Jump to content
North Side Baseball

Baseball History Thread

OleMissCub

By OleMissCub,
in General Baseball Talk

 Share
OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

my grandpa fought in the battle of the bulge.

 

Fun fact: more Americans were involved in that battle than any other battle in American history. We had over 600,000 troops involved of which 75,000+ became casualties.

  • Replies 1.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

laurens ACL Cubs

laurens

Verified Member
Posted
Posted

my grandpa fought in the battle of the bulge.

 

Fun fact: more Americans were involved in that battle than any other battle in American history. We had over 600,000 troops involved of which 75,000+ became casualties.

 

And for this, Europeans (at least the ones with a clue of what happened in '40-'45) are very grateful.

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Warren Edward Spahn:

 

- 363 career wins

- Thirteen 20+ win seasons

- Two no-hitters

- Missed three seasons during WWII. Fought in Battle of the Bulge and Bridge at Remagen. Received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star.

 

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6996/spanthrowinggs5.gif

 

photos inside spoiler:

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn3.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn2.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn4.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn5.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn7.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn8.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn9.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn10.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn11.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn13.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn14.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn15.jpg

 

With Whitey Ford:

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn6.jpg

 

With Koufax and Musial (laughing as usual):

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn16.jpg

 

This is an interesting photo. 12 athletes were awarded as "Athletes of the Decade" for the 50's. These guys include: In front (left to right) are: Willie Mays (baseball); Roger Ward (auto racing); Eddie Arcaro (horse racing); Del Miller (harness racing). In center row (left to right) Jimmy Brown (football); Arnold Palmer (golf); Bob Cousy (basketball); Chuck Bednarik (football). In the back row are, left to right: Maurice Richard (hockey); Warren Spahn (baseball); Rocky Marciano (boxing).

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn17.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn.jpg

 

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/olemisscub/spahn12.jpg

 

imb MVP

imb

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

my grandpa fought in the battle of the bulge.

 

Fun fact: more Americans were involved in that battle than any other battle in American history. We had over 600,000 troops involved of which 75,000+ became casualties.

 

you liar, that fact is no fun at all

Derwood GOAT

Derwood

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

my grandpa fought in the battle of the bulge.

 

Fun fact: more Americans were involved in that battle than any other battle in American history. We had over 600,000 troops involved of which 75,000+ became casualties.

 

you liar, that fact is no fun at all

 

a 17% fatality rate isn't fun? lighten up, Francis

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just came across this wonderful shot I'd never seen before of Napoleon Lajoie and Honus Wagner in 1904. That season Lajoie put up a line of .376/.413/.552, 205 OPS+ and the Dutchman put up .349/.423/.520, 187 OPS+. Not bad for two middle infielders.

 

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/121/attachmentgj1.jpg

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Here's some completely random photos for you all:

 

 

"Towering high above grandstand level at Dodger Stadium is a ski jump which will be featured in the International Ski Show, opening tomorrow. Run is 167 feet high, and world champion skiiers get up speed to takeoff."

 

http://www.ballparktour.com/Dodger_stadium_skijump.jpg

 

Koufax pitching to Mantle:

 

http://www.ballparktour.com/Dodger_Stadium_Angels.jpg

 

Hank Majeskie of the White Sox with Marilyn:

 

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics42/00055882.jpg

 

Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth:

 

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics42/00055867.jpg

 

Nolan Ryan:

 

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics38/00053530.jpg

 

Awesomeness:

 

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics35/00052153.jpg

 

holy frick!!

 

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/8113/fricklt8.jpg

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11214&d=1152808961

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11215&d=1152809056

 

Babe and Ty:

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11216&d=1152809142

 

Dizzy and Daffy:

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11217&d=1152809358

 

Babe on the DL:

 

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics35/00052314.jpg

 

Barnstorming:

 

http://www.vintageball.com/files/Barnstorming_re.JPG

 

Gabby, 1926:

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15619&stc=1&d=1162934004

 

How cool is this picture...check out the scoreboard:

 

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/Sandy_Koufax_No_Hitter.jpg

 

Jackie and son:

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18900&stc=1&d=1170628885

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=19730&d=1171658523

 

Cobb with children suffering from polio:

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47570&d=1216611090

 

Mick and Rog with Doris Day and Cary Grant:

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=51457&d=1220988807

 

Our favorite Bench Coach with Steve Garvey:

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52086&d=1222022403

 

 

 

 

and finally....

 

 

DUSTY!!

 

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics40/00054664.jpg

 

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Lawrence Peter Berra aka Yogi: American League MVP '51, '54, '55.

 

162 Game Avg over 19 seasons: .285/.348/.482, 125 OPS+, 27 HR, 25 Doubles, 4 Triples, 109 RBI, 90 Runs

 

photos inside spoiler:

 

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi23.jpg

 

During WWII:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi20.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi4.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi22.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi2.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi3.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi10.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi12.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi13.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi14.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi15.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi16.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi17.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi18.jpg

 

With his greatest battery-mate, Whitey Ford:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi19.jpg

 

Yogi and Mick:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi5.jpg

 

With Phil Rizzuto:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi6.jpg

 

With his National League counterpart, Roy Campanella:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi1.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi7.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi8.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi9.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi11.jpg

 

With his MVP awards:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/yogi21.jpg

 

 

Video footage of Berra I put together:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQwYDHKsG28

MasterBlaster College Ball

MasterBlaster

Verified Member
Posted
Posted
Need some help. Didn't the Cubs during WWII forego the opportunity to have field lights by instead donating the metal for military use? I've been trying to find an article online but can't obtain anything. If that story is true then it is something truly remarkable for a sports franchise IMHO.
OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted
Need some help. Didn't the Cubs during WWII forego the opportunity to have field lights by instead donating the metal for military use? I've been trying to find an article online but can't obtain anything. If that story is true then it is something truly remarkable for a sports franchise IMHO.

 

That's absolutely correct. They were supposed to be installed in 1942, but were donated to the war effort. They didn't have poles put up or anything yet, so they donated the lights themselves.

MasterBlaster College Ball

MasterBlaster

Verified Member
Posted
Posted
Need some help. Didn't the Cubs during WWII forego the opportunity to have field lights by instead donating the metal for military use? I've been trying to find an article online but can't obtain anything. If that story is true then it is something truly remarkable for a sports franchise IMHO.

 

That's absolutely correct. They were supposed to be installed in 1942, but were donated to the war effort. They didn't have poles put up or anything yet, so they donated the lights themselves.

Thanks! That's such a good story to tell people about the Cubs. It certainly cost the team revenue, if night games bring in more money, so to put national self interest ahead of revenue is something inspiring and great about the Cubs history.

Derwood GOAT

Derwood

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Need some help. Didn't the Cubs during WWII forego the opportunity to have field lights by instead donating the metal for military use? I've been trying to find an article online but can't obtain anything. If that story is true then it is something truly remarkable for a sports franchise IMHO.

 

That's absolutely correct. They were supposed to be installed in 1942, but were donated to the war effort. They didn't have poles put up or anything yet, so they donated the lights themselves.

 

just imagine if the country would make some sacrifices for the war effort in this century. Not that it would ever happen....who is going to downgrade from a Venti to a Grande Chai Latte to help the troops?

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Walter Perry Johnson aka The Big Train: AL MVP 1913 & 1924

 

- 417 Wins

- 110 Shutouts

- 2.17 career ERA

- Ten straight 20+ win seasons

- hit .433/.455/.577, 163 OPS+ in 1925

 

I'll let the premier hitter of the era describe the premier pitcher of the era. This is from Ty Cobb's My Life In Baseball:

 

On August 2nd, 1907, I encountered the most threatening sight I ever saw on a ball field. He was only a rookie and we licked our lips as we warmed up. Evidently Manager Joe Cantillon had picked a rube out of the deepest cornfields to pitch against us. He was a tall shambling galoot, with arms so long they hung far out of his sleeves and with a sidearm delivery that looked unimpressive at first. The Tigers imitated a cow mooing and we hollered "get the pitchfork, Joe, your hayseed is on the way back to the barn!" The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup and then something went past that made me flinch...the thing just hissed with danger. We couldn't touch him. Every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose on a ballpark.

 

"Walter was a kindly man and never really wanted to hurt anyone. It was useless to try and get more than a single off of him; you had to poke and try to meet the ball...if you swung hard you were dead. After Walter told me that he was afraid he might kill a hitter, I used to cheat and crowd the plate 'til I was actually sticking my toes on it, knowing that he'd be so timid that he'd pitch me wide. Then with two balls and no strikes, he'd ease one up just to get one over...that's the Johnson pitch I hit.

 

This is funny: Walter Johnson first came to the attention of the baseball establishment when a scout for the Washington Senators sent a telegram to the Senators manager and said "This boy throws so hard you can't see it, and he knows where he is throwing because if he didn't, there would be dead bodies all over Idaho."

 

 

photos inside spoiler:

 

 

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/627/waltergifdx0.gif

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter12.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter16.jpg

 

As a rookie:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter7-1.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter8-1.jpg

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=48934&d=1217998265

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33133&d=1198274873

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33132&d=1198274855

 

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33134&d=1198274893

 

with President Coolidge:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter3-1.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter9-1.jpg

 

with Ty Cobb later in their careers:

 

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/6222/cobbtrainbl7.png

 

With his NL rival Christy Mathewson:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter5-1.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter13.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter14.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter15.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter22.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter6-1.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter18.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter10-1.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter2-1.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter11.jpg

 

With wife Hazel. She passed away in her early 30's from heatstroke.

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter20.jpg

 

With daughter Caroline:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter4-1.jpg

 

Walter Johnson, Jr. imitating pops:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter19.jpg

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter1-1.jpg

 

I like this image alot:

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/walter21.jpg

 

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/bbc/1000/1040/1047fr.jpg

 

 

video footage I put together of Big Train:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnSasG3P5d4

 

Also check out this video of Babe Ruth facing Walter for a benefit during WWII...I like how Train grooves the Babe a meatball there at the end:

 

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Some cool cards of the 1908 Cubs from after the 1910 season:

 

 

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/tinkercard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/everscard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/chancecard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/browncard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/edcard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/frankcard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/jackcard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/klingcard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/overallcard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/sheckcard.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/steincard.jpg

 

 

 

With these old cards, you can really see the emphasis that they placed on defense. Fielding percentages were considerably lower in the early part of the 20th century because of the poor design of ball gloves. You read numerous accounts from the old days of infielders sacrificing their bodies by throwing themselves in front of line drives because their gloves were insufficient to stop the ball. Furthermore, because of the deadball and appearances of "foreign" substances on pitched balls, infielders got a lot more work in those days. For example, in 1905, Joe Tinker had 56 errors, yet his FP was only .940.

 

This is a pretty unique action shot from the late 1890's. From it you can get a pretty good idea of the difficulties that those men had to deal with when fielding thrown or ground balls:

 

 

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/3438/bostoncatchcc3.jpg

 

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Cool article and photo from the Chicago Tribune about Lou Gehrig when he signed with the Yankees out of Columbia. Very cool (if for no other reason than to see Gehrig as a pitcher):

 

 

 

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/421/gehrigcollegeom1.jpg

 

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just wanted to have a mini-rant about Rollins winning the MVP award last year.

 

Jimmy Rollins - .296/.344/.531, 118 OPS+

Matt Holliday - .340/.405/.607, 150 OPS+

 

Watching the talking heads on ESPN shill for Rollins the last month of the season was just bizarre. Rollins wasn't even the best player on his own team.

 

There's no way the Rockies would have gone on their historic run without Holliday, not even close. Holliday was a MOST VALUABLE PLAYER in every understanding of the award.

 

He not only lead the league in RBI and BA (which we know sportswriters love to erroneously gawk at), but also truly WAS the most valuable player to his team. So under both interpretations of what the MVP award is, Holliday should have won.

 

Matt Holliday 2007:

 

BA - 1st in league

Hits - 1st

RBI - 1st

Runs Created - 1st

XBH - 1st

Total Bases - 1st

Doubles - 1st

OPS - 3rd

SLG - 3rd

HR - 4th

 

Jimmy Rollins (who had a terrific year, don't get me wrong) basically put up similar numbers as Curtis Granderson, who was merely 10th in voting in the AL.

 

        Rollins    Granderson

BA:    .296        .286
OBP:   .344        .368
SLG:   .531        .552
OPS+:   118         127
Hits:   212         185
Runs:   139         122
RBI:    94          74
HR:     30          23
2B:     38          38
3B:     20          23
SB:     41          26

 

And while I'm on this kick, Rollins winning the Gold Glove last year was a joke also. If you look at the defensive metrics like FRAR, Tulo had one of the best seasons of all time last year defensively at SS. In fact, only ONCE (1985) did Ozzie Smith have a better year than Tulo's.

 

But of course, sportswriters could care less about those things.

Guest

Guest

Guests
Posted
Posted

Holliday at home:.376/.435/.722/1.157

Holliday on road: .301/.374/.485/.860

 

There were 10 outfielders in the NL who had a higher OPS for the season as Holliday did on the road. Expand that to the whole NL and it's 26 players (Renteria had a matching .860).

 

I agree that Rollins shouldn't have been the MVP and Holliday certainly deserved some votes, but Holliday not winning it is far from a travesty.

sneakypower South Bend Cubs

sneakypower

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

Coors helps some, but a player should be penalized for taking advantage of his home park far better than the rest of his team does?

 

that's just lazy and wrong

 

and it's better anyways if sportswriters pay little attention to FRAR

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
The North Side Baseball Caretaker Fund
The North Side Baseball Caretaker Fund

You all care about this site. The next step is caring for it. We’re asking you to caretake this site so it can remain the premier Cubs community on the internet. Included with caretaking is ad-free browsing of North Side Baseball.

Become a Caretaker

  • Member Statistics

    6,793
    Total Members
    13,056
    Most Online
    Kevin OBrien
    Newest Member
    Kevin OBrien
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...