Book Review: Satch, Dizzy & Rapid Robert

satchdizzyrapidrobertIā€™m in the middle of reading a pretty decent book right now.  Itā€™s called Satch, Dizzy and Rapid Robert: The Wild Saga of Interracial Baseball Before Jackie Robinson authored by Timothy Gay. 

Unless weā€™re baseball historians, most of us have the notion that interracial baseball simply did not happen before Jackie Robinsonā€™s momentous year when Branch Rickey made the decision to integrate baseball.  Gayā€™s book, Satch, Dizzy and Rapid Robert documents in detail how blacks and whites played the game of baseball throughout the 20th century, mostly manifesting itself in barnstorming sessions after the American and National Leagues had finished their seasons. 

Gay covers in detail the careers of Satchel Paige, Dizzy Dean and Bob Feller (hence the name of the book) even above and beyond the interracial baseball angle.  We get a quite thorough bio of each of their lives.  That said, I think Gay uses the three as a vehicle to discuss the issue of barnstorming baseball between whites and blacks and how it affected both Negro Leagues and ā€œwhiteā€ baseball.  Gay talks about Negro Leaguers Oscar Charleston, Turkey Stearns, Cool Papa Bell as well as white ballplayers such as Mickey Vernon, Leo Durocher. 

I have just finished the chapter on Bob Feller which I found fascinating mostly because Iā€™m surprised how little I knew about him.  His media-perceived arrogance, his financial shrewdness, and his opposition of the reserve clause, for example.  Our family passed by his hometown of Van Meter, Iowa last year and didnā€™t have time to stop.  Weā€™ll be going by there again this summer.  This time, Iā€™ll insist.

Timothy Gayā€™s book, Satch, Dizzy and Rapid Robert: The Wild Saga of Interracial Baseball Before Jackie Robinson is published by Simon and Schuster.  Itā€™s definitely worth a look for anyone who is interested in baseball history or even race politics. 

Illinois Marathon has everyone running

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There was no college baseball in town this weekend but there was the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon, becoming quite the event these days. 

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Over 18,000 participated in the marathon, half-marathon, 10K or the 5K on Friday and Saturday.  These photos are mostly from the marathon (there are a lot more here) at around the 12 mile mark. 

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By the way, thatā€™s the eventual first place finisher among the women on the right Lauren Kromrey (#27).

A few more photos:

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You can find the results of the all the races this weekend here

Yankees send out personal info to season ticket holders

The Yankees have had a bit of a security problem it seems.  Not the kind with unruly fans (well, maybe they do but thatā€™s not what Iā€™m talking about) but with their email.  Seems the team accidently emailed an internal spreadsheet to ā€œseveral hundredā€ season ticket holders.  The spreadsheet which was attached to the email included personal information about each ticket holder.

From the letter posted on the Yankees site:

Monday evening, April 25, 2011, an employee of the Yankees sent an e-mail to several hundred Yankees Season Ticket Licensees. The e-mail mistakenly attached an internal Yankees spreadsheet that listed the following information associated with your New York Yankees account:

ā€¢ Your name, and the address, phone number(s), fax number, and e-mail address that you previously provided to the Yankees
ā€¢ Your seat numbers, Yankees account number, Yankees account representative name, and the ticket package code associated with your account

The letter went on to say no other personal info such as credit card or banking info was included in the spreadsheet.

Needless to say, any time lists like this get out which tie names to email addresses and street addresses, itā€™s not a good thing.  These kind of lists are prime material for those who wish to engage in what is called spear-phishing or targeted phishing schemes.

Plus, now everyone knows where everybody sits.  That canā€™t be a good thing.

Ozzie’s caught tweeting in the dugout

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White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is in doghouse again though Iā€™m not sure for the right reasons.Ā  Heā€™s been suspended for two games following his altercation with umpire Todd Tichenor at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night.Ā  MLB states that Guillen is in violation of its ā€œsocial media policy and other regulations regarding the use of electronic equipment during the course of a game.”

Indeed, after arguing balls and strikes with Tichenor, Guillen went back to the dugout and showed him up the best way he knew how.Ā  By using Twitter. Kicking dust at the ump is so old school.

Two tweets came through Guillenā€™s accountā€¦ the first simply said, ā€œThis one going to cost me a lot money this is pateticā€Ā  The next a little more to the point, said, “Today a tough guy show up a yankee stadiumā€.

As of now, his twitter account has been silent since then.

Iā€™m usually pretty tolerant of Guillenā€™s antics.Ā  He makes the game more colorful and gives the organization a respectable amount of uncomfortableness that I like.Ā  But MLB has it right.Ā  Guillen has a job to do in the dugout and itā€™s not to be using his smartphone to twitter about the game whether to badmouth the umps or whatever.

By the way, Cubs manager Mike Quade has made it clear that HE wonā€™t be caught using Twitter mostly because he canā€™t pronounce it:

“I will never get in trouble tweeting, twittering, tweetering ā€” I can’t even say it ā€” because I will never do it.Ā  I don’t have the time, energy or know-how, and I’m real happy about that.”

Give him time, he might come around.

And Ozzie, arguing balls and strikes, really??

Roger McDowell needs to apologize for anti-gay slurs

Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell seems to have gotten himself into a bit of a spot.  When confronted by a baseball fan in San Francisco, he reportedly hurled anti-gay slurs at him and also responded that kids donā€™t belong at a ballpark. 

Now, I know there is more to this story than what is being reported to the press or what Gloria Allred, the lawyer representing the ā€œabusedā€ fan, would have you believe, but if there is anything to this story, McDowell needs to shape up. 

Iā€™ve heard some people already draw analogies between McDowell and former MLB pitcher John Rocker who was also known for stating his ideas quite vociferously.  The situations are quite different in my opinion. As much as I did not care for what Rocker said, it must be noted that he made his comments while in a private conversation with a sportswriter.  McDowell, however, was on the field and was in all purposes representing the game of baseball and the organization of Major League Baseball.  If (and again, itā€™s a big if) McDowell is culpable for his actions, he has what is coming to him. 

Mr. McDowell has ā€œapologizedā€ if you want to call it that.  My guess it was more damage control than anything. 

From the NY Daily News:

"I am deeply sorry that I responded to the heckling fans in San Francisco on Saturday. I apologize to everyone for my actions," McDowell quickly responded in a statement.

It sounds more like heā€™s saying he hadnā€™t said what he was thinking. 

We donā€™t need to make a federal case out of this.  Indeed, the fan in question, environmental researcher Justin Quinn, only really wanted an apology from McDowell.  Iā€™m sure the lawyers involved will talk him out of that. 

But letā€™s at least get that.  A real one, I mean.

Slow Starters: NL edition

A couple days ago, I posted my list of slow starters in the AL.  Now itā€™s the NLā€™s turn. 

Stats as of 4/27.

 

Dan Uggla, Atl .188, 8 rbis Those eight rbis come on 5 HR.  Iā€™m not sure if thatā€™s a good thing or bad thing.
Geovany Soto, Chi .227, 1 HR Iā€™m thinking that unless Geo starts shaping up, his time is running out with the Cubs.
Ryan Dempster, Chi 1-2, 7.63 ERA Eight HR in 30 2/3 IP.  Yikes!
Hanley Ramirez, Fla .211, 3 SB hitting the same as John Buck
Carlos Lee, Hou .207 ā€¦but does have 13 rbis
J.A. Happ, Hou 1-3, 6.94 ERA lack of control isnā€™t helping
Jonathon Niese, NY 1-3, 5.10 ERA workhorse is leading Mets in IP, though
Albert Pujols, StL .250, 8 EBH I know heā€™s got 17 rbis but have you noticed?  Heā€™s got more Ks than walks so far.
Madison Bumgarner, SF 0-3, 7.79 ERA I think a lot was expected from this Giant hurler

Slow Starts, AL edition

Iā€™ve noticed that there have been a more than a few players in both leagues who have really not been pulling their weight.  Some are players who are hitting below their potential.  Some are just plain not hitting for any player relative to a full-time status they have. 

Iā€™m including pitchers who are off to a stinky start as well.

This is my AL list in no particular order.  Stats as of 4/25.

Jacoby Ellsbury, Bos .219, 21 K I may be a little too gleeful about putting Ellsbury on this list.  I dropped him in my APBA league before our 2011 season.  Perhaps I should temper my glee.  Heā€™s tied for the lead the Sox in homers.  Do I have the right Ellsbury??
John Lackey, Bos 2-2, 6.35 ERA Lackey just pitched a solid game yesterday (eight shutout innings) putting him at 2-2.  It may take a long time to get that ERA at a respectable level but he may be on his way.
Nick Markakis, Bal .208, .279 OBA A very untypical low OBA for the OF with the good eye.
Shin-Soo Choo, Cle .207, 2 HR The Indians can bat a .207 hitter #3 for only so long.
Torii Hunter, Ana .200, .255 OBA  
Vernon Wells, Ana .169, 1 HR, 4 rbi my Angel fan friend, DonS has plenty of frustrations with this guy
Ervin Santana, Ana 0-3, 5.51 ERA Iā€™m not too down on Santana for two reasons.  Just 8 BB in 32+ innings plus he has 28 Ks in that same amount of time.  Iā€™d give him time. 
Francisco Liriano, Min 1-3, 7.40 ERA,6.1 BB/9IP Last year was vindication for the Twins.  But can FL follow up? 
Jack Cust, Sea .171, 0 HR, 7 rbi Maybe no one expected much of Cust but heā€™s got 20 games and 70 at bats so far for Seattle.  My thoughts?  Seattle is devoid of power and Custā€™s potential for the long ball is the only thing keeping him in the lineup

 

The Yankeesā€™ Jorge Posada almost made this based on his .153 batting average but when six of your nine hits are homeruns, you get extra credit. 

Interview with sports photographer Cary Frye at IBR

When I grow up (yes I know, Iā€™m 46), I want to be a sport photographer.  Thatā€™s why it was it was especially fun for me to interview sports photographer Cary Frye.  Cary specializes in shooting University of Illinois sporting events.  Heā€™s a regular at Illinois baseball games and thatā€™s how we got connected. 

 You can read the interview over at Illinois Baseball Report.

Best paid athlete by country (baseball has 12 of them)

ESPN has an interesting article that breaks down the best paid athletes by country.  All 182 of them. 

Baseball can claim twelve of those, third most represented sport after soccer and basketball.  The highest of those is Alex Rodriguez of course.  ARod must share the title of highest paid athlete with Manny Pacquiao, a boxer from the Philippines.

Country Best-Paid Athlete League, Team (or Competition) Annual Salary Per Capita GDP
Canada Jason Bay MLB, New York Mets $18,125,000 $39,795
Cuba Yuniesky Betancourt MLB, Milwaukee Brewers $4,300,000 $5,437
CuraƧao Jair Jurrjens MLB, Atlanta Braves $3,250,000 $20,295
Dominican Republic Alfonso Soriano MLB, Chicago Cubs $19,000,000 $4,618
Japan Ichiro Suzuki MLB, Seattle Mariners $18,000,000 $39,864
Mexico Jorge De La Rosa MLB, Colorado Rockies $10,000,000 $7,956
Nicaragua Vicente Padilla MLB, Los Angeles Dodgers $2,000,000 $1,114
Panama Carlos Lee MLB, Houston Astros $19,000,000 $7,155
Puerto Rico Carlos Beltran MLB, New York Mets $19,325,436 $24,744
Taiwan Hong-Chih Kuo MLB, Los Angeles Dodgers $2,725,000 $18,500
USA Alex Rodriguez MLB, New York Yankees $32,000,000 $44,872
Venezuela Johan Santana MLB, New York Mets $21,644,707 $11,404

 

Go figure, Malaysiaā€™s highest paid athlete is in the sport of badminton.