95 Years in the Making

One game…the Boston Red Sox are just one World Series win away from winning a World Series in front of their home fans for the first time since 1918. The Red Sox undid generations of disappointment and heartbreak by breaking The Curse of the Babe in 2004 by sweeping the same St. Louis Cardinals franchise that they are dueling in this year’s World Series. That triumph, closed out in St. Louis in Game 4 of that series, followed four days in October in which they completed a historic comeback from down three games to none to beat the New York Yankees in seven games in the 2004 American League Championship series.

Not only was “The Curse” over, but the Red Sox were a mini-dynasty in the making. The Red Sox were the front runners in the American League every year until 2012, when the team underwent a major management and personnel overhaul. The Red Sox won another championship, eliminating the Colorado Rockies by completing a four game sweep at Coors Field in Denver.

This year, Red Sox fans have a chance to see their team win the ultimate prize at Fenway Park. Such a win would extinguish any last vestige of the “The Curse” – the declaration of Hall of Famer and former Red Sox pitcher & outfielder Babe Ruth, who had just set the MLB single season home run record with 29, that the Red Sox would never win another World Series after selling his contract to the New York Yankees following the 1919 season. It only took 86 years to prove Ruth wrong.

HISTORY, PREFERABLY IN MODERATION

A World Series Championship won by the Red Sox at Fenway Park would be historic for several reasons. These include the history of the park itself (in service since 1912), the legacy of the franchise, and the futility of the team celebrating a World Series championship in their own park. Of course, Red Sox fans need not get caught up in too much history, which has only begun to smile upon them recently.

The Red Sox, since 1918, had won the American League pennant four times prior to their breakthrough 2004 season. Four times, they were eliminated in seven games (twice by the Cardinals). The two of those Game 7 disappointments ended with a visiting team, not the Red Sox, popping champagne bottles and celebrating at Fenway.

Of course, arguably the cruelest twist of Red Sox World Series fate was not in a Game 7, but was in a Game 6. For those of you who are under the age of 35 or not lifelong baseball fans, the Red Sox led the New York Mets three games to two in the 1986 World Series. The Mets trailed by two runs with two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the 10^th inning at Shea Stadium. Three quick singles later, the winning run, Ray Knight was at first base while the tying run, Kevin Mitchell, was at third.

Red Sox reliever Bob Stanley served up a wild pitch that allowed Mitchell to score and tie the game and send Knight into scoring position at second base. Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson was at bat. He hit an easy dribbler down the first base line. All Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner had to do was pick the ball up, step on the bag, and the Red Sox would get another chance to win in the 11^th inning.

If you don’t know what happened, why tell you, when I can show you (see video at the end)? The Mets would go on to win Game 7 and the World Series the following night, 8-5, with a late inning surge.

There are auras of Red Sox history surrounding Game 6 and Game 7 (if necessary) of the 2013 World Series at Fenway. Once the first pitch is thrown, the history is just that – history. But lifelong fans of Red Sox and baseball will not be able to ignore the looming specters of baseball’s past serving as a backdrop to the concluding game(s) of this series.

The most infamous play in Red Sox history.

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls! 

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info. 

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/. 

Image from http://blog.mitchellandness.com

Retweet of the Day - October 25, 2012

San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval, A.K.A. "Panda", A.K.A "Kung Fu Panda", A.K.A. "Panda Express" made history last night in Game 1 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers. Sandoval became only the fourth player in the history of Major League Baseball to hit three home runs in a World Series game (Babe Ruth - 1926 & 1929, Reggie Jackson - 1977, Albert Pujols - 2011).

Rare moments like these always set the Twittersphere abuzz.Today's retweet, by SCO (@TucsonSco), is the reason that the decision makers at Panda Express need to get in touch with Sandoval's agent if they have not done so. Take advantage of the moment and strike while the iron is hot!

"I'll be eating Trader Joe's Panda Puffs at a nearby Panda Express in honor of SF Giant Pablo Sandavol hitting 3 HR's in the World Series."

Feel free to thank me, anytime, Panda Express.

Image from www.flikr.com

Today, we have a contribution from The Daily Hat Trick's old buddy, Tim Handorf of Best Colleges Online. Baseball season gets started next month. In spite of the explosion of social media and exchanges of information via the Internet, baseball cards still continue to be a heavily traded commodity. Some are, literally, treasure to a collector. The original article can be found at their site.

15 Baseball Cards That Could Get You Through College

Posted on Tuesday February 7, 2012

by Staff Writers


There’s no telling how many millions of dollars have been flushed down the drain by moms who threw out their kids’ baseball cards with the trash. And yet, ironically, those very same women deserve the thanks for driving up the value of the rest of the cards in circulation. If you are strapped for cash and looking for a way to pay for college, the answer could be lying in a box in your grandmother’s attic, or on sale for $1 at some garage sale. Most of these cards are quite hard to find, so the odds are against you. Still, there’s always the dream of discovering a rare card like one of these and selling it for the $80,000 you need to get a degree these days. Batter up!

1. 
   
   

   1909 Honus Wagner T206

   This is the Holy Grail of sports memorabilia. It has sold for anywhere from $200,000 to $2.35 million. Legend has it Mr. Wagner objected to smoking, and this was a tobacco card, so he had it pulled from production. Less than 60 are believed to exist. There’s no way you own this card. You don’t, right?

1. 
   
   

   1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth

   OK, permit us to mention one more ridiculously rare piece of baseball history. This 1914 rookie card of the most famous player to ever take the field is valued around $500,000. Only 10 are known to be out there, but every blue moon one is discovered, so there’s always hope.

1. 
   
   

   1888 G and B Chewing Gum Co. Albert G. Spalding E223

   Ah, yes … Albert G. Spalding. OK, we’ve never heard of him either. But he won a mind-boggling 47 games for the Chicago White Stockings in 1876, and apparently he published the first baseball rulebook. This set was the first to be included with a pack of gum, and Spalding’s card maxes out at a worth of $120,000.

1. 

   1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings Peck & Snyder

   You’ve got to think anything that’s nearly 150 years old is going to be worth something. When it comes to this advertising card for the first pro baseball team ever, you’d be right. In 2009, an elderly antique dealer tried briefly to sell this card on eBay for a starting price of $9.99. When she realized what she had and sold it at auction, it brought in $75,000.

1. 1893 Just So Cy Young

   This card features a stately-looking Cy Young, and it’s the earliest known card of the pitching legend. Apparently in the old days it was perfectly fine for tobacco companies to introduce products they knew would be collected primarily by children. This rare card made by the Just So Tobacco Company is worth up to the low six figures.

1. 
   
   

   1914 Texas Tommy Ty Cobb E224

   Ty Cobb has been called the greatest ball player who ever lived. He played his 10th season in 1914, only entering 98 games. But the season is remarkable because of his baseball card that year, made by the Cardinet Candy Company. It is consistently valued at upwards of $100,000.

1. 
   
   

   1887 Four Base Hits N-Unc. Buck Ewing #4

   True baseball fanatics will probably be the only ones who know the name Buck Ewing, but he was a star in his day and proponents call him the greatest catcher of all time. This card that captions Ewing as New York’s team captain also instructs you to “Smoke Four Base Hits.” We’ll pass on that, but we wouldn’t turn down the 100 grand this card is valued at.

1. 

   1887 Four Base Hits N-Unc. Mike King Kelly

   We’re starting to get the urge for a cigarette. Another card from this rare 1887 set, The King’s card is estimated at anywhere from $60,000 to $120,000. He was a utility guy for the Boston Beaneaters, the Cincinnati Kelly’s Killers, and the Pennsylvania Periwinkles (we only made the last one up). If you came into possession of one of these cards, you’d be laughing all the way to the bank.

2. 
   
   

   1910 Old Mill Joe Jackson T210

   “Shoeless Joe” was disgraced in the Black Sox scandal and banned from baseball in 1920, but collectors and baseball historians have been kind to him in the ensuing decades. Today he is painted as a true lover of the game who got in over his head. Whatever the truth is, he was a phenomenal player and this card from his third season recently sold for $92,800.

1. 
   
   

   1914 Boston Garter Color Joe Jackson

   Now here’s a cool-looking card. It’s got that vintage, old-timey-illustration feel, and it doubles as an advertisement for women’s underwear. A few years ago a collector paid over $86,000 for this card at auction, which would leave you $6,000 to spend on beer, pizza, and other cliché college guy stuff.

1. 
   
   

   1961 Topps Dice Game Mickey Mantle

   He may have been the greatest switch hitter ever, but boy did they make him look corny in the photo for this card. No matter; 1961 was the year of The Mick’s legendary home run race with Roger Maris. Couple that with the fact that this card is part of Topps’ bizarre Dice Game series of cards that they ultimately abandoned, and this becomes one drool-worthy item. Typical sale price: $32,000.

1. 
   
   

   1967 Topps Tom Seaver #581

   Terrific Tom stormed into the Hall of Fame by the highest vote percentage ever, which is befitting his 20-year career of striking out everyone and their mother. The year 1967 just happens to be his rookie year, and this rookie card from Topps recently pulled in $24,000. With the benefit of hindsight we (and Topps) now know Seaver merited his own card, instead of being coupled with some scrub with a career record of 1-10.

1. 
   
   

   1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter #279

   With five World Series championships, including one where he was the MVP, four Golden Gloves, 3,000-plus hits, and a lifetime batting average over .300, Jeter is a sure-fire Hall of Fame first-round inductee. Right now, his ’93 SP rookie card goes for as much as $25,000 in gem mint condition. If you’ve got it and you’ve kept it in good shape, there’s money to be made.

1. 
   
   

   1994 Upper Deck SP Alex Rodriguez #15

   Another Yankee star of the current era fetches a pretty penny for his rookie card. Gem mint versions are extremely hard to find because the card is so delicate, but in perfect condition they have been offered for as much as $1.4 million. The poor economy has hurt its sales price, but $5,000 to $15,000 is not out of the bounds of reality. And you might actually own one.

1. 
   
   

   2001 Bowman Chrome Albert Pujols

   Bowman Chrome took baseball cards to a new level. Every card felt like a special insert, but buying a pack was a splurge. If you were lucky enough to come across this rookie card of the guy many are already suggesting will go down in history as the greatest slugger in earth history, count yourself fortunate. These things go for a base of $4,000, and the dude’s not even through yet.

Source: Forbes- World’s Most Expensive Baseball Cards


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To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

Putting the “Classic” Back in the Fall Classic

The Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals have played four games in the 2011 World Series. We have no more vision as to who will emerge as the champion than we did before the series started.

The series started even; the series is currently even at 2-2. St. Louis had one more home game available to them on the schedule before the series started; St. Louis still has one more home game available to them on the schedule remaining, with Game 6 and Game 7 (if necessary) in St. Louis. After clinching their respective pennants, the following game for the Rangers and Cardinals would feature Chris Carpenter on the Mound for the Cardinals against C.J. Wilson for the Rangers. The next game will feature Carpenter vs. Wilson.


WHAT’S THE STORY?

Baseball has fallen far…FAR behind the NFL in popularity over the past 25 years. World Series games are receiving television ratings under 10.0, comparable to a prime time NFL regular season game between two high profile teams. For the Fall Classic to appeal to the casual fan, it has to have story lines. The ready-made story line would be any World Series involving baseball’s high profile, historic franchises.

Television executives can sit back and wait for the ratings to roll in should teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, Dodgers, Phillies, or Cardinals be involved. Half of that equation has been filled in, but the Rangers are a team with relatively less legacy and almost zero postseason accomplishment to speak of prior to 2010.

St. Louis slipped into the National League Wild Card spot by the skin of its teeth on a combination of its miraculous September rally combined with the epic collapse of the Atlanta Braves. The Rangers won their second consecutive American League championship this year. Yet, ironically, the Rangers are the weak link for television appeal. For this series to be memorable, both teams needed their big players to step up big in big situations.



This country will never be as captivated, ever again, by a World Series as it was by the 1986 World Series (Mets vs Red Sox). That doesn't mean the games aren't really good! 1



NOT SO LONE RANGERS

To say that Texas has stepped up in key situations is an understatement. This series could conceivably be over had key Rangers not stepped up when the heat was on. Trailing 1-0 in the 9th inning and facing the prospect of falling into an 0-2 hole in the series, the Rangers had two options: score at least one run or be forced to win 4 of their next 5 games to win the World Series, a rarity in postseason play.

What happened? Powerful, speedy Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler delivered a clutch single with no outs, followed by the biggest display of testicular fortitude by a base runner in this postseason, narrowly stealing 2nd base and getting into scoring position. The success or failure of the stolen base may have determined the outcome of the game and, perhaps, the series. After being moved to third on a subsequent single, Kinsler scored on a long sacrifice fly RBI by reigning American League MVP Josh Hamilton. Elvis Andrus of the Rangers would score what would turn out to be the winning run on a subsequent sacrifice fly by Michael Young.

Last night, trailing 2-1 in the series, the Rangers faced another near-must-win situation. A loss would put the Rangers down 3 games to 1, a kiss of death in the vast majority of best-of-seven series in American sports. Derek Holland, a good pitcher, but seldom dominating, spun a gem.

Holland pitched 8.1 scoreless innings, with 7 strikeouts, before being relieved by Neftali Feliz for the Rangers’ shutout win over the very potent Cardinals lineup. Holland pitched four shutouts in the regular season, but had an ERA of close to 4.00 and a batting average against of .262. In other words, Holland was a feast-or-famine pitcher in the regular season. He feasted when his team absolutely needed him to do so.

Even Dubya had to stand up and get crunk for Derek Holland. 2

RED HOT BIRDS

The Cardinals stars also rose in a way that helps put the “Classic” in “Fall Classic”. In Game 1, Chris Carpenter gave the Redbirds six solid innings, followed by a posse of five relief pitchers, strategically inserted by Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa. The Cards pitching performance concluded with a save, earned by Closing Pitcher Jason Motte in the 9th inning.

Game 3 treated baseball fans to a performance for the ages. Rangers fans would have been thrilled if they were told, before Game 3, that the Rangers would put up 7 runs. Fortunately for the Cardinals, Albert Pujols put up a historic performance, going 5 for 6 with 3 homeruns and 8 RBIs. Pujols joined elite company, as only Babe Ruth (1926, 1928) and Reggie Jackson (1977) hit three homeruns in a World Series game prior to Saturday night.



Pujols didn't just "go yard", he "went legend". 3


WATER COOLER WORTHY

Through four games, the Rangers and Cardinals have given even the most casual fans of baseball something to talk about. If you have been following the action, I need not explain more. If you have not been following, but have some interest in baseball, or did once upon a time, you will have at least two, possibly three, opportunities to reconnect with the game in what has been a compelling and intense World Series.


Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

1) Image from sportsecyclopedia.com
2) Image from dallasnews.com
3) Images from nytimes.com, bleacherreport.com, and yankeedinosaur.mlbblogs.com

Back to the Tweeter

Twitter becomes more ingrained in our society every day. The social media site signs up thousands of new users each day. For sports fans, Twitter has provided easy access to what our favorite sports personalities think and say. It has also provided some foot-in-mouth moments, leading to countless controversies and conversation about those controversies.

Names like Florida Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison, New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, and Miami Heat forward LeBron James have strengthened public awareness of their brands through use of Twitter. It leads me to think of how colorful personalities of the past may have used Twitter, had the medium existed in years past.

Today, The Daily Hat Trick hops into the DeLorean with the Flux Capacitor and brings you the Tweets of sports stars of yesteryear in today’s Back to the Tweeter!


"When we hit 88 miles an hour, you're gonna see people get themselves into serious s__t!" 1

The World Series, Chicago, Illinois, 1919 –

Unidentified crime family associate:

@shoelessjoe What could possibly go wrong? #CantMiss #EasyMoney #BlackSox


Following the 1927 MLB regular season -

Lou Gehrig:

@Bambino Okay, so you could hit 60 #homeruns. I was wrong. Betcha you can’t do it again. RT @IronHorseLou Told you so!

Babe Ruth:

@IronHorseLou Betcha it NEVER happens again, LOL! #FatChance RT @Bambino Okay, so you could hit 60 #homeruns. I was wrong. Betcha you can’t do it again.

Trash talking Red Sox fan, whose team would not win the World Series, again, until 2004:

@Bambino Sure, Babe. I suppose we won’t win another World Series this century, either! Where did you get a crystal ball? #Curse #LOL

Ruth: "So long, SUCKERS!" 2

Summer Olympics, Berlin, Germany, 1936 -

American track star Jesse Owens, after setting records that would last for decades:

@DasFührer Man’s game, BITCH! #USA


After the Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling fight, 1938 -

Louis:

@DasFührer Man’s game, BITCH! #USA


June 6, 1944 – Normandy, France

General Eisenhower:

@DasFührer Man’s game, BITCH! #USA

Man's game, BITCH! 3

Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak ends at 56 games, 1941 –

President of Heinz (and its 57 varieties):

@JoltinJoe NOOOOOOOOO! #NoEndorsement

DiMaggio:

@Heinz57 NOOOOOOOOO! #NoEndorsement RT @JoltinJoe NOOOOOOOOO!

Makers of A1 Sauce:

@Heinz57 YESSSSSSSSSSS! #NoEndorsement @JoltinJoe NOOOOOOOOO!


After Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers, 1945 -

Baseball Hall of Famer and Negro League legend Josh Gibson:

@JackRoos You signed with the #DODGERS? C’mon, man! I’ll be a dead man before you wear that Dodgers uniform. #MinorLeague #PipeDream

Robinson in April, 1947:

@BlackBabeRuth #RIP RT @JackRoos You signed with the #DODGERS? C’mon, man! I’ll be a dead man before you wear that Dodgers uniform.


For those of you unfamiliar with Gibson (died January, 1947) he was the Babe Ruth of the Negro Leagues on the diamond, so much that calling Ruth "the white Josh Gibson" was en vogue at the time. Off the field, he was an unstable, alcoholic train wreck, precluding him from being the first black man to break the color barrier in baseball. 4


TECHNOLOGY CHANGES, PEOPLE DO NOT

So remember famous people did not suddenly talk smack or have “foot in mouth” syndrome before Twitter. We just didn’t know about it. Have a great weekend, Hat Trick readers!


Don’t forget to vote in the fan polls!


To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.


NFL, NBA, MLB, and Twitter logos are registered trademarks of their respective organizations.
1) Image from flickr.com
2) Image from sportsillistrated.cnn.com
3) Image from allposters.com
4) Image from temple3.wordpress.com