Baseball History Podcast

Michael Kendall Flanagan was born December 16, 1951 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Armed with a big-breaking curveball, an underrated fastball and a great pickoff move, Flanagan strung together a decade of formidable pitching after losing his first five major-league decisions. From 1977 to 1987, he started more games than any other American League pitcher and posted a .500 or better record each season from 1977 to 1984.

John Wesley Coombs, nicknamed “Jack” and “Colby Jack”, was born November 18, 1882 in LeGrand, Iowa. Armed with an above average fastball and a devastating drop curve, Coombs had one of the most dominant pitching seasons in baseball history in 1910, rolling up a 31-9 record to propel the Philadelphia Athletics to the American League pennant.

Frederick Carlisle Snodgrass, nicknamed “Snow,” was born October 19, 1887 in Ventura, California. The feisty, quick-tempered Snodgrass was a regular on three consecutive Giant pennant winners, from 1911 through 1913. Despite his solid contributions to the three pennant-winning clubs, the tenacious center fielder will forever be remembered for his infamous “muff” in the final game of the 1912 World Series.

Arthur Neukom Nehf was born July 31, 1892 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Some seasons, Nehf pitched as a starter only, and some as a relief pitcher and a starter, but he was always solid in both roles, earning a reputation around the majors as an always-consistent pitcher.