RIP to Tony Fernández, an All-Star and Gold Glove infielder with a 17-year career in the majors. He died on February 15 at the age of 57 after suffering from chronic kidney problems, a recent bout with pneumonia and a stroke. Fernandez, who announced in 2017 that he had Polycistic Kidney Disease, was placed in … Continue reading Obituary: Tony Fernández (1962-2020)
When you've got Christy Mathewson right where he wants you
While looking into the life of Steve Evans, there were a lot of things I just couldn't fit into his story and keep it at a manageable size. The anecdotes, the pranks, the back-and-forth with fans. It just reinforced the fact that we tend to think of the early years of baseball as somewhat dull … Continue reading When you've got Christy Mathewson right where he wants you
Obituary: Marilyn Jenkins (1934-2020)
RIP to Marilyn "Jenks" Jenkins, who started as a batgirl for the Grand Rapids Chicks of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and ended up as the team's catcher for three seasons. She died on February 7 at the age of 85. Jenkins played for the Chicks from 1952-1954. Source: AAGPBL (Since there was relatively … Continue reading Obituary: Marilyn Jenkins (1934-2020)
Grave Story: Steve Evans (1883?-1943)
Here lies Steve Evans, a solid player in the National and Federal leagues, and one of the early 20th Century’s unrivaled flakes. Evans was an outfielder and first baseman for the New York Giants (1908) and St. Louis Cardinals (1909-1913), and then the Brooklyn Tip-Tops (1914-15) and Baltimore Terrapins (1915) of the Federal League. All … Continue reading Grave Story: Steve Evans (1883?-1943)
Obituary: Angel Echevarria (1971-2020)
RIP to Angel Echevarria, an outfielder and first baseman for 7 seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He died on February 7 at the age of 48. According to reports from CTPost.com and CT News 12, Echevarria had been feeling ill with a stomach virus for a few days. He then fell and … Continue reading Obituary: Angel Echevarria (1971-2020)
Obituary: Gil Coan (1922-2020)
RIP to Gil Coan, an outfielder who spent parts of 11 seasons in the major leagues in the 1940s and '50s. He died on February 4 in Hendersonville, N.C., at the age of 94. At the time of his death, he was one of the oldest living baseball players and the oldest surviving New York … Continue reading Obituary: Gil Coan (1922-2020)
Grave Story: Ernie Johnson (1924-2011)
Here lies Ernie Johnson, a beloved member of the Atlanta Braves family. In his playing days, he was a pretty good relief pitcher. However, he made his fame as an announcer for the Atlanta Braves for decades, taking Braves fandom nationwide thanks to the TBS superstation. Johnson played for the Boston/Milwaukee Braves (1950, 1952-58) and … Continue reading Grave Story: Ernie Johnson (1924-2011)
Obituary: Don Hasenmayer (1927-2020)
RIP to Don Hasenmayer, who played in 11 games as a teenager in the 1940s. He died on January 28 at the age of 92. Hasenmayer played for the Philadelphia Phillies (1945-46). Don Hasenmayer was born on April 4, 1927, in Roslyn, Pa. According to his obituary, he could be found regularly on a ballfield … Continue reading Obituary: Don Hasenmayer (1927-2020)
Grave Story: Ed McKean (1864-1919)
Here lies Ed McKean, a hard-hitting shortstop from the 19th Century who played on some tough Cleveland teams. He played for the Cleveland Blues of the American Association (1887-88), Cleveland Spiders (1889-98) and St. Louis Perfectos (1899). Edwin John McKean was born in Grafton, Ohio, on June 6, 1864. He started playing pro ball with … Continue reading Grave Story: Ed McKean (1864-1919)
Obituary: Ramón Aviles (1952-2020)
RIP to Ramón Aviles, a middle infielder and member of the 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. He died in his hometown of Manati, Puerto Rico on January 27 at the age of 68. According to reports, Aviles was suffering from complications of diabetes and high blood pressure and was going to start dialysis treatment in … Continue reading Obituary: Ramón Aviles (1952-2020)
