1 The SABR UK Number 9

Examiner October1997

THE JOURNAL OF THE BOBBY THOMSON CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN RESEARCH 1997 AGM ANOTHER SUCCESS This year’s Annual Gen- duties that our charter de- and numbered lithograph of eral Meeting of the Bobby mands we perform. We read by the renowned Thomson Chapter of SABR, out apologies from a number of artist Peter Blake, and a Jackie also known as SABR UK, took stalwarts that couldn’t make Robinson portrait by Mike Ross. place once again in the Kings it, due to some prior commit- Both pictures were donated on of Clerkenwell pub. This ec- ment. This left us with the behalf of SABR. Then Monte centric venue is situated just impression that, if all SABR lrvin was nominated and ap- outside the line of the ancient members and kindred spirits proved by the meeting as an city walls that have defined the in the UK could see clear to honorary member of the Chap- City of London since Roman synchronise their schedules, it ter. times. It’s a fifteen-minute walk would be a wonderous affair. The Publications Editor, to St. Paul’s Cathedral. You We also received greetings from Martin Hoerchner, griped about could probably make the Norman Macht via letter, and how he had to commute for Houses of Parliament, West- via a phone con- four hours a day, and said he minster Abbey, and Bucking- versation with Chapter Chair- wished he could bring out the ham Palace in a half-hour at a man Mike Ross, an excerpt of Examiner more often. The role brisk pace (they’re all right next which was played. of Barry Winetrobe’s “Number to each other). Also the Tower 23” newsletter was also praised. of London, in another direc- Then Graham Winterbone The Treasurer, Andy Parkes, tion. SABR being a historical was voted by acclamation into confirmed we were solvent with society, I feel I must point out the long-vacant position of Sec- assets in triple figures and some that the Bobby Thomson Chap- retary, in recognition of the change. New Secretary ter probably excels any other work he has done. He then Graham Winterbone explained chapter’s meeting place when took his seat at the head of the the purpose behind the survey measured by the sheer weight class. Mike Ross noted that all he distributed, which was to of history that surrounds it. the officers’ terms expired next create a database for members Unless there’s a Cairo chapter, year and elections were due. to keep in touch with each maybe. He then went on to give an other. The meeting took place on award for best services to base- 28 June, the middle of Wimble- ball in Britain over the last ten The Chair of the Historical don Fortnight, which of course years, and it went to John Committee, Patrick Morley, means that the weather was Gaustad of Sportspages book- then gave his report, which is dull and overcast, with threat- store. It may be hard for some- printed in full on page 9. In his ening clouds. But it didn’t one living in America to under- efforts toward shining some matter; for a few hours that stand, but the wealth of mate- light on the darkness of British afternoon we were able to shut rial in their baseball section is baseball history, Bernard Day the rest of the world out and like an oasis in a waterless was commended. Patrick immerse ourselves in baseball. desert. The prize was a signed Carroll had compiled a list of We started out with the continued on page 11 www.sabr.org.uk 2

VIEW FROM THE CHAIR by Mike Ross When I sit down to fill up this runs. History: October 1986. Bob have become web wise. ‘Baseball blank space which editor Martin Stanley’s . Rich Gedman smart’ folks from the USA have Hoerchner inveigled me into writ- stretching to his right. Mookie made that pitiless Atlantic Ocean ing, under the lofty heading of Wilson knocked off his feet. The a mere drop in itself. What was a “View From the Chair”, I have to squiggler down to Bill Buckner - a 3000-mile big league gulf has been confess that I have always felt like game of inches indeed. The transversed. Me, I have to con- a tennis referee. Notwithstand- “Bookoo Ball” was in play that day sider cashing in my empties, trad- ing, view or no view, inventing in New York. ing in my Model-T computer for a relevant words of wisdom that are During my young teenage late 20th model (with whitewalls expected from someone so high days at summer camp in Maine too). up has not become any easier. My (100 years ago), I learned a rainy view tells me that my hype has day lesson from a fine gentleman SABR UK has a new member become irrelevant. who showed up out of nowhere to based off the coast of Scotland, on teach me a lesson of life - about the Isle of Cumbrae. Scotsman So, before the membership the Bookoo Ball. The rain was Gerry Gallagher was a prospect in sets me out on an ice flow (Eskimo pouring down and all activities the Dodgers organisation way retirement), I will fill this space were cancelled. Me and Milton back. He has compiled a biogra- with , indeed history. Silver were stuck in the Rec Hall phy of all Scottish-born major If it has happened (already), it is trying to make a game out of busted leaguers, including of course our ‘history’. I was watching a game ping-pong ball. Then this black Bobby Thomson. Gerry has the the other night, live on 5, when man suddenly materialised. He original 1886 Cincinnati contract the defending watched us for a while and then of Scots lad which champions started asked if he could play. With each tells us that Nichols was paid playing Little League ball. The of his serves he sternly warned of $1700 a season (that’s when nadir moment was Fred McGriff the danger coming our way. $1700 was a lot of money), but for dropping a soft toss from second “Watch out for the Bookoo Ball! his services the contract further base. You know, the play your The Bookoo Ball gonna get you. reveals he had no ‘rights’. No rider grandma could have made. This Watch out. Here it come!”, he to the contract was attached so he induced the announcer to exclaim would exclaim each time a sqiggler was under orders 24 hours a day, for the second time, “Put a tent crossed the net. I never saw him all season. Yes, these finer details over this circus!” For historical before or since that day. But I of the old reserve clause must give reference: the same thing hap- loved him, and the lesson was succour to owners like “the Boss”, pened in a more crucial setting, in learned. It was learned in Boston George Steinbrenner. (“The boss Game Six of the 1993 playoffs in in 1986; it was learned with the of kiss my ass Mississippi”, a Mets Chicago. The Chisox were bat- Braves’ four straight series losses fan once pointed out to me.) An tling Toronto to force a seventh in the ‘96 . Now we excerpt states that “the party of game. Unfortunately Joey Cora have another indomitable Braves the second part will yield a cheer- and Mike Pagliarulo turned the pitching staff, who played circus ful and prompt obedience to all right side of Chicago’s infield into ball the other night, bound for the directions of the party of the Passiondale, which had the Tribe’s post-season glory...Wait for it. Is first part and will hold himself Jerome Holtzman shaking his history repeating itself? Circus subject to its orders at all times head. The bottom line showed the ball again as the Braves lose game during the entire term of his em- at the short 1 of the NLCS on errors. ployment aforesaid” Lucky for the end of a 6-3 decision, and the SABR UK has fleshed out. players that the cellular telephone Blue Jays with three unearned We are now on the internet. We wasn’t in play those days.

OFFICERS Chairman: Mike Ross, 2B Maida Avenue, London W2 1TF (Tel: 0171 723 9848 Fax: 0171 924 0929) Secretary: Graham Winterbone, 14 Springfield Crescent Harpenden, Herts AL5 4LF (Tel: 01582 622 180) Treasurer: Andy Parkes, 84 Hillingdon Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 8PJ (Tel and Fax: 0161 865 2952) Chair of British Baseball Historical Committee: Patrick Morley, Spring Cottage, The Batch, Hill Road, Sandford, North Somerset BS19 5RH (Tel. 01934 822781) Publications Editor and Webmaster: Martin Hoerchner, 3 Sheridan Crescent, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5RZ (Tel and fax: 0181 467 2828; E-Mail: [email protected]) Archivist: Barry Winetrobe, 53 Woodside Road, New Malden, Surrey KT3 3AW (Tel: 0181 949 1035) Assistant Chair of Historical Committee: Harvey Sahker, 9 Byrne Road, Flat B, Balham, London SW12 9HZ (Tel: 0171 630 0271) Procedural Advisor: Hugh Robinson, 567 Kings Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 8JQ (Tel: 0161 286 7012) European Co-ordinator: Laurens De Jong, Carnisseweg 61, 2993 Ad Barendrecht, Netherlands President: Norman Macht 3

THIS SABR’D ISLE by Martin Hoerchner

Baseball is eternal. Baseball during the baseball postseason. sometimes gets phone calls for is also immediate. For instance, I It was September last season, the Giants player, and I told him it am writing this at 12.20 a.m., when the Giants were mired in would be a great line for pulling British Summer Time, early in the the cellar, without even a chance birds, although I probably didn’t morning of Sunday September 28. to clinch second-worst. The at- use the British colloquialism with I am listening to Internet Radio, to mosphere reminded me of when him. the flagship station of the San Roy Hobbs first shows up at War Francisco Giants, and they have Memorial Park. I think the at- As an aside, why are fans just won the National League West. tendance was about 8,000, and always referred to as “rabid”? Why I’ve never seen a park so empty. not “febrile”? Is rabies the only Memories come flooding back We had seats four rows behind disease a team fanatic can have? this night. Like the last day of the the dugout. It was like watching a Does it have something to do with 1993 season, when the Giants minor-league game, only it had foaming at the mouth? lost their division title on the last as a ringer. I’ve never day of the season after winning seen a crowd so sparse and dis- So we come again to another 103 games. I was listening on a pirited. My friend, and I don’t postseason season, and thoughts weak signal from Armed Forces think there’s a major leaguer wax philosophical. I hope your Radio. Will 1997 exorcise the named Steve Lund, said “I just team did well this year, and didn’t demons of 1993? My mother died have to look forward to the 49ers”. bomb out too badly. With two the month after that last game, exceptions, in which case I hope and I don’t think I’ve gotten over Memories, like time, seem your team crashed and burned, either loss. I hope she knows sometimes to turn around events with horrific flames. Anyway, I what happened tonight. in baseball. This way baseball can be magnanimous now, be- turns into part of your personal cause at time of writing we haven’t Or the night I attended an- history. In moments of triumph entered the postseason. And we other pennant-clincher, in 1979 like this, it all becomes very clear. won’t know the final results until in Anaheim. I had just moved to (at latest) October 26, a few days Los Angeles and was rooting for Victory is especially sweet before Halloween. Hey, that’s a the Angels as a second team, be- because all the analysts placed us thought. There’s a team in each cause I had to have some local last. If the doctors ever tell me I league that wears Halloween col- team. And they were having a only have a few weeks to live, I’ll ours, and is a San Francisco - great year. They had a final sea- show them the predictions for the Baltimore World Series such a son-ending series with their arch- 1997 season, and they’ll under- long shot? rivals, the Royals, whom they were stand I’ll live to a ripe old age. beating decisively. I was on the I enjoyed last year’s World second deck, and when that rhyth- I have a friend from univer- Series. I always enjoy seeing the mic stomping and excitement went sity (UCLA) who’s been my friend Braves scuppered. I especially on and on, the whole deck vi- throughout the years. He was appreciated the Sky Sports cover- brated so that I feared for the from the L.A. area, and he bled age, which saw fit to interrupt the structural stability. After the game Dodger blue, though I wouldn’t last game of the World Series with they opened up the gates so I got call him a rabid fan. More like a an hour of Australian superbikes. to walk on the field and look up at rabid Giant hater. Anyway, a job When I found out this was hap- the seats. I’ll never forget the opportunity takes him to San pening, the day before, my jaw pandemonium as I made my way Francisco, and he falls under the dropped open and my mind ceased through the car lot. I’ll never city’s spell - a lot of people do. So to function. Anyway, I taped the forget the excitement of the voices last year a player is brought up to game and watched it the next day, coming from the radio, announc- the Giants from Phoenix, and does so I didn’t have to file my nails and ers and callers alike. I’ll never well, and does even better this make endless cups of tea at 3 am forget the pure and simple joy. year - he becomes one of the team’s when those damn bikes were roar- stalwarts, after taking over Matt ing around and around the track. Or the last time I was at Williams’ position. And he’s got I get up bright and early the next Candlestick. I was in California to the same name as my friend. So morning, not knowing the results. clear out the house I was raised his namesake, the old Giant-killer, Before I watched the videotape, I in. My wife and I were with a long- starts rooting for the home team. flick on the teletext to get the time friend and a long-term Gi- And now, if I get to see my team in morning news. Now on ITV, page ants fan. He had just met a woman, the World Series this year, I’ll be 301 is the main headlines. But on and he delighted in telling me she privileged to sit next to Bill Mueller. BBC, 301 is the sports headlines. was also a Giants fan. They are Only this one pronounces his Needless to say, I thought I was on going to be married this week, name correctly. He told me he ITV, but I was actually on BBC. 4 The Nineteenth Century Debate - Spalding vs. Chadwick by Martin Hoerchner . Ward I can’t help thinking about sounds a bit silly when he writes another analogy. There is a Brit- that baseball “just growed”. But In the last Examiner I wrote ish sport called netball. It is played is it really that far off the mark? an article called “A History of Base- by schoolgirls, i.e. from 12-16 years The 19th century debate ball Prehistory”. I feel now that old. It is very similar to the U.S. about the origins of baseball boiled the issue is a bit more polarised sport of basketball, with these ex- down to Chadwick vs. Spalding. than had originally occurred to ceptions: the ball is smaller, there A.G. Spalding had the final say for me. In the 19th century, if you is no dribbling, only passing, there thirty years. He got A.G. Mills, the were interested in the origins of is no backboard, the net is lower President of the National League, the game of baseball, you either and smaller. It is obviously a more to chair a commission to support had to believe , or basic game than basketball. his viewpoint, and the “Mills Com- you had to believe Albert Spalding. mission Report” was accepted as Well, Britain has more his- gospel until Robert W. Henderson. Soon after baseball began in tory than America, and netball is a the U.S. as an organised sport, more primitive game than basket- While Henderson’s scholar- the first baseball writer com- ball, and netball is a girls’ game ship is nearly immaculate, his mented on the origins of baseball. and US basketball is an adult pro- conclusions sometime require a He was Henry Chadwick, and he fessional sport, so US basketball leap of faith. He is extremely was born in England. He emi- is descended from UK netball, successful in debunking the Mills grated when he was 13 years old, right? Well, not really. Netball is Report, the Doubleday story. It so he remembered his childhood derived from basketball. Basket- was fairly easy to do, because the games. In 1856, when he was 19 ball was an invented sport whose evidence is so flimsy, but no one years old, he wholeheartedly em- origins can be traced specifically had ever thought of it before. It braced the new American game of to Dr. James Naismith, a Cana- seems to me that, once he knocked baseball. dian working at the YMCA in down Spalding, all Henderson had Springfield, Massachusetts. He left was Chadwick. He was caught Chadwick also recognised invented basketball in 1891 in in the 19th century debate in- similarities between baseball and response to the need for a game stead of starting his own. He a sport he played as a schoolboy, involving more skill than strength, must have figured that because rounders namely . In Britain, and one that could be played in- Spalding was so far wrong, rounders is a game played mainly doors in a small space. The first Chadwick must be right. When by children, boy and girls, with a game was played with a soccer Henderson discredited Spalding, bat like a policeman’s night stick ball and two peach baskets. If he basically adopted the and a ball more the size of a tennis only the beginnings of baseball Chadwick’s “baseball as round- ball than a baseball. But it also could be traced so exactly! But ers” story. He also felt the need to has bases (actually posts, like in baseball wasn’t invented; it devel- put in Abner the Pretty Little Pocket Book), and oped. Slowly and over decades, if Doubleday’s place as baseball’s batters the ball and then not centuries. founder, even though he admits it the bases. Because baseball re- is arbitary. sembles rounders, Chadwick im- Chadwick immediately saw mediately drew the conclusion the similarities between rounders Henderson will always be re- that baseball was descended from and baseball, just like he would membered for debunking rounders. Chadwick was soon have seen the similarities between Spalding, but he muddied the the most popular and respected netball and basketball. He as- waters by swallowing Chadwick baseball writer of the nineteenth sumed that the American game hook, line, and sinker. Chadwick century. So in his writings he was descended from the British had a lot of insight and informa- often mentioned “the ancient his- game because of those similari- tion, but I’ve never seen how he tory of baseball”, and he promul- ties. But he was never able to supported his “baseball from gated extensively the baseball- prove it. rounders” theory. He may have from-rounders theory. noted similarities, but does that This of course did not sit well mean one is descended from the I’m not sure what research with the American press and pub- other? Henderson found the Chadwick really did, aside from lic; evidently Chadwick never let Pretty Little Pocket Book picture, noting the similarities between the matter lie dormant. The Ameri- and also the almost exact match rounders and baseball. He quoted can backlash was strong, led by between the English Boy’s Own Sports and from Joseph Strutt’s Albert Spalding (the first baseball Book (1829) description of round- Pastimes of the People of England , magnate) at first, and later sup- ers and the American Book of from 1801. This book mentions ported by other lights such as Sports (1837) description of base- base baseball , but neither or ball. The leap of faith consists of rounders. 5 Al Spalding Was Right Excerpts from correspondence meaningful. What intrigues me Graves. He is a fairly shadowy from Larry Gerlach concerning the is why U.S. scholars have insisted character. Have found no con- origins and ancestry of baseball: on baseball, the erstwhile “na- nection between Graves and base- I have been working for sev- tional pastime,” evolving from an ball that would account for him eral years on a piece on the Ameri- English game when in every other writing to Spalding about can origins of baseball. My work- aspect of cultural life (e.g. diction- Doubleday. Why did he do it? He ing title is something like: “Al aries, art, literature) pains were seems not to have been a baseball Spalding Was Right: The Ameri- taken to disassociate American enthusiast during the latter three can Origins of Baseball.” In an life from English antecedents (of- decades of his life in Denver. In earlier, pre-sport history profes- ten nonsensically). I’ll be dis- any event, there was a young boy sional life, my research, writing, cussing that and more.I wrote a named Abner Doubleday living in and teaching was in the area of review essay a couple of years ago, Cooperstown late 1830s-1840s. American colonial history - i.e., summer 1994 I think, in the Jour- Tom Heitz, the former librarian at the British North American colo- nal of Sport History about base- the National Baseball Library, has nies from Nova Scotia to Georgia. ball books published from 1983 to long been intrigued by the possi- While I have not read every docu- 1993. One of the conclusions is bility that Graves confused that ment from the period, I have read that baseball historians are sloppy youngster with the general. But a considerable amount - espe- - that is, they a) readily repeat no matter as the young lad didn’t cially from Massachusetts, New “facts” without question or verifi- invent baseball in any event. York, New Jersey, and Pennsylva- cation and thus perpetuate er- nia. I have found not a single, rors, and b) academic scholars do Yes, the need to have Found- solitary reference to rounders. not usually display the same kind ing Fathers runs deep in the of adherence to scholarly canon American psyche as is the com- Indeed, the same holds true when doing baseball history as pulsion to identify “firsts.” The up to the point of the Knicker- when doing research in other his- group of men who hammered out bockers club. My sense is that to torical subfields. the distinctive and enduring rules argue that baseball evolved from I have done some research of the game in the 1850s just rounders is to argue nothing into the life and times of Abner won’t do. - Larry Gerlach, President, SABR Researching the Origins: Where to Start Fred Ivor-Campbell, Chair of with which they were familiar? I’m Knickerbockers were playing and SABR’s Nineteenth Century Com- finding that we can learn a lot the practices they were adopting mittee, offers guidelines for re- from a careful reading of these or rejecting from other games, we searching the origins of baseball: first written rules. (Example: Base can begin looking for evidence of Prompted by Martin Hoerch- stealing was common in pre- those other games in the New York ner’s request for research on this Knickerbocker play, and balks area, and in areas where the side of the Atlantic into baseball’s were typically committed not in Knickerbocker founders grew up, origins and influences, I’ve come trying to trap runners leading off and in publications the Knicker- up with some guidelines that their base, but in trying to catch bockers would have had access to might prove useful. base stealers running toward the that described bat-and-ball (and next base. Example: Practices with other) games. (I’m intrigued by First, since there is a clear which the pre-Knickerbockers John Thorn’s brilliant suggestion and direct line of descent from the were familiar from other bat-and- that we look at Parchesi, by the Knickerbocker rules of 1845 to ball games, but which they were thought that baseball may well baseball today, what we need to deliberately eliminating from their have been influenced by games focus on is what influenced the game, included overhand pitch- other than bat-and-ball games.) original Knickerbockers as they ing—”throwing”—and putting out developed their game in their in- runners by hitting them with Short of finding detailed writ- formal play in the early 1840s and thrown balls. Example: to the ten discussion of their game’s ori- as they formulated their rules Knickerbocker founders, the con- gins by the earliest Knickerbock- during the summer of 1845. cept of foul territory was not new ers themselves, we are unlikely to Second, one place to begin or unfamiliar, though their plac- settle forever the question of base- this search is the 1845 Knicker- ing it outside the lines created by ball’s origins and influences, but bocker rules themselves. What do the home-first home-third angle with the sharp thinkers and dili- they tell us about the game the may have been a Knickerbocker gent researchers currently at work pre-Knickerbockers were playing innovation.) on the the problem, I think we will when they rounded up extra mem- Third: when we have devel- soon find ourselves as close to bers to form themselves into a oped as full an understanding as final answers as it is possible to club? How did their game differ possible of the game the pre- come. - Fred Ivor-Campbell from other bat-and-ball games 6 The Winterbone Memoirs 1. How did you get into baseball? Our newly-elected Secretary, covered on UK TV, with the tardy changes and final dramatic fin- Graham Winterbone, offers insight but very welcome coverage on late ishes. The fact that baseball teams into the reasons an Englishman night ITV. I saw my first World usually play each other three or so born and bred would develop into Series that autumn, and rooted days in a row mirrors the three a fanatic follower of America’s Na- for Oakland as they swept San day game in cricket. But in ap- tional Pastime: Francisco. I had always been im- proximately nine hours of base- As an English fan of Ameri- pressed with Canseco and ball, you get three results. In can baseball, how many times McGwire’s power, Henderson’s cricket, you might not get one. In have I been asked the question speed and ’s stares. baseball you get a positive (or nega- “how did you get into baseball?”, Then I started buying whatever tive) result, and then get have or “why do you like baseball?”. baseball things I could find: a another chance tomorrow. The Ten times? One hundred times? Blue Jays cap, a World Series lack of a time limit in baseball A thousand? video, and “The Baseball Book”, leads to fascinating possibilities. Anyway, having experience which I found in the bargain bin. Can a baseball game ever go on in defending myself over the last Our next two visits to North forever? few years, it got me thinking about America were to Florida. In those Third: The history of the game really answering their questions, days it was baseball-free, but it fascinates me. Most English are for them and myself. Why do I love was always on TV. More books, surprised to learn how old the baseball so much? cards, caps, shirts, etc. were pur- organised and professional game In 1989 my wife and I went to chased to feed my ever growing of baseball is. It certainly not just stay with her aunt and uncle near addiction. Since then I have a new version of rounders! And Toronto. Cecil, the uncle, was thirsted, not only for the day to baseball writing is among the best originally from Trinidad and also day scores and news, but for in- of all sports writing. Biographies had lived in England. Since living formation on the history of the of the great players fascinate me in Canada, he had left his sport. The English media cover- most. cricketing roots and started to age was inadequate, but has been Last of all: The vs. watch and love baseball. Over the improving ever since. batter duel is the ultimate con- course of our two-week stay we frontation in sport. In no other watched many Blue Jays games The first Major League game team sport does the result depend on TV, but we couldn’t actually be I actually attended was Baltimore more on a one-to-one situation. there because they were all sold at California in 1992. I immedi- Consider the rookie pitcher facing out. Why didn’t I follow Cecil’s ately felt completely at home, and the veteran slugger, the dominant advice and go to a tout? this helped convince me that my closer protecting a one run lead in instincts were correct. I knew the bottom of the ninth, or the When I learned more about that baseball would become a life- veteran pitcher nearing a no hit- the game, one of the first facts that long passion. ter tires in the ninth - there are so astounded me was that the teams There are several factors that many possibilities, so many sto- played virtually every day for six drew me to the game. I had been ries to tell. Our own Bobby months. Our soccer players com- a big cricket fan and followed Test Thomson’s story comes to mind plain about forty or so games in Cricket avidly. But now I can’t say on how just one pitcher versus nine months! Then the postseason when I last watched even an hour batter confrontation can be re- - the World Series is not just one of a game. It is easiest to explain membered for generations. game but seven. Cecil said it was baseball to the British in com- a bit like playing seven Cup Fi- parison with cricket. Baseball coverage over here nals. First of all, the sheer athleti- has improved greatly with the The TV taught me about the cism of players such as Roberto Channel 5 coverage. I have re- players, and particularly their Alomar, the power of Albert Belle mained a Blue Jays fan, and was chewing and scratching habits and the speed of Devon White can thrilled when they won back-to- which seemed reached a height be matched by almost no cricket- back World Series titles. Seeing when they were at bat. I thought it ers, apart from some West Indians how the mighty have fallen, I have was part of the rules that you had and Ian Botham perhaps. Base- recently learnt the cyclical nature to adjust your crotch and spit ball excels in sheer athleticism. of the game. Over the last few copiously before batting. But I Second: In cricket the first years I have been lucky enough to also left Toronto with an inkling of inning, even of a five day game, attend several games in Oakland, how the game was played, as well can decide the course of the game. San Diego, San Francisco and as a the hope of a Blue Jays pen- How often is this true in baseball? Denver. nant. As well as a hangover. With nine innings instead of two, And that’s how I got into base- So when I got home I discov- there is much more scope for lead ball. ered that baseball was actually 7 The Winterbone Memoirs 2. The Ryan Express - Next Stop Oakland Graham Winterbone travels Our seats were up in the vertigo- by tipping his cap to the crowd. It 7000 miles to watch Nolan Ryan inducing third deck, but they were was a disappointing end to his pitch. Well, that’s not exactly the almost directly behind home plate. game, and with no more scoring way it went... Overall it was a good vantage point by either side Nolan Ryan took the It was July 29th 1993 and I to concentrate on the pitcher. I 4-1 loss. Since his no hitter on happened to catch an item in the sat next to Huistra, a Cuban emi- June 11 1990 in Oakland, he had local paper. “Nolan Ryan has come gré who had brought his grand- been winless in 6 starts versus off the disabled list and will pitch son with him to savour this spe- the A’s. After the game the crowd at Oakland tomorrow”. Not very cial occasion. He expressed deep started to drift away wondering exciting reading this in Britain. surprise that an Englishman was what may have been if Nolan Ryan But I was in Merced, in central not only a baseball fan but had had been given the chance to pitch California, and just a few hours actually even heard of Nolan Ryan. out of his own jam. drive from Oakland. I had the We stayed to the end of the chance to see a legend in action in As soon as Nolan Ryan got to game, and with the help of BART his final season. I couldn’t pass it work it was obvious why he was we were in Jack London’s, a down- up. still so successful. He throws town San Francisco sports bar really hard. It is difficult to define before midnight. The following My wife Sherry was quickly the sound his makes when day we found that Nolan Ryan persuaded and we were soon head- it hits the glove, Geno fever had spread across the bay ing north on the freeway towards Petralli’s on this occasion. I could and the sport shops had all kinds Oakland. I bought tickets at the run through a whole list of ono- of souvenirs available. We both park, after making sure that Nolan matopoeic words without quite settled for T-shirts, one detailing Ryan was really pitching. We still getting the right resonance. It is The Ryan Express Last Stops and had plenty of time before game perhaps sufficient to note that my the other outlined his major time so we headed into San Fran- wife commented on the loudness. records. Both shirts are now part cisco and found a hotel room. Later She also noticed the difference of my baseball collection. in the day we took the BART train between the speed of his pitches back to the for those of other whom we This was not a vintage year the early evening game. Bay Area had seen that trip. The whole by any means, and Nolan Ryan Rapid Transit monorail trains are crowd was riveted to the perform- finished with a 5-5 record with a sometimes underground, some- ance of one man and warmly ap- 4.88 ERA. He pitched 66 innings, times above ground. There is a plauded the completion of each with injuries forcing him to miss station connected to the Coliseum inning. many starts. His final start ever, by an elevated walkway; it is an in the Kingdome on September ideal way to travel to a game. The leadoff hitter for Texas, 22, 1993, was maybe one start too Gary Redus, scored a run in the many as he left the game in the It was a fine warm evening, first inning on a single by Juan first inning with an elbow injury with a game time temperature of Gonzalez. Nolan Ryan was pitch- (the Advil was insufficient for 76 degrees. A spectacular sunset ing strongly but allowing walks once!) and with no outs, having was developing over San Fran- rather than hits. However all already given up a . cisco bay, not that many people thoughts of another no hitter This made him the all time leader noticed. Nolan Ryan was in town evaporated in the fourth inning in grand slams allowed with 10. for the very last time and 42,325 and Oakland scored the tying run. With all of Nolan Ryan’s people gathered to pay homage to There was no more scoring and achievements and records, he will the legend. The atmosphere was Nolan Ryan still looked strong until most certainly gain his Hall of something special. The possibil- the bottom of the seventh. He Fame place when first eligible in ity of yet another no hitter to add loaded the bases with none out, 1999. His power pitching and the to his record was on everybody’s and to the huge disappointment sheer immensity of his numbers mind. The Oakland public showed of the crowd he was lifted in favour first attracted me to him and his their sporting nature in their re- of . The reliever gave work ethic and old fashioned val- ception for Ryan, which was ex- up one hit and two walks to allow ues kept me interested. In the tremely warm. Even when I held all three inherited runners to score modern era of six inning “quality up the beer queue for what seemed while only getting one out. Surely starts” there never will be another like hours while my passport was Nolan Ryan couldn’t have done like him. It was a privilege to be checked for my age (I was 31 at the any worse! able to see Nolan Ryan pitch, even time), the banter from behind was Nolan Ryan left the Oakland if he was not in his prime. But I’ll good natured - not what you would Coliseum field for the final time to never forget seeing him. expect at Wembley, for instance. a standing ovation, and he replied 8 19th Century Baseball Tours Visit England by Patrick Morley eighteen innings the scores stood pery state of the ground hindered alike and a final bout had to be the players but Chicago eventu- The first serious attempt to played to decide the game, which ally proved successful winning 7- interest the English in baseball was won by the Philadelphians by 4. The next match was at Lord’s came in 1874. By that time the three runs, the finish being very where this time the All Americans game in the United States had exciting.” won 7-6. They were also victori- become organised on a serious The paper goes on to report ous in the third London game, business footing and it was obvi- that the game took place at the played at the Crystal Palace, the ously felt that expanding baseball Liverpool Cricket Ground at Edge score being 5-3. abroad would open up new mar- Hill “and there was a good attend- The Prince of Wales was kets. Britain was the obvious ance of spectators.” It adds that asked by a newspaper reporter target: the game had originated the Americans also played at Man- what he thought of the game he there in some form; the two coun- chester and in London “and they attended. He asked for the report- tries were closely linked by a com- intend staying with us for some er’s notebook (where is that treas- mon language and by a shared time, playing matches in various ure now, one wonders) and in it he heritage; and the British Empire parts of the United Kingdom.” wrote the following “The Prince of was a potentially vast market wait- That visit to Liverpool was Wales has witnessed the game of ing to be exploited. part of a series of exhibition games Base Ball with great interest and Here is how the illustrated played on the cricket grounds though he considers it an excel- magazine The Graphic reported throughout the country by ar- lent game he considers cricket as on that first tour in its issue of rangement with the Marleybone superior.” August 15, 1874 under the head- Cricket Club. But whatever hopes So too it seems did most of ing “The American Baseball Play- the organisers of the tour may the other English spectators. One ers”: have had of getting the English to of them was no less a cricketing “The game of base-ball which take up the game were clearly not legend than Dr.W.G. Grace him- during the last ten years has grown fulfilled. self, who met the teams and no so rapidly in favour on the other Fourteen years later, another doublt compared the two summer side of the Atlantic, that it is now baseball tour was organised, and sports with them. Sadly, there is regarded by our American cous- A.G. Spalding, a baseball star in no record of his views on baseball. ins as their national pastime, ap- his own right and later head of the For the record, the Illustrated pears to an English spectator very major sporting goods firm which London News recorded the names much like the simple game of bears his name, was the promoter of the touring sides, some of them rounders with which he was fa- and tour . This time it familiar to anyone with a nodding miliar in his youth. The gentle- was a world tour and games were acquaintance of 19th century men who have come over to teach played in the Sandwich Islands baseball: us the game belong to two of the (as Hawaii was then called), Aus- From Chicago, Messrs A.C. crack clubs of the United States, tralia, New Zealand, Egypt, Italy Anson, T.P. Daly, M. Baldwin, J. the Philadelphia Athletic and the and France. The players reached Ryan, F.N. Pfeffer, T. Burns, M. Boston Red Stockings, the latter England in March 1889, and this Sullivan, J.K. Tener and R. Pettitt. being the champion club of is how the Illustrated London News The All Americans, drawn from America and the former, ex-cham- reported the games played in Lon- New York, Boston, Philadelphia, pions.” don: Pittsburg, Washington, Detroit, The Graphic then goes on to “The visit to England of two and Indianapolis: Messrs J.M. give a resumé of how the game was fine teams of good performers in Ward, W. Earle, T. Healey, F.H. then played, noting that “the this favourite American pastime Carroll, J. Manning, G.A. Wood, pitcher...must pitch or bowl high has attracted much notice...The J.G. Fogarty, E. Hanlon, and T.L. or low according to the desire of opening match between Chicago Brown. his opponent and always under- and the All American teams was A bare eighteen players, it hand.” played on Tuesday March 12 at will be noted. One wonders what The report goes on: “The Kennington Oval...Soon after the happened in the event of injury, innings are got over with great play began, the Prince of Wales especially as they had been tour- rapidity, three or four players be- arrived and the game being ing for several months. Maybe ing put out in perhaps as many stopped by the players, congre- they were a tougher lot than the minutes. There is scope for much gating together, cheered his Royal baseball players of today. agility, and as no gloves are worn Highness very heartily. They dis- The Spalding world tour pro- the ‘’ requires to be toler- play wonderful agility in running duced more positive results than ably hard handed as well as ex- from one base to the other, whilst the earlier one. In the following tremely alert. The usual game is they are brilliant catchers and year, capitalising on the public nine innings a side but in the first return the ball with extraordinary interest which had been aroused, contest at Liverpool the playing smartness.” a professional English baseball was so close that at the end of the The paper noted that the slip- league was set up. 9 Report of the British Baseball Historical Committee 1997 This is

by Patrick Morley, Chairman pean-born major league players AFN and managers since 1871. List- The major focus of the Com- ing some 200 names, it was pre- mittee’s activities during the year sented to the annual convention Patrick Morley, under review has been the Derby of the prestigious Association of one of the founders of Connection. The Midlands city of UK Sports Historians and will be Derby is the only place in Britain published later in the Baseball SABR UK and the whose soccer stadium bears the Research Journal. Chair of the British name The Baseball Ground. It Baseball Historical Basic research continues in was given that title in the 1890s Committee, has writ- when it was the home of the Derby several other fields: baseball in Baseball Club, three times win- the North of England which drew ten and published a ners of the English Baseball Cup bigger crowds before World War II book. Drawing upon and vanquishers of the champion than many league soccer matches; his memories as a Boston Beaneaters when they the game in London and the South toured England in 1897. Now the East of England between the two young baseball fan in ground is to be closed down and world wars; baseball on the Con- Britain struggling to SABR UK is planning to be closely tinent, especially Holland; and the keep track of the game involved in the ceremonies to mark so-called ‘Black Hole’ of British the end of an era. As a result, baseball, the development of the he loved during World research efforts have been con- sport from the Middle Ages to the War II, This Is AFN is centrated on gathering material 19th century. Much interesting the previously-untold material is being gradually as- for a study paper on Derby’s con- story of the American nections with the game and espe- sembled, some it familiar, some cially the links with A.G. Spalding, surprising. Even something as Forces Network, the who played a key role in encour- well-known as Jane Austen’s ref- wartime broadcasting aging the development of baseball erence to baseball in Northanger organisation the BBC in Britain. Here, our SABR col- Abbey (completed 1803) raises leagues on the other side of the more questions than it answers fought tooth and nail Atlantic are making an important and is typical of the problems of to keep off the air. It contribution through research linguistic interpretation our re- had a profound effect searchers wrestle with. into the Spalding papers. on the listenting of The other major piece of UK One other absorbing piece of many thousands of baseball research also involves research the Committee is under- Britons and for many, taking is the Irish Question. Tens connections with A.G. Spalding. it was their first intro- Although not undertaken directly of thousands of Irish immigrants by the Committee, the research flooded into the United States as a duction to live Major done by Bernard Day has had the result of the privations caused League baseball com- active encouragement of SABR UK. during the Great Famine of the mentaries. The full It has resulted in the unearthing 1840s. Their influence on Ameri- of detailed records and reports on can politics is well-known. But story is in This is AFN. the activities of the Middlesbrough what of their effect on the bur- Copies of the book can Pioneers Baseball Club of the geoning sport of baseball? We are be obtained at £5.00 1890s. More than that, it has also exploring several interesting theo- led to the identification of one of ries which may throw light on the each directly from the various trophies Spalding pro- way baseball developed in the Patrick Morley, Spring vided to help encourage baseball 1880s and 1890s. Cottage, The Batch, in Britain and long thought to have vanished. The results of this Finally, the Committee ex- Hill Road, Sandford, research are still being evaluated presses its warmest thanks to North Somerset but on the face of it, it is an excit- Patrick Carroll for his work during BS19 5RH, tel- ing discovery. the past two years. Pressure of other commitments has forced him ephone 01934 One important achievement to relinquish the chair and he is 822781. during the year was the comple- succeeded by Patrick Morley, tion of the Register of all Euro- founder secretary of SABR UK. 10 This SABR’d Isle, con’t

continued on page 10 station. And it comes in loud and was to be the herald of the Sum- So instead of the main news, clear from Munich. I guess when mer of Love. It took place in Golden I get the sports news. US sports you’re that far up, you can pick up Gate Park, and needing a huge get little mention in UK media, stations for miles. And the game open place for so many people, the with the exception of the Super was the Giants vs. Mariners, and Be-In naturally took place on “The Bowl and the last game of the they were winning the second Polo Grounds” of Golden Gate World Series. So I saw screaming game of the series for a sweep. It Park. It was on the poster. It was headlines “Yankees win baseball was a beautiful signal, without a weird feeling, because I had that World Series”. “Noooo!” I that howling Spanish station over- dream long before I bought the screamed. “I didn’t want to know riding your signal. We were on the book. that!”. My wife said “But isn’t that roof of Europe, not far from the the result you wanted?”. I said highest village in Austria. Picking Is Jung right? Is baseball “Yes, but I didn’t want to know up such a familiar signal in a part of our collective conscious- yet!”. So I watch the tape and foreign land is very comforting. ness? Somebody had to ask. those damn superbikes don’t bother me so much, because I already knew the result, and I’ve got fast for- The Nineteenth ward. Enjoyed the game anyway, and I wouldn’t have Century Debate missed riding that horse for anything. - Spalding vs. So that night, it was a Chadwick, Sunday, I’d already had baseball withdrawal. So I con’t switch on AFN radio to see what was on. I’m immedi- accepting this ately greeted with that hor- continued on page 10 rid tonal sequence that ac- as evidence that baseball companies the tomahawk descended from rounders. chop! “Noooo!” I screamed. And while Alexander My heart grew heavy, my Cartwright is probably base- brain grew numb. Thoughts ball’s first organiser, his part raced through my head. in the formulation of base- They had to replay the sixth ball’s rules is questionable World Series game because at best. Is there something of some technicality. Maybe about the psyche, or maybe like the Pine Tar game. The the American psyche, that Yankees are going to have to needs an Abner Doubleday, do it all over again! The an Alexander Cartwright, Braves can still win it! How instead of accepting that did this chain of events happen? Then J.T. Snow hit a to baseball “just growed”? All these thoughts occurred take the lead, and I got so excited I have said before that to me in the second or two before that I jumped up and spilled my Henderson is the father of base- the announcer came on saying schnapps! ball prehistory. But we need to “You’re listening to Florida move on. If we see anything more Seminoles football”. The Braves One final thought about the clearly in the intervening years, is stole that obnoxious howl from a connection between baseball and that it’s not as simple as Spalding college football team! It took me a memory. I once wrote about hav- vs. Chadwick, or Doubleday vs. half hour for my heartbeat to re- ing this dream of finding the Polo Cartwright. Just as we needed to turn to normal. Grounds in Golden Gate Park in break the shackles of Spalding, San Francisco. Like, it was just we need to break the shackles of I was on holiday in Austria in there, and nobody knew until I Henderson. We need to look at June, about the time of the first stumbled across it. Then I buy the origins and ancestry of base- interleague games. We got this this book about the hippies, and it ball from an unprejudiced view- place high up in the Alps. So one has a photo of a poster for the point, search for hard facts and night I dial around the radio, to “Human Be-In: A Gathering of the not draw conclusions without see if I could pick up a local AFN Tribes”, set for January 1967. It them. 11 AGM (Another Great Meeting), con’t

more than 200 European-born high point of British baseball and District Baseball Associa- players, and he is now re- interest. Though he did not tion. searching the Irish influence come from the angle of base- This was a local version of on baseball in the late 19th ball research, he proceeded to what we have come to know as century. The list is due to be unearth a number of relics of the Holy Grail - the national published in the next Baseball that British baseball renais- Spalding Trophy. He also found Research Journal. Patrick sance, all connected to his various baseball medals from Carroll was then thanked for grandfather and the teams he the era and explained in amus- his work as the previous Chair played on or played against. ing anecdotal form the joys of this Committee. He first found a photo of his and despairs of his painstak- grandfather’s team with two ing research. Bernard would Patrick Morley delivered baseball trophies. Then recount how he would go eight- his renowned rendition of Stockton Football Club gave een months without a discov- “Casey at the Bat” - a ery, and then the doors classic, of which would open and they DeWolfe Hopper would would come in droves. have been jealous. Pat Everyone at the meet- Carroll pointed out that ing was inspired with Hopper’s daughter was his passion and per- Hedda Hopper. sistence in his research goals, and how he Then came the brought that era alive high point of the with his stories. evening. Mike Ross explained that one of Then Chris Harte, the original aims of the the Secretary of The Chapter was to find the Association of Sports Spalding Trophy, an Historians (ASH) talked award given to the win- about how his organi- ner of the National sation works towards League of British base- the interchange of in- ball in the 1890’s. He formation regarding then introduced the fea- British sports history, tured speaker Bernard and encouraged SABR Day. members to join. An John Gaustad receives recognition for his services to baseball in Britain auction Bernard of base- Day told ball how he started out doing fam- him an old burnt and broken memorabilia took place. Auc- ily research at the request of silver trophy to identify - peo- tioneer Mike Ross raised ap- his aunt. When he found out ple had been trying for years. proximately £100 for Chapter his grandfather, William Bernard cleaned and restored funds. The meeting ended with McReddie, was a renowned it. When he put the trophy and Tony Darkin’s trivia quiz, and footballer with the Middles- the photo together, one of those afterwards we had to chance to brough Pioneers in the 1890’s, moments of discovery occurs socialise and talk baseball into it was only the beginning. He that every researcher dreams the evening. soon after found out his grand- of. It was the trophy in the An excellent time was had father was also a renowned photograph! Bernard immedi- by all. baseball player with Middles- ately identified it as the Cleve- brough’s baseball team. The land District Trophy, an award - Martin Hoerchner, based decade following Spalding’s given by Albert Spalding to the on Minutes by Graham round-the-world tour was a Champions of the Cleveland Winterbone 12

This photograph from 1938 comes from Mike Ross’s Translatlantic Baseball Review, issue of April 1991. It originally came from Les Hoole of Bradford, a veteran British baseball buff and collector of baseball memorabilia. In mid-August 1938, the English national team beat the American Olympic baseball team, three out of four matches, in what was described as a “Test Series” between the two countries. This team from Yorkshire played the same year, 1938. We’ll try to bring you more information in the next issue of the Examiner.

SABR UK now on the Web

I am pleased to announce that SABR UK has recently obtained a site on the Internet. Aim your browser at www.sabr.org.uk. You’ll see that it’s nowhere near complete, but it’s a good start, and has already received recognition from the head office. It will start to grow more as soon as I have more time after this issue of the Examiner is finished, which is now. Hopefully it will become a vehicle for letting people all over the world know who we are, especially those in Britain who would like to get in touch with us. And I’ll close with a request for submissions and suggestions - I can’t, and shouldn’t, do this thing alone! - Martin Hoerchner