The Monday Hat Trick of...Baseball & Booze

The week has just started, and already we're looking back.  How far are we going?  Well, to the beginning of time itself of course!

"October 23, 4004 BC, Creation of the world begins, according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher."

Yup, that's right, six thousand and twenty-one years ago TODAY, it all started.  Humans, dinosaurs, tacos, proper nouns, juggling, crank-start cars, ambivalence, Chester Cheetah, my Uncle Ray, and hamdingers.  They all go back to that one, very specific, totally accurate day when everything got underway.  The 22nd?  Pfft, nothing.  And then, boom, the 23rd.  Egg-McMuffins and slow jazz suddenly fill our lives.  Remarkable.  

Did I mention sarcasm?  Yeah, we got that too.  

I do like to imagine, in this totally plausible world that Ol' Jimbo invented, what sort of conversations must have taken place.

"Hey Carl, what did you do last night?"

"Nothing.  You?"

"Nothing."

This amuses me to no end

Anyway, let's move a bit ahead of this quick-boot of the universe to explore some other important October 23rds.  With the World Series starting tomorrow, it would appear to be a good time to focus our hat trick on some moments from baseball's past. It is America's Pastime, after all!  And, as a chaser, I've included tangentially related connections to America's other favorite time passer, drinking.  I mean, baseball and alcohol!  It goes together like the beginning of existence and pumpkin spice.  It's science. 

• October 23, 1884, the start of the first "World Series."  It's commonly known among most baseball folks that 1903 is when the World Series really began.  However, some twenty years earlier, a world championship took place between the Providence Grays and the Metropolitans of New York.  The story of this matchup, located here, is an interesting and in-depth summary.  My favorite bits;
• At that time, fans were called "cranks."  So perfect.
• During the season, pitcher Charles Radbourn was suspended for "indifferent" play, and pitcher Charlie Sweeney was released for being an "incurable alcoholic."  I think that modern talk radio *might* spend a few hours discussing these infractions.
• Providence won the first two games of the best-of-three series, but they were contractually obligated to still play game three anyway.  Congrats on being champs guys, we'll see ya tomorrow! Summed up nicely in the story, "The game was nearly canceled as the Grays balked at playing a meaningless game before 500 freezing cranks."  Indeed.

• October 23, 1923, Babe Ruth hit a home run in an exhibition game being played to support destitute former New York Giant owner, John K Day.  As it turns out, John Day was an extremely important figure in the history of the game, as told here.  And, he was connected to not only the first World Series mentioned above, but also to my beloved favorite squadron.  He owned the Metropolitans, and then the same year, become owner of a new franchise in the national league, the New York Gothams.  This team eventually became the San Francisco Giants.  So, thanks Mr Day, for creating an entity that has absorbed more of my time and focus over the course of my life than everything except breathing, sleeping, and (perhaps) eating. 
• Oh, and of course, Babe Ruth and alcohol were pretty much BFF's for most of his playing days.  I mean;  

But the kids love him!

• October 23, 1979, I'll let the opening tell the story. 
• "Billy Martin floored marshmallow salesman Joseph Cooper during a barroom brawl.  Martin was promptly fired as manager of the New York Yankees." 

In the history of the world, counting every October 23rd that's occurred, I can honestly say that I've never, ever, EVER known such a person once existed as a marshmallow salesman.  Miracles do exist!!!  I believe, Jimmy, I believe!!!

Hello sir, I'd like to talk with you for a moment about marshmallows.  You see...