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Category Archives: Baseball
Broad Agonistes
Many years ago, I (Martin) was bowled by Sarfraz Nawaz, the Pakistan fast bowler. This is my greatest claim to fame as a cricketer. Our opposition—a team of modest talents if not attitude—paraded the genial Sarfraz before us with (I thought) an unseemly enthusiasm … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Baseball, Cricket, England, New Zealand
Tagged Phil Hughes, Sarfraz Nawaz, Stuart Broad, Varon Aaron, World Cup
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In the Beginning
To affirm that hope springs eternal, as the thermometer dips to 2 degrees F, a New York City/Right off the Bat HQ record for any February 20, teams are assembling to begin Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues training. Yesterday and today! … Continue reading
Good-bye, Mr. Sunshine
Ernie Banks is gone. He was the first African American to play for the Chicago Cubs, and has forever since been “Mr. Cub.” A Hall of Fame inductee (1977), Banks is best remembered for his boundless enthusiasm: Let’s Play Two! … Continue reading
Hat Size: $303K
It was 80 years ago today that MLB taught Japan to play. Well, not exactly. But the 1934 barnstorming tour including the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Jimmie Foxx, did begin a process of popularizing baseball in the … Continue reading
Posted in Baseball
Tagged Babe Ruth, Bob Feller, Eiji Sawamura, Japan, Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Major League Baseball, Ted Williams, Ty Cobb
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Geopolitics Aside
The stunning announcement today concerning the opening of full diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba likely carries large implications for professional baseball, both within these two countries and for the internationalization of the sport (and business) based on … Continue reading
The United States of Jeter
A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps. And then the lighting of the lamps. As summer unofficially ends, the 2014 MLB season concluded with a terrific run of postseason playoff games, it seemed the majority of them decided by a run … Continue reading
Posted in Baseball, Cricket, Right Off the Bat Website, Yankees
Tagged American League, Bruce Bochy, Dave Righetti, Derek Jeter, Joe DiMaggio, Kansas City Royals, Literature, Madison Bumgarner, National League, New York Yankees, Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants, Wild Card, World Series, Yankee Stadium
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A Letter from a Fan
Occasionally, out of the ether, a missive arrives that tells us that our writing hasn’t fallen on deaf ears. We were delighted to receive an email from Parth Taneja, a law student in Washington, D.C. The letter (slightly edited for length … Continue reading
Posted in Baseball, Cricket, Right Off the Bat Book, Right Off the Bat Podcasts
Tagged Ken Burns
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Coming up Sixes
Today, August 23, 2014, marks the 66th birthday of DH (that’s also Designated Hebrew) Ron Blomberg. Happy Birthday, Ron! This is also the day Joe Torre’s (right: here pictured closer to 1966) number 6 was retired by the New York … Continue reading
The Beards to Be (Not) Feared
The more observant baseball fans among you will know that a lot of store is put in hairiness or the lack of it. The Yankees are notoriously clean shaven; their perennial rivals the Boston Red Sox, by contrast, are riotously hirsute. … Continue reading
Posted in Baseball, Cricket, England, South Africa
Tagged Brian Wilson, Hashim Amla, Los Angeles Dodgers, Mooen Ali, San Francisco Giants, W. G. Grace
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Right Off the Bat 