John Thorn
@johnthorn.bsky.social
Official Historian, Major League Baseball. Since 2011, I have posted a story a week at ourgame.mlblogs.com. Past though timeless tales available at https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/archive. Views are my own, not those of MLB. Nerdy badinage a specialty.
First American Basketball League game of 1929 between New York Celtics and Rochester Centrals, November 16 at Madison Square Garden. The Rochester cagers lost the championship to the Cleveland Rosenblums. digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/coll...
November 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
First American Basketball League game of 1929 between New York Celtics and Rochester Centrals, November 16 at Madison Square Garden. The Rochester cagers lost the championship to the Cleveland Rosenblums. digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/coll...
A blast from the past: "Late in the fall of 1983 ... Thorn came across an old scrapbook containing the series of 35 articles on Providence's major league baseball history [and] proposed that the Society reprint the articles in booklet form for distribution [at its] 1984 annual convention."
November 25, 2025 at 9:48 PM
A blast from the past: "Late in the fall of 1983 ... Thorn came across an old scrapbook containing the series of 35 articles on Providence's major league baseball history [and] proposed that the Society reprint the articles in booklet form for distribution [at its] 1984 annual convention."
The Hanlon Brothers, a long-lived vaudeville and acrobatic troupe, put on a wildly successful show called "Superba" in 1890. When veteran Baltimore manager Ned Hanlon (unrelated to the theatrical Hanlons) managed the Dodgers in 1899, the club took the name of "Hanlon's Superbas."
November 23, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The Hanlon Brothers, a long-lived vaudeville and acrobatic troupe, put on a wildly successful show called "Superba" in 1890. When veteran Baltimore manager Ned Hanlon (unrelated to the theatrical Hanlons) managed the Dodgers in 1899, the club took the name of "Hanlon's Superbas."
My introduction to Melville when I was a lad. Classic Comics.
November 18, 2025 at 6:32 PM
My introduction to Melville when I was a lad. Classic Comics.
Harry Kingman, a four-gamer with the Yankees in 1914. He is the only MLB player born in China. Depicted in his Pomona College baseball uniform.
November 16, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Harry Kingman, a four-gamer with the Yankees in 1914. He is the only MLB player born in China. Depicted in his Pomona College baseball uniform.
In the stands, mansplaining.
November 16, 2025 at 5:59 PM
In the stands, mansplaining.
Henry Sandham's 1894 painting is lost, but the engraving (a "Goupilgravure") survives. Not better when colorized, by contemporary or later hands, it depicts a Temple Cup contest between Baltimore and host New York.
November 16, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Henry Sandham's 1894 painting is lost, but the engraving (a "Goupilgravure") survives. Not better when colorized, by contemporary or later hands, it depicts a Temple Cup contest between Baltimore and host New York.
According to Joe Gould, whose secret was immortalized by Joseph Mitchell, "the Indians considered themselves smarter than white men, because they had more time to think. They realize that punctuality is the thief of time. The more time a man gives to his engagements the less he has for himself."
November 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
According to Joe Gould, whose secret was immortalized by Joseph Mitchell, "the Indians considered themselves smarter than white men, because they had more time to think. They realize that punctuality is the thief of time. The more time a man gives to his engagements the less he has for himself."
Here's the daguerreotype:
November 11, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Here's the daguerreotype:
In honor of Veterans Day, here is a photo of the oldest known American war image, depicting General John Ellis Wool during the Mexican War commenced in 1846. And because there is always a baseball angle, a dag of Abner Doubleday at the Battle of Buena Vista, near Saltillo, 1847.
November 11, 2025 at 6:52 PM
In honor of Veterans Day, here is a photo of the oldest known American war image, depicting General John Ellis Wool during the Mexican War commenced in 1846. And because there is always a baseball angle, a dag of Abner Doubleday at the Battle of Buena Vista, near Saltillo, 1847.
Jackie Robinson also played with Chet Brewer's Kansas City Royals after leaving the Monarchs in 1945. Jules Tygiel and I wrote this story in 1988. ourgame.mlblogs.com/jackie-robin...
November 4, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Jackie Robinson also played with Chet Brewer's Kansas City Royals after leaving the Monarchs in 1945. Jules Tygiel and I wrote this story in 1988. ourgame.mlblogs.com/jackie-robin...
Aha. I see that you have taken the image for Stoolball, not Base Ball.
November 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Aha. I see that you have taken the image for Stoolball, not Base Ball.
"To the next destin'd post" ... missing from your image.
November 4, 2025 at 5:52 PM
"To the next destin'd post" ... missing from your image.
How was a baseball game scored before there were scorebooks? These two images provide the answer: a scoring stick, with a notch for each run scored by one team on the top, and for the other, the bottom. This is why a game has a "score" and why a pitcher notches a win.
November 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
How was a baseball game scored before there were scorebooks? These two images provide the answer: a scoring stick, with a notch for each run scored by one team on the top, and for the other, the bottom. This is why a game has a "score" and why a pitcher notches a win.
Somehow new to me. Of course there have been many great finds since 1994. See: protoball.org.
November 4, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Somehow new to me. Of course there have been many great finds since 1994. See: protoball.org.
Slide, Kelly, Slide: 1927 Yankees melodrama. A rookie pitcher gets drunk before a big game and is fired. In Game 7 of the World Series, the Yankees run out of pitchers (foreshadowing today). The batboy finds the fired star, who pitches till the end and scores the winning run.
October 30, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Slide, Kelly, Slide: 1927 Yankees melodrama. A rookie pitcher gets drunk before a big game and is fired. In Game 7 of the World Series, the Yankees run out of pitchers (foreshadowing today). The batboy finds the fired star, who pitches till the end and scores the winning run.
This expresses no selection (or wish) for an outcome in 2025. My pal Dinn Mann shot this at the 2018 World Series. When I was ten, in 1957, I thought the Brooklyn Dodgers were packing their steamer trunks for a holiday, soon to return to Ebbets Field.
October 26, 2025 at 3:26 PM
This expresses no selection (or wish) for an outcome in 2025. My pal Dinn Mann shot this at the 2018 World Series. When I was ten, in 1957, I thought the Brooklyn Dodgers were packing their steamer trunks for a holiday, soon to return to Ebbets Field.
Especially good today:
October 21, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Especially good today:
In all the coverage of Ohtani's great night, I have seen mentions of Babe Ruth (of course), Tony Cloninger, and Rick Wise, maybe Jim Tobin ... but not Guy Hecker, the pitcher who in 1886 led his league in batting average while winning 26 games (two years earlier, he had won 52).
October 18, 2025 at 6:39 PM
In all the coverage of Ohtani's great night, I have seen mentions of Babe Ruth (of course), Tony Cloninger, and Rick Wise, maybe Jim Tobin ... but not Guy Hecker, the pitcher who in 1886 led his league in batting average while winning 26 games (two years earlier, he had won 52).
Just bought this reproduction poster (12 x 18) on Ebay. "Chevalier Ernest Thorn magician poster #1 1892 We Are Coming America." Halloween-ish, I suppose, but I have other reasons for buying. ourgame.mlblogs.com/magicians-bl...
October 17, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Just bought this reproduction poster (12 x 18) on Ebay. "Chevalier Ernest Thorn magician poster #1 1892 We Are Coming America." Halloween-ish, I suppose, but I have other reasons for buying. ourgame.mlblogs.com/magicians-bl...
When did the World Series begin? After the Detroit Wolverines defeated the St. Louis Browns in 1887, they flew pennants at Recreation Park.
October 15, 2025 at 7:06 PM
When did the World Series begin? After the Detroit Wolverines defeated the St. Louis Browns in 1887, they flew pennants at Recreation Park.
This is an amazing survivor, even as a carbon copy: a letter from Detroit Tigers' manager Bill Armour to Ty Cobb informing him that his rights have been purchased from Augusta in the South Atlantic (Sally) League. Dated August 25, 1905, 17 days after Ty's mother had shot his father to death.
October 15, 2025 at 4:22 PM
This is an amazing survivor, even as a carbon copy: a letter from Detroit Tigers' manager Bill Armour to Ty Cobb informing him that his rights have been purchased from Augusta in the South Atlantic (Sally) League. Dated August 25, 1905, 17 days after Ty's mother had shot his father to death.
Fans outside Huntington Avenue Grounds, Boston, prior to 1903 World Series. Note the baskets for the newsboys.
October 15, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Fans outside Huntington Avenue Grounds, Boston, prior to 1903 World Series. Note the baskets for the newsboys.
JACKIE ROBINSON HALL OF FAME INDUCTION RING, at auction at Christie's; opening bid $250K.
October 14, 2025 at 8:21 PM
JACKIE ROBINSON HALL OF FAME INDUCTION RING, at auction at Christie's; opening bid $250K.