Comments for Baseball: Past and Present

Comment on Dick Stuart and the Managers He Frustrated by Gregory Wolf

Gregory Wolf — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:02:06 +0000

Thanks for remembering Dr. Strangeglove!
I read once on Baseball-reference.com that Dick Stuart had a license plate that read “E3.” If that’s true, then it’s a real classic. What can you tell us about his career in Japan?

Comment on Any player/Any era: Josh Gibson by Dave

Dave — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:12:18 +0000

Josh Gibson was a tremendous player but Bo Jackson would have been the best ever if he had put his mind to it. If he had just a part of Brett’s instinct for the game he would have broken many many records. Gibson had the power and smarts but nobody had Jackson’s combo of power and speed. As a long suffering Royals fan I can only sigh.

Comment on An open letter to Baseball-Reference and the statistical powers that be by Baseball varsity jackets

Baseball varsity jackets — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:24:10 +0000

The business enterprise side involving hockey has always been with regards to cash, confirmed from the planet collection scandal concerning the chi town whitened Sox, otherwise known as chicago african american Sox. Playing …
baseball

Comment on Dick Stuart and the Managers He Frustrated by David Mitchell

David Mitchell — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:07:11 +0000

Patiently waiting for a good Pacific Coast League story…

Comment on Hack Wilson: A Forgotten Star Who Burned Brightly and All Too Briefly by Tom

Tom — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:25:27 +0000

Nice read, Doug. Yeah, Hack Wilson and those 191 RBIs. I remember that from the back of one of my 1970s baseball cards. It’s one of those stats that has always stuck with me.

Buuut, that story about the worm dying in alcohol ascribed to Mgr. Hornsby and Wilson? I knew the story, but had it associated with a pitcher and a different manager. I reached for my copy of Nathan Salant’s “Superstars, Stars, and Just Plain Heroes”, and found a very similar story involving Joe McCarthy and Grover Cleveland Alexander. A few minutes of searching failed to substantiate the Salant version, but verified yours. Huh…

Comment on Richie Ashburn, My Non-wWAR Overview by Vinnie

Vinnie — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:19:35 +0000

Of all the great center fielders, before or since, none have put up 500 put out seasons like Ashburn did and unless the parks get larger and the strikeouts are cut down, no one probably ever will.

Comment on Retelling the Monty Stratton Story by Retelling the Monty Stratton Story for Baseball Past & Present « h2h Corner

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:07:51 +0000

[...] Retelling the Monty Stratton Story for Baseball Past & Present: http://baseballpastandpresent.com/2012/02/02/retelling-monty-stratton-story/. [...]

Comment on Dick Stuart and the Managers He Frustrated by Bob Yanity

Bob Yanity — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:19:06 +0000

P.S.

Stuart was a dandy! In fact, I think that was one of his nicknames: “Dandy Dick Stuart.”

Comment on Dick Stuart and the Managers He Frustrated by Bob Yanity

Bob Yanity — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:18:18 +0000

Good article. I remember Dick Stuart very well. One night after he had been on the bench for a number of games due to poor play/hitting, he entered the game as a pinch-hitter at Forbes Field. Some of his fans had a sign along the right field area: “Don’t boo Stew, he’ll come through.” Stuart was announced to a chorus of boos, but the fans holding the sign were cheering. Stuart proceeded to get a single and his sign-holding fans were cheering wildly. On the next pitch, he was picked off first base to an increased chorus of boos!

Comment on Dick Stuart and the Managers He Frustrated by Ed Stankowski

Ed Stankowski — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:53:25 +0000

As always, I enjoy reading Joe’s work. His blog drags dusty, half-forgotten memories into the light of current day. Kind of like getting lost in a shoebox of old baseball cards…

Stuart sure was a character, famously aware of his image and something of a dandy in terms of wardrobe. Here’s a passage from Jim Bouton’s classic “Ball Four”: … Dick Stuart would smooth his uniform carefully, adjust his cap, tighten his belt and say, “I add 20 points to my average if I know I look bitchin’ out there.”

Also, check out Bouton’s “Ball Four” entry for March 14. There’s a hilarious Stuart anecdote too long for reproduction here.

Stuart also famously claimed that he would have capitalized on hitting a walk-off World Series home run in ways Mazeroski never would have imagined. No one doubted him.