History

The postseason in MLB provides us with multiple hair raising situations that are as indelible on the mind as our childhood memories. Situations such as the unexpected sweep, a nail biting Game Seven, and the unthinkable rally, are all a big part of nearly every postseason game in MLB history.

Enos “Country” Slaughter replaced Phil Rizzuto on the New York Yankees’ roster on Aug. 25, 1956. 

The move was announced on Old Timers’ Day, and effectively ended the career of the second greatest shortstop in Yankees’ history.

The Yankees needed help, which they hoped Slaughter could provide, but they were insensitive with respect to the timing of Rizzuto’s release.

Phil often talked about the unusual circumstances.

It sounds a little sappy, but I believe that I was meant to write “Public Bonehead, Private Hero: The Real Legacy of Baseball’s Fred Merkle,” which is available at:  www.sportingchancepress.com

To this day, many baseball fans still call Fred Merkle a “bonehead.”  I won’t rest until that stops. 

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter reached another milestone this past weekend and did so quietly.

Not much mention was made of baseball's poster boy after he took over the active hits lead.

As of today, Jeter has 2,781 hits and has overtaken Ken Griffey Jr. for the active lead. Griffey has 2,776 as I write this.

It is quite a feat for Jeter to already catch "Junior." Griffey already had over 1,000 hits by the time Jeter came to the Majors.

Please read this carefully.

Take your time to understand the import of what you are about to read.

For if the following hits you as it hit me when I first read it, you will be amazed.

As reported in the New York Post today, last night Derek Jeter passed Ken Griffey, Jr. as the active player with most hits in his career.

But the incredible part, the part you have to read carefully is the other part of the Post report.

On Aug. 16, 1969, New York's most beloved team, the New York Mets, beat the victory-challenged expansion San Diego Padres in the first game of a 10-game home stand.

At the time, the third-place Mets trailed the division-leading Chicago Cubs by nine games.

On Aug. 24, the Mets completed the home stand by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was New York's ninth victory in the 10 games.

Jeff Karstens started his career as a Pittsburgh Pirate with six innings of shutout ball and a 3-0 victory against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field in August 2008. Last night, he did much of the same with a two-run 6.2 inning quality start against Milwaukee that ended in a 7-3 Pirates victory.

In Miller Park.

David Wright became the youngest ever New York Met to reach 1,000 hits on Tuesday night when he lined an RBI single to right field off the Dodgers Ramon Troncoso in the fifth inning of the second half of a twi-night doubleheader.

Wright, who is 27 years and 127 days old, is the eighth Met with 1,000 career hits. He is also the fastest player to reach the milestone in a Mets jersey, recording the historic feat in his 868th career game.

On Jan. 1, 1927, Charles "Swede" Risberg testified that in 1917, the Chicago White Sox "bought" four games from the Detroit Tigers for $1,100.

As repayment for their cooperation, the White Sox "sloughed" a series in 1919 to the Tigers in an attempt to help the Bengals finish in third place.

On Jan. 5, 1927, the players accused of involvement had their chance to respond to the charges. Twenty-nine players denied the charges before Commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis.

On Jan. 1, 1927, former Chicago White Sox shortstop Charles "Swede" Risberg told baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, in a semi-open hearing, that in 1917, his Chicago White Sox "bought' four games from the Detroit Tigers.