Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

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.

----

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

----

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.

----

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

----

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.

----

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

----

June 6, 1892
Benjamin Harrison

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

----

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.

----

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.

----

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.

----

March 5, 1922
Babe Ruth

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

----

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.

----

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.

----

September 8, 1965
Bert Campaneris

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

----

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.

----

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.

----

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
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 681-700701-720721-740741-747 next last
To: Lady Jag
We are all *hot* aren't we!! :]
721 posted on 03/30/2006 5:02:35 PM PST by Diva Betsy Ross (Embrace peace- Hug an American soldier- the real peace keepers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 669 | View Replies]

To: AZamericonnie
Hehe.. that post is adorable. Thanks. *hugs* Connie!
722 posted on 03/30/2006 5:03:44 PM PST by Diva Betsy Ross (Embrace peace- Hug an American soldier- the real peace keepers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 660 | View Replies]

To: EsmeraldaA
Hiya Es. Is today better than yesterday was for you?
723 posted on 03/30/2006 5:05:44 PM PST by Diva Betsy Ross (Embrace peace- Hug an American soldier- the real peace keepers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 700 | View Replies]

To: Diva Betsy Ross
Amazingly hot.


724 posted on 03/30/2006 5:22:00 PM PST by Lady Jag ( All I want is a kind word, a warm bed, and world domination)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 721 | View Replies]

To: barker
"Don't be sad, two out of three ain't bad. Er, uh, you can thank Meatloaf for that line."

I have been hearing that line since I was a very small child and I can guarantee you that I have been around a LOT longer than Meatloaf.

725 posted on 03/30/2006 5:29:57 PM PST by El Gran Salseron (The FR Canteen's Resident Equal Opportunity Male Chauvinist Pig! :-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 671 | View Replies]

To: Diva Betsy Ross

Hello Diva.

Yes, today is/was a better day thank you. :)


726 posted on 03/30/2006 5:32:06 PM PST by EsmeraldaA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 723 | View Replies]

To: All
Click on the pic and I'll guide you
to the start of the new thread





727 posted on 03/30/2006 6:07:37 PM PST by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (Have you said Thank You to a Service Man or Woman today?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LUV W; Army Air Corps; beachn4fun
wh!!

Luv.....#50!!
AAC.....#100 and #150!!
beachy.....#200!!


728 posted on 03/30/2006 6:59:51 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ www.ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter and Passover ~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 400 | View Replies]

To: Kathy in Alaska
You posted that on the wrong thread! LOL! You are tooooo tired!
729 posted on 03/30/2006 8:09:37 PM PST by luvie (A free Iraq . ... will serve as an amazing example for people who are desperate for freedom! GWB)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 728 | View Replies]

To: LUV W
You weren't supposed to notice. LOL!!
730 posted on 03/30/2006 8:18:53 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ www.ProudPatriots.org ~ Operation Easter and Passover ~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 729 | View Replies]

To: barker
pinch runner

Most people get four, and cant come up with the pinch runner (cause it's actually a trick question, depending on how its asked)

731 posted on 03/30/2006 8:42:02 PM PST by Edit35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 705 | View Replies]

To: AZamericonnie

Thanks, Connie!

I love the "Noah" skit! (Ah! The good ole days of G-rated comedy!)

Are you familiar with the "red ball jets" skit?


732 posted on 03/30/2006 8:42:39 PM PST by Fawnn (Canteen wOOhOO Consultant and CookingWithPam.com person - Faith makes things possible, not easy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 647 | View Replies]

To: Kathy in Alaska

Thang Q... QT Pie !!! ;-))


733 posted on 03/30/2006 9:03:06 PM PST by GeekDejure (FreeRepublic Rocks !!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 712 | View Replies]

To: labette

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

Is that Gibson? Fabuloso pitcher. Don't ever crowd the plate!


734 posted on 03/30/2006 9:45:11 PM PST by Rembrandt (We would have won Viet Nam w/o Dim interference.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: SevenofNine

"I got question what baseball first Cubs win World series LOL! JUST KIDDING TOMKOW"


I lived in Chgo as a kid and the Cubs are definitely overdue to win. However, I just read that Woods and Prior will start the season on the DL. I've also read an article or two which suggests that Prior's career could be over. The Cubs have such bad luck. Now as far as bars, Murphy's Bleachers is untouchable.

Nonetheless I lived in Cincinnati for 30 years after Chgo and I'm now a Reds fan.


735 posted on 03/30/2006 9:51:42 PM PST by Rembrandt (We would have won Viet Nam w/o Dim interference.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: acad1228

Good news!


736 posted on 03/30/2006 10:13:19 PM PST by MEG33 ( GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 678 | View Replies]

To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

Bought myself some wildflowrrs shipped via national UPS delivery.

Delivered today - Spring bulb flowers on my desk, as I type!

www.bachmans.com Watch 'em grow


737 posted on 03/31/2006 12:36:17 AM PST by JLO (www.operationminnesotanice.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: MojoWire; Rembrandt

My Royals open at home Monday. Can't go to that one but I'm going to the second game. Play ball!

Rembrandt, I used to live in Chicago years ago. Loved the Cubs and the Reds. Course that was way back when Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Johnny Bench were still playing. Does that make me old?


738 posted on 03/31/2006 3:09:20 AM PST by barker (Growing older is NOT for wimps.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 731 | View Replies]

To: barker
Banks, Ron Santo and Johnny Bench ...

Didn't Frank Robinson play for the Reds.

739 posted on 03/31/2006 3:28:57 AM PST by Edit35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 738 | View Replies]

To: barker

you can't take first on a balk. only baserunners advance one base.


740 posted on 03/31/2006 5:46:13 AM PST by wordsofearnest (Bring Back Torre (There's new grass on the field))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 705 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 681-700701-720721-740741-747 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson