Tag Archives: News – Press Photo

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

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

New York City July 4, 1958 – Where Is Everyone?

The Deserted City – New York July 4, 1958

Where Did They All Go?
New York – July 4, 1958 This lonesome little dachshund has the center of Madison Avenue, normally a busy thoroughfare all to himself as millions of New Yorkers left the city for the holiday weekend. Some three million jammed beaches in the New York area. Photo was made at Madison Avenue and 30th Street. photo: AP Wirephoto

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Classic Hollywood #149 – Mae West & Alice Cooper

Mae West In A Revival & Hitting On Rock Star Alice Cooper

Mae Today
One of Mae West’s most noted successes – a role with which she is now a bit bored – is as a high-living lady in “Diamond Lil”. The play is still being revived. In a New York dressing room in 1949, Miss West puts on some “prop” diamonds – valued at $2,000 – which she wears in the play. photo: Wide World Photos 8/4/1952

Mae West remained in the public eye for decades. First in vaudeville, then the legitimate stage, followed by movies and radio. Topping off her stardom, there were whispers and rumors throughout her career that Mae West was not actually a woman. Continue reading

Jump, Scooter, Jump! Phil Rizzuto In Action

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

Classic Hollywood #147 – Biggest Film Stars In Hollywood 1925

Three Big Stars – Fairbanks, Coogan and Valentino

When Douglas Fairbanks Sr. died on December 12, 1939, newspapers pointed out that he was one of the three biggest moneymakers of Hollywood just 14 years earlier. After 1925 Fairbanks starred in only seven more films, with his final film being 1934’s The Private Life Of Don Juan.

Here is the original news caption: Continue reading

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

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

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

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?”

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

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