Happy Baseball Birthday...Milt Bolling

Today we celebrate the Happy Baseball Birthday! of former big league infielder Milt Bolling.

Milton Joseph Bolling was born on August 9, 1930, in Mississippi City, Mississippi.




Milt attended McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile, where he played baseball with his brother Frank.





Milt signed as an amateur free agent with the Boston Red Sox in 1948 and made his big league debut at the age of 22 on September 10, 1952.




As in high school, Milt gets the chance to play with brother Frank, with the Detroit Tigers when he's sent to the Tigers in 1958.




For 24 games he and Frank were the double play combo at second base and shortstop.




In his big league career Milt Bolling played in exactly 400 ballgames, batting .241, with 19 home runs, 50 doubles, 7 triples, 280 hits, in 1,181 games.




Milt played his final game in the big leagues on July 28, 1958 with the Detroit Tigers.




Milt passed away at the age of 82 on January 19, 2013, in Mobile, Alabama.

Today's Happy Baseball Birthday ballplayers...

59 baseball related people have birthdays today, beginning with Jake Wells, a 5' 11" 167 lb catcher who was born on August 9, 1863, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Jake played two big league seasons, in 1888 with the defending World Series Champion Detroit Wolverines, and in 1890 with the American Association St. Louis Browns.



Other notable big league ballplayers born on August 9 include Ralph Houk, Claude Osteen, Tommie Agee, Ted Simmons, Steve Swisher, Troy Percival, and Steven Moya, born August 9, 1991.




A big Happy Baseball Birthday! to Milt Bolling and all the big league ballplayers born today!



PLAY BALL!

Happy Baseball Birthday...Steve Kemp

Today we say Happy Baseball Birthday! to former big league ballplayer Steve Kemp.

Steve Kemp was born on August 7, 1954, in San Angelo, Texas.






The Detroit Tigers selected Steve with the #1 pick in the 1976 amateur baseball draft, and on April 7, 1977, made his big league debut for the Tigers.

When you hit left handed, hit for power, Tiger Stadium was made for a slugger like Steve Kemp.

Steve Kemp played in 684 games  for the Tigers during yhe 1977-1981 seasons, including his only All-Star season of '79, when he hit 27 home runs and had 105 RBI.






Steve Kemp was traded to the White Sox after the 1981 baseball year for Chet Lemon.

Steve played just one year of the South Side of Chicago before signing with the Yankees in 1982.





Steve was traded to the Pirates after the 1984 season, and played with the Buccos until 1986.

Steve finished up his big league career after 16 gamed in 1988 with the Texas Rangers.



In 11 big league seasons Steve Kemp played in 1168 ballgames, batting .278, with 130 home runs and 634 RBI.





Steve was also a good outfielder, finishing with a .982 fielding percentage.

Happy Baseball Birthday! Steve Kemp!




Play Ball! 

Happy Baseball Birthday...Bugs Bunny

                   Today is a very special Happy Baseball Birthday! 

75 years ago, July 27, 1940,  our favorite hare, Bugs Bunny, was born.



Bugs loved the game of baseball, and, as youll see, was pretty darn good at it.

Of course, as a baseball fan, the best Bugs is always going to be Baseball Bugs.

My favorite All-Time Bugs Bunny quote..."one, two, three strikes yer' out...one, two, three strikes yer' out...one, two, three strikes yer' out!"






Happy Baseball Birthday! Bugs Bunny!






Play Ball!

Baseball Hall of Fame 2015...Pedro Martinez

Congratulations to former big league pitcher Pedro Martinez on being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Baseball Hall of Fame 2015...Randy Johnson

Congratulations to former big league pitcher Randy Johnson, "The Big Unit," on his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Baseball Hall of Fame 2015... John Smoltz

Congratulations to former big league pitcher, John Smoltz  now a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Badeball Hall of Fame 2015... Craig Biggio

Congratulations to former big league ballplayer Craig Biggio, now a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Hall of Fame 2015

It's that time of year on the baseball calendar, the time for baseball's greatest players to be enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Randy Johnson, and Craig Biggio will be inducted on Sunday afternoon in the small New York village of Cooperstown.




I've  been to Cooperstown twice, both times while I was in the Navy, stationed in Newport,  Rhode Island.




If you've never been, and you're a baseball  fan, go, believe me, its worth tgtthe trip.



I'd love to go to a HOFWeekend once in my lifetime.




Maybe when Miguel Cabrera goes into the HOF wearing the Olde English D.




Enjoy your baseball weekend everyone.




Play Ball!

Happy National Hot Dog Day 2015!

Nothing goes together quite like baseball and a hot dog an the ballpark.

Happy National Hot Dog Day! baseball fans!

Play Ball!

Happy Baseball Birthday...Mike Illitch

A quick Happy Baseball Birthday! to one time minor league ballplayer and the current owner of the Detroit Tigers, Mike Illitch. 

Mike and the Illitch family purchased the Tigers in 1992, and has spent a ton of money on the franchise, and investing in the Motor City, including building Comerica Park, the home of the Tigers since 2000.

Many fans, myself included, were upset by the Tigers abandonment of historic Tiger Stadium, but Comerica Park is a beautiful ballpark, and a terrific place to watch baseball.







Mr.Illitch grew up in Motown loving the game of baseball and his beloved Tigers, dreaming, like we all did, of wearing the Olde English D and playing for the Tigers.

The Tigers had a rough go of it for a long time after Mr. Illitch purchased the Tigers, posting a losing season every year for 13 straight years, including a American League record 119 losses in 2003, before shocking baseball fans in 2006 with an A.L. Championship.






The Tigers have won 4 consecutive A.L. Central Division Titles,  2011-12-13-14, have been to three straight A.L. Championship Series, 2011-12-13, and made another trip to the World Series in 2012.

Mr. Illitch is also the owner of the Detroit Red Wings and Little Caesars Pizza.






Happy Baseball Birthday! Mr. Illitch!



Go Tigers! 



PLAY BALL!