by David Krell | Feb 11, 2017 | David Krell
In the ninth month of 1965, baseball fans reveled in the aura of excellence displayed at major league ballparks. Ernie Banks, the jovial Cubs shortstop, whose trademark suggestion “Let’s play two!” indicates pure delight in playing baseball, knocked...
by David Krell | Feb 9, 2017 | David Krell
Pitchers can become overwhelming forces during a season. Denny McLain went 31-6 in 1968. Nolan Ryan struck out more than 300 batters in a season five times. Ron Guidry’s 25 wins in 1978 comprised exactly 25% of the Yankees’ 100 victories. In 1985, Dwight...
by David Krell | Feb 5, 2017 | David Krell
During the summer of Woodstock, Hurricane Camille, and Neil Armstrong’s giant leap for mankind, Ken Holtzman escalated to legend status in the Friendly Confines when he pitched a no-hitter against the Braves. Holtzman finished 1969 with a 17-13 record, 12...
by David Krell | Feb 4, 2017 | David Krell
“I believe in the Church of Baseball.” So begins Bull Durham, a 1988 cinematic voyage exploring the charm of the minor leagues. Written and directed by former minor league ballplayer Ron Shelton, Bull Durham expresses a journeyman’s wisdom and...
by David Krell | Feb 2, 2017 | David Krell
When Dizzy Dean pitched for the Cardinals in 1934, St. Louisans rested as easy as a stray feather landing on a duck’s backside—the Arkansas native led the major leagues in wins, strikeouts, and complete games. With a 30-7 record, Dean marked the Cardinals as an...
