Originally posted on The On Deck Circle:
Honestly, I was not going to comment on yesterday’s Hall of Fame voting results. Too many keyboards have suffered enough over that topic the past couple of days. But I read a comment by a member of the BBWAA today that I have to admit irked me a…

What cap will Manny Ramirez wear on his Hall of Fame plaque?

That’s a question that’s likely to remain hypothetical. Manny Ramirez slipped away quietly into retirement Friday after it was revealed he flunked a drug screening. Unless some future commissioner grants a pardon for the stars of the Steroid Era, I doubt Manny will ever make the Baseball Hall of Fame. He has the stats to justify […]

These are no “average Joes” in the Baseball Hall of Fame

At the risk of getting a little too religious by running two Catholic-themed posts in the same week, I write today – on the feast of St. Joseph – to note all the “Joes” in the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s an impressive roster, headed by “Joltin’ Joe” DiMaggio, “Smokey Joe” Wood and plain old […]

A tip of the cap to Paul Waner, in memory of my father

Paul Waner Originally uploaded by doug.goodman Had cancer not claimed him years ago, my father would have celebrated his 90th birthday today. Dad handed down to me many values, not the least of which was his lifelong love of baseball. Dad was born in western Pennsylvania in 1920, which meant he grew up a Pittsburgh […]

The Big Hurt hangs up the spikes

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=%22Frank+Thomas%22&iid=4838747″ src=”d/c/5/e/Frank_Thomas_35_b9e3.jpg?adImageId=10255067&imageId=4838747″ width=”234″ height=”359″ /] Frank Thomas announced his retirement Friday after an outstanding career with the Chicago White Sox. He split his last few seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics, but in the public eye he was and always will be a member of the White Sox. The […]

Rickey Henderson enters the Baseball Hall of Fame

The only question about Rickey Henderson entering the Baseball Hall of Fame is whether the engraver can catch him to record his image on his bronze enshrinement plaque. Henderson was the ultimate leadoff hitter in his brilliant career, stealing more bases than anyone in the history of the game. I was lucky enough to be […]

Cooperstown Ball Cap’s awesome collection

As one might expect of someone who blogs about baseball caps, I spend a little bit of time every now and then scouting the Internet for information on the subject. In a serendipitous search last night, I wound up on ballcap.com, which is the site for the Cooperstown Ball Cap Co. The company is in […]

Don’t knock the Rock: An update

One of the joys of blogging is when a post triggers a reaction in someone or enables you to learn something new. My recent post on the 50th anniversary of Rock Colavito’s four-homer game brought a comment in from someone who runs the Rocky Colavito fan site. There you’ll find a link to a petition […]

The Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City

To my shame and disappointment, I have yet to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. I will get there one of these days. That’s a solemn vow. But I have had the unequalled pleasure of visiting the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City. Simply put, it is a national treasure. The museum […]

Jeff Kent: Hero or villain?

Jeff Kent announced his retirement from professional baseball today, ending an outstanding career as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kent has always brought out mixed feelings in me, and a lot of memories were dredged up today as I heard the morning guys on KNBR radio in San Francisco talking about him. I […]