“I never doubted the honesty of the umpires… In their eyes, yes”… Leo Durocher.
Coral Gables, Florida (VIP-WIRE) – Today, like every Wednesday, is Mail Day. If you write to me, don’t forget to send your full name and the town or city where you are writing from. Thank you.
Ender Juvencio, from Santiago de Chile, comments and asks: “What you published about Albert Goodwill Spalding is very interesting. And yes, in my childhood I called all the leather-covered ones Spalding balls, as you say. Where and how can I find more information about Spalding’s life?”
Dear friend End: If you go to Google and ask for: history of manufacturing sporting gods, you can get information from books about Spalding.
Lázaro Cordero, from Havana, asks: “Was there ever a left-handed catcher who played in the Major Leagues?”
Dear friend Lazi: Not one, but 17. Until the mid-19th century, in the United States, left-handed people were considered to be bad omens, that they brought bad luck. For this reason, the first Big League, the National Association (1871-1875), played without left-handers. And the National League, founded in 1876, did not have left-handers in its beginnings either.
Additionally, there have been few left-handed catchers, because the majority of batters (seven out of 10) are right-handed, and would hinder the left-handed catcher’s ability to throw to the bases. Right-haded catchers have an unoccupied environment in seven out of 10 cases. Also, this is a world for right-handed people, there are no left-handed zippers, nor are there cars for left-handed people, and there are no left-handed computers either.
There have been 17 left-handed catchers in the Majors, the last, Benny Distefano, in 1989, three games with the Pirates. The others:
Fergy Malone, 157 games between 1871 and 1884; Bill Harbidge, 128, 1875-1884; Stan Trott, 272, 1880-1888; John Humphries, 75, 1883-1884; Dave Oldfield, 35, 1883-1886; Mike Hines, 99, 1883-1888; Sy Sutcliffe, 186, 1884-1892; Pop Tate, 202,1885-1890; Art Twineham, 52,1893-1894; Jack Clements, 1873, 1884-1900; Fred Tenney, 69, 1894-1895-1896-1898; Homer Hillebrand, 3, 1905; Jiggs Donahue, 79, 1900-1901-1902; Joe Wall, 7, 1901-1905; Dale Long, 2, 1958; Mike Squires, 2, 1980.
Jesús Salcido, from Nogales, Sonora, asks: “Did you vote for the four who were inducted into the Cooperstown Hall of Fame this year?”
Friend Chuchú: There were 26 candidates. My vote was only for Adrián Beltré. And my respects to Joe Mauer and Todd Helton.
Thanks to the life that has given me so much, even a reader like you.
ATTENTION: You can read the recent file of Juan Vené en la Pelota in Spanish, on the Internet, if you enter with: El deporte vuelve a unirnos.
@juanvene5
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Ender Juvencio, de Santiago de Chile, comenta y pregunta: “Muy interesante lo publicado por Ud. acerca de Albert Goodwill Spalding. Y sí, en mi infancia llamaba pelotas de Spalding a todas las forradas con cuero, como lo relata. ¿Dónde y cómo puedo encontrar más información de la vida de Spalding?”
Amigo En: Si entras a Google, y solicitas history of manufacturing sporting gods, podrás obtener información de los libros acerca de Spalding.
Lázaro Cordero, de La Habana, pregunta: “¿Hubo alguna vez un catcher zurdo que jugara en Grandes Ligas?”
Amigo Lazi: Uno no, sino 17. Hasta mediados del siglo XIX, consideraban en Estados Unidos que los zurdos eran de mal agüero, que producían mala suerte. Por eso, la primera Liga Grande, la National Association (1871-1875), jugó sin zurdos. Y la Liga Nacional, fundada en 1876, en sus comienzos tampoco tuvo zurdos.
Además, ha habido pocos catchers zurdos, debido a que la mayoría de los bateadores (siete de cada 10) son derechos, y estorbarían al receptor zurdo para tirar a las bases. Los catchers derechos tienen el ambiente desocupado en siete de cada 10 casos. Además, este es un mundo para derechos, fíjate que no hay braguetas zurdas, ni existen automóviles para zurdos, y tampoco hay computadoras zurdas.
Fergy Malone, 157 juegos entre 1871 y 1884; Bill Harbidge, 128, 1875-1884; Stan Trott, 272, 1880-1888; John Humphries, 75, 1883-1884; Dave Oldfield, 35, 1883-1886; Mike Hines, 99, 1883-1888; Sy Sutcliffe, 186, 1884-1892; Pop Tate, 202,1885-1890; Art Twineham, 52,1893-1894; Jack Clements, 1873, 1884-1900; Fred Tenney, 69, 1894-1895-1896-1898; Homer Hillebrand, 3, 1905; Jiggs Donahue, 79, 1900-1901-1902; Joe Wall, 7, 1901-1905; Dale Long, 2, 1958; Mike Squires, 2, 1980.
Jesús Salcido, de Nogales, Sonora, pregunta: “¿Usted votó por los cuatro que fueron elevados al Hall de la Fama de Cooperstown este año?”
Amigo Chuchú: Hubo 26 candidatos. Mi voto fue únicamente para Adrián Beltré. Y mis respetos para Joe Mauer y Todd Helton.
Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto, incluso un lector como tú.
ATENCIÓN: Puedes leer el archivo reciente de Juan Vené en la Pelota en la Internet, si entras con: El deporte vuelve a unirnos.
@juanvene5
