Not MILB Opening Day, Ted Williams & Jackie Robinson in Town - Apr 9th

Today should have been MiLB Opening Day, with the Biscuits starting the season on the road at Biloxi.

Of course, we have known for weeks that wouldn't happen, due to the current circumstances. Some have floated theories about starting the season late at the major league level, but little has been said about restarting minor league baseball.

Thats probably best for now.

Its my personal opinion that MLB and its teams have yet to do what they should be doing.

Ask themselves "What can we do to help our people?"
Ask themselves "What can we do to help others?"
 Then do those things.

There is absolutely no room for any other discussion.

Going day by day in the history files, there is so much baseball from the past.


APRIL 9 & 10 1945
 JACKIE ROBINSON'S MONARCHS

The Kansas City Monarchs face Birmingham Black Barons in Montgomery at Cramton Bowl, the Monarchs have Jackie Robinson at 2b getting top billing, even as a rookie. For the Black Barons, Hall of Famer Double Duty Radcliff is the catcher.

The first contest of the two-game set drew a large crowd to Cramton Bowl on a Monday. The fielding of both teams was spectacular, the hitters had their moments too. The Monarchs took game one, 5-4. The Monarchs won the final game, 10-8 in a contest that featured several dust ups and accusations of ball scuffing.

1945 Kansas City Monarchs

APRIL 9 1951
The Phillies face Pirates at Montgomery in an exhibition game.
The Pirates, powered by 16 base hits, win 8-7 over Philadelphia. Future Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn has two hits, including a triple, in three at bats.

Over 3800 fans braved a light drizzle to watch the contest at the new Municipal Stadium. The rain may explain the lack of photos in the newspaper.

APRIL 9 1956
TED WILLIAMS' RED SOX

The Boston Red Sox vs Phillies in an exhibition game at Montgomery is one of the most exciting major league contests to take place in the city. The final score: Phils 2 Sox 1 in front of a capacity crowd of 4,524 fans at Paterson Field.



A future HOF'er, Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams plays, goes 0-4 with three long flyouts to right field.  
This is the only appearance I have found of Teddy Ballgame playing in Montgomery. Thankfully, someone brought a camera!

NO PEPPER  Ted Williams at Paterson Field

A two run homer by Richie Ashburn makes the difference in the game, one of his three hits in the game. Ashburn is the reigning batting champ of the National League and also will find his way to Cooperstown.

Ashburn at Paterson Field

Pitcher Robin Roberts, future Hall of Famer for the Phillies goes all nine innings - using only 96 pitches. For whatever reason, we get a photo of him at the plate.

Pitcher Robin Roberts at the plate

 
After the game Sox players Ted Williams and Pinky Higgins met with Rebels prexie Langston for a photo.

This Day in Baseball - Rebels Scrap with Yankees, Doders, Tigers, Ump Show

Jordan Harrison

The only piece of Biscuits news we have is from former Montgomery reliever Jordan Harrison, who told me he is likely to hang up his cleats before baseball returns.

Harry is a free agent and has plans on seeking a new gig in medical supplies.

As a lefty reliever, Jordan spent four seasons with Montgomery and went to the playoffs each year.

Harry is a great guy and always took the time to talk, never shying from tough questions. We wish Jordan Harrison all the best going forward!

APRIL 8 1898 

Jimmy Ryan with Montgomery 1908

Chicago Orphans face Montgomery in exhibition game, winning 4-3.

Future Montgomery manager Jimmy Ryan is on the Chicago roster, as is a young Clark Griffith.

1890's view of Market Street, now Dexter Ave

APRIL 8 1899 
Montgomery hosts the touring Bloomer Girls team for an exhibition game. A large crowd turned out but the final score was not reported.

APRIL 8 1903 
Montgomery hosts Detroit in the last of three exhibition games this year. The Tigers win but the Pretzels avoid the shutout, final score 7-1.

Second baseman Carlton Molesworth of Montgomery had a tough day, outfielder Ike Durret ran over him chasing a fly ball and on another play he stepped in a hole and fell, both miscues costing the team runs.

APRIL 8 1929
Brooklyn Dodgers face the Montgomery Lions in exhibition game, Dodgers win 5-0.

APRIL 8 1938
Local Montgomery team ties Phils in exhibition game. The Philadelphia Phillies, parent club for Montgomery, faced the Montgomery Bombers at Cramton Bowl. The locals gave the big league club a solid effort, resulting in a 5-5 tie and a note of encouragement from that days typsetter.

APRIL 8 1948 
New York vs Montgomery in an exhibition game and its a good one.

"The World Champion Yankees got all the competition they could handle" was how sportswriter Max Mosely described the extra inning contest between Yankees and Rebels.

A star studded Yankees lineup included DiMaggio, Berra, Rizutto, Heinrich backed starting pitcher Tommy Byrne.

The Rebels lineup is a nobody-studded order of players like Art Rebel and Mack MacWhorter.

The scrappy Rebels matched the powerful Yanks with four runs each in the first two frames, then both sides dug in. Each team allowed just one run in the last seven innings and the tie game went into extra innings.

In the eleventh inning Yogi Berra drove in Bobby Brown and then scored himself on Johnny Lindel's two-RBI double. It took multiple extra innings to down the Rebels but New York won it, 8-5.

Joltin Joe DiMaggio had three hits in the game. DiMaggio, Berra, Keller and other Yankees spent a long time signing autographs for fans after the game.
 But nobody brought a camera to the game? Sheesh!

APRIL 8 1950
The Detroit Tigers defeat Montgomery in an exhibition game 12-1.

George Kell of the Tigers had a pair of hits in four trips, Pat Mullin was the batting star for Detroit with three doubles and a single. The Rebels considered themselves victorious by scoring a single run to avoid being shut out.


THE BIGGER STORY
The game between the Tigers and Rebels had a memorable moment for the home plate umpire, who likely never forgot his experience in Montgomery.

Indeed the event was noted in the Montgomery Advertiser and even included a photo. On the front page...

Umpire Splits Pants makes front page!

This Day in History April 7th, Nine Homers, Kid Fixes Sked, Rebels Integrate

With no current action, we dig a little deeper in the history files to offer more images associated with the items. Usually the research desk has to share with Biscuit news this time of year, so its interesting to see what can be uncovered with more focus. While most of the items are from info already compiled, many of the images are new to me and so exciting to find! 

APRIL 7 1912
Montgomery lad finds error in league schedule....

APRIL 7 1954 
The Philadelphia A's beat Pittsburgh Pirates 17-10 in Montgomery in an exhibition game slugfest between two MLB teams. Nine homers were hit between the two teams.

Two homers each by Gus Zernial and Frank Thomas led the hit parade, Vic Power had four hits including a double. The announced attendance was a paltry 717 at Paterson Field, then known as Municipal Stadium.

APRIL 7 1954 
The Montgomery Rebels field a team with black players on its roster for the first time.

Veterans of the Negro Leagues and already with minor league experience, John Davis Oufielder and George Handy third baseman are the first to break the Montgomery color line.

Shortstop Price West, a Montgomery native also is among the first black Rebels, joining the team later in the summer as a rookie. .

Also, popular skipper Charlie Metro has been replaced as manager by Marv Olson.


The first game with this lineup is an exhibition game, against Birmingham, held in Tallassee! Johnny Davis had an RBI double, Handy also had a hit in the first game, which finished in a 7-7 tie. The season would begin less than a week later.


I wrote about this groundbreaking Rebels team in a previous post that can be seen here.

This was a brave but brief effort to join the modern baseball world, thwarted by the offseason death of the team owner. Montgomery would join the segregated Southeastern League until its demise due to low attendance, largely due to its refusal to include black and latin players.

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This Week In Montgomery Baseball Apr 1-6

The History file is still working, and how! Just a few of the many listings of  exciting events in the past!

APRIL 1st 1904
Boston NL plays exhibition game at Montgomery, game two of a unique series pitting Montgomery against both Boston teams. The NL squad defeats Montgomery 2-1. In the first game, Cy Young pitched three innings for his AL Boston club, winning 3-1.

APRIL 1st 1910
Montgomery plays second of two exhibition games vs Cleveland Indians, losing both. Cy Young is pictured coaching for the Indians while at Montgomery.

APRIL 1 1942
Owner Ben Goltsman confirms Paul Armstrong refused assignment to Dallas, will return to play in Montgomery. Armstrong led team in batting last year.

April 1 1955
Braves vs Dodgers at Montgomery, Paul Hamrick homers

APRIL 1 1977
Rebels sold to Paul Fyffe to a Paintsville Ky radio station owner by Mack McWhorter. The Rebels have won four of the last five SL pennants but won't stay in Montgomery past 1980.

APRIL 2 1948

The Dodgers defeat the hometown Rebels 10-2. Al Gianfroddo homers as Ralph Branca allows 8 hits to the Rebels. Montgomery Pitchers Wendell Davis and Joe Demoran allow 14 hits. Both teams commit a pair of errors, the Dodgers starting nine go the distance with no substitutions in the exhibition game.

APRL 2 1954
RedSox beats Phillies 8-0 in Montgomery exhibition game, Sox pitcher Mel Parnell defeats the Phils Simmons.

April 2 1955 
Pittsburgh Pirates face the Baltimore Orioles at Montgomery, win 5-3

APRIL 3 1911
Montgomery Stars face the Brooklyn Royal Giants in Montgomery

APRIL 3 1935
Dizzy Dean fined before the game at Montgomery for missing the train to the previous days game.

APRIL 3 1941
The Boston RedSox face the Cinci Reds in an exhibition game, Cincinnati's Johnny Vandermeer wins as the Reds down the Red Sox 5-1 at Cramton Bowl.

APRIL 4 1936 
Phillies vs Chicago in MGM exhibition game, Bill Lee to start for Chicago, intends to pitch all nine innings if the weather is warm. Cubs win 11-1 and Lee does indeed pitch a complete game.


APRIL 4 1946 
Tigers 5 Boston Braves 3 in MGM exhibition game, greenberg homered and drove in four runs, missing a triple for the cycle



APRIL 4 1952
Braves vs Dodgers in MGM exhibition game, braves doc donovan beats chris van cuyk 7-0 on the strength of home runs by Dick Williams and Roy Campanella. Jackie Robinson was hitless in four trips.


APRIL 4 1936 
Cubs vs Phillies in Montgomery, the first of two planned games. The Cubs win the game 11-1 in a hitfest for Chicago batters. Stan Hack, Charlie Grimm, Chuck Klein and Frank Demare each had multiple hits in the game for the Cubs. In spite of the drubbing, the Phils only used two pitchers.

APRIL 4 1953 
Red Sox turn triple play vs Phillies in first inning of exhibition game but lose 6-4

APRIL 4 1955 
Giants vs Indians at Montgomery, Johnny Antonelli against Bob Feller. Also featured are future Hall of Fame outfielders Willie Mays and Larry Doby. Ralph Kiner and Vic Wertz each homer as the Indians defeat New York in a rematch of previous World Series, 9-5.

APRIL 5 1936
Rain washes out the second game of the Cubs-Phillies series.




APRIL 5 1946
Detroit v Boston Braves at Montgomery, the future Hall of Famer Tigers Hank Greenberg homers, doubles and singles, driving the Tigers win 5-3. The Detroit Tigers, are the reigning World Champs.



APRIL 5 1949
Rebels host Phillies, get beat 2-1 in rain shortened six inning match. Less than a thousand patrons turned out for the first of a two game exhibition series.

APRIL 5 1969
Cincinnati vs Detroit in exhibition game in Mgm is rained out

APRIL 6 1946
In second game of an exhibition doubleheader, Boston Red Sox loses to Cinci 7-5, after winning the first contest. Both games were seven innings.