Baseball History Podcast

Sanford Koufax, nickname Sandy, was born Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York. He is viewed as one of the greatest left-handed pitchers in Major League Baseball history. Koufax played his entire career for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, from 1955 to 1966.

William Joseph “Bill” Buckner was born December 14, 1949 in Vallejo, California. Bill Buckner will forever be remembered for the Mookie Wilson ground ball that went through his legs in the sixth game of the 1986 World Series and cost Boston the championship. He should be remembered as an outstanding hitter and fielder who overcame serious injuries

Charles Albert “Chief” Bender was born May 5, 1884 in Crow Wing County, Minnesota as a member of the Ojibwa (O’chippewa) tribe. Bender boldly created his own opportunities in a world still basically hostile toward his race. His father was a German settler in Minnesota, his mother a Chippewa.

Reginald Martinez “Reggie” Jackson was born May 18, 1946 in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, just north of Philadelphia, but later made his home in Oakland, California. He was nicknamed “Mr. October” for his clutch hitting ability in the postseason.

Gilbert Raymond Hodges was born April 4, 1924 in Princeton, Indiana. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943 and was nineteen when he played third base for one game for them late in that season. He was considered to be one of the finest players of the 1950s, and graduated to managerial success with the Mets.

Robert Granville Lemon was born September 22, 1920 in San Bernardino, California. He virtually had three careers in the baseball: one as a light-hitting lefthanded-batting third baseman, another as a stellar right-handed pitcher, and the last as a successful major league manager.

Steven Norman Carlton was born December 22, 1944 in Miami, Florida. This left-handed pitcher retired as one of the most successful pitchers to ever play the game. He was known to Philadelphia fans as “Lefty.”

George Harold Sisler was born March 24, 1893 and was nicknamed “Gorgeous George.” He set hitting records which no one has equalled in the last eighty years. He is widely regarded as having been the greatest player in St. Louis Browns history.

Adrian Joss was born April 12, 1880 in Woodland, Wisconsin. Contemporaries of 6’3″ Addie Joss admired him as much as almost anyone who ever put on a major league uniform. His untimely death from an attack of tubercular meningitis in April 1911 shocked the baseball world.