I never saw him play. He died 2 months and 2 days after I was born. But from the time I first knew about his exploits on a ballfield, he was who I wanted to be like. In many ways we had the same type of youth. I was put in foster care at 10. He went to a home at age 7. Only difference was he was considered incorrigible,…
More Rants Than Raves
I was hoping to sit down on my patio deck to watch the Dodgers vs Giants when I realized that I could not get the game on MLB.TV. I was already in a foul mood when I had to come into the house and listen to Krukow and Kuiper. I then watch Urias once again nibble instead of going at the hitters. For the first time this year, I am…
The Giants. Why We Hate Them
With SF coming to town I thought it would be appropriate to discuss why they are so hated in Dodger land. It started off as a rivalry between 2 boroughs in the city of New York. Separated by a couple of miles. Except for very few years into the 40’s, the Giants had the better team and the upper hand. The Giants joined the ranks of professional teams in 1883….
MEET BULLET JOE ROGAN
There’s a pretty good chance, unless you are an ardent student of “old-time” baseball and you are a scholarly student of the Negro Leagues, that you have never heard of Bullet Rogan. I have to confess that I knew very little of Bullet Joe Rogan until my recent article on the Negro Leagues. Frankly, even with the information we have, there is far too little known about him. From those…
Nice Comeback Win to Knot the Series
First observation, this is a much different game for the Dodgers without Mookie Betts. They are still talented enough to win, but he sure does make it much easier. Seager and Betts seem to have been carrying the team on this trip, and the spark just seems to have gone out without Mookie. The pitching matchup for Tuesday night was the one expected for Monday. Two of the brightest MLB…
Dodgers Hit Man
A few days ago I posted an article on young right-hander Geraldo Carrillo whom I had included in a group of players who seemed to be unlikely candidates to make it to the Dodgers. I mentioned Caleb Ferguson, Zach McKinstry and Victor Gonzalez. Another player came to mind that I neglected to mention that has proven it can be done. Also, since the minor league season is in hiding until…
7-3 Start Thanks to Relief Corps
Except for one bad pitch, the Dodgers have been outstanding on this current road trip. They are currently 5-1 on the trip, with three to go in SD. I am not sure that home and away mean that much in 2020, except do like the last AB for a potential comeback. But there certainly is no fan reaction to build momentum upon. The team is currently 7-3, and on pace…
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THE PASSING SEASON
I have an article pending on Bullet Joe Rogan, one of the all-time great players in the Negro Leagues. Because of Bear’s wonderful articles on Zack Wheat and his journey with baseball, I thought I would put that off a few days, and just share some random thoughts on an already weird season: ● You know that we’re in the full swing baseball, when the Doc criticisms start in earnest. …
My Love Affair With the Game of Baseball.
Most of us can remember where we were when important events occur in our lives. On Nov 22, 1963, I was at choir practice in our auditorium when I heard about JFK’s assassination. 9-11-2001, I was in South Gate at the JB Hunt terminal when the planes hit the twin towers. But the day I fell in love with the game… That actual date escapes me. And since my love…
Meet Zack Wheat
I love history of all kinds. US History and baseball history are at the top of my list. I like to gather as much of that history as I can. And Dodger history is peppered with many colorful individuals. Zachariah Davis Wheat was born in Hamilton Missouri on May 23rd, 1888. His mother, Julia, was a full blooded Cherokee. Hamilton is located about 60 miles northeast of Kansas City. Back…