bill North, Horacio Pina, Wes Stock (coach), Manny Trillo, Alvin Dark, John Donaldson, Bob Hofman, Jim Holt, Leon Hooten, Bill Parsons, Gaylen Pitts, Champ Summers, Claudell Washington, Herb Washington, Bob Winkles, and Monte Moore (broadcaster).

Canadian baseball has a rich, diverse, and deeply rooted history, one that spans fully two centuries. As was true in the United States, the stories reflect the competitive and entrepreneurial spirits of a rapidly changing time. Baseball's development north of the border was shaped by the same social and economic influences, and at roughly the same times, as it was to the south. Arranged chronologically, the essays in his volume tell the tales of the influential figures and milestone events that defined and directed the game's growth in Canada. The articles shine a spotlight on the movers and shakers, the pioneers, the leagues and games and tournaments, and the regions all across the country that hosted them.Crowds as large as 10,000 viewed matches between London and Guelph in the 1870s, at a time when the combined population of the two cities was less than 27,000. Thousands flocked to Vancouver's Powell Street Grounds in the 1920s and 1930s to watch their local heroes, the Asahi, a team of Japanese Canadians. The Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team played their first game in 1895. Almost 100 years later, over four million people would spin the turnstiles to see the Toronto Blue Jays. Canadians played in the Negro Leagues and in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGBPL), and Canada has been home to both affiliated minor leagues and "outlaw" leagues.This book is an initiative of the Centre for Canadian Baseball Research and the Hanlan's Point (Greater Toronto) Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research. It is the collaborative effort of more than 30 SABR members, almost all of them Canadian.

The National Pastime is the annual review of baseball historical research and regional topics published by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). Each year the publication focuses on the history of baseball in a different region or city, following the annual SABR convention from one major league territory to another.

In this issue our cover story looks at the history of "Greenberg Gardens." After playing his whole career in Detroit, in 1947 Hank Greenberg was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates installed an inner fence in a portion of Forbes Field, reducing the distance down the left field line of the ballpark by 30 feet, with intention of helping Greenberg to hit more home runs. The area between the new fence and the outer wall became known as Greenberg Gardens, and local newspapers kept a tally of how many Garden homers were hit. Greenberg retired after the 1947 season, but the Gardens remained through 1953.   ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:   "Pitching Against Alzheimer's: A Study of Baseball Reminiscence Programs" by Lou Hernandez, Monte Cely, and Barry Mednick  Reminiscence programs focused on music, singing, cinema, art and crafts have become popular offerings to people living with dementia. The first baseball reminiscence program in the US was the Cardinals Reminiscence League, begun in 2011 as a joint effort by the Alzheimer’s Association, St. Louis University, the Veteran’s Administration, and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum. Since then, baseball reminiscence programs have been founded in Texas, New York, Connecticut, and elsewhere. This paper summarizes the results of the Baseball Memories Research Study launched under the umbrella of SABR’s Baseball Memories Chartered Community, studying the effects of these programs on the quality of life for participants and their caregivers.   "The Doomed Pilots of 1969: The Results of Advice Ignored" by Andy McCue In the early 1960s, Seattle’s city fathers were confident their city was an attractive and growing market. In 1961, the city commissioned a Stanford Research Institute study to assess what was needed to gain major league sports, especially baseball. The think tank’s study came back cautiously positive. Attracting major league baseball was possible, the report said, if the city could meet three conditions. It would need to provide a major league quality stadium and the team would need to find support from both the political/financial leadership and the fan base. Ultimately, they would founder on all three, sinking the Seattle Pilots franchise barely after it had left the dock.   "Were Pitchers More Likely to Throw at Black Batters? 1947-66" by Jerry Nechal A generally accepted narrative of the early days of baseball integration is that White pitchers deliberately threw at Black batters. Besides the need for statistical confirmation of the anecdotes, there are other important questions to ask: If widespread targeting did happen, how long did it last? Was the practice curtailed as more Black players entered the leagues? The ranking of batters by the number of times hit per season 1947-56 reveals evidence to support the narrative. This study will explore the answers to these questions by examining data covering a longer time period, 1947 through 1966.As well as articles about why fewer triples are hit today than in the past, the forgotten "six-man" variant of baseball, using data visualization on the 2020 season, the tribulations faced by the Phillies when trying to enter the National League, and the remarkable 1919 season of the Klein Chocolate Company baseball team, among others.

"Few athletes have sparked the creative imaginations of artists more than Jackie Robinson. His presence can be seen in cinema, on television and on stages, big and small; even tucked within the pages of written fiction. As we approach the seventy-fifth anniversary of Robinson's integration of the Dodgers, he continues to inspire, including a recent appearance in the premiere episode of HBO's groundbreaking Lovecraft Country. Robinson's tale serves as such ripe material for creatives because of how singular and inspiring it is. Over time, those creative representations have shaped the story of Jackie Robinson, taking him beyond his true, complicated personhood and elevating him to an inspirational symbol. The only other American athlete to ascend to the level of folklore is Babe Ruth, a son of immigrants whose "rags to riches" journey resonated with the hopes of early twentieth century Americans. Robinson's tale, by contrast, embodies American society's post-war aspirations for itself and the conflicts that would shape it, including the fight for civil rights and roles that education, athletics, the military, and professional sports played in racial integration. Not an Easy Tale to Tell looks at the stories behind the stories that have shaped the way we think about Jackie Robinson. Not only does it separate the fact from fiction, but it looks at why that fiction was created. It also posits the idea that sometimes the fiction is just as important. Contributors to this volume examine Robinson's portrayals in Hollywood movies, children's books, musicals and plays, and documentaries. Artists keep returning to Robinson because he is one of the most inspirational figures of the twentieth century not in spite of, but because of his complexities. He did more than change the game of baseball-he changed America. By doing so, he inspired multiple generations of artists to look to him to help them tell their stories. In utilizing Robinson as a symbol, they invariably highlight, time and again, how his actual story is not an easy tale to tell"--

Biographies of the ballplayers of the 1883 Philadelphia Athletics, champions of baseball's American Association, a 19th century major league, plus a history of the ballpark, the Jefferson Street Grounds.

Cualquier aficionado al be¿isbol en la actualidad reconoce que la Repüblica Dominicana estä bien representada por varios jugadores claves por todas las ligas mayores de be¿isbol. Cuando este libro se publica, unos 800 jugadores nativos de la Repüblica Dominicana han jugado en las mayores-un total de 300 mäs que cualquier otro pai¿s luego de Estados Unidos.El primero fue Pedro Alejandro San, quien lanzó en la Eastern Colored League en 1926 con los Cuban Stars East. Al año siguiente se le unió en el equipo Tetelo Vargas. Pocos años después, el paracorto Horacio "El Conejo" Martínez se unió a los New York Cubans en 1935. Martínez participó en cinco Juegos de Estrellas de las Ligas Negras.El primer dominicano en jugar en la Liga Nacional o la Liga Americana fue Osvaldo "Ozzie" Virgil, en 1956 con los New York Giants, comenzando una carrera de nueve años.En 1983, Juan Marichal-originario de Montecristi al igual que Virgil y San-se convirtiö en el primer pelotero dominicano en ser exaltado al Salön de la Fama del Be¿isbol en Cooperstown. Desde entonces se le unieron Pedro Marti¿nez y Vladiminir Guerrero, y nadie duda que muchos otros les seguirän segün pasen los an¿os.Este libro se creó por medio de los esfuerzos combinados de 41 miembros de la Sociedad para la Investigación del Béisbol de Estados Unidos (SABR) y reúne las biografías de 54 jugadores dominicanos. El libro está disponible en inglés y español.