May 2012 archive

The Dummy Hoy Story

The Player Hoy was born in Houcktown, Ohio in 1862. He played his first professional season with Oshkosh in 1886 in the Northwestern League. He returned with Oshkosh and in 1887 batted a sparkling .367 in 115 games. A left handed batter who threw with his right hand, Hoy was listed at 5-06 and 160 …

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Baseball and Crabs

I am pleased to announce that Blue Crab Trading Company is our new sponsor slash partner.  A little bit about our new sponsor. Blue Crab Trading Company is founded on the basic principle of providing the freshest possible crabs at a reasonable price. In an age when many “Old Time Maryland Traditions” go by the …

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Nats go for the sweep against Phillies

This evening the division leading Washington Nationals will go for their second consecutive sweep against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Park.  Last season the over achieving Nats went to Citizens Park to play the Phillies four games in three days.  From September 20 to September 22 the Nats outscored the division leading Phillies 20 to …

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The Bob Larner Story – One of the best known newspaper men in the District

Robert Martin “Bob” Larner 25 October 1877, the baseball season is nearly over and the Creightons[1] the so-called “Greens” take on the Georgetown College nine in a 8 to 4 win.[2] “For the victors Howard Wall and “Bob” Larner led the batting, and Tucker and McKenna accepted every chance which offered to throw a man …

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‘Pretty Good’ Isn’t Good Enough as Nats Hit The Road in NL East

The Nationals’ greatness was tested once again last weekend against the Baltimore Orioles, and once again they came up just short. But several more positive signs emerged during the 2-1 series loss, and now the team will hit the road for a key stretch of National League East games that will determine exactly where they …

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This Day in D.C. Baseball History – Howard sets a new Major League Record

May 18, 1968 Frank “”Hondo”” Howard blasts two home runs at Tiger Stadium to extend his streak to six consecutive games with a home run. The two home runs Howard hit off of the Tigers were his 9th and 10th home runs of the streak During a six game stretch from May 12, 1968 to …

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What’s in a name?

Baseball in the District, if you ask many fans it would begin and end with Walter Johnson, prior of course to the arrival of Harper and Strasburg. Oh they might throw in a couple of “No-Win’s” and “Tail-Enders” but Johnson, Harper and Strasburg are the focal points. Sad in a way because the District has …

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American League players drawn by Vic Johnson – Vic Wertz

From the Mickey Vernon Museum, American League Baseball players drawn by Vic Johnson. This caricature of Vic Wertz is just one of a series of 19 caricatures of American League baseball players drawn by Vic Johnson during 1957. This caricature of Vic Wertz and the the other 18, is taken from a composite collection of those illustrations …

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Mickey And Satchel

The Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum, located in Delaware County, PA,  is a non-profit museum with the purpose of celebrating the life and career of Mickey himself and the athletes of his home county.  It is funded strictly by donations. Mickey Vernon died on September 24, 2008.  Two months before he died, he and I were taking a trip to …

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Flashback: Harper’s Shot Recalls Another D.C Phenom’s First Homer

Bryce Harper ensured his place in Washington baseball history even before he became the youngest major leaguer since 1998 to hit a home run. At 19 years, 211 days old, Harper isn’t even old enough to buy a drink to celebrate his more than 400-foot blast off San Diego Padres starter Tim Stauffer, which came …

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