Thom KarmikBaseball and Evolution, 1887In 1887, 28-years after the publication of Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” The San Francisco Chronicle declared:Mar 25, 2021Mar 25, 2021
Thom Karmik“80 Percent of the Good Ballplayers now Before the Public are Drinking men”Mike Donlin had, arguably, his best season in 1905. The next season did not go so well. Donlin was suspended on March 15 by John McGraw…Mar 11, 2021Mar 11, 2021
Thom KarmikSegregation and Spring Training, 1961Will Grimsley was a New York based sportswriter for The Associated Press for nearly forty years; he covered 35 World Series and at least…Mar 9, 2021Mar 9, 2021
Thom Karmik“There is no hop on Your Fastball”Schoolboy Johnny Taylor, like many Negro Leaguers, spent several seasons playing in Mexico. The Hartford, Connecticut native told his…Feb 26, 2021Feb 26, 2021
Thom Karmik“Say, Rube, he ain’t Quite Dead yet”In 1912, Arthur Irwin told William A. Phelon of The Cincinnati Times-Star:Feb 15, 2021Feb 15, 2021
Thom Karmik“Both Organizations enjoy an Unrivaled Reputation in the World of Colored Sport”Named after the nation’s first black governor, Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback of Louisiana, the Pinchbacks were the best black baseball…Feb 6, 2021Feb 6, 2021
Thom KarmikWilliam Clarence Matthews and Samuel ApperiousSamuel H. “Sam” Apperious (incorrectly identified as William Apperious on Baseball Reference and other sources) led two separate boycotts…Feb 5, 2021Feb 5, 2021
Thom Karmik“The Case of Mr. Pollock’s Clowns”William DeHart Hubbard was the first African American Olympic gold medal winner in an individual event — running long jump,1924 — and…Feb 2, 2021Feb 2, 2021
Thom Karmik“Some People Think I’m Eccentric, and Maybe I am”In March of 1920, Hal Chase provided a short, sometimes self-serving, eulogy for his major league career to a United Press reporter “while…Jan 31, 2021Jan 31, 2021
Thom Karmik“The life of a Baseball Player is Extremely Unsatisfactory”After more than two decades covering baseball, Hugh Fullerton told fathers “Don’t send your boy into professional baseball.” In response…Jan 29, 2021Jan 29, 2021
