FR Canteen: "Play ball! A salute to baseball firsts" March 30, 2006

Colonel_Flagg

[trussell]

Serving the best troops in the world - welcome to the FR Canteen!

Welcome to all who support our troops!

Play ball!

It’s time to put on your caps and get ready for America’s true national pastime – despite what the NFL would have you believe. It’s baseball season, and with it we see the coming of spring! And in the part of the nation where I live, spring is a godsend!

Former Pittsburgh Pirate great Willie Stargell achieved a measure of fame when he observed, “The umpire doesn’t say “Work ball”. So let’s get ready to play – and enjoy the coming of spring!

Today’s thread will focus on openings and firsts … who is your favorite to win it all this year? Tell us who, and why!

But first, some baseball tunes …

King Curtis - Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Carly Simon - Take Me Out to the Ball Game

National Pastime Orchestra -You Better Play Ball With Me (1936)

Les Brown and His Orchestra - Joltin' Joe Dimaggio

The Treniers - Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)

National Pastime Orchestra - If You Can't Make A Hit In The Ballgame, You Can't Make A Hit With Me (1912)

National Pastime Orchestra - The Curve Ball Blues (1987)

Nancy Faust at the Comiskey Park Organ – Take Me Out To The Ball Game (1973)

Okay, now on to the good stuff, courtesy of baseball-almanac.com … enjoy!

June 19, 1846
Alexander Cartwright

The first baseball game using the Cartwright Rules is played. The first baseball game between two different teams was played on June 19, 1846 at Elysian Field in Hoboken, New Jersey. The two teams, the 'Knickerbockers' and the 'New York Nine,' played with Cartwright's 20 rules. Cartwright’s team, the Knickerbockers, lost 23 to 1 to the New York Nine club in four innings. Some say that Cartwright's team lost because his best players did not want to make the trip across the river. Cartwright was the umpire during this game and fined one player six cents for cursing. Don’t believe anyone who tells you Abner Doubleday invented the Great American Game – as the famous saying goes, “the only thing Abner Doubleday ever started was the Civil War.” Doubleday fired the first Union shot at Fort Sumter, as a matter of historical record.

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1871
Baseball’s second statistic (right after the final score) is invented – the batting average, after a game between Boston and Cleveland.

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May 12, 1876
Ross Barnes

Baseball’s first great hitter, secondbaseman Ross Barnes, hits the first home run in the history of the National League. Barnes was a lifetime .359 hitter whose career was cut short due to illness.

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September 10, 1881
Roger Connor of Troy hits the first grand slam in National League history off Worcester's Lee Richmond.

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May 1, 1884
Moses Fleetwood Walker

Moses Walker becomes the first African-American player to appear in a major league game with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association. His brother Weldy also played in the major leagues, 63 years before Jackie Robinson played for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

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September 10, 1885
A gentleman named Joe Harrington becomes the first big-leaguer ever to homer in his first at-bat.

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June 6, 1892
Benjamin Harrison

President Harrison makes history by becoming the first Chief Executive to attend a major league game.

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April 17, 1901
The first game in the history of the American League sees the White Sox win 8-2. The Sox take the first AL flag that season with a record of 83-53.

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May 1, 1920
Let’s play three: Brooklyn’s Leon Cadore and Joe Oeschger of the Boston Braves duel to a 1-1 tie in the longest game in big league history – 26 innings.

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August 5, 1921
The first radio broadcast of a baseball game is heard on Pittsburgh’s KDKA radio. The Pirates beat the Phillies 8-5.

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March 5, 1922
Babe Ruth

The Bambino becomes the first ballplayer in history to make $50,000 per year. How times have changed!

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June 9, 1946
Let’s play none: Nearly 100 years to the day after Alexander Cartwright fined a player six cents for cursing. New York Giants manager Mel Ott becomes the first manager ever to be thrown out of both ends of a doubleheader. Cartwright might have been perturbed.

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April 15, 1947
Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson re-breaks the color barrier in major league baseball. He goes on to win the 1947 Rookie of the Year award and changes the game forever.

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September 8, 1965
Bert Campaneris

Kansas City’s Bert Campaneris becomes the first player to play all nine positions in a single game.

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June 15, 1976

The “Eighth Wonder of the World”, the Houston Astrodome, makes history as the first domed stadium ever to host a rainout. The roof didn’t leak – but the roads leading to the park were impassable after torrential rains.

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July 17, 1990
My beloved Minnesota Twins become the first and only team to turn two triple plays in the same game, at Fenway against the Red Sox. Gary Gaetti is the lucky thirdbaseman who started both triple killings. The next season they became the only team ever to go from last place in one season to World Series champs the next.

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The evolution of the baseball salary
Upthread we saw that Babe Ruth became baseball’s first $50,000 man in 1922. Since the advent of free agency in the 1970s, however, the top salaries have zoomed higher and higher. How many of these players do you remember, and how many were worth the money?

First $500,000 player – Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia, 1977
First $1 million player – Nolan Ryan, Houston, 1979
First $5 million player – Roger Clemens, Boston, 1991
First $10 million player – Albert Belle, White Sox, 1996
First $15 million player – Kevin Brown, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1998
First $20 million player – Manny Ramirez, Boston, December 11, 2000
First $25 million player – Alex Rodriguez, Texas, later that same day (he’ll make $27 million in 2007)

[HopeandGlory]

Good morning Troops, Veterans and Canteeners.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Our Flag Flying Proudly One Nation Under God

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Lord, Please Bless Our Troops, they're fighting for our Freedom.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic, for which it stands;
one nation UNDER GOD,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Prayers going up.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Take Photos if you do it.

I am always think up these kind of silly things.. last year when I went to the Indianapolis 500 , I went around witha sign - made out of cardboard- that read~ WE LOVE THE TROOPS~ and I took digital photos of anyone I could meet out on the street- who was willing to hold the sign up and pose.

I had a great time,met some good people- and I posted their photos here in the Canteen for the troops. Yall could have the great American road trip and drive around with signs on your car: We love the troops! You will get noticed for sure. I even have a sign you can download for your car and print off at home.... I will look for it.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Hi Hope! *hugs* great to see you. How is your family?

[NYTexan]

That's an excellent idea! I'll look into it!

Let's hope we are welcome there!

[NYTexan]

LOL, I posted it now just to avoid those kind of difficulties!!!

[trussell]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the dance...than you for the honor of allowing me to share it with you

[luvie]

Click on picture
CENTERFIELD~JOHN FOGERTY
FOR THE TROOPS!

[luvie]

Well, we aren't even gonna have that kind of time. But, you can bet that we'll find some fun to get into!

[mylife]

It is going to be a h00t

[Diva Betsy Ross]

*cool* Well I will look for updates in May. It has been great fun hanging with all of you cool cats here in the Canteen the last few days.

And of course. *hugs* to all of the troops and thanks for all you do. God bless your families.

I really appreciate all you Canteeners do here in the Canteen to show our troops and allies some love! It is good to know there are people who really care about the troops.

Goodness knows they cant get enough of the well wishes. Good work yall. :]

See ya laters alligators!

[luvie]

Get us the sign...and we'll do our darndest to find the hospital and honor our wounded heroes! You are wonderful to always honor the troops! ((((hugs)))) Thank you!

[luvie]

This had better be "good night" and not "good bye"!!!!!!

(((hugs)))

[luvie]

LOL! GMTA...we posted the same song! How funny!

[luvie]

It is!!!

[mylife]

Good Night Gang

Im gonna need all my srength for this trip L0L

[luvie]

I hope you plan on staying up later then than you do now! LOL!

Sweet dreams, My....see ya tomorrow! (((hugs)))

[mylife]

Oh we'll just be getting started at this time of night L0L

Rest well

[NYTexan]

G'nite Diva!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, t, for posting the Colonel's Play Ball thread. Way to go, Colonel. It's always fun to read about firsts. Thanks.

[luvie]

You rest well, too, My! Dream of the trip and how much fun we're gonna have!