In late 1990s baseball, home runs were everywhere. The balls were allegedly juiced. The sluggers were definitely juiced. Players who had been lanky rookies would later display cartoon-sized muscles, thanks to a regimen of syringes in the posterior. Even hitters of mediocre power were expected to belt 15 home runs per season. About one century earlier, however, 15 round-trippers … [Read more...] about Window on the Past: The Irish Bambino
Babe Ruth
Taming the Bambino
By Ray Cavanaugh, Contributor
Managing Babe Ruth, winning multiple World Series, and the no-nonsense authority of Bill “Rough” Carrigan. ℘℘℘ To control a brash young Babe Ruth – who joined the Boston Red Sox at age 19, fresh out of an institution for troubled youths – a strong presence was needed. Enter Red Sox player-manager Bill “Rough” Carrigan, who, despite his average size, was a notorious brawler, … [Read more...] about Taming the Bambino
Why Grandpa Should Be in the Hall of Fame
On July 1st, 1920, my grandfather saved the only no-hitter ever thrown by the Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson. Grandpa played first base for the Washington Senators, and he and Johnson were in Boston to play the Red Sox. When the ninth inning came around, only one Red Sox had made it to first base – on an error – and the Senators were ahead 1-0 with two outs. One more out … [Read more...] about Why Grandpa Should Be in the Hall of Fame