Gene Baker
Eugene Walter Baker (June 15, 1925 – December 1, 1999) was an American Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates during eight seasons between 1953 and 1961, and was selected for the National League (baseball), National League team in the 1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, 1955 All-Star Game. He threw and batted right-handed, and was listed at , . Early life, navy and Negro leagues A native of Davenport, Iowa, Baker starred on the basketball and track and field, track teams at Davenport Central High School, Davenport High School, and played sandlot ball, sandlot baseball, then went into the United States Navy, being stationed at Ottumwa Regional Airport#Naval base, Ottumwa Naval Air Station and Iowa Pre-Flight School. After his discharge from the Navy, he played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League as their regular shortstop during 1948 and 1949. Minor leagues In 1950, Baker joined the Cubs' organiza ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Second Baseman
In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the Infielder, infield, between Baseball field#Second base, second and Baseball field#First base, first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a double play. In addition, second basemen are usually right-handed; only four left-handed throwing players have ever played second base in Major League Baseball since 1950. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the second baseman is assigned the number 4. Good second basemen need to have very good range since they have to field balls closer to the first baseman who is often holding runners on, or moving towards the base to cover. On a batted ball to Right fielder, right field, the second baseman goes out towards the ball for the relay. Due to these requirements, second base is sometimes a primarily defensive position in the mod ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sandlot Ball
Sandlot ball or sandlot baseball is a competitive and athletic sports game that follows the basic rules and procedures of baseball. It is less organized and structured, as the name alludes to a makeshift field or an empty lot. In the 20th century, it was one of the most popular forms of recreation for children in the United States and many Caribbean and Central American countries. History and origins The term "sandlot" traces its origins back to the 1870s, emerging in the city of San Francisco as an in-town park and empty lot that served as a versatile venue for various sports. It refers to the makeshift field, which could be nothing more than an empty piece of land in the area composed of grass, dirt, or sand that is big enough to host the game. Objects used in playing the game can be improvised to take the place of bases, balls, or bats if they are unavailable. Despite the evolving culture surrounding sandlot baseball over the years, the tradition has persisted into the 202 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Second Base
In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the infield, between second and first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a double play. In addition, second basemen are usually right-handed; only four left-handed throwing players have ever played second base in Major League Baseball since 1950. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the second baseman is assigned the number 4. Good second basemen need to have very good range since they have to field balls closer to the first baseman who is often holding runners on, or moving towards the base to cover. On a batted ball to right field, the second baseman goes out towards the ball for the relay. Due to these requirements, second base is sometimes a primarily defensive position in the modern game, but there are hitting stars as well. Second base is often referred ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ernie Banks
Ernest Banks (January 31, 1931 – January 23, 2015), nicknamed "Mr. Cub" and "Mr. Sunshine", was an American professional baseball player who starred in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop and first baseman for the Chicago Cubs between 1953 and 1971. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1977 in his first year of eligibility, and was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. Banks is regarded as being one of the greatest players of all time. He began playing professional baseball in 1950 with the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro league baseball, Negro leagues. He served in the U.S. military for two years, played for the Monarchs again, and began his National League career in September 1953. The following year, Banks was the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award, National League Rookie of the Year runner-up. Beginning in 1955, Banks was a Nat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pee Wee Reese
Harold Peter Henry "Pee Wee" Reese (July 23, 1918 – August 14, 1999) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. A ten-time Major League Baseball All-Star Game, All-Star, Reese contributed to seven National League (baseball), National League championships for the Dodgers and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1984. Reese is also famous for his support of his teammate Jackie Robinson, the first African American, black player in the major leagues' modern era, especially in Robinson's difficult first years, most notably when he put his arm around Robinson during a pre-game warmup in front of a heckling crowd. Early life Reese's nickname originated in his childhood, as he was a champion marbles player (a "pee wee" is a small marble). Reese was born in Ekron, Kentucky, Ekron, Meade County, Kentucky, and ra ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early- and mid-20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles–based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels. Hollywood Stars (1926–1935) The first incarnation of the Hollywood Stars began its existence in 1903 as the Sacramento Solons, a charter member of the Pacific Coast League. The team moved to Tacoma, Washington, in 1904, where it won the pennant as the Tacoma Tigers. During the 1905 season, the team returned to Sacramento to finish out the season, moved to Fresno in 1906 to finish last as the Fresno Raisin Eaters, then left the PCL altogether. The Sacramento Solons rejoined the PCL in 1909, then moved to San Francisco during the 1914 season, finishing out the season as the San Francisco Missions. The team was sold to Utah businessman Bill "Hardpan" Lane and moved to Salt Lake City for the 1915 season. They played as the Salt Lake City Bees for the ne ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bobby Bragan
Robert Randall Bragan (October 30, 1917 – January 21, 2010) was an American shortstop, catcher, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball and an influential minor league executive. His professional baseball career encompassed 73 years, from his first season as a player in the Class D Alabama–Florida League in 1937, to 2009, the last full year of his life, when he was still listed as a consultant to the Texas Rangers' organization. Bragan played eight seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s, before going on to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the late 1950s and 1960s. He also managed in the Cuban League, leading Almendares to two championships. On August 16, 2005, Bragan donned a uniform to manage the independent Central League Fort Worth Cats for one game, making him—at 87 years, nine months, and 16 days old—the oldest manager in professional baseball annals, besting by one week Connie ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball (MLB). The PCL was one of the premier regional baseball leagues in the first half of the 20th century. Although it was never recognized as a true major league, to which it aspired, its quality of play was considered very high. A number of top stars of the era, including Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams, were products of the league. In 1958, with the arrival of major league teams on the west coast and the availability of televised major league games, the PCL's modern era began with each team signing Player Development Contracts to become farm teams of major league clubs. Following MLB's reorganization of the minor leagues in 2021, it operated as the Triple-A West for one season before switching back to its previous mo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles that played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) from 1903 through 1957. The Angels were formed in 1903 as charter members of the PCL. In 1958, they were forced to move to a smaller market as a result of the Brooklyn Dodgers' move to Los Angeles, which brought Major League Baseball competition into the PCL's territory. The franchise relocated to Spokane, Washington, as the Spokane Indians. The 1903, 1934, and 1943 Angels were recognized as being among the The National Baseball Association's top 100 minor league teams, 100 greatest minor league teams of all time. The 1934 team, with a 137–50 record, was ranked as the number one minor league team. Team history From 1903 through 1957, the Los Angeles Angels, a PCL team, were one of the mainstays of the Pacific Coast League, winning the PCL pennant 12 times. The Angels, along with the Portland Beavers, Oakland Oaks (PCL), Oakland Oaks, Sacramento Solons, S ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Des Moines Bruins
Des Moines Bruins were a minor league baseball team based in Des Moines, Iowa. The team played in the Western League from 1947 to 1958. Their home ballpark was Pioneer Memorial Stadium, and they were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs (1947–1957) and Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ... (1958). Year-by-year record References Baseball teams established in 1947 Defunct baseball teams in Iowa Sports in Des Moines, Iowa Defunct minor league baseball teams Baseball teams disestablished in 1958 1947 establishments in Iowa 1958 disestablishments in Iowa Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates Los Angeles Dodgers minor league affiliates Defunct Western League teams {{DesMoinesIA-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Springfield Cubs
The Springfield Cubs, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, were a minor league baseball franchise that served as a farm team of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball from 1948 to 1953. The team was a member of the Class B New England League in 1948 and 1949, and the Triple-A International League from 1950 to 1953. The team played its home games at Pynchon Park. History Although the Springfield franchise of the New England League (NEL) had mediocre won-loss records in 1948 and 1949, the team finished second in attendance in 1948 and led the NEL in its final season of operation (1949), drawing over 102,000 fans. The 1949 team advanced to the league championship series, falling in seven games to the Portland Pilots. After the NEL folded in the autumn of 1949, Springfield received a franchise in the International League (IL) when the Newark Bears transferred there for 1950. However, the Bears' parent team, the New York Yankees, did not follow, and Springfield retained its ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball positions, baseball or softball fielding position between second base, second and third base, which is considered to be among the Defensive spectrum, most demanding defensive positions. Historically, the position was assigned to defensive specialists who were typically poor at batting and were often placed at the bottom of the Batting order (baseball), batting order. Today, shortstops are often able to hit well and many are placed at the top of the lineup. In the Baseball positions, numbering system used by Baseball scorekeeping, scorers to record defensive plays, the shortstop is assigned the number 6. More hit balls go to the shortstop than to any other position, as there are more Right-handedness, right-handed hitters in baseball than Left-handedness, left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to Pull hitter, pull the ball slightly. Like a second baseman, a shortstop must be agile, for example when performing a Glossary of b ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |