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Baseball History – All Star Trivia

Jul 062011

Since the 2011 MLB All Star Game is scheduled for next week (July 12th) I thought I would toss out All Star trivia.

THE FIRST ALL STAR GAME

First All Star Game 1933

The All-Star Game, made its debut on July 6, 1933, at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. It was the idea of Arch Ward, a sports editor for the Chicago Tribune, to coincide with the celebration of the city’s “Century of Progress” Exposition. It was initially intended to be a one-time event. By the 1930′s, baseball had established itself as America’s favorite pastime and the national exposition provided the perfect stage to introduce baseball’s best to the rest of the country. Many Americans were skeptical about its success. For the most part those who lived in the western states had never been to a major league baseball game. However, it was a great success with 49,200 people in attendance.

In the first two years, All-Star teams were selected by the managers and the fans. The players were also excited about the prospect of seeing other players for the first time. Wild Bill Hallahan, the National League (NL) starter was quoted as saying “We wanted to see the Babe,” “Sure, he was old and had a big waistline, but that didn’t make any difference. We were on the same field as Babe Ruth.” Maybe Wild Bill had second thoughts after Babe hits the first home run in All-Star Game history, a two run shot off him in the 3^rd inning. Ruth, was 38 and just two years away from retirement, also made a spectacular catch in the eighth inning to rob Cincinnati’s Chick Hafey of a hit. Ruth’s Yankee teammate, Lefty Gomez, started the game for the American League (AL) and became the All-Star Game’s first

Babe Crossing Home After First All Star Game Home Run (1933)

winning pitcher in the 4-2 AL victory.

The second All Star 1934 was played at the Polo Groundsin New York City. Of the eighteen players who started the 1934 game, only one, Wally Berger, is not in the Hall of Fame.

Carl Hubbell gave up a leadoff single to Charlie Gehringer and a walk before setting the All-Star record by striking out five consecutive Hall of Famers; Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin during the 1934 game.

The All-Star Game was played at night for the first time in 1942, at the Polo Grounds.

In 1945, with severe wartime travel restrictions in effect, the All-Star Game scheduled to be played at Boston’s Fenway Park was deferred until the next season.

1937 All Stars

TWO GAMES A YEAR

From 1959 to1962 Major League Baseball played two All-Star Games each season. As part of an effort to boost the players’ pension fund, the league break from tradition and schedules two All Start Games. The first game was held on July 7 at Forbes Field, the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League. The second game was held on August 3 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers also of the NL. The first game resulted in a 5-4 victory for the NL. The AL won the second game by a score of 5-3. The experiment of staging two All-Star Games each year continued through the 1962 season, after which the playing of one annual game resumed.

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Player Spot Light – Remembering
Bob Feller

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Dec 162010

Bob Feller - Hall of Fame Pitcher

Bob Feller – The greatest pitcher of his time.

Robert William Andrew “Bob” Feller passed away yesterday. Mr. Feller died of pneumonia after having been in the

The Player Spot Light

hospital for almost two weeks. He was 92. The Sporting News ranked him number 36 on their list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, saying he was “The greatest pitcher of his time”.

Feller’s Stellar Career

Feller’s baseball career started in 1936 at the age of 17. Feller joined the Cleveland Indians without having played in the minors. He spent his entire career of 18 years with the Indians. When he retired in 1956 with 266 victories and 2,581 strikeouts and led the American League in strikeouts seven times and bases on balls eight times. He pitched three no-hit games. One of the no hitters was against the Chicago White Sox on opening day, the only no-hitter to be thrown on Opening Day in major league history. Feller also shares the major league record with 12 one-hitters. Feller was the first pitcher to win 20 or more games before the age of 21. In 1962, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. When he was 17 years of age, he struck out 17 batters. Kerry Wood is the only other player to strike out their age. Wood struck out 20 on May 6, 1998.

Who was Faster – Feller or Ryan?

Bob Feller had several nicknames. The most recognizable were “The Heater from Van Meter”,”Bullet Bob” and ”Rapid Robert”. These were all in reference to the velocity of his pitches. In the later years of his career he was clocked at 98.6. However, the machines used at that time, measured the speed of the ball as it crossed the plate. Today’s pitchers are measured as it leaves the pitcher’s hand. I’ve seen statistical formulas trying to determine who threw the ball faster; Bob Feller or Nolan Ryan. Apparently ESPN did a segment on sports science where they determined that the human

Nolan Ryan Hall of Fame Pitcher

body is physically incapable of throwing 106 mph. You can believe whatever story you want about who threw the fastest pitch , but the bottom line is that both men threw heat.

Cy Young Stats

Perhaps his best year was 1946, only one year after returning to the Major Leagues. In 1946, he registered an incredible 348 strikeouts while pitching in 48 games, starting 42 of those games. Feller’s record was 26-15. He pitched 36 complete games, while posting an ERA of 2.18. He also led the American League in strikeouts seven times and had 200 or more strikeouts five times. Feller pitched in 570 games during his career. That’s an average of a little over 31 games a year. In six seasons he pitched in 40 or more games . Feller also threw three no-hit games including the only opening day no-hitter in baseball history in 1940. In 1946 he pitched 10 of his 46 shutouts. Many baseball historians have speculated that Feller would have won perhaps 350 games with well over 3,000 strikeouts had he not joined the military.

Bob Feller was a True Patriot

Bob Feller not only a great baseball player, he was also a great patriot. On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service. He was the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7.

Bob Feller Museum

The Bob Feller Museum opened in 1995 in his home town of Van Meter, Iowa. It was designed by his son Stephen, an architect. The museum is made up of two rooms which contain both Feller memorabilia and items from his personal collection.

Career Highlights

Here are some of the highlights of Bob Feller’s great career:

The most wins in Cleveland Indians history (266 victories)
Led the American league in wins six times (1939–41, 1946–47, 1951)
Led the American league in ERA (1940)
Led the American league in strikeouts seven times (1938–41, 1946–48)
Pitched three no-hitters, including the only Opening Day no-hitter.
8-time All-Star (1938–41, 1946–48, 1950)
Inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962
In 1999, he ranked Number 36 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.