24 April 25

One of today's special events is a semiannual check-up with my doctor, giving me a reason to sport a necktie. This one lets me celebrate the organization of the American League on this date in 1901, 25 years after the National League was formed. The gloves and balls pictured on this tie are definitely from the olden days. I was gifted with the tie by my grandchildren five years ago!

2 May 23

On this date in "old" baseball history:

• 1876 Ross Barnes hit 1st home run in National League 
• 1908 Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer register their popular song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" for copyright 
  
• 1909 Honus Wagner steals his way around bases in 1st inning against Cubs 
• 1917 Cincinnati's Fred Tooney & Chicago's Hippo Vaughn pitch duel no-hitter, Vaughn gives up 2 hits & a run in 10th, so Cincinnati wins 1-0 
• 1920 1st game of National Negro Baseball League played in Indianapolis 
• 1923 MLB Washington Senator Walter Johnson pitches his 100th shutout, beats Yanks 3-0 
• 1930 Des Moines (Western League) defeats Wichita 13-6 to open 1st ballpark with permanently installed lights 
• 1939 New York Yankee Lou Gehrig ends 2,130 consecutive game streak (playing every game), Yanks beat Detroit Tigers 22-2 
• 1954 MLB St. Louis Cardinal Stan Musial hits 5 HRs in a doubleheader against the New York Giants at Busch Stadium 

And on a completely different score . . . 

• 1952 John Cage's "Water Music" (for a solo pianist, using a piano, a radio, whistles, water containers, and a deck of cards) premieres in New York City

11 July 22

On this date in 1914, George Herman "Babe" Ruth made his debut in major league baseball, as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. My tie shows old-time baseball gloves, balls and uniform numbers.

29 March 21

There's a very good reason the annual award for best pitcher in each major league is named for Denton True "Cy" Young (29 March 1867 – 4 November 1955). Cy Young won 511 games as a pitcher for 22 seasons (1890-1911), with the Cleveland Spiders, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Naps and Boston Rustlers. Second on the all-time career wins list is Walter Johnson with 417. In recent history, only Greg Maddux (born in 1966) with 355 career wins and Roger Clemens (born in 1962) with 354 career wins come anywhere close to Cy Young's great record. Among active pitchers, the highest total belongs to Justin Verlander (born in 1983) with 226 wins. Today's tie celebrates Cy Young's birthday with images from "old-time baseball," and I found my own Little League mitt (from around 1963) for today's photo.

11 August 20

 Today's tie celebrates baseball with old-time images of gloves, balls and uniform numbers. It was a gift from my grandchildren for my recent birthday. The great occasion for the day is simply the fact that baseball is continuing (at least for now) during the global pandemic, in a truncated season, with games played around the nation in parks with zero fans! So far the Colorado Rockies have one of the best records.