Tag: SABR

Twins broadcaster and master story teller Halsey Hall

One time Twins broadcaster Halsey Hall

June 17, 2010 – The Society for American Baseball Research is a great organization and one of the wonderful projects they have going on is the Baseball Biography Project. One of the biographies they have completed is about former Twins announcer and Minnesota legend Halsey Hall. Halsey Hall was born on May 23, 1898 and passed away on December 30, 1977. Halsey became a member of the original Minnesota Twins baseball broadcast team for WCCO in 1961, and continued as a radio and sometimes TV announcer through the 1972 season. Hall was also an accomplished journalist whose first newspaper byline appeared in 1919. Halsey is credited with being the first baseball broadcaster to use the term “Holy Cow” but there are some that would argue that point, regardless if that is true or not, Halsey Hall was one of the region’s most loved sportscasters and a great story teller who had a love for green onions, cigars and wonderful stories. Get a cold drink or a cup of coffee and take a few minutes to learn a little about Halsey Hall by clicking here. If you want to know more about Halsey, you might want to check out Stew Thornley’s book “Holy Cow! The Life and Times of Halsey Hall”. I have the book and it was a fun read. The Twins Cities SABR chapter is named after Halsey Hall and additional info on Halsey Hall can be found there.

To listen to a very short audio clip of Halsey and his “pantywaist” slip-up courtesy of the Museum of Broadcasting Hall of Fame just click on the “Halsey Hall” link below.

Halsey Hall

Jerry Wayne Terrell

June 2, 2010 – The Society for American Baseball Research is a great organization and one of the wonderful projects they have going on is the Baseball Biography Project. One of the biographies they have completed is about former Twins utility player Jerry Wayne Terrell. Jerry was born on July 13, 1946 in Waseca, Minnesota and played for the Twins between 1974 and 1977 before he was granted free agency and signed with the Kansas City Royals where he played from 1978 through 1980 before retiring from baseball. In April of 1980 the membership of the Major League Baseball Players Association voted 582-1 in favor of a strike. Jerry Terrell has long been assumed to be the only dissenting vote but to date he has never stated that this was true or false. Take a few minutes and read the bio about Jerry Terrell here.

Remembering Lyman Wesley Bostock

Lyman Bostock

February 26, 2010 – Some knowledgeable baseball people will tell you that Lyman Bostock was “the best player that you never heard of”. Lyman’s career was cut tragically short, only playing four seasons (three with the Twins and one with the Angels) but he left a lasting memory for many of us. SABR has done a nice biography about Lyman and you can read it by clicking here. There are also some video clips that show Bostock in action and explain the tragic event that ended Bostock’s once promising career and you can watch them by clicking here for part I and here for part II. You have to wonder what kind of career this man might have had.

Lyman Bostock by Daniel Michael – a very nice tribute.

Fifth and Jackson, a great piece by Jeff Pearlman for ESPN. A must read

UPDATE AS OF September 19, 2013 – MLB Network to air the Lyman Bostock story.

Get to know Moe Berg

Moe Berg - a most interesting individual
Moe Berg – a most interesting individual

February 15, 2010 – The Society for American Baseball Research is a great organization and one of the wonderful projects they have going on is the Baseball Biography Project. One of the biographies they have completed is about Moe Berg, a very interesting individual that played for the Washington Senators between 1932 and 1934. Berg also played for the Brooklyn Robins, the Chicago White Sox, the Cleveland Indians, and the Boston Red Sox during his 15 year major league career. You have to read this biography if you get a few minutes, just click on the picture of Moe Berg to get started.