Tag: baseball

2025 WORLD SERIES, PART II

The second part of my 2024 WS blog will be a quiz to test your knowledge and recollections. I realize that my readers have a wide disparity of WS knowledge. Some follow baseball very closely and are very knowledgeable, others not so much, which made it somewhat challenging to construct a fair quiz. My apologies if you find it too hard or too easy. As always, no peeking at the internet and no using Seri.

  1. When was the first WS played? (a) 1885; (b) 1895; (c) 1903; (d) 1911
  2. Who won the first WS? (a) NY Yankees; (b) Boston Pilgrims; (c) Cincinnati Reds; (d) Pittsburgh Pirates
  3. The WS was contested every year since its inception except twice. Once was in 1994 due to a players’ strike. What year was the other occasion? (a) 1904; (b) 1919; (c) 1920; (d) 1942
  4. To which team did the Black Sox lose? (a) Cincinnati Reds; (b) NY Giants; (c) Chicago Cubs; (d) Philadelphia Phillies.
  5. Besides the Yankees which is the only team to win three WS consecutively? (a) St. Louis Cardinals; (b) NY Giants; (c) Boston Braves; (d) Oakland A’s.
  6. What year was the first WS game that was played at night? (a) 1963; (b) 1971; (c) 1977; (d) 1979.
  7. What is the only MLB team never to appear in the WS? (a) LA Angels; (b) San Diego Padres; (c) Colorado Rockies; (d) Seattle Mariners.
  8. The Yankees have won the most WS – 27. Which team has won the 2nd most? (a) Dodgers; (b) Cardinals; (c) Giants; (d) Braves
  9. Which Dodger made the last out in Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956? (a) Gil Hodges; (b) Al Gionfriddo; (c) Dale Mitchell; (d) Sandy Amoros?
  10. What was the first year the WS was televised? (a) 1946; (b) 1947; (c) 1948; (d) 1949
  11. Who was the only player from a losing team to win the WS MVP? (a) Bobby Richardson; (b) Yogi Berra; (c) Whitey Ford; (d) Warren Spahn.
  12. For whom is the WS MVP named? (a) Henry Aaron; (b) Babe Ruth; (d) Ted Williams; (d) Willie Mays
  13. In the 1969 WS won by the Mets over the Orioles which player made the last out? (a) Brooks Robinson; (b) Boog Powell; (c) Mark Belanger;(d) Davey Johnson.
  14. In game 7 of the 1946 WS won by the Cardinals, Enos Slaughter famously scored the winning run from first base on a single. Who was the Red Sox player who held the ball for a second allowing Slaughter to score? (a) Bobby Doer; (b) Johnny Pesky; (c) Dom DiMaggio; (d) Ted Williams.
  15. Four players have won the WS MVP twice. How many of them won it for two different teams? (a) 1;(b) 2; (c) 3; (d) all 4).
  16. Who was the WS MVP last year? (a) Freddie Freeman; (b) Kike Hernandez; (c) Mookie Betz; (d) Shohei Ohtani
  17. Which player has hit the most WS homeruns? (a) Babe Ruth; (b) Lou Gehrig; (c) Yogi Berra; (d) Mickey Mantle
  18. When the LA Dodgers won the WS in 1959 who was the MVP? (a) Sandy Koufax; (b) Charley Neal; (d) Duke Snider; (d) Larry Sherry.
  19. In the 1960 WS, which was perhaps the oddest WS ever played (The Yankees won three games by a combined score of 38-3 but lost four close ones.) who hit the series winning homerun in game 7? (a) Dick Groat; (b) Bill Mazeroski; (c) Roberto Clemente; (d) Bill Virdon.
  20. Who was the only athlete to play in both the WS and the Super Bowl? (a) Bo Jackson; (b) Deion Sanders; (c) Brian Jordan; (d) Drew Henson.

Bonus question for you baseball savants: When Babe Ruth famously “called” his homerun in the 1932 WS against the Cubs who was the Cubs pitcher?

Quiz answers: 1. (c); 2. (b); 3. (a); 4. (a); 5. (d); 6. (b); 7. (d) 8. (b); 9. (c); 10. (b); 11. (a) (1960); 12. (d); 13. (d); 14. (b); 15. (b) (Corey Sieger and Reggie Jackson); 16. (a); 17. (d); 18. (d); 19. (b); 20. (b)

Bonus question answer: Charley Root

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2025 WORLD SERIES, PART 1

The 2025 World Series, featuring the LA Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays will commence on Friday, October 24. The Dodgers will be pursuing the historic feat of winning two consecutive titles, which has not been accomplished by a National League team since the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds of 1975-1976. The 1998–2000) NY Yankees were the last team in either league to win consecutive WS.

In my view winning consecutive WS has become considerably more difficult than it was prior to the advent of wild card teams. Thanks to the current format in which three wildcard teams from each league make the playoffs it has become rare for the team with the best regular season record to win the WS. In this century it has only been done seven times – the 2007 Red Sox, the 2009 Yankees, the 2013 Red Sox, the 2016 Cubs, the 2018 Red Sox and the 2020 and 2024 Dodgers. That’s roughly 25%, which I consider to be a low number.

Why is that? There are various reasons, but I maintain that the primary reason is the nature of the game, itself. Normally, it takes many more than seven games for the best team to assert itself. Even the best teams will lose 60 games over the course of the season. Even the best teams will suffer through short slumps where they could lose three or four in a row. With the current multilayer playoff format the ultimate winner will have to win three or four short series. It has become common for a team to slump at the wrong time and lose a short three or five game series to an inferior team. Then it’s Sayonara.

This is the format the Lords of Baseball want. More playoff games mean more money. They don’t care. They will live with hottest team winning the WS rather than the season’s best team.

The Dodgers’ franchise was born in 1883. It joined the newly organized National League in 1890. Before being known as the Dodgers, the team was known, at various times, as the Atlantics, the Bridegrooms, the Grooms, the Superbas, the Robins, and the Trolley-Dodgers (a reference to the complex maze of trolley cars that existed in Brooklyn during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name, Trolley-Dodgers, was shortened to Dodgers in 1898.

The Blue Jays began operations in 1977 as an American League expansion team. Toronto had been mentioned as a potential major league franchise as early as the 1880s. From 1896 to 1967 the city had a franchise in the International League called the Maple Leafs. In January 1976, the San Francisco Giants seriously considered relocating to Toronto but did not.

My research disclosed two stories regarding the derivation of the team’s name “Blue Jays.” In one version the team held a “name the team” contest. The leading suggestion was “Blue Jays.” Another version holds that the name was selected by Labatt Breweries, which was the majority owner of the team at the time. Apparently, this name tied in with the name of Labatt’s feature brand at the time, Labatt Blue. The team’s primary color of blue adhered to the tradition of Toronto-based sports teams having that color.

The Blue Jays have appeared in the World Series twice, in 1992 and 1993, winning both. In 1992 they defeated the Atlanta Braves, and in 1993 they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies.

Baseball, which until recently was known as the National Pastime, is no longer the most popular sport in America. Most surveys place it second behind football, or even further down the list. However, there is something about the sport that still resonates. It gets in your blood. It is part of the social and cultural fabric of America. Who can forget their first game of “catch” with their father or the first MLB game they attended? For many of us the WS holds a special place in our memories. For many years the games were played during the day while fans were in school or at work. They would diligently try to ascertain the score from someone who had a radio. I can remember many a time when I raced home from school to catch the end of a WS game.

I was fortunate to attend game 2 of the 1956 WS with my father. As an 11-year-old it was a huge thrill. To this day I have a more detailed recollection of that game than of games I saw only weeks ago. For instance, I remember the Dodger starter, Don Newcombe, got knocked out early. The Dodgers fell behind 6-0, but they rallied to win 13-8. Duke Snider, my favorite Dodger, hit a crucial homer. As an added bonus initially, the game was postponed because of heavy rain. It was made up the next day, so I got to miss two days of school.

The Dodgers have been pioneers in many areas. For instance, they were the first team to:

1. appear on tv (1939),
2. wear helmets (1941), and
3. most significantly, play an African American (Jackie Robinson in 1947).

In addition, I would be remiss if I did not mention that the team employed the same announcer, Vince Scully, for a record 67 years. Many people consider Scully to be the best baseball announcer ever and having watched and listened to him for most of those 67 years, I would be hard-pressed to argue with that assessment.

The Brooklyn Dodgers had many outstanding teams, most notably “The Boys of Summer” teams of the late 1940s – mid 1950s. Those teams were replete with Hall of Famers such as Peewee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider and Roy Campanella. During the ten-year period from 1947-1956 those teams won six pennants and lost another in a playoff. Unfortunately, they were only able to win one WS in 1955. The Dodgers of that era had very strong teams, but they just couldn’t beat the Yankees in the WS. They lost to the Yankees every year except for 1955. The Yankees weren’t necessarily better; they just played better in the WS. After each loss frustrated Dodgers fans would lament “wait until next year.” Finally, in 1955 “next year” came, and the “Bums” as they were affectionally known prevailed in seven games. The next day the headline in the NY Daily News boldly proclaimed, “Who’s a Bum?!” That was the only championship the Dodgers won in Brooklyn. The Dodgers have had better results in LA. They have won seven WS since relocating there in 1958.

During this period fans were treated to classic moments such as Jackie Robinson stealing home in Game 1 in 1955 and Don Larsen’s perfect game in game five in 1956. A photo of Robinson’s steal is on display at the Baseball HOF. To his dying day Yankees catcher Yogi Berra insisted he was out. In those pre-instant replay days, it was hard to know for sure. The umpire said he was safe, so he was safe. In the WS despite the presence of superstars often it is the role players that have emerged as heroes. For example, Sandy Amoros was a little-used bench player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, who made a game-saving catch in the 7th inning of the 7th game of the 1955 WS. Amoros was only in the game as a result of a “double switch” (remember in those days pitchers actually batted).

As incredible as Larsen’s feat was it was enhanced by the fact that he was not a superstar pitcher like say Whitey Ford, Sal Maglie or Sandy Koufax. A perfect game by one of those pitchers would have been plausible, but Larsen was a journeyman. He pitched for seven teams in 15 years and had a career record of 81-91, although he had gone 11-5 in 1956. Furthermore, the 1956 Dodgers’ lineup was “stacked.” It was just an example of a pedestrian player catching “lightning in a bottle” in the WS.

In some 60 years of watching the WS I have been fortunate to witness several other memorable moments, such as Carlton Fisk’s 12th inning homerun just inside the foul pole in the 12th inning of game 6 in 1975, Reggie Jackson’s four consecutive homers in the 1977 WS, and Kirk Gibson’s game winning homerun off A’s closer Dennis Eckersley in game 1 of the 1988 WS. Many of you will recall Fisk standing at Homeplate watching his hit and waving his arms as if to “push” his homerun ball “fair.” Alas, the Reds won the WS the next day. So much for momentum.

Jackson, whose feat earned him the sobriquet “Mr. October,” was an obnoxious loudmouth who upon first arriving at the star-studded Yankees boldly proclaimed he was the “straw that stirred the drink.” This was a direct insult aimed at the Yankees’ popular captain Thurman Munson, but Jackson didn’t care. He doubled down by adding that “Munson can only stir it bad.” But he had a flair for the dramatic, and he sure could hit. He fit in perfectly with the “Bronx Zoo” Yankees teams of the late 1970s. As I recall Jackson hit the homers in four consecutive swings against four different Dodger pitchers (one in his last at-bat in game 5 and then three in game 6. (Don’t fact-check me on this. A memory is a memory.)

Gibson wasn’t supposed to play. He was injured and could barely walk. Yet, he hit the homer and then literally limped round the bases. Then, there was iconic announcer Jack Buck’s famous call on the radio, “I don’t believe what I just saw.” To tell you the truth, neither did I.

Conclusion

This year, on paper we have two deserving teams. No Cinderellas with mediocre regular season records who got “hot” at the right time. Toronto will host the extra home game, but the Dodgers are the betting favorites. One team may get the upper hand and win in a short series, but I expect a long series with many memorable moments.

As a lifelong Dodgers fan I admit to a bias, but I feel that if both teams bring their “A” game the Dodgers will win.

Dodgers in 6.

This was Part 1 of my WS blog. Part2 will be a WS quiz to test your knowledge and recollections.




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JACKIE ROBINSON

Number 42. Does that have any special meaning for you, or is it just another number? Baseball fans, civil rights advocates, and students of history will recognize it as the uniform number worn by Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers. It should be noted that that uniform number has two other major significances:

1. It is the only number to have been retired by every major league baseball team (in 1997); and
2. as has been customary since 2004, every year on April 15 on what is known as “Jackie Robinson Day,” every player wears that number on his uniform in tribute to Jackie Robinson in recognition of the anniversary of his debut in the major leagues in 1947.  On that historic date Jackie became the first African American to play in the major leagues since the 1880s. Any team not playing a game on April 15 will celebrate on the 16th. In addition, regardless of their team colors all teams’ # 42 jerseys will be in “Dodger Blue” and will feature a commemorative patch.

In order to put this in its proper perspective one must realize the racial situation in 1947. Life was radically different, a reality that few of us who live in the PC era can appreciate.  Much has changed in the intervening 78 years.

For example:

1. Segregation was the law of the land. “Jim Crow” was alive and well.
The “Brown” Supreme Court decision integrating public schools would not come until 1954.
2. Even though many AAs had distinguished themselves during WWII the armed forces would not be integrated until 1948.
3. A disproportionate percentage of MLB players were from the South and espoused all the values, attitudes and experiences of the region regarding AAs.  Most of them had never played ball with an AA.  Many had rarely even associated with one as peers.
4. The prevailing attitude among players, sportswriters, and fans was that AAs were not good enough and did not have the “temperament” to succeed in MLB.

Very few of us lived through that era, and consequently, we cannot imagine the circumstances Jackie had to overcome.

Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia.  His parents chose his middle name in honor of President Teddy Roosevelt, who had recently died.  He was the youngest of five children.  One of his older brothers, Mack, would later earn some notoriety by winning the silver medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1936 Olympics, (the Games held in Berlin at which Jesse Owens embarrassed Adolph Hitler and the Nazis by winning four gold medals).

Jackie’s parents were sharecroppers and barely scraping by, so in 1920 they moved to Pasadena, California seeking a better life.  In high school and college Jackie excelled in five sports – baseball, basketball, football, track and tennis.  Basically, he was an all-around athlete who excelled in any sport he tried.  At UCLA he became the school’s first athlete to “letter” in four sports (all of the above except tennis).  One of his teammates on the 1939 UCLA football team was the future actor, Woody Strode, who would carve out a respectable career in movies as a “heavy.”  Ironically, statistically, at least, baseball was his worst sport of the four.

In 1941 Jackie left UCLA just shy of graduating to play semi-pro football, but in early 1942 he was drafted and stationed at Fort Riley in Texas.  He applied for admission to OCS. Initially, his application was rejected as few blacks were accepted at the time, but following a personal appeal from Joe Louis, the reigning heavyweight boxing champ, he was accepted.

Jackie’s tenure in the army was marred by one unfortunate incident in which his fiery temperament got him in trouble.  While riding on an Army bus one day the driver told him to move to the back.  Jackie refused.  As a result, he was nearly court-martialed for insubordination and other “trumped up” offenses.  A conviction would have changed the course of his life and, possibly, the country’s as well, but he was acquitted.

In 1945 Jackie signed to play for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues. Unbeknownst to him, Branch Rickey, President of the Brooklyn Dodgers, was looking for a Negro to break the major leagues’ “color barrier,” which had been in place since the 1880s.  He had compiled a list of the best players in the Negro leagues and was evaluating them for suitability.  There were many players better than Jackie, notably Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson, but due to age, temperament and other factors, they were all eliminated in favor of Jackie.

Rickey knew the first AA player would have to “turn the other cheek” to a great deal of verbal, physical and emotional abuse.  Otherwise, it might be many more years before the next one got a chance.  When he told Jackie this, Jackie was shocked and replied: “Are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?” Rickey’s famous reply was that he was seeking a Negro “with guts enough not to fight back.”

To make a long story short, Rickey signed Jackie.  He played for the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers AAA minor league affiliate in the International League, in 1946.  He “tore up” the league, winning the MVP award.  The next year he made his debut in the major leagues.

To me, his debut was one of the most significant events not only in baseball history, but also in the country’s history.  There was tremendous resistance not only from other Dodgers, but from players on other teams as well.

Again, it is very hard for us to appreciate the level of abuse to which Jackie was subjected. Breaking into the major leagues is hard enough, physically. The added mental and emotional pressures Jackie and other AAs had to overcome was mind-boggling. Jackie had to endure a tremendous amount of prejudice and abuse both on and off the field (name calling, spiking, “beanings,” separate lodgings and restaurants on the road, etc.  Eventually, other AAs would join him in the majors. They had to overcome many of the same obstacles.  Some were unable to survive, but many more did.

Luckily, Dodger management was behind Jackie 100%.  When some Dodgers players threatened to quit, strike or demand a trade, the team’s manager, Leo Durocher, a fiery, no-nonsense person himself, nipped the rebellion in the bud.  He declared: “I do not care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a f****** zebra.  I’m the manager of this team, and I say he plays.”  Players on other teams also threatened to strike, but MLB Commissioner “Happy” Chandler quelled that rebellion quickly as well.

Rickey chose well with Jackie.  In baseball parlance, he “knocked it out of the park.”  Attendance soared and not just in Brooklyn but in every other city as well. Black people came in droves to see their hero, Jackie Robinson, play.  In those days, attendance was the primary source of ball clubs’ revenue, so Jackie made money for everyone.

Not only did Jackie “take” all the abuse without incident, he also starred on the field and became an integral part of one of the most storied teams in baseball history, the “Boys of Summer.”  In a ten-year period from 1947-1956 that team dominated the National League. It won six pennants, lost another in a playoff and lost another by one game.

Among Jackie’s many MLB accomplishments:

1. Rookie of the year in 1947 (the first one).
2. National League MVP in 1949.
3. Appeared in six World Series.
4. World champion in 1955.
5. First ballot hall of famer in 1962.
6. Member of the MLB All-Century team.

Jackie was an extremely versatile ballplayer. Although he came up as a second baseman, he also played first, third and the outfield.  Many times, he was among the league leaders in fielding at his position.  He was one of the best “clutch” players I have ever observed.  He could beat you with the bat, the glove or on the bases.  I have never seen a better baserunner or a tougher competitor.  When on base, he would drive the opposing pitcher crazy with his antics.  He was always a threat to steal a base.  I saw him steal home in the 1955 World Series.  When caught in a rundown he often escaped, which, generally, was a rarity.  His aggressive style of play was unique for the 1940s and 1950s.

As an example of his extremely competitive nature, one story will suffice.  In the decisive third game of the 1951 playoff with the NY Giants, when the Giants’ Bobby Thompson hit the pennant-winning homerun (dubbed: “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World”) all the Dodgers left the field immediately with their heads down in defeat.  All except for Jackie.  He watched and made sure that Thompson touched all the bases on his home run trot.  He would not accept defeat until Thompson had completed his circuit.

Jackie retired from baseball after the 1956 season worn down by age and diabetes, but he did not retire from life.  For example, he became very active in the civil rights movement; he became the first black to serve as vp of a major corporation (Chock Full O’Nuts); he went into broadcasting; and he acted in a movie of his own life story.

Conclusion

Ultimately, however, his fierce competitiveness could not overcome ill health.  Jackie died on October 24, 1972 at the relatively young age of 53 from complications of heart disease and diabetes.  I’m sure that all the stress he had to endure on the playing field also contributed to his early demise.

Jackie’s legacy, however, lives on.  There are countless statues, schools, parks and roads named in his honor.  Moreover, every time a black or other minority takes the field in the major leagues, the NFL or the NBA, he owes a debt to the pioneer who made it all possible.

Jackie’s story is recounted in the 2013 movie 42 starring Chadwick Boseman as Jackie, Nicole Beharie as Rachel, and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. I have seen it many times, and I recommend it. One can usually find it on tv at this time of the year.

So, today, while watching your favorite team in action take a moment to appreciate the special achievement of one Jack Roosevelt Robinson.

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OPENING DAY

The traditional MLB Opening Day will be on Thursday, March 27. Every team is scheduled to be in action, weather permitting of course. Neither MLB nor I view the annual pre-openers as OD. Although they count in the standings, they are generally considered to be a prelude to the “real” baseball season. Due to travel and time change, following those pre-openers both teams will return to play additional preseason games. Weird.

Fans always look forward to OD as a respite after a long winter of cold, rain, political, economic and social turmoil, and war. We all know that sports are a healthy diversion, especially in difficult times such as now.

This year the Dodgers and the Cubs will play the two-game preopening series in Tokyo. The rosters of the Dodgers and Cubs include five Japanese-born players who are former superstars of the Nippon Professional Baseball league – Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki of the Dodgers and Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga of the Cubs. According to MLB currently there are 11 Japanese-born MLB players out of an all-time total of 81. [Quiz question. Can you name the first player and the year he debuted?]

This is not the first time MLB has scheduled such games in foreign venues. Beginning in 1996 games, both pre-openers and in-season games, have been played in foreign locales such as Sydney, Australia, Mexico City, Mexico, Seoul, South Korea and London, England, among others. Opening in these foreign locales may be inconvenient for the players, but MLB does it to broaden the exposure and appeal of the game. Indeed, MLB rosters are chock full of players from countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Asia. According to MLB in 2024 264 players, 28% of the total, were foreign born in 25 countries. Can you name them? (Just kidding.)

Typically, many early season (and late season) games are played in weather more suitable for football. Why? We know why – M O N E Y. If MLB persists in playing games in March, April and November why doesn’t it mandate domed stadiums in cold weather locales? Probably, too logical for the Lords of Baseball.

For many years, MLB had scheduled the very first game of the season in Cincinnati, usually on the first Monday in April, with a full slate of games the next day. This was in recognition of the fact that the Reds were the first professional baseball team. In fact, the Reds are the only team that has always been scheduled to play its first game at home. There have only been three years when they opened on the road – 1966, when the home opener was rained out and 1990 and 2022 when those seasons were delayed due to lockouts. The team was formed in 1869 as the Red Stockings. It has undergone various name changes and is now known as the “Reds.” Incidentally, for you trivia buffs, they went 65-0 that first year, the only perfect season in baseball history.

The National League was organized in 1876, and the American League in 1901. For many years there were 16 teams – eight teams in each league, all in the northeast, with no team being located west or south of St. Louis. With the advent of air travel in the late 1950s it became feasible to add franchises in other sectors of the country. Presently, there are 30 teams – 15 in each league.

Despite the often-inclement weather, OD holds a special meaning. Mention those words to any sports fan, and, immediately, he or she knows what it means, and to which sport it pertains. Not football, not basketball, not hockey. OD means that another season of Major League Baseball is beginning. Baseball fans look forward to OD every year. Local newspapers step up their coverage of the local team in anticipation. They send the beat writers to Spring Training to report on the local team. Many of them even print a daily countdown of the number of days remaining until OD. In addition, OD occurs in the Spring, a season that symbolizes a new beginning and one which most people anticipate every year.

Most fans will acknowledge that baseball is no longer the most popular sport. In fact, according to TV ratings, betting interest and most fan polls, football has superseded baseball. Perhaps, basketball has as well, particularly among younger fans. However, baseball, which has been played in the US in some form since the 1840s, is part of the social fabric of America.

Most men (and women) remember their first game of “catch” with their father and their first baseball game. For most it is a “rite of passage” as uniquely American as the flag. In fact, I have a more detailed recall of a World Series game I attended with my father in 1956 than I do of ballgames I saw last year.

Every fan is optimistic on OD. Every team starts with the same 0-0 record. None has lost a game yet. Every team still has a chance to make the playoffs (at least in theory), and as we have seen in recent years, once you make the playoffs anything can happen. For example, in 2016 the Chicago Cubs won it all for the first time since 1908. Think about that for a minute. That meant that, at the time, no Cubs fan, and virtually none of their fathers, had even been born the previous time the Cubs had won. In 2017 the Houston Astros won their first WS after having languished near the bottom of the league for many years.

Unlike other sports, very often the team with the best regular season record does not win the World Series or even get there. Even the best baseball teams generally lose about 40% of their games. If those losses come at the wrong time, it’s sayonara.

Eight wild card teams have actually won the World Series, most recently, the Texas Rangers in 2023. Furthermore, in 2002 and 2014 both WS participants were wild cards (the Angels beat the Giants in 2002, and the Giants beat the Royals in 2014). Five teams – the Padres, Mariners, Brewers, Rays, and Rockies – have never won a WS, and the Mariners have never even appeared in one. The WS format has always been the best of seven games, EXCEPT for 1903, which was the first one, and 1919-1921 which were all the best of nine.

Many fans, and even some reporters, place undue emphasis on the opener, forgetting or ignoring the fact that the season consists of 162 games. To many fans, a win OD means the season will be outstanding; a loss means the team “stinks.”

Down through the years, OD has produced some memorable events, such as:

1. In 1907, the NY Giants, forerunner of the San Francisco Giants, forfeited the opener after rowdy fans began throwing snowballs at the players and umpires. There were not enough police on hand to restore order, so the umpires forfeited the game to the visiting Phillies.
2. In 1910 President Howard Taft became the first President to throw out the “first ball.” In 1950 President Truman threw out the “first pitch” twice, as a righty and a lefty. Over the years nearly every president has done so, and the practice has evolved from a perfunctory toss from the stands to a more elaborate ceremonial toss from the mound. I expect that President Trump will follow suit this year. In addition, I predict he will participate in the “wave.”
3. In 1940, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians, known as “Rapid Robert” because of his high velocity fast ball, threw the only OD day no-hitter in baseball history. As an aside, there were no radar guns in Feller’s Day, so one day some officials attempted to “time” his fastball by having him throw a pitch against a speeding motorcycle. Not very scientific.
4. In 1947 Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on OD becoming the first African American to play in the major leagues since the 19th Century.
5. In 1975 Frank Robinson became the first African American to manage in the Major Leagues. Later, he became the first AA manager to be “fired.”
6. In 1996, John McSherry, an umpire, suffered a fatal heart attack near home plate.
7. Early in the 20th Century teams would, on occasion, open with a doubleheader. Doubleheaders used to be quite common, particularly on Sundays and holidays. Now, they are rare, and when they do occur it is usually the result of adding an extra game to make up for a rain-out. The reason? Money, of course.
8. In 1946 Boston Braves fans attending the game got an unpleasant surprise. It seems that the Braves’ management had had the stands freshly painted, and the paint had not completely dried. Many fans got red paint all over their clothes. The embarrassed management issued a public apology and paid the fans’ cleaning bills.
9. Tom Seaver started the most openers – 16. Walter Johnson pitched the most OD shutouts – seven, including a 1-0 victory in which he pitched 15 innings. No chance of that happening this year. Incidentally, Johnson had 110 career shutouts. Talk about unbreakable records!
10. In 1974 Henry Aaron clouted his 714th homerun tying Babe Ruth’s all-time record for career homers.
11. In 1968 Angels minor leaguer Greg Washburn became the only pitcher to appear in two OD games in the same year. Huh? How did he do that? First, he pitched the opener for the San Jose Bees of the California League and then for the Quad City Angels of the Midwest League. (He won both games 2-0).

12. Some of the individual OD records we may see broken this year are most home runs (3), most hits (5) most RBIs (7) and most strikeouts (15). Maybe, we will see another no-hitter, although the way the game is played today any no-hitter would be a group effort.

CONCLUSION

As I said, weather is often an issue on OD, especially in the northern cities where it is not unusual to have cold, damp, rainy weather in late March/early April that is more suitable for football than baseball. It reminds me of one of the major criticisms of baseball, that the season is too long. As I said, we all know the reason – tv money. The owners like it, because it makes them rich and less dependent on attendance for revenues. The players tolerate it, because it helps fuel their astronomic salaries. As for the fans, well, they will just have to grin and bear it.

Hall of Fame pitcher, Early Wynn sagaciously summed up the essence of OD thusly: “An opener is not like any other game. You have that anxiety to get off to a good start, for yourself and for the team. You know that when you win the first one you can’t lose them all.” Joe DiMaggio, always looked forward to OD. He felt “you think something wonderful is going to happen.” Finally, I am reminded of that renowned philosopher Yogi Berra, who could turn a phrase with the best of them, who is reputed to have said: “A home opener is always exciting, no matter if it’s home or on the road.”

So, which teams will reach the World Series? Which team will win? According to ESPN BET, the defending WS Champion Los Angheles Dodgers are the strong favorites with the Yankees (despite Cole’s injury), the Braves and the Astros in the mix. The Dodgers look absolutely stacked, but we all know that the games are played on the field, not on paper. It’s a long season, and anything can happen. Injuries, bad luck and the short playoff series will be factors.

Of course, I will root for the Dodgers.

I think the TV networks would like to see a Dodgers-Yankees World Series again. I think that would generate the most interest and the highest TV ratings. They used to meet on what seemed like a regular basis back in the 1950s. The Dodgers beat them last year in six games, and I’m sure the Yankees are out for revenge.

What is your favorite OD memory? Please share.

Quiz answer- Masanori Murakami (1964). He only played for two years with pedestrian results.

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2024 WORLD SERIES, PART 2. QUIZ

The second part of my 2024 WS blog will be a quiz to test your knowledge and recollections. I realize that my readers have a wide disparity of WS knowledge. Some follow baseball very closely and are very knowledgeable, others not so much, which made it somewhat challenging to construct a fair quiz. My apologies if you find it too hard or too easy. As always, no peeking at the internet and no using Seri.

  1. When was the first WS played? (a) 1885; (b) 1895; (c) 1903; (d) 1911
  2. Who won the first WS? (a) NY Yankees; (b) Boston Pilgrims; (c) Cincinnati Reds; (d) Pittsburgh Pirates
  3. The WS was contested every year since its inception except twice. Once was in 1994 due to a players’ strike. What year was the other occasion? (a) 1904; (b) 1919; (c) 1920; (d) 1942
  4. To which team did the Black Sox lose? (a) Cincinnati Reds; (b) NY Giants; (c) Chicago Cubs; (d) Philadelphia Phillies.
  5. Besides the Yankees which is the only team to win three WS consecutively? (a) St. Louis Cardinals; (b) NY Giants; (c) Boston Braves; (d) Oakland A’s.
  6. What year was the first WS game that was played at night? (a) 1963; (b) 1971; (c) 1977; (d) 1979.
  7. What is the only MLB team never to appear in the WS? (a) LA Angels; (b) San Diego Padres; (c) Colorado Rockies; (d) Seattle Mariners.
  8. The Yankees have won the most WS – 27. Which team has won the 2nd most? (a) Dodgers; (b) Cardinals; (c) Giants; (d) Braves
  9. Which Dodger made the last out in Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956? (a) Gil Hodges; (b) Al Gionfriddo; (c) Dale Mitchell; (d) Sandy Amoros?
  10. What was the first year the WS was televised? (a) 1946; (b) 1947; (c) 1948; (d) 1949
  11. Who was the only player from a losing team to win the WS MVP? (a) Bobby Richardson; (b) Yogi Berra; (c) Whitey Ford; (d) Warren Spahn.
  12. For whom is the WS MVP named? (a) Henry Aaron; (b) Babe Ruth; (d) Ted Williams; (d) Willie Mays
  13. In the 1969 WS won by the Mets over the Orioles which player made the last out? (a) Brooks Robinson; (b) Boog Powell; (c) Mark Belanger;(d) Davey Johnson.
  14. In game 7 of the 1946 WS won by the Cardinals, Enos Slaughter famously scored the winning run from first base on a single. Who was the Red Sox player who held the ball for a second allowing Slaughter to score? (a) Bobby Doer; (b) Johnny Pesky; (c) Dom DiMaggio; (d) Ted Williams.
  15. Four players have won the WS MVP twice. How many of them won it for two different teams? (a) 1;(b) 2; (c) 3; (d) all 4).
  16. When the Mets won the WS in 1969 who was the MVP? (a) Donn Clendenon; (b) Tom Seaver; (c) Jerry Koosman, (d) Cleon Jones
  17. When the Mets won the WS in 1986 who was the MVP? (a) Mookie Wilson; (b) Darryl Strawberry; (c)Jerry Grote; (d) Ray Knight
  18. When the LA Dodgers won the WS in 1959 who was the MVP? (a) Sandy Koufax; (b) Charley Neal; (d) Duke Snider; (d) Larry Sherry.
  19. In the 1960 WS, which was perhaps the oddest WS ever played (The Yankees won three games by a combined score of 38-3 but lost four close ones.) who hit the series winning homerun in game 7? (a) Dick Groat; (b) Bill Mazeroski; (c) Roberto Clemente; (d) Bill Virdon.
  20. Who was the only athlete to play in both the WS and the Super Bowl? (a) Bo Jackson; (b) Deion Sanders; (c) Brian Jordan; (d) Drew Henson.

Bonus question for you baseball savants: When Babe Ruth famously “called” his homerun in the 1932 WS against the Cubs who was the Cubs pitcher?

Quiz answers: 1. (c); 2. (b); 3. (a); 4. (a); 5. (d); 6. (b); 7. (d) 8. (b); 9. (c); 10. (b); 11. (a) (1960); 12. (d); 13. (d); 14. (b); 15. (b) (Corey Sieger and Reggie Jackson); 16. (a); 17. (d); 18. (d); 19. (b); 20. (b)

Bonus question answer: Charley Root

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2024 WORLD SERIES, PART 1

The 2024 World Series, featuring the LA Dodgers and NY Yankees will commence on Friday, October 25. This will be the 12th meeting between these two storied franchises but the first one since 1981. The Yankees have won 8 of the previous 11 meetings, but the Dodgers won the last one 4-2. 

Baseball, which until recently was known as the National Pastime, is no longer the most popular sport in America. Most surveys place it second behind football, or even further down the list. However, there is something about the sport that still resonates. It gets in your blood. It is part of the fabric of America. Who can forget their first game of “catch” with their father or their first game? For many of us the WS holds a special place in our memories. For many years the games were played during the day while fans were in school or at work. I can remember many a time when I raced home from school to catch the end of a WS game.

This year we are undoubtedly getting the most preferred WS matchup.  There are various superstars on both teams – Ohtani, Betts and Freeman on the Dodgers and Judge, Soto, and Stanton on the Yankees.  Fox, which is televising the series, will be happy because this matchup will feature the aforementioned superstars, the two biggest markets, and it will get the highest ratings maybe ever. International ratings will be very high also, especially in Japan because of Ohtani and Yamamoto.

The Dodgers’ franchise was born in 1883. It joined the newly organized National League in 1890. Before being known as the Dodgers, the team was known, at various times, as the Atlantics, the Bridegrooms, the Grooms, the Superbas, the Robins, and the Trolley-Dodgers (a reference to the complex maze of trolley cars that existed in Brooklyn during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name, Trolley-Dodgers, was shortened to Dodgers in 1898.

The Dodgers have been pioneers in many areas. For instance, they were the first team to:

1. appear on tv (1939),
2. wear helmets (1941), and
3. most significantly, play an African American (Jackie Robinson in 1947).

In addition, I would be remiss if I did not mention that the team employed the same announcer, Vince Scully, for a record 67 years. Many people consider Scully to be the best baseball announcer ever and having watched and listened to him for most of those 67 years, I would be hard-pressed to argue with that assessment.

During the 1940s and 1950s the teams faced each other in the WS six times in the eight-year period between 1949 and 1956. It almost seemed like a preordained annual event. 

I was fortunate to attend game 2 of the 1956 WS with my father. As an 11-year-old it was huge thrill. To this day I have a more detailed recollection of that game than of games I saw only weeks ago. For instance, I remember the Dodger starter, Don Newcombe, got knocked out early. The Dodgers fell behind 6-0, but they rallied to win 13-8. Duke Snider, my favorite Dodger, hit a crucial homer. As an added bonus initially, the game was postponed because of heavy rain. It was made up the next day, so I got to miss two days of school.

The Dodgers of that era, aka “The Boys of Summer,” had very strong teams with several Hall of Famers, but they just couldn’t beat the Yankees in the WS. The Yankees weren’t necessarily better, they just played better in the WS. After each loss frustrated Dodgers fans would lament “wait until next year.” Finally, in 1955 “next year” came, and the “Bums” as they were affectionally known prevailed in seven games. The next day the headline in the NY Daily News boldly proclaimed, “Who’s a Bum?!” That was the only championship the Dodgers won in Brooklyn.

The NY Yankees were founded in 1903. The original owners, Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the franchise rights to the defunct Baltimore Orioles, no relation to the present-day team, moved it to NY, and renamed it as the NY Highlanders. It is believed that the name was chosen either because of the team’s location in Upper Manhattan, or in recognition of the team president’s Scottish-Irish heritage.

The media was not enamored of the name because it was too long for headlines. Some newspapers took to calling them the “Invaders.” Eventually, the press began calling the team the “Yankees.” The name became official in 1913.

At the time the NY Giants were the dominant team in NY.  The two teams became fierce rivals, which was exacerbated by the bad blood between the National and American Leagues. The NL was the older, more established league. The AL was the upstart. Despite this animosity, between 1913 and 1922 the Yankees played in the Polo Grounds as tenants of the Giants.

The Giants remained the dominant team in NY until the Yanks acquired Babe Ruth in 1920. From then on, the Yanks became the dominant team we all know. The team moved into their own stadium in 1923.

The NY players and their fans became very familiar with each other, especially in Brooklyn. In those pre-free agency days, the players did not make much more money than most of the fans. Many of them lived in the same neighborhoods; their kids went to the same schools. Some even had winter jobs in the area. Some of my friends who grew up in Brooklyn knew players personally; their kids were also friends and played with each other.

During this period fans were treated to classic moments such as Jackie Robinson stealing home in Game 1 in 1955 and Don Larsen’s perfect game in game five in 1956. In the WS despite the presence of superstars often it is the role players that have emerged as heroes. For example, Sandy Amoros was a little-used bench player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, who made a game-saving catch in the 7th inning of the 7th game of the 1955 WS. Amoros was only in the game as a result of a “double switch” (remember in those days pitchers actually batted).

A photo of Robinson’s steal is on display at the Baseball HOF. To his dying day Yankees catcher Yogi Berra insisted he was out. In those pre-instant replay days, it was hard to know for sure. The umpire said he was safe, so he was safe.

As incredible as Larsen’s feat was it was enhanced by the fact that he was not a superstar pitcher like say Whitey Ford, Don Drysdale or Sandy Koufax. A perfect game by one of those pitchers would have been plausible, but Larsen was a journeyman. He pitched for seven teams in 15 years and had a career record of 81-91, although he had gone 11-5 in 1956. Furthermore, the 1956 Dodgers’ lineup was stacked with future Hall of Famers such as Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Pewee Reese, Roy Campanella and a strong supporting cast. It was just an example of a pedestrian player catching “lightning in a bottle” in the WS.

In some 60 years of watching the WS I have been fortunate to witness several other memorable moments, such as Carlton Fisk’s 12th inning homerun just inside the foul pole in the 12th inning of game 6 in 1975, Reggie Jackson’s four consecutive homers in the 1977 WS, and Kirk Gibson’s game winning homerun off A’s closer Dennis Eckersley in game 1 of the 1988 WS. Jackson, whose feat earned him the sobriquet “Mr. October,” was an obnoxious loudmouth who upon first arriving at the star-studded Yankees boldly proclaimed he was the “straw that stirred the drink.” This was a direct insult aimed at the Yankees’ popular captain Thurman Munson, but Jackson didn’t care. He doubled down by adding that “Munson can only stir it bad.” But he had a flair for the dramatic, and he sure could hit. He fit in perfectly with the “Bronx Zoo” Yankees teams of the late 1970s. As I recall Jackson hit the homers in four consecutive swings against four different Dodger pitchers (one in his last at-bat in game 5 and then three in game 6. (Don’t fact-check me on this. A memory is a memory.)

Many of you will recall Fisk standing at homeplate watching his hit and waving his arms as if to “push” his homerun ball “fair.” Alas, the Reds won the WS the next day. So much for momentum.

Gibson wasn’t supposed to play. He was injured and could barely walk. Yet, he hit the homer and then literally limped round the bases. Then, there was iconic announcer Jack Buck’s famous call on the radio, “I don’t believe what I just saw.” To tell you the truth, neither did I.

Thanks to the current format in which three wildcard teams from each league make the playoffs it has become rare for the team with the best regular season record to win the WS. In this century it has only been done six times – the 2007 Red Sox, the 2009 Yankees, the 2013 Red Sox, the 2016 Cubs, the 2018 Red Sox and the 2020 Dodgers. That’s 25%, which is quite low. Why is that?

There are various reasons, but I maintain that the primary reason is the nature of the game, itself. Normally, it takes many games for the best team to assert itself. Even the best teams will lose 60 games over the course of the season. Even the best teams will suffer through short slumps where they could three or four in a row. With the current multilayer playoff format the ultimate winner will have to win three or four short series. It has become common for a team to slump at the wrong time and lose a short three or five game series to an inferior team. Then it’s Sayonara. This is the format the Lords of Baseball want. More playoff games mean more money. They don’t care. They will live with hottest team winning the WS rather than the season’s best team.

This year the Dodgers had the best record, so we’ll see if they can make it seven. This will be the first time in years that the teams with the best record in each league will be facing off in the WS, so whichever team wins will deserve it.

Conclusion

On paper we have two evenly matched teams each of which had the best record in their respective leagues.  One team may get the upper hand and win in a short series. But I expect a long series with many memorable moments.

Dodgers in 7.

This was Part 1 of my WS blog. Part2 will be a WS quiz to test your knowledge and recollections.


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PETE ROSE

Pete Rose was an enigma. There were two distinct sides to him. On the one hand, he was a highly skilled baseball player, arguably one of the best of his generation. He played the game with a passion that few could match, and his accomplishments, both individually and as part of a team, speak for themselves.

On the other hand, he disrespected the game he loved by breaking the most sacred rule, the rule that goes to the very integrity of the game. He bet on baseball games, even on his own team. When he was caught, he compounded the crime by denying it. As a result, baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti suspended him decreed him to be ineligible for the Hall of Fame for life.

Eventually, he admitted the transgression, but when commissioner Bud Selig asked him why he did it, he replied “I didn’t think I’d get caught.” As a result of his actions and his vehement denials he has remained ineligible for the HOF. More on this later.

Peter Edward Rose was born on April 14, 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio. At Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, he excelled in both baseball and football. Upon graduation he was not a highly regarded prospect but fortuitously one of his uncles was a “Bird Dog” scout for the Cincinnati Reds. He convinced the Reds to take a chance on Pete.

Rose progressed rapidly through the minors, and in three years he made the majors. He was a star from the beginning. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1963.

Rose was known for his hustling and aggressive playing style. He was the first player I can remember who sprinted to first base when he was “walked.” Most every other player jogs to the base. This characteristic earned him the amusing nickname “Charlie Hustle.”

Rose played 24 years in the Majors for three teams – the Cincinnati Reds, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Montreal Expos. He also managed the Reds for five years (1984-1989). However, he is best known for his tenure with the Reds. He was an integral part of the “Big Red Machine” teams, which dominated the NL during the mid-1970s. The team featured Hall of Famers such as Joe Morgan, Tony Perez and Johnny Bench plus Rose, and won the World Series in 1975 and 1976. He was a switch hitter and one of the most prolific ever. His lifetime batting average was .303, which was good but not among the all-time leaders.

However, Rose holds numerous MLB records, as well as a bunch of NL and switch-hitting records, too many to name them all here. They include:

  1. Rookie of the Year (1963)
  2. 17 times an All-Star.
  3. An All-Star at five different positions (1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, left field and right field).
  4. Three-time NL batting champion (1968, 1969, & 1973)
  5. Three times a World Series champion (1975, 1976 and 1980).
  6. NL MVP (1973).
  7. World Series MVP (1975).
  8. Two Gold Glove Awards (1969 & 1970).
  9. Silver Slugger Award (1981).
  10. MLB All-Century Team

For all his positive achievements Rose’s playing career was marred by two incidents, which were a direct result of his aggressive style of play:

  1. In Game Three of the 1973 NL Championship Series with the NY Mets he got into a fight with Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson, which incited a bench-clearing brawl. Harrelson was a very popular player, so Mets fans commenced to throwing debris at Rose. The Reds manager, Sparky Anderson pulled his team off the field until order was restored. Generally, Rose was perceived as the instigator and the villain, at least in NY.
  2. During the 1970 All-Star game he barreled violently into catcher Ray Fosse while trying to score bowling him over and separating his shoulder. It was a brutal hit directly onto Fosse’s right (throwing) shoulder. While homeplate collisions were common (unlike now), many observers thought the hit was excessive since the All-Star game was essentially an exhibition game. Fosse always said he had “never [been] hit like that before,” and Rose “never apologized.” Rose was unapologetic. His explanation was “I’ve got to do everything I can to score there.” Again, Rose was the bad guy. Fosse played several more years, but he was never the same player.

As I said, the big stain on Rose’s baseball career was that he bet on baseball games. This is considered to be the worst transgression, because it damages the very integrity of the game. Nothing can be allowed to cause the fans to doubt the integrity of the sport. This attitude dates back to the infamous Chicago Black Sox scandal in which eight Chicago White Sox players were found to have conspired to “throw” the 1919 World Series. Even though the case against some of the players was weak, all eight were banned for life. This set the precedent with respect to gambling on the sport. No warnings. No suspensions. Lifetime ban.

Rose was definitely guilty. At first, he denied it, but MLB had conclusive, overwhelming evidence. Rose was banned for life. Moreover, he is permanently ineligible for the Hall of Fame, although he has managed to earn a living from his notoriety as a former player by selling his autograph at card shows and the like for a fee. He can often be found at Cooperstown during the week of HOF inductions.

Rose’s personal life was characterized by controversy. He was married twice, divorced twice, and fathered four children one of which, Petey, had a brief MLB career. He was accused of statuary rape of a 14-year-old girl. Rose didn’t deny it, but he claimed he didn’t know the girl was a minor. The case was settled out of court and dismissed.

CONCLUSION

Many of Rose’s fans had hoped that he would somehow become eligible for the HOF before he died. While it’s true that in the intervening years MLB’s attitude toward gambling has changed that has not helped Rose’s cause. MLB now actually advertises sports betting parlors, but that applies to the general public, not to players or other persons connected to the game. Some may see that as a distinction without a difference, but it is what it is.

Pete Rose passed away on September 30, 2024. He remains a controversial figure. He also remains ineligible for the HOF.

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SAY HEY!

He was, quite simply, the best baseball player I ever saw, better than Mantle, DiMaggio, Aaron, Musial, Griffey, and Williams. They were all terrific players, Hall of Famers who dominated the sport, but Mays was better. He was the original “five-tool” player. He could hit, hit with power, run, field and throw. I would add a sixth tool for his uncanny ability to hit in the “clutch.” As a Dodgers fan, he was the last player I wanted to see at the plate with the game on the line. More on this later.

Willie Howard Mays, AKA “The Say Hey Kid,” was born on May 6, 1931 in Westfield, Alabama. Westfield was a poor, predominately black, company town dominated by the local ironworks plant. Both of Willie’s parents were superb athletes. His father, Cat Mays, was a star baseball player for the plant’s baseball team. His mother had been a star on the local high school basketball and track teams. Willie’s childhood nickname was “Buck.”

Willie’s parents never married, and they separated when Willie was three. Thereafter, Willie was raised by Cat and two of his aunts. Growing up, his favorite ballplayers were Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Joe DiMaggio, no surprise as they were three of the best ballplayers at that time.

As you can surmise Willie was an outstanding all-around athlete in high school. In addition to baseball Willie starred on the basketball team, and he was the quarterback, fullback and punter on the football team. In addition, while still in high school he played minor league baseball for the Chattanooga Choo-Choos.

Mays did not graduate from high school until 1950 when he was 19. Various major league teams were vying for his services. In 1951 he signed with the NY Giants who beat out the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves. His signing bonus was the grand sum of $4,000. I would say the Giants got themselves a bargain. By the way, can you imagine Mays on the Dodgers with Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges and the rest of the Boys of Summer? Wow!

Mays blew through the Giants minor league system and joined the Giants on May 24, 1951. It was then that he became known as the “Say Hey Kid.” Supposedly, the famous moniker was given to him by famed NY sportswriter Barney Kremenko based on his habit of greeting teammates with that phrase (e. g. “say, hey, how [are] you doing?”)

Mays’ debut was far from sterling, at least offensively. He went hitless in his first 12 at bats. His confidence was so shaken that he was convinced he didn’t belong in the ML. He tearfully begged Leo Durocher, his manager, to send him down. Durocher told him to relax and stop trying to “pull” everything. He added that Willie was the best centerfielder he had ever seen, and he would play the position as long as Leo was managing the team. After that pep talk Willie took off. He batted .290 the rest of the season with 20 homeruns and 68 RBIs and won the Rookie of the Year Award. Furthermore, the Giants won 40 of their last 58 games to catch the Dodgers who had had a seemingly insurmountable 13 1/2 game lead and beat the Dodgers in a three-game playoff to win the pennant on Bobby Thomson’s famous “shot heard ’round the world.”

Willie was now a big star, but Uncle Sam didn’t care. Like many other ballplayers Willie was drafted and spent the better part of two years in the army. Luckily, he did not see combat. He spent his time playing baseball on military teams. It was during this time that he adopted the famous basket catch that became his signature way of catching flyballs.

Willie was discharged in 1954, and he returned with a vengeance. He made the first of his 24 all-star teams, won the batting title with a .345 average, hit 41 homers, won the MVP award and led the Giants to the world championship. Oh, and by the way in game 1 of the WS he made “the catch.” I’m sure you’ve all seen it. Cleveland had runners on first and second in the eighth inning of a 2-2 tie. The Indians’ batter, Vic Wertz, belted one deep toward the centerfield wall, which was 483 feet away. It looked like a sure extra base hit that would score two runs. Even if the ball were caught it was very likely that the runner on second base would tag up and score. Willie sprinted all-out with his back to home plate like a wide receiver going for a touchdown. He made the catch, and in one motion whirled and threw a bullet to the infield. Not only did he rob Wertz, but also, he prevented the runner on second base from scoring. Eventually, the Giants won the game, which provided the impetus for a four-game sweep. It is generally regarded as his greatest catch, but Willie often said he made many other catches like that. He stated “I don’t compare ’em. I just catch ’em.” He was more impressed with the subsequent throw.

In his spare time, Mays would often play stickball with kids in Harlem. Can you imagine what a thrill that was for those kids?

Early in his career Willie participated in post-season barnstorming tours in which MLB players would travel throughout the country and internationally to play exhibition games. This was a real treat to fans in cities without teams as it was their only chance to see MLB players. Unfortunately, with the advent of television this practice died out in the mid-1950s.

The late 1940’s and 1950s was the golden age of NY baseball. During that time, it seemed the NY teams were in the WS every year. The Yankees were in it nine out of ten years and won five championships in a row. The Boys of Summer Dodgers were in it six out of ten years and won it in 1955; and the Giants were in it twice and won once. This gave rise to the term “subway series.” During this period each team was lucky to have a future HOFer patrolling centerfield – the Yankees’ Mickey Mantle, the Dodgers’ Duke Snider, and Mays. Fans would argue incessantly over who was the best. This rivalry gave rise to a popular song in 1981 by Terry Cashman, “Talkin Baseball.”

In 1958 the team moved to San Francisco. Willie became the highest paid player in the sport with a salary of $75,000. In 1963 he was bumped up to $105,000. That was a lot back in the pre-free agency days. Can you imagine what stars like him would command today?! The new stadium, Candlestick Park, was often windy and cold and not conducive to hitting homeruns. Nevertheless, Willie ended his career with 660 homeruns, which was the third highest at the time behind Henry Aaron and Babe Ruth.

At first, the SF fans did not warm up to Willie. They preferred homegrown stars such as Orlando Cepeda and Willie McCovey. Various theories were put forth for this. (1) In their minds he did not measure up to hometown hero, Joe DiMaggio. (2) Good as he was, he did not meet their unrealistic expectations as a fantastic player. (3) Willie had a reserved personality and tended to keep to himself. My guess is it was a combination of the three, but eventually Willie won them over.

Earlier, I mentioned Willie’s exceptional athleticism and versatility. He was one of the few members of the so-called “30-30 club” (homers and stolen bases). Remember, he played in an era when stolen bases were not popular or else he would likely have joined the “40-40 club.” Also, he became only the fourth player in the “20-20-20 club” (doubles, triples and homers). Quiz question #1: How many of the others can you name. If you can name all three you are truly a baseball savant. Hint: it’s not who you would think.

Later in his career Willie played some at first base, and at least one game at shortstop. It was the second game of the Memorial Day doubleheader in 1964. Yes, teams did play doubleheaders back then. Anyway, the second game went 23 innings and the Giants had run out of infielders. So, Mays played shortstop. (I was there. I saw it.)

In 1972 Mays was traded to the NY Mets. He was near the end and a mere shadow of his former self. He could no longer play an effective centerfield. It was almost embarrassing to watch him out there. Like most athletes he stayed in the game longer than he should have. But he did help the Mets win the 1973 pennant.

CONCLUSION

As I said, in my opinion Mays was the best ballplayer I ever saw. He played in a very competitive era – the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970s. For most of his career there were only 16 teams, so each one had numerous star players, many of which were Hall of Famers. Yet he was the best.

It is difficult to name all of Willie’s accolades and accomplishments, but I will list some of them.

  1. He won two MVP awards and finished in the top five nine other times.
  2. He played in 24 All-Star games the second most behind Aaron’s 25. He holds All-Star game records for most at bats (75), hits (23), runs (20), and stolen bases (six). Also, he is tied for the lead in triples. He was so outstanding in those games and holds so many All-Star game records that Ted Williams once observed, “they invented the All-Star game for Willie Mays.”
  3. Mays’ WAR of 156.2 ranks fifth all-time, third among position players behind only Barry Bonds’s 162.8, whose numbers are suspect due to steroids, and Babe Ruth’s 162.1.
  4. In 1999 The Sporting News, the longtime bible of baseball, published its list of the 100 greatest players. Willie placed second to Babe Ruth. That same year baseball fans voted him to the “All Century Team.”
  5. Many believe that Mays was the best defensive outfielder ever (and not just because of his famous catch in the 1954 WS). As evidence of his defensive prowess, he is the career leader in putouts with 7,095. His defensive skills were almost legendary, so much so that if a centerfielder failed to catch a ball people would say “Mays would have had it.”
  6. He won 12 consecutive “gold gloves,” which is given to the best fielder at his position. He probably would have had more, but the award did not exist before 1957. Moreover, he led NL centerfielders in double plays five times and assists three times.
  7. In 1962 he became the first African American to be named team captain.
  8. In 2017 MLB renamed the WS MVP award the “Willie Mays World Series MVP Award.”
  9. Mays was inducted into the HOF in 1979, which was his first year of eligibility with 94.7% of the vote, the fourth highest at the time. Quiz question #2: Can you name the three players ahead of him
  10. Mays retired with 660 homeruns, the third highest at the time. That was astounding when you consider he played his home games in two ballparks that were not homer-friendly, and he spent two of his prime years in the military. If not, one can only speculate how many more he would have hit.
  11. Mays received honorary degrees from several colleges, among them were Yale and Dartmouth.
  12. His number was retired by both the Giants and the Mets, only the 15th player to have his number retired by multiple teams.

Upon his death Willie received many testimonials, too many to name all of them. Perhaps, the best one is from his longtime manager, Leo Durocher. Leo had a long career as both a player and a manager. He had played on the same team as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and many others on those renowned Yankees teams. Also, he managed many great players, including the Dodgers Boys of Summer teams. He called Mays not just the best centerfielder he had ever seen, but “the best ballplayer I have ever seen.” I would agree except for Ruth and perhaps Ohtani if his career continues along its current arc, but he’s certainly in the conversation. Durocher also pointed out that Mays “could beat you in more ways than any [other] ballplayer who ever lived.” I agree. I saw him win games with a homer, a clutch hit, a great catch, a great throw, a stolen base, whatever.

Willie Mays passed away on June 18, 2024, of heart failure at the age of 93, two days before MLB paid tribute to Willie and Negro league baseball by playing a game at historic Rickman Field in Birmingham, Ala the same field on which he had played as a teenager. He is survived by a son from his first marriage. He was the godfather of Barry Bonds. His second wife, Mae, had died in 2013.

Rest in peace Willie. You gave us baseball fans a lot of pleasure (and pain), and you will be sorely missed.

Quiz answers: (1) Two of the three are familiar names – Jimmy Rollins and Curtis Granderson. The other is Frank (“Wildfire” Schulte who did it in 1911. (2) Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner.

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JACKIE ROBINSON

Yes, in the wake of Iran’s attack of Israel yesterday the world is quite possibly on the brink of WWWIII or at least an expanded regional war in the Middle East. Anyone who has not been living in a cave is cognizant of and concerned about that or should be.

Nevertheless, at this time I must shift gears and pay tribute to the seminal baseball event that took place 77 years ago tomorrow. I will address the other matter after I see what transpires the next few days.

Number 42. Does that have any special meaning for you, or is it just another number? Baseball fans, civil rights advocates, and students of history will recognize it as the uniform number worn by Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers. It should be noted that that uniform number has two other major significances:

1. It is the only number to have been retired by every major league baseball team (in 1997); and
2. as has been customary since 2004, every year on April 15 on what is known as “Jackie Robinson Day,” every player wears that number on his uniform in tribute to Jackie Robinson in recognition of the anniversary of his debut in the major leagues in 1947.  On that historic date Jackie became the first African American to play in the major leagues since the 1880s. Any team not playing a game on April 15 will celebrate on the 16th. In addition, regardless of their team colors all teams’ # 42 jerseys will be in “Dodger Blue” and will feature a commemorative patch.

In order to put this in its proper perspective one must realize the racial situation in 1947. Life was radically different, a reality that few of us who live in the PC era can appreciate.  Much has changed in the intervening 77 years.

For example:

1. Segregation was the law of the land. “Jim Crow” was alive and well.
The “Brown” Supreme Court decision integrating public schools would not come until 1954.
2. Even though many AAs had distinguished themselves during WWII the armed forces would not be integrated until 1948.
3. A disproportionate percentage of MLB players were from the South and espoused all the values, attitudes and experiences of the region regarding AAs.  Most of them had never played ball with an AA.  Many had rarely even associated with one as peers.
4. The prevailing attitude among players, sportswriters, and fans was that AAs were not good enough and did not have the “temperament” to succeed in MLB.

Very few of us lived through that era, and consequently, we cannot imagine the circumstances Jackie had to overcome.

Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia.  His parents chose his middle name in honor of President Teddy Roosevelt, who had recently died.  He was the youngest of five children.  One of his older brothers, Mack, would later earn some notoriety by winning the silver medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1936 Olympics, (the Games held in Berlin at which Jesse Owens embarrassed Adolph Hitler and the Nazis by winning four gold medals).

Jackie’s parents were sharecroppers and barely scraping by, so in 1920 they moved to Pasadena, California seeking a better life.  In high school and college Jackie excelled in five sports – baseball, basketball, football, track and tennis.  Basically, he was an all-around athlete who excelled in any sport he tried.  At UCLA he became the school’s first athlete to “letter” in four sports (all of the above except tennis).  One of his teammates on the 1939 UCLA football team was the future actor, Woody Strode, who would carve out a respectable career in movies as a “heavy.”  Ironically, statistically, at least, baseball was his worst sport of the four.

In 1941 Jackie left UCLA just shy of graduating to play semi-pro football, but in early 1942 he was drafted and stationed at Fort Riley in Texas.  He applied for admission to OCS. Initially, his application was rejected as few blacks were accepted at the time, but following a personal appeal from Joe Louis, the reigning heavyweight boxing champ, he was accepted.

Jackie’s tenure in the army was marred by one unfortunate incident in which his fiery temperament got him in trouble.  While riding on an Army bus one day the driver told him to move to the back.  Jackie refused.  As a result, he was nearly court-martialed for insubordination and other “trumped up” offenses.  A conviction would have changed the course of his life and, possibly, the country’s as well, but he was acquitted.

In 1945 Jackie signed to play for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues. Unbeknownst to him, Branch Rickey, President of the Brooklyn Dodgers, was looking for a Negro to break the major leagues’ “color barrier,” which had been in place since the 1880s.  He had compiled a list of the best players in the Negro leagues and was evaluating them for suitability.  There were many players better than Jackie, notably Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson, but due to age, temperament and other factors, they were all eliminated in favor of Jackie.

Rickey knew the first AA player would have to “turn the other cheek” to a great deal of verbal, physical and emotional abuse.  Otherwise, it might be many more years before the next one got a chance.  When he told Jackie this, Jackie was shocked and replied: “Are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?” Rickey’s famous reply was that he was seeking a Negro “with guts enough not to fight back.”

To make a long story short, Rickey signed Jackie.  He played for the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers AAA minor league affiliate in the International League, in 1946.  He “tore up” the league, winning the MVP award.  The next year he made his debut in the major leagues.

To me, his debut was one of the most significant events not only in baseball history, but also in the country’s history.  There was tremendous resistance not only from other Dodgers, but from players on other teams as well.

Again, it is very hard for us to appreciate the level of abuse to which Jackie was subjected. Breaking into the major leagues is hard enough, physically. The added mental and emotional pressures Jackie and other AAs had to overcome was mind-boggling. Jackie had to endure a tremendous amount of prejudice and abuse both on and off the field (name calling, spiking, “beanings,” separate lodgings and restaurants on the road, etc.  Eventually, other AAs would join him in the majors. They had to overcome many of the same obstacles.  Some were unable to survive, but many more did.

Luckily, Dodger management was behind Jackie 100%.  When some Dodgers players threatened to quit, strike or demand a trade, the team’s manager, Leo Durocher, a fiery, no-nonsense person himself, nipped the rebellion in the bud.  He declared: “I do not care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a f****** zebra.  I’m the manager of this team, and I say he plays.”  Players on other teams also threatened to strike, but MLB Commissioner “Happy” Chandler quelled that rebellion quickly as well.

CONCLUSION

Rickey chose well with Jackie.  In baseball parlance, he “knocked it out of the park.”  Attendance soared and not just in Brooklyn but in every other city as well. Black people came in droves to see their hero, Jackie Robinson, play.  In those days, attendance was the primary source of ball clubs’ revenue, so Jackie made money for everyone.

Not only did Jackie “take” all the abuse without incident, he also starred on the field and became an integral part of one of the most storied teams in baseball history, the “Boys of Summer.”  In a ten-year period from 1947-1956 that team dominated the National League. It won six pennants, lost another in a playoff and lost another by one game.

Among Jackie’s many MLB accomplishments:

1. Rookie of the year in 1947 (the first one).
2. National League MVP in 1949.
3. Appeared in six World Series.
4. World champion in 1955.
5. First ballot hall of famer in 1962.
6. Member of the MLB All-Century team.

Jackie was an extremely versatile ballplayer. Although he came up as a second baseman, he also played first, third and the outfield.  Many times, he was among the league leaders in fielding at his position.  He was one of the best “clutch” players I have ever observed.  He could beat you with the bat, the glove or on the bases.  I have never seen a better baserunner or a tougher competitor.  When on base, he would drive the opposing pitcher crazy with his antics.  He was always a threat to steal a base.  I saw him steal home in the 1955 World Series.  When caught in a rundown he often escaped, which, generally, was a rarity.  His aggressive style of play was unique for the 1940s and 1950s.

As an example of his extremely competitive nature, one story will suffice.  In the decisive third game of the 1951 playoff with the NY Giants, when the Giants’ Bobby Thompson hit the pennant-winning home (dubbed: “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World”) all the Dodgers left the field immediately with their heads down in defeat.  All except for Jackie.  He watched and made sure that Thompson touched all the bases on his home run trot.  He would not accept defeat until Thompson had completed his circuit.

Jackie retired from baseball after the 1956 season worn down by age and diabetes, but he did not retire from life.  For example, he became very active in the civil rights movement; he became the first black to serve as vp of a major corporation (Chock Full O’Nuts); he went into broadcasting; and he acted in a movie of his own life story.

Conclusion

Ultimately, however, his fierce competitiveness could not overcome ill health.  Jackie died on October 24, 1972 at the relatively young age of 53 from complications of heart disease and diabetes.  I’m sure that all the stress he had to endure on the playing field also contributed to his early demise.

Jackie’s legacy, however, lives on.  There are countless statues, schools, parks and roads named in his honor.  Moreover, every time a black or other minority takes the field in the major leagues, the NFL or the NBA, he owes a debt to the pioneer who made it all possible.

Jackie’s story is recounted in the 2013 movie 42 starring Chadwick Boseman as Jackie, Nicole Beharie as Rachel, and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. I have seen it many times, and I recommend it. One can usually find it on tv at this time of the year.

So, tomorrow, while watching your favorite team in action take a moment to appreciate the special achievement of one Jack Roosevelt Robinson.

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OPENING DAY

Today is March 28, and after a long winter of cold, rain, political, economic and social turmoil, and war today will mark the start of the full 2023 baseball season, aka OPENING DAY, with a full slate of games scheduled. Sports fans always look forward to OD. We know, sports are a healthy diversion, especially in difficult times such as now. Every team will be in action weather permitting.

Note, I am not counting the pre-opening day two-game series last week between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea. I view that as a prelude to the real OD. MLB does not consider these “pre-openers” to mark the official start of the season either. It has always considered OD to be the first date when a full slate of games was scheduled. Got it? It should be noted that due to travel and time change, following those pre-openers both teams returned to play additional preseason games. Weird.

This was not the first time MLB has scheduled such games in foreign venues. Beginning in 1996 games, both pre-openers and in-season, have been played in foreign locales such as Sydney, Australia, Mexico City, Mexico and London, England, among others. Opening in these foreign locales may be inconvenient for the players, but MLB does it to broaden the exposure and appeal of the game. Indeed, MLB rosters are chock full of players from countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Asia. According to MLB 28.5% of MLB players are foreign-born.

Typically, many early season (and late season) games are played in weather more suitable for football. Why? We know why – M O N E Y. If MLB persists in playing games in March, April and November why doesn’t it mandate domed stadiums in cold weather locales? Probably, too logical for the Lords of Baseball.

For many years, MLB had scheduled the very first game of the season in Cincinnati, usually on the first Monday in April, with a full slate of games the next day. This was in recognition of the fact that the Reds were the first professional baseball team. In fact, the Reds are the only team that has always been scheduled to play its first game at home. There have only been three years when they opened on the road – 1966, when the home opener was rained out and 1990 and 2022 when those seasons were delayed due to lockouts. The team was formed in 1869 as the Red Stockings. It has undergone various name changes and is now known as the “Reds.” Incidentally, for you trivia buffs, they went 65-0 that first year, the only perfect season in baseball history.

The National League was organized in 1876, and the American League in 1901. For many years there were 16 teams – eight teams in each league, all in the northeast, with no team being located west or south of St. Louis. With the advent of air travel in the late 1950s it became feasible to add franchises in other sectors of the country. Presently, there are 30 teams – 15 in each league.

Despite the often-inclement weather, OD holds a special meaning. Mention those words to any sports fan, and, immediately, he or she knows what it means, and to which sport it pertains. Not football, not basketball, not hockey. OD means that another season of Major League Baseball is beginning. Baseball fans look forward to OD every year. Local newspapers step up their coverage of the local team in anticipation. They send the beat writers to Spring Training to report on the local team. Many of them even print a daily countdown of the number of days remaining until OD. In addition, OD occurs in the Spring, a season that symbolizes a new beginning and one which most people anticipate every year.

Most fans will acknowledge that baseball is no longer the most popular sport. In fact, according to TV ratings, betting interest and most fan polls, football has superseded baseball. Perhaps, basketball has as well, particularly among younger fans. However, baseball, which has been played in the US in some form since the 1840s, is part of the social fabric of America.

Most men (and women) remember their first game of “catch” with their father and their first baseball game. For most it is a “rite of passage” as uniquely American as the flag. In fact, I have a more detailed recall of a World Series game I saw with my father in 1956 than I do of ballgames I saw last year.

Every fan is optimistic on OD. Every team starts with the same 0-0 record. None has lost a game yet. Every team still has a chance to make the playoffs (at least in theory), and as we have seen in recent years, once you make the playoffs anything can happen. For example, in 2016 the Chicago Cubs won it all for the first time since 1908. Think about that for a minute. That meant that, at the time, no Cubs fan, and virtually none of their fathers, had even been born the previous time the Cubs had won. In 2017 the Houston Astros won their first WS after having languished near the bottom of the league for many years.

Unlike other sports, very often the team with the best regular season record does not win the World Series or even get there. Even the best baseball teams generally lose about 40% of their games. If those losses come at the wrong time, it’s sayonara.

Eight wild card teams have actually won the World Series, most recently, the Texas Rangers, last year. Furthermore, in 2002 and 2014 both WS participants were wild cards (the Angels beat the Giants in 2002, and the Giants beat the Royals in 2014). Five teams – the Padres, Mariners, Brewers, Rays, and Rockies – have never won a WS, and the Mariners have never even appeared in one. The WS format has always been the best of seven games, EXCEPT for 1903, which was the first one, and 1919-1921 which were all the best of nine.

Many fans, and even some reporters, place undue emphasis on the opener, forgetting or ignoring the fact that the season consists of 162 games. To many fans, a win OD means the season will be outstanding; a loss means the team “stinks.”

Down through the years, OD has produced some memorable events, such as:

1. In 1907, the NY Giants, forerunner of the San Francisco Giants, forfeited the opener after rowdy fans began throwing snowballs at the players and umpires. There were not enough police on hand to restore order, so the umpires forfeited the game to the visiting Phillies.
2. In 1910 President Howard Taft became the first President to throw out the “first ball.” In 1950 President Truman threw out the “first pitch” twice, as a righty and a lefty. Over the years nearly every president has done so, and the practice has evolved from a perfunctory toss from the stands to a more elaborate ceremonial toss from the mound. Will we see President Biden follow tradition this year? Your guess is as good as mine. Can you imagine him doing the “wave?”
3. In 1940, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians, known as “Rapid Robert” because of his high velocity fast ball, threw the only OD day no-hitter in baseball history. As an aside, there were no radar guns in Feller’s Day, so one day some officials attempted to “time” his fastball by having him throw a pitch against a speeding motorcycle. Not very scientific.
4. In 1947 Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on OD becoming the first African American to play in the major leagues since the 19th Century.
5. In 1975 Frank Robinson became the first African American to manage in the Major Leagues. Later, he became the first AA manager to be “fired.”
6. In 1996, John McSherry, an umpire, suffered a fatal heart attack near home plate.
7. Early in the 20th Century teams would, on occasion, open with a doubleheader. Doubleheaders used to be quite common, particularly on Sundays and holidays. Now, they are rare, and when they do occur it is usually the result of adding an extra game to make up for a rain-out. The reason? Money, of course.
8. In 1946 Boston Braves fans attending the game got an unpleasant surprise. It seems that the Braves’ management had had the stands freshly painted, and the paint had not completely dried. Many fans got red paint all over their clothes. The embarrassed management issued a public apology and paid the fans’ cleaning bills.
9. Tom Seaver started the most openers – 16. Walter Johnson pitched the most OD shutouts – seven, including a 1-0 victory in which he pitched 15 innings. No chance of that happening today. Incidentally, Johnson had 110 career shutouts. Talk about unbreakable records!
10. In 1974 Henry Aaron clouted his 714th homerun tying Babe Ruth’s all-time record for career homers.
11. In 1968 Angels minor leaguer Greg Washburn became the only pitcher to appear in two OD games in the same year. Huh? How did he do that? First, he pitched the opener for the San Jose Bees of the California League and then for the Quad City Angels of the Midwest League. (He won both games 2-0).

12. Some of the individual OD records we may see broken today are most home runs (3), most hits (5) most RBIs (7) and most strikeouts (15). Maybe, we will see another no-hitter, although the way the game is played today any no-hitter would be a group effort.

Last year MLB instituted various rules changes, which were designed to increase the appeal of the games to fans by enhancing the action on the field, decreasing the length of games, and increasing the pace, which had often slowed to a crawl. In 1980 the average game took two hours and 33 minutes; in 2022 the average game had increased to three hours and six minutes. These changes had the desired effect at least with respect to reducing the length of games. Last year the average length was only two hours and forty-two minutes.

MLB has instituted a few minor rules tweaks this year:

  1. the time allotted to release the next pitch with a runner on base will be reduced from 20 seconds to 18.
  2. The runner’s lane between home plate and first base has been widened.
  3. The number of mound visits in a game has generally been reduced from five to four.
  4. The “ghost ” runner rule has been made permanent for regular season games.

CONCLUSION

As I said, weather is often an issue on OD, especially in the northern cities where it is not unusual to have cold, damp, rainy weather in early April that is more suitable for football than baseball. It reminds me of one of the major criticisms of baseball, that the season is too long. We all know the reason – tv money. The owners like it, because it makes them rich and less dependent on attendance for revenues. The players tolerate it, because it helps fuel their astronomic salaries. As for the fans, well, they will just have to grin and bear it.

Hall of Fame pitcher, Early Wynn sagaciously summed up the essence of OD thusly: “An opener is not like any other game. You have that anxiety to get off to a good start, for yourself and for the team. You know that when you win the first one you can’t lose them all.” Joe DiMaggio, always looked forward to OD. He felt “you think something wonderful is going to happen.” Finally, I am reminded of that renowned philosopher Yogi Berra, who could turn a phrase with the best of them, who is reputed to have said: “A home opener is always exciting, no matter if it’s home or on the road.”

So, which teams will reach the World Series? Which team will win? According to FanDuel Sportsbook the favorites are the Dodgers and Braves in the NL and the Astros and Yankees in the AL. Good choices. Can’t fault them, although watch out for the Orioles. I, of course, will root for the Dodgers. In any event, it’s a long season, and anything can happen. I think the TV networks would like to see a Dodgers-Yankees World Series. I think that would generate the most interest and the highest TV ratings. They used to meet on what seemed like a regular basis back in the 1950s, but they have not met since 1981.

What is your favorite OD memory? Please share.

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