Here lies Fred Cone, an outfielder who played in the first season of the first ever professional baseball league. He was a pioneer in another sense as well; he was one of the earliest players to complain that baseball just wasn’t as good as it was back in his day. Cone played for the Boston … Continue reading Grave Story: Fred Cone (1848-1909)
R.I.P. to Bill Mills, a catcher who played in 5 games for the 1944 Philadelphia Athletics. He died at a hospice facility in Gainesville, Fla., on August 9. He was 99 years old, and at the time of his passing, he was the second-oldest living major-league ballplayer. There are now 10 surviving Philadelphia Athletics ballplayers … Continue reading Obituary: Bill Mills (1919-2019)
Here lies Paul Giel, and if you’re a University of Minnesota football fan, you may know this name. He was a Heisman Trophy runner-up, a commentator for the Minnesota Vikings and an athletic director of the Gophers for more than 15 years. However, we’re going to talk about his career as a major-league pitcher and … Continue reading Grave Story: Paul Giel (1932-2002)
R.I.P. to John Carbray, the founder of the Fresno Grizzles, the AAA affiliate of the Washington Nationals. He died from Alzheimer's disease on August 10 at the age of 80. Prior to founding the Grizzles, he had been active as a minor-league baseball executive going back to the 1960s. John Carbray was born on November … Continue reading Obituary: John Carbray (1938-2019)
I've been writing a lot (a LOT) of grave stories for ballplayers buried in Minneapolis. This is all from a trip I made last year, where I found nearly 30 graves in two cemeteries. On top of that, I stopped in to pay a quick visit to the sites of two of Minneapolis' most renowned … Continue reading A brief tour of Minneapolis baseball history
Here lies Hy Vandenberg, who pitched for seven seasons in the 1930s and ‘40s. He didn’t have his best seasons until he reached the age where most ballplayers retire. Vandenberg played for the Boston Red Sox (1935), New York Giants (1937-40) and Chicago Cubs (1944-45). Harold Harris Vandenberg was born on March 17, 1906 in … Continue reading Grave Story: Hy Vandenberg (1906-1994)
Here lies Bobby Marshall, a pioneer in professional football. He, along with Fritz Pollard, were the first African-American players in the National Football League. However, Marshall was an accomplished baseball player as well, playing for several teams in the years before the Negro Leagues were established. He was active in sports well into his late … Continue reading Grave Story: Bobby Marshall (1880-1958)
R.I.P. to Ernie Bowman, a middle infielder for the San Francisco Giants from 1961-1963. He died on August 4, a week after celebrating his 84th birthday. Ernest Ferrell Bowman was born on July 28, 1935 in Johnson City, Tenn. He attended Science Hill High School and led both the baseball and basketball teams to state … Continue reading Obituary: Ernie Bowman (1935-2019)
Here lies George Dumont, a hard-luck pitcher from the Deadball Era, and a really terrible batter in pretty much any era. He also played for the Minneapolis Millers under two of its most renowned managers. Dumont played for the Washington Senators (1915-1918) and Boston Red Sox (1919). George Dumont was born in Minneapolis on November … Continue reading Grave Story: George Dumont (1895-1956)
R.I.P. to Mike Roarke, whose four seasons as a backup catcher launched a decades-long career as a coach and manager in the major and minor leagues. He died on Saturday, July 27 at the age of 88. According to his obituary, he died in his home town of West Warwick, R.I., surrounded by his family. … Continue reading Obituary: Mike Roarke (1930-2019)
