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Lefty O’Doul

by Michael Ceraolo

I was the first American enshrined
in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
for the many tours we made in the county,
for providing instruction as well as entertainment,
for assisting the start of professional baseball there,
and I’m proud to be so honored
As for the American Hall,
most of the blame for why I’m not in
can be placed on my stubbornness
First Miller Huggins, and then Frank Chance,
wanted me to give up pitching and play the outfield full-time,
but I refused, which cost me several years
Most of the blame, but not all of it;
some of it falls on a few of the managers I played for,
who provided me with good examples of what not to do
when I later became manager of the Seals:
Vitt in the minors (I could understand
why his Cleveland players later revolted),
McCarthy in the majors, who cost me two more years,
and even McGraw, who wouldn’t play me against left-handers
My record after McGraw speaks for itself,
and I hope for it to be recognized eventually

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MLB All-Fourth-of-July Team

1B   Champ Summers
2B   Keith Drumright
SS   Pat Rockett
3B   Dutch USsAt

LF   Bill Eagle
CF   Ethan Allen
RF   George Washington

C     Val Picinich

LHP    Ezra Lincoln, Danny Boone, Lafayette Currence
RHP    Jim Buchanan, Jim Bunting, Grover Cleveland Alexander

MGR    Sparklers Anderson

 

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The Unknown Soldiers

By Michael Ceraolo

In blue and gray,
we played ball between battles
and in prison camps until the food ran out
When those of us who survived
returned home after the war,
we helped to spread the game
Later on,
the ballyhooers gave us more credit than we deserved,
but we do at least merit a mention here.

 

Michael Ceraolo, a retired firefighter/paramedic, follows sports and writes poetry, mainly about the Cleveland area. 

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Jackie Mitchell

by Michael Ceraolo

Only the Babe and Lou and maybe Mr. Engel
know if the two Yankees struck out on purpose;
the only pre-arrangement on my part
was to ask them not to hit it back at me
Growing up, Mr. Vance had taught me
how to throw a drop ball,
so I think the strikeouts were legit
But the Commissioner took no chances:
only a few days after the game he voided my contract,
forcing me thereafter to pitch only in games
outside organized baseball marketed as sideshows,
and I could only take so much of that,
so I retired after a few years

Virne Beatrice “Jackie” Mitchell Gilbert was one of the first female pitchers in professional baseball history. Pitching for the Chattanooga Lookouts Class AA minor league baseball team in an exhibition game against the New York Yankees in 1931, she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in succession.

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Inside Baseball (in the Time of Corona)

By Raphael Badagliacca

The air is clear
The sky is blue
The sun is shining on the field
It’s a perfect day for baseball

No one in the stands
No runs no hits no errors
No movement in the pen
It’s a perfect day for baseball

The cathedral of the stadium
Has only feathered faithful
Praying for fallen peanuts
It’s a perfect day for baseball

It’s a perfect day for baseball
So let’s play the inside game
That knows no limits
That transcends time

It’s a perfect day for baseball
When Mariano offers up a cutter
To a smiling Stan the Man
And Willie makes a basket catch

It’s a perfect day for baseball
When Derek flips to Jackie
Who tosses to the luckiest
Man in the world, 6–4-#4

It’s a perfect day for baseball
When Roger hits one out
And Mickey hits one too
And Yogi says it’s deja vu

It’s a perfect day for baseball
When Hammerin’ Hank hits the wall
And the Splendid Splinter returns the ball
And Thurman lifts his mask and grumbles

It’s a perfect day for baseball
When Pee-Wee shakes a hand
And the Babe rounds the bases
Again with such small steps

On the canvas of absence
Let’s paint with the art of memory
Mixing colors and time
Let’s play the inside game

© 2020, by Raphael Badagliacca