Baseball History Podcast

Robert William “Bobby” Brown, MD was born October 25, 1924 in Seattle, Washington. More than 16,000 players have played major league baseball, but Dr. Bobby Brown’s lifetime profile has no parallel. He played professional baseball on a team that won five world championships, was a practicing cardiologist in Texas, served as interim president of the Texas Rangers, and spent ten years as president of the American League.

Henry Emmett Manush nicknamed “Heinie,” was born July 20, 1901 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Mastering the art of the line drive but unable to master his own temper, Heinie Manush burst onto the major league scene with the Detroit Tigers and quickly became one of the fiercest and most feared hitters in the game.

Joseph Lionel White Harris was born February 1, 1882 in Melrose, Massachusetts. Harris was a right-handed pitcher whom some compared to his teammate Cy Young. However, in 1906, his first full year on the job, he put up remarkable numbers of two wins and 21 losses and then was hired back for another go-round in 1907 where he went 0-7.

dwin Americus Rommel, nicknamed Eddie, was born September 13, 1897 in Baltimore, Maryland.

He is considered to be the “father” of the modern knuckleball. After retiring as a player he went on to have a successful second career as a major league umpire.

Antonio Oliva Lopez Hernandes Javique, better known as Tony Oliva, was born on July 20, 1938 in Pinar del Río, Cuba. Oliva is the only player in major league history to win batting titles in his first two full seasons. He was one of the most graceful, natural hitters of all time, but had his career cut short by a bad knee.

Saturnino Orestes Armas Miñoso Arrieta, nicknamed Minnie (mean-YO-so, commonly pronounced minn-OH-so by media, was born November 29, 1925 in El Perico, Cuba. Minoso would do whatever was necessary to get on base, including getting in the way of fastballs. In 16 American League seasons, he set the league record by being hit by a pitch 189 times. He is one of just two players in Major League history to play in five separate decades

Edward Augustine Walsh, nicknamed “Big Ed”, was born May 14, 1881 in Plains Township, Pennsylvania. From 1907 to 1912, Walsh tested the limits of a pitcher’s endurance like no pitcher has since. During that stretch the spitballing right-hander led the American League in innings pitched four times, often by staggeringly large margins. He hurled a total of 2,248 innings, 300 more than any other pitcher in baseball.

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.

George Leroy Wiltse, nicknamed “Hooks,” was born September 7, 1879 in Hamilton, New York. Though overshadowed on the Giants staff by Christy Mathewson, Wiltse won in double figures for New York in each of his first eight seasons and was with them for five pennants. He had a sensational rookie year in 1904, winning his first 13 starts and finishing 13-3.

Jacob Nelson “Nellie” Fox was born December 25, 1927 in St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania. The 5’10″ 160-lb Fox was long one of the top American League second basemen.