John Thorn
@johnthorn.bsky.social
Official Historian, Major League Baseball. Since 2011, I have posted a story a week at ourgame.mlblogs.com. Past though timeless tales available at https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/archive. Views are my own, not those of MLB. Nerdy badinage a specialty.
Hail and farewell, Jimmy Cliff.
November 24, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Hail and farewell, Jimmy Cliff.
Willy Wonka's "golden ticket": a comprehensive view of MLB's lifetime pass. ourgame.mlblogs.com/the-golden-t...
The Golden Ticket
Not that of Willy Wonka but MLB’s lifetime pass
ourgame.mlblogs.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Willy Wonka's "golden ticket": a comprehensive view of MLB's lifetime pass. ourgame.mlblogs.com/the-golden-t...
The Hanlon Brothers, a long-lived vaudeville and acrobatic troupe, put on a wildly successful show called "Superba" in 1890. When veteran Baltimore manager Ned Hanlon (unrelated to the theatrical Hanlons) managed the Dodgers in 1899, the club took the name of "Hanlon's Superbas."
November 23, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The Hanlon Brothers, a long-lived vaudeville and acrobatic troupe, put on a wildly successful show called "Superba" in 1890. When veteran Baltimore manager Ned Hanlon (unrelated to the theatrical Hanlons) managed the Dodgers in 1899, the club took the name of "Hanlon's Superbas."
Reposted by John Thorn
I dabbled in the vintage nonsports auction for the first time and won a card that I've wanted for a really long time. Despite the low grade, it looks pretty pristine for a 140 year old card (some moisture damage on the back).
November 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
I dabbled in the vintage nonsports auction for the first time and won a card that I've wanted for a really long time. Despite the low grade, it looks pretty pristine for a 140 year old card (some moisture damage on the back).
Reposted by John Thorn
A high-grade copy of Superman No. 1, from 1939, closed at $7.6 million on Heritage Auctions on Thursday, making it the most expensive comic book sold at auction.
Superman Comic Sets Auction Record, Selling for $9.12 Million
A family’s forgotten copy of Superman No. 1, from 1939, was sold by Heritage Auctions.
nyti.ms
November 20, 2025 at 9:00 PM
A high-grade copy of Superman No. 1, from 1939, closed at $7.6 million on Heritage Auctions on Thursday, making it the most expensive comic book sold at auction.
Oh, the humanities! Not an explosion at Lakehurst, NJ, but the steep decline in liberal-arts majors from 15% in 2005 to 8.8% in 2025. (I majored In English Lit, @Beloit_College, Class of '68.) www.beloit.edu/live/news/72...
O Humanities, Where art Thou?
A Classics professor considers the humanities throughout the ages, and invites former students to weigh in on these fields in today’s world.
www.beloit.edu
November 19, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Oh, the humanities! Not an explosion at Lakehurst, NJ, but the steep decline in liberal-arts majors from 15% in 2005 to 8.8% in 2025. (I majored In English Lit, @Beloit_College, Class of '68.) www.beloit.edu/live/news/72...
My introduction to Melville when I was a lad. Classic Comics.
November 18, 2025 at 6:32 PM
My introduction to Melville when I was a lad. Classic Comics.
Bronko Nagurski is #3, Ken Strong #50. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR-v...
1934 N.Y. Giants vs. Chicago Bears Game Footage ⭐️ [In 4K Color, High Resolution]
YouTube video by SportsCC78
www.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Bronko Nagurski is #3, Ken Strong #50. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR-v...
Stan the Man: a story about a painting. ourgame.mlblogs.com/stan-the-man...
Stan the Man
A story about a painting
ourgame.mlblogs.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Stan the Man: a story about a painting. ourgame.mlblogs.com/stan-the-man...
Harry Kingman, a four-gamer with the Yankees in 1914. He is the only MLB player born in China. Depicted in his Pomona College baseball uniform.
November 16, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Harry Kingman, a four-gamer with the Yankees in 1914. He is the only MLB player born in China. Depicted in his Pomona College baseball uniform.
Henry Sandham's 1894 painting is lost, but the engraving (a "Goupilgravure") survives. Not better when colorized, by contemporary or later hands, it depicts a Temple Cup contest between Baltimore and host New York.
November 16, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Henry Sandham's 1894 painting is lost, but the engraving (a "Goupilgravure") survives. Not better when colorized, by contemporary or later hands, it depicts a Temple Cup contest between Baltimore and host New York.
According to Joe Gould, whose secret was immortalized by Joseph Mitchell, "the Indians considered themselves smarter than white men, because they had more time to think. They realize that punctuality is the thief of time. The more time a man gives to his engagements the less he has for himself."
November 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
According to Joe Gould, whose secret was immortalized by Joseph Mitchell, "the Indians considered themselves smarter than white men, because they had more time to think. They realize that punctuality is the thief of time. The more time a man gives to his engagements the less he has for himself."
In honor of Veterans Day, here is a photo of the oldest known American war image, depicting General John Ellis Wool during the Mexican War commenced in 1846. And because there is always a baseball angle, a dag of Abner Doubleday at the Battle of Buena Vista, near Saltillo, 1847.
November 11, 2025 at 6:52 PM
In honor of Veterans Day, here is a photo of the oldest known American war image, depicting General John Ellis Wool during the Mexican War commenced in 1846. And because there is always a baseball angle, a dag of Abner Doubleday at the Battle of Buena Vista, near Saltillo, 1847.
Fine story by @lukepplin about Arnold Hano, whom I knew a little bit. lepplin.substack.com/p/what-arnol...
What Arnold Hano Gave Me
Or What to Do with What You Can’t Use
lepplin.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Fine story by @lukepplin about Arnold Hano, whom I knew a little bit. lepplin.substack.com/p/what-arnol...
Thinking today about Jim Devlin: ourgame.mlblogs.com/i-am-honest-...
“I Am Honest, Harry”
The final weeks of the 1877 National League season witnessed a mysterious collapse of the Louisville club, permitting Boston to take the…
ourgame.mlblogs.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Thinking today about Jim Devlin: ourgame.mlblogs.com/i-am-honest-...
Hail and farewell, Lenny Wilkens.
November 9, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Hail and farewell, Lenny Wilkens.
Hail and farewell, James Watson. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/s...
James Watson, Co-Discoverer of the Structure of DNA, Is Dead at 97
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Hail and farewell, James Watson. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/s...
Reposted by John Thorn
This is a great read!
Compiling the games from this tour was one of my favorite things I’ve done for Retrosheet (or, really, anywhere). www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues...
Compiling the games from this tour was one of my favorite things I’ve done for Retrosheet (or, really, anywhere). www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues...
November 4, 2025 at 1:54 AM
This is a great read!
Compiling the games from this tour was one of my favorite things I’ve done for Retrosheet (or, really, anywhere). www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues...
Compiling the games from this tour was one of my favorite things I’ve done for Retrosheet (or, really, anywhere). www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues...
How was a baseball game scored before there were scorebooks? These two images provide the answer: a scoring stick, with a notch for each run scored by one team on the top, and for the other, the bottom. This is why a game has a "score" and why a pitcher notches a win.
November 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
How was a baseball game scored before there were scorebooks? These two images provide the answer: a scoring stick, with a notch for each run scored by one team on the top, and for the other, the bottom. This is why a game has a "score" and why a pitcher notches a win.
Somehow new to me. Of course there have been many great finds since 1994. See: protoball.org.
November 4, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Somehow new to me. Of course there have been many great finds since 1994. See: protoball.org.
My video interview with Global News, yesterday. globalnews.ca/video/115082...
Baseball History in the making | Watch News Videos Online
Watch Baseball History in the making Video Online, on GlobalNews.ca
globalnews.ca
November 4, 2025 at 2:38 PM
My video interview with Global News, yesterday. globalnews.ca/video/115082...
O Canada: the consolations of history. ourgame.mlblogs.com/o-canada-17f...
O Canada
For the 2025 World Series, the consolations of history
ourgame.mlblogs.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:53 PM
O Canada: the consolations of history. ourgame.mlblogs.com/o-canada-17f...
Reposted by John Thorn
This is such a classy thing for the Blue Jays to do.
Blue Jays Pitchers Send Message to Dodgers' Alex Vesia in Game 6 of World Series
The four relievers who pitched in relief of starter Kevin Gausman in Game 6 on Friday all had something in common — but you had to look carefully to find it and
www.si.com
November 1, 2025 at 4:53 AM
This is such a classy thing for the Blue Jays to do.
Brilliant story by @DaveSheinin. My favorite, the "This Week in Baseball" theme by John Scott, has been my phone's ringtone, like, forever. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
The 10 best sports theme songs of all time — and what makes them great
Our list of the greatest sports theme music includes John Tesh’s iconic “Roundball Rock,” several dark riffs on football and a whole lot of nostalgia.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 1, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Brilliant story by @DaveSheinin. My favorite, the "This Week in Baseball" theme by John Scott, has been my phone's ringtone, like, forever. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
Game 7 in Canada. www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFX9...
Remember (A Tribute to the Montreal Expos) by Annakin Slayd
YouTube video by Annakin Slayd
www.youtube.com
November 1, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Game 7 in Canada. www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFX9...