RIP to Freddie Velázquez, the first Dominican catcher to play in the major leagues. He died on May 21 at the age of 81. His death was originally reported by the Leones del Escogido, a professional baseball team from Santo Domingo. Velázquez was a part of four of their championship teams (1957-8, 1959-60, 1960-1 and … Continue reading Obituary: Freddie Velázquez (1937-2019)
Here lies Emil Gross, who performed one of the most incredible catching feats of the 19th Century. He caught every single game for the Providence Grays in 1880 – that would be 87 games in an era where catcher’s protective gear didn’t exist. Gross played for the Grays (1879-81), Philadelphia Quakers (1883) and Chicago Browns … Continue reading Grave Story: Emil Gross (1858-1921)
Here lies George Kimball Belden, a great Minnesota sportsman and businessman who went on to become the president of the minor-league Minneapolis Millers. George Belden was born in Lynden, Vt. on March 25, 1870. His family moved to Minnesota in 1884, and Belden, though he traveled frequently, would call Minnesota his home for the rest … Continue reading Grave Story: George Belden (1870-1953)
It has been reported on Facebook that Barry Latman, an All-Star pitcher in the 1950s and '60s, has died at the age of 82. A post from an autograph seeker in the group Baseball Player Passings shows a note from a member of Latman's family that reads: "VERY SORRY. Barry was ill for a long … Continue reading Obituary: Barry Latman (1936-2019)
R.I.P. to Ray Peters, an original Seattle Pilot whose only MLB experience came with the 1970 Milwaukee Brewers. Keith Olbermann announced earlier on Twitter that Peters died on May 4 after an illness. He was 72 years old. https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/status/1127674213198966785 Ray Peters was born on August 27, 1946 in Buffalo, N.Y. and was a heavily recruited … Continue reading Obituary: Ray Peters (1946-2019)
Here lies Earl Naylor, a rare two-way player during the 1940s. He started out as an outfielder, and a strong throwing arm led to a brief pitching experiment. Naylor played for the Philadelphia Phillies (1942-43) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1946). Earl Naylor was born on May 19, 1919 in Kansas City, Mo. He had an early … Continue reading Grave Story: Earl Naylor (1919-1990)
R.I.P. to David P. Montgomery, a president and chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies. Montgomery, who had been involved with the team for more than 45 years, died on May 8 after a five-year battle with cancer. He was 72 years old. https://twitter.com/Phillies/status/1126110153252720640 “David was one of Philadelphia’s most influential business and civic leaders in his … Continue reading Obituary: David Montgomery (1946-2019)
Here lies Harry Pulliam, who rose from a journalist to become the president of the National League from 1903-09. Sadly, the stress of the job and the conflict between his idealistic baseball beliefs and the realities of the game, led Pulliam to take his life. (Editor’s note: This story covers a suicide and some rather … Continue reading Grave Story: Harry Pulliam (1869-1909)
Here lies Clarence Saulpaugh, an early minor-league business magnate who was the owner of the Minneapolis Millers in the late 19th Century. His family built and operated the Saulpaugh Hotel, a fancy and popular hotel in Mankato, Minn. Clarence H. Saulpaugh was born on January 8, 1859 in Rock Island, Ill. His father Thomas was … Continue reading Grave Story: Clarence Saulpaugh (1859-1917)
R.I.P. to Brian Bock, a former catcher in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He died unexpectedly on April 22 at the age of 37. Probably his biggest moment in professional baseball came at the 2007 Baseball Hall of Fame game in Cooperstown. Brian Bock was born in Bakersfield, Calif. on August 24, 1981. He graduated from … Continue reading Obituary: Brian Bock (1981-2019)
