Sunday, October 25-

"With Reggie DHing, Pinella is playing right. Everyone always says that Lou is a lousy outfielder because he doesn't run real good or have a great arm, but %$%$, he catches every ball he can get to. I've always said I'd rather have him out there than most other guys, including Reggie. He's the best slow outfielder in baseball."

-Sparky Lyle, 'The Bronx Zoo'

Monday, October 26-

From Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract:

GRAFITTI SEEN IN A BALTIMORE BATHROOM

First Handwriting: JESUS IS THE ANSWER
Second Handwriting: What is the question?
Third Handwriting: Who was Matty and Felipe's brother?

Tuesday, October 27-

From Bill Janes Historical Baseball Abstract

Buddy Bell

The worst percentage base stealer of all time (Minimum: 100 attempts)-55 foe 134, or 41%. The Indians in the 1970s used to hit and run a lot, so they had a lot of players with atrocious SB percentages. Duane Kuiper (52 for 123) is second-worst ever for a player with 100 or more attempts...

Wednesday, October 28-

Sidebar from Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders

"Paul Owens wasn't the only general manager who fumbled Sandberg away. A few months before the Phillies sent Sandberg to the Cubs, Owens thought he had a deal with the Brewers: Sandberg and a couple of no-names to Milwaukee for starting pitcher Mike Caldwell. But Brewers general manager Harry Dalton called Owens and said he just couldn't make the deal. Then again, maybe it was just as well, because Caldwell won 17 games in '82, and without him the Brewers almost certainly wouldn't have won their first-and-only division title."

Thursday, October 29-

Carson Park Stadium is where Hank Aaron began his career for Minor League Eau Claire in 1952. A statue of Aaron outside the stadium commermorates this, as well as the first professional home run he hit here. In his one season at Eau Claire, Aaron batted .336 and hit nine home runs in 87 games. The future Hall of Famer also was chosen to play for the Northern League's All-Star team and earned rookie of the year honors.

Friday, October 30-

Kansas City fans called him the "Hammer." Bob Hamelin earned that nickname by becoming the team's top slugger as a 1994 rookie and batting .282 with 65 RBI. The burly slugger carried off the AL Rookie of the Year prize on the basis of 24 homers, but most veteran baseball experts believed Cleveland outfielder Manny Ramirez was by far the most promising junior circuit frosh.

Saturday, October 31st-

Special Halloween Edition: Hall of Famers buried in Wisconsin

Burleigh Grimes
Clear Lake Cemetary
5th Street and South Avenue West
Clear Lake, WI

Dave "Beauty" Bancroft
Greenwood Cemetary
8402 Tower Avenue
Superior, WI

Al Simmons, aka, Aloysious Syzmanski
St. Adalbert's Cemetary
3801 South 6th Street
Milwaukee, WI

Sunday, November 1-

With two out in the bottom of the 9th inning of the 5th and deciding game of the 1972 NLCS, Pirate pitcher Bob Moose bounced a pitch past catcher Manny Sanguillen. The wild pitch allowed George Foster to score the run that clinched the pennant for the Reds. In two games in the playoffs, Moose retired just two men and recorded a 54.00 ERA.

Monday, November 2-

A national television audience witnessed the spectacle of Jack Morris twirling a no-hitter against the White Sox on April 7, 1984, as he made a bit of history in the process. Not only did Morris match Ken Forsch's earliest no-no in the history of the game, but he also became the first Tiger to throw a no-hitter since Jim Bunning in 1958. The ballclub's leading victor from 1979 through 1987, Morris finished the '84 season at 19-11. He would also win games one and foour of the '84 Series.

Tuesday, November 3-

If he had to do it ovr again, Joe DiMaggio probably would have retired after the 1950 season, instead of after '51. In 1950, DiMaggio hit .301 with 32 home runs and 122 RBI. His secret to hitting?

"There's no skill involved," he said. "Just go up there and swing at the ball."

"Just go up there and swing at the ball."

Isn't that what Hall did?

Wednesday, November 4-

It is customary for Ted Williams to get in the last word in any debate. This is something baseball people have encountered on many an occassion in the past. During the recent World Series, Pedro Ramos of the Yankees was telling about his experience with the former Red Sox slugger.

"When I first came into the American League with Washington," Ramos said, "my ambition was to strike out Ted. I went four or five years and never got him once. Finally, however, I struck him out."

"I got the ball and saved it. One day, I brought it over to Ted and asked him to autograph it. He did."

"The next time I pitched to Ted, he hit a home run that must have gone five miles. When Ted was going around the bases, he said to me, 'Get that one back and I'll autograph it for you, too."

-Boston Globe (March 1965)

Thursday, November 5th-

Floyd Rayford, former Oriole:

"I remember catching Sammy Stewart and we had a 3-0 count on Dave Kingman with the bases loaded. I put down a fastball and Sammy shook it off. I put down another fastball and he shook it off again. So I walked to the mound and said, 'Sammy, what are we going to do? He said, 'Let's go with the hard slider.' On my way back to the plate, I felt it was the wrong pitch, so I called for the fastball but he shook me off. Finally, I put down for the slider. Samy threw it and Kingman hit it for a grand slam."

"I went back to the mound and before I could say anything Sammy said, 'You should have called for the fastball.' "

Friday, November 6-

Here are some of Jerry Coleman's better "play calls" from his days as Padre radio announcer:

- It's a base hit on the error by Roberts.

- Grubb goes back, back...he's under the warning track, and he makes the play.

- They throw Winfield out at second, but he's safe.

- They've taken the foot off Johnny Grubb. Uh, they've taken the shoe off Johnny Grubb.

- The first pitch to Tucker Ashford is grounded into left field. No, wait a minute. It's ball one, low and outside.

- Johnny Grubb slides into second with a stand-up double.

- Turner pulls into second with a sun-blown double.

- All the Padres need is a fly ball in the air.

- Davis fouls out to third in fair territory.

- There's a shot up the alley. Oh, it's just foul.

- There is someone warming up in the Giant's bullpen, but he's obscured by his number.

Saturday, November 7th-

From Rob Neyer's Book Of Baseball Blunders:

When the Expos traded Delino DeShields to the Dodgers and received Pedro Martinez, shortly after the 1993 season, the local writers pitched a collective fit. In Claude Brochu's book, he catalouged the outrage.

- "Deal is rotten to the core. Expos' one big deal to balance book will sicken fans."

- "There's no puzzle why the Expos made the deal. Too many decisions are made to balance the books."

- "For a matter of money, the Expos sacrificed Delino DeShields and obtained Pedro Martinez."

- "Trading Delino DeShields to the Los Angeles Dodgers shows, once again, that the Expo executives are thinking only about reducing their payroll."

- "So begins the fire sale; where will it end?"

Five writers, five identical raections, all of them misguided. In 1994, the Expos owned a six-game lead over the Braves in mid-August...and if the players hadn't chosen that moment to strike, the Expos might still be in Montreal.

Sunday, November 8th-

The leader of the Pirate "Fam-a-lee," Willie Stargell was an inspiration to his teammates both on and off the field. As team captain, Willie dispensed "Stargell Stars," to his teammates for great plays and key hits. Sharing National League MVP honors with Keith Hernandez in 1979, Stargell hit .281 with 32 home runs and 82 RBI. He was also named MVP in both the Championship Series and the World Series that season.

Monday, November 9th-

Mark Clear:

"I was pitching for the Angels and it was late in the game and I was in some trouble. I had given up a few hits and a run and I was working slow out there. (Second baseman) Bobby Grich called time and walked up to me and said, "Do you see that blonde over there behind the dugout?" I looked over there and saw her and nodded my head. Grich then said, "Well, I've got a date with her tonight, so would you please hurry up?"