ClimbingSky

Why Baseball, Books, and the Grateful Dead matter

Barry Bonds

  • The Rocket

    On April 29th, 1986,  Roger “The Rocket” Clemens set a major league record by striking out 20 as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle Mariners 3-1. How great was Roger Clemens? Clemens even won the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1986 (an award generally considered for everyday players NOT pitchers!). And yet, like Read more

  • Rickey

    Last week, a text from my friend Bob alerted me to the sad and surprising news that Rickey Henderson, “The Man of Steal,” was dead just a few days short of his 66th birthday. Here is my post from earlier this year occasioned by the death of another G.O.A.T. Read more

  • Steroids Era

    On August 11th, 1987, Oakland A’s rookie first baseman Mark McGwire broke Al Rosen’s American League rookie record, established in 1950, and tied the major league mark shared by Frank Robinson (1956) and Wally Berger (1930) when he hit his 38th homer of the season. The unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year, McGwire would Read more

  • Greatest Living Player

    With the death of Willie Mays, the discussion of “who is the greatest living player” has begun. While Willie was with us, there was (of course) no debate. Here are the names I have heard mentioned so far: The last name on the list, Pujols, doesn’t really belong on the list. Sure, Pujols was a Read more