Birthdays: 2/26

[chicoruiz]

Reds:

Gary Majewski (32) -The whole grievance thing finally lost whatever traction it had, but it's obvious fron looking at the stats that Gary was damaged goods when the Reds got him.

Scott Service (45) -Aiken H.S. product who came back more times than the McRib- I counted five times he signed with the Reds as a free agent.

Others:

Dustin Ackley (24) -Mariners 2b who holds the record for most career hits in College World Series play.

Preacher Roe -While coaching basketball in the 1945 offseason, Preach fractured his skull in a fight with a referee. Wow!

Rip Collins -College football star with Texas A&M turned pitcher. After his baseball career he joined the Texas Rangers (the real ones, not the baseball ones) and eventually became sheriff of Bryan County, Texas.

Grover Cleveland Alexander -He's remembered as a drinking man, and he was, but a lot of what was perceived as drunkenness was in fact due to epilepsy. He served in World War One and had a rough time of it, being exposed to mustard gas and losing part of his hearing, and his epilepsy was worse after that. His movie biography, The Winning Team, bears little resemblance to reality.

[757690]

Reds:

Gary Majewski (32) -The whole grievance thing finally lost whatever traction it had, but it's obvious fron looking at the stats that Gary was damaged goods when the Reds got him.

Scott Service (45) -Aiken H.S. product who came back more times than the McRib- I counted five times he signed with the Reds as a free agent.

Others:

Dustin Ackley (24) -Mariners 2b who holds the record for most career hits in College World Series play.

Preacher Roe -While coaching basketball in the 1945 offseason, Preach fractured his skull in a fight with a referee. Wow!

Rip Collins -College football star with Texas A&M turned pitcher. After his baseball career he joined the Texas Rangers (the real ones, not the baseball ones) and eventually became sheriff of Bryan County, Texas.

Grover Cleveland Alexander -He's remembered as a drinking man, and he was, but a lot of what was perceived as drunkenness was in fact due to epilepsy. He served in World War One and had a rough time of it, being exposed to mustard gas and losing part of his hearing, and his epilepsy was worse after that. His movie biography, The Winning Team, bears little resemblance to reality.

There's a great urban legend about Alexander and the 1926 World Series.

Supposedly, the Cards wanted Alexander to pitch in relief in game seven, but Alexander was in a bar down the street from the stadium, as he had started game 6 the day before, and didn't expect to be needed.

They sent a cab to pick him up, and in the cab outside the stadium, a drunk Alexander refused to get out unless he was promised an extra World Series share. With the game and Series on the line, the Cards said yes, Alexander pitched them out of a jam, and they beat the Yankees to win the series.

I have only heard this from friends and can't find any record of it, but it's a pretty cool story even if it's not entirely true.

[George Anderson]

This is a good book on Alexander.

http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Curve-T...0310070&sr=8-1

[cumberlandreds]

There's a great urban legend about Alexander and the 1926 World Series.

Supposedly, the Cards wanted Alexander to pitch in relief in game seven, but Alexander was in a bar down the street from the stadium, as he had started game 6 the day before, and didn't expect to be needed.

They sent a cab to pick him up, and in the cab outside the stadium, a drunk Alexander refused to get out unless he was promised an extra World Series share. With the game and Series on the line, the Cards said yes, Alexander pitched them out of a jam, and they beat the Yankees to win the series.

I have only heard this from friends and can't find any record of it, but it's a pretty cool story even if it's not entirely true.

I've read that story many times or a version of it anyway. I don't doubt that he had a hangover and didn't expect to pitch in game 7.
Didn't Ronald Reagan portray Alexander in the movie about him? I watched it a long long time ago and don't remember much about it now.

[cumberlandreds]

This is a good book on Alexander.

http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Curve-T...0310070&sr=8-1

Thanks. I added it to my wish list at Amazon. I love reading about early 20th century baseball. This book is kinda high priced though.

[Bob Borkowski]

Preacher Roe -While coaching basketball in the 1945 offseason, Preach fractured his skull in a fight with a referee. Wow!

Ol' Preach was a very quotable guy.

He spent 4 seasons with the Pirates. He is quoted as saying that "Ralph Kiner just stood in a hole in the outfield. He caught balls hit to his hole but otherwise did not field."