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

Posted on 03/29/2006 5:59:09 PM PST by 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)



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; support; troops
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To: barker
Don't tell my family where I am. Don't feel like cooking tonight.

Sorry to butt in but that was just too funny! Good luck with that Barker.:)

681 posted on 03/30/2006 2:29:14 PM PST by AZamericonnie (~www.ProudPatriots.org~Serving those who serve us!~)
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To: acad1228
There you are!   Great, I'm glad you can use them.   Did you get the Blues Coke I posted from a few days ago?


682 posted on 03/30/2006 2:33:30 PM PST by Lady Jag ( All I want is a kind word, a warm bed, and world domination)
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To: acad1228
Prayers answered!! I've been clock watching. Thanks for checking in. Hope it left everyone alone.
683 posted on 03/30/2006 2:35:16 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ www.ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter and Passover ~)
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To: Lady Jag

I know what you mean, I have thought about it but never did it.


684 posted on 03/30/2006 2:38:07 PM PST by EsmeraldaA
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To: Kathy in Alaska


Hi, Kathy!!!



685 posted on 03/30/2006 2:40:14 PM PST by Lady Jag ( All I want is a kind word, a warm bed, and world domination)
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To: EsmeraldaA
You, too?   I hesitate; it seems such a spectacle.
686 posted on 03/30/2006 2:41:32 PM PST by Lady Jag ( All I want is a kind word, a warm bed, and world domination)
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To: GodBlessUSA

It's overcast today but the temps are perfect. It's supposed to rain on Sat. I really hope so. I so love a rainy day on the weekend!


687 posted on 03/30/2006 2:46:11 PM PST by AZamericonnie (~www.ProudPatriots.org~Serving those who serve us!~)
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To: Lady Jag

Yes.
I know. But we're not always up to answer all the questions, you know.
Anyway, I always come to this conclusions but still never did something about it.


688 posted on 03/30/2006 2:48:03 PM PST by EsmeraldaA
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To: acad1228

Now there's some good news!!! Thanks for telling us Acad!


689 posted on 03/30/2006 2:48:35 PM PST by AZamericonnie (~www.ProudPatriots.org~Serving those who serve us!~)
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To: AZamericonnie

Will let you know if it works :-)


690 posted on 03/30/2006 2:49:32 PM PST by barker (Growing older is NOT for wimps.)
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To: EsmeraldaA
we're not always up to answer all the questions

That's an important consideration.

691 posted on 03/30/2006 2:49:51 PM PST by Lady Jag ( All I want is a kind word, a warm bed, and world domination)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Spring is here Kathy - we went to the coast as our power grid was down from 0930 to 1430, for an upgrade and we have an all electric house.

So we had a great time cruising the countryside, eating, drinking double Caffè Mochas and viewing the beautiful Oregon scenery!


692 posted on 03/30/2006 2:50:49 PM PST by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: barker

Yikes! You too.....sending prayers that your area is spared any tornadoes. Some prayers already answered for Oklahoma. I like the idea of a good book and a flashlight.


693 posted on 03/30/2006 3:09:58 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ www.ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter and Passover ~)
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To: barker; All

Welcome Troops, Veterans, Families, and Allies!

Statler Brothers ~ One Size Fits All

Want more information about the artists we play?
Perhaps you'd like to buy concert tickets or their CDs?
Click the links below for more information!

ArtistDirect.com l Amazon.com l Ticketmaster.com l Songfacts.com l Walmart.com


694 posted on 03/30/2006 3:16:56 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ www.ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter and Passover ~)
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To: EsmeraldaA

Make sure you tell it WHY it is being replaced!! Attitude will not be tolerated. LOL!!


695 posted on 03/30/2006 3:24:06 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ www.ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter and Passover ~)
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To: wordsofearnest
Misunderstood the question. Thought it said without getting a hit.

Yeah, what's the five ways to get on base without hitting the ball?

696 posted on 03/30/2006 3:26:12 PM PST by Edit35
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To: All

Welcome Troops, Veterans, Families, and Allies!

Stevie Ray Vaughan ~ Ain't Givin Up on Love

Want more information about the artists we play?
Perhaps you'd like to buy concert tickets or their CDs?
Click the links below for more information!

ArtistDirect.com l Amazon.com l Ticketmaster.com l Songfacts.com l Walmart.com


697 posted on 03/30/2006 3:29:24 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ www.ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter and Passover ~)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

Wow! Now that's a freaky pic Mr. Tonkin!


698 posted on 03/30/2006 3:31:31 PM PST by MeekMom (Praise Jesus! We have so much to be thankful for!)
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To: EsmeraldaA
Hey, I don't put down the Red Sox. Any team can have a bad century. ;-)

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

699 posted on 03/30/2006 3:32:42 PM PST by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Ohhhh I have Ma, trust me. IT knows.....hehehehe


700 posted on 03/30/2006 3:38:17 PM PST by EsmeraldaA
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