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Diamond Days, Bologna (2026)

09/06/2026

Now that Opening Day is upon us, we welcome back lifelong Giants fan Bill Schaefer with some reflections on "Opening Days Past," including attending Opening Day, 1952 with his dad. Bill also recalls a personal conversation he had with Willie Mays about one of the greatest catches in Willie's career. I think you'll enjoy Bill's essay. -GL

PLAY BALL!
Reflections on Opening Days past!

“There is no sport event like Opening Day baseball, the sense of beating back the forces of darkness and the National Football League.”-George Vecsey

“There’s nothing like Opening Day. There is nothing like the start of a new season. I started playing baseball at seven, quit at 40. It’s in my blood.” –George Brett

“I’d walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball.”-Pete Rose

Baseball Is In the Air!

Well, we made it. It's the time when all big-league teams were in action on one Opening Day, March 30, for the first time since 1968. Fans are already buzzing about the new pitch clock, unveiled in spring training, feeling it will add a needed element of continuity and speed to the game. The odds makers have made the Houston Astros the favorite to win the World Series, with the Mets, Yankees, and Dodgers all close behind. There is a surge of money pouring in on the New York Metropolitans.

A strange phenomenon will soon take place. The first 10 games played will seem to happen slowly. Then the season will get caught in the vortex of its own unique rhythm, and suddenly the All-Star game will be looming right around the corner. Late August will be upon us too soon…footballs in the air…and can our baseball team survive its injuries and make the postseason?

One Vivid Opening Day Memory

April 18, 1952, Opening Day, Ebbets Field. My dad and I, intense Giants fans, along with my best friend, Donn Williams (one of the great Dodgers rooters) were seated in the left field upper deck. It was the first meeting of the two teams since the famous playoff series the year before. Clem Labine, who had shut out the Giants 10-0 at the Polo Grounds, was on the mound. Labine didn’t retire a single batter. The Giants KO’d Clem with five runs in the first inning. But Jim Hearn didn’t fare much better, lasting only one out in the bottom of the second stanza. The score after two was New York five, Brooklyn four. The teams battled into the twelfth inning tied at six when Andy Pafko homered over the right-center screen off George Spencer to win it for the Brooks, 7-6. From our vantage point, high up in the second deck in left, it looked to me, at first, like a pop fly. But the rising, burgeoning roar from Dodgers fans told a different story.

Fast forward to a TV commercial setting, 30 years later, at a Staten Island car dealership where I was the spokesman and Willie Mays was one of the sports celebrity guests. A two-minute commercial message would result. In chatting with Willie during a break, I referred to that Opening Day game and said I thought his catch of a Bobby Morgan line drive in the ninth inning was his greatest grab ever. He agreed but then said, “You don’t look old enough to remember that. Describe that catch.” I launched into the play-by-play:

“Morgan belted a hard liner into the left-center gap that looked for sure like the game-winner. You came out of nowhere and dove through the air, parallel to the ground, spearing the ball with a supernatural backhand stab. You then hit the ground and rolled over and over again, winding up stretched out on your stomach near the fence and didn’t move for several minutes. Both teams rushed to the spot. Jackie Robinson led the Dodgers. Jack confessed, ‘We didn’t run out there to see if Mays was alright. We couldn’t believe he caught the ball!’ "

I passed the description test.

09/06/2026

"The screwball's an unnatural pitch. Nature never intended a man to turn his hand like that throwing rocks at a bear."

- Carl Hubbell

09/06/2026

A Baseball Biography from SABR BioProject

Tom Parker, known as "Big Train" and "Country," was a pitcher and outfielder notably with the Negro League Homestead Grays and New York Black Yankees in a career than spanned 1931-48

09/06/2026

Crosley Field, Cincinnati, OH, April 15, 1958 - Philadelphia Phillies outfield of Chuck Essegian (LF), Richie Asburn (CF) and Wally Post (RF) are in action against the Cincinnati Redlegs in the season opener for both teams. Phillies built a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth frame when the Redlegs bats awoke with vengeance hitting Phillies ace Robin Roberts hard for four runs to take the lead.

However, in the seventh inning Granny Hamner's double scored Richie Ashburn tie it up at 4-4 for the Phillies, they would take the lead for good the next inning on a Ted Kazanski single off Redlegs reliever Bob Wright that brought Essegian home with the go ahead run to make it 5-4.

Philadelphia reliever Ray Semproch got the win and Wright took the loss for Cincinnati.

The attendence was 32,848, a good portion of which is on the field sitting on what looks like temporary bleachers that is behind perhaps a rope stanchion.

-Ron A. Bolton

09/06/2026

Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, NY, April 19, 1952 - It's the season opener and the Dodgers starter Ralph Branca pitches to the Giants hero from last last fall's epic clash Bobby Thomson. It was their first head to head since the iconic "the shot heard around the world" moment that shook the baseball world.

Thomson would walk on five pitches in a wild affair as the Dodgers would win 11-6 in a game that featured nine home runs by both clubs combined. Branca would go the distance for the complete game win despite giving up four home runs himself, though none were hit by Thomson who would go hitless in his next four at-bats. Giants starter Max Lanier gave up four home runs as well in taking the loss.

-Ron A. Bolton

09/06/2026

It's Easter Sunday…So Let’s Salute Luke Easter!

"Luke Easter is the only player I ever saw who can hit a baseball as far as Babe Ruth” –Jimmy Reese
..And that's saying a lot coming from a former teammate of Babe Ruth!

As many of you are aware, I always try to find a connection between baseball history and holidays. With today being Easter Sunday, I was hoping to find a long-ago photo of Babe Ruth maybe clad in an Easter bunny costume. Alas, my Google search using the keywords, “Babe Ruth and Easter” came up empty.

But a name that did pop up was that of Luscious “Luke” Easter, a fine ballplayer from the Negro Leagues who also made it to the majors (1949-’54), benefiting from Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s odious color barrier. So I thought to myself: “What better way to celebrate Easter Sunday than to turn our baseball spotlight on Luke Easter!”

As always when you dig past the surface and go deeper into the career of any ballplayer, you’ll discover many interesting facts of which you were previously unaware. That was certainly the case with my examination of the career of Luke Easter.

Start with the fact that Luke was a huge man. Standing 6’4” tall, he topped the scales at a massive 240 pounds. Early in life, the Jonestown, Mississippi native built a reputation as a big strong kid who could hit the ball a long way. Dropping out of school after the ninth grade, he began attracting attention and turning heads as a left-handed power-hitting first baseman while playing for numerous black industrial teams.

As happened to many budding stars from that era, World War II rudely interrupted, putting career aspirations on hold. Such was the case for Luke Easter who served until 1943. After his release from the Army and subsequent employment with defensive contractors, he was passed over after tryouts with two Negro National League teams. “He’s too big and too awkward to be an effective player,” so said legendary Negro League manager Jim “Candy” Taylor. But after a 1946 stint with Abe Saperstein’s black touring team, the Cincinnati Crescents, he was picked up by the Homestead Grays. Two highly successful years with the Grays followed, including hitting .363 in 1948 and leading the league in home runs and RBIs. He then starred for the Grays in their 1948 Negro League World Series championship.

09/06/2026

Dwight Gooden warming up in Spring Training. Photo by Walter Iooss Jr.

09/06/2026

Charlie Buffinton, pitcher (1882-1892) - This photo of Buffinton was taken in his first year with the Philadelphia Quakers (today they are known as the Phillies) in 1887. That year he finished with a record of 21-17 and a 3.66 ERA In 321.1 innings of work he struck out 160 batters. In his career, Buffinton won 233 games and his best year was in 1884 with the Boston Beaneaters when the right-handed hurler won 48 games against 16 losses, he also pitched an astounding 587 innings and fanned 417 batters.

He ended his career pitching with the Baltimore Orioles in 1892 and was teammates with FOUR future Hall of Famers - a 19-year old John McGraw, 20-year old Joe Kelley, Ned Hanlon and Wilbert Robinson. Both the team and Buffinton struggled mightily, he finished the season with his worst ERA ever (4.92) and registered just four wins against eight losses while the Orioles ended in last place of the National League with a 46-101 record.

-Ron A. Bolto

09/06/2026

More Fun With Baseball Rarities!
Bob Gibson Records Four Strikeouts in One Inning!! What Gives??
I always enjoy writing about baseball rarities, you know, like unassisted triple plays, four home runs in one inning, natural cycles, and perfect games. I can now add another one to the list: Four strikeouts in one inning.
Today is the sixtieth anniversary of a memorable game played on June 7, 1966, at the Pirates' home, Forbes Field, between the Cardinals and the Pirates. In the fourth inning of the Pirates' 9-1 win in front of 12,418 fans, the Cardinals’ great Hall of Famer Bob Gibson struck out four batters in one inning.
This baseball rarity occurs when a batter in the inning strikes out but reaches first base on a passed ball. A strikeout is recorded, but the out is not, allowing a fourth batter to come to the plate. The four victims of Bob Gibson that day were Jerry Lynch, Jim Pagliaroni, Bill Mazeroski, and Don Cardwell. It took 59 years before another Cardinal pitcher recorded the feat: Steve Matz on June 19, 2025.
Actually, four strikeouts in one inning is not as rare as you might think. It has actually occurred 108 times, 50 times in the American League and 58 in the National League. Looking through the list of pitchers, Chuck Finley is the only pitcher in major league history to have three of these unusual innings to his credit. The first two came as a California Angel, while the third came as a member of the Tribe. Only five pitchers in major league history have done it twice, Zack Greinke being the only National Leaguer on this exclusive list.
With Chuck Finley being the only pitcher in major league history to have struck out four batters in one inning three times in his career, this now moves up to first place on my all-time favorite list of baseball rarities, making it possibly the rarest feat of all.
There have also been four combined occurrences, where two pitchers combined to record four strikeouts in an inning, twice in the National League and twice in the American League. This season, it’s happened twice: Jeff Hoffman of the Blue Jays on March 27, and Mason Miller of the Padres on May 9. The very first in the American League was thrown by the great Walter Johnson on April 15, 1911. Besides Johnson and Gibson, the only other Hall of Famers on the list are Don Drysdale and Phil Niekro.
The Dodgers franchise leads the majors with nine of these rarities in their history, followed by the Cubs with seven. Three other teams, Twins, Astros, and Angels, have six.
Gary Livacari

08/06/2026

Harvey Haddix Near-Perfect Game: One for the Record Books!
"Not a day goes by that somebody doesn't ask me about that game. I think I got more notoriety from it because I lost."-Harvey Haddix, years later reflecting on his historic game
I can't let the week go by without recalling the sixty-third anniversary of one of the most memorable pitching performances in baseball history. Some of us older guys actually remember the game from May 26, 1959. On that date,the Pirates’ Harvey Haddix took a perfect game into the thirteenth inning against the Milwaukee Braves—and actually lost the game! Instead of entering the record books with a rare perfect game, Haddix had to settle for a 12 2/3 innings one-hit complete-game loss.
Haddix had retired 36 consecutive batters that day essentially relying on just two pitches: his fastball and slider. The problem for Haddix and the Pirates was that the Braves’ pitcher, Lew Burdette, was also having a good day, taking a shutout into the thirteenth, scattering 12 singles without walking a batter. The Braves’ lineup was stacked with heavy hitters, including Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock, Wes Covington, and Del Crandall. They had won the National League pennant in the previous two years.
Haddix was perfect through nine, but because the Pirates failed to score, he had to work overtime. With tension and excitement building on every pitch, he was flawless for 10 innings. Then 11. Then 12. He had faced a remarkable 36 batters, and 36 had been retired. Haddix was now in baseball’s version of “uncharted waters.”
Heading into the bottom of the thirteenth, things abruptly unraveled. The Braves leadoff man Felix Mantilla reached on an error by third baseman Don Hoak. Mantilla advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Eddie Mathews. Hank Aaron then received a free pass, and so there were two on with one out.
Now things took an unusual turn. Joe Adcock hit what appeared to be a home run, ending the game, 3-0. However, in the ensuing confusion, Aaron left the basepaths and was passed by Adcock for the second out, and the game officially ended as a 2-0 Braves’ victory. The hit was later downgraded to a double by National League president Warren Giles. Only Mantilla's run counted, for a final score of 1-0.
"There's never been a game like this," said Bill Virdon, the Pirates center fielder that night.
Today, a pitcher gets credit for a quality start if he gives up no more than three runs in six innings. Put that up against a 13-inning game, featuring just two pitchers. What would you call this one?
And what about Haddix's historic effort? Should he get credit for a perfect game? A no-hitter maybe? As it turns out, neither. In 1991, Major League Baseball redefined the definition of a no-hitter to "a game in which a pitcher or pitchers complete a game of nine innings or more without allowing a hit." The rule had the effect of proclaiming that Adcock's drive ended Haddix's no-hit bid, regardless of the score or the game's ultimate outcome. Despite his having thrown more perfect innings than anyone in a single game in all of baseball history, Haddix's game was taken off the list of no-hitters.
Harvey Haddix played 14 years in the major leagues (1953-65) for the Cardinals (1952–56), Phillies (1956–57), Reds (1958), Pirates (1959–63) and Orioles (1964–65). Over his career, he went 136-113 with a 3.63 ERA, 1,575 strikeouts, 99 complete games, 21 shutouts. His best season was 1953 while with the Cardinals gong 20-9 with 163 strikeouts, 3.06 ERA, 19 complete games and six shutouts. He was a three-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove winner, and holds the major league record for most consecutive batters retired in one game (36). He was one of the stars of the 1960 World Series, winning Game Five as a starter, and was the winning pitcher in relief in Game Seven which ended on Bill Mazeroski’s historic walk-off home run.
Harvey Haddix died from emphysema in 1994 at the age of 68. So today we gladly shine our baseball spotlight on a fine pitcher and a truly historic game: Harvey Haddix's near-perfect game of May 26, 1959.
Gary Livacari
Subscribe to our website, “Baseball History Comes Alive!” with over 1200 fully categorized baseball essays and photo galleries, now closing in on the one million hits mark with 812K hits and over 600 subscribers: www.baseballhistorycomesalive.com
Photo Credits: All from Google search
Information: Excerpts edited from Harvey Haddix Wikipedia page.

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