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Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 10-4-2011

Pittsburgh Press, October 4, 1911:

Tub Spencer, former Philly backstop, who was sold to Louisville a few weeks ago by the Phillies, announced today he had retired from baseball…Spencer’s father, who is a millionaire presented Eddie with a check for $50,000 as soon as he made his decision.

The Toledo News-Bee adds:

Tubby Spencer, ex-Saint, given $50,000 by a fond papa for retiring from the Phillies, immediately tried to become a financier by betting $5,000 to $4,200 on the Athletics [in the World’s Series]. Well, papa has more if Tubby loses.

Tubby won. He also unretired in 1912 and (one would assume) kept his dad’s money.

As far as I can tell, there was no explicit ban on ballplayers betting on baseball at the time.

Neutral Milk Dotel (Dan Lee) Posted: October 04, 2011 at 08:21 AM | 6 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: dugout, history

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1. Dag Nabbit has the talking pillow Posted: October 04, 2011 at 02:55 PM (#3950581)

Today is the silver anniversary of the last time anyone hit two inside the park homers in one game. Take a bow, Greg Gagne.

Other items of note having their anniversary today: Toronto's 2009 season ends on back-to-back errors for a walkoff extra-inning loss, Rickey is #1 in runs, the 1987 TOR-DET showdown to finish their division race, the O's nearly blow a 9-0 lead in a playoff game, Whitey Ford's 3rd straight World Series SHO, Harv & 199,999 of his closest friends greet the Braves at the airport, Sandy Amoros saves it for Brooklyn - finally, the most hated man in baseball turns 67 years old today, Schoolboy Rowe retires 27 of the last 28 batters he faces in an extra-inning World Series win, Pittsburgh sets a new team record in a farce, and the NL toss Cincinnati from the league.

2. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: October 04, 2011 at 03:16 PM (#3950596)

the O's nearly blow a 9-0 lead in a playoff game

The biggest lead was actually 9-1 according to BBRef. The Halos scored 1 in the top of the first before giving up 9 runs over the first three innings.

3. Dag Nabbit has the talking pillow Posted: October 04, 2011 at 03:22 PM (#3950600)

Quiet you. I don't need any of your pesky facts and information gumming up my incorrect statements.

4. Mike Webber Posted: October 04, 2011 at 06:15 PM (#3950816)

Quiet you. I don't need any of your pesky facts and information gumming up my incorrect statements.

Spoken like dang near every professor I ever took a class from...

5. Der_K Posted: October 04, 2011 at 06:51 PM (#3950853)

Not only did Spencer unretire, he played through 1925.

6. AndrewJ Posted: October 04, 2011 at 11:27 PM (#3951251)

10/4/1911 was also the birth date of my maternal grandfather. Not a big sports fan, but he grew up in Brooklyn and the Dodgers were thoughtful enough to win their only World Series on his 44th birthday.

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Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 10-4-2011

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