These are perhaps a few of the more interesting names in the history of the game:

Jack Glasscock: Shortstop and second baseman for the Cleveland Blues, 1879-95.

Rusty Kuntz: Former outfielder for the Detroit Tigers.

Dick Pole: Pitcher for Seattle and Boston

Jim Cockman: New York Highlanders (later Yankees).

Harry Cheek: Phillies.

Johnny Dickshot: Pirates, Giants and White Sox.

Jay Baller: Phillies, Royals and Cubs.

Pete LaCock: Cubs and Royals.

Dick Brown: Indians, White Sox, Tigers and Orioles.

Harry Bemis: Cleveland Naps (later Indians).

By Raymond Mileur

St. Louis — I sat behind home plate that Sunday and watched Mark McGwire hit a monster bash well into the left-field upper deck. This was Big Mac’s second home run of the day — the 536th of his career — and it tied him with Mickey Mantle for the eighth spot on the all-time home run list. I didn’t realize it until I got home after the game. (more…)

McHale’s Yankee

A circa-1950s neon signing beaming “McHale’s Bar” beckoned from the corner of West 46th Street and 8th Avenue. Determined to sample the “true local flavor” during this visit to New York City, my wife and I ducked in and grabbed a couple of bar stools.

Locals occupied many of the seats. Ice cold domestic beer poured from the taps. Thick juicy cheeseburgers quickly disappeared. Autographed pictures of sports figures lined the walls. The television above the bar was tuned silently to the Yankees game. (more…)

Baseball already has an integrity problem, and at least two reporters in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America are not helping.

Alex Rodriguez got all of the first-place votes for AL MVP…except for the two that went to Maglio Ordonez of the Detroit Tigers.

The two reporters? From Michigan, of course: Tom Gage of The Detroit News and Jim Hawkins of The Oakland Press in Pontiac.

Should Ordonez get credit for his batting title? Absolutely. Was he his league’s most valuable player? Not a chance. And these two homer reporters diluted what should have been a clear-cut unanimous MVP for Rodriguez.

This same kind of stunt was pulled when Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, Jr., were denied unanimous acceptance into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Thirteen of 545 writers left Gwynn off their ballots; eight dissed Cal.

The writers of the BBWAA should be held accountable. I move that Gage’s and Hawkins’s be kicked out of the BBWAA, along with the writers who omitted Gwynn or Ripken, Jr. These writers should not be the story. The players they report on should be.

Bob Oliver Baseball Clinic is expanding its non-profit youth clinics to reach kids throughout California, not just Sacramento.

Bob’s program brings Major and Minor league players to the field with the kids to teach them new techniques and tactics used in the big leagues.

It has been amazing to watch the kids grow from this experience. We are excited that the program is coming to Mariposa for our kids!

www.boboliverbaseballclinic.org