Nov 21Cy Young, Pitching until Age 68The 2023 Cy Young Award winners for baseball’s best American and National League pitchers are the New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole and the San Diego Padres’ Blake Snell. Cole and Snell are dandy pitchers, but will never match Cy Young’s credentials. Neither will anyone else. Only a handful of dinosaur…Cy Young4 min readCy Young4 min read
Nov 12Judge Landis Winked at 1926 Baseball Gambling ScandalBASEBALL HISTORY World Series 2023 had the lowest television ratings in history. No need to belabor the whys and wherefores. Instead of listening to the ceaseless chatter of announcer John Smoltz, fans would be better off acquainting themselves with the game’s rich history. …Baseball5 min readBaseball5 min read
Nov 11Veterans DayKiner, Greenberg, WW II Heroes, HOF Sluggers Legendary Pittsburgh Pirates sluggers Ralph Kiner and Hank Greenberg shared more than Hall of Fame induction. They were World War II heroes whose Buccos power-hitting careers overlapped, and led to the construction of Forbes Field’s controversial Greenberg Gardens. Over the years, Kiner and Greenberg developed an enduring friendship. The day…Veterans Day4 min readVeterans Day4 min read
Oct 30World Series Mystery Solved 50 Years LaterNearly 50 years after one of the World Series’ most controversial plays occurred, the issue was at last definitively resolved. For the five decades between 1925 and 1974, fans debated whether Pittsburgh Pirates batter Earl Smith was out when Washington Senators outfielder Sam Rice tumbled into the left field stands…Baseball4 min readBaseball4 min read
Oct 24Italian-American Heritage MonthCelebrating Baseball’s Sal Maglie, the Demon Barber When Sal Maglie was finishing his two years, 1956–1957, with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he gave advice to his two future Hall of Fame teammates, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. Known around baseball as “The Barber,” Sal told the future greats: “Throw that second…Sal Maglie4 min readSal Maglie4 min read
Oct 19U.S. with Open Border Has ‘So Far’ Avoided Mass Terror AttackThe U.S. has been lucky since 9/11. Despite the nation’s open borders, the country has so far avoided another major attack on the homeland. The operative words are “so far.” Look at the large number of unvetted people flooding into America, and the surprising reality is that the nation has…Biden Border Crisis4 min readBiden Border Crisis4 min read
Sep 14On Rosh HashanahKen Holtzman, MLB’s Winningest Jewish Pitcher BASEBALL HISTORY When the Chicago Cubs called up Ken Holtzman from the Rookie Pioneer League in 1965, some within the organization predicted that the lefty flamethrower would be the next Sandy Koufax. Both were tall, lean, Jewish flamethrowers. Holtzman had an outstanding 17-year-long career…Baseball History4 min readBaseball History4 min read
Aug 8Fitch’s Downgrade of U.S. Debt to AA+ is GenerousTroubling Specifics On August 1, the rating agency Fitch dropped the U.S. government’s long-term credit rating from AAA to AA+. Fitch said the downgrade “reflects the expected fiscal deterioration over the next two or three years, a high and growing general government debt burden, and the erosion of governance.” The…Fitch Ratings4 min readFitch Ratings4 min read
Aug 7On Purple Heart Day …Honoring Charles Durning, Character Actor and WWII Hero Charles Durning’s D-Day memories were so painful that for decades he suppressed them. Drafted at age 20, Durning eventually earned a Silver Star for valor, a Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone, and three Purple Hearts, given in the…Purple Heart Day4 min readPurple Heart Day4 min read
Jul 19Cooperstown Needs to Restore Excellence, Tighten Induction StandardsWith the Hall of Fame induction ceremony set for the July 21–24 weekend, here’s a baseball quiz. The question: What do Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Scott Rolen and Fred McGriff have in common? Not many fans are fooled. Although Ruth, Cobb, Rolen and McGriff have skill levels that range from…Baseball3 min readBaseball3 min read
