Baseball from a Dutch point of view since 2014
On October 23, 1923 Babe Ruth could be seen at the Polo Grounds in Giants gear. What was the occasion for the player who led to the expulsion of the Yankees from the Polo Grounds? The Bambino did play with the Giants in a post-season fund-raiser for the team’s first owner, John Day, who had …
Continue reading "Baseball Shorts: Babe Ruth Joins The Giants"
In this episode of Baseball Shorts, we pay attention to the modest nature of Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer. The star player of the Detroit Tigers in the 1920s, 1930s and early 1940s was honored by the Tigers with a special Charlie Gehringer Day in 1929. Charlie Gehringer During this day, the Tigers beat the …
Continue reading "Baseball Shorts: Baseball Player Learns to Play Golf Righthanded"
Yes, you read it well. A final result of a baseball game was 2 1/2 to 2. According to a story, it happened in a baseball game in 1893. Here is the story of how. During a game between the Allentown and Pottsville franchises of the Atlantic League, back then called the Pennsylvania State League, …
In today's episode of Baseball Shorts, we pay attention to the fact why the Peoria Chiefs sport a Dalmatian dog as their (cap) logo. With a name like the Chiefs, one can expect that the club from Peoria once had a native American themed logo. With the political correctness spreading like a wild fire, the …
Continue reading "Baseball Shorts: Why the Peoria Chiefs Sport a Dalmatian as Their (Cap) Logo"
In this episode of "Baseball Shorts," we pay attention to a bat called Black Betsy. Which baseball great called his bat like this? Read on and you will learn. In my search about information of the song Black Betty by Ram Jam, I bumped into an article about Black Betsy. First I thought that Black …
Normally, relief outings last only a few innings with one exception: When a long man is brought in. In that case, a starting pitcher that didn't make the rotation, is sent to the mound because the actual starter's stuff isn't working. 114 years ago, something similar happened with a notable feat that the game ended …
Continue reading "Baseball Shorts: The Longest Perfect Relief Outing"
In today's episode of "Baseball Shorts," we pay attention to the double squeeze. A rare form of offense that was mainly used by the 1913 Philadelphia Athletics. We all know what a squeeze play is: With a runner on third, the batter is laying down a bunt with the expectation to be thrown out at …
For those Dutch baseball fans who thought, the curfew rule in the Dutch hoofdklasse is unique, forget about it. There was a time in MLB when curfews happened more often. But it wasn't a rule, it was merely an agreement between two teams. The curfew rule in the Dutch hoofdklasse prohibits to start a new …
Nowadays, we don't know any better. A baseball game lasts nine innings. Except in Europe and during international tournaments where games can last only seven innings due to the mercy-rule (with a ten-run difference). But there was a time in which there was no rule that baseball games had to last nine innings. Read on …
Continue reading "Baseball Shorts: The Time, Baseball Games Did Not Last Nine Innings"
Quite a long title for an item called baseball shorts... Anyhow, in this episode of baseball shorts, we will talk about a player who hit a home run in his first MLB at-bat, but never hit one afterward. We are talking about Hoyt Wilhelm, a famed knuckleballer. Old Sarge, as he was nicknamed, Made his …
Most of the time, this item is about things that happened in a far past. Not this time. Today's subject happened in a very recent past: A player to be named later trade. In independent baseball, silly things happen sometimes. Decades ago, a player was traded for a bag of baseballs and a couple of …
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Well, the title of this blog post ain't short but in this episode of "Baseball Shorts" we will talk about how the baseball cap got introduced and how it became popular. In the early days of baseball, it was the player's responsibility to wear something to keep the sun from blinding them. For sure there …
Continue reading "Baseball Shorts: How the Cap Became a Common Piece of Equipment in Baseball"
In today's episode of "Baseball Shorts," we pay attention to the term Emerald Age. Yours truly wasn't familiar with the term until he bumped into it on a search for the item of today's episode. The true baseball lover may think of the Eugene Emeralds, when hearing the term Emerald Age. The Emeralds are named …
In Boston they had their Curse of the Bambino. In Chicago they had their Curse of the Goat. But also in Japan, baseball fans believe in curses. In Osaka, they have the curse of the Colonel. Colonel Sanders that is. Yes the one of Kentucky Fried Chicken. When in 1985, the Hanshin Tigers won their …
Continue reading "Baseball Shorts: Why the Hanshin Tigers haven’t won a championship in 35 years"
In today's episode of Baseball Shorts, we pay attention to the term Framing. Where does it come from? Read on and you will find out. Framing is the art of making a borderline pitch look like a strike. The intention is that the catcher moves his hand a few inches towards the strike zone to …
In today's episode of Baseball Shorts, we pay attention to the term Dugout Diplomacy. The term refers to baseball being used as a tool to bridge a gap between two countries. A good example of this was the 1999 series that was played between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cuban national team. Orioles' owner Peter Angelos lobbied …
Today in 1896 (other sources say 1897), the very first pitching machine was introduced. Reportedly, the machine caused several injuries but it was the start of something that would become a common thing at baseball practice. The machine, created by Princeton professor Charles E. Hinton, is demonstrated in the university's gymnasium. The mathematics instructor's device …
Continue reading "Today in Baseball: First Pitching Machine Introduced"
Today, ninety years ago, the rules committee made an important decision that would cut down the number of home runs in baseball. On this day in 1930, the rules committee decided that a ball that bounces into the stands will no longer be a home run but will become a ground-rule double. Babe Ruth's total …
Continue reading "Today in Baseball / Baseball Shorts: No More Bouncing Home Runs"
Baseball from a Dutch point of view since 2014
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Baseball from a Dutch point of view since 2014
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