I admit it...

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Relevant:

Ken Harrelson is often credited with being the first one to go gloved, but new research suggests it's a little more complex than that. According to this amazing book, a 1932 Sporting News article reported that Lefty O'Doul of the Dodgers was wearing "an ordinary street glove" while batting, in order to provide shock-absorption for his injured left wrist. And Frank Vaccaro of the Society for American Baseball Research recently cited a 1935 Boston Herald article in which Red Sox coach Bing Miller "got a laugh" by hitting fungoes while wearing a "white golf glove."

The next key date in batting glove history is 1949, when Bobby Thomson of the Giants was given a set of golf gloves by pro golfer Danny Lawler during spring training. Lawler is now dead, but baseball historian Josh Prager helped put Uni Watch in touch with Lawler's son, Daniel, who confirmed the story.

"My dad was always connected with sports and celebrities, and we were always down in Florida for spring training," said Lawler, who was a pitching prospect in his younger days and now works as a wine and liquor wholesaler. "Some of the players, like Bobby Thomson and Johnny Mize, told him that hitting the ball during batting practice would sting the hell out of their hands during those cold April games, so he suggested, 'Hey, use the golf gloves.' They tried them out in spring training, and I think they used them up north in batting practice. I would assume they used them in games too, but I don't know that for sure."

What we do know for sure is that Harrelson began wearing golf gloves in games during the 1960s. Some sources say he first wore them while playing for the Kansas City A's in 1964; others cite a more lyrical and perhaps apocryphal tale, in which Harrelson was with the Red Sox in 1968 and spent an afternoon playing golf. Arriving at the ballpark that evening with blistered hands after shooting 36 holes, he was surprised to find himself in the starting lineup and resorted to wearing golf gloves to protect his sore mitts. As it turns out, Harrelson later quit baseball to became a pro golfer (perhaps a better career option, given his .239 lifetime batting average).

Follow-up:

There's an important non-helmet detail lurking in one of the other Larry Doby photos. Look — a batting glove! It's even referenced in the caption. That photo ran on 6/5/56, which means Doby is one of the several players who wore batting gloves prior to Ken Harrelson doing so in the 1960s. (I debunked the "Harrelson was the first to wear gloves" story several years ago, but it's always interesting to find further evidence.)

[Tonker]

The pallbearers wore batting gloves.

You know when you're realise that you're scraping the bottom of the barrel?  And you, sadly, understand in your heart of hearts that there really aren't any more decent gags to be made on a subject, and you get out while you're ahead, and enjoy the memories of what was?

Yeah, that.

Ahem...

But that's how the batting glove got started. A lot of things, you know the stuff under my eyes and the foot off the ground – started all that stuff. Let's put it this way. I was not a person of inhibitions. It didn't bother me to do something out of the norm. In fact, I enjoyed it. You know when you're hitting 12, 15 home runs, they call you a flake. Then you go and hit 35 and that's charisma. That's the dangers of perception.

I know the story.  That doesn't mean it was a funny gag.

[Tonker]

... I'd always assumed that George Brett was black.

[BH]

... I'd always assumed that George Brett was black.

Way to change the subject, after making a fool of yourself above.

[Tonker]

... I'd always assumed that George Brett was black.

Way to change the subject, after making a fool of yourself above.

Where did I do that?

[Internet Apex]

... I'd always assumed that George Brett was black.

Way to change the subject, after making a fool of yourself above.

Where did I do that?

When you failed to clear the ladies tee box with your drive and had to play the rest of the hole with your yang hanging out of your jorts.

[Tonker]

... I'd always assumed that George Brett was black.

Way to change the subject, after making a fool of yourself above.

Where did I do that?

When you failed to clear the ladies tee box with your drive and had to play the rest of the hole with your yang hanging out of your jorts.

Now that, I can't deny.  I'm slowly running out of courses to play.

[Quality Start Machine]

Relevant:

Ken Harrelson is often credited with being the first one to go gloved, but new research suggests it's a little more complex than that. According to this amazing book, a 1932 Sporting News article reported that Lefty O'Doul of the Dodgers was wearing "an ordinary street glove" while batting, in order to provide shock-absorption for his injured left wrist. And Frank Vaccaro of the Society for American Baseball Research recently cited a 1935 Boston Herald article in which Red Sox coach Bing Miller "got a laugh" by hitting fungoes while wearing a "white golf glove."

The next key date in batting glove history is 1949, when Bobby Thomson of the Giants was given a set of golf gloves by pro golfer Danny Lawler during spring training. Lawler is now dead, but baseball historian Josh Prager helped put Uni Watch in touch with Lawler's son, Daniel, who confirmed the story.

"My dad was always connected with sports and celebrities, and we were always down in Florida for spring training," said Lawler, who was a pitching prospect in his younger days and now works as a wine and liquor wholesaler. "Some of the players, like Bobby Thomson and Johnny Mize, told him that hitting the ball during batting practice would sting the hell out of their hands during those cold April games, so he suggested, 'Hey, use the golf gloves.' They tried them out in spring training, and I think they used them up north in batting practice. I would assume they used them in games too, but I don't know that for sure."

What we do know for sure is that Harrelson began wearing golf gloves in games during the 1960s. Some sources say he first wore them while playing for the Kansas City A's in 1964; others cite a more lyrical and perhaps apocryphal tale, in which Harrelson was with the Red Sox in 1968 and spent an afternoon playing golf. Arriving at the ballpark that evening with blistered hands after shooting 36 holes, he was surprised to find himself in the starting lineup and resorted to wearing golf gloves to protect his sore mitts. As it turns out, Harrelson later quit baseball to became a pro golfer (perhaps a better career option, given his .239 lifetime batting average).

Follow-up:

There's an important non-helmet detail lurking in one of the other Larry Doby photos. Look — a batting glove! It's even referenced in the caption. That photo ran on 6/5/56, which means Doby is one of the several players who wore batting gloves prior to Ken Harrelson doing so in the 1960s. (I debunked the "Harrelson was the first to wear gloves" story several years ago, but it's always interesting to find further evidence.)

rather than reach that far, you can simply watch old YouTube clips and find a guy wearing gloves.

Of course, this guy probably isn't as accomplished as one Ken Harrelson.

[PenFoe]

... I'd always assumed that George Brett was black.

This is legitimately hilarious.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Relevant:

Ken Harrelson is often credited with being the first one to go gloved, but new research suggests it's a little more complex than that. According to this amazing book, a 1932 Sporting News article reported that Lefty O'Doul of the Dodgers was wearing "an ordinary street glove" while batting, in order to provide shock-absorption for his injured left wrist. And Frank Vaccaro of the Society for American Baseball Research recently cited a 1935 Boston Herald article in which Red Sox coach Bing Miller "got a laugh" by hitting fungoes while wearing a "white golf glove."

The next key date in batting glove history is 1949, when Bobby Thomson of the Giants was given a set of golf gloves by pro golfer Danny Lawler during spring training. Lawler is now dead, but baseball historian Josh Prager helped put Uni Watch in touch with Lawler's son, Daniel, who confirmed the story.

"My dad was always connected with sports and celebrities, and we were always down in Florida for spring training," said Lawler, who was a pitching prospect in his younger days and now works as a wine and liquor wholesaler. "Some of the players, like Bobby Thomson and Johnny Mize, told him that hitting the ball during batting practice would sting the hell out of their hands during those cold April games, so he suggested, 'Hey, use the golf gloves.' They tried them out in spring training, and I think they used them up north in batting practice. I would assume they used them in games too, but I don't know that for sure."

What we do know for sure is that Harrelson began wearing golf gloves in games during the 1960s. Some sources say he first wore them while playing for the Kansas City A's in 1964; others cite a more lyrical and perhaps apocryphal tale, in which Harrelson was with the Red Sox in 1968 and spent an afternoon playing golf. Arriving at the ballpark that evening with blistered hands after shooting 36 holes, he was surprised to find himself in the starting lineup and resorted to wearing golf gloves to protect his sore mitts. As it turns out, Harrelson later quit baseball to became a pro golfer (perhaps a better career option, given his .239 lifetime batting average).

Follow-up:

There's an important non-helmet detail lurking in one of the other Larry Doby photos. Look — a batting glove! It's even referenced in the caption. That photo ran on 6/5/56, which means Doby is one of the several players who wore batting gloves prior to Ken Harrelson doing so in the 1960s. (I debunked the "Harrelson was the first to wear gloves" story several years ago, but it's always interesting to find further evidence.)

rather than reach that far, you can simply watch old YouTube clips and find a guy wearing gloves.

Of course, this guy probably isn't as accomplished as one Ken Harrelson.

"Rather than look at a photo from 1956, why not simply watch a video from 1960? Dummy."

Which is to say, check out these...

http://www.hulu.com/watch/166980
http://www.hulu.com/watch/170344
http://www.hulu.com/watch/166973

http://www.hulu.com/grid/home-run-derby?video_type=episode

[Brownie]

Relevant:

Ken Harrelson is often credited with being the first one to go gloved, but new research suggests it's a little more complex than that. According to this amazing book, a 1932 Sporting News article reported that Lefty O'Doul of the Dodgers was wearing "an ordinary street glove" while batting, in order to provide shock-absorption for his injured left wrist. And Frank Vaccaro of the Society for American Baseball Research recently cited a 1935 Boston Herald article in which Red Sox coach Bing Miller "got a laugh" by hitting fungoes while wearing a "white golf glove."

The next key date in batting glove history is 1949, when Bobby Thomson of the Giants was given a set of golf gloves by pro golfer Danny Lawler during spring training. Lawler is now dead, but baseball historian Josh Prager helped put Uni Watch in touch with Lawler's son, Daniel, who confirmed the story.

"My dad was always connected with sports and celebrities, and we were always down in Florida for spring training," said Lawler, who was a pitching prospect in his younger days and now works as a wine and liquor wholesaler. "Some of the players, like Bobby Thomson and Johnny Mize, told him that hitting the ball during batting practice would sting the hell out of their hands during those cold April games, so he suggested, 'Hey, use the golf gloves.' They tried them out in spring training, and I think they used them up north in batting practice. I would assume they used them in games too, but I don't know that for sure."

What we do know for sure is that Harrelson began wearing golf gloves in games during the 1960s. Some sources say he first wore them while playing for the Kansas City A's in 1964; others cite a more lyrical and perhaps apocryphal tale, in which Harrelson was with the Red Sox in 1968 and spent an afternoon playing golf. Arriving at the ballpark that evening with blistered hands after shooting 36 holes, he was surprised to find himself in the starting lineup and resorted to wearing golf gloves to protect his sore mitts. As it turns out, Harrelson later quit baseball to became a pro golfer (perhaps a better career option, given his .239 lifetime batting average).

Follow-up:

There's an important non-helmet detail lurking in one of the other Larry Doby photos. Look — a batting glove! It's even referenced in the caption. That photo ran on 6/5/56, which means Doby is one of the several players who wore batting gloves prior to Ken Harrelson doing so in the 1960s. (I debunked the "Harrelson was the first to wear gloves" story several years ago, but it's always interesting to find further evidence.)

rather than reach that far, you can simply watch old YouTube clips and find a guy wearing gloves.

Of course, this guy probably isn't as accomplished as one Ken Harrelson.

In Harrelson's defense, that guy tutored Dusty Baker and Harrelson fired Tony LaRussa. Advantage: Harrelson.

[Tonker]

...I don't understand this:

Yesterday's Cubs' game, top of the first, none out, Choo on first.  Cozart, up second, hits an infield pop up.  The Cubs' infielders converge on the play, Valbuena gets a glove on it but lets it drop.  He picks up the ball and throws to second, where Choo is forced out, and the play ends with Cozart standing on first.  Whuh?  The ball went up directly in front of the plate, and dropped more or less on the mound.  Did the umpires not call an infield fly because of the fog?  Is this a first?

[Saul Goodman]

...I don't understand this:

Yesterday's Cubs' game, top of the first, none out, Choo on first.  Cozart, up second, hits an infield pop up.  The Cubs' infielders converge on the play, Valbuena gets a glove on it but lets it drop.  He picks up the ball and throws to second, where Choo is forced out, and the play ends with Cozart standing on first.  Whuh?  The ball went up directly in front of the plate, and dropped more or less on the mound.  Did the umpires not call an infield fly because of the fog?  Is this a first?

The infield fly rule requires fewer than two outs and a possible force at every base a possible force out at third base, so either (a) runners at first and second or (b) bases loaded would qualify. If Choo was the only base runner the infield fly rule would not be triggered.

Edited because a possible force at third is the key, even though it's probably a distinction without a difference.

[Tonker]

...I don't understand this:

Yesterday's Cubs' game, top of the first, none out, Choo on first.  Cozart, up second, hits an infield pop up.  The Cubs' infielders converge on the play, Valbuena gets a glove on it but lets it drop.  He picks up the ball and throws to second, where Choo is forced out, and the play ends with Cozart standing on first.  Whuh?  The ball went up directly in front of the plate, and dropped more or less on the mound.  Did the umpires not call an infield fly because of the fog?  Is this a first?

The infield fly rule requires fewer than two outs and a possible force at every base a possible force out at third base, so either (a) runners at first and second or (b) bases loaded would qualify. If Choo was the only base runner the infield fly rule would not be triggered.

Edited because a possible force at third is the key, even though it's probably a distinction without a difference.

Aha!  I understand now.  If there's no force at third, then the fielding side has nothing to gain by letting the ball drop - whatever they do, the end result essentially equates to a force out at second.  There may be some advantage to be had if one of the runners is particularly quick and the other is, say, Moises Alou, but it's minimal.

But if there's a force at third and less than two out, the absence of an infield fly rule would mean that the fielding side would (in theory, anyway) always be able play the uncertainty (catch it/let it drop) to their advantage and be more or less guaranteed a double play.

And that, my friends, simply isn't cricket.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

...I don't understand this:

Yesterday's Cubs' game, top of the first, none out, Choo on first.  Cozart, up second, hits an infield pop up.  The Cubs' infielders converge on the play, Valbuena gets a glove on it but lets it drop.  He picks up the ball and throws to second, where Choo is forced out, and the play ends with Cozart standing on first.  Whuh?  The ball went up directly in front of the plate, and dropped more or less on the mound.  Did the umpires not call an infield fly because of the fog?  Is this a first?

The infield fly rule requires fewer than two outs and a possible force at every base a possible force out at third base, so either (a) runners at first and second or (b) bases loaded would qualify. If Choo was the only base runner the infield fly rule would not be triggered.

Edited because a possible force at third is the key, even though it's probably a distinction without a difference.

Aha!  I understand now.  If there's no force at third, then the fielding side has nothing to gain by letting the ball drop - whatever they do, the end result essentially equates to a force out at second.  There may be some advantage to be had if one of the runners is particularly quick and the other is, say, Moises Alou, but it's minimal.

But if there's a force at third and less than two out, the absence of an infield fly rule would mean that the fielding side would (in theory, anyway) always be able play the uncertainty (catch it/let it drop) to their advantage and be more or less guaranteed a double play.

And that, my friends, simply isn't cricket.

The simple beauty of the infield fly rule is that it does not punish batters/baserunners who are prohibited from hustling. If there's just one runner on base for a popup, the runner on first can't move but if the batter doesn't run, then you have a deserved DP.  With first and second (or bases loaded), however, it's patently unfair for the runners to have to hold, risking a double play through no fault of their own.  People make fun of the IFR as some sort of arcane, obscure element of the game but when you think about it it makes perfect sense.