Strat-o-Matic is a baseball simulation that began as a cards and dice game in the early 1960s before entering the computer age. These featured games on Shoestring Catches are part of season replays or tournaments played with cards and dice with a few exhibitions thrown in for fun. Today’s game matches the Montreal Expos and […]
Category: Baseball History
The last time the Chicago Cubs played in the World Series was 70 years ago. On July 27 during the 1945 season, the Cubs made an acquisition that helped in the cause. Hank Borowy was considered the ace of the New York Yankees pitching staff. He was 10-5 and was named to the all-star team […]
One pitch, one swing, one homer. That was the debut of Bert Campaneris of the Kansas City Athletics on July 23, 1964. Campaneris hit a home run on the first pitch that he ever saw in the major leagues off of Jim Kaat of the Minnesota Twins. “Campy” hit another homer later in the game […]
This time of year my focus always turns to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. A visit to the induction ceremony should be on any baseball fan’s bucket list. My list was checked in 2000. Tony Perez, Sparky Anderson, Carlton Fisk and Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman were the highlights of the weekend. But from […]
Cincinnati Reds righthander Brooks Lawrence was poised to earn his 14th straight win without a loss 59 years ago this week. With one out in the ninth inning, the Reds led the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on July 21, 1956. Lawrence faced future National Baseball Hall of Fame legend Roberto Clemente. With one swing, Clemente would […]
It’s amazing how baseball’s present can always be connected to its past. As the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game finished, David Price of the Detroit Tigers was the winning pitcher. Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers was on the wrong end of a 6-3 American League victory thanks to a first-inning homer by […]
Like most kids growing up, I had a dream of playing Major League Baseball. Notice the word “had” in the first line. By the time I was 10-years old, the dream was over. Ruined in little league by poor talent. After the realization that I wasn’t big league material, it was time to figure out […]
The dust finally cleared on the Franchise Four at the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Cincinnati. There were 120 players on the list announced prior to the mid-summer classic at Great American Ball Park with four from each of the 30 clubs. Back in May, Shoestring Catches had made some recommendations for fans […]
There was a time in major league history that there were two all-star games played during the season. From 1959 to 1962, there were a pair of games for four seasons to aid the pension fund for the players. However, that was not the first time there was more than one contest played. In 1942, […]
The tradition of the mid-summer classic known as the Major League Baseball All-Star Game began in 1933. After a few years of discussion about adding this type of affair to the schedule, Chicago Tribune Sports Editor Arch Ward convinced commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis to support the contest as part of the Century of Progress celebration […]