Yardbarker: Hector Lopez

On This Day in History | 1961

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:38:16 -0400

Maris and the Babe in 1961 (Photo: Sports Illustrated) On this day 52 years ago, Roger Maris began his assault on Babe Ruth‘s hallowed home run record. It took him until the eleventh game of the season, but Maris finally connected on a long ball in the 5th inning off of Detroit’s Paul Foytack. Incredibly, it would be his only home run in the month of April. He would see a surge in May with 11 dingers, but it hardly appeared he would make a run at the Sultan’s mark of 60; but as the temperatures rose with the onset of summer, so did Maris’ totals. After hitting a home run off of Boston’s Billy Muffett on May 31st, he would hit fifteen more by June 22nd, to give him a total of twenty-seven. Another thirteen in July gave him forty and by the time the steamy days of August were over he had fifty-one on his way to a remarkable and controversial finish to the saga. On October 1st, the season’s final day, the lefty turned on a pitch from Boston’s Tracy Stallard and sent #61 streaking into the right fie

Bailey looking for fan-friendly fights against Maidana or Thurman

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:44:43 -0500

Despite being 38 and coming off the loss of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight title belt by decision to Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KOs), three-time, two division world champion Randall "KO King" Bailey (43-8, 37 KOs) isn't ready just yet to hang-up his gloves for good. To the contrary, the Floridian is looking for, as he calls it, a few real fights against the likes of fellow sluggers Marcos Rene Maidana or Keith Thurman. Bailey is open to fighting past and present world champions, top contenders, or leading prospects but, what this feared one-punch threat would really like is a fan-friendly showdown against a straight forward, power puncher. "World title fights aren't always the best fights," he explained. "I want to be in entertaining fights, the ones TV networks want to pay for, and fans love to watch. If I had my choice, right now, it would be against Maidana or Thurman, even (Vyacheslav) Senchenko. They come forward and fight...

2012 Old-Timers' Day Roster Announced

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:35:00 -0400

Here is this year's Old-Timers' Day roster that the Yanks released today: (*Denotes First-Time Old-Timer) Luis Arroyo Jesse Barfield Yogi Berra Ron Blomberg Dr. Bobby Brown Homer Bush Jerry Coleman David Cone Bucky Dent Al Downing Brian Doyle Cecil Fielder Whitey Ford Oscar Gamble Jake Gibbs Joe Girardi Rich “Goose” Gossage Ron Guidry Charlie Hayes Rickey Henderson Sterling Hitchcock* Arlene Howard Helen Hunter Reggie Jackson Tommy John Pat Kelly Don Larsen Graeme Lloyd Hector Lopez Jill Martin Tino Martinez Lee Mazzilli Stump Merrill* Gene Monahan* Diana Munson Kay Murcer Matt Nokes* Paul O’Neill Joe Pepitone Lou Piniella Willie Randolph Bobby Richardson Mickey Rivers Aaron Small Mel Stottlemyre Darryl Strawberry Tanyon Sturtze* Ralph Terry Joe Torre Bob Turley Roy White Bernie Williams The 66th Old-Timers' Day will be on Sunday, July 1, at Yankee Stadium when the Yankees host the White Sox. Ceremonies are sche...

This Week in Yankees History (6/3-6/9)

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 17:20:00 -0400

This Week in Yankees History

June 3rd - June 9th

June 3rd

1929 - The New York Yankees released veteran 1B George “Tioga” Burns (1928-1929). George Burns played briefly with the New York Yankees in 1928, before finishing his long MLB career with the Philadelphia A’s in 1929. In 1915 with the Detroit Tigers, he b...

This Week in Yankees History (5/20-5/26)

Sun, 20 May 2012 15:47:00 -0400

This Week in Yankees History May 20th - May 26th May 20th 1890 - Former Yankees P Jesse ‘”Jim” Buckles (1916) was born (1890-1975). Jim Buckles appeared in 2 games with no record for the 1916 Yankees. 1893 - Former Yankees P Walter Bernhardt (1918) was born (1893-1958). Walt Bernhardt appeared in 1 game with no record for the 1918 Yankees. 1897 - Former Yankees Closer Wilcy “Cy” Moore (1927-1929,1932-1933) was born (1897-1963). Wilcy “Cy” Moore was the relief ace of the 1927 New York Yankees, posting a 19-7 record with 13 saves. His Yankees pitching career totals were 36-20 in 142 games with 27 saves. Wilcy Moore is considered to be the 1st of the great Yankee closers in the team’s history. 1904 - Former Yankees P Peter Appleton (also known as Peter Jablonski) (1933) was born. Peter Appleton appeared in 1 game with 1933 Yankees posting no record. The Yankees sent him back to the Newark Bears (International League) in 1934. Pete originally c...

Bailey planning to connect with bombs against Mike Jones

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:22:58 -0400

Bailey's Bombs still Explode For the past few years, two-time world champion Randall "The Knockout King" Bailey has been one of the most avoided boxers in the world, largely due to his awesome punching power, which has put 36 of his 42 victims to sleep. The ageless Floridian gets an overdue opportunity on June 9 to capture his third world title as he takes on Mike Jones for the vacant International Boxing Federation ("IBF") Welterweight Championship, in the 12-round co-feature on the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley pay-per-view card, live from MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Credit: Sumio Yamada "I just kept my fingers crossed and left things to my manager (Si Stern) and promoter (Lou DiBella)," remarked the highly respected Bailey while speaking about being avoided. "Guys claimed that they were fighting me but when it came time to sign a contract, they turned down fights. I feel that nobody wants to take a chance fighting me. I have to keep ...

Randall Bailey ready to take out years of frustration on Mike Jones

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:11:24 -0400

Two-time world champion Randall "The Knock-out King" Bailey, arguably the biggest pound-for-pound single puncher in boxing, finally gets an opportunity to exorcise years of demon-like frustrations on June 9, when he takes on unbeaten Mike Jones for the vacant International Boxing Federation ("IBF") Welterweight Championship, in the 12-round co-feature on the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley pay-per-view card, live from MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Credit: Sumio Yamada For years, Bailey (42-7, 36 KOs) has been considered too much of a risk for some of today's brightest stars. Awesome, one-punch knockout ability will do just that to a fighter's reputation like Bailey's. Ask Jackson Isei Bonsu and Frankie Figueroa, two of Bailey's 36 knockout victims, who were literally out cold before they hit the mat, after getting chin-checked by a powerful Randall right. "Randall Bailey has been frustrated most of his career," his longtime manager Si ...

Pacquiao-Bradley undercard announced: Jones-Bailey, Rigondeaux-Kennedy, Arce-Rojas

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:03:06 -0400

If the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley, Jr. World Welterweight Championship pay-per-view undercard was a poker hand it would be two pairs of world title fighters, Arce High! Six gladiators will be going mano a mano in two world championship rumbles and a 10-round junior featherweight brawl. The three-bout pay-per-view undercard will feature undefeated No. 1 welterweight contender MIKE “MJ” JONES battling two-time world champion and current No. 2 contender RANDALL “The Knockout King” BAILEY for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight title; undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX defending his title against world-rated TEON “The Technician” KENNEDY; and five-division world champion and Méxican icon JORGE “Travieso” ARCE, in his first fight in a Las Vegas ring in more than one year, taking on Puerto Rican knockout artist JESUS ROJAS in a 10-round junior featherweight fight. These six ...

This Week in Yankees History (4/22-4-28)

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:16:00 -0400

This Week in Yankees History

April 22nd - April 28th

April 22nd

1881 - Former Yankees INF Neal Ball (1907-1908) was born (1881-1957). Neal Ball hit .241 in 155 games for the Yankees, before he was sold to Cleveland.&l...

Classic Yankees: Johnny Blanchard

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:35:23 -0500

One day, I’ll put up a post on one of the retired numbers, a Martin “Classic Yankee”, Reggie, Mickey, Maris, heck, I’ve already done Dickey. The point is, people know about Ruth, Gehrig, Joe D., Mickey, etc., several times over. Their stories have been told countless times. One thing I like to do in these “Classic Yankees” bits is to spotlight the other players. Ones who may not have been great HOF stars or icons, but who in their own way are part of Yankees lore. Some were All-Stars, although not Hall-of-Famers. Some may have only had a brief moment in the sun, but that brief moment (think of say, Brian Doyle in the 1978 WS) helped to win a title. Johnny Blanchard fits that category. Blanchard was a third-string catcher for the Yanks in the early 1960s. That’s third-string behind Elston Howard and Yogi Berra, meaning not much playing time. The lefty-swinging Blanchard could also play the OF, and he had enough power to be a dangerous pinch-hitter. Defensively, Blanchard wasn’t in the cl

This Week in Yankees History (2/26-3/3)

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 03:39:00 -0500

This Week in New York Yankees History

February 26th - March 3rd

February 26th

1896 - Former Yankees P Harry “Rip” Collins (1920-1921) was born (1896-1968). On August 20, 1919, Harry “Rip” Collins was purchased by the New York Yankees from Dallas (Texas League). “Rip” Collins went 25-13 in 64 games...

Dick Stuart Helps Pirates Win 1960 World Series---By Sitting on the Bench

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:35:30 -0500

On SABR Day last week at the Forbes Field Chapter, our guest speaker was Dick Groat, Pirates’ shortstop on the 1960 World Champion’s captain and National League's Most Valuable Player. Groat told a captive audience about his All-American Duke University basketball career and his days in the NBA with the Ft. Wayne (now Detroit) Pistons. The Pistons were so eager to have Groat on its squad that it chartered a plane to take him back and forth from Pittsburgh to Ft. Wayne so he could play for both teams. Inevitably, the conversation got around to that famous World Series when the Pirates upset the heavily favored New York Yankees. Groat speculated that one of manager Danny Murtaugh’s most insightful moves was to bench Dick Stuart for the seventh game. Whether facing righty starters (Art Ditmar and Ralph Terry) or the lefty Whitey Ford, the right handed hitting Stuart batted clean up in five of the preceding six games. In the seventh game, however, Murtaugh inserted Rocky Nelson ...

This Week in Yankees History (1/8-1/14)

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:33:00 -0500

This Week in Yankees History

January 8th - January 14th

January 8th

1913 - The New York Highlanders signed former Chicago Cubs Manager Frank Chance to be their next manager. Chance previously won 2 World Series and 4 NL pennants as the manager of the Chicago Cubs. His New York Yankees managing reco...

Yardbarker: Hector Lopez

On This Day in History | 1961

Bailey looking for fan-friendly fights against Maidana or Thurman

2012 Old-Timers' Day Roster Announced

This Week in Yankees History (6/3-6/9)

This Week in Yankees History (5/20-5/26)

Bailey planning to connect with bombs against Mike Jones

Randall Bailey ready to take out years of frustration on Mike Jones

Pacquiao-Bradley undercard announced: Jones-Bailey, Rigondeaux-Kennedy, Arce-Rojas

This Week in Yankees History (4/22-4-28)

This Week in Yankees History

April 22nd - April 28th April 22nd 1881 - Former Yankees INF Neal Ball (1907-1908) was born (1881-1957). Neal Ball hit .241 in 155 games for the Yankees, before he was sold to Cleveland.&l...

Classic Yankees: Johnny Blanchard

This Week in Yankees History (2/26-3/3)

Dick Stuart Helps Pirates Win 1960 World Series---By Sitting on the Bench

This Week in Yankees History (1/8-1/14)

April 22nd - April 28th

April 22nd

1881 - Former Yankees INF Neal Ball (1907-1908) was born (1881-1957). Neal Ball hit .241 in 155 games for the Yankees, before he was sold to Cleveland.&l...