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oldbaseballnews.bsky.social
Old Baseball News
@oldbaseballnews.bsky.social
6.7K followers 1.5K following 7.4K posts
Digging through old newspapers to deliver the freshest, latest breaking baseball news from decades ago. If you like current baseball too, I wrote @dingerbot.bsky.social to post every time there's a home run. Also developed everybaseballscore.com
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oldbaseballnews.bsky.social
Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · Oct 18
Since there appear to be a whole bunch of people leaving The Bad Place to join us: It's pretty self explanatory what I do here, I guess.

Anyway...

Big fan of Cleveland baseball, indie rock, and obscure pop culture references.
Big disliker of the racist asshats who segregated baseball.

Welcome!
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oldbaseballnews.bsky.social
Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 15h
10/8 Birthday Team (text version)
C:Ed Kirkpatrick (8.2)
1B:Olmedo Sáenz (5.3)
2B:Danny Murtaugh (6.4)
3B:Enos Cabell (11.3)
SS:Donie Bush (39.4)
LF:Ping Bodie (14.7)
CF:George Metkovich (5.8)
RF:Wally Moses (36.7)
SP:Mike Morgan (26.2)
Others: P.Splittorff, Do.Crandall, J.Lush, Jer.Reed, T.Herrin
photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: Paul Splittorff, Donie Bush, Mike Morgan, Enos Cabell, Ping Bodie, Wally Moses, Doc Crandall
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 15h
Another pretty okay Birthday Team today. No legends, but also no real weaknesses. The worst everyday player is Olmedo Sáenz, who was totally adequate. The back end of the pitching staff isn't great, but again: There's nobody who's genuinely bad.

By the way, that's not *the* Bernie Williams in LF.
graphical version of 10/8/2025 birthday team photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: Paul Splittorff, Donie Bush, Mike Morgan, Enos Cabell, Ping Bodie, Wally Moses, Doc Crandall
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
Sure, it's like Astros legend Dwight Gooden, Cleveland great Cecil Fielder, Expos legend Randy Johnson, Orioles great Jim Thome...

(Also, yeah, I was just goofin' around.)
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
Speaking as a fan of Scottish indie rock, this is indubitably true.

A tip of the cap to Chemikal Underground, Rock Action, and the other great Glaswegian record labels.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
4000 days ago (October 25, 2014), the Giants whomp KC in Game Four of the World Series, evening up the series at two games apiece. Hunter Pence has three hits and three RBI in an 11-4 win for San Francisco.
2014 World Series San Francisco Giants VS Kansas City Royals Game 4
YouTube video by John Quinn
www.youtube.com
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
(I see you scowling at me, Josh Gibson. I think you probably were better than Piazza, but the sample size is so small relative to Piazza's career. This is why I said perhaps.)
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
It's really weird to me that MLB dot com published a column saying the Marlins did well in this trade.

Preston Wilson was a good player. They flipped Yarnall for Mike Lowell. Both true.

But goodness, they traded perhaps the greatest offensive catcher in history for Preston Wilson and Ed Yarnall.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
10000 days ago (May 22, 1998), the Marlins send franchise legend Mike Piazza to the Mets in a trade they’d probably like back. New York sends Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall, and a PTBNL to Florida. Piazza (LA/FLA/NYM in ‘98) becomes the first player to play for three teams in one year and have 100+ RBI.
Who won the Mike Piazza trade? Not just the Mets
May 22 is one of the most important dates in New York Mets history, marking the anniversary of the team's trade for Mike Piazza. The deal, which went down on May 22, 1998, saw the Mets receive Piazza ...
www.mlb.com
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
12000 days ago (November 29, 1992), the New York Times publishes the infamous Marge Schott interview. The Reds’ owner says Hitler was good at first, that she was joking when she used the n-word, and that she just doesn’t understand why “Jap” is offensive.

*exasperated sigh*
BASEBALL; Marge Schott: Baseball's Big Red Headache (Published 1992)
www.nytimes.com
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
Best comp I can come up with is Skenes, but if he was 19 years old, played in New York, and threw 5 MPH harder than just about everybody else.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
15000 days ago (Sept 12, 1984), Mets P Dwight Gooden strikes out 16 Pirates, bringing his season total to 251 whiffs and breaking Herb Score’s MLB record for rookies.

For the younger people here, pre-shoulder injury Gooden was otherworldly. It was must-watch TV when he pitched.
Dwight Gooden sets rookie strikeout record | 09/12/1984
Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden collects his 246th strikeout of the season, passing Herb Score's rookie strikeout record
www.mlb.com
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
18000 days ago (June 26, 1976), Memphis Blues (International League) OF Terry Puhl hits a grand slam. It’s his second bases-loaded home run of the year.

Puhl ends the season with a total of two home runs, both of the salami variety.
photo of melville, saskatchewan's own terry puhl
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
21000 days ago (April 9, 1968), Major League Baseball postpones Opening Day in deference to the funeral of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

King was assassinated five days earlier.
photo of mlk jr pitching to mlk iii.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
26000 days ago (August 1, 1954), Dodgers P Clem Labine beans Braves slugger Joe Adcock. Adcock’s helmet prevents serious injury but he’s knocked cold for 15 minutes. This is one day after Adcock hit four home runs against Brooklyn.

Don’t want to get embarrassed? Make better pitches.
photo of the aftermath of joe adcock getting beaned
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
29000 days ago (May 15, 1946), Dodgers pitcher Les Webber brushes back St. Louis OF Enos Slaughter in the second inning, so Enos does what any of us would do: He bunts down the first base line and flattens Webber on his way to first base.

Nobody’s ejected, Cards win 1-0.
photo of enos slaughter
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
33000 days ago (June 2, 1935), Babe Ruth announces his retirement as a player.

There was some speculation that he’d be the Braves’ manager in 1936, but that never happened. Maybe that’s for the best; his extracurricular activities would have been a bit of a distraction.
Babe Ruth retires | June 2, 1935 | HISTORY
Babe Ruth, one of the greatest players in the history of baseball, ends his Major League playing career after 22 seas...
www.history.com
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
48000 days ago (May 7, 1894), Boston SS Herman Long misses a game after flicking cigar ashes into his own eye. Long did a trick where he flipped a lit cigar in the air and caught it in his mouth. Most of the time it worked. But not all the time. He tries to return tomorrow but leaves the game early.
photo of herman long, without a cigar in his eye
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
To be clear, I don't think Longoria gets in; I think he's behind Ramirez, Machado, and Arenado among recent/current third basemen.

But he wouldn't be an absolutely horrible inductee. He's better than guys like Jimmy Collins and George Kell IMO.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
10/7 Birthday Team (text version)
C:Fleet Walker (-0.1 WAR)
1B:José Cardenal (20.7)
2B:Grady Hatton (18.6)
3B:Evan Longoria (58.9)
SS:Mookie Betts (75.1)
LF:Frank Baumholtz (8.1)
CF:Rudy Law (9.3)
RF:Chuck Klein (46.4)
SP:Brickyard Kennedy (35.0)
Others: A.Cobb, B.Walker, B.Henry, K.Medlen, M.Cuyler
photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: Alex Cobb, Jose Cardenal, Mookie Betts, Brickyard Kennedy, Grady Hatton, Chuck Klein, Evan Longoria
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 1d
Heck of a Birthday Team today. The right fielder is in the Hall of Fame, the shortstop is an obvious first-ballot guy, and the third baseman is borderline-ish.

The pitching is thin but not awful; the fourth and fifth starters were both excellent when they were healthy. Which, alas, wasn't often.
graphical version of 10/7/2025 birthday team photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: Alex Cobb, Jose Cardenal, Mookie Betts, Brickyard Kennedy, Grady Hatton, Chuck Klein, Evan Longoria
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 2d
10/6 Birthday Team (text version)
C:Jerry Grote (15.1 WAR)
1B:Ed Cartwright (7.7)
2B:Bryson Stott (10.2)
3B:John Knight (4.4)
SS:Alfredo Griffin (3.0)
LF:Pat Duncan (9.5)
CF:Eddie Burke (8.2)
RF:Rubén Sierra (16.8)
SP:Freddy García (34.2)
Others: O.Boyd, D.Oliver, G.Walker, S.Kline, R.Person, J.Dunn
photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: Oil Can Boyd, Jerry Grote, Pat Duncan, Freddy García, Darren Oliver, Bryson Stott. Center: Rubén Sierra.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 2d
Today's Birthday Team is an island of misfit toys. Griffin was a Gold Glove SS and a great baserunner who just couldn't hit. Sierra looked like a future HoF in his early 20s, then cratered. Oil Can Boyd is Oil Can Boyd. Ken Chase managed to be good for a couple years despite not throwing strikes.
graphical version of 10/6/2025 birthday team photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: Oil Can Boyd, Jerry Grote, Pat Duncan, Freddy García, Darren Oliver, Bryson Stott. Center: Rubén Sierra.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 2d
10/5 Birthday Team (text version)
C:Bobby Hofman (1.6 WAR)
1B:John Reilly (23.4)
2B:Claude Ritchey (34.7)
3B:Jeff Bianchi (0.2)
SS:Rey Sánchez (20.6)
LF:Randy Bush (1.4)
CF:Sam West (32.7)
RF:Aaron Guiel (1.9)
SP:Jim Bagby Sr. (30.8)
Others: T.Roark, A.Ogando, Z.Littell, D.Bennett, O.Concepción
photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: John Reilly, Tanner Roark, Claude Ritchey, Jim Bagby Sr., Rey Sánchez, Sam West. Center: Alexi Ogando.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 2d
Yesterday's Birthday Team is okay-ish despite a lack of any real star power. They've got a bunch of above-average but unremarkable players like Tanner Roark, Alexi Ogando, and Rey Sánchez.

There's not a ton of useful position player depth; Onix Concepción is a key bench player.
graphical version of 10/5/25 birthday team photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: John Reilly, Tanner Roark, Claude Ritchey, Jim Bagby Sr., Rey Sánchez, Sam West. Center: Alexi Ogando.
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Old Baseball News @oldbaseballnews.bsky.social · 4d
10/4 Birthday Team (text version)
C:Kurt Suzuki (19.6 WAR)
1B:John Wathan (5.0)
2B:Mark McLemore (19.6)
3B:Mike Sharperson (5.5)
SS:Frankie Crosetti (24.4)
LF:Orator Shafer (19.4)
CF:Drew Stubbs (8.0)
RF:Lonnie Chisenhall (9.2)
SP:Jered Weaver (34.6)
Others: C.Leibrandt, R.Fisher, K.Lohse, S.Murphy
photos of baseball players. clockwise from top left: Mark McLemore, Frankie Crosetti, Jered Weaver, Orator Shafer, Charlie Leibrandt, Ray Fisher, Kurt Suzuki
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