NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- Today is a holiday for me. So I called some friends, spent the day combing the internet for baseball news, and took the day to read some of my favorite baseball books.
The reason: The World Series is over. That means the hot stove can gear up, and Spring Training can’t be far behind.
Baseball is my religion. Box scores are my sacramental wine. A well written column by one of my favorite baseball writers is my sermon on the mount.
As the day progressed, my liquid intake followed a wonderful progression. As morning gave way to noon which surrendered to civil twilight, I went from Verona Coffee to Diet Coke to one Sierra Nevada Beer.
I think of this as my own version of Tinker to Evers to Chance.
Sure, as a busy freelance writer I had some mega deadlines (one of them is quite esoteric and strangely interesting, a history of the freemasons). But I took the day off, the Grand Exalted Master would have to wait.
As part of my day's reverie, I poured over the New York Times archives for news of Spring Trainings past. Here are just a few excerpts from the articles I read:
March 5, 1918
PECK JOINS RANKS OF SIGNED YANKEES
Life looks better every day for the Miller Huggins, the midget manager of the New York Yankees. Two weeks ago the diminutive Kraut wore a forlorn look on his face as none of his players were signed. But now Huggins is nothing but smiles as all his men are now in the fold....
Wow. This was before the Political Correctness Police, eh?
March 4, 1920
HUGGINS LEADS YANKS THROUGH SNAPPY WORKOUTS
The Manager took charge today to lead his Yankees through two hearty practices that were more vigorous than the previous days' tea parties...New Yankee centerfield Babe Ruth commented that Huggins runs "a tighter ship than we had in Boston" but that he may need to "beg out of afternoon batting practice" so he could "study the new signs."
um.....okay Babe, get those signs memorized. This Volstead Act won't last that long anyway
March 1, 1923
RUTH HAS SEVERE INFLUENZA ATTACK
Slugger Becomes Delirious When His Temperature Rises to 104 Degrees
A severe but probably not dangerous bout of influenza kept Babe Ruth in his room all day today and may prevent him from leaving Hot Springs with the Yankees next Monday...At one time last night the big fellah's temperature peeked at 104. Although Ruth felt none too well yesterday, Ruth played 36 rounds of golf as part of his exercise regiment, and admitted to feeling "exhausted" when he returned to the hotel lounge for his sauna and manicure...
Carl Pavano has nothing on the Babe.
March 5, 1928
HUGGINS WILL USE ORATORY ON REBELS
If Mssrs. Hoyt and Lazzeri, the Yankee hold-outs, think that they will find in Mr. Huggins a soft and shiny target for their high salary demands, then they have one, and possibly two, guesses coming.....However, Lazzeri, of the warm Italian blood, is also known in baseball as a tough customer.
Regrettfully, there was another article that said that Lazzeri smelled like garlic.
March 7 1930
YANKS' CAMP AWAITS RUTH ARRIVAL
After losing out to the Philly Elephants last year, this Yankee squad looks lean and hungry to turn the tables on their rivals to the South. However, the Big slugger Ruth has yet to appear in camp and is reportedly still barnstorming through Texas. It is hoped that Ruth will make camp in the next few days. In the meantime, Gotham first-sacker Lou Gehrig dazzled onlookers today with some mighty blasts that cleared the walls in right and center.
Lou always played by the rules.
After reading several more articles, I couldn't help but notice a preoccupation of these Anglo-Saxon writers to comment upon the nationality of non-Anglo Saxon players.. I came across some repulsive articles that poked fun at Polish and Slovak names in a manner that would shock modern day readers and would certainly result in getting a mention on "Hardball with Chris Mathews."
One of these articles, from the New York Herald, referred to Stanley Coveleski as a” kielbasa loving Polack who should leave the American game to the Americans." I kid you not. That piece was from 1908. Those weren't the good old days.
Forgive the lack of chronological disorder, but here's a fun one:
March 24, 1908
Today Nap Rucker (of Brooklyn) sprung the new-fangled knuckleball, which seems to be causing a considerable stir in professional ball. It had the opposing batters guessing all the time...
I continued reading about "Angular Alabamans and Raw-boned Texans" who were once youngsters hoping to make the Yankee squads. And as I write this I am still reading the night away.
So, tell me, was there any news from about the 2009 Yankees today?
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