Jim O’Rourke-“Orator Jim”

James Henry “Orator Jim” O’Rourke

Born: 9/1/1850-Bridgeport, CT.                                       

Died: 1/8/1919-Bridgeport, CT.   

In his obituary it was explained why Jim O’Rourke received the moniker, Orator Jim. “Words of great length and thunderous sound simply flowed out of his mouth.”  Based on his lifetime .311 avg. in 22 seasons, in both the National Association and the National League, base hits obviously flowed out of his bat.

An example of his verbosity occurred in 1890. A lion had escaped from the Bridgeport zoo, and was found by a Mrs. Gilligan in her barn getting ready to make a meal out of her calf. She reportedly drove away the lion using a pitchfork. Having read about this in the local newspaper, Orator Jim felt compelled to send her a letter to praise her bravery. It began, “The unparalleled bravery shown by you, and the unwavering fidelity extended by you to your calf during your precarious environment in the cowshed, when a ferocious, carnivorous beast threatened your total destruction, has suddenly exalted your fair name to an altitude much higher than the Egyptian pyramids, where hieroglyphics and other undecipherable mementos of the past are now lying in a state of  innocuous desuetude…….” He continues on for quite a bit more, I just wanted to make sure I used the words innocuous desuetude just once in one of my blog posts. Desuetude is pronounced des-wi-tude, and it means the state of being no longer used or practiced.

He supposedly used to recite Hamlet’s soliloquy to his teammates before each game. I imagine they were thinking, “To shut up or not to shut up, just get a hit.”

Orator Jim batted over .300 in 13  seasons, and played on 7 Championship teams, 5 with the Boston Red Caps team.  Although he never won a batting title, he did finish in the top 5, 5x in his career. He managed to lead the League in HRs 3x, twice with a League leading 6 HRs. It was a slightly less “juiced” time in the 19th Century.

He is credited with making the first base hit in National League history on April 22, 1876, a line drive single into left field.

“O’Rourke has made a brilliant record for himself as an outfielder, being an excellent judge of a ball, a swift runner, and making the most difficult running catches with the utmost ease and certainty. As a thrower, too, he stands pre-eminent, being credited with a throw of 365 feet, the next to the longest yet accomplished by any player.” — The Sporting Life

After retiring following the 1893 season, he continued to play in the minor leagues until he was over 50 years old. In 1904 he made an appearance with the New York Giants, becoming at age 54 the oldest player ever to appear in the National League and the oldest player to ever hit safely in a major league game. Upon returning to the minors he became president of the Connecticut League, and in 1912 returned to the field to catch a complete minor league game at the age of 60.

Jim O’Rourke died of pneumonia at age 68 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 by the Veterans Committee.

A History of Baseball In 100 Objects- #6

This is a list of objects in no particular order that define baseball’s history. They will encompass the entire history of the game up until 1994(The year they took the game away) and will be chosen due to their importance to the game, the fans, and me. I hope you enjoy the ride.

#6- A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Baseball Card

Yes, there were baseball cards made long before this one. Yes, there are cards that have a higher dollar value. But no, there has not been another baseball card that really matters since this one. (Hmmm……Does this list of Baseball Objects have a distinct Yankee flavor to it?)

Why do these cards sell routinely for upwards of $10,000? Why did a gem/mint 1952 Mantle sell for $250,000 in 2001? Because your mother threw them all away…that’s why. Actually it’s more likely because the Topps Card Co. threw them all away. The story goes that Mantle was under contract with the Bowman Card Co; a Mantle card appeared in their 1951 set. Topps was not able to settle a deal with Mantle until July of 1952, so his card wasn’t included until the 7th and final series of the season. Because the baseball season was almost over, there were numerous cases of cards that went unsold. Topps decided to dispose of them by loading them on a garbage scow and dumping them into the Atlantic Ocean. #7 was deep sixed.

Mickey Mantle and the baseball memorabilia boom that began in the late 70’s go hand in hand. Anything Mantle is worth a couple of bucks. Unfortunately there are more faked Mantle items than there are real ones. I read somewhere that upwards of 70% of all Mickey Mantle signatures are fake. The Mick is all about what’s good and bad about the memorabilia market. So remember, let the buyer beware, especially when it comes to the Mick.

Collecting is an important part of baseball history. Collecting stats to make sure we have the numbers right, and collecting the cards, signatures, and bobbleheads to make sure we remember those that made this game great.

 

A History of Baseball in 100 Objects:

#1- A Bobby Murcer 1970 Topps baseball card

#2- The Baseball Hall of Fame

#3- “The Babe Bows Out”

#4- A SABR Lapel Pin

#5- A Louisville Slugger

Ned Williamson-Right Place-Right Time

 

Ned Williamson played 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, 11 of them as a shortstop and 3rd baseman for Cap Anson’s National League Chicago White Stockings. In 1883 he lead the National League with a then record 49 doubles. An impressive number in any season. In 1884 Williamson hit 27 home runs, almost doubling the previous record set by Harry Stovey the season before. This record would stand until a guy named Ruth hit 29 for the 1919 Boston Red Sox. Williamson also became the 1st player to hit 3 home runs in a game when he accomplished that feat in May of 1884.

The strange thing about this home run total is that Williamson never hit double digit home runs again. He hit just 64 home runs in his 13 year career. What was the tubby  Williamson’s secret that year? Good old Lakefront Park home cookin’!!!!!

The super friendly confines of Lakefront Park had fences that were approximately 180-196 feet down the lines and 252-300 feet in the power alleys. In 1883 anything over the fence was a ground rule double. Thus the impressive 49 doubles in 1883 for Williamson.  In 1884 the White Stockings thought they’d shake things up a bit by changing the ground rule to a home run. Thus the 27 long balls(25 at home) for the tubby one. 4 other players on that team hit over 20 home runs, with the team amassing a record 142 home runs. All good for a 4th place finish in the NL that season.

To get an idea of how close the fences were, it’s 127 ft from home plate to 2nd base. My question is, how come he didn’t hit 100 home runs? I was jacking a softball 325 feet into my mid 40’s(true story……no really…..it’s true) I once laughed so hard while drinking a soda that Pepsi flew 180 ft out my nose.(true story) My 80 year old grandmother threw out her hip and it went over 100ft.(A painful but true story)

Luckily for baseball stats everywhere, and my Grandmother’s hip, they reverted back to the old ground rule at the end of the season. Normalcy once again returned to the game of baseball.

A History of Baseball in 100 Objects- #5

This is a list of objects in no particular order that define baseball’s history. They will encompass the entire history of the game up until 1994(The year they took the game away) and will be chosen due to their importance to the game, the fans, and me. I hope you enjoy the ride.

#5- The Louisville Slugger

J. Frederick Hillerich had a woodworking shop in Louisville, Kentucky that he started in 1856. He specialized in turning wood into bedposts and railings, but not baseball bats.

Hillerich’s son Bud started working with his Father in 1880 at the age of 14. Bud, an amateur baseball player happened to be in attendance at a game in 1884 in which Pete Browning of the American Association Louisville Eclipse, broke his favorite bat. Bud, then 17, offered to make him a new bat. When Browning, nicknamed the “Louisville Slugger” used his new bat, he got 3 hits in the game, and immediately ordered more bats. Baseball history…..or was it?

In 1914 Bud Hillerich claimed in an interview that all he did was carve a lucky ring on the bat of the superstitious Browning. His Father may have been the one to actually make the 1st bat, and show it to some of the Louisville players. When they saw the quality of the bat they ordered more from him.

In 1937 a 77 year old Arlie Latham claimed that he was the 1st player to order a bat from Hillerich. Bud Hillerich has also verified this claim.  What is known for certain is that J. Frederick wasn’t too keen on getting into the bat making business. Bud was the impetus behind making and improving the quality of the bats, and integrating them into his Father’s business. Regardless of how the Hillerich Woodworking Co. began making baseball bats, business was good. In 1894 the name Louisville Slugger was trademarked. Makes me glad that Browning’s nickname wasn’t the Kentucky Klouter. Although Browning was also nicknamed “Gladiator”. How badass does the “Gladiator Annihilator” sound?

In 1905 Honus Wagner became the 1st player to endorse a bat, as well as have his signature featured on a bat.

In 1970 the 1st aluminum  Louisville Slugger was made. I’m not sure how I feel about that?

In 2009 the Hillerich&Bradsby Co. celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Louisville Slugger. And in case you’re ever in Louisville there is a Louisville Slugger Museum that you would need to visit. If for nothing else but to see a really big bat.

This is another example of baseball history and baseball fact not quite meshing together. I had heard the Pete Browning story before and had always taken it as gospel. But in the long run does it really matter. The legend is always better than the truth, and is the driving force in keeping the story alive.  It’s up to us to make sure the truth is still heard.

A History of Baseball in 100 Objects:

#1- A Bobby Murcer 1970 Topps baseball card

#2- The Baseball Hall of Fame

#3- “The Babe Bows Out”

#4- A SABR Lapel Pin

Tommy Bond-Last of the 1st’s

 

Thomas Henry Bond

Born: 4/2/1856- Granard, Ireland                            

Died: 1/24/1941- Boston, Mass.

Tommy Bond started his career with the National Association Brooklyn Atlantics, and after 1 season he signed on with the Hartford Dark Blues. There he teamed up with fellow pitcher Candy Cummings and was said to have learned how to throw the curve ball from the self-appointed inventor of the curve. Tommy Bond was supposed to have proved to the skeptics that the ball did in fact curve, by curving the ball around wooden stakes that had been hammered into the ground. He started the ball on one side of the stakes and it curved and finished on the other side.

In 1877 Tommy Bond won 40 games for the Red Caps, his 1st of 3 consecutive 40 win seasons. He became the 1st pitcher to win the pitcher’s Triple Crown: leading the league in wins, K’s and ERA. During his career he finished 95% of the games he started. Not surprisingly he retired at the age of 28 due to arm troubles.

After retiring he became a successful coach with the Harvard baseball team.

When he died in 1841 at the age of 84, he was the last surviving original member of the National League. Nicely done Mr. Bond.

A History of Baseball in 100 Objects- #4

This is a list of objects in no particular order that define baseball’s history. They will encompass the entire history of the game up until 1994(The year they took the game away) and will be chosen due to their importance to the game, the fans, and me. I hope you enjoy the ride.

#4-A SABR Logo Lapel Pin

Note: I have an actual SABR lapel pin, but I couldn’t get a close up picture that didn’t look like a blurry image of a Bigfoot. (Although I did once take a photo of a Bigfoot that came out looking remarkably like a blurry SABR lapel pin.) This is a poorly rendered replica, the actual pin is way cooler.

In 1971 L. Robert Davids invited over 3 dozen like-minded baseball historians and stat geeks to form an organization of baseball researchers. 15 baseball visionaries answered the call and got together on August 10, 1971 at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. The Society of American Baseball Research was formed.

The objectives of this new group were:

To foster the study of baseball as a significant American social and athletic institution

To establish an accurate historical account of baseball through the years

To facilitate the dissemination of baseball research information

To stimulate the best interests of baseball as our national pastime

To cooperate in safeguarding the proprietary interests of individual research efforts of members of the Society.

Back row, from left: Neil Campbell (visitor), Bill Haber, Keith Sutton, Dan Dischley, Dan Ginsburg, Tom Hufford, Ray Nemec; front row: Cliff Kachline, Ray Gonzalez, Bill Gustafson, Joe Simenic, Paul Frisz, Tom Shea, Bob McConnell, John Pardon, Bob Davids. (Pat McDonough is the only founding member not pictured.)

Today there are over 6,000 members in SABR including this humble blogger.

This lapel pin represents the entire history of the game of baseball as we know it today. One man’s vision became a worldwide organization dedicated to preserving, documenting and studying the game of baseball. I wear my SABR pin proudly every day. It feels good to be even a small part of this noble organization. If you are reading this blog post you should think about joining today, there’s room for everybody.

A History of Baseball in 100 Objects:

#1- A Bobby Murcer 1970 Topps baseball card

#2- The Baseball Hall of Fame

#3- “The Babe Bows Out”

The Eye of The Beholder?

In the 1911 World Series, Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s beat John McGraw’s NY Giants in 6 games. This is the World Series that put the home run in Frank Baker’s name. In games 2&3 HR Baker hit a game deciding 2 run home run off Rube Marquard and Christy Mathewson. No small feat.

To commemorate this sweet victory someone thought to put together this souvenir plate.

Now I’m no connoisseur of objets d’art, but this is about as ugly as it gets. Connie Mack is riding atop an elephant while the players are superimposed throughout the body. The player’s dismembered heads have the dead eyes of Nosferatu or Steve Buscemi.

There is no way I’m eating my mac and cheese off this plate. It’s disturbing in so many ways.

The auction house that sold this freak show, for $464 no less, described the plate as, “one of the all time great display pieces of the era,” “a beautiful example of one of the great early baseball plates.”

Now I’m not sure what the designer of this plate was smoking back in 1911, or for that matter the guy that wrote the glowing description of the plate, but I’m hoping that the person that bought the plate never checks out of the Bate’s Motel.

Just one man’s opinion.