Death On The Diamond: The Cal Drummond Story
This article was originally published in SABR's The National…
Deadball Era Umpires: What They Did for Baseball
Very little has been written about Deadball Era umpires who…
A Conversation in the Umpires Room: Ted Barrett, Chris Conroy, Angel Hernandez, and Pat Hoberg
On July 10-12, 2015, the New York Yankees visited Boston’s…
Around the World of Umpiring
I worked as a sports official for more than 37 years, starting…
A Conversation in the Umpires Room: Laz Diaz, Chris Guccione, Cory Blaser, Clint Fagan
On July 3-5, 2015, the Houston Astros visited Boston’s…
‘Batter Ump’: Basebrawls Involving Umpires
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!’ shouted someone on the stand;
And…
Bowman’s 1955 Umpire Baseball Cards
Many baseball fans of a certain age remember with some nostalgia…
Tal Smith: Reflections on the Opening of the Astrodome
I have been fortunate to work in professional baseball for almost…
50 Years and Counting: What Does the Future Hold for the Astrodome?
It has been 50 years since the Astrodome first opened to worldwide…
Astrodome as the Home to Sports Other Than Baseball
Like other circular-shaped, multipurpose stadiums of the so-called…
The Astrodome: Back to the Future, Part 4
Rising from the prairie grass, a few miles south of downtown…
The Astrodome: The Eighth Wonder of the World Changed Sports and Spectatorship in America
The Houston Astrodome was the first fully enclosed, air-conditioned…
Bud Adams, Roy Hofheinz, and the Astrodome Feud
When Roy Hofheinz took charge of the Astrodome project, he envisioned…
The Rise and Fall of Artificial Turf
There was a time, not long ago, when many people hoped, or feared,…
George Kirksey, Craig Cullinan, and Houston’s Quest for a Major-League Team
For the Astrodome to be built, many intricate pieces had to fall…
Houston Astrodome: Engineering the Eighth Wonder of the World
In order to bring the Astrodome to fruition, given the project’s…
By the Book: Writings By and About Umpires
The annals of baseball prose include several memoirs and…
The Fates of the 22: MLB Umpire Resignations in 1999
In July 1999, as part of Richie Phillips’ strategy to gain…
Major League Umpires and Unionization
Major-league baseball players and umpires are sometimes at odds,…
Retired (and Un-Retired) Umpire Uniform Numbers
Most major-league teams have retired one or more numbers…
The Stained Grass Window
"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our…
The Making of Legends
Before King George took over the Bronx,
Before the Dodgers…
New York’s First Base Ball Club
Recent study has revealed the claim of the Knickerbocker Base…
Captain John Wildey, Tammany Hall, and the Rise of Professional Baseball
“On Monday morning, before accepting of any civilities at the…