Top 8 Baseball Brawls

Here’s a video listing of the most popular or famous Baseball Brawls of recent history. Please add any brawls that are left off this list that you think should be and which ones are there that shouldn’t be! Enjoy the show:

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

Top 10 World Series Appearances By Franchise

The numbers in parenthesis are the number of appearances, their win-loss record, their winning percentage & the last time they won a World Series Title.

Note: All of the comments come from Wikipedia.

10 – Atlanta Braves (9, 3-6, .333, 1995)

1–1 as Boston Braves (1912-1952); 1–1 as Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965). Prior to 1912, the Boston team had several unofficial nicknames: “Red Stockings” and “Red Caps” in the 1870s and 1880s; “Beaneaters” in the 1890s and early 1900s; “Doves” (when the Dovey family owned the franchise, 1907-1910) and “Rustlers” (when William Russell owned the franchise, 1911). Following the 1935 season, after enduring bankruptcy and a series of poor seasons, new owner Bob Quinn asked a team of sportswriters to choose a new nickname, to change the team’s luck. The sportswriters chose “Bees”, which was adopted in 1936, though it never really caught on, with Quinn even refusing to use it, although their home uniforms in this interval were changed to feature a large block letter B (“bee”). The team dropped the nickname in 1941, using only the official name “Braves” from 1941 on.

9 – Cincinnati Reds (9, 5-4, .556, 1990)

Last National League team to win consecutive World Series (1975-76). The Reds have enjoyed sporadic success over their 125-plus years. They won the AA’s inaugural season in 1882, and did not win another championship until the Black Sox scandal ridden World Series of 1919. After struggling throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the Reds made it back to the World Series in 1939, and won it in 1940. They returned to the bottom half of the standings from 1941-1960, except for a third-place finish in 1956, until winning the National League pennant in 1961. After losing to the Yankees in the 1961 World Series, the Reds were unable to piece together any consistent pennant contending teams until the “Big Red Machine” teams of the 1970s. They won 6 National League West Division titles and four National League pennants from 1970-1979, including consecutive World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Their most recent World Series championship was in 1990, and most recent playoff appearance was in 1995.

8 – Chicago Cubs (10, 2-8, .200, 1908)

The Chicago Cubs hold the record for the longest World Series drought (still active through 2009), with their last title coming in 1908 (101 years). In fact, they also hold the longest drought without a World Series appearance, not having won the NL pennant since 1945. Even had they won the 1945 World Series, they would still hold the longest active World Series championship drought, the second longest being since 1948 by the Cleveland Indians.

7 – Detroit Tigers (10, 4-6, .400, 1984)

First American League team to appear in three consecutive World Series (1907-09). With the end of World War II and the timely return of Hank Greenberg and others from the military, the Tigers took the 1945 American League pennant. With Virgil Trucks, Hal Newhouser and Dizzy Trout on the mound and Greenberg leading the Tiger bats, Detroit responded in a Game 7 for the first time, staking Newhouser to a 5–0 lead before he threw a pitch en route to a 9–3 victory over the Cubs. Because many baseball stars had not yet returned from the military, some baseball scholars have deemed the ’45 Series to be among the worst-played contests in Series history. For example, prior to the Series, Chicago sportswriter Warren Brown was asked who he liked, and he answered, “I don’t think either one of them can win it!” (The Chicago Cubs, by Warren Brown, 1946) But the Cubs had no answer to Greenberg, and the Series went Detroit’s way.

6 – Boston Red Sox (11, 7-4, .636, 2007)

Won the first World Series in 1903. Ended 86-year title drought with World Series win in 2004. The club was founded in 1901, as one of the American League’s eight charter franchises. They were a dominant team in the new league—defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903. They won four more championships by 1918, and then went into one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history, which ended in 2004, when the team won their sixth World Series Championship. Since 2003, the Red Sox have competed in four ALCS, have won two World Series, and have emerged as arguably the most successful MLB team of the last decade.

5 – Oakland Athletics aka A’s (14, 9-5, .642, 1989)

5–3 as Philadelphia Athletics. After a decade-plus of interleague play, the A’s hold a 38-30 edge against the Giants head-to-head through June 29, 2008[4] — including a 16-8 record against the Giants during the 2005-08 seasons[5]. In addition, the A’s have played in six World Series (winning four of them) since moving to Oakland in 1968, while the Giants have only been to three World Series (losing all three) since moving to San Francisco in 1958. When factoring in the World Series matchups between the two franchises (dating back to 1905), the A’s hold the all-time edge over the Giants in head-to-head play, winning 51 games and losing 37 times—the Giants won the 1905 World Series four games to one, while the A’s won the 1911 World Series (4-2), the 1913 World Series (4-1) and the 1989 World Series (4-0).

4 – San Francisco Giants (17, 5-12, .294, 1954)

5–9 as New York Giants. The New York Giants’ four World Series appearances from 1921 to 1924 are the most consecutive appearances for any National League franchise. In game one of the 1954 World Series at the Polo Grounds, Willie Mays made “The Catch”—a dramatic over-the-shoulder catch off a fly ball by Vic Wertz to deep center field. At the time the game had been tied 2–2 in the eighth inning. With men on first and second and nobody out, an extra-base hit could have blown the game wide open, and given the Cleveland Indians the momentum to win not only Game One, but perhaps the World Series itself. Instead, Mays caught the ball 450 feet from the plate, whirled and threw the ball to the infield, keeping the lead runner, Larry Doby, from scoring.

The underdog Giants went on to sweep the series in four straight, despite the Cleveland Indians having won a then-American League record 111 games that year. This was the last World Series victory for the Giants, subsequently losing in 1962, 1989, and 2002. It would be their last appearance as the New York Giants, as the team moved to San Francisco prior to 1958 season.

3 – St. Louis Cardinals (17, 10-7, .588, 2006)

Comments: Most World Series titles in the National League, second in Major League Baseball behind the New York Yankees, but trail them by more than double their win total. The Cardinals were founded in 1882 as a member of the American Association called the St. Louis Brown Stockings. The club quickly achieved success, winning four AA pennants in a row, 1885-1888. Following these titles, St. Louis played in an early version of the World Series, the first two times against the National League’s Chicago White Stockings, now named the Chicago Cubs. The 1885 series ended in dispute, but St. Louis won the 1886 series outright, beginning a St. Louis-Chicago rivalry that continues today.[3] The American Association went bankrupt in 1892, and the Browns moved to the National League, leaving much of their success behind for the next three decades. The club changed its name to the “Perfectos” in 1899, before adopting the “Cardinals” name in 1900.

2 – Los Angeles Dodgers (18, 6-12, .333, 1988)

Most National League pennants. 1–8 as Brooklyn Dodgers. The 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers are the last team to win a World Series after losing the first two games on the road. The recent tendency of a team winning the first two games at home and then winning the Series suggests the theoretical advantage to gaining home-field advantage (and the first two games at home) by winning the All-Star Game.

1 – New York Yankees (40, 27-13, .675, 2009)

Most titles of any major-sports franchises in North America. Most World Series losses. They do not hold the best winning percentage of teams with at least 3 World Series appearances. The Yankees’ number of World Series losses, 13, leads in Major League Baseball. The Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers are second in total World Series appearances with eighteen; eleven of those eighteen appearances have been against the Yankees, where the Dodgers have gone 3-8 against them.[33] Among North American major sports, the Yankees’ success is only approached by the 24 Stanley Cup championships of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League. They have played in the World Series against every National League pennant winner except the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies, a feat that no other team is even close to matching.

Honorable Mention: Pittsburgh Pirates (7, 5-2, .714, 1979)

They have the best winning percentage of teams with at least 3 World Series appearances. The Pittsburgh Pirates have won all five of their World Series championships in seven games.



My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

Guy Who Has Caught 3000 Baseballs

Zack Hample on “How To Snag A Major League Baseball”. This is an Eye To Eye CBS News special done by Katie Couric & Steve Hartman about a guy who has caught 3000 baseballs. I guess he knows what he’s doing. What do you think of his methodology?

You can follow him by reading his blog called Snagging Baseballs at MLB Blogs.

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

Book Review: A Glove of Their Own

If you think that youth baseball today has gotten too competitive and structured with All Star Leagues and travel teams, allow me to bring you back to a simpler time. Have any of you ever played just for the fun of the game in a non-league setting? Do you remember playing pick-up games with less than two full teams and having to create new rules to compensate or having to play in either a sandlot or a plain field? If you have, you probably also relate to the storyline illustrated throughout this book.

A Glove of Their Own is a story of friends getting together on a regular basis to play for the love of the game. It’s a story of playing with what you have readily available even if it means sharing gloves, if you had a glove at all, and being thankful just for that! It’s also a reminder of what baseball is all about: teamwork, fair play and the thrill of the game.

Find out the sweet reward the kids in this story receive for keeping the heart of the game alive by purchasing this instant classic! This large hardcover childrens book is beautifully illustrated and authored by three ladies from the North Jersey Shore. It was written in a poetic rhyme that works in both engaging the reader while not compromising the story.

All proceeds, depending on where you buy it, benefit such charities as Pitch In for Baseball, Good Sports and sponsored by former MLB players Sean Casey, Craig Biggio, Dick Drago, Jack Perconte and others.

Your charity can join these by contacting Coach Bob Salomon and agreeing to Pay It Forward for this great cause. I have!

Here’s a list of some stories and articles that may interest you about this great book:

A Glove of Their Own to Warm IOC Committee’s Hearts?

You Tube Video


On Jimmy Scotts High & Tight



Children’s book hits home run with baseball greats



Book Em: Baseball Books for the Young and Old at Heart

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

The Barber of Baseball

Here is a clip of Montro #99: The Baseball Barber. Check it out! Have you heard of him before?

The Barber of Baseball from E60 on Vimeo.

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

Korean HBP Reaction: Seeing is Believing

You have to see this to believe it! In this Korean Baseball video, the pitcher hits the batter, but it’s what happens next that will surprise you!

This is the strangest thing I have ever seen in a baseball game.

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE! I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

Charlie’s Angels: Pitch In For Baseball

Charlie’s Angels is a weekly show by Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel, hosted by Tom McCarthy. This segment talks with David Rhode, Executive Director at Pitch In For Baseball.

Pitch In For Baseball

Pitch In For Baseball spreads America’s pastime to kids all over the world. From getting out and having fun, to learning about sportsmanship and teamwork, baseball is a great activity for all kids. To share our beloved sport, we collect and deliver new and gently-used youth baseball and softball equipment to undeserved communities around the globe.

“We’re grateful that Pitch In For Baseball will fill this significant need.”
- Steve Keener, CEO and President, Little League Baseball and Softball

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE! I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

Former Padre/Dodger 1B Steve Garvey

I recently had the privilege of asking Dodger great, Steve Garvey (1B) a few questions. I was put in contact with Mr. Garvey by Athlete Promotions.

Athlete Promotions manages the website, corporate appearances, speaking engagements and endorsement deals for 10 time All-Star, Steve Garvey. To see who else Athlete Promotions represents please visit their website: www.AthletePromotions.com.

Peter Schiller: What has been your most satisfying accomplishment since you stopped playing in 1987?

Steve Garvey: Raising three children (Ryan16, Olivia 15 and Sean 10). Also continuing to help others through charity and foundation work.

PS: What first basemen do you most enjoy watching in the game today?

SG: Albert Pujols in the NL and Mark Teixeira in the AL

PS: Who were your favorite & least favorite pitchers to face? Why?

SG: My favorite pitchers were all lefties and least favorite was knuckleballer Phil Niekro

PS: What, outside of baseball activity, gives you the most joy in life?

SG: Without a doubt, my family

I would like to thank Steve Garvey for his time and answers as well as Ryan at Athlete Promotions for making this interview possible.

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE! I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com.

The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip (w/ pics)

The World Series is in full swing this week with a match up between two of baseball’s oldest teams. While seeing those games in person is a hard ticket to get, there are many other baseball-related spots you can visit that have just as much significance as host sites for championships.

No other sport can claim as much history and nostalgia—baseball is a game that spans, yet connects, generations, and calls many a fan to make pilgrimages to its numerous hallowed places. In honor of the Fall Classic, we’ve put together a line up of nine of these sacred places. This is not your typical stadium tour, but instead includes locales that have helped shape the history and character of the game, as well as the love fans have for it.

To quote the Voice referenced in spot #6, “If you build it, they will come.” We built this list, so go see these iconic baseball locations, leading off with Beantown and rounding the bases of our country (and beyond) before heading back home to where it started.

1. Atop the Green Monster – Boston, Mass.

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It is among the most cherished stadiums anywhere, and watching a game atop the green monstrosity looming in left field is like hitting a ball with the sweet spot of a bat. The 37-foot-tall wall was part of the original 1912 construction and has several unconventional in-play features, such as an exposed ladder and manual scoreboard that wreak havoc on outfielders and turn ordinary home runs into singles. While there is a decades-long dispute over its exact distance from home plate, the 274 fans perched in the Monster Seats don’t care, as they’re enjoying one of the most unique views in the game.

2. Ebbets Field Apartments – Brooklyn, NY

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One of the saddest moments in baseball occurred in 1957, when the Dodgers left Brooklyn for the West Coast, leaving behind the iconic Ebbets Field. Its legacy included the annual “Wait ‘till next year” cries due to the futility of “Dem bums,” who, over a 15-year period, lost six World Series to the hated cross-town rivals, the New York [bleeping] Yankees. The two most defining moments it hosted were Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier and in 1955, when the Boys of Summer finally wrangled a championship from the Yankees. Two years later, it was abandoned then demolished altogether in 1960. Today, Ebbets Field Apartments stands atop that hallowed ground, yet many a tough-luck Brooklynite and diehard fans of the game still make the pilgrimage to pay their respects.

3. Baseball Hall of Fame – Cooperstown, NY

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There’s a reason why the National Baseball Hall of Museum is in the three-spot of this line up, the most important slot. Because when it comes to all-around baseball sites, it’s got the best of swings. While the claim that the birthplace of baseball is Cooperstown has been disputed by historians, there’s no lessening its significance, with countless artifacts and exhibits of the game, its teams, players, stakeholders, and influence on the world. There’s also Doubleday Field, where numerous old timers’ and exhibition games are held. It is a fan’s dream to walk among these enshrined icons and their achievements, and a place where shared memories and experiences cross multi-generational lines.

4. Louisville Slugger Museum – Louisville, Ky.

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The crack of the bat is one of the most distinct sounds in sports. And the place to best learn all about what makes that happen is where baseball’s bats are born. Legend has it the first bat ever made by the company that would become Louisville Slugger was a hand-crafted, custom-made work that broke the local major league team’s star out of a fierce slump, producing three hits in the first game it was used, way back in 1884. Its popularity soared form there, making Louisville Slugger the bat of choice among major leaguers. Its museum focuses on the craft of hitting, giving insights into how bats are made and the hitters that have swung them, and even gives you the chance to face down a 90-mph fastball with one of their pieces of art. It’s also home to the world’s biggest bat, making it the obvious choice for batting clean-up in this line up.

5. Waveland Avenue outside Wrigley Field – Chicago, Ill.

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There’s never been a more popular place outside of a stadium to still experience “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Ball hawks line Waveland Avenue and ready themselves with each crack of the bat in the hopes of scoring a home run ball that clears not just the ivy-covered fences, but the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field altogether—a trend that went ballistic during Sammy Sosa’s big-swinging days. Additionally, seats atop the buildings across the street from the stadium offer a festive atmosphere to view the game and wish away the Curse of the Billy Goat for the hopeless Cubbies.

6. The Field of Dreams – Dyersville, Iowa

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“Is this heaven?”

“No. It’s Iowa.”

And one place every baseball fan must see. The movie’s themes of second chances, faith, and relationships all neatly wrapped around baseball resonated with both the hardcore and casual fan alike—heck, even non-sports people. The corn rows where Ray Kinsella first heard the Voice and built his magical baseball field on which ghost players of the past continue practicing their beloved trade is located on a farm owned by the Lansing family. Twenty years later, fans still hear the Voice and go the distance to witness the setting in person, an attraction that draws thousands annually and serves as a playing field for pick-up games. Baseball heaven? No. But close. Very close.

7. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum – Kansas City, Mo.

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Some of the game’s greatest talents never stepped between the foul lines of a major league diamond. The reason? Because the tone of their skin didn’t match the color of the ball. While hundreds of African American players missed opportunities to shine on the biggest baseball stage, millions of fans missed out as well, never having the opportunity to appreciate their skills until Jackie Robinson integrated the national pastime. A few managed to follow Robinson’s footsteps, but sadly, the great majority did not. In an effort to recognize the achievements of players from the numerous Negro Leagues that were in existence in the early half of the 20th century, and the impact they had on the game that’s still felt to this day, the Negro League Baseball Museum opened its doors and has scored a huge hit with fans.

8. Parque Central’s Esquina Caliente – Havana, Cuba

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It may be America’s national pastime, but it’s the national passion in Cuba. See this in action at the section of Havana’s Parque Central known as Esquina Caliente. The “Hot Corner” earned its nickname by being more than a reference to slang for third base, thanks to the daily heated debates that have so much emotion, unfamiliar witnesses might expect them to come to blows (it’s an unwritten rule that they never do). Topics range from local team performances to defecting nationals who’ve made it to the big leagues, as well as strategy, Major League standings, and even some politics. There are travel restrictions to Cuba, but anyone who calls themselves a fan of the game needs to mira what real fanaticism for the sport really means.

9. Hank Aaron’s 715 Spot – Atlanta, Ga.

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Back before juiced baseballs and juiced players were associated with home runs, there was a number that stood for nearly 50 years. It was 714, and many thought it would never be broken. Atlanta Braves outfielder Henry “Hank” Aaron never hit more than 47 in a single season, but he was incredibly consistent with his long-ball stroke. On April 8, 1974, Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s home run record amid intense pressure from baseball purists, racists, and pitchers hurling 90 mph fastballs. The spot where his record homer cleared the fence at Fulton County Stadium is now a parking lot for Turner Field, the current home of the Braves, but it has been memorialized. If you call yourself a fan, come marvel at this feat (and not accept homer totals from people whose name rhymes with Larry Ponds).

OK, I’m no Yankees fan. By any means. But no matter how much you loathe the franchise (admit it, we’re all really just jealous), it’s impossible to exclude the impact they’ve had on the game, and neglecting a visit to old Yankee Stadium as part of a hardball pilgrimage is like a Catholic skipping the Vatican City when in Rome. So we’ll round third, and head back home to the Northeast where this trip started by making this an American League line up with 10 starters and add old Yankee Stadium to the DH spot on this list—an obvious choice since New York is where the World Series is taking place…

10. The House That Ruth Built – New York, NY

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It’s where the Bambino reigned as baseball king, Lou Gehrig gave his heartbreaking speech, Don Larsen tossed his World Series perfect game, and Reggie Jackson launched three dingers in a single, title-clinching evening. It also is where legends like Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, Derek Jeter, Hideki Irabu, and Mickey Mantle roamed the field. Host to 37 World Series and 26 championships, the Bronx Bombers may have moved to fancier digs next door, but all the great ghosts of the game reside here. Plus, it was regularly featured on Seinfeld. Visit it before it’s razed and turned into parkland—hopefully, they won’t build apartments on this sacred ground too… though that would be sweet, poetic justice in the eyes of those who have ever worn Brooklyn Dodger blue.

Have you visited these places? What are your cherished baseball sites and the stories behind them?

This story was originally published HERE at vacation.com. We thank them for sharing this with us!

Since failing to realize his dream of playing centerfield in the big leagues (it was obvious in college this wasn’t going to happen), Matt’s been writing about places, people, and things at Vacations.com. He enjoys journeys down hiking trails, bike paths, and two-lane highways with his wife and kids to wherever they might lead, and has never met a road trip he didn’t like (except maybe that overnight jaunt to Pangburn, Ark.). Raised and well-traveled in the Southeast, he’s anxiously awaiting the day the Dolphins win another Super Bowl, Ric Flair runs for office, and good Cuban food comes to North Georgia.

The first ever Instant Replay HR in World Series History!

The first ever Instant Replay HR in World Series History!

Not the greatest quality, but Major League Baseball keeps pulling all of the other video’s of the play. So enjoy while it lasts…

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

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