Jackie Robinson awaits his first at bat in the majors, Ebbets Field, 4/15/47, by Irving Haberman. From the blog: How did the press cover the "first" #JackieRobinsonDay? Coverage from the NYT, Sporting News, Brooklyn Eagle, & Pittsburgh Courier #Jackie42 behindthebag.net/2018/04/15/the…

Charlie Maxwell, oldest living alum of #Tigers, #RedSox & #WhiteSox, passes at 97. 2x All-Star; best year in ‘56 (28-87-.325, .534 SLG, .948 OPS). Hit 4 HRs in a row in DH vs Yanks 5/3/59. Was also the last surviving player to homer off Satchel Paige (1951 w/Boston)! #RIP

Ted Gray, Detroit native & #Tigers hurler for 8 seasons, born #OTD 100 yrs ago. A strikeout whiz on WWII Navy All Star teams, won 10 (career best 3.51 ERA) in 1949 & 1950 won 10 starts before break for only All-Star nod, but blisters and the long ball resulted in sub-.500 career

Negro Leagues star hurler Webster McDonald, born #OTD 125 years ago. 2 titles with Chicago American Giants in 1926, 1927 & NNL best WHIP in ‘27; also on integrated Little Falls, MN team 1928-32 (below) with 98-8 W-L record, & 14-2 vs MLB in exhibitions, beating Dizzy Dean 4 times

Tom Gorman from Valley Stream, L.I., hurler for #Yankees (1952-54) & KC Athletics (1955-59), born #OTD 100 years ago. 2 rings with Bombers ‘52, ‘53 (2.21 ERA ‘53, 2.45 career postseason ERA), also 18 saves (2nd in AL) for 91-loss A’s in 1955, their first year in KC

OF Izzy Hoffman, born #OTD 125 years ago. 2 years in MLB, 1904 Washington, 1907 Boston (NL), .279 in ‘07. More colorful career in minors (1900-1923; 1906, 1913 below); deserted teams & also fought on field & removed by police a few times. Best year was .344 for Montreal, age 48

Raise your glasses to the incomparable Bob Uecker (seen here as 1964 WS Champ Cardinals with fellow future broadcaster Tim McCarver), a great ambassador for the game for over a half-century, and Milwaukee’s favorite son. #RIP Bob

Billy Wagner, Hall-of-Famer #HOF #MLB

Ichiro Suzuki, Hall-of-Famer #HOF #MLB

CC Sabathia, Hall-of-Famer #HOF #MLB

Jackie Robinson, U.S. Army #Hero

“T’WAS A SLAUGHTER” - Brooklyn Citizen “PLAYED LIKE AUTOMATONS” - Eagle #Dodgers’ franchise worse home shutout loss until yesterday? 9/20/1898, a “howling farce” at Washington Park, 15-0 loss to Pirates. Bridegrooms would finish 10th, lowest position finish in franchise history

Defensive whiz Tommy Helms: Came up as a SS but was 1966 NL Rookie of the Year at 3B, and won 2 Gold Gloves at 2B for #Reds (1970, 1971), later a top 2B for #Astros (led MLB in assists and DPs in 1972). Led NL in Fld% 3x, 2x All-Star, Reds HOF 1979 #RIP

“The Brooklyn players have been swell and they were encouraging all the way. The Brooklyn crowd was certainly on my side, but I don’t know how it will be in other parks.” “I know that this year is the test (but) I’m not going to worry at any time.” S.N. 4/23/47 #JackieRobinsonDay

"Baseball failed to keep faith with me. (My suspension) read that if found innocent of any wrongdoing, I would be reinstated. If found guilty, I would be banned for life. I was found innocent, and I was still banned for life." - Shoeless Joe Jackson, 1949 #MLB

“He is the complete player” - Chuck Tanner. 7x All-Star, 2x Batting Champ, NL MVP (with a Gold Glove) in 1978, a rifle arm earning him 1979 All-Star MVP honors, 2x World Champion. MLB HOF 2025, #Pirates HOF, #Reds HOF. #RIP Cobra

In honor of the #Mets retiring David Wright’s number tomorrow, I’ll be posting a few photos of David that I snapped myself over the years. Love this one from his rookie year, 2004, at Shea Stadium #DavidWright 5️⃣

“The reason I am here, they tell me, is that I played the game a certain way, that I played the game the way it was supposed to be played.” - Ryne Sandberg in his 2005 HOF speech. NL MVP, 10xAll-Star, 9 straight GGs at 2B, 7 Silver Sluggers, .989 Fld %. #RIP #Cubs #Phillies

"I always bet on me." Player: 4x All-Star, 3x GG, 43 HRs in 1973, 2x WS Champ 1966, 1970; Manager: Winningest in Mets history, 5 division titles, sabermetrics pioneer, 1986 WS Champs #RIP Davey Johnson #Orioles HOF #Mets HOF #Braves #Reds #Nationals

BASEBALL!!!!!!!