As owner of the Newark Eagles for more than a decade, Effa Manley made her clubs a social force off the field and baseball force on it. We celebrate the first woman elected to the Hall of Fame on #InternationalWomensDay.

Do you remember the Milwaukee Braves centerfielder who played with Henry Aaron? And played centerfield with Al kaline and the Tigers Detroit back in the 1950's and 1960. Billy Bruton.
937 Runs, 1651 H, 241 2B, 102 3B, 94 HR, 545 RBI's, 273 BA.

Stan The Man keeps tabs on the game at his St. Louis restaurant in anticipation of spring training February 15,1949.

“Al Kaline – he’s the only guy who could make the ball come to him”, per the line in the Purple Rose Theatre play the “Vast Difference”.
In a 1985 interview on WJR’s “Focus” show, hosted by J.P. McCarthy, Mickey Mantle said that Al Kaline was the greatest player that he ever saw. “I was no better than Kaline – he was stuck in Detroit. If he’d played in New York…” the implication that, in the bigger market, Al would’ve been recognized nationally on a par with Mick, and Bob Costas might have had Kaline’s card in his wallet. (Author’s note: although I’m sure that Mickey meant well with his comment, I’d much rather be “stuck” in Detroit cheering on the Tigers than living in New York City with the Damn Yankees as my team)
Al Kaline’s entire 22-year major league career was spent wearing the Olde English D. He retired after the 1974 season with a lifetime .297 batting average, 399 home runs, and 3,007 hits. Had he hit one more homer, Al would’ve been the first American Leaguer to have 400 home runs and 3,000 hits (the Babe had 2,873 hits). Instead that honor went to Yaz aka Carl Yastrzemski, who achieved the 400/3,000 plateau in 1979. When informed of this, Al laughed and said, “If I’d have known that, I would’ve swung harder those last few games.”
When asked about his most memorable at bat, Al said, of course, it was his 1968 World Series hit in game 5 that put the team ahead, a hit crucial to the Tigers win that day and the eventual 7-game World Series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Second, however, took place in another game at Tiger Stadium, this one against the Yankees and his good friend, Mickey Mantle. That day, Al hit two home runs and Mantle hit two home runs – but one of Al’s came with a teammate on base. The headline in the next day’s paper- the New York paper - read, “Kaline 3, Mantle 2”. For years after, Kaline got a lot of mileage kidding Mickey about that one.
Albert William Kaline… 18-time American League All-Star, winner of 10 Gold Gloves in right field, the 12th player in the history of the game w/ 3,000 career hits, voted 1980 into the Hall Of Fame on the first ballot, 1968 World Series Champion, and idolized by the State of Michigan.

Hank Aaron and MC Hammer

This gets my vote for best thread ever in the watercooler forum, and one of the best ever that I have seen on net54. So many photos you will never see anywhere else.

Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying them and I hope others are as well. I'm seeing most of these for the first time and thought you guys might like to see them.
If anyone would like to add photos, please feel free to. I'd like to see them and I'm sure others would too.

Carl Yastrzemski and Orlando Cepeda prior to a Spring Training game, March, 1968 at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Forbes Field and the Cathedral of Learning

Lou Gehrig, Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb, and Babe Ruth pose during a Philadelphia Athletics series at Yankee Stadium during the 1927 season

Cal Ripken Sr. with sons Billy Ripken and Cal Ripken Jr. during spring training at Miami Stadium. Miami, FL ,1987.

Casey Stengel with his greatest pride and greatest disappointment... Mickey Mantle

Brooklyn Dodgers < > Robinson - Reese - Furillo - Erksine - Newcombe - Snider - Campanella -Hodges -.-

Today In 1937: "Hank Hammers One" ~ Detroit #Tigers star Hank Greenberg gets a hit during an inter-squad spring training game. Mickey Cochrane is behind the plate

Vin Scully interviewing Sandy Koufax

The Babe & Hack Wilson…
Wilson finished with a career .307 Batting Average and in 1930 he batted in 191 runs…
He won an MVP award and he’s forever enshrined in the Hall of Fame…

"Redemption For The #Reds - Johnny Bench Bears Down” (Sports Illustrated - March 13, 1972) Check out that powerful throwing arm!

Ernie Banks throws out the ceremonial first pitch while Hank Aaron looks on.

Against the five premier pitchers in the National League (Warren Spahn, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Jim Bunning), the Dominican Dandy was the best in head-to-head competition... In 43 starts against that group, Marichal was 24-12 with a 2.11 ERA.

Detroit Tigers playing badminton during spring training, Tampa, FL, 3-19-1969 Photo by Walter Iooss Jr.-Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

I think this is a GREAT image!!!

A student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, and member of the Laurel and Abanakis Base Ball Club at the female college, poses for a portrait in full uniform around 1875.

Casey Stengel and Special Instructor Olympic Legend Jesse Owens during 1965 Mets Spring Training.

An exhibition game being played (Dodgers vs Yankees), the first game at Ebbets Field, April 5, 1913. Casey Stengel hit the first home run.

Shoeless Joe holding some trophies

Babe Ruth, with his mentor, Brother Mathias.

Sandy Koufax is a former pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Koufax was the first three-time winner of the Cy Young Award, each time unanimously and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given for both the leagues, and was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1963. Retiring at the age of 30 due to arthritis in his pitching elbow, Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972 at the age of 36, the youngest player ever elected.
Koufax won the Major League Triple Crown three times, leading the Dodgers to a pennant in each of those years. He was the first major league pitcher to throw four no-hitters, including a perfect game in 1965. He was named the World Series MVP twice, the first player to do so, leading the weak-hitting Dodgers to titles in 1963 and 1965. At the time of his retirement, Koufax's career earned run average of 2.76 trailed only Whitey Ford among pitchers with at least 2,000 innings pitched since 1925; his .655 winning percentage ranked third among both left-handers and modern NL pitchers. Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history at the time, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers; his 40 shutouts were tied for ninth in modern NL history. He was the first pitcher in history to average more than nine strikeouts per nine innings pitched, and the first to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings pitched.
In 1999, Koufax was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. His number 32 was retired by the Dodgers in 1972 and he was honored with a statue outside the centerfield plaza of Dodger Stadium in 2022. That same year, Koufax became the first player to mark the 50th anniversary of his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Career stats and highlights:
7× All-Star (1961–1962, 1963–1966)
4× World Series champion (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965)
NL MVP (1963)
3× Cy Young Award (1963, 1965, 1966)
2× World Series MVP (1963, 1965)
3× Triple Crown (1963, 1965, 1966)
3× MLB wins leader (1963, 1965, 1966)
5× NL ERA leader (1962–1966)
4× MLB strikeout leader (1961, 1963, 1965, 1966)
Pitched a perfect game on September 9, 1965
Pitched four no-hitters
Los Angeles Dodgers No. 32 retired
Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Major League Baseball All-Time Team
National Baseball Hall of Fame (inducted in 1972)

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John Franklin "Home Run" Baker was born on this date in 1886 in Trappe, Maryland.
He signed his first professional contract with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1908, making his Major League Baseball debut the same year. Baker quickly established himself as one of the premier power hitters of his time.
During his career, Baker earned the nickname "Home Run" Baker for his ability to hit, you guessed it, home runs during a time when they were a rarity. He led the American League in home runs for four consecutive seasons from 1911 to 1914 and played a pivotal role in the Philadelphia Athletics' World Series championships in 1910, 1911, and 1913.
Baker's career was also highlighted by his time with the New York Yankees, where he continued to be an influential player until his retirement from playing in 1922.
After hanging up his cleats, Baker didn't stray far from the diamond, contributing to the sport in various roles, including managing. While managing in the minors he was credited with discovering future Hall-of-Famer Jimmie Foxx.
Happy birthday to John Franklin "Home Run" Baker!

Ichiro Suzuki shakes George Sisler’s daughters hand after breaking his single season hit record, 2004

Willie Mays hanging out at the pool.

Willie Mays riding in the parade prior to Opening Game in San Francisco.

Managers Joe McCarthy and Leo Durocher get together for a photo just before the start of game one of the 1941 World Series. Dodgers and Yankees would split the first two games at Yankee stadium, but Dodgers would drop the next three games at Ebbets Field.

3/12/1962 Darryl Strawberry is born. Straw was named Rookie of the Year in 1983, won a World Series in 1986 and was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010. His 252 home runs are the most in franchise history.

Rollie Fingers pitching at the old Yankee Stadium, 1970s

The members of the New York Yankees infield for 1927 pose together before a game in Yankee Stadium: Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Mark Koenig, and Joe Duga.

Sorry, double post

Roger Maris the day he broke Ruth’s record against the Boston Red Sox at Old Yankee Stadium in 1961…

Johnny Evers won two World Series Championships in Chicago and proved himself a capable player-manager. But after 12 seasons as a Cub, the second baseman was Boston bound in early 1914.

Willie Mays eats part of the birthday cake presented to him before the start of a game with the Phillies on May 6, 1972. He was traded to the Mets a week later.

Horlick Field, Racine, WI - From 1943 to 1950 this small but historic ballpark that still stands today was home to the AAGPBL's Racine Belles from 1943 to 1950. The Belles won the first AAGPBL'S championship in 1943, just like they did in the film "A League of Their Own", except they won it against the Kenosha Comets and not Tom Hank's Rockford Peaches as depicted in the movie.
Horlick Field was also home to two NFL teams in the 1920s, the Legion (1922-1924) and the Tornadoes (1926).
Designed in 1907 and opened in 1917 it's capacity was 5,000.The ballpark was named after William Horlick, the inventor of malted milk, who donated the land for it to be built on.

1921 - Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis places eight members of the Chicago White Sox on the ineligible list for their alleged involvement in the fixing of the 1919 World Series.
The group includes outfielder Joe Jackson, who batted .375 in the Series. Others banned are Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams.
The Commissioner used his new powers to place the eight accused players on an "ineligible list" that effectively suspending them indefinitely from all of organized professional baseball.

March 13, 1943 - The major leagues approve a new official ball manufactured by the Spalding Company for the upcoming season. Instead of the usual combination of cork and rubber, the inside of the ball is made up of recycled cork and balata, materials not needed in the war effort. Officials insist the ball will have the resiliency of the 1939 ball, but the players will express dismay that they cannot drive the new ball and point out the dearth of runs and homers in 1942 even with the old ball.

Babe’s first game with the Boston Braves in 1935…

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Charity Softball with Thurman Munson -Johnny Bench and Tom Seaver

"The Home Run Twins" ~ Lou Gehrig & Babe Ruth pose for the cover of the Mid-Week Pictorial at New York #Yankees spring training camp in Florida! (March 14, 1931)

In his first 11 years in the majors, Mickey Cochrane never caught fewer than 110 games in the then 154-game season. He perfected the one-hand catching style to help protect the fingers on his throwing hand from getting overly banged up. Cochrane assisted two pitchers to establish 16-game winning streaks, still the American League record, when Lefty Grove accomplished the feat with the A’s in 1931 and Schoolboy Rowe with the Tigers in 1934.
Cochrane was selected as American League MVP twice, in 1928 and 1934, primarily on his leadership abilities rather than his statistical accomplishments. On the field, Cochrane had a certain inspiration that infected other players to do their best. Cochrane never played on a team that finished worse than third place.

Red Sox greats Sam “Mayday” Malone, Yaz, and Coach Ernie Pantusso

"The interesting thing, among the many many many endlessly interesting things about Babe Ruth — certainly the most stunning figure in baseball history — is that he was nearly as great a pitcher as he was a hitter.
In his coming-up as a raw boy from Baltimore he mowed down his opponents in the American League;
he was the best left-handed pitcher in the 1910s, without question, in the American League, and it was only because of the prodigal strength that resided in his bat that he moved off the mound.
When people get into discussions about who's the greatest ballplayer in history and they say, Well there was Ruth, but there was also DiMaggio and Cobb and Mays and Aaron and the other claimants. To me it seems like an utterly wasted discussion.
Let us say that Ruth was not as good a defensive player as Willie Mays...but he was also one of the greatest pitchers ever!
It is as if imagining that Beethoven and Cézanne were one person producing the same work.
It just can't be compared to anything else."
~ Daniel Okrent (American writer and editor)

My 1912 San Francisco Chronicle featuring cartoons on the great shortstop Honus Wagner. While Wagner would still play an additional 5 seasons after 1912, this would become one of his last “productive” seasons as a major star batting .324 with 101 RBI and 181 hits (35 2B, 20 3B, 7 HR). While he would bat .300 in 1913, his other numbers would take a drastic decline from 1912. He would see a slight resurgence in 1915, but after 1913 would never bat at .300 again. Although, let’s not forget that his career began in 1897 and in 1912 he was age 38! The cartoons show just how dominant his career had been to that point, proving himself as one of the greatest to ever play the game!

That photo on the right is Ruth pitching, and winning, the last game of the season of 1930.

Babe Ruth Pitches Final Game of 1933
 

He did it again in 1933, and won that game as well.

1937 Yankees vs Memphis Chicks Exhibtion Game
 

And the Chicks won the 2nd game, against the World Series winners. MLB teams used to barnstorm their way to opening day when spring training broke. There were numerous exhibition games in cities and towns, most of them along the route to opening day.

1940 Cincinnati Reds In Color
 

I have seen this colorized photo before, but this one has their socks in the correct blue and red.

1941
 

As McGreevy so eloquently put it, 'nuf ced.

Teddy Ballgame and the Yankee Clipper
 

I don't think they disliked each other.

New York Daily News "Colorfoto"
 

1939 season, after Lou Gehrig took himself out.

The Luckiest Man
 

July 4th, 1939.

1941 Brooklyn Dodgers, National League Champions
 

An excellent version of their team photo.

Babe Ruth In Memphis, 1922
 

On the Orpheum Circuit. From what I've read, he walked out on stage in civilian clothes, sat down on a stool, and answered questions on pretty much any subject from the 150 or so people who attended, and signed many autographs.

Joe DiMaggio and Fans, 1938
 

Some people say he could be difficult. These fans didn't find him so, and I have an official AL ball signed by him at the children's hospital over on the other coast of Florida. Nothing but gracious, easy to talk to. One of my all-time favorites.

US Navy CPO Bob Feller
 

I've heard people say he could be difficult also. For me, nothing could be further from the truth. When I was aboard USS Independence CV-62 in 1992, before we trans-Pac'ed (crossed the Pacific) from San Diego to Yokosuka, Japan, our new home port, the ship was visited by several of the "MCI Ambassadors of Baseball", Bert Campaneris, Graig Nettles, Johnny Vander Meer, and Bob Feller. They met with the officers in the wardroom for a while, then came to the aft mess decks, where tables were set up, and you could meet/greet with these fellows. Being old school, I got in line for first, Johnny Vander Meer, who signed a color post card of him in his Reds uniform. Such a nice man. He talked probably 5 minutes with everyone who he met with. Then, Bob Feller, the Van Meter Heater himself. He also spoke at length with all of us swabbies, asking how we liked the Navy, how things were going, etc. He signed and gave me an MCI basebal card with him in his Navy CPO uniform from World War 2 and in his Cleveland Indians uniform. Just another super nice man. Bob Feller didn't join the Navy just to sit comfortably behind the lines playing ball. He was also a Gunner's Mate on board the battleship USS Alabama BB-60, earning 8 battle stars in combat.

Derek Jeter and Yankee Stadium, 2008
 

A "Photoshopped" poster of Derek Jeter closing out old Yankee Stadium in 2008.

Crosley Field Info
 

I'm guessing from a media guide or something like that.

Eleanor and Lou Gehrig
 

A nice photo of them.

Lou Gehrig, 1936
 

Nice color painting or drawing.

Pitching Leaders of 1941
 

Whit Wyatt and Thornton Lee, a New York Daily News "Colorfoto" from 1941.

Great photos!!! Thank you for contributing to the thread!

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig giving the rodeo a try, 1928.

My 1912 newspaper covering Walter Johnson’s trip to the Remington Arms Company complex in Bridgeport, Connecticut so that the speed of his fastball could be measured. The result is shown at being 122 feet per second (83MPH). While most baseball fans of today would scoff at such a low number and claim that the talent of yesteryear would struggle to compete with the standards we have now, I’ve taken the time to delve a bit further into this test to see how well it translates to modern methods. The test was performed on October 6, 1912, three days after pitching a complete game shutout to end the season in which he pitched 369 total innings! The test required Johnson to throw a baseball through a small wooden frame 60 feet 6 inches away with trip measuring wires that would start the speed test and a metal plate 15 feet behind the wires that would be struck to end the test. This means, that at the recorded speed, Johnson’s fastball was tested after traveling a total of 75 feet. For the test, Johnson wore dress clothes (including shoes) and would stand on flat ground (no use of cleats or a mound). The apparatus was also set up to measure at shoulder height and the ball had to strike the metal plate behind it, and according to Walter Johnson’s biographer, Johnson had to change from his usual sidearm pitching motion in order for the ball to strike the wires and the plate. The biographer also noted “after some effort and with a consequent loss of speed in an attempt to place the ball accurately” Johnson was able to complete the test as set up. With that being said, today’s speeds are measured 50 feet from home plate, a difference of 25 feet! A physicist measuring speeds of fastballs later corrected the variance and adjusted Johnson’s speed to have been at 93MPH at 50 feet from the plate. Even at the adjustment, no considerations were taken for the other variables and to my knowledge this was the only time his fastball was officially measured. With all of this in mind, it could be said that in playing conditions and modern measuring techniques, Johnson most likely was throwing in the mid 90’s on average, but we can never know for certain!

We'll never know. I believe that when he bore down, he was above 100 mph. It's just what I believe. I think Bob Feller and others could do it as well.

This photo was featured on Antiques Roadshow in 2018. Babe Ruth gifted this photo to a friend and said it was his favorite photo of himself. You can watch the episode online on the PBS website.

Behold the “Base-Ball Catcher,” designed by early 20th century inventor James Bennet. Filing his patent #OTD in 1904, the contraption never (ahem) caught on, but the document is preserved in our collection.

Baseball legend Rube Waddell poses with the St. Louis Browns mascot dog! (1909) Love that sweater too!

Goose Goslin, Dizzy Dean, Lyn Lary, Jimmy Foxx, and Hank Greenberg at the Deaville Cabana Club at Miami Beach prior to spring training, February 4, 1937.

Dave Winfield playing basketball for the University of Minnesota. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA and the Utah Stars of the ABA.

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Im gonna get Ohtani to sign the other side.