It’s May 30, 1980, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Nashville Sounds are at Jim Crockett Memorial Park to take on the Charlotte O’s, the AA Minor-League affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Souvenir programs leading up to tonight’s Southern League contest have billed the game as “WBTV Baseball Card Nite.” Through a partnership with Charlotte’s WBTV Television, “all children 14 … [Read more...]
Memories, Memorabilia Bring Baseball’s Longest Game to Life
The 1981 Rochester Red Wings’ Media Guide has my name listed third, right behind team radio broadcasters Don Fisher and John Harmon. To this day I consider working for a community minor league baseball club affiliated then with the Orioles for a total of four seasons to be a career highlight. For each home game at Rochester’s Silver Stadium I would provide color … [Read more...]
Infamous Billy Ripken Card Gets G-Rated Bobblehead
It was the baseball card that created a national stir—not that any of the newspapers that wrote about it could actually write what was written on the bottom of Billy Ripken’s bat 29 years ago. The Fleer card that began emerging from those pinstriped gray wax packs in early 1989 included two words written in felt-tip marker. One word was “Face” and the one above it … [Read more...]
Cal Ripken Cards: 21 Favorites as Icon Celebrates a Birthday
It seems like just a few years ago that he was circling Camden Yards after breaking Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played. Reality, though, is that he hasn't played in a big league game since 2001. In honor of the Hall of Fame shortstop's birthday, here's a chronicle his career with a selection of Cal Ripken cards from each of his 21 big … [Read more...]
Rare Ty Cobb Tobacco Tin Leads off Wheatland Auction
One of a small number of surviving century-old Ty Cobb Tobacco tins headlines Wheatland Auction Services’ August sale which launched Thursday. The 4-1/2"-tall tin, which features an image of the Hall of Fame slugger on the front, is recognized is considered one of the most desirable tobacco artifacts, baseball or otherwise. It’s often referred to as the “King of Tobacco … [Read more...]