1.
First baseman
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First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that players team. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base, in the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the first baseman is assigned the number 3. Also called first sacker or cornerman, the first baseman is ideally a tall player who throws left-handed and possesses good flexibility, flexibility is needed because the first baseman receives throws from the other infielders, the catcher and the pitcher after they have fielded ground balls. In order for the runner to be called out, the first baseman must be able to stretch towards the throw and they often are power hitters who have a substantial number of home runs and extra base hits while maintaining a.270 plus batting average. Good defensive first basemen, according to Bill James, are capable of playing off first base so that they can field ground balls hit to the side of first base. The first baseman then relies upon the pitcher to cover first base to receive the ball to complete the out, indications of a good defensive first baseman include a large number of assists and a low number of throwing errors by other infielders. The nature of play at first base often requires first basemen to stay close to the bag to hold runners or to reach the bag before the batter. First basemen are not typically expected to have the range required of a baseman, shortstop. As a result, first base is not usually perceived to be as physically demanding as other positions, however, it can also be a very hard position to play, a large amount of concentration and timing is required. Though many play at first base their entire career, it is common for players to be moved to first base in order to extend their careers or to accommodate other recently acquired players. Facing a possible trade or a reduction in playing time. Catchers and corner outfielders are often moved to first base due to deteriorating health or if their fielding abilities at their position are detrimental to the team. When first base is not occupied by a baserunner, the first baseman usually stands behind first base, the distance he plays from the base and foul line is dependent on the current hitter and any runners on base. The exact position may depend on the first basemans experience, preference. For a known right-handed pull hitter, the first baseman might position himself further towards the second basemans normal fielding position, for a known left-handed pull hitter, the first baseman will position himself closer to the foul line in order to stop a ball hit down the line. To protect against a bunt on the first base side of the infield, as soon as the pitcher commits to throwing towards home plate, the first basemen will charge towards the hitter to field the bunt. During these plays, it is the responsibility of the second basemen to cover first base, with a base runner present at first base, the first baseman stands with his right foot touching the base to prepare for a pickoff attempt. Once the pitcher commits to throwing towards home plate, the first baseman comes off the bag in front of the runner and gets in a fielding position
2.
Shortstop
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Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. The position is filled by defensive specialists, so shortstops are generally relatively poor batters who bat later in the batting order. In the numbering used by scorers to record defensive plays. More hit balls go to the shortstop than to any position, as there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters. Like a second baseman, a shortstop must be agile, for example performing a 4-6-3 double play. Also, like a third baseman, the shortstop fields balls hit to the side of the infield. Doc Adams of the Knickerbockers created the concept of the position, according to Thorn. In the first five years the Knickerbockers played, the team fielded anywhere from eight to eleven players, the only infielders were the players covering each of the bases, if there were more than eight players, extra outfielders were sometimes used. The outfielders had difficulty throwing baseballs into the infield, because of the light weight. Adams shortstop position, which he started playing at some time from 1849 to 1850, was used to field throws from the outfielders, with the advent of higher-quality baseballs, Adams moved to the infield, since the distance the balls could travel increased. Adams had a playing career with the Knickerbockers, he remained a player with the team until 1860. The shortstop ordinarily is positioned near second base on the third-base side, a shortstop must also be extremely agile, because balls hit to or near the shortstop position are usually hit harder than to other infield positions. Shortstops are required to cover second base in double play situations when the ball is hit to the second baseman or first baseman and they also cover second when a runner is attempting a stolen base, but only when a left-handed hitter is batting. This is because the infield will respond to a batter by shifting toward first base. They often become the man on balls to any part of the outfield that are being directed towards third base and all balls to left. Depending on the system the shortstop may cut balls from left field heading home, however, the emphasis on defense makes the position unusually difficult to fill. Historically, a strong shortstop did not have to be a good hitter.200, since the 1960s, however, such mediocre hitting has become rarer as teams increasingly demand players with ability to both field and hit. Alex Rodríguez, Michael Young, or Miguel Tejada, the year in which the player was inducted is given in brackets after his name
3.
Home Run Baker
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John Franklin Home Run Baker was an American professional baseball player. A third baseman, Baker played in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1922, for the Philadelphia Athletics, Baker has been called the original home run king of the majors. Baker was a member of the Athletics $100,000 infield and he helped the Athletics win the 1910,1911 and 1913 World Series. After a contract dispute, the Athletics sold Baker to the Yankees, Baker appeared with the Yankees in the 1921 and 1922 World Series, though the Yankees lost both series, before retiring. Baker led the American League in home runs for four consecutive years and he had a batting average over.300 in six seasons, had three seasons with more than 100 runs batted in, and two seasons with over 100 runs scored. Bakers legacy has grown over the years, and he is regarded by many as one of the best power hitters of the deadball era, during his 13 years as a major league player, Baker never played a single inning at any position other than third base. Baker was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1955, Baker was born on March 13,1886, to Franklin Adams Baker and Mary Catherine on their farm in Trappe, Maryland. The Bakers, who were of English descent, had been farmers in Trappe for six generations and his mother, of Scottish descent, was reported to be a distant relative of Robert E. Lee. Baker enjoyed working on his fathers farm, but he aspired to become a baseball player from the age of ten. In Trappe, most of the attended the local baseball teams games on Saturdays. Franks older brother, Norman, was known in the town for his playing ability. Norman once tried out for the Philadelphia Athletics, but he did not like that city, Baker pitched for the local high school baseball team and worked as a clerk at a butcher shop and grocery store owned by relatives. He signed with a local baseball team based in Ridgely, Maryland, in 1905. The team, which was managed by Buck Herzog, paid him $5 per week, Herzog found that Baker could not pitch well, but that he could hit. Baker was unable to play the outfield well, but he was able to move into the infield as a third baseman for Ridgely, in 1906, Baker played for Sparrows Point Club in Baltimore, earning $15 per week. He received an offer to play for a team in the Class C Texas League in 1907 and he instead signed with an independent team based in Cambridge, Maryland. A scout for the New York Giants of the National League noticed Baker while he was playing for Sparrows Point and they arranged for Baker to receive a tryout with the Baltimore Orioles of the Class A Eastern League late in the 1907 season. Playing in five games, Baker recorded two hits, both singles, in 15 at-bats, Orioles manager Jack Dunn decided that Baker could not hit, and Baker was released
4.
World Series
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The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball in North America, contested since 1903 between the American League champion team and the National League champion team. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a playoff. As the series is played in October, during the season in North America. As of 2016, the World Series has been contested 112 times, with the AL winning 64, the 2016 World Series took place between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs. Seven games were played, with the Cubs victorious after game seven, the final score was 8–7, the game went into extra innings after a tied score of 6–6. This was the third World Series won by the Cubs, as well as their first title since 1908, in the National League, the St. As of 2016, no team has won consecutive World Series championships since the New York Yankees in 1998,1999, all championships were awarded to the team with the best record at the end of the season, without a postseason series being played. From 1884 to 1890, the National League and the American Association faced each other in a series of games at the end of the season to determine an overall champion. These series were disorganized in comparison to the modern World Series, the number of games played ranged from as few as three in 1884, to a high of fifteen in 1887. Both the 1885 and 1890 Series ended in ties, each team having won three games with one tie game, the series was promoted and referred to as The Championship of the United States, Worlds Championship Series, or Worlds Series for short. In his book Krakatoa, The Day the World Exploded, August 27,1883, Simon Winchester mentions in passing that the World Series was named for the New York World newspaper, but this view is disputed. Until about 1960, some sources treated the 19th-century Series on a basis with the post-19th-century series. After about 1930, however, many authorities list the start of the World Series in 1903, following the collapse of the American Association after the 1891 season, the National League was again the only major league. The league championship was awarded in 1892 by a playoff between half-season champions and this scheme was abandoned after one season. Beginning in 1893—and continuing until divisional play was introduced in 1969—the pennant was awarded to the club in the standings at the end of the season. For four seasons, 1894–1897, the league played the runners-up in the post season championship series called the Temple Cup. A second attempt at this format was the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup series, in 1901, the American League was formed as a second major league. No championship series were played in 1901 or 1902 as the National and these series were arranged by the participating clubs, as the 1880s Worlds Series matches had been
5.
1913 World Series
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In the 1913 World Series, the Philadelphia Athletics beat the New York Giants four games to one. The As pitching gave the edge to a closer-than-it-looked Series in 1913, the great Christy Mathewson lost his Series swan song in the final game to an old college rival and eventual fellow Baseball Hall of Fame member, Eddie Plank. The Giants thus became the first National League team since the Chicago Cubs to win three consecutive pennants and they were also the second club to lose three consecutive World Series, and, as of 2017, the last to do so. The Series itself was an ironic face-off, as the Giants, the As would win again in a four-game sweep in the 1989 World Series, famous for the earthquake that struck before Game 3, which would be the last World Series victory for the As. AL Philadelphia Athletics vs. NL New York Giants In the opener, frank apparently liked his nickname and wanted to hang on to it. Mathewson and Plank matched craft and guile, and after nine innings it was as it had been at the beginning, in the bottom of the ninth, the Giants had put on a stirring baseball version of the goal-line stand. With none out, the As had Amos Strunk on third, the next batter, Jack Lapp, grounded to first, where Hooks Wiltse, a pitcher, was filling in. Wiltse made a stop and threw home to nab Strunk. With Barry on third now and Lapp on first, Plank grounded to Wiltse and Hooks fired home again, Mathewson retired the next hitter, and the game went into extra innings. The home team won a game, although the visiting Giants made it close in the late innings. So all but one of the five games of the 1913 World Series were won by the visiting team, planks own error in the fifth inning cost him a shutout in the finale. 1913 World Series, Philadelphia Athletics over New York Giants Cohen, Richard M. Neft, the World Series, Complete Play-By-Play of Every Game, 1903–1989. Archived from the original on 2008
6.
1914 World Series
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In the 1914 World Series, the Boston Braves beat the Philadelphia Athletics in a four-game series. The Miracle Braves were in last place on July 4, then won the National League pennant by 10 1⁄2 games, the Braves relatively unknown starting trio of pitchers, with a combined career record of 285–245, outperformed the Athletics vaunted rotation in all four games. Hank Gowdy hit.545 with five hits and also drew five walks for Boston in the series and was the difference maker in Games 1 and 3. Adding to their supposed disadvantages, the Braves arguably lacked a notable home-field advantage and they had abandoned their 43-year-old home field South End Grounds in August 1914, choosing to rent from the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park while awaiting construction of Braves Field. Thus their home games in this Series were also at Fenway and this was the first four-game sweep in World Series history. The Cubs had defeated the Tigers four games to none in 1907, cohan through bookmaker Sport Sullivan, who was also implicated in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Chief Bender and Eddie Plank would jump to the rival Federal League for the 1915 season, Mack unloaded most of his other high-priced stars soon after and, within two years, the As achieved the worst winning percentage in modern history. The heavily favored As with all their hall-of-fame talent were assumed to win as they were the team on paper. This attitude was reflected in the case when the pennant was assured in the As case, Connie Mack gave star pitcher Chief Bender the week off. When scolded by Mack, he replied, Why should I check out a bunch of bush league hitters, catcher Hank Gowdy had a single, double and triple as well as a walk in leading Bostons offensive attack. He was also on the end of a double steal in the eighth inning. Meany may also have been the source for the sensational sidelight that Stallings motive for this may have been the rumor that the As may have sabotaged the Shibe Park visiting clubhouse. Bill James, Bostons other 26-game winner, hooked up against Philadelphias Eddie Plank in a pitchers duel. James allowed only three runners in the first eight innings, picking off two of them in holding Philadelphia scoreless. Plank matched him until the ninth, when Amos Strunk lost Charlie Deals fly ball in the sun for a double, deal then stole third, and scored on a two-out single by Les Mann. James walked two batters in the ninth, but got Eddie Murphy to ground into a double play to give Boston a 2–0 advantage in the series coming back home to Fenway. Lefty Tyler of the Braves went up against Bullet Joe Bush in a twelve-inning thriller, frank Home Run Bakers two-out single in the tenth plated two runs to give the Athletics a 4–2 lead and a seeming victory to get them back in the series. But Hank Gowdy led off the bottom of the tenth with a run
7.
Federal League
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The Federal League came together in early 1913 through the work of John T. Powers, and immediately challenged the operations of organized baseball. Playing in what detractors called the league allowed players to avoid the restrictions of the organized leagues reserve clause. The competition of another, better paying league caused players salaries to skyrocket, interference by the National and American Leagues in their operations caused the Federal League to fold after the 1915 season. The Federal League left its mark on history in the field now known as Wrigley Field. The league itself and many sports writers considered it a league during its existence. In 1912, baseball promoter John T. Powers formed an independent professional league known as the Columbian League, however, the withdrawal of one of the organizations primary investors caused the league to fail before ever playing a game. Undaunted, Powers tried again the year, creating a new league with teams in Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, St. Louis. He named the organization the Federal League, and served as its first president, because it did not abide by the National Agreement on player payment in place in organized baseball, the Federal League was called an outlaw league by its competitors. The Federal Leagues outlaw status allowed it to players from established clubs. In its first season Powers initially served as president, but he was replaced by James A. Gilmore. Other financers of the League included oil baron Harry F. Sinclair, ice magnate Phil Ball, as a major circuit, the Federal League consisted of eight teams each season. Four of the teams were placed in established Big League cities, the other four teams were placed in more marginal areas. In the first year,1914, some of the teams had official nicknames and some did not, by the second season, most of the teams had official nicknames, although many writers still called many of the teams -Feds. In order for the Federal League to succeed, it needed Big League players, walter Johnson signed a three-year contract with the Chicago team, but the Senators Clark Griffith went personally to Johnsons home in Kansas and made a successful counter-offer. Major League players that jumped to the Federal League included Bill McKechnie, Claude Hendrix, Jack Quinn, Russell Ford, Tom Seaton, Doc Crandall, Al Bridwell, Hy Myers, the Federal League also recruited Big League names to manage the new teams. Joe Tinker managed the Chicago team, Mordecai Brown managed the St. Louis team, the league had close pennant races both years. In 1914, Indianapolis beat out Chicago by 1½ games,1915 witnessed the tightest pennant race in Major League history, as three teams fought into the last weekend of the season. But since the Whales played two fewer games than the Terrapins, they were awarded the pennant based on their slightly better winning percentage, Pittsburgh, with one game unplayed, ended up at 86-67
8.
Columbia University
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Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It was established in 1754 as Kings College by royal charter of George II of Great Britain, after the American Revolutionary War, Kings College briefly became a state entity, and was renamed Columbia College in 1784. Columbia is one of the fourteen founding members of the Association of American Universities and was the first school in the United States to grant the M. D. degree. The university also has global research outposts in Amman, Beijing, Istanbul, Paris, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Asunción, Columbia administers annually the Pulitzer Prize. Additionally,100 Nobel laureates have been affiliated with Columbia as students, researchers, faculty, Columbia is second only to Harvard University in the number of Nobel Prize-winning affiliates, with over 100 recipients of the award as of 2016. In 1746 an act was passed by the assembly of New York to raise funds for the foundation of a new college. Classes were initially held in July 1754 and were presided over by the colleges first president, Dr. Johnson was the only instructor of the colleges first class, which consisted of a mere eight students. Instruction was held in a new schoolhouse adjoining Trinity Church, located on what is now lower Broadway in Manhattan, in 1763, Dr. Johnson was succeeded in the presidency by Myles Cooper, a graduate of The Queens College, Oxford, and an ardent Tory. In the charged political climate of the American Revolution, his opponent in discussions at the college was an undergraduate of the class of 1777. The suspension continued through the occupation of New York City by British troops until their departure in 1783. The colleges library was looted and its sole building requisitioned for use as a hospital first by American. Loyalists were forced to abandon their Kings College in New York, the Loyalists, led by Bishop Charles Inglis fled to Windsor, Nova Scotia, where they founded Kings Collegiate School. After the Revolution, the college turned to the State of New York in order to restore its vitality, the Legislature agreed to assist the college, and on May 1,1784, it passed an Act for granting certain privileges to the College heretofore called Kings College. The Regents finally became aware of the colleges defective constitution in February 1787 and appointed a revision committee, in April of that same year, a new charter was adopted for the college, still in use today, granting power to a private board of 24 Trustees. On May 21,1787, William Samuel Johnson, the son of Dr. Samuel Johnson, was unanimously elected President of Columbia College, prior to serving at the university, Johnson had participated in the First Continental Congress and been chosen as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. The colleges enrollment, structure, and academics stagnated for the majority of the 19th century, with many of the college presidents doing little to change the way that the college functioned. In 1857, the college moved from the Kings College campus at Park Place to a primarily Gothic Revival campus on 49th Street and Madison Avenue, during the last half of the 19th century, under the leadership of President F. A. P. Barnard, the institution assumed the shape of a modern university
9.
Chicago White Sox
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The Chicago White Sox is an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. The White Sox play their games at Guaranteed Rate Field. They are one of two league clubs in Chicago, the other is the Chicago Cubs, who are a member of the National League Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf. One of the American Leagues eight charter franchises, the Chicago team was established as a major baseball club in 1900. The club was called the Chicago White Stockings, but this was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox. The team played games at South Side Park before, in 1910. The White Sox won the 1906 World Series with a team dubbed the Hitless Wonders, and the 1917 World Series led by Eddie Cicotte, Eddie Collins. The 1919 World Series was marred by the Black Sox Scandal, in response, Major League Baseballs new Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the players from Major League Baseball for life. In 1959, led by Early Wynn, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio and manager Al Lopez and they won the AL pennant in 2005, and went on to win the World Series. The White Sox originated as the Sioux City Cornhuskers of the Western League, in 1894, Charles Comiskey bought the Cornhuskers and moved them to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they became the St. Paul Saints. In 1901, the Western League broke the National Agreement and became the new major league American League, the very first season in the American League ended with a White Stockings championship. However, that would be the end of the season as the World Series did not begin until 1903, the franchise, now known as the Chicago White Sox, made its first World Series appearance in 1906, beating the crosstown Cubs in six games. The White Sox would win a pennant and second World Series in 1917, beating the New York Giants in six games with help from stars Eddie Cicotte. The Sox were heavily favored in the 1919 World Series, huge bets on the Reds fueled speculation that the series had been fixed. This set the franchise back, as they did not win another pennant for 40 years. The White Sox did not finish in the half of the American League again until after club founder Charles Comiskey died and passed ownership of the club to his son
10.
Connie Mack
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Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy, better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he records for wins, losses. Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics for the clubs first 50 seasons of play, starting in 1901, before retiring at age 87 following the 1950 season, however, constant financial struggles forced repeated rebuilding of the roster, and Macks teams also finished in last place 17 times. Mack was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937, Mack was born Cornelius McGillicuddy in East Brookfield, Massachusetts on December 22,1862. As with many Irish immigrants whose names began with Mc, the McGullicuddys were often referred to as Mack and his parents, Michael McGillicuddy and Mary McKillop, were both immigrants from Ireland. Michael McGillicuddys father was named Cornelius McGillicuddy, and by tradition, Connie is a common nickname for Cornelius, so Cornelius McGillicuddy was called Connie Mack from an early age. Connie Mack never legally changed his name, on the occasion of his marriage at age 48. His nickname on the field was Slats, for his height of 6 feet 2 inches. During the American Civil War, he served with the 51st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Michael McGillicuddy suffered from several ailments as the result of his military service, he was able to work only infrequently, and drew a disability pension. Mack was educated in East Brookfield, and began working summers in local cotton mills at age 9 to help support his family. He quit school after completing the eighth grade at age 14, intending to work full-time to contribute to the familys support and he clerked at a store, worked on local farms, and worked on the production lines of the shoe factories in nearby towns. Mack was also an athlete, and frequently played baseball. In 1879 his skills landed him a place on East Brookfields town team, though younger than his teammates by several years, Mack was the teams catcher and de facto captain. Beginning in 1886, Mack played 10 seasons in the National League and one in the Players League, for a total of 11 seasons in the major leagues, almost entirely as a catcher. Beginning in 1884, he played on minor league teams in the Connecticut cities of Meriden, in the winter of 1889, he jumped to the Buffalo team of the new Players League, the Bisons, investing his entire life savings of $500 in shares in that club. But the Players League went out of business only a year. In December 1890 Mack signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League, as a player, Mack was a light-hitting catcher with a reputation as a smart player, but didnt do anything particularly well as a player. Mack was one of the first catchers to position himself directly behind home plate instead of in front of the backstop, according to Wilbert Robinson, Mack never was mean
11.
College of the Holy Cross
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The College of the Holy Cross or Holy Cross is a private, undergraduate Roman Catholic, Jesuit liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1843, Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic college in New England, U. S. News & World Report ranked Holy Cross 25th in the U. S. among liberal arts colleges in 2014. Holy Cross is the only Catholic college among the top 50 liberal arts schools on the U. S. News list, opened as a school for boys under the auspices of the Society of Jesus, it was the first Jesuit college in New England. Today, Holy Cross is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is part of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium. Holy Cross sports teams are called the Crusaders, and their color is purple. Holy Cross was founded by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, SJ, second Bishop of Boston, from the beginning of his tenure as the second Bishop of Boston, Benedict Joseph Fenwick of the Society of Jesus intended to establish a Catholic college within the boundaries of his diocese. The site of the college, Mount Saint James, was occupied by a Roman Catholic boarding school, run by the Rev. James Fitton, with his lay collaborator, Joseph Brigden. Fitton sold the land to Bishop Fenwick and the Diocese of Boston to be used to found the Roman Catholic college that the bishop had wanted in Boston, Fenwick gave the College the name of his cathedral church, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. & supply them with everything but clothes, will not this be a bold undertaking. It will stand on a beautiful eminence & will command the view of the town of Worcester. Within three years, the enrollment had increased to 100 students, initially the education was more at the elementary and high school level, later it became a higher level institution. Since its founding, Holy Cross has produced the fifth most members of the Catholic clergy out of all American Catholic colleges. The first class graduated in 1849, led by the valedictorian James Augustine Healy, the son of an Irish planter in Georgia and his common-law wife. His father sent all his sons north for their education at Holy Cross College, Healy graduated with his close friend Colby Kane, who would also go on to join the clergy, and was influential in many of Healys early writings on Eucharistic transubstantiation. Fenwick Hall, the main building, was completely destroyed by fire in 1852. Funds were raised to rebuild the College, and in 1853, petitions to secure a charter for the college from the state Legislature were denied in 1847 for a variety of causes, including anti-Catholicism on the part of some legislators. The increased rate of immigration from Ireland during the famine years roused resistance from residents of Massachusetts. Initially, Holy Cross diplomas were signed by the president of Georgetown University, after repeated denials, a charter was finally granted on March 24,1865, by Governor John A
