Now that the 2017 World Series is over, I am returning to baseball nostalgia for three posts on the World Series of 50, 75 and 100 years ago. This first post features the 1917 Series. The others will be (i) 1942, when the World Series of the Negro Leagues and MLB each featured seven Hall of Famers, and (ii) 1967, when Bob Gibson ruled the World Series.
Author: Lonnie Shalton
Hot Stove #59 – World Series 2017 – Houston Strong(er) Than Los Angeles
This past Saturday night, Rita and I joined about a thousand others at Unity Temple on the Plaza for an event sponsored by the Truman Library Institute. The subject was presidential leadership, and the speakers were author Doris Kearns Goodwin and Washington Post columnist David Von Drehle. David got the evening off to a good start by asking Doris who she had rooted for in the World Series. Doris grew up a passionate Brooklyn Dodger fan and then famously disowned the team when owner Walter O’Malley moved it to Los Angeles in 1958 (recounted in her book, Wait Till Next Year).
Hot Stove #58 – Fats Domino – RIP – Ain’t That a Shame
Great games last night on Sunday Night Football. The Steelers beat the Lions 20-15 and the Astros beat the Dodgers 13-12.
It looked like the Astros would win in regulation, leading 12-9 with little time left. But the Dodgers kicked a field goal in the ninth to force the game to overtime. The Astros won the tiebreaker in the 10th.
Hot Stove #57 – Astros in the World Series!
Some idle thoughts while waiting for the start of the fall classic tonight between the Dodgers and Astros in 100-degree heat…
Hot Stove #56 – The Dodgers and the World Series – Is This Next Year
The Dodgers defeated the Cubs last night and now will move on to the 2017 World Series. Or, if we must, the “World Series Presented by You Tube TV.” This had to be sweet revenge for the Dodgers who lost the NLCS last year to the Cubs who were on their way to winning their first World Series in 108 years.
Hot Stove #55 – The 2017 National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile; The 2017 American League Division Series presented by Doosan
Last night, as midnight approached, I watched former Royal Wade Davis record a 7-out save to move the Cubs toward a repeat as World Series champions. In a game both ugly and beautiful, the Washington Nationals were eliminated to reduce the 10-team playoffs to the final four.
Hot Stove #54 – I Hope Cleveland Wins the 2017 World Series
In 2016, I rooted for the Cubs to beat the Indians in the World Series. If the Indians make it to the Series this year, I want them to win.
Hot Stove #53 – Best All-Time Lineup
At long last, a decision on best all-time catcher. It’s been complicated.
Best All-Time Catcher: In Hot Stove #48, I discussed how grandson Ian and I had assumed we would settle on Johnny Bench as the best catcher. As I researched the history, I was reminded of my childhood appreciation for Yogi Berra. I wavered. Also, the imposing presence of Negro Leagues great Josh Gibson gave me pause – Gibson was listed by stats guru Bill James as one of the top 10 players (not just catchers) of all time while Berra and Bench were down in the 40’s. So I procrastinated and put off a final decision. I got a little help from Hot Stove reader David Von Drehle who put this in perspective for me:
Hot Stove #52 – One Baseball Video Plus the Telluride Film Festival
For the seventh straight year, Rita and I spent Labor Day Weekend in Colorado at the Telluride Film Festival. Rita likes to call it our sport of extreme sitting. We were joined this year by long-time friend Marsha Murphy who now lives in Naples, Florida. As the festival ended and Hurricane Irma approached Florida, Marsha wisely changed her plane ticket and is now visiting friends in Kansas City.
Hot Stove #51 – Moses Lithograph and Van Horn High School – 50 Hot Stoves
Hot Stove #51 – Moses Lithograph and Van Horn High School – 50 Hot Stoves
Though little remarked in the press, Lonnie’s Hot Stove reached #50 in the last post. This all started in the afterglow of the 2015 World Series with the inaugural post going out on November 30, 2015. I can’t believe Hot Stove is now at #51. Of course I also can’t believe I turned 76 this month. Time flies when you’re having a good time. A list of the first 50 is at the end of this post.