Baseball Fan's Winter Dreams

Ah, those lazy days of winter. The Winter Meetings, free agent signings, rumors, trades, and speculation fill the extended gap between the last out of the World Series and pitchers and catchers being seen in Florida and Arizona. 

As Christmas approaches, baseball fans dream of next season, and they hope for various gifts under the tree that include some team gear and maybe a pack or two of classic baseball cards...

Finding your favorite players

My elementary school friends introduced me to baseball cards in the 1970's. Those thin, rectangular encyclopedias were our passion during that pre-internet, pre-video game era.

While complete sets could be ordered through Topps, buying packs at local convenience stores was much more fun. Opening the wrapper, smelling those pink gum-scented cards, and earnestly looking for our favorite players was thrilling.

Like farmer's markets, local card shows offered another collection-building option. A kid convention filled with a buffet of bubble gum cards. Instead of testing the tomatoes, you looked for a Tom Seaver card, which was sorely needed to complete the Cincinnati Reds team set.

Those events were nothing short of paradise.

Trading

The free market is a wonderful thing, and we had no summer trade deadlines. The duplicates of Ron Guidry, Catfish Hunter, and Thurman Munson could be just the incentive needed to obtain the Oakland Athletics' Reggie Jackson card my buddy was finally willing to deal in September.

If there were any disputes about the balance of a deal, Becket's Baseball Card Price Guide was used as a silent arbitrator. We didn't know who Beckett was or how he determined the card values, but using his book made us feel like we were operating on the up and up.

Proper Storage

Like a fine wine, all cards need to be stored appropriately. Plastic cases, with individual slots for each team, had to be obtained through accumulated allowance money. Price was no object, as $8 was well worth the investment.

From there, the bedroom closet served as the primary storage vault. As part of a mental fire drill, if the house ever went up in flames, I would grab the dog and my baseball card boxes and head out the side door to safety. Let the homework burn.

Bygone days

Baseball cards are still available in larger chain stores, specialty hobby shops, and at card shows. They also continue to hold a spot in the hearts of all who learned to love the game through them.

(I hold all copyrights to this article, which appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)

The Philadelphia Phillies are nearing a stunning super-team threshold

There are some super teams in the major leagues this season. The Philadelphia Phillies' record after the London Series is 45-20, making this squad one of them.

The Phillies' .692 winning percentage (after games played through June 9) is a testament to their potential. Comparing it to other successful Phillies' seasons or those of 100-plus win teams, it's clear that crossing this threshold would almost certainly secure a playoff berth and potentially a National League Division pennant.

But in the still-early part of June, the Phillies' playoff hopes are only in doubt if they experience an epic collapse that would likely be driven by many injuries after the Trade Deadline.

Instead, the enticing possibility of playing .500 ball for most of the season and still winning 100 games is a real possibility. This could occur during this month if the Phillies maintain a near-.700 winning percentage for a matter of weeks, and then play no more than average baseball through the end of the regular season.

John Middleton, Dave Dombrowski, Rob Thompson, his coach staff, and the returning players from last season (along with those who remain from the 2022 World Series appearance) are focused on flexing regular season muscle and having fun. This organization is determined to finish the story and win its third trophy.

Everyone knows that no team in MLB is anywhere near statistically clinching a playoff berth. But the Phillies and other plus-.600 teams are all, in effect, playoff pre-qualifiers. That's remarkable and also speaks to the unbalance that the 2024 season represents.

Philadelphia Phillies' Win Arguably Most Improbable National League Pennant

Baseball is a great game filled with emotional memories. This sport is played in backyards, on city streets, and in ballfields across the world. 

As someone who has followed the Philadelphia Phillies since the 1970's, this season's improbable turnaround, through a tough September, is particularly special. 

The Phillies have enjoyed four club house celebrations since Monday, October 3. Their trip to the 2022 World Series is stunning, with the triumphs over the St. Louis Cardinals, reigning World Champion Atlanta Braves, and San Diego Padres all being impressive. 

What comes next is also unpredictable, with a strong Houston Astros team likely primed to secure its fourth American League pennant (2018, 2021) since also winning its first-ever World Series championship in 2017. 

The then five-game maximum Phillies-Astros 1980 National League Championship Series (when Houston was still in the NL) ranks with or is the greatest championship series of all-time. The last four games all went extra innings, with the Phillies emerging victorious and then defeating a good Kansas City Royals team in six games to earn Philadelphia's first-ever title. 

While the Phillies have gone to the World Series in 1915, 1950, 1980, 1983, 1993, 2008, and 2009, the franchise has only ever been awarded one other trophy. The 2008 championship team was part of a run (2007-2011) of five consecutive playoff appearances. The 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, and 1983 playoff teams represent the only other great era in team history.

The 1993 run to the World Series (verses the Toronto Blue Jays) has since been seen as the most improbable playoff run in franchise history. The 2022 season arguably tops it. 

 

George Herman Ruth: What if Babe Never Stopped Pitching?

Everyone knows George Herman Ruth. The "Bambino," the "Sultan of Swat," the "Babe" is the most famous slugger of all-time. Many baseball fans also know that Ruth was a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox at the beginning of his career. 

Hardly an extra arm, he was one of the best left-handed pitchers in the game before his batting efforts led to a full-time position in the field. So, let's consider what direction Ruth's career might have taken if he had never put his pitching glove away.

Suppose that...the 6-foot-2-inch, 215-pound Ruth was just an adequate hitter. In that scenario, he may very well have remained in the Red Sox's rotation. If he would have been traded to another team, it would have been to join their pitching staff and not to assume a spot in their lineup.

Early in his career, he pitched full-time for three seasons and for parts of three other seasons. Including some other New York Yankees years, where he started an occasional game, his overall record was 94-46. He threw 1,221 1/3 innings, allowed 974 hits, 441 walks, struck out 488 batters and had a 2.28 ERA.

Ruth's two best seasons were 1916, when he went 23-12 with a 1.75 ERA, and 1917, when he went 24-13 with a 2.01 ERA. He pitched over 300 innings in both of those years.

People can reference the "Dead Ball Era" all they want. Few were capable of doing what he did on the mound. There were better pitchers than Ruth. But many men who threw in his era weren't nearly as good as he was.

Hypothetically speaking....Ruth's career numbers project to an average record of approximately 20-10 over a 154-game season.

Ruth played from 1914 through 1935. So, over the course of 22 seasons would he have won over 400 games? Maybe not. But he seems likely to have won between 300-350 games. Those numbers would have gotten him into the Hall of Fame.

Would Ruth have been traded to the Yankees if he was a pitcher? Would that franchise have become a dynasty if he continued to dominate from the mound, rather than transform into a legendary home run hitter? Great questions that also can never be answered, but are challenging to at least consider.

Ruth's pitching numbers serve as further supporting evidence that he was clearly one of, if not the greatest ballplayers to have ever lived.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's platform in 2011.)

Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB 

Hunt Auctions to Conduct Sports Memorabilia Appraisal Fair at T-MOBILE ALL-STAR FANFEST

Hunt Auctions, the official auctioneer of the T-Mobile All-Star FanFest^®, will offer its team of nationally recognized experts to conduct FREE appraisals of sports memorabilia on Friday, July 10th through Monday, July 13th from 9 a.m. through 8 p.m. at Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, OH. Attendees can call ahead to schedule a private consultation at 610-524-0822, or email at info@huntauctions.com.

“Each year the MLB All-Star FanFest appraisal fair generates interest among baseball fans to see what there memorabilia might be worth. Given the rich history of baseball in the Cincinnati region we are confident that many great and valuable baseball items might be discovered at this year’s event,” said David Hunt, President, Hunt Auctions.

At last year's T-Mobile All-Star FanFest^®, Hunt Auctions appraised a 1973 Harmon Killebrew autographed Minnesota Twins professional model road jersey that sold for $7,000, and a Roberto Clemente professional model baseball bat c.1965-68 that was estimated for $7,500 - $10,000. More items included, a 1933 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth graded PSA 4 (VG/EX) estimated for ($2,000-$4,000), and a 1952 Topps #180 Charley Maxwell cream back graded PSA 8 (NM/MT) estimated ($500-$1,000) that sold for $3,461.00.

Hunt Auctions will conduct the complimentary appraisal fair for the 11th consecutive year as part of the T-MOBILE ALL-STAR FANFEST^® leading up to the Live Auction on Tuesday, July 14^th. A select grouping of items from Johnny Bench Collection will headline the live auction on July 14^th. In addition to this collection, a 1960 Ted Williams All-Star Game bat, a collection of Negro League bronzes, numerous items related to the Cincinnati Reds^® franchise and a variety of other valuable MLB memorabilia will all be offered to the collecting public.

Top items include Roy Campanella’s 1953 NL Most Valuable Player Award (Est. $175,000-$200,000), a 1953 Mickey Mantle All-Star Game professional model bat (Est. $75,000-$100,000), a 1923 New York Yankees World Championship pocket watch (Est. $40,000-$60,000), plus Johnny Bench’s 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1983 MLB All-Star Game Rings (Est. $5,000-$7,500 each). Other highlight items include a a 1914 Buck Herzog Cincinnati Reds presentational bat (Est. $25,000- $50,000), a 1971 Pete Rose Cincinnati reds professional road model jersey (Est. $20,000-$30,000), and much more. A complete list of auction items is available online at www.huntauctions.com.

ABOUT HUNT AUCTIONS:

Exton, Pennsylvania based Hunt Auctions has been a leader in the sports memorabilia auction industry for 23 years.  Numerous former players and their families have trusted their collections with Hunt Auctions including Ted Williams (HOF), Joe DiMaggio (HOF), Whitey Ford (HOF), Curt Flood, Leo Durocher (HOF), Robin Roberts (HOF), Earl Weaver (HOF), Commissioner Bowie Kuhn (HOF), Warren Spahn (HOF), Johnny Bench (HOF), Johnny Unitas (HOF), Clem Labine, Mickey Vernon, Jake Pitler, Thurman Munson, Roy Campanella (HOF),  Harmon Killebrew (HOF), Bill Mazeroski (HOF), Kent Tekulve, Steve Blass, Johnny Pesky, Charles “Kid” Nichols (HOF),  Jim Palmer (HOF),  Bucky Walters, Walter Johnson (HOF), Bill McKechnie (HOF), Willie Mosconi, Randall Cunningham, Joe Frazier and Norm Van Brocklin (HOF).  Hunt Auctions is also the Official Auction Company of Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory and the Official Auctioneer of Major League Baseball T-Mobile All-Star FanFest^®. Hunt Auctions has worked with numerous institutions to include: The National Football League, Philadelphia Phillies^®, Pittsburgh Pirates^®, Baltimore Orioles^®, Boston Red Sox^®, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, National Baseball Hall of Fame, Chicago Bulls, National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame and Baseball Assistance Team.

(All information in this post was provided through Philadelphia-based Jenna Communications, which is a top media relations resource for small business owners and corporations.)

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Second Annual George Bradley Vintage Base Ball Festival

Big Vision Foundation hosts Second Annual George Bradley Vintage Base Ball Festival


The second annual George Bradley Vintage Base Ball Festival, presented by Lehigh Valley Bat Works is set for June 27 and 28 at the BIG Vision Sports Complex in Leesport.

The festival, which will showcase Vintage Base Ball as it was played in the 19th Century is a celebration of the accomplishment of George Washington Bradley, a native of Reading, PA who threw the first no-hitter in Major League Baseball history on July 15, 1876. Bradley’s St. Louis Brown Stockings defeated the Hartford Dark Blues 2-0 to record the first no-hitter in Major League history. Bradley finished the 1876 season with a 45-19 record, 1.23 ERA and 16 shutouts, which is still a major league record today that he shares with Grover Cleveland Alexander.

The festival will feature Vintage Base Ball teams from Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland.

In addition to the Vintage games, there will also be a youth baseball and youth girl’s softball tournament taking place at the facility as well.

The weekend will feature great Vintage Base Ball, wonderful food and fantastic entertainment sponsored by the Reading Musical Foundation. Kent Courtney will be performing 19th Century acoustic music on Saturday, the Ringgold Band will be performing on Sunday and Robert Mouland, a traveling puppeteer will be performing on both days.

Renowned 19th Century Base Ball historian, Erik Miklich of Long Island, New York will be on hand for the entire weekend to give demos and explain how the game has evolved since its inception in the 19th Century.

Admission is only $5 per car each day. Gates open at 7:00 AM each day, with youth games starting at 8:00 AM and vintage games starting at 10:30 AM on Saturday and 11:30 AM on Sunday. Additional information regarding the festival can be obtained on the BIG Vision Foundation web site at www.BigVisionFoundation.org.

(All information in this post was provided through the Big Vision Foundation.)

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BIG Day with Big Leaguers and Roberto Clemente, Jr. scheduled for the BIG Vision Sports Complex

Big Vision Foundation Honors Legacy of Roberto Clemente


Roberto Clemente, Jr., son of the late Hall of Fame baseball player, Roberto Clemente will be in Berks County on June 25, 2015 when the BIG Vision Foundation honors the legacy of his father by retiring number 21 at the BIG Vision Sports Complex in Leesport.

The number retirement event will be the culmination of an all day celebration that is sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and RC21X, a Pittsburgh based brain health testing company which is named in Clemente’s honor.

The day will start at 10:30 AM when the Major League Players Alumni Association hosts a free youth clinic which will run from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM.

Former Major League players that will be helping with the events throughout the day include, Shawn Barton, Rich Rodriguez, Bob Kaiser, Doug Clemens, Ed Kovac Sr., Derrick May, Charles Goggin, Thomas Donohue, Rick Krivda, Rich Surhoff, Dickie Noles, Garrett Stephenson, Jay Witasick, Howie Bedell and Andy Ashby.

Following the free youth clinic will be a free coaches clinic from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm, also conducted by the former Major League players.

The number retirement ceremony for Clemente will start 6:00 pm on Charlie Wagner Field, which is the Fenway Park replica at the BIG Vision Sports Complex. The evening will culminate with the “Legends Softball Game” at 6:35 PM, which will feature the former MLB players playing with local players on Wagner Field.

“We felt that it was important honor Clemente.” Said Dan Clouser, President of the BIG Vision Foundation. “His accomplishments both on and off the field were remarkable. Major League Baseball retired #42 for all of MLB for Jackie Robinson, we also have #42 retired and displayed on our fence here. Robinson and Clemente were both pioneers and great men of character as well. I don’t know if the MLB will ever retire #21 throughout all of baseball like they did with Jackie. I personally think that they should, but I also knew that we didn’t have to wait for the MLB to do it in order for us to do it, so we just went ahead and did it.”

“I am honored to be part of the ceremony for my father.” Clemente, Jr. added. “My father would be proud to be associated with such a great facility and organization.”

Roberto Clemente was a right fielder who played 18 seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 through 1972. He was inducted posthumously to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, becoming the first Latin American and Caribbean player to be enshrined. His death established the precedent that as an alternate to the five year retirement period, a player deceased for at least 6 months is eligible for entry into the Hall of Fame.

Clemente was an All-Star for twelve seasons, National League (NL) Most Valuable Player one season, a NL batting champion four seasons, and a Gold Glove winner twelve seasons. In 1972, Clemente got his 3,000th major league hit in the very last plate appearance of his career during a regular season game. Clemente is the first Latin American and Caribbean player to win a World Series as a starter (1960), to receive a NL MVP Award (1966), and to receive a World Series MVP Award (1971).

He was involved in charity work in Puerto Rico and Latin American and Caribbean countries during the off seasons, often delivering baseball equipment and food to those in need. He died in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972, while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

(All information in this post was provided through the Big Vision Foundation.)

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The Night Lenny Dykstra Was Swinging in the Rain

(Photo credit: masslive.com)

Lenny Dykstra's every move has been easy to track during these past few years. The questions about steroids or the details of his financial rise and fall have also been voluminous. His association with Charlie Sheen and indictment for bankruptcy fraud are just the latest in a series of media flashes.

In our scrubbed memories we see a smiling, gritty guy who would do anything to win. Dykstra channeled his personality traits through a baseball diamond, while the fans couldn't help but love the luster.

1993 World Series, Game 4

The Philadelphia Phillies were trailing the Toronto Blue Jays two games to one, when Game 4 got underway on a rainy night at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tommy Greene, who went 16-4 in the regular season, yielded three runs in top of the first. Dykstra initiated the Phillies' counterattack when he worked a walk off Todd Stottlemyre to start the bottom half of the inning. He stole second base and later scored on the Blue Jays starter's fourth walk of the inning. The Phillies exited that first frame with a 4-3 lead.

Dykstra stepped to the plate after Greene singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning. 'The Dude' tattooed Stottlemyre when he hit a two-run home run to deep right field.

The Phillies' 6-3 margin wouldn't last long, as the Blue Jays regained the lead with four runs in the top of the third inning. Greene's departure followed.

Up and Down

Al Leiter took over for Stottlemyre in the third inning and was still pitching in the fourth when Dykstra hit a line-drive double to center field. Mariano Duncan followed with a single that tied the score at 7-7.

In the bottom of the fifth Leiter yielded a two-run home run to Darren Daulton. Milt Thompson then doubled home a run and was standing on second base when Dykstra hit another two-run home run to right field that gave the Phillies a 12-7 lead.

The Phillies' bullpen surrendered a six spot in the top of the eighth. That offensive barrage proved to be too much to overcome, as the Blue Jays won the game 15-14 to take a three games to one series lead.

Dykstra's three-hit, four-run, four-RBI performance was just one part of what proved to be the best season of his career.

Nailing it

Everyone has the right to question the types of decisions that 'Nails' made during his playing days or how he has handled his subsequently loud retirement. But everyone who values a red light player will always remember the night 'The Dude' was swinging in the rain.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)

Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB