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)

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Oh, I thought you were driving for some reason. Well I sure wish I could join yall. I hope you have a fantastic time. I really miss TC here in the Canteen. I don't know if Faith is going to be there- but if she is I would sure appreciate it if you would remember me to her.

Have you ever been to Texas before?

[labette]

"Baseball memories is a good thing"

I remember pretending to be this guy when I was on the mound. {He never smiled when he pitched!}

I wonder who todays soldiers pretended to be when they were little?

[carlr]

I suspect that the waiting line for that is already pretty long.

[trussell]

Hi there lauren!!
Hugs!

[luvie]

Great thread, sir. It looks great and very timely with the baseball theme. PLAY BALL!!!!!

[trussell]

It's Colonel_Flaggs thread...I just posted for him.
I'm sure he is happy you enjoyed it :)

[The Mayor]

March 30, 2006

Groans Now, Glory Later

Read:
Romans 8:16-30

Our light affliction . . . is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. —2 Corinthians 4:17

Bible In One Year: Judges 9-10; Luke 5:17-39

I once heard of a Christian seminar titled, "How To Live A Stress-Free Life." Such an unrealistic hope promptly made me stressful! Yet we all long for relief from life's many pressures.

A Christian friend of mine whose family is experiencing tough times admits feeling let down by God. She said, "I've prayed, agonized, and claimed promises, but nothing changes. The frustrating thing is that I know He has the power to get us out of this. I've seen Him do it before, but this time He's silent."

Larry Crabb, in his book Inside Out, emphasizes that our only hope for complete relief from hardship is to be with Jesus in heaven. "Until then," he says, "we either groan or pretend we don't." He adds, "The experience of groaning, however, is precisely what modern Christianity so often tries to help us escape."

My friend is groaning and she's not pretending she isn't. Like all of us, she simply wants things to change. But the fact is, something is changing—she is!

Paul assured us in 2 Corinthians 4:17 that our present sufferings are lightweight and brief compared with the weighty and eternal changes they are producing in us. We groan now, but there's glory ahead (Romans 8:18). —Joanie Yoder

The obstacles that we must face
Along life's rocky way
Are used by God so we might hear
"Well done" from Him someday. —Sper

God often uses a setback to move us forward.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Surviving The Storms Of Stress

March 30, 2006

Groans Now, Glory Later

Read:
Romans 8:16-30

Our light affliction . . . is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. —2 Corinthians 4:17

Bible In One Year: Judges 9-10; Luke 5:17-39

I once heard of a Christian seminar titled, "How To Live A Stress-Free Life." Such an unrealistic hope promptly made me stressful! Yet we all long for relief from life's many pressures.

A Christian friend of mine whose family is experiencing tough times admits feeling let down by God. She said, "I've prayed, agonized, and claimed promises, but nothing changes. The frustrating thing is that I know He has the power to get us out of this. I've seen Him do it before, but this time He's silent."

Larry Crabb, in his book Inside Out, emphasizes that our only hope for complete relief from hardship is to be with Jesus in heaven. "Until then," he says, "we either groan or pretend we don't." He adds, "The experience of groaning, however, is precisely what modern Christianity so often tries to help us escape."

My friend is groaning and she's not pretending she isn't. Like all of us, she simply wants things to change. But the fact is, something is changing—she is!

Paul assured us in 2 Corinthians 4:17 that our present sufferings are lightweight and brief compared with the weighty and eternal changes they are producing in us. We groan now, but there's glory ahead (Romans 8:18). —Joanie Yoder

The obstacles that we must face
Along life's rocky way
Are used by God so we might hear
"Well done" from Him someday. —Sper

God often uses a setback to move us forward.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Surviving The Storms Of Stress

[luvie]

Yes, mylife...Kevin is in my prayers for his safety while he is there. Thank him for his service to our country.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

OMGOsh! I thought you were a long time fan! LOL! I am sorry to catch you off guard. My apologies. :]

I will try again.... Do I remember correctly that you race tractors and are re-doing the engine to get her ready for the summer.Please tell me I got one right :]

[luvie]

Good show ((((twin)))) :o)

[luvie]

Good evening, Mayor! Great to see you this evening. Are you having some spring weather yet?

Thanks for our beautiful lesson from God's word!

[trussell]

I am driving Diva...I'm leaving Thursday night after work and driving straight through so I can make it to NYTexans birthday party. Then I'm going to let (beg) Luv drive my rental car so I can get a little rest on the way to Houston.

I would be happy to remember you to faith...as I'm sure others would be too.

I've lived in Texas 3 times...first time in Dallas...Second time in Kerrville...Third time in FortWorth. I love it there!!

[Fawnn]

LUV W!!! #50!!!

[trussell]

Actually, you would be the first on my card :)

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Mayor- wonderful post.

[laurenmarlowe]

Howdy trussell! *HUGS*

Colonel did a great job on the thread, very fun to read! My youngest son played baseball, and was on the all-star team. We had such fun going to lots of games.

Thank you for posting!

Did a little shopping today for May. I just need to go get a new pair of sneakers, and I think I'll be ready to get packing!

[AZamericonnie]

Sorry....a little late! Thanks for the thread Colonel & for posting it Trussell! *Hugs*

Supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen at more than 1,000 places across the U. S. and around the world.

~Tribute to Our Troops~

[carlr]

No need for any apologies.

It may not be technically racing,but is close enough.

[luvie]

LOL! Where did you get my picture! :o)

[laurenmarlowe]

An F-15E Strike Eagle flies over a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia. Aircraft like this are capable of monitoring the battlespace with their targeting pods. This concept is known as non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Staff Sgt. Neil Holdren and Capt. Kevin Mahar accomplish a periodic maintenance inspection on an antenna feed. The space technicians are deployed to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Melissa Koskovich)

R. Lee Ermey, host of the "Mail Call" military technology show, watches the effects of a molotov cocktail thrown by Lt. Col. Gary Reynolds, Air Force Special Operations School instructor, during a weapons demonstration at Hurlburt Field, Fla. "Gunny" Ermey toured the school during his visit for an upcoming episode of the show focusing on Air Force Special Operations Command. Gunny Ermey, a retired Marine, is known for his role as a tough-as-nails drill instructor in the film "Full Metal Jacket." (U.S. Air Force photo/Chief Master Sgt. Gary Emery)