Minnesota Baseball
 

I groaned when I got the "National Pastime" today (SABR) and saw that it was on 'Minnesota Baseball'....but it's great. All sorts of great baseball history from Minneapolis-St.Paul area. I especially enjoyed the Ted Williams article.

When does 'Houston Baseball' get an issue? (that was a joke).

I'd love to see a copy of that. Do you know how I can get a copy if I'm not a member of SABR? I've got this RPPC of the Minneapolis Keystones and always enjoy hearing about the history of the beginnings.

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...eystonesPC.jpg

Then I can't wait to see the issue. A large part of my collection is dedicated to the St. Paul Saints!

Here is a uniform worn by one of Duke Snider's teammates during the 1947 season

St. Paul was a powerhouse in the 1920s. They had some of the best minor league teams ever during that period; several of their players went on to play with the 1920s Yankees.

Here is their 1920 American Association championship trophy and a watch fob presented to manager Mike Kelley for winning the 1919, 1920, and 1922 titles.

Here's a team photo of the 1939 Minneapolis Millers, featuring Ted Williams. The issue referenced above has an article about Ted's 1939 season with them:

http://www.huntauctions.com/live/img36/316.jpg

A lot of big names played for the Millers back in the day including Teddy ballgame / Yaz / Mays and more. I loved seeing the twins in the throw backs a couple days ago in the millers unis.

A lot of great players when through St. Paul/Minneapolis: Rube Waddell, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Moe Berg, Roger Bresnahan, Ray Dandridge, Zach Wheat, Carl Yastremski, Jimmy Collins, Orlando Cepeda, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Gavvy Cravath, Gene Mauch, George Kelly, Hoyt Wilhelm, Felipe Alou, to name just some.

Busy,

My great great uncle played for the Saints 1919 through 1921. In 1921, he went on to play for the Yankees. He also played in the 1921 world series.

Several years ago, the SABR Board of Directors decided to re-name the convention publication as "The National Pastime" (SABR holds the trademark to that title, by the way), and to distribute it to the entire membership, rather than just those who attended the convention. The 2012 convention was held in Minneapolis this past weekend - thus the "Baseball in Minnesota" theme.

Next year's convention will be in Philadelphia, and at the board meeting we held last Wednesday (June 27) we awarded the 2014 convention to Houston. That should answer your question about "when does 'Houston Baseball' get an issue?"

Ken, that is super-cool. I assume you have a mini-museum of his stuff?

Thanks Tom. That's great news - I need to start paying better attention to those SABR emails. I was gung-ho for the first few months, participating in the various sub-forums, etc., but rarely got any response to anything I posted and I eventually lost interest. Now that I am semi-retired, I might try to get involved again.

Aaaaaaaaahhh ..... good ol' SABR.

Here's my trip down memory lane:

Joined SABR in late '70's, back when there was still less than 100 members.

Remember my friend getting his news letter, and me not getting it. Called John Thorn to see what's up. He said call Mark Rucker. Called Mark, and his mother answered saying he was in garage. He came to phone and said he was getting the last news letters out. Received it within a few days.

Remember going to a SABR convention in early '80's. There was a guy named Vern Luce (Luse ?) who drove an old wooden planked station wagon. In the back he had scores of shoe boxes filled with hand typed/written index cards with minor league players and stats from the late 1800's to early 1900's. He thanked me for helping him out with some NJ players. Now we can just go to baseball reference . com.

Also at that convention there were some computer (that new fangled contraption) geeks. They were working on a Baseball computer game using "basic" programs. Oh my !!! :eek:


Remember going to Cooperstown and meeting the newly retired HOF librarian. Can't remember how to spell his name, but it was pronounced "Catch-Line." My friend and I sat on his side porch with his wife, sipping lemonade, talking Baseball, and watching the sun set over the Cooperstown hills and lake.

By mid-80's SABR got too big for me, and never renewed membership.


Thanks for listening, I have a tear in my eye right now, and think I'll have a fond remembrance beer .................

Zach Wheat and son Millers
 

Here is a picture of Zach Wheat and his son when he played for the Millers.

Jaybird, SABR members received their copy this week.
title is
"The National Pastime , Short but Wondrous Summers, Baseball in the North Star State"

http://astore.amazon.com/sabrwebsite...ail/1933599227

It is $14.95 from the SABR bookstore. 156 pages, black and white, lots of photographs, some of the writing is outstanding.

:D

Was it Norm? I believe he was in St. Paul from 1925-27

Here is Norm McMillan in 1925

Leo Durocher in 1927

Busy,

Not Norm as far as I know. It was Elmer Miller the outfielder? Very cool bat by the way.

Scott, the answer to the mini museum is yes. Always looking to add on.

Here is an Elmer Miller bat, but this one isn't mine. It went for big money a few years ago.

While in Minneapolis, you should drive about an hour west to Darwin, Minnesota and see the biggest ball of twine in the world

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2128

And to keep on topic about Minnesota baseball also in the small town of Darwin's "museum" is a T 206 of the only player from Darwin to play in the majors, but I forget his name.

Mybuddyinc. that was a great group of SABR stories! I missed Minneapolis but I have to tell you the regional gatherings can be a hoot!

I know the Georgia group does meet and John McMurry and others are doing great work on the early days of Spring Training in Georgia! You might think about looking for a meeting in the area. I know we include both current members and non-members at our meetings.

Thanks Bruce. I used to go to the Millers games before the Twins hit town in 1961. Looking forward to the book.
The Millers-Saints rivalry was intense. When I watched the Millers, the parent team was the Red Sox but before that it was the Giants and with the Saints being the Dodgers AAA team, the rivalry was obvious.

Saw the Miller bat a while back. Went for a few hundred on eBay and then sold for big bucks at an auction house. Wish I had seen it when it was on eBay. Oh well, such is life.