I want to hear (read) some interesting baseball stories

cwazzy

I would like to add some cards to my collection that feature players that made unusual plays or have interesting stories about them. For instance, I am reading Glory of Their Times and there is a story about Germany Schaefer in there that most of you probably already know. While with the Giants in 1907(?) Germany was on first with a runner another Giant at third and they attempted a double steal. However, the catcher did not throw the ball to second so the runner at third could not score. Germany was apparently not satisfied with this so he proceded to steal first on the next pitch in order to try to draw a throw. Apparently this just confused everyone (including the runner at third) and the catcher did not throw the ball again. Germany again stole second on the next pitch and by this time the catcher was apparently tired of this and tried to throw him out, allowing the runner at third to score. It is the only time (that I have heard of anyway) in which a player actually stole first base.

I love stories like these and would like to hear more. Please tell me some good stories and feel free to post some pictures of the players. Thanks!

Chris

alifaxwa2

<< <i>Please tell me some good stories... >>



One time at bandcamp....






Glory of Their Times is a great book. I read it once each spring around the time baseball starts.

baseballfanatic

During an August 17, 1957 game, Ashburn hit a foul ball into the stands that struck spectator Alice Roth, wife of Philadelphia Bulletin sports editor Earl Roth, breaking her nose. When play resumed, Ashburn fouled off another ball that struck Roth while she was being carried off in a stretcher...

artistlost

It was 1992 and the Toronto Blue Jays were playing at home against the Baltimore in a one game play off to see who would advance to the playoffs. I was in Toronto with my father (both of us being big Jays fans) to drop my mother off at a play. He and i walked down to the SkyDome to see about getting tickets. We asked around a bit and everyone wanted an arm and a leg for a pair of tickets. Since we had neither to spare we continued. Finally, we came to a scalper that had a pair of 500 level seats (face value $10) he would sell us for $400. My heart jumped. The game was starting in about 5 minutes. My dad reached into his pocket and pulled out the money. As he was about to hand it over to the scalper he turned to me and said..."your mother is going to kill us for this"...i, as a 16 year old kid knew he would be sleeping on the couch for months, replied that i knew. He turned to me and said we better not. I knew he was right and nodded my head.

He put the money away, put his arm around my shoulder and said...son...let's go down to Young street and I'll show you where all the hookers are.

The Jays went on to win the world series and i went on to find out where to locate the Hookers in Toronto.

oh and my dad didn't have to sleep on the couch.

mathew

cwazzy

<< <i>During an August 17, 1957 game, Ashburn hit a foul ball into the stands that struck spectator Alice Roth, wife of Philadelphia Bulletin sports editor Earl Roth, breaking her nose. When play resumed, Ashburn fouled off another ball that struck Roth while she was being carried off in a stretcher... >>



Now that is what I'm talking about. Really unusual and kinda funny in a that-really-sucks-for-her sorta way.

Chris

larryallen73

He put the money away, put his arm around my shoulder and said...son...let's go down to Young street and I'll show you where all the hookers are.

LOVE IT! Great story. Reminds me of the time I was driving to Dodger Stadium, in typical LA traffic, with my 80ish year old grandfather. I was in college at the time. The subject turned to sex and he started talking about how he and my grandma were still having sex... though not as often as when they were young and she was a "jackrabbit." He also asked about my sex life which I wasn't too eager to discuss. I was glad when we finally got to Chavez Ravine as we met up with a couple other family members and he finally changed the subject! That was one long car ride!

Salinas

Was Germany the guy who legally changed his first name from Germany to something else during WWI to be more patriotic?

cwazzy

<< <i>Was Germany the guy who legally changed his first name from Germany to something else during WWI to be more patriotic? >>



I'm not sure. That part wasn't in the book. Would be interesting to find out though.

Chris

41GoudeyGuy

Germany changed his name to Liberty when the US declared war on Germany. Wikipedia has a nice writeup but also a sweet photo of his T204 Ramly.

Germany Schaefer on Wikipedia

jrinck

As Mike Schmidt was on his way to 500 HRs in 1987, I went to a game at the Vet where he hit one his homers that was #490-something. Anyway, Philly fans lost complete sight of that and got upset about something or other, and repeatedly pelted the field with garbage. The field was a disaster, and it was the funniest and most horrible thing I've ever seen at a game. The reputation Philly fans have for being hard to please is obviously true, as I found out!

digicat

Pitcher Ken Johnson is the proud owner of a "Shot One's Self in the Foot" Award.

In 1964 while with the Colt 45s, he pitched a 9 inning no hitter against the Reds, and got the loss after 2 errors (one being his own) in the 9th inning resulted in Pete Rose getting on base and scoring.

Final stat line...

Innings = 9
Hits = 0
Runs = 1
Earned Runs = 0
Strikeouts = 9

jimq112

In 1970 Dock Ellis was spending the day with his girlfriend, he knew he was off that day and at noon they were doing some LSD in Los Angeles. They looked in the paper and found out that Dock was scheduled to pitch that night at 6:05 in San Diego.

He pitched a no hitter. Interesting article about it here including a nice custom sparkly 1971 topps card.

Stone193

If anyone has the time, they can read the story I wrote a while back about The day I met Babe Ruth.

It's a baseball story alright! Not all that dramatic but it's all I got.

mike

TomGshotput

http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d46/psy/dev/Fall01/patriotism/ballgame.html

alifaxwa2

I recall hearing that this year or last year Jay Gibbons hit a foul ball into the stands that hit his wife in the face.

zep33

<< <i>In 1970 Dock Ellis was spending the day with his girlfriend, he knew he was off that day and at noon they were doing some LSD in Los Angeles. They looked in the paper and found out that Dock was scheduled to pitch that night at 6:05 in San Diego.

He pitched a no hitter. Interesting article about it here including a nice custom sparkly 1971 topps card. >>



LMAO - wow - never heard that before.

Love this part:

"The ball was small sometimes, the ball was large sometimes, sometimes I saw the catcher, sometimes I didn't. Sometimes I tried to stare the hitter down and throw while I was looking at him. I chewed my gum until it turned to powder. They say I had about three to four fielding chances. I remember diving out of the way of a ball I thought was a line drive. I jumped, but the ball wasn't hit hard and never reached me."