The National Pastime, Volume 25: A Review of Baseball History

 

The National Pastime for 2005 has a number of entertaining stories from beginning to end.

 

At the beginning is Bill Nowlin and Kit Krieger's engaging cover story about discovering a worn and faded commemorative plaque in Havana's La Tropical park. The bronze memorialized a game played there between two teams of American all-stars in 1930. The discovery of the plaque in 2001 came about during a Cubaball trip led by Kit. There were about a dozen SABR members along, including myself, so I was delighted when Kit and Bill wrote up the story. What makes the account even more interesting is the addition of photos from an album given to each of the all-stars who played in the 1930 game by their generous Cuban host Blanco Herrera. Lance Richbourg was one of the touring stars and his son, the artist Lance Richbourg, Jr., graciously lent the album to us.

 

There are two articles on foul balls, two that discuss Ole Hoss Radbourn, and two that are interviews with former ball players. The latter includes Jim Smith's article, based on talks with Bobby Doerr, discussing his PCL career as a teenage infielder beginning with the Hollywood Sheiks. When that team shifted to San Diego, Bobby became an original Padre before going on to star for the Boston Red Sox. Jim Sargent shares with us Carl Erskine's reflections on the Boys of Summer. Both former stars come off as remarkable men.

 

David Vincent takes us on a tour of Arlington National Cemetery and discusses the nearly two dozen baseball notables buried there. From Abner Doubleday to SABR founder Bob Davids (not the only SABR member buried at Arlington), the list includes Lu Blue, Doc Lavan and less-known Major and Negro Leaguers.