baseballtourist

SWEPT BY THE BOSOX...uhhg! / VANCOUVER MAN DONATES A RARE, RUTH & GEHRIG SIGNED 1934 TOUR OF JAPAN BALL TO HOF

May 19 - Tallet's mustache continues to pitch well, but this game, it was pitted against a knuckle ball artist (Tim Wakefield). Brian gave up only 2 runs on 4 hits through 6, but the wily vet, Wakefield gave up only one run through 8...and scattered 5 hits. Jays fall to 27-15.

May 20 - Uh oh! Rookie Brett Cecil looked a lot like the guy in the photo above during this one.  He gave up five (yes 5!) homers to the Sox..including the first of the season to "Big Papi" - David Ortiz and one to the ever-dangerous, but just returned from the DL" Yoooooouk". Taters were flying out over the heads of the Jays fielders at a record pace. Actually, at a record-tying pace. Ray matched a dubious team record held by former Cy Younger - Pat Hentgen. The Jays offense hit 14 knocks of their own, but they were scattered and the runs (3) came to late and too few. The 8-3 result pushed the Blue Birds back to 27-16.

May 21-The "Green Monster" hasn't been kind to the boys...or are the Jays coming back down to earth after their tremendous start? The run of the rookie pitcher might just be over....as Robert Ray loses tonight in Fenway after giving up 5 runs on 6 hits, and lasts only 4 1/3. The Jays still pumped out 11 hits, including at least one from everyone in the lineup, save Lind (of course..he is on my fantasy team). At 27-17 they are still in 1st place, but the Jays need some healthy and experienced pitchers back soon.

An amazingly rare, 1934 Tour of Japan "team" signed, barnstorming ball - autographed by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Connie Mack, Lefty O'Doul and others was donated by a Vancouver gent...to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Nice gesture, especially when you realize that it surely worth six figures. Here's the story.

Rookie Rick Romero's Solid MLB Debut takes the Jays to 3-1

Two rookies made their MLB debut in Toronto today.

Romero came out on top, despite his pregame jitters, scattering 2 runs and 7 hits over 6 innings.

This quote from the Jays.com story "Adding to the day was the fact that Romero's entire family -- his parents, two sisters and brother -- were in the stands after a long flight from their home in Los Angeles." reminded me of the game I attended with Jimmy O, when we saw Alex Rios (easy Kates!) get his first hit in his first MLB game.

Alexis' family were in the row in front of us, and it was cool to watch their excitement. Jimmy and I got Alex to sign our tickets that day. Where did I put that stub?

Now its off to Cleveland, where Vancouverite, Scott Richmond gets his first start of the season, after a hard luck situation with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

(photo from Jays.com)

Bob Brown - "The Father of Vancouver Baseball"

 

In the big picture of Vancouver baseball Bob Brown was a player, a manager, a scout, a club owner and a league president.

He operated teams in continuously in Vancouver rom 1910 to 1953.

He was revered as a shoestring operator, a shrewd promoter who held his franchise together with bailing wire and bank notes and hope.

This is a cheque/check from my collection, from the Capilanos baseball team, signed by Bob.

(story cut from a Dick Beddoes article in The Vancouver Sun, 1952)

 

 

Awesome, 1 of a Kind, 1927 Yankees Team Signed Photo

Originally given by Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert to James Hanes, manager of the Hollywood Beach Hotel in Hollywood, Florida, as a token of Ruppert`s gratitude for his many visits during the winter and spring training. Photo sold for $94K at a recent auction - shows you that there is no recessionary impact on the "good stuff".

Dubbed `Murderer`s Row,` the 1927 Yankees outscored their opponents by nearly 400 runs and hit a staggering .307 as a team. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig lead the New York powerhouse with Ruth setting his single-season home run record of 60 and Gehrig`s .373 batting average, 47 home runs and league leading 175 RBI`s. Coupled with a pitching staff that included four pitchers with 18 or more wins the Bronx Bombers won the American League pennant by 19 games and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series.