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