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)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night..sending prayers for your safety and success.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning fellow cubevillians!

[Pusterfuss]

Did your car enjoy its first outing of the year?

Hi ((Kathy)). We are supposed to hear some thunder today. The car was as happy as I was!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.

Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning and good night, beachy.

[tomkow6]

 

SALUTE!

 

[tomkow6]

 

 

 

 

 

Good morning, Trussell!!!!

Good morning, Canteen Crew !

Good morning, EVERYBODY!

  FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

 

GOOD

MORNING

TROOPS!

 

 

 

 

[tomkow6]

 

Today's FEEBLE

YOKE :

Fifty-one years ago, Herman James, a North Carolina mountain man, was drafted by the Army.

On his first day in basic training, the Army issued him a comb. That afternoon the Army barber sheared off all his hair.

On his second day, the Army issued Herman a toothbrush. That afternoon the Army dentist yanked seven of his teeth.

On the third day, the Army issued him a jock strap. The Army has been looking for Herman for 51 years.

[GodBlessUSA]

LOL! Good Morning Tomkow :) How are you and your voices today?

[GodBlessUSA]

[acad1228]

acad1228’s Daily Dose O’ Da Blues!Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson - Dead Shrimp Blues
Click here to purchase music by Robert Johnson

Eric Clapton - Me and the Devil Blues
Click here to purchase music by Eric Clapton

Good Rockin' Charles - Don't Start Me Talking
Click here to purchase music by Good Rockin' Charles

Jonny Lang - Walking Away
Click here to purchase music by Jonny Lang

Kenny Wayne Shepherd - You Should Know Better
Click here to purchase music by Kenny Wayne Shepherd

ArtistDirect.com l Amazon.com l Ticketmaster.com l Songfacts.com l Walmart.com> l CD Connection.com Support the artists you hear in the Canteen (buy their music)!

[MEG33]

To All Who Are Serving Our Country



*THANK YOU*

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Everyone. Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families.

(IMO, flip-flops are another sure sign of spring!!!!)

Thank you, Colonel, for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities. IMO, not only is the NFL trying to convince us that baseball is not our favorite past time, but so is the NBA (sorry EG). To me it seems basketball is on ALL the time. Give me baseball anytime.

Here's a link to some more firsts in baseball. Click here to view Foreign Born Baseball Players.

Oh, speaking of favorite past times, jumping to a little different subject, I watched a little of the race in Bristol, TN this past weekend (while we were in Applebee's), which was nearing the end of the race, and was surprised to see what looks like cheating to me. Near the finish line I saw drivers bumping the cars in front of them out of the way. Mr. Busch won that race by bumping the lead car in the rear. Shame. Shame. So, much for the best car and driver.

Colonel, Colonel. I see one thing you must have overlooked. What about

For more exciting information, you can go here.

To all newbies and lurkers

Now, I'm off. I ain't telling you where I'm going. So, if you feel someone looking over your shoulder, it could be me

But, you stay right where you are. Don't touch that dial. Don't change that channel. Put down that remote. Don't leave the room. Keep your eyes on your monitor. Cause...............I'll be bock!

Now remember, the Canteen is

So, come on in and sit for a while. There's always plenty of coffee, pancakes, conversation, silliness, and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM

DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and

our allied military and the family members of the above.

Honoring those who have served before.

[GodBlessUSA]

Good Morning Beachn
I'm with you. Baseball is the best. How are you this morning?
Hugs!

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Ma. I know you'll be dashing out to work shortly and I will probably be immersed in catching up on the workload. Thus, we will be passing each other once again. So, here's wishing you a very productive day. May your computer system work flawlessly all day. (((HUGS)))

[txradioguy]

Baseball firsts huh?

How about the first night game played at Wrigley Field.

I watched that on TV.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, GB. I am good this morning. How are you today?

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Tx

Are you old enough to have watched the first night game at Wrigley Field?

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, MEG

(((HUGS)))

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, acad