Signature Saturdays - Sunday April 30 Edition

 It's an s-day! I'm here again with an autograph from my collection. 

I talked about him not too long ago on here in my Canadians in the Majors series.. 

Peter Hoy

I must say 1993 Score is not one of my favourite designs. 

Anyway just a little update.. I didn't have the energy or patience to do this post yesterday. The wheel on the table I use fell off and I just went to bed.. Today I have the wheel propped under the leg, but am unsure if it snaps into place or if it's broken.. 

Stadium Fridays - Tiger Stadium

 Today I'm featuring a stadium I'm sad I never got to see a live game at.

It was such an institution at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull that the area was called "The Corner" 

Of course, it's Tiger Stadium

Isn't that a beautiful sight? 

An aerial view of the place. 

So baseball was played at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull from 1895 until 1999. 

Originally, a wooden park named Bennett Park was on the site until 1911, and was named for a former player, Charlie Bennett.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

In 1911, Frank Navin, owner of the Tigers, commissioned a new concrete and steel park on the site of Bennett Park and named it Navin Field. 

Navin Field opened the same day as Fenway, April 20, 1912. The field was oriented differently in this version of the stadium. The Home plate area in Navin was where Left Field was for Bennett Park. 

In 1935, following Navin's death, Walter Briggs Sr took over ownership of the team and worked on expanding the stadium for more spectators. The action taken was to expand the upper deck to the foul pole and across right field. 

In 1938, the city of Detroit agreed to move Cherry Street so the left field stands could be double-decked as well. The stadium was renamed Briggs Stadium and had a capacity of 53000 people. 

The final name change for the stadium happened in 1961, when it became Tiger Stadium

You would not believe how difficult it was to find this card!

By the 1990s, the team and the city wanted a new stadium. Plans were tried to renovate and modernize Tiger Stadium, but none were seriously considered. 

The flagpole in centre field here was supposed to go with the team to Comerica Park, but that fell through. Instead, the new park got a new pole in the spirit of the one at Tiger. 

Night ball didn't come to Tiger Stadium full time until 1948, due to Walter Briggs not liking the idea of night baseball. 

As well as baseball, Football was played at The Corner for many years. 

The Detroit Heralds of the Ohio League played from 1912-1919

The Heralds/Tigers played in the APFA from 1920-1921

The Detroit Panthers played in the NFL from 1925-1926

And the Detroit Lions played in the NFL from 1938-1939. 1941-1974, at which point they moved to the Silverdome. 

Soccer was also played here in 1967-1968.

Courtesy of Wikipedia. Navin Field was the host of a demonstration against a school amendement in 1920.

As we all know, the old Ballpark was eventually demolished. A ball diamond remains. Some redevelopment of the site has happened with residential and retail buildings around the site as well. 

Really a sad end to a great old yard. 

Some Cards

 I've been the recipient of a number of envelopes lately from a collector looking to pare down his collection. He's sent me a number of Jays and Expos.

I want to show a few cards I got today.

I had a nice stack of Expos but these ones I wanted to show. A Dawson Ginter and Grady Sizemore as a Spo.

Some 1981 Fleer. Bobby Mattick with a card. I just like the photography for the Velez, Iorg, and Woods cards.

Finally, A guy I don't remember at all. Turns out he played one season for Toronto and wasn't that great. 

Tomorrow is Friday, meaning a Stadium post!

Signature Saturdays - April 22

 Today is Saturday, meaning another entry in Signature Saturdays. 

This time is a "What If" guy. 

Dalton Pompey spent his major league career with the Jays. He also spent one season in the minors for the Angels. 

I say he's a "What if" case due to the fact he had to retire due to concussions. He had a concussion in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, and again in 2019 in a Spring Training game where he hit his head on some bats at the top of his locker. 

He retired in 2022 after playing for the Guelph Royals of the Intercounty Baseball League in Southern Ontario. 

He went to pursue a career in emergency services. 

Stadium Friday - Cleveland Municipal Stadium

 Today is Cleveland Stadium, also known as Lakefront of Municipal Stadium. 

Municipal Stadium was built in 1931. The Cleveland Indians called this somewhat home from 1932-1933, then again from 1937-1993. The reason I say somewhat for the first few years is that they split between this monstrosity and League Park. 

I remember seeing pictures of the stadium and honestly thinking about how it seemed like a more utilitarian Yankee Stadium. Turns out the enigeering firm that worked on Yankee Stadium worked on this one as well. 

As with most stadiums, the dimensions were fiddled with over the course of its lifespan. Until 1947, when they installed an inner fence, it was 470 to centre.. 435 down the lines. 

The venue hosted the All Star Game four times, tying old Yankee Stadium for the most. 

Of course, this was a multipurpose stadium. The Indians weren't the only tenant. And really, it showcased some of the seating/distance issues that would come up in the 60s and 70s with the explosion of multipurpose donuts. Some of the seats were so far away they wouldn't really be useful. 

To go along with the Indians, there were multiple football tenants over the years. The Football Cleveland Indians for one season, the Cleveland Rams, and the Browns. 

They also hosted NCAA games for the Western Reserve Red Cats, and John Carroll Blue Streaks. 

The site also held the Great Lakes Bowl in 1947.

To go along with the Handegg, futball was also played here. NASL Cleveland Stokers called the place home for Two years.

After the Indians moved to Jacobs Field, the only tenant was the Browns. They left in 1995 to Baltimore after the owner made a horrible miscalulation that could have ended him up with a new stadium rather than a new city and breach of contract lawsuits..

Parts of the stadium were used to create three artificial reefs.. So I guess Cleveland Stadium is swimming with the fishes....

Rediscover Topps

 I got a few envelopes in the mail recently completely out of the blue. The name looks like James Taglia. 

In there is a bunch of Jays and Expos he wanted to hand off to me because he was downsizing his collection. Told me about how he loved the Expos when they existed. 

Well, one of the things that was present in the envelopes were these..

The Rediscover Topps cards. Now, there's some pretty nice ones here.. Doyle Alexander from  1984, Dave Collins from 1985. Garth Iorg from 1986.. Too bad we couldn't keep the year thing going and have one from 1987.. But there's Manny Lee from 1988.. (I almost want to see if there's a Jay from each year of Rediscover Topps.. Get a Jays rep from 1977-whenever)

Of course, with Topps being the only game in town really.. It's hard to rediscover what we can't escape. 

Unless this is their way of reminding us that the older cards are better than the schlock they're putting out now.. 

In any event.. They're very welcome in my collection, though I think I might have the Lee already... Not sure..

Signature Saturdays - April 15

 Today is Saturday. 

Signature Saturday time!

I'm VERY excited for this one. 

JOHN HILLER! 

It's the original 1973 card, as opposed to the one in Heritage that was released last year. They actually used the full design in the Heritage version. 

I wanted one of these for a long time. My friend's father went to school with Hiller in Toronto. 

I am trying to place where the photo was taken. Maybe Spring Training?

Stadium Friday - Anaheim Stadium

 Today's stadium is one that's had multiple names, multiple renovations, many star players, yet not much success when it comes to postseason. 

It's Anaheim Edison International Angel Stadium of Anaheim for the California Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. 

The stadium was built in 1966 for the Angels. Prior to this, the Angels played in Wrigley Field and Chavez Ravine Stadium. 

This was the Los Angeles version of Wigley Field. This is the "Original" Wrigley, as this was named after the PCL Angels' owner William Wrigley in 1925. The one in Chicago was named after him in 1926.

Chavez Ravine Stadium you might know better by its other name: Dodger Stadium.

This was how Anaheim Stadium looked when it first opened. Left field had the Big A, right field was a parking lot. 

The stadium underwent renovations in the late 70s to accommodate the Rams moving into Anaheim Stadium. The renovations were completed before the 1980 NFL season. 

The enclosed monstrosity is what I remember. When I first became a baseball fan in 1992, this was how Anaheim Stadium looked to me. 

In 1996, Disney took over the team and worked on getting the stadium back to baseball only, since the Rams left for St Louis. 

In its current form, you can see the mountains again beyond the outfield fence and the rock formation in left centre field. 

As well as baseball and football, the stadium hosted concerts, motocross, and the other football. 

I didn't realize how similar this and Candlestick looked when they were fully enclosed. Though, the chain link fence in the Stick also confused me greatly.. 

Anyway, I just want to mention that these cards are from my collection aside from the Tuff Stuff stadium card.. I would love to find that card but I doubt I will..

Canadians in the Majors... Peter Hoy

 I decided to dust off an old relic of the blog. I haven't done one of these in a while. Canadians in the Majors. 

As before, this is a series that looks at a Canadian born player that I have in my collection. 

Today's look is at Peter Hoy.

Peter Hoy was born June 29, 1956 in Brockville, Ontario. He went to school at LeMoyne College and played in the Cape Cod League for the Chatham A's. He was drafted in 1988 by the Red Sox in the 33rd round. He briefly made the Majors in 1992 with the Boston Red Sox. 

His entire career was spent in the Red Sox organization, starting in Elmira, and having stops in Winter Haven, New Britain, Fort Lauderdale, and Pawtucket. He spent a brief time in the Majors with Boston. He got into 5 games as a Major Leaguer. 

In those five games, he was treated rather rudely by opposing batters:

3.2IP 8H 3R 3ER 2BB 2SO WHIP 2.727 7.36 ERA

After finishing the 1993 season between New Britain and Fort Lauderdale, he retired at the age of 27.

He went back to school after his playing days, completing his Bachelor's degree in 1998. 

He was the LeMoyne College team's pitching coach from 1997-2009. 

Judging from what I've been reading, he's currently the head coach at St Lawrence University in Canton, NY and has been there since 2010. 

Signature Saturdays - Easter Sunday Edition

 I missed the post yesterday. 

Between visits from a friend, lack of sleep, and still generally feeling like crap, I missed posting my Signature Saturday post yesterday. 

Never fear, dear reader.. Signature Saturday on a Sunday is here!

This week is Alek Manoah. Could very quickly, if not already, become the ace of the staff. 

On Another note. I just want to wish my readers a Happy Easter. 

Stadium Fridays

 This week has been a bit of a rough one.. I almost skipped doing this today because I basically did not want to get out of bed or do anything today.. In fact I'm typing this wanting to go to bed for the night. 

This may not be as in depth as last week's. I apologize. 

This week is Exhibition Stadium.. The Mistake By the Lake. The only MLB park to have covered bleachers but no covered seats behind the plate. Considered to be one of the worst places MLB has played baseball in... And quoted as being the worst in sports by a TEAM EXECUTIVE FOR THE JAYS....

So.. How did this stadium come to host Major League Baseball from 1977-1989? It started in 1948 when the grandstand, the covered area, was built for concerts at the Canadian National Exhibition. In 1959, football bleachers were added to allow the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL to move from Varsity Stadium to here.. 

In 1974, the stadium was reconfigured again, adding baseball seating and orientation to lure a MLB team. They almost had the San Francisco Giants, but the Giants stayed put and Toronto got an Expansion team for 1977, though there was a lot of trying by the Commissioner's Office to move the award to Washington DC...

Digital Custom courtesy of TCForums member Benson

The day had come. April 7, 1977. Opening Day for the Jays in Toronto... Annd...... Snowstorm...

A packed stadium didn't let it deter them.. They sat waiting for the game to start. The team had to borrow a zamboni from an arena nearby to clear the snow off the infield. 

Finally, the game was on! 

The Jays won. Doug Ault hit two home runs. We know the story. 

So some of the issues that come with having a multipurpose stadium in Canada. 

Yes, we have football as well. The problem is... The field is slightly larger in the CFL than it is in the NFL... So those seats are a little further away from the field than in the US. 

The seats were also not pointed toward the action, but rather each other. There was also the issue of some of the seats being over 800 feet away from home plate.. Those seats would not be sold except in extreme circumstances like pennant races. 

As with Cleveland and San Francisco, The Ex also had issues with cold and fog. A game was called off due to heavy winds, as Jim Clancy was blown off balance three times and swirling wind kept kicking up dust in the batters' eyes. 

We also have to mention the seagulls.. Ohhhh the seagulls... They love food.. Baseball stadiums are full of food.. So as a result, seagulls loved to come around looking for food.. It lead to the famous 1983 incident of Dave Winfield getting arrested after a throw struck and killed a gull. Some claimed Winfield did it on purpose, leading his manager to state "If you watched him all season, you wouldn't say that.. It's the first cutoff man he's hit all year"

The death of The Ex started in 1982, after the Grey Cup ended up being a soup bowl due to rain. The next day at City Hall, fans there to see the Argos chanted "We Want a Dome!" at the Ontario Premier. Work had begun looking for a site in 1983, as a separate group looked at feasibility studies of building the dome at Exhibition Place. In 1984, Canadian National Railways agreed to sell land by the CN Tower for the purposes of building the new stadium. 

It was started in 1986, and the Rogers Centre, (SkyDome) was built and opened in June 1989.

The venue was used for the odd concert and racing event. It was also used to host a WWE card in 1996 after they stopped using Maple Leaf Gardens. 

The stadium was demolished in 1999 and is used as the Parking lot for BMO Field, the home of TFC and the Toronto Argonauts. 

Signature Saturday

 

 Today is Saturday. Today is April 1.. .Today is my 45th birthday. 

Today is also Signature Saturday. Who's on the docket today??

None other than Milton Bradley. It's almost unfortunate that Triple H didn't have "The Game" nickname and music till after Bradley was done.. Just imagine him coming to bat with that music playing.. 

He started out with the Montreal Expos, drafted by them in 1996. He was traded to Cleveland for Zach Day in 2001. Overall, he played for Montreal, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Texas, Oakland, San Diego, Chicago Cubs, and Seattle. 

For non-wrestling fans, here is the song I'm talking about