Baseball's back

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:18 pm

From today's NY Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/sport ... ref=slogin

The above links to the article with a couple of pictures, you need to register.

Baseball's Oldest Old-Timer Opens a Window on the Past

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 20 - Silas Simmons was handed a photograph and asked if he recognized anyone in it. He fixed his eyes on the sepia stares and moved his curled fingers over the glass and frame, soaking in the faces for more than 20 silent seconds.

It was a picture of the 1913 Homestead Grays, a primordial Pittsburgh-area baseball team that played before the Negro leagues were even born. His mind, Simmons said, needed time to connect the faces to positions to names. He was entitled to the delay; next month, he will turn 111 years old.

Simmons, known as Si, was born on Oct. 14, 1895 - the same year as Babe Ruth and Rudolph Valentino, and before F. Scott Fitzgerald and Amelia Earhart. He played at the highest level of black baseball while a boy named Satchel Paige was still in grade school.

That Simmons is still living was unknown to baseball researchers until this summer, when a genealogist near the nursing home where he lives in St. Petersburg alerted a Negro leagues expert.

A member of the Center for Negro League Baseball Research confirmed a baseball historian's dream: that Simmons was indeed a man who had pitched and played the outfield in the equivalent of the black major leagues on and off from about 1912 through at least 1929, and that he had played against such stars as Pop Lloyd, Judy Johnson and Biz Mackey.

Lloyd was like "the second Honus Wagner," Simmons said. "Judy Johnson, they called him Pie Traynor."

Simmons added: "It was a thrill to watch players like that. After a while they were in the big leagues, playing ball, which you thought would never come. But eventually it did come. And that was the greatest thing of my life when I saw these fellows come up and play big-league baseball." Simmons is not the oldest-known living American - that title belongs to Lizzie Bolden of Memphis, who turned 116 in August. The oldest living person who played Major League Baseball is Rollie Stiles, 99, who pitched for the St. Louis Browns in the early 1930's.

Confined to a wheelchair but reasonably communicative, Simmons has no major health issues beyond his extraordinary age. He is an avid sports fan who watches many Tampa Bay Devil Rays games on the television in his room - "I like young players," he said - and even attended a Devils Rays game at Tropicana Field this summer with his church group.

Friends of his at the Westminster Suncoast retirement community said Simmons rarely talked about his Negro leagues career. Dorothy Russell, 90, said: "When we played volleyball - with balloons - he said, 'You know, I used to play baseball.' But he didn't make it sound so spectacular. And I didn't know enough to ask him about it."

Negro league researchers did. Wayne Stivers, who spearheaded the fact-finding committee that led to 17 people associated with the Negro leagues being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this summer, said: "We were aware there was a Si Simmons and that he played. But we didn't know he was still alive. We figured, 110, no - this man is not alive. My reaction was, 'We need to talk with him immediately.' "

Simmons's first games were not in the Negro leagues as they are now remembered. The first established circuit, the Negro National League, started in 1920. Before that, local all-black teams would play against one another, against all-white teams or occasionally against groups of big leaguers barnstorming in the off-season.

Having grown up in a central Philadelphia row house on 17th and Bainbridge Streets, Simmons was a left-handed pitcher who was signed by the nearby Germantown Blue Ribbons, a well-regarded team. He said he started pitching for the Blue Ribbons at age 16 or 17, meaning 1912 or 1913. Box scores and articles from The Philadelphia Inquirer describe the 5-foot-10 Simmons as routinely striking out 10 or more batters while getting a hit or two a game.

Simmons had difficulty remembering all the teams he played on. While unable to explain in detail, he indicated that players, particularly pitchers, were often picked up by other teams for brief stretches, so he might have played select games for other teams as well. (Experts confirmed that this practice was commonplace.) Researchers have uncovered box scores and game recaps with his name from many years throughout the 1910's and beyond.

Two box scores from 1926 show Simmons pitching in relief for the New York Lincoln Giants of the Eastern Colored League. He also played at least one game for the Negro National League's Cuban Stars in 1929.

I had a good curveball and a good fastball," said Simmons, who added that he was paid about $10 a game. He said that in his prime he might have been good enough to play in the major leagues, but did not consider asking for a tryout. "It was useless to try," he said.Skip to next paragraph

"A lot of good black players, but they couldn't play in the league," he continued. "So that was it. After Jackie Robinson came up, they found out how good they were and started recruiting. You have to give them a chance to play.

"Negroes had a lot of pride. They felt like baseball, that was the greatest thing in the world for them. You had some great players in those days. Biz Mackey. Pop Lloyd. Judy Johnson. Scrappy Brown, the shortstop. We played against all those players."

Simmons ended his baseball career soon after 1929. He had five children and settled into life as a porter and eventually as an assistant manager at Rosenbaum's Department Store in Plainfield, N.J. He retired to St. Petersburg in 1971 and lived with his second wife, Rebecca, until she died seven years ago. Having outlived his children, he moved into Westminster soon afterward.

His discovery has caused a buzz in baseball's large community of historians. Dr. Layton Revel, the founder of the Center for Negro League Baseball Research near Dallas, took particular interest and flew to St. Petersburg this summer to interview Simmons and confirm his birth date, career and stories. Revel was so excited that he plans to throw a party for Simmons on Oct. 14, with 30 to 40 former Negro leaguers - including the Hall of Famer Monte Irvin - gathering to celebrate his 111th birthday and hear about the even older days.

Most of those men played in the Negro leagues decades after Simmons, primarily in the 1940's and 1950's as the circuits were decimated by players jumping to major league clubs. Chances are that no face will look even vaguely familiar to Simmons.

But as Simmons held that old sepia photo of the 1913 Homestead Grays for those long 20 seconds, he gradually decided that one face did ring a bell. He fixed on it and pointed his weathered hand at the player sitting in the middle row, second from the right. He said nothing as he pointed.

Who is that? he was asked.

"That's Si Simmons," he said.

Really? Was he sure?

"That's me," he declared. "Oh, we had good times."

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 4:06 pm

This NL Wild Card race is going to give me an ulcer. The Dodgers had an 8-3 lead on the Rox and gave it all back and then some. Now it's all tied at ten and the Dodgers have the bases loaded. One of those typical Colorado Rockies games. Could be 8 at bats a side (or more) before all is said and done. A pitcher! A pitcher! My kingdom for a pitcher (who can get an out)!

...Furcal hits into a double play and now they've brought in that gascan Mark Hendrickson. I can't watch. Off to fetch my dry cleaning!

Update - Blue wins! 19-11. Yes!! The boxscore is a thing of beauty...

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/boxs ... b_colmlb_1

Post by **BlueChair** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:09 pm

That sounds like an NFL score, Matt - the Dodgers seem to have good karma lately.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:15 pm

Yeah, we'll see how they fare in San Francisco this weekend. The hated Giants could ruin it all!

Hoping for San Diego and Philly to lose this evening.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:36 am

Yes! Beat the Giants on a late 4-run rally. Was checking the score all the way home in the train last night, refreshing the score on my Blackberry like a madman.

We clinch today!!!

I hope.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:19 pm

So it's the Mets starting on Wednesday at Shea Stadium. We're the underdogs, but I like our chances, especially with Pedro injured. Whatever happens, it's been a memorable season. I'm just hoping it's not a subway series. Zzzzzzz....

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:58 am

The Dodgers have had some incredible games lately, so I think anything is possible. Good luck, Sam!

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:44 pm

Well, so far they've shit the bed, but who knows? Maybe they have another miracle up their sleeve - they're gonna need it!

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:04 am

At least it was over for you quick Sam. It was nice to see the Yankees eliminated yesterday, though I'm not a huge Leyland fan. Guess I'm rooting for the Padres and A's at this point.

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:54 pm

Wow, I was at the Tigers game last night, and it was WILD!

Players spraying fans with champagne! Go TIGERS!

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:20 pm

Boy With A Problem wrote:At least it was over for you quick Sam. It was nice to see the Yankees eliminated yesterday

Yeah, that took a bit of the sting out of losing to the Mets. Future looks bright, so I expect us to be back again soon and hopefully perform better.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:18 pm

Boy With A Problem wrote:It was nice to see the Yankees eliminated yesterday...

Hey, I wasn't going to say anything but....

Speaking of which, I keep meaning to mention my fave anti-Yankees t-shirt/bumper-sticker slogan (of which there are lots round here): "JETER DRINKS WINE COOLERS". Nothin' like a good Junior-High-style insult....

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:37 pm

well, that'll be me and mrs slick you see at the world series tonight, right field, upper deck, first row, damp, and $300 light.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:02 pm

Nice! I'm definitely routing for the Cards.

senior_service · Post by **senior_service** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:51 pm

Who Shot Sam? wrote:So it's the Mets starting on Wednesday at Shea Stadium. We're the underdogs, but I like our chances, especially with Pedro injured. Whatever happens, it's been a memorable season. I'm just hoping it's not a subway series. Zzzzzzz....

It appears that you have rather good taste........Elvis, Pernice Brothers and the Dodgers! I was at the last playoff game vs. the Mets; it wasn't pretty.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:26 pm

senior_service wrote:
Who Shot Sam? wrote:So it's the Mets starting on Wednesday at Shea Stadium. We're the underdogs, but I like our chances, especially with Pedro injured. Whatever happens, it's been a memorable season. I'm just hoping it's not a subway series. Zzzzzzz....
It appears that you have rather good taste........Elvis, Pernice Brothers and the Dodgers! I was at the last playoff game vs. the Mets; it wasn't pretty.

Yeah, I'm a SoCal boy stranded out here in Yankeeland. The Mets series wasn't pretty, but at least we have some good young players coming through, like in the old days.

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:13 am

Mechanical Grace wrote:Nice! I'm definitely routing for the Cards.

well thanks! the tigers didn't get routed, but their every mistake got capitalized on. it was a smashingly good time. i was at game 3 in 04 and the vibe in the stadium was pitiful. not so this time. this underdog thing has done them a world of good.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:29 am

There was an article on Slate that talked about why so few people are pulling for the Cards, when they are clearly the underdog in the series. For me it's easily explainable in two words - Tony LaRussa.

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 10:01 am

I've always had a problem with LaRussa. He's a big reason why the games are so much longer today- with all the pitching changes - he started the one inning specialist (back in the day a guy like Gossage would pitch 2,3 sometimes 4 innings) - plus his continuing defence of McGuire........alas I am no fan of Jim Leyland either - Barry Bonds apologist, chain smoking authoritarian.... I don't know, maybe it's his stache. Plus I really don't like Kenny Rogers (roids) - his huge head disturbs me. Two original teams though with great traditions - Cobb, Jones, Kaline, McClain, Lolich, Greenberg, Dean, Frisch, Martin, Durocher, Musial, Schoendienst, Gibson, Brock...........

I caught the highlights on British TV this morning - right after India v West Indies cricket hightlights. Looked like it was some game.

Slick, it was a done deal for the Cards in 04....no team has ever had as much mo as the Sox after the ACLS that year.

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:34 pm

Mechanical Grace wrote:Nice! I'm definitely routing for the Cards.

Hang in there Justin...

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 10:57 pm

Congrats oily! Interesting that the one year the Cards disappoint down the stretch they win it all, after sweeping everybody aside and laying an egg against the Red Sox a few years ago.

A fairly anti-climactic World Series. It was a bit of a blah season when all is said and done, though seeing the Tigers back in the WS was nice.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 5:45 am

This is the first year since I was 10 or so that I didn't watch one bit of post-season baseball. Don't like the Cards (apologies, Oily), so I guess I was pulling for the Tigers. I wonder how the ratings were for this Series?

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:40 pm

hell, i'm a cubs fan, so you don't hurt my feelings. i'm just not a cards hater like most cubs fans. it is easy to like them around here. this market is so knowledgable and the fans dedicated. course, tampa bay is my barometer. but it wasn't a blah season at all. good races, catchers vying for batting titles, the marlins surviving on spirit, dusty getting fired, the tigers. nice post season and the 8th seeded cardinals deserved to win it. watching stoned jeff weaver focused and ballyhooed verlander with his chronically ignored absolutely pedestrian second half scared to death. interesting. it was no 01-03 world series, but those were good games this year. larussa does do weird stuff and he gets away with it. all managers fundamentally use rotations the way they do now and i gotta give up and assume they know more than i do. and after all there were, what, 30 or 35 guys out of a couple hundred million people capable of doing a decent job of pitching 140 innings a game every 3 or 4 days 50 years ago. probably wasn't smart and we ain't inchin' back.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:37 am

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:43 am

A baseball has three basic parts: the round cushioned cork pill at its core, the wool and poly/cotton windings in its midsection, and the cowhide covering that makes up its exterior.

The pill consists of a sphere, measuring 13/16 of an inch (2.06 centimeters) in diameter, made of a cork and rubber composition material. This sphere is encased in two layers of rubber, a black inner layer and a red outer layer. The inner layer is made up of two hemispheric shells of black rubber that are joined by red rubber washers. The entire pill measures 4-â…› inches (10.47 centimeters) in circumference.

There are four distinct layers of wool and poly/cotton windings that surround the cushioned cork pill in concentric circles of varying thickness. The first winding is made of four-ply gray woolen yarn, the second of three-ply white woolen yarn, the third of three-ply gray woolen yarn, and the fourth of white poly/cotton finishing yarn. The first layer of wool is by far the thickest. When wrapped tightly around the pill, it brings the circumference of the unfinished ball to 7-3/4 inches (19.68 centimeters). The circumference increases to 8-3/16 inches (20.77 centimeters) after the second winding has been applied, 8-3/4 inches (22.22 centimeters) after the third, and 8-% (22.52 centimeters) after the fourth.

Wool was selected as the primary material for the baseball's windings because its natural resiliency and "memory" allow it to compress when pressure is applied, then rapidly return to its original shape. This property makes it possible for the baseball to retain its perfect roundness despite being hit repeatedly during a game. A poly/cotton blend was selected for the outer winding to provide added strength and reduce the risk of tears when the ball's cowhide cover is applied.

The baseball's outer cover is made of Number One Grade, alum-tanned full-grained cowhide, primarily from Midwest Holstein cattle. Midwest Holsteins are preferred because their hides have a better grain and are cleaner and smoother than those of cattle in other areas of the United States. The cover of an official baseball must be white, and it must be stitched together with 88 inches (223.52 centimeters) of waxed red thread. Cowhides are tested for 17 potential deficiencies in thickness, grain strength, tensile strength and other areas before they are approved for use on official Major League baseballs.