Buck Leonard: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1972

Born: September 8, 1907

1921: Finished school at 14. Black youths could not attend High School at the time.

1933: Negro League debut (Brooklyn Royal Giants)

1934: Joined to Homestead Grays

1937-45: Grays won the NNL title each season

1950: Retired from NNL

1950-5: Played in Mexico and in Minors

1952: Offered a major league contract, but declined due to his age

1955: Permanently retired

1972: Elected to Hall of Fame

1997: Died

1999: Finalist for All-Century team

Sandy Koufax: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1972

Born: December 30, 1935

1954: Made Varsity at University of Cincinnati

1954: Signed with Brooklyn Dodgers

Debut: June 24, 1955 (Dodgers)

1955: Enrolled in Columbia University (took night classes)

1955: Dodgers win World Series

1956: Dodgers win Pennant

1956: Played winter ball

1957: Dodgers move to Los Angeles

1959: Had 16 and 18 strikeout games

1959: Dodgers win World Series

1959-63: Appeared in various television shows

1960-1: Almost quit baseball

1961: Set NL record for strikeouts (269)

1962: Dodgers move out of the Coliseum and begin play at Dodger Stadium

1962-6: NL Pitching Title

1962: No-hit Mets

1962: Struck out side on 9 pitches vs. Mets in no-hitter

1963: No-hit Giants

1963: Struck out 15 Yankees in Game 1 of World Series

1963: Dodgers win World Series

1963: WS MVP

1963: Wins Triple Crown (25-5, 1.88, 306 strikeouts)

1963: Wins MVP and Cy Young Award

1963-6: TSN Pitcher of the Year

1964: Struck out side on 9 pitches (Reds)

1964: No-hit Phillies

1964: Diagnosed with arthritis

1965: Perfect game vs. Cubs

1965: Declined to pitch Game 1 of WS to observe Yom Kippur

1965: Defeats Jim Kaat in Game 7 to win World Series

1965: Dodgers win World Series

1965: SI Sportsman of the Year

1965: Wins Triple Crown (26-8, 2.04, 382 Strikeouts)

1965: Sets record w/382 strikeouts (Since broken)

1965: WS MVP

1965: NL Cy Young

1966: Held out for more money

1966: Dodgers win Pennant

1966: Wins Triple Crown (27-9, 1.73, 317 strikeouts)

1966: NL Cy Young

1966: Hutch Award

1966: Retires

1967-72: Sportscaster for the Saturday Game of the Week

1972: Elected to Hall of Fame (First Ballot)

1972: Dodgers retired #32

1979-90: Minor league pitching coach

1999: All-Century team

2004: Returned to Dodgers

2013: Special Advisor to team chairman

Accomplishments:

4x World Champion

7x All Star

1963 NL MVP

3x Cy Young

3x Triple Crown

2x World Series MVP

Four no-hitters (one perfect game)

All-Century Team

382 Strikeouts (1965)

Won Game 7 of 1965 World Series

165-87

.655 win percentage

2.76 ERA

397 Games-314 starts

137 CG

40 SHO

2324.1 IP

2396 Strikeouts

1.106 WHIP

15+ wins: 5x

25+ wins: 3x

Led league in wins: 3x

Led league in win %: 2x

Led league in ERA: 5x

Sub 3.50 ERA: 5x

Sub 3.00 ERA: 5x

Sub 2.50 ERA: 4x

Sub 2 ERA: 3x

Led league in GS (41): 1966

10+ CG: 6x

15+ CG: 5x

20+ CG: 3x

Led league in CG: 2x

11 SHO (1963)

Led league in SHO: 3x

200+ IP: 5x

300+ IP: 3x

Led league in IP: 2x

200+ Strikeouts: 6x

300 Strikeouts: 3x

Led league in strikeouts: 3x

Led league in WHIP: 4x

1.0            WHIP or less: 4x

Postseason: 4-3, 0.95 ERA, 8 games-7starts, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 57 IP, 0.825 WHIP (4 World Series)

Will Harridge: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1972

Born: October 16, 1883

1911-1927: Personal Secretary to AL President Ban Johnson

1927-31: AL Secretary

1931-59: American League President

1951: Voided Eddie Gaedel’s contract for making a mockery of baseball

1954: Allowed A’s to move to Kansas City

1971: Died

The AL Championship trophy is named after him

Lefty Gomez: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1972

Born: November 26, 1908

c. 1927: Signed by San Francisco Seals

1929: Purchased by New York Yankees

Debut: April 29, 1930 (Yankees)

1931: Yankees pulled out most of his teeth hoping it would strengthen him

1932: Yankees win World Series

1933: Married Broadway star June O’Dea

1934: Won Triple Crown (26 wins, 2.33 ERA, 158 Strikeouts)

1936-39: Yankees win World Series

1937: Won Triple Crown (21 wins, 2.33 ERA, 194 Strikeouts)

1940: Suffered major arm injury

1941: Yankees win World Series

1942: Yankees win Pennant

1942: Began working at General Electric

1943: Purchased by Boston Braves

1943: Signed by Washington Senators

1972: Elected to Hall of Fame (Vet’s Committee)

1987: Received plaque at Monument Park in Yankee Stadium

1989: Died

1999: Nominee for All-Century Team

Accomplishments:

6x World Champion

7x All Star

2x Triple Crown Winner

189-102 record

3.34 ERA

173 CG

28 SHO

368 games-320 starts

2503 IP

1468 Strikeouts

1.352 WHIP

Led league in wins: 2x

Won 15+ games: 7x

Won 20+ games: 4x

26 wins (1934)

Led league ERA: 2x

Sub 3.50 ERA: 7x

Sub 3.00 ERA: 3x

10+ CG: 9x

15+ CG: 6x

20+ CG: 4x

25+ CG: 2x

Led league CG (25): 1934

Led league in SHO: 3x

Led league in IP (281.2): 1934

200+ IP: 7x

250+ IP: 3x

Led league in Strikeouts: 3x

Led league in WHIP (1.133): 1934

Postseason: 6-0 record, 2.86 ERA, 7 games, 4 CG, 50.1 IP, 1.311 WHIP (5 World Series)

Josh Gibson: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1972

Born: December 21, 1911

Debut: 1929 (Homestead Grays)

1930: Became regular catcher for Grays

1932: Moved to Pittsburgh Crawfords

1936-7: Cuban Winter League

1937: Returned to Grays

1937: Dominican League

1937-8: Cuban Winter League

1939-40: Puerto Rican Winter League

1940-41: PR Winter League

1941: Mexican League

1942: Back to Grays

1943: Has mental breakdown

1947: Died of a stroke on January 20

1972: Elected to Hall of Fame (Negro League Committee)

Yogi Berra: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1972

Born: May 12, 1925

1942: Cardinals choose Joe Garagiola over Berra

1943: Signed by New York Yankees

1944-45: World War II service

1944: Fought at Normandy

1945-6: Minor Leagues

Debut: September 22, 1946 (Yankees)

1947: Hit first pinch hit home run in World Series history

1947: Yankees win World Series

1949-53: Yankees win World Series

1951: Caught two Allie Reynolds’ no-hitters

1951: AL MVP

1954: AL MVP

1955: AL MVP

1955: Yankees win Pennant

1956: Caught Don Larsen’s perfect game

1956: Yankees win World Series

1957: Yankees win Pennant

1958: Yankees win World Series

1960: Yankees win Pennant

1961-62: Yankees win World Series

1962: Caught 22 innings against Detroit

1963: Retired

1963: Yankees win Pennant

1964: Managed Yankees (99-63)

1964: Yankees win Pennant

1965: Signed by New York Mets

1965: Returned for four games with Mets

1965-71: Mets coach

1969: Mets win World Series

1972-75: Managed Mets (292-296)

1972: Elected to Hall of Fame

1972: Yankees retired his #8 along with Bill Dickey’s #8

1973: Mets win Pennant

1976-83: Yankees coach

1976: Yankees win Pennant

1977-8: Yankees win World Series

1981: Yankees win Pennant

1984-85: Managed Yankees (93-85)

1985: Fired by George Steinbrenner; Berra refused to speak to Steinbrenner or return to Yankee Stadium for over a decade

1986-89: Astros coach

1986: Astros win NL West

1998: Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center opens

1988: Received plaque at Monument Park

1999: Buried the hatchet with Steinbrenner; Yankees hold Yogi Berra Day

1999: Elected to All Century Team

2000: Yogi returned to the Yankee family to mentor Jorge Posada

Accomplishments:

13x World Champion (10 as a player)

18x All Star

3x AL MVP

Caught 3 No-hitters including Don Larsen’s Perfect Game

.285 average

1175 Runs

2150 Hits

321 doubles

358 Home Runs

1430 RBI

704 walks-414 strikeouts

.830 OPS

116 runs (1950)

30 doubles (1952)

10 Triples (1948)

20+ HR: 11x

30+ HR: 2x

100+ RBI: 5x

Hit .300: 3x

.500 slugging: 3x

.900 OPS: 2x

318 TB (1950)

Postseason: .274, 12 HR, 39 RBI, .811 OPS (14 World Series)

Sci-Fi History: The X-Men (1963)

The X-Men arrived in the Marvel Universe at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. They were mutants with a X-gene, hence the name X-Men. This extra gene provides mutants with all sorts of powers. Each mutant possessed a different mutation. As a result, Magneto controlled metal, Wolverine was indestructible, Cyclops shot lasers from his eyes, etc. People feared the mutations leading to bigotry and oppression. At the same time, Stan Lee tied the X-Men to the nuclear age. It is hinted that mutants received radiation exposure that created the x-gene. Lastly, the main villain, Magneto, was a concentration camp survivor adding an interesting twist to his crusade against humanity. As a result, the X-Men tied together the civil rights movement, World War II, the Cold War, nuclear anxieties, and the holocaust.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZAhqEiq4cA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi43Vr2yJqI

Dan Petry: Detroit Tigers timeline

Born: November 13, 1958

1976: Drafted by Detroit Tigers

Debut: July 8, 1979 (Tigers)

1983: 19-11

1984: 18-8

1984: Tigers win World Series

1985: All Star

1987: Tigers win AL East

1987: Traded to Angels for Gary Pettis

1990: Signed with Tigers

1991: Traded to Braves

1991: Traded to Red Sox

1991: Retired

1991-present: Occasional color commentary on TV or Radio broadcasts

2010: Son, Jeff Petry, debuted with Edmonton Oilers

Accomplishments:

1984 World Champion

1985 AL All Star

125-104

3.95 ERA

370 games/300 starts

52 CG

11 SHO

2080.1 IP

1063 Strikeouts

1.363 WHIP

Led league in GS (38): 1983

15+ wins: 4x

Sub 3.50 ERA: 3x

200+ IP: 4x

Postseason: 0-1 record, 4.91 ERA, 18.1 IP, 9 strikeouts, 6 walks, 1.364 WHIP (3 series)

Andy Pafko: Chicago Cubs timeline

Born: February 25, 1921

1941: Purchased by Chicago Cubs

Debut: September 24, 1943 (Cubs)

1945: Cubs win pennant

1949: The “inside the glove” home run

1951: Traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers

1951: Dodgers lose playoff to Giants

1952: Andy Pafko was Topps Card #1 in the 1952 set. His card is worth thousands of dollars.

1952: Dodgers win pennant

1953: Traded to the Milwaukee Braves

1957: Braves win World Series

1958: Braves win pennant

1959: Retired

1960s: Minor League Manager

1967: Dropped off Hall of Fame ballot (0.3% of vote)

1999: Named to Cubs All-Century Team

2013: Died

Accomplishments:

1957 World Champion

5x All Star

.285

213 HR

976 RBI

844 Runs

1796 Hits

561 walks-477 strikeouts

.799 OPS

Led league HBP: 3x

30 doubles (1948)

12 triples (1945)

Hit .300: 3x

.500 slugging: 3x

304 TB (1950)

Postseason: .222, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .542 OPS (4 World Series)

Sci-Fi History: Spiderman and Uncle Ben (1963)

Named after Ben Franklin, Uncle Ben Parker served as Peter Parker's surrogate father. He was killed by a thug almost immediately after being introduced. Peter could have captured the killer before he murdered his uncle, but declined to do so because "it's not my problem." After Uncle Ben died, Peter considered himself responsible and hunted the murderer down. The criminal eventually dies of a heart attack when run down by Spiderman. On a side note, Ben Parker never uttered the phrase "with great power comes great responsibility." This tagline came from Stan Lee in a panel at the end of Amazing Fantasy #15.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA643x0bN74

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DfztIIqbTI