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Monthly Archives: August 2012
Exit V. V. S. Laxman
Cricket has long been a sport associated with the aristocracy: some were born noble, some achieved nobility after they retired, and some just walk out onto the pitch as to the manor born. V. V. S. Laxman, tall and elegant, … Continue reading
The Quiet Men, Part 2
I (Martin) cannot heap enough praise on this South African side. Through a process of remorseless professionalism and incredible team discipline, the Proteas have marched their way up the world rankings until they now sit—uniquely—at the top of all three … Continue reading
The Quiet Men, Part 1
I (Martin) am not someone predisposed to the flashy player—the one who hits the big shots, grunts the loudest, or likes to rile up the fans with big pronouncements and faux outrage. I prefer the quiet professional, the guy who … Continue reading
The Unhappy Recap, Part 2
The Players Tom Seaver’s June 15, 1977, exile to Cincinnati represented the apex (or nadir) of the dismantling of the great and beloved Mets teams of 1969 and 1973. Cleon Jones, Tommie Agee, Ron Swoboda, Nolan Ryan, Rusty Staub, and … Continue reading
Posted in Baseball, Right Off the Bat Website, Yankees
Tagged Bill Buckner, Bud Harrelson, Busch Stadium, Chicago Cubs, Cleon Jones, Craig Swan, Cy Young Award, Dave Kingman, Dock Ellis, Doug Sisk, Duke Snider, Ed Kranepool, Ed Ott, Elliott Maddox, Felix Millan, Frank Cashen, Frank Howard, George Bamberger, George Foster, George Steinbrenner, Japan Central League, Jerry Grote, Jerry Koosman, Jesse Orosco, Joe DiMaggio, Joe Torre, Joel Youngblood, John Milner, John Stearns, Jon Matlack, Lee Mazzilli, Lenny Randle, M. Donald Grant, Mickey Mantle, Mike Scott, Minnesota Twins, Mookie Wilson, National Baseball Hall of Fame, National League, Neil Allen, Nelson Doubleday Jr., New York Mets, Nolan Ryan, Pat Zachry, Pete Rose, Pittsburgh Pirates, Randy Jones, Richie Hebner, Roger Craig, Ron Darling, Ron Hodges, Ron Swoboda, Rusty Staub, Shea Stadium, Sparky Anderson, Steve Henderson, Thurman Munson, Tom Seaver, Tommie Agee, Tug McGraw, Walt Terrell, Willie Mays, Willie Montanez, Yokohama Taiyo Whales
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Music to Your Ears
Right Off the Bat: Baseball, Cricket, Literature, and Life is now available as an audiobook from Audible.com, Amazon.com, or from i-Tunes. Evander read the baseball bits and Martin read the cricket bits, and Raymond Cho did the mastering.
Posted in Right Off the Bat Book
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The Unhappy Recap, Part 1
Former Baseball Hall of Fame librarian and researcher Russell Wolinsky is our guest blogger for a special three-part series on “The Dark Years: The Demise of the New York Mets—June 15, 1977, to June 15, 1983.” Please welcome Russell, and … Continue reading
Posted in Baseball, Right Off the Bat Website, Yankees
Tagged American League, Bob Gibson, Bob Murphy, Bowie Kuhn, Bucky Dent, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Comisky Park, Dave Kingman, Ed Kranepool, Frank Taveras, George Foster, George Steinbrenner, Jane Javvis, Joe Torre, Keith Hernandez, Lee Mazzelli, M. Donald Grant, National Baseball Hall of Fame, National League, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Nolan Ryan, Pete Rose, Philadephia Philies, Ralph Kiner, Reggie Jackson, San Diego Padres, Shea Stadium, St. Louis Cardinals, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver
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Sometimes It’s Not Easy Being a Fan
This story comes via my (Evander’s) good friend Mike in Toronto. I believe it appeared in the Toronto Star,* the newspaper Ernest Hemingway worked for (briefly) around the period of World War I. (For several months, I lived near the … Continue reading
South Africa Ascend to Number One
It was only a matter of time before a team of such quality would take the top position among Test-playing nations, and when South Africa defeated England in a gripping final Test match at Lord’s in London, to take the … Continue reading
The Melkman’s Matinee
In a bizarre but hardly surprising twist to his 50-game-suspension tale, the Daily News discloses that erstwhile National League superstar Melky Cabrera had helpers concocting the Internet posting that was meant to keep him out of Dante’s (or Bud Selig’s) … Continue reading
Pesky, Stanky, the Scooter
The passing of Johnny Pesky (see yesterday’s blog) reminded me (Evander) of a third player of similar size and high skill from the same generation. Eddie Stanky played for Brooklyn and New York in the National League. He and The … Continue reading
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