Category Archives: Baseball

Before The Trade Deadline Philadelphia Athletics Acquire 6 New Players -1951

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Philadelphia Athletics Trade For 6 Players – 1951

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 →

Jackie Robinson Among Brooklyn Dodgers & New York Giants 1949 All-Stars

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Brooklyn Dodgers & New York Giants 1949 All-Stars Pose Together

Selected For All Star Game
New York – July 2 – Quartet of National League ball players selected to play in the All-Star game at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn July 12, get together today at the Polo Grounds before the Giant- Dodger game. Left to right are; Jackie Robinson Dodgers’ second baseman; Pee Wee Reese Dodgers’ shortstop; Willard Marshall Giants outfielder and Johnny Mize Giants first sacker. photo: AP wirephoto

The All-Star game was played during the day starting at 1:30 P.M. on Tuesday, July 12, 1949. Even with rainy weather, 32,577 fans jammed Ebbets Field.  And unlike today where the All-Star game is a joke with opposing players hugging one another during the game, this was a serious competition where each team wanted to win at all costs and show they were the superior league. Continue reading →

Jump, Scooter, Jump! Phil Rizzuto In Action

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Phil Rizzuto – 1950

New York – Bob Dillinger of the Athletics slides safely back to 2nd in the first inning of game with Yanks here, 7/5 as Phil Rizzuto leaps for throw from catcher Yogi Berra. The ball went over Rizzuto’s head . Yanks won 12-8. credit: Acme Telephoto July 5, 1950

As Red Sox great Ted Williams once said the margin of difference between the Yankees and the Red Sox was very slim, but that the Yankees had Phil Rizzuto. “If Rizzuto had been in Boston we’d have won all those pennants instead of New York,” Williams said. Continue reading →

1945 – The Future Is Television, Including Home Shopping

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Post WWII – Television Is Coming To Your Home

In late Summer 1945, with total victory secured, manufacturers could soon begin producing consumer products rather than armaments. With the transition would come amazing technological advances. Continue reading →

Dick Groat A Rare Star Of Both Baseball & Basketball Dies At 92

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Dick Groat Who Set Duke Basketball Records & Was National League MVP In 1960 Is Dead

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Dick Groat hitting during the 1960 World Series. photo: Marvin Newman

In 1952, when Dick Groat was 21-years-old, Duke University’s sports publicity department published an entire pamphlet heralding his achievements.

In 1950-51 Groat put up 831 points with 261 free points shattering records at Duke, the Big 5 (North Carolina schools) and the Southern Conference.

Groat, who was five feet eleven, Continue reading →

Joe DiMaggio Promotes Camel Cigarettes

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Joltin’ Joe Enjoys Smoking Camel, The Cigarette With 28% Less Nicotine

Joe DiMaggio’s swing takes up half the space in this Camel cigarette ad which ran in Time Magazine April 6, 1942. It’s as good a way to promote smoking than just showing DiMaggio smoking.

Capturing reader’s attention is always the hard part of magazine advertising. So the series of photos of DiMaggio’s swing probably gets you to examine the page. Generally people buy news magazines to read them, not look at the ads.

Companies have always believed that to attract customers, you should have a celebrity push your product. Continue reading →

Classic Hollywood #146 – W.C. Fields & Joe DiMaggio

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Joe DiMaggio Visits W.C. Fields On The Set Of You Can’t Cheat An Honest Man – 1939

Comedian W.C. Fields does not strike me as someone who would have had any passion for baseball. In James Curtis’ comprehensive 2003 biography of Fields, not one page mentions baseball or any player of the National Pastime. So the news caption below for this photograph is pure Hollywood ballyhoo. Continue reading →

1963 Los Angeles Dodgers Ask “Who’s On First?”

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At Spring Training Five Dodgers Try Out At First Base- 1963

Vero Beach, FL – (l-r) Bill Haas, Dick Nen, Ron Fairly, Bill “Moose” Skowron and Lee Walls compete for the Los Angeles Dodgers first base position at spring training. photo: The Sporting News 1963

Of the five players shown above, 24-year-old Ron Fairly Continue reading →

Reds Pitcher Bob Purkey Has A Lot Of Balls

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Bob Purkey Holds 10 Baseballs – 1961

photo UPI TelephotoTampa, FL – Pitcher Bob Purkey of the Cincinnati Reds has another claim to fame besides the 17-11 won lost record he had with the club last year. Here he holds ten baseballs, five in each hand as the team opened spring training with batterymen reporting. photo: UPI Telephoto 2/22/1961

Holding ten baseballs is some sort of accomplishment, but Bob Purkey’s 1961 season would culminate in the Reds reaching the World Series. For the year, the six foot two righty posted 16 wins against 12 losses with a 3.73 ERA. Continue reading →