Tomorrow will be the 75th anniversary of the first time a Major League Baseball game was televised.
Prior to August 26, 1939, the only way you could watch Major League Baseball was by actually going to the ballpark. Radio had been around since 1921, but to actually see a game required admission to a ballpark.
The first game televised was a doubleheader between the Cincinnati Reds and Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. Red Barber opened up by saying "This is Red Barber speaking. Let me say hello to you all."
The Reds won the first game, 5-2, while the Dodgers took the second, 6-1.
Here's Dodgers announcer Vin Scully with some thoughts:
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Showing posts with label brooklyn dodgers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brooklyn dodgers. Show all posts
Monday, August 25, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
The Cactus & Grapefruit Leagues
With Spring Training well underway, baseball's teams are split between the Cactus League in Arizona, and the Grapefruit League in Florida. While attempting to uncover any tidbits regarding the naming of the leagues, we ran into some interesting bits of information.
Earlier this month, Milwaukee Brewers' reliever Francisco Rodriguez stepped on a cactus and was unable to make his first start of spring. A cactus related injury in the Cactus League. What about funky Grapefruit related injuries in the Grapefruit League? Let's go back to 1915 for this one.
The Brooklyn Dodgers were in Daytona Beach, Florida for that year's training camp. Their newish manager, Wilbert Robinson, was about to a part of an incident for which he would come to be best known for. Ruth Law, a local aviator, was making daily flights in the area, dropping golf balls as a publicity gimmick for a local golf course. Someone came up with the great idea of catching a baseball dropped from the plane. When none of the players found the guts to try to catch it, Robinson volunteered. The day came, and Law forgot the baseball back in her hotel room. Improvising, she substituted a grapefruit from the lunch of one of her ground crew at the last minute. The grapefruit landed in Robinson's mitt and exploded, knocking him down and drenching him in warm Grapefruit juice. Thinking he was covered in his own blood, Robbie called for help. The players rushed over and began ribbing him when they realized what had happened. Thus, we have the closest grapefruit related injury in the Grapefruit League.
Earlier this month, Milwaukee Brewers' reliever Francisco Rodriguez stepped on a cactus and was unable to make his first start of spring. A cactus related injury in the Cactus League. What about funky Grapefruit related injuries in the Grapefruit League? Let's go back to 1915 for this one.
The Brooklyn Dodgers were in Daytona Beach, Florida for that year's training camp. Their newish manager, Wilbert Robinson, was about to a part of an incident for which he would come to be best known for. Ruth Law, a local aviator, was making daily flights in the area, dropping golf balls as a publicity gimmick for a local golf course. Someone came up with the great idea of catching a baseball dropped from the plane. When none of the players found the guts to try to catch it, Robinson volunteered. The day came, and Law forgot the baseball back in her hotel room. Improvising, she substituted a grapefruit from the lunch of one of her ground crew at the last minute. The grapefruit landed in Robinson's mitt and exploded, knocking him down and drenching him in warm Grapefruit juice. Thinking he was covered in his own blood, Robbie called for help. The players rushed over and began ribbing him when they realized what had happened. Thus, we have the closest grapefruit related injury in the Grapefruit League.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Giants vs Dodgers vs Yankees
A three way game played on June 26, 1944 was set up to support the war effort with an unusual exhibition game played by the Yankees, Dodgers, and the Giants at the Polo Grounds. Presented by the War Bond Sports committee in connection with the Fifth War Loan. The First War Loan began on November 30, 1942. The Fifth War Loan was the largest of the eight, and by its conclusion on July 8, 1944, $20.6 billion had been raised. $56.5 million contributed by the Tri-Cornered game at the Polo Grounds.
The crowd of 50,000 contributes $5.5 million to attend, while the Bond Clothing Co. pays $1 million in bonds for an autographed program. The overwhelming majority of the money comes from the city of New York, with Mayor Fiorello La Guardia purchasing $50 million worth of bonds.
The three-cornered baseball game started with hitting, running, and throwing contests. In between contests, Al Schacht, the Clown Prince of Baseball, entertained the crowd of 50,000, and admission to the game was by purchase of series E, F, and G war bonds. The 40,000 general admission unreserved seats cost one $25 war bond; the 5,809 reserved seats in the lower stands went for a $100 bond; the box seats both upper and lower cost the fan a $1,000 war bond. Bleacher seats were free to servicemen.
The setup for a three-way nine inning game was simple: The Dodgers and Yankees played the first inning while the Giants sat out; the Dodgers and Giants played the second inning while the Yankees sat out; the Yankees and Giants played the third inning while the Dodgers sat out. The same order continued to the game's end.
The game, which lasted three hours and four minutes, was won by the Dodgers. Here is the line score:
| Inning | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R |
| Dodgers | 1 | 2 | X | 0 | 0 | X | 0 | 2 | X | 5 |
| Yankees | 0 | X | 0 | 0 | X | 0 | 0 | X | 1 | 1 |
| Giants | X | 0 | 0 | X | 0 | 0 | X | 0 | 0 | 0 |
