Scott Simkus
@scottsimkus
Author: Outsider Baseball: The Weird World of Hardball on the Fringe. Historian: Member of the Seamheads team, rebuilding Negro league stats.
I was at the debut of the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) in Springfield IL tonight. Saw Tony LaRussa, Dave Stewart and Keith Foulke there. Mo’ne Davis played center and lead off the first inning
My wife (Borat’s voice) is an art teacher. She inherited some vintage paper supplies for her classroom, some dating back to the 50s, and in the pile is this baseball wrapping paper, likely from the 1970s..
In 1952, 45-year-old Satchel Paige threw a 12-inning shutout (with 9 strikeouts) against the Detroit Tigers. That summer he went 12-10 with a 3.07 era and 10 saves. Two shutouts.
I rebuilt the 1943 Negro league stats now included as part of the official MLB statistical record. A huge breakthrough in my research was uncovering this 4-page Homestead Grays press release from late in the season, hidden in the archives at Howard Univ. It was a road map for finding box scores.
1976 you say? My Dad and I put on some cool clothes and marched in not one, but TWO parades. The vibe seemed a lot more positive back then, but I was only six. What did I know?
This is where I bought most of my baseball cards back in 1978 and 1979. Grocery store is long gone…
@wkamaubell.bsky.social could play aging Hall of Famer Buck Leonard in a yet-to-be-written bio pic.
The game indeed took place, with “Wilson” (Waddell) pitching for the white team, Rube Foster for the CXG. Rube Foster indeed gets credited with the victory, and possibly a legendary nickname. Seems to suggest Dryden wasn’t kidding, Waddell lost to Foster. CORRECTION: This is 1903, not ‘02.
The Cuban X-Giants were to face the Murray Hills team at Olympia Field, NYC. No mention of Waddell, who would appear under an alias… 2/3
I believe the Rube v Rube game took place on August 2, 1902. Charles Dryden, who was traveling with the A’s, scribbled about the game on 8/4-8/5. He was known to write some tall tales, but this one seems to check out… per the NY Evening World 1/3
This raw milk weirdo is the first person I’ve ever seen who looks like Babe Ruth.
I stopped there in 2021 for some reason. The reason? Because I’m a hardcore baseball history weirdo, I guess
Random: Dode Paskert’s old home in Cleveland. 1909 W 45th Street. Recently renovated.
One of the Atlanta Braves old managers passed away. They were 0-1 under his steady leadership. RIP Ted Turner
If podcasts existed back in the 1920s, which Negro leaguer would have hosted one? Probably Joe Rogan.
SCALDING HOT TAKE: Put the 1990s Atlanta Braves pitching rotation on a team today, with the ABS challenge system, and things would be a LOT different for them. Mostly because they’re all in their 60s now. But also they wouldn’t be getting those bogus strike calls on pitchers four inches outside.
Sitting in my 87-year-old Mother’s garage are some the surviving Wiffle balls (and a bat or two), just in case my childhood buddies and I show up at her place, ready to restart our rivalry from 1982 or something.
Random: All-time pitching great Walter Johnson started 5 games in center field during his career.
Bluesky Baseball Bookclub (Triple-B): Reading suggestion, this biography of Oscar Charleston is excellent. Jeremy Beer has done an amazing job bringing this legend to life.
Wild stuff in the NBA last night, three shutouts. Doesn’t happen often.
When I see T-206 cards I’m grateful for all the chain-smoking men (and children) from 100+ years ago who made this all possible.
Was not aware Strat-O-Matic included a card for Moonlight Graham on their special 1905 NY Giants team set. Terrific #fieldofdreams