Today, September 15 is designated as Roberto Clemente Day in baseball. Players around MLB can wear Clemente’s number 21 to honor him and all teams have a small patch on their uniform with 21 emblazoned upon it. One day soon MLB will likely retire Clemente’s number across all of baseball like they did for Jackie Robinson’s number 42.
So what is Clemente Continue reading
When I was a child, Oldsmobile was a brand that I imagined was designed and driven by old people. Figuring the name starts with “Old” it’s easy for an eight-year-old to come up with that natural conclusion.
But I would eventually learn it’s called Oldsmobile because the founder was Ransom E. Olds.
Anyhow, this news photo caption explains why the roofless, windowless, antique was in New York. Continue reading
The Labor Day weekend is over now and those who went to the beaches found it crowded on three mostly sunny and hot days.
Though the costumes and people are different, 111 years ago on August 3, 1912 New Yorkers also sought the surf at Brighton Beach. This photograph is by William Davis Hassler, and is now in the collection of The New York Historical Society.
A few things to note. Hassler’s camera Continue reading
Hack Wilson Hits 46th Homer Passes Ruth
Wham! A home run and no doubt about it. The ball is on its way to center field bleacher for Hack Wilson’s 46th home run of the season. A second later Hack started his jog around the bases, following Kiki Cuyler over the plate for the Cub’s ninth and tenth runs of August 30th’s game, in the fourth inning. Mancuso of the Cardinals is the catcher. Wilson is now two runs ahead of Babe Ruth. Photo taken August 30, 1930. Pacific & Atlantic Photos
Pursuing Babe Ruth’s 60 home run record set in 1927 was an elusive feat. Besides Wilson, Jimmie Foxx (1932) and Hank Greenberg (1938) came close: each hitting 58 home runs. Ruth’s record stood for 34 years until Roger Maris hit 61 homers in 1961. Continue reading
You Dropped Something Sol!
Brooklyn, NY – St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Sol Hemus loses his hat as well as Gil Hodges’ high fly to center field in the third frame of the game with the Dodgers, July 21. Coming in to help Hemus are centerfielder Wally Westlake (17) and leftfielder Harold Rice (39). Darting back to second base is Card second sacker Red Schoendienst. Ump is Lon Warneke. Brooks’ Jackie Robinson, who tried to score on the play was out at the plate. Brooks won 3-2. credit: Acme 7/12/1951
Over an 11 year career, Solly Hemus batted .273 in 961 games. Hemus became the Cardinals manager in 1959 and was fired part way through the 1961 season. Solly Hemus would have been 100-years-old this year, but he passed away at age 94 on October 2, 2017. Continue reading
Looking west Liberty Street is to the left and Maiden Lane is to the right in this photo from 1895.
This photograph above is sharper Continue reading
About 40 miles north of Portland is the town of Wiscasset Maine. Up until the early 1800s Wiscasset was a center for shipbuilding, fishing and lumber and was the busiest seaport north of Boston. Continue reading
ATHLETICS SHOW OFF THEIR SIX NEW PLAYERS
Phila, PA – Obtained in trades with the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox in the last two weeks, these husky ballplayers are shown in the uniform of the Philadelphia Athletics for the first time as they turned out for the game against the New York Yankees on Saturday. From left they are: Allie Clark, from the Indians; Gus Zernial from the White Sox; catcher Ray Murray from the Indians; outfielder Dave Philley from the White Sox, and infielder Lou Klein and pitcher Sam Zoldak from the Indians. May 14, 1951 Photo: International News Photos- Sonnee Gottlieb
With the major league trade deadline now August 1, teams have to decide if they are in contention or not. With expanded playoffs it makes it a lot harder for a general manager to stay the course or improve the team while possibly mortgaging the future by trading away potential assets.
The Philadelphia Athletics in 1951 did improve in the standings Continue reading
A Street Level View Of The New York Herald Building 1897
This magic lantern slide from around 1897 shows The New York Herald Building at 35th Street sandwiched between Broadway on the left and Sixth Avenue with the El on the right.
The Herald newspaper became the first paper to abandon newspaper row, where most newspapers had their headquarters along Park Row. The Herald’s new home designed by McKim, Mead and White, opened for business on Monday, August 21, 1893. According to the clock Continue reading
Asking people what they don’t know is a sure way to get wrong answers.
The New York Daily News once had a feature called The Inquiring Photographer. It’s a journalistic gimmick to take the pulse of citizens on what they think about issues. Continue reading
