If you could go back in Time

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Posted By: Jerry Rucker

If you could go back in time and watch one Ballgame which one would it be. For example would it be the Merkle Boner game or the Ruth Called shot game, maybe a Matty vs 3 Finger Brown matchup or The Train vs Smokey Joe Wood. Cobb vs Wagner in 1909 WS wouldn't be bad, where you could load up with Broadleaf cigarettes and maybe get a few Cobb Fan for a Fans. I think any game pitched and won by Matty or Rube Waddell would be fine with me or a 19th century game just to see what it was like back then. What would be your choice?

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Posted By: Jason Carota

Without a doubt, Smokey Joe vs. The Big Train.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I would go back to a professional game circa 1887..wouldn't even have to be a meaningful game...just to take it in. Experience what baseball was like in that era. How fast were the players? How fast was the pitching? How did fans react to certain plays and players?

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Posted By: Joe D.

my first thought:

I would love to go back to 1906 in Chicago.

When the Chicago Cubs... an incredible team - with incredible players - and the best in the league -
played the Chicago White Sox - the hitless wonders (anyone good on that team?) -
in the World Series.

Imagine the town of Chicago.


Best of all.... David beats Goliath as the hitless wonder White Sox win the series.

Seriously - they should make a movie about that series.... the story is made for hollywood.


Oh... and if I can only pick one single game... I guess it would be the last game of that world series.

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Posted By: Matthew S. Moore

One not-to-be-missed game would be the one in which Bill "Dummy" Hoy, as the Reds' leadoff man, faced Luther "Dummy" Taylor, starting pitchier for the Giants, on May 26, 1902, at League Park II (a.k.a. " Palace of the Fans"). The Giants were still under Horace Fogel's management, so they weren't yet champs, but that is one game I'd like to see!

Another game I'd love to see is the one (June 18, 1889) in which Hoy, center-fielding for the Washington Senators in Indianapolis, threw out three Hoosier baserunners at home plate—a feat that was treated all too casually by contemporary sportswriters. (This WAS 1889, after all.) If I can't get to see the game for myself, I'd certainly settle for some good film footage! I'd arrange to have sophisticated movie equipment, of course.

Wouldn't it be marvelous to be able to sit in Ebbets Field or the Palace of the Fans again?

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Posted By: john/z28jd

I'd go back to a game in the 1880s basically for the reasons said above but id have to see a game i didnt know the result of. Probably a Chicago vs Giants game circa 1884 so i could see Anson,Kelly,Ewing,Connors and Ward and maybe get a Corcoran vs Welch matchup.

If i had to pick a specific game id want to see the first perfect game by Lee Richmond.Of course id be sitting in the crowd saying "he looks unhittable today!" after the 1st inning. Id also look ridiculous wearing my Pirates hat and shirt since there wont even be a team in Pittsburgh for another 2 years after that game

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Posted By: Rhys

I would go back to the game in 1896 where Holy Cross University and Louis Sockalexis played a sold out exhibition game against the powerful New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. Amos Rusie was asked a series of questions before the game about how he would pitch to Louis Sockalexis since he was already being billed as the best baseball player in the world while still in College. Rusie's response was that he would "Scalp that Indian". Sockalexis was cheered by a group of Penobscot Indians which made the trip all the way from Bangor Maine in full War Dress. Sockalexis crushed one of the first pitches he saw from Rusie for a Home Run which was billed at the time as the longest ball ever hit at the stadium. True Story. Why a Hollywood movie has not been made about this guy is absolutely beyond me.

Rhys Yeakley

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

Dan:

I'm with you. It would be hard to pick just one game though. I'd love to see Gus Weyhing's no hitter versus Kansas City or Pete Browning swing the bat or King Kelly sub himself into the game to catch a foul ball near the bench or...

Just watching where the game was at back then would be spectacular.

Kevin

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Posted By: Marc S.

Chas. Ferguson's last start of the season. He was a phenomanel 30-9 that year, with a sub-2 ERA. He finished the season with 11 straight wins. I would love to have seen that last game -- to imagine the might of one of the game's first superstars, whose career ended up as "what could have been"

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Posted By: peter chao

I would go back to the 1918 World Series and witness all 3 games pitched by Babe Ruth. If he continued pitching he probably would have been one of the best lefties of all time.

Peter C.

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Posted By: Rob

I'd like to see a game pitched by Satchel Paige in his heyday, maybe one of the exhibition games against the MLB All Stars.

Rob

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

It was in 1887 that a batter could no longer specify a high or low ball from the pitcher. And during that year a pitcher had to record four strikes in order to achieve a K. I believe that in this year Toad Ramsey struck out 17 batters in a game. With four strikes required for each, I think that this level of dominance outshines the accomplishments of modern pitchers, and Id like to watch it. Particularly since most batters were contact hitters.

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Posted By: Ken W.

June 14th, 1870: The day the Cincinnati Red Stockings lost to the Brooklyn Atlantics, ending their 91-game winning streak.

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Posted By: Scot

Satchel Paige as well (1920's).

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Posted By: Leslie Westbrook

...I'd like to have witnessed Doc Ellis' psychedelic no-hitter--especially with the knowledge that he was under the influence. Watching his actions/reactions with that knowledge could be a real "trip".

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Posted By: Ed Ivey

Elysian Fields, Hoboken, June 19, 1846.

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Posted By: Rob Ray

No doubt about it...any game Babe Ruth homered in,but especially the fabled 3-HR game in Pittsburgh,the last great game of his life in '35.
Or: the first game in the majors that Jackie Robinson played in.
If I had a third choice,any great game pitched by Cy Young or Christy Mthewson. I'm not picky!
***Off-topic: to the "Rucker" who posted this great idea for a topic:
My mom's maiden name was Rucker;we're related to Nap Rucker,early-20th century pitcher for Dodgers,etc. Are you any relation, by chance?
Mom's family grew up both in Georgia and Montana.....

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Posted By: Joe D.

If I am back in time....
I would have to head over to the printing plant and pick up a couple of uncut T206 sheets (preferably with Wagner on the sheet).

One sheet for Ted Z - one for myself.


After that, maybe I catch a Giants game and watch Matty pitch.

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Posted By: Ken McMillan

October 5, 1921 Game 1 of the 1921 world series and the Yankees first World Series. My great great uncle Got the firsthit of the game and scored the first run of the game for the Yankees. Just to see that andmeet him would have been awesome.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

Great question. Only one real answer, for me: April 15, 1947: Jackie's debut.

-Al

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Posted By: Ed Ivey

sorry to double post, but time travel fascinates me. Can you go back knowing what you know now? I'd love to be able to tell Merkle, "don't forget to tag the bag, kid".

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Anyone reading this thread should read Darryl Brock's book, If I Never Get Back.

A great uncle of mine was in the car business. Dodge and Buick dealer for half a century, with my grandfather. Granddad was indifferent to baseball. Uncle Paul was a fan. He once told me of riding the train from southern Kentucky up to Detroit in the early 20s. He and another fellow were going to pick up 2 cars and drive them back to Kentucky. In Detroit he managed to get to the ball park. He saw Walter Johnson strike out Ty Cobb, and saw Cobb get a hit, and steal a base....

Any of the Cub Giant games from 06 to about 1911 would be fun. Walter Johnson vs Smokey Joe Wood would be good. Those 1905 WS games... Merkle's game. Hub Perdue's best ML game, his opening day 3 hit shutout in 1912 over Mathewson and the Giants, I'd like that, the newspapers didn't cover it much, though, they wrote about the Titantic instead. 9-21-34, Dizzy has a no hitter for 8 innings against Brooklyn, wins with a 3 hit shutout, then in the second game Daffy/Paul pitches his no hitter... that would have been a day. Don Larsen's WS no hitter, the last game of the 1955 WS, the only WS won by the Brooklyn Dodgers; and game 7 in 1960, watching Maz.

I'd love all of that.

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Posted By: Joseph

One of the classic pitching duels between Walter Johnson and Babe Ruth...that way I'd get to see Ruth pitch AND hit.

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Posted By: Joe_G.

Many great ones to pick from, I'd be happy with any of them. But here are a couple that would be neat . . .

5/31/86 Detroit @ New York, 2nd game of double header. After NY won a close game 1 due to collision that broke Jimmy Manning's wrist late in the game, NY fans rejoiced at breaking Detroit's 15 game winning streak and the stands were overflowing for the 2nd game. It was estimated that many of the patrons jumped the fence, even so, over 20k paid to legally enter the stands. It took horse-back mounted police over an hour to clear the field of the overflowing crowd to allow the game to begin. To quote the New York Times, "Over 20,000 persons had paid an admission fee of 50 cents each to witness the New York Giants and the crack club of Detroit, and the field was one sea of faces. Gray-haired men who have been ardent admirers of the national sport from their boyhood days all agreed that it was the largest crowd that ever witnessed a game. One of this class, James McDowell, who was interested in the old Mutual and Atlantic Clubs, said he witnessed all the famous games played on the Union and Capitoine Grounds and at the Elysian Fields, and, to use his expression, the crowds that witnessed these contests were not a "marker" to the one assembled to see the New Yorks and Detroits play."

Detroit's Lady Baldwin would out pitch NY's Smiling Mickey Welch to win 4-1.

6/12/86 Detroits 7 homerun game at home against St. Louis, a record that wouldn't be broken until the Yankees performance on June 18th, 1939. Pretzel Getzien would get the win over Sweeney, 14 - 7.

Later that week, 6/19/86, Detroit would host Chicago at home in front of the largest crowd to watch a game in Detroit. ~12,750 fans would watch a close game fall in Chicago's favor (5-4) when a couple long balls hit over the centerfield ropes were ruled ground rule doubles. Detroit's Recreation Park was the largest in the league and it was decided to move the fences in to make room for the large crowd. So a rope now defined the transition from playing field to the stands and instead of a homerun, a ground rule double was awarded for balls hit over the rope. Detroit hit several this way and wound up costing them the game. The ropes disappeared for games 2 & 3 of the series, both of which Detroit would win against King Kelly & Cap Anson.

Photo from the 6/19/86 game between Detroit & Chicago. Note, Detroit is dressed in an all white uniform reserved for "lady day" games, complete with all white Cardigan jackets.

Another interesting game would be Lady Baldwin's 40th win on 9/27/86 against Boston on a two hit performance. Boston managed one unearned run in their 6-1 loss but little else. A mere 1,628 fans would pay to witness this historic event. As such, I feel fortunate to have a surviving score card from that game. Lady would be the first of 3 lefties to hit 40 wins in a season, the other two being from the American Association (Ed Morris & Matt Kilroy). Baldwin's dominance in 1886 was arguably the best ever by a south paw. His 42 wins in 1886 tied him with HOFer Tim Keefe (right hander) who had his best season in 1886 as well. However Lady Baldwin required only 53 games to hit 40 wins while Keefe required 62. Similarly, Ed Morris & Matt Kilroy needed more games still to hit 40 wins. Lady would lead the league in shutouts, fewest walks+hits/9 innings, etc. Note that Getzien was initially slated to pitch that day but Baldwin was given the nod.



I was going to list some of the 1887 games as well but I'm over my time quota on this thread. A World Championship game in 1887 sure would be neat.

Best Regards,
Joe Gonsowski

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Your time is not up, Joe, come on.

1886 was the last year of dominance by Anson & Co'a White Stockings. And their dominance was ended by them passing the crown for the first time to the AA: Browns Champions.
Fortunately, Detroit was equal to the task of wrestling the crown back for the NL. Lady Baldwin contributed some to this effort, but the previous year's amazing performance pretty much finished him up. Getzein took over the majority of the pitching load supported by a cast of superstars which easily rivalled, and in many respects surpassed, those who White Stockings were ever capable to muster. Their lineup boasted in part of: Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, Hardy Richardson, Sure Shot Dunlap, Sam Thompson and others....

You are up Joe.

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Posted By: Bob Donaldson

Babe Ruth no question. Any game where he hit a home run in New York. I'd set my time machine for early in the morning and take my time walking through Manhattan in the mid 20's, that would be almost as fun as the game, eventually I'd make it to Yankee Stadium (or perhaps the Polo Grounds) for the game.

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Posted By: boxingbaseballgolf33

I would have liked to have seen the first WS or at least one game. I feel the history of baseball really turned after the first WS.

Jimmy

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Posted By: Danny Grimes

Probably as everyone else stated something 1880's-1890's-ish just to see how things looked and were, and what the talk was about.

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Posted By: John H.

No doubt about it, Harvey Haddix's 12 inning perfect game in 1959. Unfortunately, the game went 13 innings and Harv lost his perfecto, his no-no and the game.

Along with the Johnson-Wood classic, another great pitching extravaganza to see would be the 16 inning Spahn-Marichal 1-0 marathon from 1963 which ended on a Mays homerun.

John

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Posted By: Scott S

I'm setting the time machine to 1884 and going to Providence, to witness Ol' Hoss Radbourne ring up one of his 59 (or 60 - depending on the source) victories of the year. How his arm didn't fall off after throwing 678 innings, I'll never know! THAT would be the feat I would want to see.

Of course, I'd have him autograph a few balls (single signed) while I was there too....

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Posted By: Jerry Rucker

I'd like to catch a Double Hitter where Iron Man Mcginnity pitched both games. Oh, I harken for those glory days, when men were men and pitchers were expected to start and finish a game.

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Posted By: Sean

a knickerbockers game
in 1845

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

Any game in the bare hand era. Always marvel how they could play the game that way, especially the catchers. Also, considering the shape the fields were in, that, and having no gloves, how did they catch anything? Would love to be in one of those rickety old wooden ballparks, too.