“I’d like to go by climbing a birch tree, And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more, But dipped its top and set me down again. That would be good both going and coming back. One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.” –Robert Frost,…
The Birth of Baseball Monthly
It was the golden age of print media, radio broadcasting was in its infancy, the newspaper, the book and the magazine were the dominant way we learned of the world around us. Print media’s readership and effectiveness had exploded over the past decades, with increased literacy rates, printing advancements, and rapid urbanization. Print media could…
Packer fans mired in apathy
Another season is in full swing yet the Chicago Packers continue to see a lack of engagement by their fans. The team ranks 12th at the gate which is an indication that their attendance is below where it should be. When asked about attendance at the park, team manager Kyle Levin stated “I could care…
The Wizard of Sod
Harland Pritchard, Brooklyn Eagle BROOKLYN, May 22–In the great and noble game of baseball, where titanic batsmen duel with cunning pitchers and fleet-footed outfielders pursue looping flies, it is easy to overlook the humble yet indispensable figure of the groundskeeper. And yet, at Bromwich Park, the verdant home of our beloved Brooklyn Whales, one such…
Scoop’s Scribbles: Flex
NEW YORK CITY: Note to Readers: My name is Mark “Scoop” Saltmarsh, your humble correspondent, and I’m happy to announce that the following is my first edition of what will be a regular column covering the New York Kings. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 24 months, you know that New…
Providence Bids Farewell To Burnell
Providence Chronicle, Saturday, May 6, 1916 YESTERDAY – The great and the good of Providence gathered before the Friday afternoon ballgame in Cartwright Stadium to bid a fond farewell to Angels great, Rufus ‘Rattler’ Burnell. Among the over 2,500 loyal rooters in attendance were local dignitaries representing our fair community, including Mayor Joseph H. Gainer,…
Shadows over Home: A Nation in Transition
The Sporting TimesManhattan, NYMay 8, 1916 Manhattan–As America’s ballparks fill with the sounds of cheering rooters and cracking bats, there’s no mistaking the whispers of change beyond the diamond. While fans debate whether Bobby Batkin and the New York Bakers have the moxie to surpass the leviathans of Brooklyn or the Banshees of Boston, newspapers…
Twelve Years On: Commissioner Parker and the Middle Way
The Sporting TimesMay 1, 1916 Manhattan, NY Manhattan–Twelve years ago, few believed the Legacy Baseball League would ever need a second Commissioner. Alexander Madigan, the league’s larger-than-life founder, loomed immortal—until a rainy August night in 1904 proved otherwise. The loss of baseball’s godfather left a power vacuum, soon filled by an unexpected candidate: Jacob Parker,…
If You Can Trust Yourself When All Men Doubt You
Into the dimly lit main hall of Union Station burst a young man, cases under each arm, he resisted the urge to run and cause a commotion. Wet shoes squeaking on the marble floors, a rushed exchange with a porter to confirm the platform of the ‘Angels Special’ without breaking his stride. Familiar faces of…
Opposites Attract?
NEW YORK CITY: Yesterday, New York Kings Owner and CEO Alexander Bingley announced the hiring of Scott Thomas as the team’s new general manager. Bingley continued. “We are excited with the scouting and player development experience that Scott brings to the organization.” “Fans know the high expectations that I demand for the Kings: Win today….