Another new book.  I knew almost nothing at all about this team -- even though they were the team the Red Sox were eventually named after.   Until I worked on this book.  It was a really great learning experience. Thanks to Bob LeMoine for suggesting it.

What a game!  Not to mention Pedroia's play, which words fail to describe.

The win was the 11^th in a row for Boston, and at one point as the game progressed, Sox pitchers struck out 11 consecutive Rays, establishing a new major-league record. Eduardo Rodriguez had already struck out the side in the third, the fourth, and the fifth – but not all of those were included in the run of 11. He walked the second batter he faced in the fourth. Then he struck out the next two. Add in the three batters from the fifth, and the first of the sixth, and we're up to six in a row retired with a K. He was whiffing the Rays at a pace he could have blown past the 20-K record, but his pitch count was already up to 113 and not only were the Red Sox not about to endanger their young pitcher. They also wanted to win the AL East. Heath Hembree came on in relief – and he faced five batters (two in the sixth and three in the seventh), and struck out every one of them. Matt Barnes later struck out one and Joe Kelly two, giving the Red Sox staff 21 Ks in nine innings, a new major-league record. The game did go to extra innings, and Kelly struck out two more in the 10^th, for a team total of 23 Ks in 10 innings. 

...and just in case you wanted to see the Spanish language edition...

here it is....

Cuban Baseball Legends - new SABR publication

Of interest beyond just Boston baseball, this was published by SABR today.  Available via SABR or on Amazon.

See also the Spanish edition -- SABR's first Spanish publication. Thanks to Reynaldo Cruz for the translations. Reynaldo is a SABE member from Holguin, Cuba.  

 

Ted Williams Cheers A Young Amputee

Ted Williams cheers up a young amputee. That's the name of the story I have posted:

http://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/ted-williams-cheers-young-amputee

It's a pretty fascinating story (to me, anyhow) -- one that took me years to "crack."

I will be chatting online about it Wednesday, July 13 at 1:00 PM Eastern time.

former Negro Leagues ballplayer "brought back to life"

Here is the remarkable story of former Negro Leagues ballplayer Jim Zapp, who was effectively comatose and thought to be lost to his family. Fortunately, his son James Jr. questioned the medical diagnosis, took him medication, and saw his father “come back to life.”  There is a potential lesson here which may help other families going forward.

See the article at the National Pastime Museum.

http://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/jim-zapp

The original, full article will still appear sometime in the future in the SABR book on the 1948 Birmingham Black Barons and Homestead Grays, which Rick Bush and I are editing.

There is also a "Baseball Banter" on the National Pastime Museum site at 1:00 PM Eastern time on Tuesday, July 12 where I will have an online conversation with people who wish to join in. If you’re free at that time, please check in.

Bill Nowlin

Now available! After a 9-year wait, the new edition....

Now available!   After a 9-year wait, the new edition....RED SOX BY THE NUMBERS.