Although almost completely forgotten now, Ted Sullivan (1848 – 1929) was once among the best-known characters in baseball. He was called “The Daddy of Baseball” and “The Godfather of the National Game.” His story touches dozens of American cities, from Chicago to Washington D.C., Milwaukee, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Dallas, where he managed teams, startedRead more..
In late 1990s baseball, home runs were everywhere. The balls were allegedly juiced. The sluggers were definitely juiced. Players who had been lanky rookies would later display cartoon-sized muscles, thanks to a regimen of syringes in the posterior. Even hitters of mediocre power were expected to belt 15 home runs per season. About one centuryRead more..
My father was wanted by the F.B.I. Specifically, by J. Edgar Hoover himself. ℘℘℘ The founding director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation had heard of Tommy Connor’s prowess on the baseball field. A star player in Washington, D.C., in the 1920s, Dad had graduated from high school at 15, put himself through college byRead more..
A one-armed Irishman with a bat… It just sounds problematic. And baseball player Hugh “One Arm” Daily was indeed a problematic guy. His predicament made it impossible for him to succeed as a hitter, but despite his handicap, he managed to have a career as a pitcher in baseball’s major leagues. Far more than aRead more..
It looks like baseball is making yet another cinematic comeback. Irish American writer / director / actor Ed Burns (The Brothers McMullen, She’s the One) is slated to direct a documentary about baseball Hall of Famer Tom Seaver. Burns, the son of Irish immigrants, was born in the New York Mets’ home borough of Queens,Read more..
Writer Holly Millea on how an old baseball photo convinced her father to embrace technology. ℘℘℘ For years my father, Roger Millea, a retired urologist, has refused to use a computer. So for his 83rd birthday, I flew to Rapid City, South Dakota, presented him with an iPad, and tutored him against his will inRead more..
The Irish American baseball legend who introduced the concept of the opening day pitch by the President of the United States. ℘℘℘ James Robert, “Jimmy,” McAleer, the youngest of eight children, was born in Ohio on July 10, 1864. He gained fame and notoriety for being a player, manager, and stockholder in Major League BaseballRead more..
For years my father, Roger Millea, a retired urologist, has refused to use a computer. So for his 83rd birthday, I flew to Rapid City, South Dakota, presented him with an iPad, and tutored him against his will in the ways of email and the internet; encouraging him to connect to the modern world andRead more..
The Hibernian legacy of the Giants baseball team. This year the San Francisco Giants won their second World Series in three years. Not since the days of John McGraw and their Irish heyday have the Giants enjoyed such post-season success. Jerrold Casway traces the team’s history. To appreciate the legacy of the San Francisco GiantsRead more..
During his father’s time, the Dodgers broke the color barrier with Jackie Robinson. Now, Peter O’Malley is helping to internationalize the most American of sports by building baseball fields in Ireland, China, and Nicaragua and supporting baseball programs in Japan and other countries. ℘℘℘ Peter O’Malley is an internationalist. You can tell by the giganticRead more..