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Diamond Days, Bologna (2025)

23/12/2025

Umpire Chris Pelekoudas Denies Hammerin' Hank Aaron an Apparent Home Run!

Let’s face it…it's a thankless job.

Even though they play a pivotal role in the game, umpires don’t get a lot of acclamation. And if you ask them, they like it that way. When they’re doing a good job, no one notices them. If their name comes up, it means they’ve either blown a call or they’re involved in a controversial call, even if they got it right! They really can’t win!

Many of our “senior” readers will recognize the name of Chris Pelekoudas. In spite of being a highly respected umpire with a long career in the major leagues, Pelekoudas is often remembered for one such controversial call.

It happened on August 18, 1965, sixty years ago yesterday. In a game played at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis between the Cards and Braves, home plate umpire Pelekoudas called Hank Aaron (seen below in the 1957 World Series) out after blasting a long home run which landed on top of Sportsman’s pavilion. The arbiter called Hammerin’ Hank out because he stepped out of the batter's box as he made contact…or so Chris always maintained.

Critics were quick to point out that Cardinals’ catcher Tim McCarver may have influenced Pelekoudas by jumping up and down. If true, that would be a real umpiring “no-no.” In his defense, Chris always denied McCarver had anything to do with his call, as he had specifically warned Aaron about the rules’ infraction on the two previous pitches. He was just following the rules, as a good umpire should.

So he does his job correctly…and he still gets blamed for it!

The Chicago native umpired in the National League for fifteen years (1960-1975). He worked two World Series (1966 and 1972), serving as crew chief in the ’72 Series. He also worked three All-Star games (1961, 1967, and 1975) and two National League Championship Series (1969 and 1973).

Other Notable Career Moments

*Pelekoudas was the home plate umpire when Willie Mays hit four home runs on April 30, 1961
*He was the third base umpire when Sandy Koufax pitched his second no-hitter on May 11, 1963, and was the first base umpire for Koufax's perfect game on September 9, 1965
*He was the third base umpire for the first game ever held at Shea Stadium, played on April 17, 1964.
*He umpired in a total of six no-hitters.

Chris Pelekoudas passed away on November 30, 1984, in Sunnyvale, California, aged 66, three weeks after suffering a stroke.

Gary Livacari

23/12/2025

A "Slide-Off Victory?? What the Heck Is that!!

Today I stumbled upon some interesting information that proves that two of my personal baseball axioms are true:

1, Just when you think you know everything about this game, you suddenly realize that actually you don't - no matter how many years you've been following it; and

2. Whenever you look closely into the career of almost any major leaguer, you'll find something of interest.

So lets take a look at what I discovered today that fulfills these two axioms.

What's a "Slide-off Victory"?

According to the National Pastime website, sixty-seven years ago this week, on August 14, 1958, the Indians' Vic Power (see photo below) became the first player in seventy years to steal home twice in one game. After swiping home in the eighth, his tenth-inning two-out theft of the plate ended the game and gave the Tribe a 10-9 "slide-off" victory over the Tigers at Cleveland Stadium.

So now I know that a "slide off" victory is one in which the game ends with a steal of home plate! See...what did I tell you...just when you thought you knew it all, you learn something new!

The Career of Vic Power

And then looking at the career of Vic Power - who I remember from my youth - I discovered that his real name was Victor Felipe Pellot Pové. The Arceibo, Puerto Rican native played twelve seasons in majors (1954-1965) for the Athletics, Indians, Twins, Angels, and Phillies. Over his career, he hit .284, with 126 homers, and 658 RBIs. Vic was a six-time All-Star and won seven Gold Gloves. He was the second Puerto Rican of African descent to play in the majors and the second Puerto Rican to play in the American League.

Vic is one of only six batters to have hit both a leadoff and walk-off home run in the same game. He shares the record of making two unassisted double plays in one game, and he is one of 11 players to steal home plate twice in one game. He struck out only 247 times in 6,046 at bats. Vic has the record of having made one or more assists in 16 consecutive game as a first baseman. At the age of 36, he won his final Gold Glove Award to be the oldest player to win the award at first base, a record he held until 2021.

Vic Power is considered one of the greatest Puerto Rican players, perhaps behind only Roberto Clemente, and also one of the greatest defensive first basemen of all time. After he retired, Vic helped youngsters develop their baseball skills in both Puerto Rico and San Pedro de Macorís in the Dominican Republic.. According to historian Bill James, Power was probably a main reason why San Pedro de Macorís became "the world's richest source of baseball talent".

In 2000, the Cleveland Indians honored him by declaring him to be one of its 100 all-time greatest players. Vic Power passed away on November 29, 2005, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico from cancer, at the age of 78.

Gary Livacari

23/12/2025

Negro League featured piece by Kyle McNary

Smokey Joe Williams

Before Satchel Paige there was Smokey Joe Williams. The right-handed throwing Williams, also known as “Cyclone,” threw his fastball as hard as Paige, lied about his age nearly as often as Paige, and beat out Paige in the famous 1952 Pittsburgh Courier Poll as the greatest pitcher in Negro League history.

Williams was born in Seguin, Texas in 1886 to an African-American father and Comanche Indian mother, and he started his professional career with the San Antonio Black Aces in 1905, the year before Paige was born (maybe). Williams registered pitching records of 28-4, 15-9, 20-8, 20-2 and 32-8 in his five seasons with the Aces and was a Texas legend.

Williams was about the same height as Paige, standing about six-foot-four, weighed about 220 pounds in his prime, and had an absolutely blazing fastball, which was described in a hundred ways, including: “It was like a pebble in a windstorm,” “It looked like an aspirin tablet with a tail on it,” and “it almost caught fire as it hummed toward the plate.” Williams was also known to use an emery board on the baseball when the situation required it!

Williams, unlike Paige, was a solid hitter, batting close to .300 lifetime, and if a pitcher threw a pitch where he was swinging he was capable of hitting homeruns out of any park.

In 1910, Williams played with the Chicago Giants, and in 1911 he joined the New York Lincoln Giants, one of the most powerful teams of the era, and drew nationwide attention by beating the great Rube Foster. Williams was highly respected for his playing and knowledge of the game, and was New York’s player-manager from 1914-1923. During this period Williams was one of the best known black athletes in the country, and, according to Negro League catcher Josh Johnson, was idolized by most black youngsters.

“Everyone wanted to be Joe Williams on the sandlot,” explained Johnson. “We argued about who could ‘be’ Smokey Joe!”

In his prime, never mind winning 20 games--Williams often won 40! And, like Nolan Ryan, he was always capable of throwing a no-hitter every time he took the mound.

Williams had hundreds of memorable games during his career, and one of his greatest came in 1924 when he faced the famous semipro Brooklyn Bushwicks at Dexter Park a week before he turned 38. Williams entered the game in the first inning when starting pitcher Pud Flourney ran into trouble, and Cyclone struck out 11 of the first 12 batters he faced. The game went 12 innings, with Williams striking out 25, though the Bushwicks won, 4-3, on a pair of bloop singles in the 12th.

In 1926, Williams joined the Homestead Grays, and stayed with them until he retired in 1932. In 1929, Williams threw one of his many lifetime no-hitters, this one against the General Tires team of Akron, Ohio, featuring many Major and Minor League players.

In 1930, the 44-year-old Williams allowed one hit and struck out 27 Kansas City Monarchs in a 1-0, 12-inning win, besting Chet Brewer who struck out 19. That same season he beat 24-year-old Satchel Paige, 1-0, in their only meeting ever against each other.

In his career, Williams won 20 of 27 games against Major Leaguers in exhibitions and his pitching victims included Grover Cleveland Alexander, Rube Marquard, Waite Hoyt, Chief Bender and Walter Johnson, all Hall of Famers.

In 1931, the Grays fielded what is considered by many to be the greatest black team in history, and Williams led a pitching staff that included Willie Foster, Double Duty Radcliffe, Lefty Williams, Porter Charleston and George “Chippy” Britt. The Grays won 136 of 155 games and capped the season by demolishing a Major League All-Star team by scores of 10-7 and 18-0.

“[Williams] was over 50 but could still throw 100 miles an hour,” recalled Double Duty Radcliffe, “I had to put a beefsteak in my glove when I caught him.”

Grays’ owner Cum Posey named Williams to his post season all-star team after the ’31 season, on a pitching staff with Radcliffe, Foster, Satchel Paige, Sam Streeter, Charles Beverly and Pud Flourney, all of whom were at least 15 years Williams’ junior.

After retiring from baseball, Williams tended bar in Harlem, and is often credited with recommending Brooklyn Royal Giants first baseman Buck Leonard to the Homestead Grays.

Williams was honored at New York’s Polo Grounds in 1950 where he played many games while with the Lincoln Giants, and he passed away a year later at age 64. In 1999, Williams was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In the book “Only the Ball was White” by Robert Peterson, infielder Bill Yancey insisted that Negro League teams were every bit as good as those in the Majors, explaining, “With Smokey Joe Williams or Cannonball Dick Redding or Phil Cockrell or Nip Winters pitching we could beat anybody!”

-Kyle McNary

23/12/2025

The Great Baseball Tune, "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio" Debuts 84 Years Ago!

23/12/2025

Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, NY, October 8, 1949 - In Game Four in 1949 World Series, the New York Yankees are up two games to one against the Brooklyn Dodgers and have the bases loaded with a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning threating to break the game wide open - and they did just that as the photo shows.

Bobby Brown's triple to right field clears the bases scoring Tommy Henrich (heading home), Yogi Berra (dashing to third) and Joe DiMaggio (halfway to second) giving the Yanks a 6-0 lead. Brown's three-bagger with zero outs off Brooklyn's reliever Joe Hatten had to be soul-crushing blow for every Bums' fan in the stands that afternoon, this was the Dodgers fifth attempt to win their first World Series crown and this was a crucial game for their dreams of that elusive title.

However, the Dodgers did battle back knocking around Yanks started Eddie Lopat with four runs on seven hits in the bottom of that sixth inning to cut the Yankee lead to two runs giving rise to hope. Sensing that, New York's skipper Casey Stengel brought in Allie Reynolds to get the last out of the inning and from there the hard-throwing Oklahoma native would hold the Dodgers hitless over the final three innings securing his team a 6-4 win and a registered save for himself. It also gave the Yankees the commanding three to one lead that all of Brooklyn desperately wanted to avoid.

The next day, just as feared, Yankees bats crushed the hearts of Brooklyn fans by jumping to a dominating 10-1 lead by the sixth inning. Dodgers didn't quit though cutting that lead to four runs, but in the end, it wasn't enough as the Bronx Bombers won their 12th World Series title and their first of what would be an impressive five in a row (1949-1953).

-Ron A. Bolton

23/12/2025

Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH, July, 21, 1949 - Satchel Paige is pitching against the New York Yankees during a 5-3 loss before 35,818. The then 43-year-old Paige came in at the top of the 8th inning to relieve Gene Bearden and finished the game throwing 1.2 scoreless innings, striking out one and giving up two hits including a double to Phil Rizzuto.

In this photo Paige is pitching to the Yanks' Tommy Henrich, who would hit into a double play. After the Scooter hit his double to lead off the inning, he would steal third base on Indians catcher Jim Hegan. But Henrisch would hit a fly ball to right fielder Bob Kennedy whose throw home was in time to nail the Scooter who had tagged up from third base.

On the other side, the Yanks starter Vic Raschi would go the distance against the defending world champs for the complete game win, giving up eight hits and three runs to improve his record to 15-3. He would serve up a home run to former teammate Joe Gordon, his 14th round-tripper of the year.

Take note of the shortstop behind Paige, that is Ray Boone, who is the father of Phillies' catcher Bob Boone and grandfather to Aaron and Bret Boone.

-Ron A. Bolton

23/12/2025

An umpire stands alone during Game Five of the 1959 World Series with the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as its backdrop.

It was the first series held in California and the Los Angeles Dodgers drew 277,750 in their three home games. They would take the series in six games against the Chicago White Sox.

-Ron A. Bolton

23/12/2025

Hilltop Park, Manhattan, NY, ca 1912 - This wonderful colorization by Don Stokes shows the entrance to the New York Highlanders ballpark in it's last year of existence. Hilltop Park was first built in 1903 at the cost of $200,000 and was constructed hastily and it showed - the outfield was never in good condition with a swamp in right field and no grass, the players had to dress in their hotel rooms because the clubhouse was yet completed.

When it was finally fully completed it seated 16,000 rooters, which at the time was considered big for a ballpark.

If you look at the photo a few things stick out, one is the ticket prices, 75¢ for a grandstand seat, 50¢ and 25¢ for general admission. Also you will see a little boy bringing his glove to the game, a tradition that is still strong today.

Eventually Hilltop Park became antiquated and in 1913 the Highlanders moved into the New York Giants home ballpark the Polo Grounds and changed their name to the Yankees. It wasn't the first time these two teams shared a ballpark, after the Polo Grounds was destroyed by a fire in 1911, the Giants played their 1911 season at Hilltop Park.

Shortly after the Highlanders left, Hilltop Park was demolished and today Columbia University Medical Center is located in its spot. In 1993 the Yankees donated a plaque in the exact position of where home plate rested in Hilltop Park.

-Ron A. Bolton

23/12/2025

Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, Aug 26, 1956 - In Pacific Coast League action, slugger Steve Bilko of the Los Angeles Angels hits his 50th home run of season against the Seattle Rainiers.

Bilko would finish the year with 55 dingers and next season (1957) he topped that with 56. He finished his minor league career with 313 home runs and he hit 76 in the majors.

Television writer Nat Hiken took Bilko's last name in creating the character Sgt Bilko for "The Phil Slivers Show".

-Ron A. Bolton

23/12/2025

Featured Story by Author Ronald T. Waldo

Before Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack secured George Edward “Rube” Waddell for his club in 1902, the hurler pitched in California with the Los Angeles squad. Rube had ventured to California with other major league ballplayers after he abandoned the Chicago Orphans late during the 1901 campaign. Chicago manager Thomas “Tom” Loftus had acquired Waddell from the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 2 by handing over a solitary cigar to owner Barney Dreyfuss.

Throughout his major league career, Rube received his salary spontaneously in installments, rather than receiving bi-monthly payments like his teammates. Connie Mack felt this was a prudent approach because of Waddell’s irresponsible nature regarding money. As a result of running short on funds at times, Rube became the “master of the touch,” scheming ownership and other players into giving him cash when he ran out of spending money. One day during the winter before the 1902 baseball campaign started, Exposition Park’s groundskeeper, John Murphy, stopped at Pirates headquarters, hoping to talk with Dreyfuss. Instead, Murphy engaged assistant team secretary Walter Smith in a discussion involving Waddell. The two gentlemen reminisced about Rube’s uncanny ability to apply the touch to anybody holding some cash.

“I wonder,” said Murphy, “if Rube Waddell ever left the Pacific Coast,” said Murphy. “I have not seen much of Rube’s stunts lately. There’s the boy who is one of the few that ever landed your Uncle Mike. Touch? Of course it was a touch. I didn’t know Eddie’s curves when he came along and bought a dog from me for $5 and said he would give it to me the next week. You can bet I fell right in. Two years later I landed the money, but it’s a case of never again.”

“That’s nothing,” spoke up assistant secretary Walter Smith. “One time last spring we went to Cincinnati over Sunday [the team left Cincinnati that day for their next stop on the road trip in St. Louis]. Rube came up to me on a train and five times touched for a nickel to buy oranges. I had to give up for he made such a fast play it was impossible to meet him.”

“That is a good one,” remarked a third person hanging out at Pirates headquarters, “but it doesn’t beat the trick Eddie played on a newspaper man in Indianapolis. Eddie came into the hotel swinging a cane which he had secured at the Springs {Hot Springs, Arkansas, where Pittsburgh held spring training in 1901]. ‘That’s a fine stick you have, better give it to me,’ put in the paragraph writer. Eddie made no reply, but hastened to the check room and had the boy put the cane in a rack. Coming back with a clever swagger Eddie handed the check to the paragrapher saying, ‘If you want that cane go and get it.’ Five minutes later as the man was coming out of his room Eddie drove him for a five spot. He gave up like a little man, not thinking of the gaff.”

When it came to masterfully initiating the touch, Rube Waddell’s adversaries became puddy in his hands. When Sporting Life and Pittsburgh sportswriter Alfred R. Cratty shared this exchange in his February 8, 1902, column for the publication, the scribe also commented on Pirates manager Fred Clarke’s attachment to homelife during the off-season. Cratty shared that Fred enjoyed helping his wife, Annette Gray Clarke, prepare fine dishes. When Alfred talked to Clarke about it, Pittsburgh’s star outfielder and manager declared he did not cook the chafing kind and then explained that comment.

“I asked Mrs. C. to make pancakes the other afternoon, and you can bet that I didn’t say ‘like mother used to make,’” Clarke told Cratty. “I know my business.”

From Rube Waddell to Fred Clarke and beyond, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ baseball club certainly included a unique group of individuals as baseball exploded in the Smoky City throughout the early twentieth century.

-Author Ronald T. Waldo

23/12/2025

Shibe Park, Philadelphia, PA, April, 29, 1947 - The Pirates newly acquired slugger 36-year-old Hank Greenberg watches his third home run of the young season leave the ballpark against the Bucs in-state rival, Philadelphia Phillies.

The third inning two-run smash off Phillies starter Ken Raffensberger scored shortstop Billy Cox (lead off the inning with a single) and gave Pittsburgh a 4-0 lead. The following batter, Frankie Gustine, would single when another legendary slugger in Ralph Kiner would hit his own two-run blast to now give the Bucs a 6-0 lead and chase Raffensberger to an early shower.

Pirates pitcher and Canadian-native Ed Bahr would stifle the Phillies bats the rest of the game giving up just two runs on eight hits for the complete game win.

Also in the photo is umpire George Barr and Phillies catcher Andy Seminick. The game was played in one hour and 55 minutes and in front of 27,203.

Also take note on how close the newspapers photographers are to the action.

-Ron A. Bolton

23/12/2025

"Can I throw harder than Joe Wood? Listen, mister, no man alive can throw harder than Smoky Joe Wood."

-Walter Johnson

Diamond Days

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