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Author Archives: rightoffthebatbook
Hurray for Captain Spalding
“The Library of Congress has more than one thousand of these guides, believed to be the largest collection held by any institution. A small sample is offered in Spalding Base Ball Guides, 1889-1939; in the future, the entire collection may … Continue reading
Posted in Baseball, Right Off the Bat Book
Tagged Albert Goodwill Spalding, Cal Koonce
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Today Is Pitching
Random Notes: Click on this from AARP, even for those of us (who’s “us”?) under 50. It’s a hoot. The quiz asks comedy fans to remember the name of Abbott and Costello’s third baseman. (The Subject line of this blog … Continue reading
The Missed Opportunities Caused by Racism
ESPNCricinfo has a fascinating article about Krom Hendricks, a southern African cricketer of color in the late nineteenth century, who was known for his terrifying pace as a bowler, and whose career was squashed by racist attitudes in South African … Continue reading
Why Soccer and Not Cricket? A Response
In response to my blog featuring Gideon Haigh’s question on why cricket and soccer succeeded or failed in certain countries, “Russ” made a comment that I think is worth bringing forward in its own blog. Let the discussion continue! A … Continue reading
The Afghan Cricket Club
Courtesy of the Marylebone Cricket Club, I received in the mail a DVD of a new documentary film called “Afghan Cricket Club.” It tells the inspiring story of how the national team of Afghanistan rocketed from being the worst team … Continue reading
75 Years Ago Today the Man Knew How to Play
On this date, May 3, seventy-five years ago, Joe DiMaggio played his first game for the New York Yankees. He got three hits. Today, there is a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers having hit in 28-straight games: halfway to … Continue reading
Baseball Fans, Welcome to May
May Day. Unions in France. Rockets in Red Square. Maypole dancing in England. The solemnity of Memorial Day. May! In exactly two weeks, it is the date, seventy years ago, on which Joe DiMaggio unknowingly began to make history. Nine … Continue reading
Posted in Baseball, Right Off the Bat Podcasts, Yankees
Tagged Boston Red Sox, Joe DiMaggio, Literature, New York Yankees
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Thought of the Day
The following observation from Gideon Haigh’s thoughtful piece on the history of cricket’s spread around the world, struck me. It remains true that while no former British colony has won soccer’s World Cup, only former British colonies have won cricket’s. … Continue reading
Posted in Cricket
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The Greatest Student Batter in New York City History?
The New York Times reports Manny Ramirez’s high-school batting average as .650. The main photo accompanying this Times article shows a determined teenager in 1991. Some of the other legendary batsmen in New York-school history include Hank Greenberg, Ed Kranepool, … Continue reading
Lights! Camera! No Ball!
Away from the hurly-burly of the Indian Premier League, the bright lights of Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies, Sri Lanka’s forthcoming tour of England, and any of the professional domestic tournaments, the game of cricket continues to be played … Continue reading
Posted in Cricket, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies
Tagged Indian Premier League, Wray
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