Baseball History Podcast

Lynford Hobart Lary, nicknamed “Broadway”, was born January 28, 1906 in Armona, California. Lary was a well-traveled shortstop. He played for six different teams in a span of twelve years, including two stints with the St. Louis Browns and played for three teams in 1939. Primarily a singles hitter, Lary was a good defensive player with good hands and a strong arm.

Richard Hirschfeld Williams was born on May 7, 1929, in St. Louis, MO. Williams’s intense competitiveness and versatility earned him 13 years as a major league utility player. He parlayed those strengths into one of baseball’s most successful managerial careers.

Baldomero Almada, nicknamed “Melo”, was born February 7, 1913 in Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico. He moved to southern California with his family at the age of one in 1914, amid the political and business turmoil of the Revolution in Mexico. He made history by becoming the first Mexican baseball player to play in the Major Leagues.

Alfonso Ramon Lopez, nicknamed “Al”, was born August 20, 1908 in Tampa, Florida. A solid major league catcher whose record of games caught stood for more than 40 years. He later found great success as manager.

Ernest Gordon Phelps, nicknamed “Babe”, was born April 19, 1908 in Odenton, MD. While playing for a local team, Phelps’ baseball exploits caught the attention of Clark Griffith, owner of the Washington Senators. Griffith eventually offered the young ballplayer his first professional contract. In 1931, he was called up to the big club at the end of the season for the proverbial “cup of coffee.”

Harold Patrick Reiser was born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1919, in St. Louis, Missouri. His family called him “Pete” after the character “Two Gun Pete” from the Western movies he loved as a kid. He loved playing sandlot baseball with his father and his brothers, and quickly showed his natural talent. Tragedy and illness touched him even as a young teenager, though, when his beloved big brother Michael contracted scarlet fever and died right after signing a contract with the Yankees.

Hazen Shirley Cuyler, nicknamed “Kiki”, was born August 30, 1898 in Harrisville, Michigan. He played with competitive zeal, yet was admired amidst rough and tumble teammates for his gentlemanly qualities.  He hit .300 ten times in his major league career and regularly batted .350 or higher.  He finished with a .321 lifetime batting average. Welcome [...]

Edward Raymond Stanky, nicknamed “The Brat”, was born September 3, 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His original nickname, “The Brat from Kensington,” is a reference to the neighborhood where he grew up. Stanky’s manager Leo Durocher once summed up Stanky’s talents: “He can’t hit, can’t run, can’t field. He’s no nice guy… all the little SOB can do is win.”

Roger Lee Craig was born February 17, 1930 in Durham, North Carolina. In 1986 Sports Illustrated called Roger Craig “the acknowledged maestro of the split-fingered fastball.” He was best known as a player for being an original New York Met and was a stalwart of the legendarily bad team’s pitching staff, losing 24 and 22 games in those first two seasons. Remarkably during those two years, he completed 27 games while winning only 15, demonstrating that he was one of the best pitchers on the staff.

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.