Old Baseball News

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Digging through old newspapers to deliver the freshest, latest breaking baseball news from decades ago.

If you like current baseball too, I wrote @dingerbot.bsky.social to post every time there's a home run. Also developed everybaseballscore.com

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Potteiger was an interesting guy. He was most famous for football, and was the head coach when the Giants won their first NFL title. He was also a baseball and basketball coach. Oh, this too: Earl was also a bootlegger facing prison time when prohibition was repealed. New Britain Herald, 7/8/1924

I looked it up; Bottomley *did* make the catch, and getting knocked cold led to one of the more unusual plays you'll see in baseball: A sac fly foulout to the first baseman. Don't know that I've ever even considered that possibility before. Indianapolis Times, July 8, 1924

This was likely more successful than Old Gregg Day, which involved watercolors, Bailey's, and love games. Seattle Star, July 8, 1924

5,000 days ago (October 30, 2010): World Series Game Three. Jonathan Sánchez (SF) vs. Colby Lewis (TEX). Having lost games one and two in California, the Rangers claw one back in Arlington. Mitch Moreland and Josh Hamilton take Sánchez deep. Full game here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mRZ...

www.baseball-reference.com

10,000 days ago (February 20, 1997): The Phillies sign free-agent outfielder Danny Tartabull. He breaks his foot in the first week of the season and eventually retires, getting paid $2,000,000 to go 0-for-7. Good work if you can get it.

20000 days ago (October 5, 1969): Baltimore's Dave McNally throws an 11-inning, 3-hit shutout in ALCS Game Two against Minnesota. Twins pitcher Dave Boswell, one of the best young pitchers in baseball, injures his shoulder in the game, essentially ending his career.

www.baseball-reference.com

45,000 days ago (April 25, 1901): In their first-ever AL game, the Tigers put together a comeback for the ages. Down 13-4 heading into the bottom of the 9th, they win 14-13. This is the only time in the 20th century a team scores 10+ in the ninth in a comeback win. www.bbref.com/boxes/DET/DE...

www.baseball-reference.com

On the field 100 years ago today... Both Eppa Rixey and Hal Carlson throw complete games as Reds and Phillies play a 16-inning marathon that lasts three hours. Carlson somehow allows 19 hits, 5 walks, and 2 runs. Philly's Sam Gray four-hits Cleveland Griffith (BRK): 5-5, double, 2 R, 3 RBI

7/8 Birthday Team C:Ivey Wingo (17.8 WAR) 1B:Lefty Turner (-0.4) 2B:Josh Harrison (16.8) 3B:Héctor López (12.8) SS:George Fallon (0.4) LF:Al Spangler (4.3) CF:Jerome Walton (3.7) RF:Terry Puhl (28.3) SP:Clint Brown (20.8) Others: K.Sanders, A.Ashby, J.García, H.O'Day, R.Detmers, L.LaGrow, B.Ayala

Yesterday's Immaculate Grid. Cy Young + Silver Slugger is just plain evil, man. Maybe - MAYBE - I could have eventually gotten to Valenzuela or Greinke. Thank goodness for good ol' Doctor K.

The numbers suggest that the younger Walsh didn't have an impressive career. Maybe, maybe not; Ed II passed away at age 32, His cause of death is listed as an acute heart ailment caused by chronic rheumatism. If he won 11 games in MLB with rheumatism, that's impressive. Seattle Star, 7/7/1924

*squint* I knew there was a reason I was never a Cubs fan. A team full of ukuleles and banjos. Yeesh. Accordions and bagpipes, I'm in. Zithers and keytars, sure. Ukuleles and banjos? Nah. I don't want to grow a beard, stomp, clap, and sing "hey" over and over. Seattle Star, July 7, 1924

Judging solely on the numbers and metrics, Topper Rigney was a pretty solid defensive shortstop, but his bat was the thing that made him stand out. He had a .388 career OBP and had just enough pop that you had to respect the possibility that he'd rip one into the gap. Washington Times, 7/7/1924

It's always surprised me that Vancouver has never really been on MLB's radar in a serious way. It's kind of close to Seattle, I guess, but Cleveland is closer to Pittsburgh than Vancouver is to Seattle. Driving Cleveland to Detroit takes about as long as Vancouver-Seattle. Seattle Star, 7/7/1924

On the field 100 years ago today... The last-place Cardinals bludgeon the second-place Cubs, racking up 15 runs on 20 hits Over in the American league, the last-place Athletics sweep a doubleheader at Shibe Rookie pitcher Emil Yde stays unbeaten as the Pirates stop the Dodgers 9-5 at Forbes Field

7/7 Birthday Team C:Ted Radcliffe (10.8 WAR) 1B:Nathaniel Lowe (9.9) 2B:Billy Herman (57.4) 3B:Bill Melton (18.7) SS:Jerry Dybzinski (2.0) LF:Chuck Knoblauch (44.6) CF:Dan Gladden (15.5) RF:Franmil Reyes (2.4) SP:Satchel Paige (46.9) Others: G.Suggs, D.Burba, T.Teufel, J.Shaw, L.Barker, B.McCarthy

On one hand, this is an interesting and unusual tactic. On the other hand, Wid Matthews led the American League with 18 outfield errors in 1923. So maybe he should have just stuck with the person catch. Omaha Bee, July 6, 1924

Breaking: Alaska is big, cold, and mostly wilderness. I'll update the story as warranted. Cordele Dispatch, 7/6/1924

On the field 100 years ago today... Jimmy Ring tosses a five-hit shutout on the road against the Giants Babe Ruth goes deep for the 22nd time this season, to go along with his two doubles, as the Yankees pull to within a game of first Ray Blades hits two doubles and a triple for the Cardinals

7/6 Birthday Team C:Steve O’Neill (26.4 WAR) 1B:Jason Thompson (25.0) 2B:Willie Randolph (65.9) 3B:George Britt (3.6) SS:Manny Machado (55.7) LF:Andrew Benintendi (14.2) CF:Lance Johnson (30.2) RF:Roy Hartzell (13.5) SP:Omar Olivares (15.5) Others: B.Lowe, W.Fisler, T.Burns, P.Tucker, G.Norton

If this was true, it's only because Pete Reiser was only five years old and hadn't made his pro baseball debut yet. Washington Times, July 5, 1924

Yesterday's Immaculate Grid. Given the opportunity, I will use Hal Trosky as an answer 100% of the time. My 5 rarity score almost feels like cheating because the categories were so broad that a lot of the time it was just "pick a random good player". Braves/White Sox almost stumped me, though.

This is still kind of an experimental feature that I can't promise will become regular, but... 20,000 days ago (October 2, 1969), the Pilots play their final game in Seattle in front of 5,473 fans. Elsewhere on the same day, Pete Rose clinches his second straight batting title with a bunt single.

On the field 100 years ago today... The top two teams in the AL (WAS and NY) split a twin bill. Herb Pennock throws a 6-hit, 0-K shutout in game one. The Bucs' Max Carey hits an inside the park home run in a win over the Reds Flagstead (BOS-A): 5-5, double, triple Falk (CHI-A): 4-5, 3 doubles

7/5 Birthday Team C:Curt Blefary (11.1) 1B:Gordy Coleman (7.4) 2B:Jack Farrell (18.7) 3B:Jim Baxes (1.0) SS:Jorge Polanco (16.9) LF:Gary Matthews (30.4) CF:Ward Miller (9.3) RF/SP:Shohei Ohtani (39.4) Others: R.Gossage, B.Hadley, M.Estrada, J.Crain, Ti.Worrell, T.Cingrani, D.Eiland, A.Hays, H.Eller

Don't forget to keep cool if you pull a boner. Kennebec Journal, July 4, 1924

I don't know if his name would be funnier pronounced "dumb" or "doom", but either way, here's a fun name. His BBRef page doesn't have a first name or any other info; I know they got their old MiLB stats from SABR. To whom would I report the new info? Anyone know? Indianapolis Times, 7/4/1924

It's all well and good until someone yells "PULL THE PITCHER!" and Daubert fires his shotgun before the guy finishes his sentence. Indianapolis Times, July 4, 1924

This, in fact, was not a record. Johnny Kling got hits in 12 consecutive at-bats in 1902, though you can't reasonably expect someone to have known that off the top of their head a century ago. Still a hell of a streak by Dressen. Indianapolis Times, July 4, 1924

This guy. I like this guy. And a shoutout to the Sunshine Specials for doing the right thing. Just...well done all around, old-timey people. Well done. Washington Times, July 4, 1924