Here lies Carl Pohlad, former owner of the Minnesota Twins. During his tenure from 1984-2009, he went from a hero who saved the Twins to a villain who almost drove the team out of existence. Such is the life of a baseball executive. Carl Pohlad was born on August 23, 1915 in Des Moines, Iowa, … Continue reading Grave Story: Carl Pohlad (1915-2009)
With it being Spring Break, the family decided on a short trip to Chattanooga for a little fun, cemetery searching and minor league baseball. I'd been there once before and found a few graves at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, but rain kept me from exploring any further. This week, the weather was perfect. Though I … Continue reading Road trip to Chattanooga: Unmarked graves & Lookouts
Here lies Claude Jonnard, one-half of the Jonnard twins that played in the 1920s and ‘30s. He was the older of the two, having been born an hour ahead of his brother, Clarence. Claude pitched for the New York Giants (1921-24), St. Louis Browns (1926) and Chicago Cubs (1929). The Jonnard boys were born in … Continue reading Grave Story: Claude Jonnard (1897-1959)
R.I.P. to Mike Colbern, a former All-American at Arizona State University who had a brief career in the majors with the White Sox. He also became one of the key figures in a lawsuit against Major League Baseball concerning pension for ballplayers. The Arizona Republic reported that he died recently at the age of 63. … Continue reading Obituary: Mike Colbern (1955-2019)
Here lies Walter “Whitey” Hilcher, a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds for parts of four seasons. The “Whitey” nickname came from his blond hair. He played for the Reds from 1931-32 and again from 1935-36. Walter Hilcher was born in Chicago on February 28, 1909. It doesn’t appear that his family stayed in Chicago for … Continue reading Grave Story: Whitey Hilcher (1909-1962)
R.I.P. to Greg Booker, a pitcher and coach for several organizations. He died on March 30 from melanoma at the age of 58. Booker pitched for the San Diego Padres (1983-89), Minnesota Twins (1989) and San Francisco Giants (1990). He was also the son-in-law of longtime MLB manager and executive Jack McKeon. Greg Booker's 1985 … Continue reading Obituary: Greg Booker (1960-2019)
R.I.P. to outfielder/first baseman Jim Holt, who played on the World Champion Athletics in 1974. He died on March 29 at the Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, N.C. He was 74 years old. Holt played for the Minnesota Twins (1968-74) and Oakland A's (1974-76). James Holt was born in Graham, N.C. on May 27, … Continue reading Obituary: Jim Holt (1944-2019)
RIP to Jerry Schypinski, a shortstop for the 1955 Kansas City athletics. He died on March 25 at the age of 87. Gerald Schypinski was born on September 16, 1931 in Detroit, Mich. He attended University of Detroit Mercy college in Detroit and was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics in 1952. Schypinski's pro debut came … Continue reading Obituary: Jerry Schypinski (1931-2019)
Here lies Hal Elliott, a reliever who led the NL in appearances in 1930. His career ERA puts him in unique company in the history of Major League Baseball. Elliott played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1929-32. Harold “Ace” Elliott was born on May 29, 1899 in Mount Clemens, Mich. Unlike a lot of major leaguers … Continue reading Grave Story: Hal Elliott (1899-1963)
Hi there, this is my "help support your friendly baseball blogger" kind of post. I hate marketing myself, but sometimes a writer's gotta do what a writer's gotta do, so please indulge me for a few paragraphs. Like pretty much every baseball blogger out there, I'm doing this out of a love of baseball history. … Continue reading So you want to support RIP Baseball…
