Alan Goldfarb writes: Ah, human nature.

From where I sit — from inside the press box — I can tell you that there’s a schism between the ballplayers and the media. The reasons are varied. Players look down at the press because of some of the negative things written and said about them. Players look askance at overweight and undersized members of the media; and because most of them never played the game. And perhaps the most poignant reason of all: Players make a truckload more money than do the writers and broadcasters. [Read more →]

Marty Lurie interviewing Yankee Scout, Ron Brand, on Right Off The Bat. Click here to see the San Francisco Chronicle Article on Marty… [Read more →]

By George Devine, Sr.

“Everybody’s been very supportive!” says Tom Brady, Sr., of San Mateo, “It’s been unbelievable!” The proud father, who grew up in San Francisco, is taking stock of the groundswell of admiration for his son Tom, Jr., cast in a Cinderella role as starting quarterback for the New England Patriots, and ultimately Most Valuable Player, in this year’s Super Bowl XXXVI. Wife Galynn echoes the senior Brady’s sentiments: “I think like everyone else in our family. It feels hard to believe and it feels like a dream. We’re excited. We’re proud. We’re a little overwhelmed by everything. This happened very quickly and I don’t think any of us dreamed it would happen in a year, all the wonderful success that he had and that the whole team had.” It is perhaps even harder to believe that Brady turned his talents to the gridiron, after a scholastic tenure which began with success in the legendary baseball tradition of Junipero Serra High School, which was also the high school of the San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds. [Read more →]

Charlie Danrick writes: Hello baseball fans and here’s hoping you’re all girding up for another super year rooting for your favorites. May I add that something’s coming your way that will not only enhance the season but provide thrills from the past? Plus ,after the season ends you’ll not only have the chance of reliving it by downloading all games from 2002 off MLB.com but likewise archival radio broadcasts that will enable you to hear games called by the greats in the radio booths such as Red Barber, Mel Allen, Harry Carey, Herb Score, Russ Hodges and REAL ‘30s pioneers such as Tom Manning and Ty Tyson just to mention a few. [Read more →]

by George Devine, Sr.

Ernie Harwell…..

2001 marks Ernie Harwell’s 63rd season broadcasting, and we wish many more for this walking, talking baseball classic. Last week, when the Detroit Tigers visited the Athletics at Oakland, I mustered the courage to ask him if I could stand in the door at the rear of the visiting radio booth to listen to his play-by-play account. [Read more →]

By David M. Jordan

Crash Davis

One of the most popular player-members of the As Historical Society, and a very welcome guest whenever he has visited, is Lawrence Crash Davis, the pride of Greensboro, North Carolina. [Read more →]

By David M. Jordan

Emory Nicholas Bubba Church

On Monday evening, September 17, 2001, Emory Nicholas Bubba Church died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Birmingham, Alabama. Bubba Church was one of the key members of the 1950 Phillies Whiz Kids, and that fact alone makes his death a sad piece of news for Philadelphias baseball fans. Konstanty, Ennis, Ashburn, Jones, Waitkus, Hamner – the list of departed heroes from that team grows ever longer. For members of the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society, the passing of Bubba Church means even more. For, while Bubba never pitched for the As, he has been a longtime and faithful friend of the Society. The day before his death, Bubba spoke with Society general manager Ernie Montella about his eagerness to attend the Society’s breakfast reunion on October 21. [Read more →]

BY ALAN GOLDFARB

Opening Day.

The phrase is so beautiful that they spell each word with a capital letter. It is such a distinct phrase, we know they’re not talking about football. There’s Election Day. Sadie Hawkins Day. And Canada and England have something called Boxing Day. [Read more →]