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Marvel Universe Cards

WikiSysop — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:27:53 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

'''Marvel Universe Cards''' were [[wikipedia:collectible| collectible]] [[trading cards]] based on the characters and events of the [[wikicomics:Marvel Universe| Marvel Universe]].

The first series was published by Impel in 1990. The cards featured categories such as Super Heroes, Super Villains, Rookies, Famous Battles, and Team Pictures. The concept spawned several more series and imitations such as [[DC Cosmic Cards]].

==Series I - 1990==
Each card in the 1990 series features a character or event on the front of the card, and a number of statistics (such as Real Name, Battles Fought, First Appearance, etc) and a short biography on the back. The series included 162 normal cards, and 5 limited edition hologram cards inserted randomly throughout packs.

This series offered several things that future series would not include. Such features were the 12 "Spider-Man Presents:" cards. In these cards, Spider-Man would conduct a humorous interview with other characters in the Marvel Universe such as Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, The Hulk, Silver Surfer, Thor, the Punisher, Magneto, Captain America, Dr. Strange, Iron Man, Wolverine and of course himself.

This is also the only of the mainstreams series that offered nicknames, win/loss records and a trading card of Stan Lee.

Other categories in the series included Super Heroes, Super Villains, Rookies, Famous Battle, Most Valuable Comics and Team Pictures.

In Series I, unique to the following series, Characters could have multiple cards in the same category. For example, Spider-man has three cards under the Super Hero category. Once card for each the Cosmic Spider-Man, Symbiote Costume and the Classic Spider-Man.

===Hologram Cards===
*MH1: Cosmic Spider-Man
*MH2: Magneto
*MH3: Silver Surfer
*MH4: Wolverine
*MH5: Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin

==Series II - 1991==

The following year, Marvel followed up with Series II. Once again there were 167 cards in total of this set, including five Holograms.

In this series, win/loss records were removed in favor of having Power Ratings. Each attribute, such as Speed, Stamina, Intelligence, Strength, Agility and Durability was rated for each character on a scale of 1 through 7. Series II also included three trading cards explaining what each rating meant. Later, these explanation were simply printed on the inside of the wrapper that the cards came in.

The Famous Battle category was now renamed Arch-Enemies, to highlight particular rivalries as opposed to single confrontations. Spider-Man Presents was also removed. Instead, two new categories were introduced, but would not appear again in the future. These one time only categories were Legends and Weapons. Legends paid tribute to characters that have died such as Kraven the Hunter or Bucky. Weapons gave a statistical look at weaponry such as Spider-Man's Web Shooters, Wolverine's Claws, Daredevils Billy Club and the Ultimate Nullifier.

===Hologram Cards===
*H-1: Spider-Man
*H-2: Hulk
*H-3: Punisher
*H-4: Doctor Doom
*H-5: Fantastic Four vs. Mole Man

==Series III - 1992==

This year, there would be 205 trading cards including the traditional five Holograms. Each hologram was now tinted a different color, like Wolverine in blue or Hulk in green.

This series changed things up a bit by several departures from the norm. Instead of having the "Did You Know?" fun fact on the back of each card, like series I and II both did, Series III had a quote from each character.

Several new Categories were also introduced. Team-ups (cards displaying interesting pairings of two particular characters), Cosmic Being ( Cards showcasing characters that hail from outer space.), the Origins card category that focused on specific character origins, and Milestones, which emphasized events in the Marvel Universe.

The background artwork for each card was an outer space scene which fit together across adjacent cards.

===Hologram Cards===
*H-1: Hulk
*H-2: Thing
*H-3: Wolverine
*H-4: Venom
*H-5: Ghost Rider

==Series IV - 1993==
This set featured 179 base cards plus the checklist. It also had a 9 card red foil chase set featuring characters from the [[wikicomics:Marvel 2099| Marvel 2099]] comics. It also had one very rare hologram featuring a Spider-Man vs Venom battle (with either red, green, or blue tints). This set was noteworthy because 135 of the 180 base set cards were portions of larger 9 card pictures. Thus, when the cards were put into standard 9 card sheets, the cards formed a large, contiguous, image. There were also 9 cards of "Unsolved Mysteries" such as Wolverine's origin or the identity of the 6th member of the Infinity Watch. The remaining cards featured famous battles of heroes vs villains and also heroes vs heroes.

===Foil Cards===
*1-2099: Doom 2099
*2-2099: Vulture 2099
*3-2009: Ravage 2099
*4-2009: Fearmaster
*5-2009: Spider-Man 2099
*6-2009: Punisher 2099
*7-2009: Specialist
*8-2009: Dethstryk
*9-2009: Tyger Wylde

===Hologram Card===
*H-IV: Spider-Man vs. Venom

==Series V - 1994==
This set continued the tradition set by Series IV in that it had some larger 9 card artwork panels. However, these focused on specific comic book crossovers such as [[wikicomics:Fatal Attractions|Fatal Attractions]] and [[wikicomics:Maximum Carnage| Maximum Carnage]]. The backs of the cards summarized the progression of the plot of the crossover, sometimes relative to the character on the front of the card, sometimes not. However, only 81 of the base set cards were of this style. The majority of the cards were simply an alphabetic organization of heroes and villains (including Marvel 2099 cards, who played a more prominent role here).

For chase cards, this set had 4 holograms, 10 "suspended animation" cards (characters printed on clear plastic cards), and 9 "power blast" cards (foil/holofoil). The power blast cards came in 3 variants, having gold, silver, or bronze backgrounds, depending on where the cards were purchased. The holograms came in three variants, red/dark orange tint, orange/green tint, and orange/red tint.

An uncut "Promo Sheet" was distributed featuring Sabertooth, Rogue, Hawkeye, and Punisher.

===Power Blast Cards===
*1: Carnage
*2: Punisher
*3: Ghost Rider
*4: Gambit
*5: Hulk
*6: Spider-Man
*7: Iron Man
*8: Cyclops
*9: Thing

===Suspended Animation Cards===
*1: Gambit
*2: Human Torch
*3: Invisible Women
*4: Iron Man
*5: Silver Surfer
*6: Spider-Man
*7: Thing
*8: Venom
*9: War Machine
*10: Wolverine

===Hologram Cards===
*1: Spiderman
*2: Wolverine
*3: War Machine
*4: Silver Surfer

==External links==
* [http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.1089.Make_Mine_Marvel:_Marvel_Universe_Cards_Series_1| Complete scans of Marvel Universe Series 1 at Marvel.com] 
* [http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.1098.Make_Mine_Marvel:_Marvel_Universe_Cards_Series_2| Complete scans of Marvel Universe Series 2 at Marvel.com] 
* [http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.1066.Make_Mine_Marvel:_Marvel_Universe_Cards_Series_3| Complete scans of Marvel Universe Series 3 at Marvel.com] 
* [http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/allender/mrvuni94.htm Complete checklist of Marvel Universe Series 4 from House of Checklists] 
* [http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/allender/mrvuni95.htm Complete checklist of Marvel Universe Series 5 from House of Checklists] 

[[Category:Marvel Universe Cards]]

Baseball Cards

WikiSysop — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:01:18 GMT

Summary:

'''Baseball Cards''' are one type of [[trading card]], relating to baseball, usually printed on some type of [[wikipedia:paper| paper]] stock or card stock. A card will usually feature one or more [[wikisports:baseball| baseball]] players or other baseball-related sports figures. Cards are most often found in the [[wikipedia:United States| United States]] but are also common in countries such as [[wikipedia:Canada| Canada]], [[wikipedia:Cuba| Cuba]], and [[wikipedia:Japan| Japan]], where baseball is a popular sport and there are professional leagues.

==Production==
While baseball cards were first produced in the United States, as the popularity of [[wikisports:baseball| baseball]] spread to other countries, so too did the production of baseball cards. Sets appeared in [[wikipedia:Japan| Japan]] as early as 1898,<ref>Fitts, Robert K.. ''An Introduction to Japanese Baseball Cards''. ISBN.</ref> in [[wikipedia:Cuba| Cuba]] as early as 1909<ref>[http://www.cubanbaseballcards.com/Cabanas.html 1909 Cabanas]. | Retrieved on 2006-09-19.</ref> and in Canada as early as 1912.<ref>[http://www.oldcardboard.com/foreign/canada/c/c46/c46.asp?cardsetID=1004 1912 Imperial Tobacco]</ref>

===Attributes===
The obverse, or front of the card, typically displays an image of the subject with identifying information of that subject. This includes, but is not limited to, player name and team affiliation. The reverse of most modern cards displays statistics and/or biographical information. Many early [[trade card]]s displayed advertisements for a particular brand or company on the back. Although the function of trade cards had much in common with [[wikipedia:business card| business card]], the format of baseball trade cards also often resembled that of [[playing card]]s.

While there are no firm standards that limit the size or shape of a baseball card, most cards of today are 2-½ inches by 3-½ inches (6.35 cm by 8.89 cm) and in the shape of a rectangle.<ref>[http://www.topps.com/SportsCollect/spc_history.html Topps Sports History]. Retrieved on 2006-09-19.</ref>

===Baseball Card Classification: The Type Card===
Since early baseball cards were produced primarily as a marketing vehicle, collectors began to classify those cards by the 'type' of company producing the set. The system implemented by Jefferson Burdick in ''[[American Card Catalogue]]'' has become the ''de facto'' standard in identifying and organizing trade cards produced in the [[wikipedia:Americas| Americas]] pre-1951. The catalogue itself extends into many other areas of [[wikipedia:collecting| collecting]] beyond the sport of baseball. There are two major shortcomings of this system: it does not include classifications for non-American cards and there are numerous mistakes and inconsistencies in the system. However, sets like 1909–1911 White Borders, 1910 Philadelphia Caramel’s, and 1909 Box Tops most commonly referred to by their ACC catalogue numbers ([[T206]], E95, and W555, respectively).

==History of Cards==
===Pre-1900===
[[Image:King Kelly 0554fu.jpg|thumb|right|An 1888 "Godwin Champions" [[cigarette card]] of [[King Kelly]], one of the earliest cards using [[wikipedia:chromolithography|chromolithography]] to create multi-colored images of players.]]
During the mid-19th century in the United States, [[wikisports:baseball| baseball]] and [[wikipedia:photography| photography]] were both gaining popularity. As a result, baseball [[wikipedia:team|clubs]] began to pose for group and individual pictures, much like members of other clubs and associations posed. Some of these photographs were printed onto small cards similar to modern wallet photos. As baseball increased in popularity and became a [[wikipedia:professional| professional]] sport during the late 1860s, [[trade card]]s featuring baseball players appeared. These were used by a variety of companies to promote their business, even if the products being advertised had no connection with baseball. In 1868, Peck and Snyder, a sporting goods store in New York, began producing trade cards featuring baseball teams.<ref>[http://www.cycleback.com/1800s/trade.htm Early Trade Cards - the First Baseball Cards] | Retrieved on 2006-09-19.</ref> Peck and Snyder sold baseball equipment, and the cards were a natural [[wikipedia:advertising| advertising]] vehicle. The Peck and Snyder cards are sometimes considered the first baseball cards.

Typically, a trade card of the time featured an image on one side and information advertising the business on the other. Advances in color printing increased the appeal of the cards. As a result, cards began to use photographs, either in [[wikipedia:black-and-white| black-and-white]] or [[wikipedia:sepia tone|sepia]], or color artwork, which was not necessarily based on photographs. Some early baseball cards could be used as part of a [[wikipedia:game| game]], which might be either a conventional [[wikipedia:card game| card game]] or a [[wikipedia:simulation|simulated]] baseball game.

By early 1886, images of baseball players were often included on [[cigarette cards]] with [[wikipedia:cigarette|cigarette packs]] and other tobacco products. This was partly for promotional purposes and partly because the card helped protect the cigarettes from damage. By the end of the century, baseball had become so popular that production had spread well beyond the Americas and into the Pacific Isles<ref>Fitts, Robert K.. ''An Introduction to Japanese Baseball Cards''. ISBN.</ref>.

===1900–1920===
[[Image:HonusWagnerCard.jpg|thumb|[[T206 Honus Wagner| Honus Wagner]]]]
By the turn of the century, most baseball cards were produced by confectionery companies and tobacco companies.<ref>Bread Companies, Game Companies, & many other types of companies also produced cards</ref> The first major set of the 20th century was issued by the Breisch-Williams Company in 1903.<ref>[http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/site/bidplace.aspx?itemid=3706 1903 E103 Breisch-Williams] | Retrieved on 2006-09-19.</ref> Breisch-Williams was a confectionery company based in [[wikipedia:Oxford, Pennsylvania| Oxford, Pennsylvania]]. Soon after, several other companies began to advertise their products with baseball cards. This included, but was not limited to, the [[American Tobacco Company]], the [[American Caramel Company]], the [[Imperial Tobacco Company]] of Canada, and [[Cabanas]], a Cuban cigar manufacturer.

The American Tobacco Company decided to introduce baseball advertising cards into their tobacco products with the issue of the [[T206]] White Border Set in 1909. The cards were included in packs of cigarettes and produced over a three-year period until the ATC was dissolved. The most famous, and most expensive card for the grade, is the [[T206 Honus Wagner |Honus Wagner]] card from this set.<ref>Heitman, William R. (1980). The Sport Americana, T206, ''The Monster''. Den's Collectors Den. ISBN.</ref>

At the same time, many other non-tobacco companies started producing and distributing baseball trade cards to the public. Between 1909 and 1911, The American Caramel Company produced the E90-1 series and 1911 saw the introduction of the ‘Zee Nut’ card. These sets were produced over a 28-year span by the Collins-McCarthy Company of California. By the mid-teens companies such as ''[[wikipedia:The Sporting News| The Sporting News]]'' magazine began sponsoring card issues. [[wikipedia:Caramel| Caramel]] companies like Rueckheim Bros. & Eckstein were among the first to put 'prizes' in boxes. In 1914, they produced the first of two [[wikipedia:Cracker Jack| Cracker Jack]] card issues, which featured players from both major leagues as well as players from the short lived [[wikipedia:Federal League| Federal League]]. As the teens drew to a close, the Chicago-based Boston Store Department company also issued a set.

===1920–1930===
After the end of [[wikipedia:World War I| World War I]] in 1918, baseball card production lulled for a few years as foreign markets were not yet developed and the United States’ economy was transitioning away from wartime production. This trend would continue until the late 30’s when the effects of the [[wikipedia:Great depression| Great depression]] finally hit. The twenties produced a second influx of caramel cards, a plethora of postcard issues, and a handful of cards from different regions of the world. During the first two years, an influx of strip cards hit the market. These cards were distributed in long strips and often cut by the consumer or the retailer in the store.
The American Caramel Company re-emerged as a producer of baseball cards and started to distribute sets in 1922–1923. Few, if any cards, were produced in the mid-twenties until 1927 when companies like York Caramel of [[wikipedia:York, Pennsylvania| York, Pennsylvania]] got in on the fun. Cards with similar images as the York Caramel set were produced in 1928 for four ice cream companies, [[wikipedia:D. G. Yuengling & Son|Yuengling's]], Harrington's, Sweetman and Tharp's.
In 1921, the Exhibit Supply Company of Chicago started to release issues on post card stock. Although they are considered a post card issue, many of the cards had statistics and other biographical information on the back.<ref>The company’s baseball cards last appeared in 1966.</ref>
1922 saw the emergence of the foreign markets after what was essentially a 10-year hiatus. Several Canadian products found their way to the market including products branded by Nielson’s “Big League” Chocolate bars and Willard’s Chocolate Company. Billiken Cigars, a.k.a. “Cigarros Billiken”, were distributed in Cuba, and England, a longtime home to non-sports [[cigarette card|tobacco cards]], got into the baseball card market.

===1930–1950===
In the early 1930s, production soared, starting with the 1932 US Caramel set. The popular 1933 [[Goudey|Goudey Gum Co.]] issue, which included cards of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, best identifies this era. In contrast to the economical designs common in earlier decades, this card set featured bright, hand-colored player photos on the front. Backs provided brief biographies and personal information such as height, weight, and birthplace. The 240-card set, quite large for the time, included current players, former stars, and prominent minor leaguers. Individual cards measured 2 3/8" by 2 7/8", which Goudey printed on 24-card sheets and distributed throughout the year.<ref>[http://www.psacard.com/articles/article_view.chtml?artid=4775&universeid=314&type=1 1933 Goudey R319: A Closer Look at One of the Hobby's "Big Three"]. Retrieved on 2008-01-08.</ref> The bulk of early [[wikipedia:National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|National Baseball Hall of Fame]] inductees appear in this set.

1933 also saw the delivery of the World Wide Gum issue. World Wide Gum Co. was based in Montreal and clearly had a close relationship with the Goudey Gum Company, as each of their four issues closely resembled a Goudey contemporary. Goudey, National Chicle, Delong and a handful of other companies were competitive in the bubble gum and baseball card market until [[wikipedia:World War II| World War II]] began.

After 1941, cards would not be produced in any significant number until a few years after the end of the war. Wartime production transitioned into the post-war civilian [[wikipedia:consumer goods| consumer goods]], and in 1948 baseball card production resumed in the US with issues by the [[Bowman Gum]] and the [[Leaf Candy Company]]. At the same time, [[Topps|Topps Gum Company]] issued their Magic Photos set, four years before they issued their first “traditional” card set.<ref>[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/baseball_cards/baseball_cards_oneset.php?s=1948top01 Topps Magic Photos]. Retrieved on 2006-09-19.</ref> By 1950, Leaf had bowed out of the industry.

Toward the end of the decade, Japanese baseball cards began appearing in large quantities. Many of them were produced and associated with [[Menko]], a popular Japanese card game. More conventional sets from Japan would appear several decades later.

==Modern card history==
===1948–1980===
[[Image:52 Topps Mantle.jpg|thumb|100px|left|1952 [[Topps]] [[Mickey Mantle]] card]]
Bowman was the major producer of Baseball cards from 1948–1952. In 1952, Topps began to produce large sets of cards as well. The 1952 Topps set is the most sought-after post-World War set among collectors because of the scarcity of the Mickey Mantle card, the first Mantle card issued by Topps. Although it is not his rookie card (that honor belongs to his 1951 Bowman card), it is still considered the ultimate card to own of the post-war era.

Topps and Bowman then competed for customers and for the rights to any baseball players' likeness. Two-years later, Leaf stopped producing cards. In 1956, [[Topps]] bought out Bowman and enjoyed a largely unchallenged position in the US market for the next two decades. From 1952–1969, Topps always offered five or six card nickel wax packs and in 1952–1964, also offered one card penny packs. For the 1970s, however, Topps increased the cost of a wax pack to a dime (with 10–15 cards depending on year) and also offered cello packs (typically around 28–32 cards) for 25–35 cents, and rack packs of 42–50 cards costing 50–70 cents depending on year.

This did not prevent a large number of regional companies from producing successful runs of trading cards. Additionally, several US companies attempted to crack into the market at a national level. In 1959, [[wikipedia:Fleer| Fleer]], a gum company, signed [[Ted Williams]] to an exclusive contract and sold a set of cards featuring him. Williams retired in 1960 forcing Fleer to produce a set of ''Baseball Greats'' cards featuring retired players. Like the Topps cards, they were sold with gum. In 1963, Fleer produced a 67 card set of active players (this time with a cherry cookie in the packs instead of gum), which was not successful, as most players were contractually obligated to Topps. Post Cereals issued cards on cereal boxes from 1960 to 1963 and corporate sibling Jell-O issued virtually identical cards on the back of its packages in 1962 and 1963. Leaf also issued a card set in 1960.

In 1965, Topps licensed production to Canadian candy maker [[wikipedia:O-Pee-Chee|O-Pee-Chee]]. The O-Pee-Chee sets were essentially identical to the Topps sets until 1969, when the backs of the cards were branded O-Pee-Chee. In 1970, due to federal legislation, O-Pee-Chee was compelled to add [[wikipedia:French language|French-language]] text to the backs of its baseball cards.<ref>[http://www.iamdanaustin.com/opc/#history O-Pee-Chee Cards] Retrieved on 2006-09-19.</ref>

In the 1970s, several companies took advantage of a new licensing scheme, not to take on Topps, but to create premiums. [[wikipedia:Kellogg Company|Kellogg’s]] began to produce 3D-cards inserted with cereal and [[wikipedia:Hostess (brand)|Hostess]] printed cards on packages of its baked goods.

In 1976, a company called TCMA, which mainly produced minor league baseball cards, produced a set of 630 cards consisting of Major League Ball players. The cards were produced under the name the Sports Stars Publishing Company, or SSPC. TCMA published a baseball card magazine named Collectors Quarterly which it used to advertise its set offering it directly via mail order. However, the set was basically a failure, as it was unlicensed and brought about a cease and desist order from Topps.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}

This type of power provided Topps with the ability to thwart competitors from seriously threatening their market share.

===1981–Present===

[[wikipedia:Fleer| Fleer]] sued Topps and the MLBPA in [[wikipedia:1975| 1975]] to break Topps' monopoly on baseball cards; it won.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} In [[wikipedia:1981| 1981]], Fleer and [[Donruss Cards|Donruss]] issued baseball card sets, both with gum. An appeal of the Fleer lawsuit by Topps clarified that Topps' exclusive rights only applied to cards sold with gum.<ref>[http://business.enotes.com/company-histories/donruss-playoff-l-p/production-baseball-cards-begins-1981?print=1 International Directory of Company Histories]. Donruss Playoff L.P.. Production of Baseball Cards Begins in 1981</ref> After the appeal, Fleer and Donruss continued to produce cards issued without gum; Fleer included team logo stickers with their card packs, while Donruss introduced "Hall of Fame Diamond Kings" puzzles and included three puzzle pieces in each pack. In 1992, Topps' gum and Fleer's logo stickers were discontinued, with Donruss discontinuing the puzzle piece inserts the following year.<ref>''2006 Beckett Almanac of Baseball Cards and Collectibles''</ref> In 1984, two monthly [[wikipedia:price guide| price guide]]s came on the scene. ''[[wikipedia:Tuff Stuff| Tuff Stuff]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Beckett Baseball Card Monthly| Beckett Baseball Card Monthly]]'', published by Dr. [[wikipedia:James Beckett| James Beckett]], attempted to track the approximate market value of several types of [[trading card]]s.

More collectors entered the hobby during the 1980s. As a result, manufacturers such as Score (which later became Pinnacle Brands) and [[Upper Deck Cards|Upper Deck]] entered the marketplace in 1988 and 1989 respectively. Upper Deck introduced several innovative production methods including tamper-proof foil packaging, hologram-style logos, and higher quality card stock. This style of production allowed Upper Deck to charge a premium for its product. In 1989, Upper Deck's first set included the [[wikipedia:Ken Griffey, Jr| Ken Griffey, Jr]] rookie card. The card became highly sought-after until Griffey's persistent injury troubles caused his performance level to decline.<ref>''2006 Beckett Almanac of Baseball Cards and Collectibles''</ref>

The other major card companies followed suit and created card brands with higher [[wikipedia:price point| price point]]s. [[wikipedia:Topps#Topps in the modern baseball card industry|Topps resurrected]] the [[wikipedia:Bowman Gum|Bowman]] brand name in 1989. Topps produced a Stadium Club issue in 1991. Two years later, they followed with a ''Topps Finest'' set. Topps Finest was the first set to utilize refractors, a shiny modification to the standard card set which proved extremely popular among hobbyists. Meanwhile, Donruss issued its [[wikipedia:Leaf Candy Company|Leaf]] brand in 1990; Fleer followed with Fleer Ultra sets in 1991; and Score issued Pinnacle brand cards in 1992.<ref>''2006 Beckett Almanac of Baseball Cards and Collectibles''</ref>

Starting in 1997 with Upper Deck, companies began inserting cards with swatches of uniforms and pieces of game-used baseball equipment as part of a plan to generate interest. Card companies obtained all manner of memorabilia, from uniform jerseys and pants, to bats, gloves, caps, and even bases and defunct stadium seats to feed this new hobby demand.<ref>''2006 Beckett Almanac of Baseball Cards and Collectibles''</ref> It is also in 1997 that the first "one-of-one" cards were released by Fleer, beginning with the 1997 Flair Showcase "Masterpieces" (the Ultra set would begin to include purple 1-of-1 masterpieces the following year). Both kinds of inserts remain popular staples in the hobby today.

The process and cost of multi-tiered printings, monthly set issues, licensing fees, and player-spokesman contracts made for a difficult market. Pinnacle Brands folded after 1998. Pacific, which acquired full licensing in 1994, ceased production in 2001. In 2005, [[Fleer Cards|Fleer]] went bankrupt and was bought out by [[Upper Deck Cards|Upper Deck]], and [[Donruss Cards|Donruss]] lost the MLB license in 2006 (they also did not produce baseball cards in 1999 and 2000). At that time, the [[wikipedia:MLBPA| MLBPA]] limited the number of companies that would produce baseball cards to offset the glut in product, and to consolidate the market.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} As a result of the measure that included revoking the MLB/MLBPA production licenses from Donruss, only two companies remained; Topps and Upper Deck.<ref>''2006 Beckett Almanac of Baseball Cards and Collectibles''</ref>

Topps and Upper Deck are the only two companies that retained production licenses for baseball cards of major league players. In a move to expand their market influence, Upper Deck purchased the Fleer brand and the remnants of its production inventory. After purchasing Fleer, Upper Deck took over production of the remaining products that were slated to be released. [[Upper Deck Cards|Upper Deck]] continues to issue products with the Fleer name, while Topps continues to release Bowman and Bazooka card products. Topps is also the only company that continues to produce pre-collated factory sets of cards.<ref>''2006 Beckett Almanac of Baseball Cards and Collectibles''</ref>

Card companies are trying to maintain a sizable hobby base in a variety of ways. Especially prominent is a focus on transitioning the cards to an online market. Both Topps and Upper Deck have issued cards that require online registration, while Topps has targeted the investment-minded collector with its eTopps offering of cards that are maintained and traded at its website.{{Fact|date=January 2008}}

During the same time period, MLBPA also introduced a new guideline for players to attain a rookie card. For years, players had been highlighted in previous sets as a rookie while still in the Minor Leagues. Such players would sometimes remain in the Minor Leagues for considerable time before attaining Major League status, making a player's rookie card released years before their first game as a major leaguer. The new guideline requires players to be part of the a Major League team roster before a rookie card would be released in their name, and a designated "rookie card" logo printed on the face of the card. The rookie card logo shows the words "rookie card" over a baseball bat and home plate with the Major League Baseball logo in the top left corner.

In early 2007, two developments in the industry occurred within 24 hours of each other, both of which garnered national media attention. First, it was found that Topps' new [[Derek Jeter]] card had been purportedly altered just prior to final printing. A reported [[wikipedia:practical joke|prankster]] inside the company had inserted a photo of [[Mickey Mantle]] into the [[wikipedia:New York Yankees|Yankees]]' dugout and another showing a smiling President [[wikipedia:George W. Bush| George W. Bush]] waving from the stands. Topps Spokesman Clay Luraschi later admitted that it was done on purpose by the Topps creative department.

Shortly afterward, the hobby's most expensive card, a near mint-mint professionally graded and authenticated T206 [[wikisports:Honus Wagner| Honus Wagner]], was sold to a private collector for $2.35 million. It is believed to be the highest price ever paid for a baseball card of any kind.

==The card markets==
===United States===
Baseball cards in the United States have gone through numerous changes in everything from production and marketing to distribution and use. The earliest cards were targeted primarily at adults as they were produced and associated by Photographers selling services and Tobacco companies in order to market wares.
By the early teens, many cards were issued as part of games and confection companies began to distribute their own card sets.
The market in the United States has been particularly affected by political issues both sports and non-sports related. Economic effects of World War I, World War II, and the Great Depression have all had a major impact on the production of cards. For example, [[wikipedia:World War I| World War I]] suppressed baseball card production to the point where only a handful of sets were produced until the economy had transitioned away from wartime [[wikipedia:industrialization| industrialization]]. By that same token, the 1994 players' strike caused a decline in interest and industry consolidation. Yet, with the advent and acceptance of third party grading companies [c. 1997] bringing greater objectivity in the [http://www.baseballcardbuyer.com/pages/grademycards.html grading] of baseball cards (coupled with online marketing), the baseball card hobby/business has been quite popular for close to ten years strong.

==== The Topps Monopoly ====
Topps' purchase of Bowman led to a stranglehold on player contracts. Since Topps had no competition and there was no easy way for others to break into the national market, the company had a de facto monopoly. However, several regional sets featuring players from local teams, both major league and minor league, were issued by various companies.

Over the years, there was also a great deal of resistance from other companies. In 1967, Topps faced an attempt to undermine its position from the [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball Players Association| Major League Baseball Players Association]], the League’s nascent [[wikipedia:trade union|players' union]]. Struggling to raise funds, the MLBPA discovered that it could generate significant income by pooling the publicity rights of its members and offering companies a group [[wikipedia:license| license]] to use their images on various products. After initially putting players on [[wikipedia:Coca-Cola| Coca-Cola]] [[wikipedia:bottlecap| bottlecap]]s, the union concluded that the Topps contracts did not pay players adequately for their rights.

Fleer even filed a complaint with the [[wikipedia:Federal Trade Commission| Federal Trade Commission]] alleging that Topps was engaged in unfair competition through its aggregation of exclusive contracts. A hearing examiner ruled against Topps in 1965, but the Commission reversed this decision on appeal. The Commission concluded that because the contracts only covered the sale of cards with gum, competition was still possible by selling cards with other small, low-cost products. However, Fleer chose not to pursue such options and instead sold its remaining player contracts to Topps for $395,000 in 1966.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}

Soon after, MLBPA executive director [[wikipedia:Marvin Miller| Marvin Miller]] then approached Joel Shorin, the president of Topps, about renegotiating these contracts. At this time, Topps had every [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|major league]] player under contract, generally for five years plus renewal options, so Shorin declined. After continued discussions went nowhere, before the 1968 season, the union asked its members to stop signing renewals on these contracts, and offered Fleer the exclusive rights to market cards.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}. Although Fleer declined the proposal, by the end of 1973, Topps had agreed to double its payments to each player from $125 to $250, and also to begin paying players a percentage of Topps' overall sales. The figure for individual player contracts has since increased to $500. Since then, Topps used individual player contracts as the basis for its baseball cards.

==== Fleer vs. Topps ====
In April 1975, Fleer asked for Topps to waive its exclusive rights and allow Fleer to produce stickers, stamps, or other small items featuring active baseball players. Topps refused, and Fleer then sued both Topps and the MLBPA to break the Topps monopoly. After several years of litigation, the court ordered the union to offer group licenses for baseball cards to companies other than Topps. Fleer and another company, [[Donruss Cards|Donruss]], were thus allowed to begin making cards in 1981. Fleer's legal victory was overturned after one season, but they continued to manufacture cards, substituting stickers with team logos for gum. Donruss distributed their cards with a [[wikipedia:Jigsaw puzzle| Jigsaw puzzle]] piece.

=== Canada ===
The history of baseball cards in Canada is somewhat similar to that of baseball cards in the United States. The first cards were trade cards, then cards issued with tobacco products and later candies and gum. World Wide Gum and [[wikipedia:O-Pee-Chee|O-Pee-Chee]] both produced major sets during the 1930’s.

In 1952, Topps started distributing its American made cards in Canada. In 1965 O-Pee-Chee re-entered the baseball card market producing a licenced version of the Topps set. From 1970 until the last Topps based set was produced in 1992 the cards were bi-lingual [[wikipedia:French language|French]]/[[wikipedia:English language|English]] to comply with Canadian law<ref>[http://www.oldbaseball.com/refs/opc.html A Brief History Of O-Pee-Chee]. Retrieved on 2006-09-20.</ref><ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/arts/walkoffame/opeechee.html CBC.ca - Arts - Alternative Canadian Walk of Fame - Inductee: O-Pee-Chee]. Retrieved on 2006-09-20.</ref>

From 1985 until 1988, [[Donruss Cards|Donruss]] issued a parallel Canadian set under the [[wikipedia:Leaf Candy Company|Leaf]] name. The set was basically identical to the Donruss issues of the same years however it was bi-lingual. All the Leaf sets were produced in the United States.

There were several promotional issues issued by Canadian firms since Major League Baseball began in Canada in 1969. There were also several public safety sets issued, most notably the [[wikipedia:Toronto Blue Jays| Toronto Blue Jays]] fire safety sets of the 1980s and early 1990s and the Toronto Public Libraries "Reading is fun" set of 1998 and 1999. These sets were distributed in the Toronto area. The cards were monolingual and only issued in English.

===Japan===
The first baseball cards appeared in Japan in the late 19th century. Unlike American cards of the same era, the cards utilized traditional Japanese pen and ink illustrations. In the 1920s, black and white photo postcards were issued, but illustrated cards were the norm until the 1950s. The 1950s brought about cards which incorporated photos of players, mostly in black and white. [[Menko cards]] also became popular at the time.

[[wikipedia:Nippon Professional Baseball|NPB]] branded baseball cards are currently widely available in Japanese toy stores, convenience stores, sports stores, and as bonus items included in certain packages of potato chips.

===United Kingdom===
In 1987 and 1988 the American company [[Topps Cards|Topps]] issued two series of American baseball cards featuring cards from American and Canadian [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball| Major League Baseball]] teams in the [[wikipedia:United Kingdom| United Kingdom]]. The full colour cards were produced by Topps [[wikipedia:Republic of Ireland| Republic of Ireland]] subsidiary company and contained explanations of baseball terms. Given the unfamiliarity of baseball in the United Kingdom, the issues were unsuccessful.

===Latin America===
Topps issued licensed sets in [[wikipedia:Venezuela| Venezuela]] from 1959 to 1977. Most of the set had Spanish in place of the English text on the cards and the sets included winter league players. There were locally produced cards depicting players from the winter leagues produced by Offset Venezolana C.A., Sport Grafico, and others which were in production until the late 1990s.

In [[wikipedia:Cuba| Cuba]], sets were issued first in the early 1900s. By the 1930s various candy and chocolate makers were offering cards, most notably Baguer Chocolate. The post-World War Two era had cards issued by magazines, candy makers, [[wikipedia:Coca-Cola| Coca-Cola]], and of course a gum company. In post [[wikipedia:Cuban revolution|revolution]] Cuba, baseball cards were still issued.

Several sets of [[wikipedia:Mexican League| Mexican League]] baseball cards have been issued in the past few years.

==See also==
*[[wikisports:Baseball|Baseball]]
*[[Football Cards]]
*[[Hockey card]]
*[[Rookie card]]
*[[Sports cards]]
*[[Trading cards]]
*[[Cigarette Cards]]
*[[Tobacco Cards]]

==References and footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Baseball]]

Magic: The Gathering Cards

WikiSysop — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:57:51 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:Magic the gathering-card back.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Magic: The Gathering card back]]
'''Magic: The Gathering cards''' are produced in much the same way as normal [[playing card]]s. Each ''Magic'' card has a face which displays the card's name and rules text as well as an illustration appropriate to the card's concept. 9113 unique cards have been produced for the game, many of them with variant editions, artwork, or layouts, and 600–1000 new ones are added each year.<ref name="Gatherer">http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/Index.aspx Gatherer]. Retrieved on 2007-11-26., the official ''Magic'' card database.</ref>

The first ''Magic'' cards were printed exclusively in [[wikipedia:English language|English]], but current sets are also printed in [[wikipedia:Simplified Chinese| Simplified Chinese]], [[wikipedia:French language|French]], [[wikipedia:German language|German]], [[wikipedia:Italian language|Italian]], [[wikipedia:Japanese language|Japanese]], [[wikipedia:Portuguese language|Portuguese]], [[wikipedia:Russian language|Russian]], and [[wikipedia:Spanish language|Spanish]].<ref>[[wikipedia:Mark Rosewater| Mark Rosewater]] [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr214b Coldsnap Q & A]. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.</ref> shows those 9 languages as of the summer of 2006. ''Magic'' was previously printed in [[wikipedia:Traditional Chinese| Traditional Chinese]] (used in [[wikipedia:Taiwan| Taiwan]]) and [[wikipedia:Korean language|Korean]], but this stopped after ''[[wikipedia:Urza's Saga| Urza's Saga]]'', when [[wikipedia:Simplified Chinese| Simplified Chinese]] was added, the official language of the [[wikipedia:People's Republic of China| People's Republic of China]].<ref>See [http://www.magiclibrary.net/sets.html www.magiclibrary.net] for a language history, albeit one that is not updated any more.</ref>

''Magic'' cards are normally divided into three rarities, which can be differentiated by the color of the expansion symbol (in sets released after the [[Stronghold]] expansion. For sets released prior to [[Stronghold]], rarities must be checked against any number of databases). These are Common (Black), Uncommon (Silver), and Rare (Gold). Basic lands are their own rarity, and are colored black as commons. Most new cards are purchased in the form of "Booster Packs" or "Tournament Packs". A fifteen-card Booster Pack will typically contain one Rare, three Uncommons, and eleven Commons. A Tournament Pack typically contains three Rares, ten Uncommons, thirty-two Commons, and thirty Basic Lands.<ref>"Typically" is used due to a change in card distribution in ''[[Time Spiral]]'' which allows premium cards of any rarity to replace Common cards instead of cards of their own rarity. See [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr247 Purple Reign] for more information.</ref> This means that three Booster Packs are roughly equivalent to one Tournament Pack.<ref>Tournament Packs contain one more Uncommon and one less Common than would be acquired from three Booster Packs, so they aren't exactly equal.</ref>

The vast majority of ''Magic'' cards are marketed to the public in the form of sets. The biennially-released  Core Set currently consists of three-hundred and eighty-three reprinted cards, with a mixture of old and new artwork. ''[[10th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)|Tenth Edition]]'' is the most recent Core Set and was released on Saturday, July 14, 2007. Newly-designed cards are first sold in expansion sets with a "block" consisting of up to three theme-related expansion sets released over a period of a year. The first and largest part of a block is the set released in or around October and typically consists of three-hundred and six cards with eighty-eight Rares, eighty-eight Uncommons, one-hundred and ten Commons and twenty Basic Lands. At subsequent four-month intervals, the second and third expansion sets of the block are issued. These two smaller sets each typically consist of one-hundred and sixty-five cards divided into fifty-five Commons, fifty-five Uncommons, fifty-five Rares, and zero Basic Lands. The number of cards per set and the rarity distribution has varied over time.

In 2003, starting with the ''Eighth Edition'' Core Set, the game went through its biggest visual change since its creation—a new card frame layout was developed to allow more rules text and larger art on the cards, while reducing the thick, colored border to a minimum.<ref>[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/feature/121 Card Face Redesign FAQ]. Retrieved on 2006-09-30.</ref> The new frame design aimed to improve contrast and readability using black type instead of the previous white, a new font, and partitioned areas for the name, card type, and power and toughness.

==Secondary market==

There is an active secondary market in individual cards among players and game shops. Many physical and online stores sell single cards or "playsets" of four of a card. Common cards rarely sell for more than a few cents and are usually sold in bulk. Uncommon cards and weak rares typically cost under US$1. The most expensive cards in Standard tournament play usually cost approximately US$20-30. On rare occasions if the cards are particularly powerful, some might even sell for US$40-50.

[[Image:black lotus.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [[Beta (Magic: The Gathering)|Beta]] version of the Black Lotus card is usually considered to be the most valuable non-promotional ''Magic'' card ever printed.<ref>Compare US$3000 price [http://sales.starcitygames.com//category.php?cat=1001&letter=B here] for Beta version to prices for other cards [http://sales.starcitygames.com//category.php?cat=1001 here].</ref> ([[Unlimited (Magic: The Gathering)|Unlimited]] version shown.)]]

The most expensive card which was in regular print (as opposed to being a promotional or special printing) is [[Black Lotus]], with average prices as of 2007 above US$1,000 and high-quality "graded" copies rising above US$3,000—in 2005, a "Pristine 10 grade" Beckett Grading Services graded Beta Black Lotus was bought by Darren Adams, owner of West Coast Sports Cards & Gaming Distributors in Federal Way, Washington, for a record $20,000.<ref>Beckett Magic The Gathering Magazine, Issue 3, December 2005/January 2006, pg. 10, "Sold! $20,000!"</ref> A small number of cards of similar age, rarity, and playability—chiefly among them the other cards in the so-called "[[Power Nine]]"—routinely reach high prices as well. In 2003, after the rotation of the Extended tournament format and in combination with the first Type 1 Championships, the prices for such old, tournament-level cards underwent a large, unexpected increase.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}

As new sets come out, older cards are occasionally reprinted. If a card has high play value, reprinting will often increase the original version's price because of renewed demand among players. However, if the card is primarily attractive to collectors, reprinting will often decrease the original version's value. Wizards of the Coast formulated an official "Reprint Policy"<ref> [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/products/ReprintPolicy Official Reprint Policy] has Wizards of the Coast's Reprint Policy. Note, however, that important individuals such as Mark Rosewater have [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mr218 indicated that the policy was a mistake]; nevertheless, they have also said that they will maintain the policy to insure Wizards' promises are taken seriously.</ref> in 1995 in an attempt to guarantee to collectors the value of many old cards. The Policy details certain cards that are unavailable to be printed again.

Wholesale distributors are not allowed to ship product to foreign nationalities. Additionally, several countries still have import restrictions that could be construed to bar the import of ''Magic: The Gathering'' or other collectible card games ([[wikipedia:Italy| Italy]], for example, places restrictions on the importation of "playing cards").{{Fact|date=November 2007}} Shipping restrictions have been relaxed recently and it is now possible to ship sealed product to Europe.

Non-English cards often have different prices on the secondary market than their English equivalents, depending on the desirability of the language. Certain languages, such as Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian, are less valuable than English cards, while Asian languages, along with Russian and German, are often worth more to the American or English-speaking collector. While this is a highly debated topic and often left to the opinion of the collector, a select number of people are willing to pay extremely high prices for foreign cards.{{Fact|date=May 2007}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Magic: The Gathering]]

Football Cards

WikiSysop — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:16:47 GMT

Summary: New page: [[Image:Don McNeal.jpg|thumb|right|A Don McNeal autographed football card.]] An '''[[wikisports:American Football|American Football]] card''' is one type of [[trading card]] typically pri...

[[Image:Don McNeal.jpg|thumb|right|A Don McNeal autographed football card.]]

An '''[[wikisports:American Football|American Football]] card''' is one type of [[trading card]] typically printed on paper stock or card stock. An example will usually feature one or more American football players or other related sports figures. These cards are most often found in the [[wikipedia:United States|United States]] and [[wikipedia:Canada|Canada]] where the sport is popular.

Football cards are often thought of as the "new" baseball cards and may include bubblegum or a special edition player card. Usually it will have the stats of famous players and they can be collected.

Along with baseball cards, football cards began gaining popularity after [[wikipedia:World War II| World War II]]. 1948 saw two sports card producers, [[Bowman Gum]] and [[Leaf Candy Company]] produce their first football card sets, each consisting of about 100 cards of then-current players from the [[wikipedia:National Football League| National Football League]]. Leaf only went on to produce one more set, however Bowman continued until 1955, when they were bought out by the [[Topps]] Chewing Gum Company in 1956. That year, Topps produced their first regular football card set (after producing sets of historic college players in 1950, 1951, and 1955) and still produces football cards today.

[[Category:American Football]]

Collectible card game

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:13:00 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Pokemon card game.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A collectible card game in progress.]]
'''Collectible card games''' (CCGs), also called '''trading card games''' (TCGs) or '''customizable card games''' (CCGs), are played using specially designed sets of [[wikipedia:playing card|card]]s. While [[trading card]]s have been around for longer, CCGs combine the appeal of collecting with [[wikipedia:strategy game|strategic]] gameplay.

The first collectible card game was ''The Base Ball Card Game'' produced by The Allegheny Card Co. and registered on April 5 [[wikipedia:1904| 1904]].<ref>Sports Collectors Digest (April 7 [[wikipedia:2000| 2000]]) at 50. Description of the first known collectible card game, The Base Ball Card Game produced by The Allegheny Card Co. and registered on April 4 [[wikipedia:1904| 1904]] featuring 104 unique baseball cards with individual player attributes printed on the cards enabling each collector to build a team and play the game against another person.</ref><ref>[http://www.oldcardboard.com/wg/allegheny/allegheny.asp?cardsetID=1175 Old Cardboard: 1904 Allegheny Card Game, 2007-07-18]</ref> The modern concept of CCG games was first presented in ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'', designed by [[wikipedia:Richard Garfield|Richard Garfield]] and published by [[wikipedia:Wizards of the Coast|Wizards of the Coast]] in 1993.

== Gameplay ==
Each CCG system has a fundamental set of rules that describes the players' objectives, the categories of cards used in the game, and the basic rules by which the cards interact. Each card will have additional text explaining that specific card's effect on the game. They also generally represent some specific element derived from the game's genre, setting, or source material. The cards are illustrated and named for these source elements, and the card's game function may relate to the subject. For example, ''[[wikipedia:Magic: The Gathering|Magic]]'' is based on the [[wikipedia:fantasy| fantasy]] genre, so many of the cards represent creatures and magical spells from that setting. In the game, a [[wikipedia:European dragon|dragon]] is illustrated as a reptilian beast, may have the ''flying'' ability, and have formidable game statistics compared to smaller creatures.

Most CCGs are designed around a resource system by which the pace of each game is generally controlled. Frequently, the cards which comprise a player's deck are also in and of themselves a resource, with the frequency of cards moving from the deck to the play area or player's hand being tightly controlled. Relative card strength is often balanced by the number or type of basic resources needed in order to play the card, and pacing after that may be determined by the flow of cards moving in and out of play. Resources may be specific cards themselves, or represented by other means (e.g., tokens in various resource pools, symbols on cards, etc.).

Players select which cards will compose their deck from the available pool of cards—unlike traditional [[card game]]s such as [[wikipedia:poker| poker]] or [[UNO]] where the deck's content is limited and pre-determined. This allows a CCG player to strategically customize their deck to take advantage of favorable card interactions, combinations and statistics.

During a game, players traditionally take turns playing cards and performing game-related actions. The order and titles of these steps vary between different game systems, but the following are typical:

* Restore - Make all in-play cards ready for the upcoming turn.
* Draw card(s) - Necessary in order to circulate cards in players' hands.
* Play card(s) - Use the cards in hand to interact with the game.
* Conflict - The primary method for victory in most games (combat is a very popular theme).
* Discard card(s) - Discard to a maximum hand size, or need to refresh for next turn.

== Distribution ==
Specific game cards are most often produced in various degrees of scarcity, generally denoted as ''common'' (C), ''uncommon'' (U), and ''rare'' (R). Some games use alternate or additional designations for the relative rarity levels, such as ''super-'', ''ultra-'', or ''exclusive rares''. Special cards may also only be available through promotions, events, purchase of related material, or redemption programs. The idea of rarity borrows somewhat from other types of collectible cards, such as [[baseball cards]], but in CCGs, the level of rarity also denotes the significance of a card's effect in the game, i.e., in general the more powerful a card is in terms of the game, the greater its rarity. A powerful card whose effects were underestimated by the game's designers may increase in rarity due to those effects; in later editions of the game, such a card's level of rarity might increase to reduce its availability to players. Such a card might even be removed entirely from the next edition, to further limit its availability and its effect on gameplay.

Most ''collectible card games'' are distributed as sealed packs containing a subset of the available cards, much like [[trading card]]s. Some of the most common distribution methods are:

* Starter set - This is an introductory product which contains enough cards for two players and includes instructional information for the specific game. In order to speed the learning process, the card content is typically fixed and designed around a theme, so that the new players can start playing right away.
* Tournament or [[starter deck]] - This contains enough game cards (usually 40 or more) for one player. It usually contains a random selection of cards, but with some basic elements so that it may be playable from the start.
* Theme deck - Most CCGs are designed with opposing factions, themes, or strategies. A theme deck is composed primarily of cards that will work well together and is typically non-random.
* [[Booster pack]]s - This method of distribution is most similar to trading cards as the packs contain a random selection of roughly 8 to 15 cards.

An upcoming CCG from Decipher, ''Fight Klub'', sells cards only by the "kilo," which is halfway between a booster pack and a box of boosters (traditionally 36). It contains 121 cards, roughly equivalent to 10 booster packs. It does not have starter sets, tournament packs, or theme decks as they are known today.

== References ==
<references/>

== See also ==
* [[List of collectible card games]]
* [[wikipedia:Collectible Miniatures Game|Collectible Miniatures Game]]

[[Category:Collectible card games]]

Lance Alworth

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:06:05 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:LAlworthT69.jpg|thumb|300px|1969 Topps Lance Alworth]]
'''Lance Dwight Alworth''' (born August 3, [[wikipedia:1940| 1940]]) is a former [[wikipedia:American football|American football]] [[wikipedia:wide receiver|wide receiver]]. He is a member of the [[wikipedia:College Football Hall of Fame|College Football Hall of Fame]] and the [[wikipedia:Pro Football Hall of Fame|Pro Football Hall of Fame]]. He retired as a player after the 1972 season.

==Specifications==
*Publisher =
*Publication Date =
*Nature of Rarity =
*Number in Existence =
*Estimated Value =

== Backgruond ==
Born in [[wikipedia:Houston, Texas|Houston, Texas]], Alworth was raised in [[wikipedia:Brookhaven, Mississippi|Brookhaven, Mississippi]], where played football at Brookhaven High School before attending the [[wikipedia:University of Arkansas|University of Arkansas]]. At the University of Arkansas, the six-foot (1.83 m), 180-pound (82 kg) Alworth was a running back who led all colleges in punt return yardage in [[wikipedia:1960| 1960]] and [[wikipedia:1961| 1961]]. He also was a track star: running the 100 and 220 yard dashes (9.6 seconds and 21.3 seconds) and long jump. He is a member of the [[wikipedia:Pi Kappa Alpha|Pi Kappa Alpha]] [[wikipedia:Fraternities and sororities|Fraternity]]. Alworth is a member of the University of Arkansas Hall of Honor and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. Plus, he was named to the University of Arkansas' 1960's All-Decade Team, and the schools' All-Century Team in 1994.

He was taken 8th overall in the first round of the 1962 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. The [[wikipedia:American Football League|American Football League]]'s [[wikipedia:Oakland Raiders|Oakland Raiders]] drafted him as their first pick (ninth overall) in the second round of the [[wikipedia:1962| 1962]] ''AFL'' draft, and then traded his rights to the [[wikipedia:San Diego Chargers|San Diego Chargers]] in return for halfback Bo Roberson, quarterback Hunter Enis, and offensive tackle Gene Selawski. Alworth opted to sign with the Chargers instead of the 49ers. The Chargers moved Alworth to wide receiver. His slender build, speed, grace, and leaping ability earned him the nickname "[[wikipedia:Bambi| Bambi]]."

Alworth was an [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Star games|AFL Western Division All-Star]] in seven consecutive seasons, from [[wikipedia:American Football League All-League Teams|1963]] through [[wikipedia:1969 AFL season|1969]], and was an [[wikipedia:American Football League All-League Teams|AFL All-League]] flanker the same seven seasons, selected by his peers from [[wikipedia:1963 AFL season|1963]]-[[wikipedia:American Football League All-League Teams|1966]], and by newspaper wire services from [[wikipedia:American Football League All-League Teams|1967]]-[[wikipedia:American Football League All-League Teams|1964]]. Alworth was the [[wikipedia:UPI| UPI]]'s [[wikipedia:1969| 1969]] [[wikipedia:American Football League Most Valuable Players|AFL Most Valuable Player]] and is a member of the [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Time Team|AFL All-Time Team]]. He scored on a 48-yard [[wikipedia:touchdown| touchdown]] pass in the Chargers' [[wikipedia:1963| 1963]] AFL Championship Game victory over the [[wikipedia:Boston Patriots|Boston Patriots]]. In Alworth's 8 AFL seasons, he led the league in receiving yards and receptions 3 times. He also set a Chargers record with 83 touchdowns.

He held records for the most consecutive games with a reception (96), and still holds the record for the most games with 200+ yards receiving,(5) and was the only receiver to average more than 100 yards a game in three consecutive seasons (1964–1966). Alworth formed a formidable tandem along with Chargers [[wikipedia:quarterback| quarterback]] [[wikipedia:John Hadl|John Hadl]], and is considered by many to be the best wide receiver in all professional football during the 1960s. He was one of the few American Football League stars to be featured on the cover of ''[[wikipedia:Sports Illustrated|Sports Illustrated]]'' (''SI''), which like other media of the 1960s, showed a distinct bias for the NFL. ''SI'' even went so far in [[wikipedia:1965 AFL season|1965]] as to declare Alworth ''"Pro Football's Top Receiver"'', this, a year before the [[wikipedia:AFL-NFL merger|AFL-NFL merger]], and two years before the [[wikipedia:Common Draft|Common Draft]], before which many claimed the AFL had inferior players.

In 1971, Alworth was traded to the Dallas Cowboys, for his final two seasons ([[wikipedia:1971| 1971]] and [[wikipedia:1972|1972]]), with some fans believing the controversial transaction spawned the [[wikipedia:San Diego Sports Curse|San Diego Sports Curse]] <ref>[http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20070211-9999-lz1s11missing.html signonsandiego.com]</ref>. In [[wikipedia:Super Bowl VI|Super Bowl VI]], he would catch a touchdown pass for the Cowboys in a 24-3 victory over the [[wikipedia:Miami Dolphins|Miami Dolphins]]. Alworth would later call the two receptions he made in Super Bowl VI (one that converted a third and long and the other for the touchdown), the two most important catches of his career. He had all the statistics and an [[wikipedia:American Football League#AFL Championship games|AFL Championship]] ring, and now was also an NFL champion.

Alworth finished his 11 AFL/NFL seasons with 543 receptions for 10,266 yards. He also rushed for 129 yards, returned 29 punts for 309 yards, gained 216 yards on 10 kickoff returns, and scored 87 touchdowns (85 receiving and 2 rushing).

In [[wikipedia:1972|1972]], he was inducted to the [[wikipedia:San Diego Hall of Champions|San Diego Hall of Champions]]' [[wikipedia:Breitbart Hall of Fame|Breitbart Hall of Fame]]. In 1977, he was inducted in the Chargers Hall of Fame. In [[wikipedia:1978| 1978]] he became the first San Diego Charger and the first player who had played in the AFL to be inducted into the [[wikipedia:Pro Football Hall of Fame|Pro Football Hall of Fame]]. He chose to be presented at the Canton, Ohio ceremony by [[wikipedia:Oakland Raiders|Oakland Raiders]] owner [[wikipedia:Al Davis|Al Davis]], his former position coach at San Diego, who had much to do with the success of the AFL.

Alworth's #19 is retired by the Chargers, only the second number ever retired by the team. (It was, however, issued to [[Johnny Unitas]] when he played his final NFL season with the Chargers in 1973.) In 1970, he was selected as a member of the [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Time Team|AFL All-Time Team]], and in 1994, he was named to the [[wikipedia:NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team|NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team]], the ''only'' player to be named to both teams.

In [[wikipedia:1999| 1999]], he was ranked number 31 on ''[[wikipedia:The Sporting News|The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest-ranking Charger and the highest-ranking player to have spent more than one season in the AFL.

==Video==
{{#ev:youtube|SUSuufOD38k|500}}

==See also==
*[[wikipedia:List of American Football League players|Other American Football League players]]
*[[wikipedia:San Diego Sports Curse|San Diego Sports Curse]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=16 Alworth's Pro Football Hall of Fame page]
*[http://www.sdhoc.com/main/awards/athletes/football/lancealworth Breitbard Hall of Fame bio]
*[http://www.conigliofamily.com/AFLHallofFamePhotos.htm#LanceAlworth Alworth's 1967 Topps Football card]
*[http://www.footballcardgallery.com/player/Lance+Alworth Gallery of Lance Alworth football cards]

[[Category:American Football]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys]]
[[Category:Arkansas Razorbacks]]

Fred Arbanas

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:54:03 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|thumb|350px|Trading Card Image Needed]]
'''Frederick Vincent Arbanas''' (born January 14, [[wikipedia:1939| 1939]], in [[wikipedia:Detroit, Michigan|Detroit, Michigan]]) is an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] former college and professional [[wikipedia:American football|football]] player. Arbanas was considered by many to be the perfect [[wikipedia:tight end|tight end]], partly because of his 6-foot-3 frame and 240 pounds (109 kg) of chiseled muscle. Drafted out of [[wikipedia:Michigan State University|Michigan State]] by the [[wikipedia:American Football League|American Football League]]'s [[wikipedia:History of the Kansas City Chiefs|Dallas Texans]] (later the [[wikipedia:Kansas City Chiefs|Kansas City Chiefs]]) in [[wikipedia:1961 AFL season|1961]], he missed the 1961 season with injuries. Arbanas was selected by his peers as ''[[wikipedia:Sporting News|The Sporting News']]'' [[wikipedia:American Football League All-League Teams|All-AFL]] tight end in [[wikipedia:1963 AFL season|1963]], [[wikipedia:1964 AFL season|1964]], and [[wikipedia:1966 AFL season|1966]]. He was an [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Star games|American Football League Western Division All-Star]] in [[wikipedia:1962 AFL season|1962]], [[wikipedia:1963 AFL season|1963]], and [[wikipedia:1964 AFL season|1964]]. He received a blow to his left eye in December 1964, and lost sight in the eye in January 1965, causing him to miss the All-Star game. He was again a Western All-Star in [[wikipedia:1965 AFL season|1965]], [[wikipedia:1966 AFL season|1966]] (when he did not play due to injury), and [[wikipedia:1967 AFL season|1967]]. Because of his heart and perseverance, he was a driving force behind one of the greatest teams in the history of the American Football League. Arbanas retired from Pro Football after the 1970 season.

==Specifications==
*Publisher =
*Publication Date =
*Nature of Rarity =
*Number in Existence =
*Estimated Value =

== Background ==
He was the AFL's prototype tight end. His 198 receptions and 3,101 receiving yards were Chiefs records for a tight end until they were broken by [[Tony Gonzalez]].

Arbanas starred for two Chiefs Super Bowl teams, and one [[wikipedia:Professional American football championship games|World Championship]] team, and used the playing field to write a legacy for the AFL. "I remember when the Chiefs played the [[wikipedia:Chicago Bears|Chicago Bears]] the summer after the loss to Green Bay in the first Super Bowl," team owner [[wikipedia:Lamar Hunt|Lamar Hunt]] said. "We won the pre-season game 66-24, but there was a lot at stake in that game. I heard Fred say that was his most memorable game, and I feel the same way."

His talents would eventually earn a spot on the [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Time Team|All-time All-AFL Team]].

Fred currently lives with his wife Sharon Arbanas in [[wikipedia:Lee's Summit, Missouri|Lee's Summit, Missouri]]. He has four children and eight grandchildren. Fred serves on the [[wikipedia:Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]] Legislature in [[wikipedia:Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City, Missouri]]. He has also had a golf course named after him. The Fred Arbanas Golf Course at [[wikipedia:Longview Lake|Longview Lake]] is a favorite for many Kansas City golfers.

==See also==
*[[wikipedia:List of American Football League players|Other American Football League players]]

==External links==
*[http://www.conigliofamily.com/AFLHallofFamePhotos.htm#FredArbanas Arbanas' 1964 Topps football card]

[[Category:American Football]]
[[Category:Dallas Texans]]
[[Category:Kansas City Chiefs]]

Pokémon Trading Card Game

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:36:13 GMT

Summary:

[[image:Pokemon card game.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Pokeman Trading Cards]]
The '''''Pokémon Trading Card Game''''' (Pokémon TCG) is a [[collectible card game]] based on the [[wikipedia:Pokémon| Pokémon]] [[wikipedia:video game|video game]] series, first introduced in Japan in October 1996, then North America in December 1998. It was initially published by [[wikipedia:Wizards of the Coast|Wizards of the Coast]] (wizards), the company that produces ''[[Magic: the Gathering]]''. Although Wizards of the Coast lost the licence to publish the game in July 2003, sets continue to be published under the jurisdiction of [[wikipedia:Nintendo| Nintendo]] and Pokémon USA, Inc. (PUI).

==Specifications==
*Publisher = Wizards of the Coast
*Publication Date =
*Nature of Rarity =
*Number in Existence =
*Estimated Value =

==Game concepts==
The game is centered on the concept of the Pokémon battle. All Pokémon cards have attacks and Hit Points (HP) except for energy cards and trainer cards; by doing damage to the opponent's Pokémon equal to their Hit Points, the player can knock them out and send them to the discard pile.

===Victory conditions===
There are three different ways to win a game:
*The first type of win condition is to retrieve a set of "prize cards". A number of cards (usually six) are set aside from the top of each player's deck at the beginning of each game. Each time a player knocks out an opponent's Pokémon, he or she puts a prize card into his or her hand. Pokémon-ex cards, introduced in ''EX: Ruby and Sapphire'', are more powerful than their non-ex counterparts, but allow a player who knocks them out to take two prize cards instead of one.
*Second, a player loses if his or her active Pokémon (the one currently conducting battle) is knocked out and he or she has no other Pokémon in play.
*Third, a player must draw a card from the top of the deck at the beginning of his or her turn, and therefore loses if there are no cards remaining in the deck at the beginning of the turn. This is a trend common to most [[trading card game]]s.

===Card types===
There are five types of cards in the ''Pokémon Trading Card Game'': [[Pokémon card]]s, Energy cards, [[Trainer card]]s, [[wikipedia:Trainer Card#Stadium card|Stadium card]]s, and [[wikipedia:Trainer Card#Supporter card|Supporter card]]s. Though only Pokémon cards are necessary in a deck, both Energy cards and Trainer cards are important to achieving victory. A player's 60-card deck may only contain four cards with the same name, with the exception of Basic Energy cards.

====Pokémon cards ====
[[Image:Basic swablu.JPG|right|thumb|200px|[[wikipedia:Swablu| Swablu]] is a Basic Pokémon.]]
'''Pokémon cards''' are the basis of all decks. Without them a player cannot play the game, since both players begin the game by placing a basic Pokémon in the active position on the playing field. Each Pokémon card depicts a Pokémon from the [[wikipedia:Pokémon video game series|video games]]. Each player may have up to six Pokémon on the playing field at a time: one “active” Pokémon and up to five on the bench (these are considered to be in reserve, but they can still affect the gameplay). Each Pokémon card has a name, [[wikipedia:#Pokémon types|type]], amount of Hit Points, [[wikipedia:List of Pokémon by stage|level of evolution]], attack(s), weakness, resistance, retreat cost, and flavor text. Some Pokémon have effects, called Poké-Powers or Poké-Bodies, that are not attacks but can affect gameplay; occasionally a Pokémon will have no attacks. From ''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Diamond & Pearl|Diamond & Pearl]]'' onwards, each Pokémon's level is given next to its name, although not part of the name itself (e.g. [[wikipedia:Magnezone| Magnezone]] LV.48).

Most Pokémon feature attacks that deal damage to the opponent's active Pokémon, or occasionally, their benched Pokémon; still others perform different functions, such as manipulating players' possession of cards. The vast majority of these attacks require Energy, which comes in the form of [[Energy cards|energy cards]], though the occasional Pokémon may have an attack that requires no energy (these attacks typically are weak or perform a function other than damage). Once per turn, players can use one of their active Pokémon's attacks.

[[Image:Evolution altaria.JPG|left|thumb|200px|[[wikipedia:Altaria (Pokémon)|Altaria]] evolves from Swablu]]
The two types of Pokémon cards are Basic Pokémon and evolution cards. '''Basic Pokémon''' are Pokémon that have not evolved, and can be played directly onto the Bench. Each deck must have at least one Basic Pokémon to be considered legal. In contrast, an '''evolution card''' represents a Pokémon that has evolved. Unlike Basic Pokémon, evolution cards cannot be placed directly onto the field (unless something happens that allows one to do so); they must be played on the corresponding Basic Pokémon. Stage 1 Pokémon evolve from Basic Pokémon, and Stage 2 Pokémon evolve from a Stage 1 Pokémon. As a Pokémon evolves, it gains HP and can use Energy more effectively.

A '''Baby Pokémon''', introduced in ''Neo Genesis'', is a special kind of Basic Pokémon card, sometimes distinguished by a Poké-Power called "Baby Evolution." Baby Pokémon have low HP, but their attacks have strange and sometimes very powerful effects. Baby Pokémon can evolve into another Basic Pokémon (which it can evolve into is specified on the card). When a Baby Pokémon evolves into what would normally be a Basic Pokémon, that Basic Pokémon counts as being an evolved Pokémon for the purposes of cards that affect Basic Pokémon and evolution cards differently. For example, Boost Energy can only be attached to an evolved Pokémon, which includes Basic Pokémon evolved from Baby Pokémon.

Variations of Basic, evolution, and Baby Pokémon cards have appeared in many sets, usually indicated with a word before or after the Pokémon's name.

'''Dark Pokémon''', introduced in the ''Team Rocket'' set, have appeared primarily in expansion sets featuring [[:Team Rocket]]. Stage 1 Dark Pokémon evolve from regular Basic Pokémon, and Stage 2 Dark Pokémon evolve from Stage 1 Dark Pokémon. Initially, they were characterized by having low HP but high damage. In ''EX Team Rocket Returns'', this disadvantage was removed and Dark Pokémon were combined with the Darkness type. Instead, their weakness is that some [[wikipedia:#Trainer cards|Pokémon Tool]] cards cannot be attached to Dark Pokémon. Illustrations for Dark Pokémon have either solid-black shading or high contrast shading.

'''Owner's Pokémon''', introduced in ''Gym Heroes'', belong to someone or something. Evolution cards with an owner's name must evolve from a Pokémon that also has that owner's name; for example, "Brock's Primeape" must evolve from a "Brock's Mankey." Like Dark Pokémon, Owner's Pokémon are restricted from certain Pokémon Tools. The "Rocket's" Pokémon are also counted as Owner's Pokémon and usually have no evolution.

[[Image:Neorevelation sgyarados.JPG|right|thumb|200px|The Red [[wikipedia:Gyarados| Gyarados]] in the [[wikipedia:Johto#Lake of Rage|Lake of Rage]]]]
'''Shining Pokémon''' were introduced in ''Neo Revelation'' and appear in ''Neo Destiny''. They are based on the "[[wikipedia:Shiny Pokémon|Shiny Pokémon]]", rare Pokémon with alternate color forms, introduced in [[wikipedia:Pokémon Gold and Silver|''Pokémon Gold'' and ''Silver'']]. They are incredibly powerful and rare, but require many different types of Energy to play. Shining Pokémon are limited to one of each kind per deck. Unusually, Shining Pokémon (and by extension, Pokémon Star) are all Basic Pokémon, regardless of the species's stage of evolution in the video games.

[[Image:Neodestiny lmachoke.JPG|left|thumb|200px|Light [[wikipedia:Machoke| Machoke]]]]
'''Light Pokémon''' were the short-lived complement to Dark Pokémon, used only in ''Neo Destiny''. Light Pokémon had high HP for their time period, especially when compared to Dark Pokémon, but their attacks tend to help the opponent as much as the player. Like Dark Pokémon, a Stage 1 Light Pokémon evolves from a regular Basic Pokémon, and a Stage 2 Light Pokémon evolves from a Stage 1 Light Pokémon. Illustrations for Light Pokémon are often characterized by [[wikipedia:pastel| pastel]] colors, shining sunlight, gradual shading, or solid colors.

'''Pokémon Star''' cards, introduced in ''[[:EX Team Rocket Returns]]'', have properties identical to Shining Pokémon (including the fact that the Pokémon in question is "shiny"), except that there is a limit of one Pokémon Star per deck, regardless of its name. Many Pokémon Stars get stronger when their player is losing. Pokémon Star cards have the image of the Pokémon coming out of the box it would normally be contained in. A Pokémon Star has a picture of a [[wikipedia:shooting star|shooting star]] next to its name.

[[Image:EX-DS 110 Vaporeon ex.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[wikipedia:Vaporeon| Vaporeon]] ex]]
'''Pokémon-ex''', introduced in ''EX Ruby and Sapphire'', are extremely powerful Pokémon that usually represent the last stage of evolution. Their HP and attack strength are usually far above that of their regular form. A disadvantage of Pokémon-ex is that when Knocked Out, the player who has done so takes two Prize cards instead of the usual one. The rest of the card game is balanced against Pokémon-ex as well: Some Pokémon do more damage to Pokémon-ex, some can prevent damage from Pokémon-ex, most Pokémon Tools do not work on Pokémon-ex, and some [[wikipedia:#Trainer cards|Trainer cards]] put Pokémon-ex at a disadvantage.

[[Image:Deltaspecies latiosdelta.JPG|left|thumb|200px|[[wikipedia:Latios| Latios]] Delta]]
'''Delta Pokémon''', introduced in ''EX Delta Species'', are indicated by the lower-case delta symbol δ and the text "Delta Species." They are normally associated with the Metal type. Pokémon normally of the Dragon-type and [[wikipedia:Legendary Pokémon|Legendary Pokémon]] in the [[wikipedia:Pokémon (video games)|video games]] will carry alternate types. Both Delta and non-Delta Pokémon can evolve from either Delta or non-Delta Pokémon. "Delta" is not considered part of a Pokémon's name, e.g. a deck may contain only four Eevee, regardless of how many are Delta.

'''Pokémon LV.X''', introduced in ''Diamond & Pearl'', are more powerful versions of Pokémon. Like Delta Pokémon, they are not considered Pokémon of a different name. Pokémon Lv. X are played by putting them directly on the active Pokémon; however, as Pokémon LV.X do not count as either Basic Pokémon or evolution cards, they do not "evolve" that Pokémon.

====Energy cards====
'''Energy cards''' are cards attached to a Pokémon to enable it to attack. There are two types of Energy cards: Basic Energy cards and Special Energy cards. There are eight different Basic Energy types: Fighting, Fire, Grass, Lightning, Psychic, Water, Darkness and Metal. Until recently, only the first six Energy types have had corresponding Basic Energy cards; although Darkness and Metal are now considered Basic Energy types, they could only be provided through Special Energy cards until the ''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Diamond & Pearl|Diamond & Pearl]]'' expansion. Basic Energy cards only provide one Energy of the specified type, while Special Energy cards have additional benefits (described in additional text on the card) and varying Energy provisions. Additionally, the amount of Basic Energy cards allowed in a deck is unrestricted, while Special Energy cards follow the standard rule restricting the number of identical cards in a deck to four.

Most attacks require a certain type and amount of Energy, depending on the type of attack and the Pokémon using it. If an attack requires a certain type of Basic Energy, then that type of energy must be attached to the Pokémon, whereas if the attack has a Colorless Energy requirement, that requirement can be met by any Energy card. Colorless Energy is neither a Basic nor a Special Energy type, though some Special Energy cards provide only Colorless Energy and do not enable type-specific attacks.

====Trainer cards====
'''Trainer cards''' are support cards that allow players to do something to affect the game. Some can remove damage counters from Pokémon, remove energy from the opposing Pokémon, or revive Pokémon that have been knocked out. Before the ''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Diamond & Pearl|Diamond & Pearl]]'' expansion, all cards that were not Pokémon or Energy were considered Trainer cards, though they have since been subdivided into categories: Normal Trainer cards represent items that directly affect the battling Pokémon, Stadium cards represent custom arenas that add a special mechanic to gameplay, and Supporters are special kinds of Trainers.

[[Image:Trainer energysearch.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Energy Search, a normal Trainer card.]]
Most Trainer cards are '''normal Trainer cards''', which display no text in the upper-right corner. Unless the directions say otherwise, when this type of Trainer card is played, the player follows the directions on the card and then discards it. They were introduced at the very beginning of the card game's history, with the Base Set in [[wikipedia:1999| 1999]]. Ordinary Trainer cards make up the largest number of Trainer cards by far, and can affect any part of the game, including other Trainer cards. Standard Trainer cards are often illustrated using [[wikipedia:computer-generated imagery|computer-generated imagery]], the most having been done by [[wikipedia:Keiji Kinebuchi|Keiji Kinebuchi]].

'''Pokémon Tools''', a subset of Trainer cards, started out in the set [[wikipedia:Neo Genesis|Neo Genesis]] from [[wikipedia:2001| 2001]]. They are the card game's equivalent to [[wikipedia:List of Pokémon items|Pokémon items]], objects that Pokémon can carry around and use at will. Naturally, Pokémon Tools are often Berries, which Pokémon consume to benefit themselves in battle. This type of Trainer card is unusual among Trainer cards in that it follows closely with the video games--a Lum Berry cures all [[wikipedia:Status effect|Status conditions]] in the video games, and the Lum Berry card does the same. Pokémon Tools are attached to a Pokémon immediately when played. Which Pokémon can receive the Pokémon Tool is specified on the card, and a Pokémon may not hold more than one at a time. Some Pokémon Tools can stay on the Pokémon until it gets Knocked Out, whereas some are discarded after a certain condition is met, like "Strength Charm" which is discarded immediately after its Pokémon performs an attack. Like ordinary Trainer cards and Stadium cards, Pokémon Tools are in CGI, with most being illustrated by Keiji Kinebuchi and Ryo Ueda.

While '''Technical Machines''' can be considered a subdivision of Pokémon Tools, they are worded as a separate category. These were the last of the kinds of Trainer cards to be introduced, starting in [[wikipedia:2003| 2003]] with the [[Aquapolis]] set of cards. While these cards are similar to the [[wikipedia:List of Pokémon items#Technical Machines|Technical Machines]] in the video games in that they enable a Pokémon to learn a [[wikipedia:Pokémon move|move]] it wouldn't normally know, it is a one-time-use move, unlike in the video games, in which they're permanent. Technical Machines, like Pokémon Tools, are attached to a Pokémon, and, like many Pokémon Tools, are discarded once used. However, a Technical Machine will always have an attack as its text instead of directions, and as long as the Pokémon holds the Technical Machine, it can use the attack provided on the Technical Machine instead of its normal attack. Illustrations for Technical Machines were once the domain of [[wikipedia:"Big Mama" Tagawa| "Big Mama" Tagawa]], but they are now exclusively done by [[wikipedia:Mitsuhiro Arita|Mitsuhiro Arita]].

The first '''Stadium cards''' were from the [[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Gym Heroes|Gym Heroes]] set of cards released in [[wikipedia:2000| 2000]]. They initially were all themed on [[wikipedia:Pokémon Gym|Pokémon Gym]]s and would benefit its Gym Leader. Later Stadium cards became locations within the Pokémon video games and sometimes areas completely original to the card game. Unlike other Trainer cards, Stadium cards stay on the field once played, unless another Stadium card is played or something happens that requires the Stadium card to be discarded. The effect that the Stadium card provides goes evenly to each player, though a deck can be put together to benefit the greatest from a given Stadium card. Stadium cards are predominantly CGI (a few are hand-illustrated) and were once in the domain of Keiji Kinebuchi. [[wikipedia:Ryo Ueda|Ryo Ueda]] now illustrates most of them.

[[Image:Supporter wtraining.JPG|right|200px|thumb|[[wikipedia:Wally (Pokémon)|Wally]]'s Training]]
'''Supporter cards''' were introduced with the [[Expedition]] set of cards in [[wikipedia:2002| 2002]]. The ordinary Trainer cards themed on Pokémon characters have since been assigned to Supporter cards instead. They are substantially more powerful than Trainer cards, but only one can be played per turn (as opposed to the ordinary Trainer, which has no limit). Like their predecessors, the card's function will typically not have anything to do with the character featured. Supporter cards will tend to focus on card-drawing: finding a card of the player's choice from the [[wikipedia:deck (cards)|deck]] and putting it in play or into the user's hand, or drawing a number of cards. For example, [[wikipedia:Professor Birch|Professor Birch]] allows the player to draw cards until he has six cards in his hand. Because they feature Pokémon characters, the dominant artist for Supporter cards is [[wikipedia:Ken Sugimori|Ken Sugimori]], who designed the characters in the video games and television program. The illustrations for Supporter cards are always hand-drawn.

====Multi-type cards====
There are also some cards that are two card types in one card. Examples include the "Clefairy Doll" Trainer card in the [[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Base Set|Base Set]], which can be played as a Pokémon card, or special Pokémon that can, rather than battle, be attached to other Pokémon as Energy cards. Future cards have been shown to be both Pokémon and Pokémon Tools.

'''Fossil cards''' were first introduced in the [[Fossil]] set in 1999, though only '''Mysterious Fossil''' was introduced then and would be the only Fossil card until 2003, when it was joined by '''Root Fossil''' and '''Claw Fossil.''' Fossil cards are counted as Trainer cards while in the deck or in the player's hand, but when put into play, they also count as a [[wikipedia:Pokémon card#Basic Pokémon|Basic Pokémon]]. Because of this, they are the only tournament-legal Trainer cards with [[wikipedia:Hit Points|Hit Points]] (HP). All Fossil cards in play count as the Colorless type. While they can't attack, there is no reward for defeating a Fossil. Certain Pokémon are required to evolve from these fossils except under special circumstances. For example, [[wikipedia:Kabuto (Pokémon)|Kabuto]], [[wikipedia:Omanyte| Omanyte]], and [[wikipedia:Aerodactyl| Aerodactyl]] must evolve from a Mysterious Fossil card. Older Fossil cards were illustrated by Keiji Kinebuchi; newer ones are illustrated by Ryo Ueda.

===Pokémon types===
A simplified [[wikipedia:Pokémon types|type]] system was used for the trading card game. Instead of 17 types of Pokémon, only nine exist. Seven were in the Base Set, and Darkness and Metal types appeared when ''[[Pokémon Gold and Silver]]'' introduced the Dark and Steel types. The types usually follow this pattern:

# Diamond and Pearl introduced non-Delta Species Poison-type Pokémon on "Psychic/Ghost" type cards.

Most Pokémon have only one type. However, ''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua|EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua]]'' introduced Dual-type Pokémon, which have two different types. All existing Dual-type cards have either Darkness or Metal as their secondary type.

Weakness and resistance are determined by the type of the attacking Pokémon (unlike the video game series, where they are determined by the type of the attack used). In older sets, Pokémon that are weak to another type take twice the base damage in an attack, while resistance decreases attack damage by 30 points. However, starting in the ''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Diamond & Pearl|Diamond & Pearl]]'' expansion, Pokémon cards state how much more or less damage they take from an opponent’s attack if weakness or resistance applies.

If a Pokémon has two types, both of those types are calculated as far as weakness and resistance are concerned. For example, if a Pokémon has weakness to two types, and a Pokémon that is both of those types attacks, that attack will do four times its normal damage.

==Sets==
With the release of ''Diamond & Pearl: Great Encounters'' on February 13, [[wikipedia:2008| 2008]], there are currently 36 different Pokémon TCG sets released in English. These sets have a vast range of sizes, from ''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Fossil|Fossil]]'' (the smallest at 61 cards), to ''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Aquapolis|Aquapolis]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#Skyridge|Skyridge]]'' (both the largest, with 182 normal cards, 182 reverse-foil cards and four box toppers - 368 cards in total). Only eight of these sets (''[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets#EX Holon Phantoms|EX Holon Phantoms]]'' and all subsequent sets) are legal in the current Modified Format, under which all major tournaments are played. A rarely played format is Unlimited, in which all cards released in English are legal (except oversized cards such as large box topper cards).

Early in the game, sets were released in seemingly random intervals, but ever since [[wikipedia:Nintendo| Nintendo]] took over the production of the sets, there has been a constant stream of 4 sets per year, released at 2.5 to 3.5 month intervals. Most recently, sets have been released once every four months, due to the increased set sizes.

The current 35 released card sets are: ''Base Set'', ''Jungle'', ''Fossil'', ''Base Set 2'', ''Team Rocket'', ''Gym Heroes'', ''Gym Challenge'', ''Neo Genesis'', ''Neo Discovery'', ''Neo Revelation'', ''Neo Destiny'', ''Legendary Collection'', ''Expedition'', ''Aquapolis'', ''Skyridge'', ''EX Ruby and Sapphire'', ''EX Sandstorm'', ''EX Dragon'', ''EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua'', ''EX Hidden Legends'', ''EX FireRed & LeafGreen'', ''EX Team Rocket Returns'', ''EX Deoxys'', ''EX Emerald'', ''EX Unseen Forces'', ''EX Delta Species'', ''EX Legend Maker'', ''EX Holon Phantoms'', ''EX Crystal Guardians'', ''EX Dragon Frontiers'', ''EX Power Keepers'', ''Diamond & Pearl'', ''Diamond & Pearl: Mysterious Treasures'', ''Diamond & Pearl: Secret Wonders'', ''Diamond & Pearl: Great Encounters'', and ''"Diamond and Pearl: Majestic Dawn".'' Another set may be released in August as ''Diamond & Pearl: Legends Awakened''.

Every few sets, new types of cards are introduced to the ''Pokémon Trading Card Game''. Several of these include: Dark Pokémon (''Team Rocket''); Owners' Pokémon and Stadium cards (''Gym Heroes''); Darkness-type and Metal-type Pokémon, the second generation, and the new Pokémon Tool card (''Neo Genesis''); Shining Pokémon (''Neo Revelation''); Light Pokémon (''Neo Destiny''); Supporter cards and Technical Machines (''Expedition''); Crystal-type Pokémon (''Aquapolis''); Pokémon-ex (''EX Ruby & Sapphire''); Dual-type Pokémon (''EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua''); Pokémon-* (''EX Team Rocket Returns''); Delta Species Pokémon and Holon's Pokémon (''EX Delta Species''); Pokémon Lv.''X'', the separation of Trainer, Supporter and Stadium cards, and the addition of Metal and Darkness as Basic Energy types (''Diamond & Pearl''); and most recently, the new "Pokémon with Items" in ''Diamond & Pearl: Mysterious Treasures''.

These changes, along with yearly format rotations, make for a constantly evolving game.

==Pokémon Organized Play Program==
In addition to the collectible aspect of the card game, Pokémon USA Inc. (PUI) has also created '''[[wikipedia:Pokémon Organized Play|Pokémon Organized Play]]''' (''POP''), which is in charge of the organization of an official League program, where players can battle others in local environments and earn player points, 2-card booster packets from a promotional set, badges, stickers and other materials. These are run by League leaders and owners.

A League Leader may assist in organizing the league, while a League Owner is the one officially in charge of the league, reporting to the Organized Play program any results and/or problems every seven weeks. The leagues run in yearly cycles, based on a certain aspect of one of the Pokémon Game Boy or DS games: the current cycle is based upon the Sinnoh league area.

Prereleases are organized just before each set is released. Usually, they are run on the two weekends before a set is released in stores to the public. At prereleases players are given booster packs from the judge and must construct a 40 card deck, with only 4 prize cards, using only the cards pulled from the packs and the judges provide the energy, but not special energy cards.

===Tournament play===
POP also runs a professor program, in which individuals age 18 or over may become a professor, who can sanction and run tournaments and leagues. Players in a tournament are split into three age categories: Junior (born in 1996 or later), Senior (born in 1992-1995), and Master (born in 1991 or earlier). These tournaments play a number of rounds, where players will play a standard game against each other and wins and losses will be recorded. In most tournaments, there are a number of Swiss-style rounds where players are paired up against others of similar win/loss ratios, usually from their own age group (this does not always occur in smaller events, though). Afterwards, there will either be a cut of the top record-holders (usually the top 25% of an event) where players will play best two out of three matches, and the loser gets eliminated (standard tournament bracket style), with an eventual winner.

POP runs a season for these tournaments, which allows players to earn larger prizes and play in a more competitive environment in comparison to League. These range from City and State Championships, all the way up to the Pokémon World Championships, the single invite-only event of the year. Players can earn invites to the World Championships by winning or ranking high at National Championships, having a good Premier Rating (based on the [[wikipedia:Elo rating system|Elo rating system]], which allows players to win or lose points at any Battle Roads or higher-level event), or by qualifying in the Last Chance Qualifier. The World Championships is a two-day tournament, with one eventual winner in each age group; the winner of the Masters Division age group is generally noticed as the best player in the world for that season.

Some of these methods are only used in the USA, as PUI and POP are based in the USA, but they are represented by local distributors who provide the Organized Play program to their own country.

===Major tournaments under [[wikipedia:Wizards of the Coast|Wizards of the Coast]]===
* '''Tropical Mega Battle'''
:On August 26 - 27, 2000, forty-two Pokémon trainers from around the world united at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu for the '''Tropical Mega Battle''', an international communication event for the ''Pokémon Trading Card Game''. The Tropical Mega Battle brought together children aged 14 and under from the United States, Japan, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, for two days in Honolulu, Hawaii. Children participating in the Tropical Mega Battle received invitations through Qualifier tournaments, DCI rankings, and other events in their respective countries.
:Events throughout the weekend included competitions facilitated by translators for groups of children representing two different languages in each group; a group photo and an opening ceremony featuring remarks from Hawaiian government officials; and a harbor cruise awards ceremony for the winners of the World Communication Match. Jason Klaczynski, 14-year-old Orland Park, Ill., resident, was honored as the Master Trainer of the Tropical Mega Battle after winning the final round of the World Communication Match against fellow Pokémon trainer Toshiya Tanabe of Sapporo, Japan.

* '''[[wikipedia:Super Trainer Showdown|Super Trainer Showdown]]'''
:The '''Super Trainer Showdowns''' were large ''Pokémon TCG'' tournaments held in the United States by Wizards of the Coast. These tournaments were frequently bi-annual and were open to the public. Each tournament consisted of three age groups; 10 and under, 11 to 14 years old, and 15 years old and over. Each Super Trainer Showdown was preceded by a series of Qualifier Tournaments held in cities around the United States and abroad in which players in the 11-to-14 and 10-and-under age groups could win trips for themselves and a parent or guardian to the Super Trainer Showdown event. To date, there have been four Super Trainer Showdowns: one in Long Beach, CA, one in San Diego, CA, and two in Seacaucus, NJ.

==Banned cards==
A few cards were banned from both general play and Modified Format under Wizards of the Coast.

*[[wikipedia:Sneasel| Sneasel]]
:The first card that WotC banned was Sneasel from the set ''Neo Genesis''. Decks with Sneasel were winning almost every major tournament, making all other decks uncompetitive. Sneasel's ability to abuse the new Darkness Energy cards (which increase the power of all Dark-type attacks by 10), no weakness, a free retreat cost, quickly powered-up attacks, and the ability to do enormous damage made it an outstanding card. In short, Sneasel was faster and more powerful than any other card in the game at the time. It was banned beginning with the 2001 Super Trainer Showdown. WotC produced giant Sneasel cards for the event with "Banned at the STS" printed on them.

*[[wikipedia:Slowking| Slowking]]
:Coincidentally enough, the only other banned card printed in a normal set was also from ''Neo Genesis.''
:Slowking from ''Neo Genesis'' had a Pokémon Power that allowed its user to flip a coin whenever the opponent played a Trainer card, and if that coin was heads, the Trainer card would return to the user's deck without affecting the game. In the Japanese version of the game, this Power could only be used while Slowking was active. When the card was translated to English, however, it was translated incorrectly. The English version of the card not only allowed its owner to use the Power while Slowking was benched, but the power was '''cumulative''', meaning players could flip a coin for each Slowking they had in play every time their opponent played a Trainer card, and if even one were heads, that card would have no effect.
:While the Japanese version of the card was barely playable (Slowking is not a good attacker, and is easily KO'ed when active), the English version was overpowered because a player could place one or more Slowking on the bench, prevent the opponent from playing any Trainer cards, and still play a stronger Pokémon as the active Pokémon.
:Slowking dominated the 2002 World Championship (the only World Championship not run by PUI) and, as a result, WotC announced that the card was no longer legal for any format as of January 1, 2003. This was a very controversial move, because the card was banned outright, instead of [[wikipedia:errata| errata]] being issued to correct the mistranslation.

*_________'s Pikachu
:_________'s Pikachu (commonly known as "Birthday Pikachu") was Promo Card number 24 printed by WotC. The effect of its attack, Birthday Surprise, says, "...if it is your birthday, flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 30 damage plus 50 more damage...". WotC banned this card quickly after its release, because there was no quick, easy way to check that it was actually someone's birthday whenever they attacked with the card. Disproving liars who wanted to do a lot of damage for a few energy turned out to require much more effort than it was worth. The Japanese version of the card has red text in the margin stating its illegality. It is one of the few Japanese cards with this message that was produced in English, most likely because of its immense popularity with collectors.

The bans that WotC placed were removed when Pokémon Organized Play took over the game. Their only limitation is that cards must have the normal English or Japanese card back to be playable. Because of this, the only banned card is the promotional card Mew (commonly known as "Ancient Mew"), because it has an irregular card back and its text is in a hieroglyphics-like code. In addition, the cards printed in the promotional World Championship Decks are not allowed in any competitive events. These cards are supposed to be printed as a promotional item, and not meant to help people collect large numbers of rare and valuable cards that were played in these decks.

==See also==
*[[wikipedia:List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets|List of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets]]
*[[wikipedia:Pokémon Organized Play|Pokémon Organized Play]]
*''[[wikipedia:Pokémon Trading Card Game (video game)|Pokémon Trading Card Game (video game)]]''

==External links==

===Official ''Pokémon TCG'' site===
*[http://www.go-pokemon.com/ ''Pokémon TCG'' Website] is the official website for the ''Pokémon TCG''. It is the official US source of the Pokémon Organized Play program, where one can acquire information on local leagues and tournaments and find local distributors, but the news comes slowly.

===Unofficial ''Pokémon TCG'' sites===
*[http://www.pokebeach.com/ PokéBeach] Includes high-quality image scans from all sets, regularly updated Pokemon and Pokemon TCG news, a forum, a ''Pokémon TCG'' chat room, card translations, and other TCG-related content.
*[http://pokegym.net/ PokéGym] has ''Pokémon TCG'' news, information, trading community and a massive forum for discussion of the Pokémon TCG. Home of the ''Pokémon TCG'' [http://pokegym.net/index.php?page=cpdmhome Compendium], the only source for all official card rulings from Pokémon Organized Play.
*[http://www.pojo.com/ Pojo.com] is a ''Pokémon'' resource for the Trading Card Game and Video Games, with a forum. Also home of the popular Card of the Day.
*[http://www.pokepedia.net/ Pokepedia]. Comprehensive, searchable ''Pokémon TCG'' database. Has a decklist builder, trader base, event mapper, and more.
*[http://www.ccgdb.com/pokemon/ CCGDB.com] A card search engine for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, as well as several other TCG systems.

===Wiki sites===
*[http://www.wikiknowledge.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Trading_Card_Game WikiKnowledege guide] (Previously hosted by [[wikipedia:Wikibooks| Wikibooks]])

[[Category:Pokémon]]
[[Category:Collectible card games]]
[[Category:Wizards of the Coast]]

Battlestar Galactica Collectable Card Game

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:01:38 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:Battlestar Galactica.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Battlestar Galactica Trading Card]]
The '''Battlestar Galactica Collectible Card Game''' is a [[wikipedia:collectible card game|collectible trading card game]] based on the [[wikipedia:Battlestar Galactica|Battlestar Galactica]] [[wikipedia:science fiction|science fiction]] media franchise. The game, published by [[wikipedia:WizKids| WizKids]], saw first release in May 2006 and was officially canceled in March 2007.

==Specifications==
*Publisher =
*Publication Date =
*Nature of Rarity =
*Number in Existence =
*Estimated Value =

==Game summary==
Two or more players vie for influence in an attempt to win control of the Colonial Fleet. A player loses the game when his or her influence is reduced to zero, and wins the game either when he or she achieves 20 influence or all opponents have lost. Because it is possible for these conditions to be achieved simultaneously, ties may occur. There is no limit on the number of players in a game.

Players primarily lose influence by failing to provide a defender when another player initiates a challenge, or by failing to respond to a [[wikipedia:Cylon (Battlestar Galactica)|Cylon]] threat.

==Play sequence==
Turns consist of three phases, with all players working through each phase before moving onto the next phase. The phases are defined as follows:

# '''Ready Phase''' - During the ready phase, players ready and restore existing cards, draw two new cards, and may then play a card as a supply card or asset.
# '''Execution Phase''' - Players alternate playing a card, playing an ability, challenging, or resolving a mission. When both players have passed consecutively, the phase ends.
# '''Cylon Phase''' - If the Cylon threat level of the face-up alert and reserve cards exceeds the fleet defense level, the Cylons attack. When this occurs, each player reveals a Cylon threat, and each player must then challenge a threat or pass (losing one influence) until no threats remain or everyone has passed.

The player who goes first in all situations is the player with the lowest current influence at the start of the current phase.

==Card types==
* '''Bases''' - Cards which are not part of the main play deck. Each player reveals a base card at the start of the game, and this card determines a number of factors, including starting hand size and influence.

* '''Events''' - Events which have an immediate effect on the game.

* '''Personnel''' - Individuals or characters from the universe of Battlestar Galactica.

* '''Missions''' - A task or mission which a player's fleet can attempt. Players typically resolve missions by meeting the mission requirements using face-up alert units.

* '''Ships''' - Space-going vessels or ships from Battlestar Galactica.

==Deck composition==
Each player's deck must contain at least 60 cards, with no more than four copies of any one card. Cards with the same title but different subtitles count as different cards. Players must also supply a single base card, which does not count towards the 60-card minimum.

==Products==
Cards are available both in a two-player starter set and in [[booster pack]]s. The two-player starter set can be split to form two 31-card decks for two players, or can be used to make a single 61-card deck (removing the spare base card). It includes a quick-start ruleset, a complete rulebook, and 62 fixed cards: 10 cards exclusive to the starter deck (5 are foil cards), and 52 others.

Booster packs contain 15 randomly selected cards: 11 commons, 3 uncommons, and 1 rare, with a one-in-four chance of a foil card being present.

==Release History==
===Premiere===
The premiere set of Battlestar Galactica: CCG was released on May 31, 2006 and contains 175 cards from the miniseries, season 1, and season 2:
*55 Rares
*55 uncommons
*55 commons
*10 fixed cards found in starter decks.

===Betrayal===
[[Battlestar Galactica: Betrayal Collectable Card Game|Battlestar Galactica: Betrayal]] was the first expansion set and was released on November 8, 2006. It contains 165 cards (55 Rare, 56 Uncommon, 54 Common). Betrayal was available in 15-card booster packs with an MSRP of $3.49. Throughout the distribution, there are 500 hand-autographed rare "Crewman Cally" cards signed by actress Nicki Clyne.

===Martial Law===
Martial Law was an expansion set in development. Wiz Kids announced on March 13, 2007 that they were discontinuing development of the expansion.

==Concepts and comparisons to existing games==
The '''Battlestar Galactica Collectable Card Game''' borrows a number of its game mechanics or concepts from existing collectible card games. This includes:

* Assets / supply cards - The concept of any card being able to be used as a resource card instead of for its normal use. This mechanic is used in games such as the [[Call of Cthulhu Collectible Card Game]] and the [[VS System]].

* Mystic values - The concept of generating a random number by flipping a card from the top of the deck into the discard pile and consulting one of the fields on the card which was revealed. This mechanic is used in games such as the original [[Star Wars Customizable Card Game]] by [[wikipedia:Decipher| Decipher]] as well as the [[Legend of the Five Rings]].

* Cylon attacks - The concept of a rogue enemy element in the game that is dangerous to all players is very similar to the Wanderer mechanic from [[wikipedia:Allegiance: War of Factions|Allegiance: War of Factions]].

* Use of rounds instead of turns - This mechanic, where all players work through the same phase of the game simultaneously before proceeding to the next, has been used in a number of previous games, including [[Doomtown]] and Allegiance.

The general feel of the game is understandably similar to earlier science fiction games, most notably the [[Star Trek Customizable Card Game]] (which itself featured missions that could be completed by having the appropriate traits available).

==Game cancellation==
Officially announced on the Wizkids website on 13 March 2007, Battlestar Galactica CCG has been cancelled. <ref>[http://www.wizkidsgames.com/battlestar/article.asp?a=41315 Battlestar Galactica Collectible Card Game]</ref>

From the official announcement:

"We are sorry to announce that the next expansion for the Battlestar Galactica CCG, Martial Law, previously planned for February, will not be releasing. Although we diligently tried to extend this property into the CCG category, we are no longer able to maintain the product.

"It is important to us that you be aware of how much we have appreciated your support of the Battlestar Galactica CCG. We can only hope that you and your customers enjoyed our game half as much as we enjoyed creating it. Saying good-bye to any product like this one, into which we have poured so much of ourselves, is always difficult and we understand that you may have similar feelings. We are grateful for your dedication and we promise to continue to make more quality games in the future for you to enjoy.

"We apologize for any inconvenience that this cancellation may have caused, and we thank you in advance for your understanding."

==Online play==
Since this game is no longer in production, there has been a decrease in the number of players. For those who can not find others to play with in person, programs such as [[wikipedia:LackeyCCG|LackeyCCG]] allow players to meet and play online.

==See also==
*[[wikipedia:Battlestar Galactica Collectable Card Game Cardlist|BSG: CCG Card List]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.wizkidsgames.com/battlestar/default.asp Battlestar Galactica Collectable Card Game Website]
*[http://www.wizkidsgames.com/battlestar/cardgallery.asp BSG: CCG Card Gallery]
*[http://www.cardgameorganizer.com/trading_card_games/battlestar_galactica_ccg Card Game Organizer Online for Battlestar Galactica: CCG]
*[http://www.bsg-ccg.be/ Belgium BSG.CCG site]
*[http://www.lackeyccg.com/ LackeyCCG] - Online game play

[[Category:Collectible card games]]
[[Category:Battlestar Galactica]]
[[Category:WizKids games]]

Harry Potter Trading Card Game

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:41:25 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Harry Potter card.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Harry Potter Trading Card]]
The '''''Harry Potter Trading Card Game''''', sometimes abbreviated '''''HPTCG''''', is a [[wikipedia:strategy game|strategy]] and [[collectible card game]] based in the magical world of the [[wikipedia:Harry Potter|Harry Potter]] novels by [[wikipedia:J. K. Rowling|J. K. Rowling]]. Created by [[wikipedia:Wizards of the Coast|Wizards of the Coast]] in August 2001, the game was designed to compete with the ''[[wikipedia:Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game|Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'', ''[[wikipedia:Pokémon Trading Card Game|Pokémon]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Magic: The Gathering|Magic: The Gathering]]'' card games. It was released to coincide with the release of the [[wikipedia:Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)|first film]] in the series. The game was praised for the way it immersed children in the ''Harry Potter'' universe. At one point the game was the second best selling toy in the United States; however, the game is now out of print.

==Specifications==
*Publisher =
*Publication Date =
*Nature of Rarity =
*Number in Existence =
*Estimated Value =

==Game play==
The game is for two players, each with 60-card decks (with the addition of a starting Character; see below). The aim is to force the opposite player to run out of cards from their deck first. When cards do "damage" to a player, cards from the deck are placed into the discard pile. Each player begins with a hand of seven cards, and draws a card before each of their turns.

===Types of cards===
There are eight different types of cards in the ''Harry Potter Trading Card Game''.
*'''Lessons''' are the basic units of the game. Each provides 1 "Power", which is needed to play other cards. The number of Lessons in play determines the player's capabilities to play cards with different costs. There are five different Lesson cards, each of which has a different symbol and colour that is used to identify it on other cards.<ref name="HPTCG"/>
*'''Spells''' are cards that are played directly into the discard pile and have a given effect. They have a printed Power cost; there are Spells for each Lesson type.<ref name="HPTCG"/>
*'''Creatures''' stay on the table when played. All Creatures have a printed Power cost, and require Care of Magical Creatures Lessons to play. They have a Health number that determines how much damage they can take, and a "Damage each turn" number that dictates the amount of damage done to the opposing player each turn. Not all Creatures do damage; some have special abilities.<ref name="HPTCG"/>
*'''Characters''' do not have a printed Power cost or Lesson type and thus do not require Lessons to play, although they do take two Actions. Characters stay on the table and have special abilities that can be used by the player; some also provide Power. Each player must have a starting Character to represent them: the starting Character begins the game on the table and cannot be discarded from play. Only Characters with the "Witch" or "Wizard" keyword designation can be used as starting Characters.<ref name="HPTCG"/>
*'''Adventures''', like Characters, do not require Lessons to play, and also take 2 Actions. They have an Effect on the opposing player; a "To Solve" condition that must be accomplished for the opposing player to remove the Adventure; and a Reward, which the opposing player receives when they have solved the Adventure. Each player can have only one Adventure in play at a time.<ref name="HPTCG"/>
*'''Items''' stay on the table when played. They have a printed Power cost and can be of any Lesson type. Some have effects that can be used, while others provide extra Power.<ref name="HPTCG"/>
*'''Matches''' were introduced in the Quidditch Cup expansion. They all have a printed Power cost of 1, requiring Quidditch Power. They have a condition "To Win", and a "Prize" for the first player to fulfil that condition. Only one Match is allowed in play at one time.<ref name="HPTCG"/>
*'''Locations''' were introduced in the Diagon Alley expansion. They have a printed Power cost and can be of any Lesson type. Locations have the same effect on both players. There can be only one Location in play at any one time; playing a Location removes any previous Locations from play.<ref name="HPTCG"/>

===Lesson types===
There are five Lesson types in the game, each applying to different cards. There is no limit on the Lesson cards in a player's deck: a player may have as many different types as they prefer.<ref name="HPTCG"/>
*'''[[wikipedia:Hogwarts subjects#Care of Magical Creatures|Care of Magical Creatures]]''' (brown) is mostly used for Creature cards, although there are also a small number of Spells, Items and Locations requiring this Lesson.
*'''[[wikipedia:Hogwarts subjects#Charms|Charms]]''' (blue) can be used for Spells, Items and Locations. Charms specialises in low but versatile damage and some other effects, such as locating cards from a player's deck.
*'''[[wikipedia:Hogwarts subjects#Potions|Potions]]''' (green) can be used for Spells, Items and Locations. Potions cards are often very powerful and require comparatively low Power costs, although they usually require a sacrifice of a certain number of Lessons.
*'''[[wikipedia:Quidditch| Quidditch]]''' (yellow) can be used for Spells, Items, Locations and Matches. This Lesson type was introduced in the Quidditch Cup expansion, and specialises in cards that have two effects at once.
*'''[[wikipedia:Hogwarts subjects#Transfiguration|Transfiguration]]''' (red) can be used for Spells, Items and Locations. These cards specialise in the removal of Creatures, Lessons and other cards from play.

===Keywords===
Some cards have keywords in addition to their card type. These keywords allow other cards to refer to a specific type of card. The "Wizard" or "Witch" designation on Character cards is an example of a keyword, as is the "Healing" designation on some other cards. Other common keywords include designations representing each of the four [[wikipedia:Hogwarts| Hogwarts]] houses: [[wikipedia:Gryffindor| Gryffindor]], [[wikipedia:Ravenclaw| Ravenclaw]], [[wikipedia:Hufflepuff| Hufflepuff]], and [[wikipedia:Slytherin| Slytherin]].

Some cards (including all Characters) have the keyword "Unique", which indicates that only one of them can be in play at a time (for either player). The only exception is if both players have the same starting Character.

===Card sets===
[[Image:HPcardSets.jpg|thumb|right|The expansions are represented by a symbol on each card.]]

The first set of cards, now commonly called the base set, was introduced in August of 2001. Since the 116-card base set was first released, four expansion sets have been introduced to vary play and expand card availability. The first three expansions, which each consist of 80 cards plus 30 Foil or Hologram Portrait Premium rares, include ''[[wikipedia:Quidditch|Quidditch Cup]]'' (November 2001), ''[[wikipedia:Diagon Alley|Diagon Alley]]'' (March 2002), and ''[[wikipedia:Hogwarts|Adventures at Hogwarts]]'' (June 2002). Notable differences in these expansions include the addition of the ''Quidditch'' lesson type and ''Match'' cards introduced in the ''Quidditch Cup'' expansion, location cards introduced in the ''Diagon Alley'' expansion, and a larger pool of adventure cards in the ''Adventures at Hogwarts'' expansion. The fourth and final expansion released was ''[[wikipedia:Chamber of Secrets|Chamber of Secrets]]'', which has 140 cards plus 55 Foil or Hologram Portrait Premium rares (October 2002). This last expansion features cards based on the ''[[wikipedia:Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets|Chamber of Secrets]]'' book, where all previous cards were based on the ''[[wikipedia:Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone|Philosopher's Stone]]'' book.

From its conception in 2001, through 2003, the ''Harry Potter Trading Card Game'' was popular among many people and age ranges and several gaming leagues were formed. After releasing the last expansion set in 2003, Wizards of the Coast decided not to continue making ''HPTCG'' cards, though no explanation was given to the public for this decision.

===Card Availability===
The cards from this game are sold in three ways: booster packs, starter decks, and theme decks. [[Booster pack]]s were released for every set. Each pack contains 11 cards, which includes one [[wikipedia:Collectible card game#Distribution|rare]] card, two uncommon cards, six common cards, and two Lessons. If a premium card was included in a base set booster pack it replaced the rare card. In the expansions a premium card replaced one of the common cards.

[[Starter pack|Starter decks]] were made with the Base set, ''Diagon Alley'' set, and the ''Chamber of Secrets'' set. Each included two introductory decks of 40 cards, a playmat, additional instructions and two premium cards. Theme decks, a special kind of [[starter pack]], were released to the public with the ''Chamber of Secrets'' set. These decks are the [[wikipedia:Percy Weasley|Percy Weasley]] Potions deck and the [[wikipedia:Fred and George Weasley|Twin]] Trouble deck. Included in each was a full 60-card deck, playable right out of the box. The packaging for two additional theme decks ([[wikipedia:Hannah Abbott|Hannah Abbott]]'s Spellcaster and [[wikipedia:Dean Thomas|Dean Thomas]]' Restrike) was made for a toy fair in 2001, but the products were never produced.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
*[http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/wotc/products_main.html ''Harry Potter Trading Card Game'' product page]
*[http://pojo.com/harrypotter Pojo's Harry Potter Site] (includes complete card lists)
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20010803045301/www.wizards.com/harrypotter/main.asp?x=welcome Wizards of the Coast Harry Potter Site] from web.archive.org

[[Category:Collectible card games]]
[[Category:Wizards of the Coast]]

Illuminati: New World Order

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:30:48 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|thumb|350px|Image Needed]]
'''''Illuminati: New World Order''''' (''INWO'') is a [[collectible card game]] (CCG) that was released in 1994 by [[wikipedia:Steve Jackson Games|Steve Jackson Games]], based on their original boxed game [[wikipedia:Illuminati (game)|Illuminati]], which in turn was inspired by ''[[wikipedia:The Illuminatus! Trilogy|The Illuminatus! Trilogy]]''. ''INWO'' won the [[wikipedia:Origins Award|Origins Award]] for ''Best Card Game'' in 1997.

==Specifications==
*Publisher =
*Publication Date =
*Nature of Rarity =
*Number in Existence =
*Estimated Value =

==Card contents==
Cards come in several types, including Illuminati, Plots, Groups, Places, Personalities, Resources, and New World Order cards. The various cards are printed with two different colored backs and are collectively referred to as simply "Groups" and "Plots". The premise is that you play one of the Illuminati groups (the [[wikipedia:Adepts of Hermes|Adepts of Hermes]], the [[wikipedia:Bavarian Illuminati|Bavarian Illuminati]], the [[wikipedia:Bermuda Triangle|Bermuda Triangle]], the [[wikipedia:Discordian| Discordian]] Society, the [[wikipedia:Gnomes of Zürich|Gnomes of Zürich]], The Network, the [[wikipedia:Servants of Cthulhu|Servants of Cthulhu]], [[wikipedia:Shangri-La|Shangri-La]], and the [[wikipedia:Unidentified flying object|UFO]]s) bent on world domination. You seek to control a predetermined number of Groups (such as the [[wikipedia:Scouting|Boy Sprouts]], the [[wikipedia:Men in Black|Men in Black]], the [[wikipedia:CIA| CIA]], etc.) and/or complete a Plot to achieve your goal before your opponent(s).

==Product information==
''INWO'' is often said to be more difficult to learn than most CCGs, but it is infused with much more humor, in common with some other Steve Jackson games. As with most CCGs, deck building, aggressive play, and sheer luck are key to winning, but intrigue, negotiation, deal-making, and deviousness are often more important elements. This gives ''INWO'' the flavor more of a "friendly" game of ''[[wikipedia:Monopoly game|Monopoly]]'' than of a typical collectible card game.

''INWO'' was released as a 412-card main set in double [[wikipedia:starter deck|starter deck]]s (suitable for two players) and sealed packs, in both limited and unlimited editions. There was also a boxed set called variously ''The Factory Set'' and ''One With Everything'' which contained one of each card from the main set of the limited edition, multiples of the Illuminati cards, and a few cards previously only available in magazines. One 125-card expansion of sealed packs has been released, called ''Assassins'', as well as a complete-in-one-box 100-card expansion called ''INWO [[wikipedia:Church of the SubGenius|SubGenius]]''. ''SubGenius'' can also be played as a stand-alone game.

There are common, uncommon, and rare cards in the main set and in ''Assassins''; ''Assassins'' also included 10 "ultra-rare" cards. All cards in ''SubGenius'' have the same rarity. Packs of blank cards are also sold for those who wish to make up their own cards, an activity that has proven so popular that online collections of homebrew ''INWO'' cards now list thousands of cards. ''The INWO Book'', by Steve Jackson, is the official guidebook to the game.

==Outside impact==
''INWO'' was mentioned in [[wikipedia:Dan Brown|Dan Brown]]'s novel ''[[wikipedia:Angels & Demons|Angels & Demons]]'', but as a computer game.

== External links ==
* [http://www.sjgames.com/inwo/ Official ''INWO'' site] (includes rules)
* [http://www.speakeasy.org/~sbrinich/inwoconc.html ''INWO Concordance''] (explains WHY the cards are in the game)

[[Category:Collectible card games]]
[[Category:Origins Award winners]]
[[Category:Steve Jackson]]

Jedi Knights Trading Card Game

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:15:47 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:Jktcg_booster.JPG|300px|thumb|right|Jedi Knights TCG booster pack]]
The '''''Jedi Knights Trading Card Game''''' is a [[collectible card game]] set in the [[wikipedia:Star Wars|''Star Wars'' Universe]]. As of April 2008 the game is not in print as the publisher, [[wikipedia:Decipher, Inc.|Decipher, Inc.]], no longer holds the license to utilize material from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The initial game was released on 25 April [[wikipedia:2001 in games|2001]] and two expansion packs, titled ''Scum and Villany'' and ''Masters of the Force'', were also produced before the end of 2001. Further development of the game was impossible due to the loss of the license.

==Specifications==
*Publisher =
*Publication Date =
*Nature of Rarity =
*Number in Existence =
*Estimated Value =

==Overview==
[[Image:3c3pofluentinsixmillion.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''Jedi Knights'' computer-generated art often presents a different perspective or angle from those seen in the films.]]
''Jedi Knights'' is centred around the classic trilogy ''([[wikipedia:Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|A New Hope]]'', ''[[wikipedia:Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back|The Empire Strikes Back]]'', and ''[[wikipedia:Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi|Return of the Jedi]]''). Unlike its predecessor, the ''[[wikipedia:Star Wars Customizable Card Game|Star Wars CCG]]'', expansions for ''Jedi Knights'' are connected with specific aspects of all three films rather than particular settings from each film taken separately. From the very release of the game its collectible nature was underlined by the existence of silver and gold foil cards, whose rarity was clearly specified by the publisher, and cards with "1st time in print" icon.

===Card design===
[[Image:Senatorialguardstereo1024.jpg|thumb|left|250px|An example of the stereoscopic effect on a ''Jedi Knights'' card.]]

''Jedi Knights'' cards do not contain images taken from the original movies, as it was for the ''Star Wars CCG''. Instead, art is [[wikipedia:Computer-generated imagery|computer generated]]. One particular quality of the visuals in the game is that card arts often portray events and characters from the films from a perspective or angle that were absent in the film or depict situations mentioned but not shown in any of the three films. Additional value has been added to the cards by adding [[wikipedia:stereoscopic| stereoscopic]] effect to certain designated cards. Another addition to classic card design were 'flip movie' cards, which contained arts taken from a continuity of images that, when viewed in a specific sequence, form an animated series . There were two of those 'movie' sequences: the opening scene from ''A New Hope'' - ''Tantive IV'' being chased by Imperial cruiser ''Devastator'' and starfighter flight in the [[wikipedia:Death Star|Death Star]] trench.

==Basic gameplay concepts==
Gameplay mechanics of ''Jedi Knights'' differ greatly from those present in previous ''Star Wars'' card games by Decipher, Inc., those being ''Star Wars CCG'' and ''[[wikipedia:Young Jedi TCG|Young Jedi TCG]]''. The goal of the game is to gain control over as many locations as possible while characters and starships battle one another on sites and planetary orbits. Unlike its predecessors, ''Jedi Knights'' does not have a clear-cut differentiation between "[[wikipedia:Force (Star Wars)|Light Side]]" and "[[wikipedia:Dark side (Star Wars)|Dark Side]]" decks, although certain cards can only be used by a particular side.

===Card features===
[[Image:Thatsnomoon.jpg|thumb|right|250px|An example of a neutral ('independent') card, indicated by grey background under the Destiny number in top right corner.]]
Each card has a Destiny number from 0 through 6 printed over allegiance icon: Light Side, Dark Side and Independent, the latter usable by either side of the conflict. Character and starship cards in Jedi Knights are distinguished by Power and Defense attributes, the first defining combat prowess and the second defining the ability to withstand weapon attacks. Each starship and character card (along with some of the weapon cards) has a deploy cost and some of them have leadership icons designating the ability to be supported in combat. Also, character, starship and weapon cards may have a certain theme colour that influences deck design, although grey ('themeless') cards are also present.

===Theme===
[[Image:Localtrouble.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Some ''Jedi Knights'' cards take their titles from respective ''Star Wars CCG'' cards, albeit their game texts differ.]]
Each deck needs a 'theme': a theme card and theme hero; those provided in the premiere release are: [[wikipedia:Han Solo|Han Solo]] (green theme colour), [[wikipedia:Luke Skywalker|Luke Skywalker]] (yellow), [[wikipedia:Grand Moff Tarkin|Grand Moff Tarkin]] (blue) and [[wikipedia:Darth Vader| Darth Vader]] (red). The theme influences gameplay and deck construction by settling who goes first in the game and by favouring characters and items compatible with it, yet cards with different theme colour are still usable.

===Force deck===
The force deck specifies the amount of cards drawn by a player and serves as resource necessary to deploy characters, weapons and starships. The force deck includes eight force cards with numbers 1 through 8 which must be of one colour (basic colour released in premiere is green), although black [[wikipedia:wild card (card games)|wild cards]] are also available.

===Combat===
Combat is resolved on the basis of character and starship battles. The principle of drawing Destiny (drawing a card from deck and using the Destiny number printed on it) has been retained from ''Star Wars CCG'', although the Destiny number applies solely to weapon targeting.

===Goal===
The game is played with the use of four double-sided cards presenting system/site locations (Tatooine, Bespin, Hoth and Endor) revealed one after the other, each turn taking place on different location. The main purpose of the game is control as many locations as possible. Control over a location is checked by tallying up total power of characters. The player with the greater total is considered 'in control' of a location. The game is won by one of the players when he or she control the majority of locations of the game.

==''Scum and Villany'' additions==
The first expansion pack contained new themes of [[wikipedia:Leia Organa|Leia Organa]] (purple), [[wikipedia:Obi-Wan Kenobi|Obi-Wan Kenobi]] (blue), [[wikipedia:Boba Fett|Boba Fett]] (yellow) and [[wikipedia:Jabba the Hutt|Jabba the Hutt]] (orange). A new force card colour (orange) was also added. This expansion pack was focused on Independent characters, mainly bounty hunters, and added the possibility of creating an Independent-themed deck.

==''Masters of the Force'' additions==
In the second expansion force power cards debuted. New themes of [[wikipedia:Yoda| Yoda]] (red) and [[wikipedia:Emperor Palpatine|Emperor Palpatine]] (purple) were also added, along with blue-coloured force card set. The main aspect of this expansion is the use of [[wikipedia:The Force (Star Wars)|The Force]].

==References==

==External links==
*[http://www.decipher.com/jediknights/index.html Decipher, Inc. archive]

[[Category:Collectible card games]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]

Jack Chesbro

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:24:40 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Jack Chesbro.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Jack Chesbro Baseball Card]]
'''John Dwight Chesbro''' (June 5, [[wikipedia:1874| 1874]] – November 6, [[wikipedia:1931| 1931]]) was a [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] [[wikipedia:pitcher| pitcher]] at the turn of the 20th century. He was nicknamed "Happy Jack".

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1899-1902), [[wikipedia:New York Yankees|New York Highlanders]] (1903-1909), [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox|Boston Red Sox]] (1909)

== Background ==
Chesbro, a [[wikipedia:spitball| spitball]]er (spitballs were legal until [[wikipedia:1920 in sports|1920]]), broke into the majors in [[wikipedia:1899 in sports|1899]] with the [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]]. He pitched for the Pirates until [[wikipedia:1902 in sports|1902]] and in his final year went an astonishing 28-6 with a 2.17 [[wikipedia:earned run average|ERA]].

In 1903 Chesbro moved to the newly formed [[wikipedia:New York Yankees|New York Highlanders]] (soon to be New York Yankees) and pitched the franchise's first game. In 1904, he had one of the finest years in the history of pitching, starting 51 games and finishing 48 while posting a 1.82 ERA, struck out 239 batters, and 41 wins over 454.7 innings pitched. He nearly led the Highlanders to the 1904 American League pennant over the [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox|Boston Americans]], but lost the last game of the season when one of his spitballs got away from him in the top of the ninth. Boston scored on the resulting [[wikipedia:wild pitch|wild pitch]], and the Highlanders were shut out in the bottom frame.

His 41 wins are the most ever for a modern-era baseball season. It is one of the oldest major records in baseball, or in any other sport. Like many of the pitching records set in baseball's first half century, it is virtually unbreakable under current pitching practices. In addition to his 51 starts, he also made 4 relief appearances, getting a decision in 96% of them, for a record of 41-12. Today, complete games are a rarity. The most recent pitcher to have even as many as 40 starts in a season was [[Charlie Hough]] in 1987.

Chesbro retired in 1909, having accumulated a 198-132 career record and been part of two pennant-winning teams (in [[wikipedia:1901 in sports|1901]] and 1902).

Chesbro was inducted into the [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame|Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1946|1946]].

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball wins champions|List of Major League Baseball wins champions]]
* [[wikipedia:MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List|MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List]]

== External links ==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox]]
[[Category:New York Highlanders]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates]]

John Montgomery Ward

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:18:36 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Monte_Ward.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Monte Ward Baseball Card]]
'''John Montgomery Ward''' (March 3, [[wikipedia:1860| 1860]] – March 4, [[wikipedia:1925| 1925]]) was a 19th century [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] star [[wikipedia:starting pitcher|pitcher]], [[wikipedia:shortstop| shortstop]] and [[wikipedia:manager (baseball)|manager]]. Ward was born in [[wikipedia:Bellefonte, Pennsylvania|Bellefonte, Pennsylvania]], and grew up in [[wikipedia:Renovo, Pennsylvania|Renovo, Pennsylvania]]. He later successfully challenged the player [[wikipedia:reserve clause|reserve clause]], leading the formation the of a new baseball league, the [[wikipedia:Players League|Players League]].

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Providence Grays|Providence Grays]] (1878-1882), [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Gothams/Giants]] (1883-1889, 1893-1894), [[wikipedia:Brooklyn Ward's Wonders|Brooklyn Ward's Wonders]] (1890), [[wikipedia:Brooklyn Grooms|Brooklyn Grooms]] (1891-1892)

== Background ==
At 13 years of age, he was sent to [[wikipedia:Penn State University|Penn State University]]. In his short time there, he helped jump start a baseball program and is often credited for developing the first curve ball.

The following year, in 1874, his parents died. As a result he was forced to quit school and try and earn his own way. He tried to make it as a [[wikipedia:travelling salesman|travelling salesman]], but when that proved unsuccessful, he returned to his hometown. It was there that he discovered baseball.<ref name=tripod/> In 1878}}, the semi-pro team that he was playing for folded, which opened the door for him to move on to a new opportunity. He was offered a contract to pitch for the [[wikipedia:Providence Grays|Providence Grays]] of the still new [[wikipedia:National League|National League]], an all professional major league that had began its operations in 1876.<ref name=tripod/>

== Providence Grays ==
Ward's first season with the Grays was a successful one, going 22-13 with a 1.51 [[wikipedia:earned run average|ERA]]. He played that season exclusively as a pitcher, but during the following two seasons, while seeing increasing time in the [[wikipedia:outfielder|outfield]] and at [[wikipedia:third baseman|third base]].<ref name=reference/> Ward had his two finest seasons as a pitcher, going 47-19 with 239 [[wikipedia:strikeout| strikeout]]s and a 2.15 ERA in 1879 and 39-24 with 230 strikeouts and a 1.74 ERA in [[wikipedia:1880 in sports|1880]]. Perhaps more remarkably, he pitched nearly 600 innings each year (587.0 in 1879 and 595.0 in 1880). As a 19 year old pitcher, he won 47 games and led the [[wikipedia:Providence Grays|Providence Grays]] to a first place finish.

In 1880, he began to play other positions and also expanded his leadership role to include [[wikipedia:manager (baseball)|managing]] when became a [[wikipedia:player-manager|player-manager]] for 32 games, winning 18 of them, as the Grays finished in second place.<ref name=manager/> On June 17, [[wikipedia:1880| 1880]], Ward became only the second man in history to pitch a [[wikipedia:perfect game|perfect game]], defeating future [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]] [[wikipedia:Pud Galvin|Pud Galvin]] 5-0.<ref name=tripod/> [[wikipedia:John Lee Richmond|John Lee Richmond]] had thrown baseball's first perfect game just five days before, on June 12. The next perfect game by a National League pitcher wouldn't happen for 84 years, when [[wikipedia:Jim Bunning|Jim Bunning]] pitched a perfect game in [[wikipedia:1964 in sports|1964]].

In 1881 and 1882, were the first seasons in which he starting playing more games in the outfield, due to a nagging arm injury that first occurred while he was sliding into a base.<ref name=tripod/> He still pitched well when he did pitch, winning 37 games over those two seasons and having ERAs of 2.13 and 2.59 respectively,<ref name=reference/> and on August 17, 1882, he pitched the longest [[wikipedia:complete game|complete game]] [[wikipedia:shutout| shutout]] in history, blanking the [[wikipedia:Detroit Wolverines| Detroit Wolverines]] 1-0 in 18 innings.<ref name=tripod/> By this time however, the Grays felt his best days were behind him, and sold their former ace hurler to the [[wikipedia:New York Giants|New York Giants]].

== See also ==
* [[wikipedia:List of major league players with 2,000 hits|List of major league players with 2,000 hits]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs| List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball ERA champions|List of Major League Baseball ERA champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball saves champions|List of Major League Baseball saves champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions|List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions|List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball wins champions|List of Major League Baseball wins champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases]]
* [[wikipedia:Perfect Game|Pitchers who have thrown a perfect game]]
* [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers all-time roster|Los Angeles Dodgers all-time roster]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/06171880.shtml Box score for Ward's perfect game]
*''[http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19975 Base-Ball: How to Become a Player]'', by John M. Ward, 1888, from [[wikipedia:Project Gutenberg|Project Gutenberg]]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Providence Grays]]
[[Category:New York Gothams]]
[[Category:New York Giants]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Ward's Wonders]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Grooms]]

Steamer Flanagan

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:01:45 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Steamer Flanagan.jpg|thumb|300px|Steamer Flanagan]]
'''James Paul "Steamer" Flanagan''' (April 20, [[wikipedia:1881| 1881]] - April 21, [[wikipedia:1947| 1947]]) was a [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] [[wikipedia:center fielder|center fielder]]. He played for the [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]] just at the end of the 1905 season (September 25-October 7). The 24-year-old [[wikipedia:rookie| rookie]], who stood 6'1" and weighed 185 lbs., was a native of [[wikipedia:Kingston, Pennsylvania|Kingston, Pennsylvania]].

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== Background ==
Flanagan played well during his time with the Pirates. In seven games he hit .280 (7-for-25) with one [[wikipedia:double (baseball)|double]], one [[wikipedia:triple (baseball)|triple]], three [[wikipedia:runs batted in|runs batted in]], and seven [[wikipedia:run (baseball)|runs scored]]. He also had three [[wikipedia:stolen bases|stolen bases]]. In the field he handled 19 [[wikipedia:total chances|chances]] flawlessly for a [[wikipedia:fielding percentage|fielding percentage]] of 1.000.

Two of his famous teammates on the Pirates were future [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Famers]] [[Honus Wagner]] and [[Fred Clarke]].

Flanagan died at the age of 66 in [[wikipedia:Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]].

==External links==
*[http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/flanast01.shtml Baseball Reference]
*[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Pflans101.htm Retrosheet]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates]]

Terry Turner

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:55:51 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:Terry Turner.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Terry Turner Baseball Card]]
'''Terrance Lamont (Terry) Turner''' (February 28, [[wikipedia:1881| 1881]] - July 18, [[wikipedia:1960| 1960]]) was an [[wikipedia:infielder| infielder]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] who played between [[wikipedia:1901 in baseball|1901]] and [[wikipedia:1919 in baseball|1919]] for the [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1901), [[wikipedia:Cleveland Indians|Cleveland Naps/Indians]] (1904-1918) and [[wikipedia:Oakland Athletics|Philadelphia Athletics]] (1919). Turner batted and threw right handed. He was born in [[wikipedia:Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania|Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania]].

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== Background ==
Listed at 5' 8", 149 lb., Turner was basically a line-drive hitter and a fearless [[wikipedia:stolen base|base stealer]]. Because normal [[wikipedia:slide (baseball)|slides]] hurt his ankles, he pioneered the use of the head-first slide. As a fielder, he spent most of his playing time between [[wikipedia:shortstop|Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania]] and [[wikipedia:third baseman|third base]]. He also broke up three [[wikipedia:no-hitter|no-hitter]]s and spoiled a [[wikipedia:perfect game|perfect game]] effort by [[Chief Bender]] after receiving a fourth-inning [[wikipedia:base on balls|walk]].

In 1904 Turner started a long tenure with Cleveland that lasted 15 years, appearing in a team-record 1,619 [[wikipedia:games played|games]]. He hit a career-high .308 in 1912, and from 1906 to 1911 averaged 25.5 steals in each season, with a career-high 31 in 1910. On the field, he led the [[wikipedia:American League|American League]] shortstops in [[wikipedia:fielding percentage|fielding percentage]] four times. He also ranks among the top 10 Cleveland players in seven different offensive categories and still the team-mark in [[wikipedia:putout| putout]]s with 4,603.

In a 17-season career, Turner was a .253 hitter (1499-for-5921) with eight [[wikipedia:home run|home run]]s and 528 [[wikipedia:run batted in|RBI]] in 1659 games, including 699 [[wikipedia:run (baseball)|runs]], 207 [[wikipedia:double (baseball)|doubles]], 77 [[wikipedia:triple (baseball)|triples]], and 256 stolen bases.

Turner died in [[wikipedia:Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland, Ohio]], at the age of 79. In [[wikipedia:2001 in baseball|2001]], he was selected to the 100 Greatest Indians Roster, as part of the club's 100th Anniversary Celebration.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/T/Turner_Terry.stm Baseball Library]
*[http://www.baseball-reference.com/t/turnete01.shtml Baseball Reference]
*[http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/T/Pturnt105.htm Retrosheet]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians]]
[[Category:Cleveland Naps]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Athletics]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates]]

Harry Wright

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:48:09 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Harry_Wright.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Harry Wright Baseball Card]]
'''William Henry Wright''' (January 10 [[wikipedia:1835| 1835]] – October 3 [[wikipedia:1895| 1895]]) was an [[wikipedia:England|English]]-born [[wikipedia:United States|American]] professional [[wikipedia:baseball| baseball]] player, [[wikipedia:manager (baseball)|manager]], and developer. He assembled, managed, and played [[wikipedia:center field|center field]] for baseball's first fully professional team, the [[wikipedia:1869 in sports|1869]] [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Red Stockings|Cincinnati Red Stockings]]. There he is credited with introduction of backing up plays in the outfield and shifting defensive alignments based on hitters' tendencies. He is in the [[wikipedia:National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] classified as a manager, a role that he virtually defined.

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Boston Red Stockings|Boston Red Stockings]] ([[wikipedia:1871 in baseball|1871]]-[[wikipedia:1875 in baseball|1875]]), [[wikipedia:Boston Red Caps|Boston Red Caps]] ([[wikipedia:1876 in baseball|1876]]-[[wikipedia:1877 in baseball|1877]])

== Background ==
Born in [[wikipedia:Sheffield, England|Sheffield, England]], the first son of professional [[wikipedia:cricket| cricket]]er Samuel Wright, "Harry" was not yet three when the family emigrated to the U.S. for a job as bowler, coach, and groundskeeper at the St. George Cricket Club in New York. Both Harry and [[wikipedia:George Wright (sportsman)|George]], twelve years younger, assisted their father, effectively apprenticing as cricket "club pros". Both played baseball, too, for some of the leading clubs during the amateur era of the [[wikipedia:National Association of Base Ball Players|National Association of Base Ball Players]] (NABBP). George grew up with the "national game" and he was barely in his teens when the [[wikipedia:American Civil War|American Civil War]] curtailed its boom; Harry was already twenty-two when the baseball fraternity convened for the first time and thirty when the war ended.

=== Cincinnati ===
When baseball boomed in 1866, the first full peacetime season, Harry Wright was 31, probably past his athletic prime. He moved to Cincinnati on salary at the Union Cricket Club. Less than a year later he became, in effect, club pro at the Cincinnati Base Ball Club, although he is commonly called simply a baseball "manager" from that time.

Cincinnati fielded a strong regional club in 1867. With Wright working as the regular pitcher, and still a superior player at that level, the team won 16 matches and lost only to the Nationals of Washington DC on their historic tour. For 1868 he added four players from the East and one from the crosstown Buckeye club, a vanquished rival. The easterners, at least, must have been compensated by club members if not by the club.

When the NABBP permitted professionalism for 1869, Harry augmented his 1868 imports (retaining four of five) with five new men, including three more originally from the East. No one but Harry Wright himself remained from 1867; one local man and one other westerner joined seven easterners on the famous [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Red Stockings#Players|First Nine]]. The most important of the new men was brother George, probably the best player in the game for a few years, the highest paid man in Cincinnati at $1400 for nine months. George at shortstop remained a cornerstone of Harry's teams for ten seasons.

The Red Stockings toured the continent undefeated in 1869 and may have been the strongest team in 1870, but the club dropped professional base ball after the second season, its fourth in the game. As it turned out, the Association also passed from the scene.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball saves champions|List of Major League Baseball saves champions]]

== References ==
*Alvarez, Mark (1996). "William Henry Wright (Harry)". ''Baseball's First Stars''. Edited by Frederick Ivor-Campbell, et al. Cleveland, OH: SABR. ISBN 0-910137-58-7
*National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. [http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/wright_harry.htm Harry Wright (Hall of Fame biography)]
*Retrosheet. [http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Pwrigh101.htm "Harry Wright"]. Retrieved 2006-08-29.
*Wright, Marshall (2000). ''The National Association of Base Ball Players, 1857-1870''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. ISBN 0-7864-0779-4
* [http://www.henrychadwick.com/wright_and_spalding.html]

== External links ==
*[http://www.webcemeteries.com/westlaurelhill/LHO.Asp Biography-West Laurel Hill Cemetery web site]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Boston Red Stockings]]
[[Category:Boston Red Caps]]

Ty Cobb

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:15:59 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Ty cobb.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Ty Cobb Baseball Card]]
'''Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb''' (December 18, [[wikipedia:1886| 1886]] – July 17, [[wikipedia:1961| 1961]]), nicknamed '''"The Georgia Peach,"''' was a [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] [[wikipedia:Major league baseball|baseball]] player and is regarded by historians and journalists as the best player of the [[wikipedia:dead-ball era|dead-ball era]] and as one of the greatest players of all time. Cobb also received the most votes of any player on the 1936 inaugural [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1936|Hall of Fame Ballot]].

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*Team(s) = *[[wikipedia:Detroit Tigers|Detroit Tigers]] (1905–1926), [[wikipedia:Oakland Athletics|Philadelphia Athletics]] (1927–1928)

== Background ==
Cobb is widely credited with setting 90 [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] records during his career. He still holds several records as of 2007, including the highest [[wikipedia:Batting average#All-time leaders|career]] [[wikipedia:batting average|batting average]] (.367) and most career [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball batting champions|batting titles]] with 12 (or 11, depending on source). He retained many other records for almost a half century or more, including most career [[wikipedia:Hit (baseball)|hits]] until 1985 (4,191 or 4,189, depending on source), most career [[wikipedia:games played|games played]] (3,035) and [[wikipedia:at bats|at bats]] (11,429 or 11,434 depending on source) until 1974, and the [[wikipedia:stolen base#Background|modern record]] for most career [[wikipedia:stolen base| stolen base]]s (892) until 1977.

Cobb's legacy as an athlete has sometimes been overshadowed by his surly temperament, severe [[wikipedia:racism| racism]], and aggressive playing style, which was described by the ''[[wikipedia:Detroit Free Press|Detroit Free Press]]'' as "daring to the point of dementia."

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:Ty Cobb Museum|Ty Cobb Museum]]
* [[wikipedia:Baseball record holders|Baseball record holders]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 2000 hits| List of Major League Baseball players with 2000 hits]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles|List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples|List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs|List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI|List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cmgworldwide.com/baseball/cobb/index.html Official site]
* [http://www.tycobbmuseum.org/ Ty Cobb Museum]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Detroit Tigers]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Athletics]]

Ron Mix

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:04:39 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|thumb|350px|Trading Card Image Needed]]
'''Ronald Jack Mix''' (born on March 10, [[wikipedia:1938| 1938]]), in [[wikipedia:Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, California]] was an American football player.

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== Background ==
Mix attended [[wikipedia:University of Southern California|USC]], and upon graduation played left tackle and guard for the [[wikipedia:American Football League|American Football League]]'s Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers (1960-1969) and the [[wikipedia:NFL| NFL]] [[wikipedia:Oakland Raiders| Oakland Raiders]] (1971). A graduate of the University of Southern California, Mix was an original [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Chargers|Los Angeles Charger]] in 1960.

== Professional career ==
Because he had a [[wikipedia:Juris Doctor|Juris Doctor]] degree, Mix was nicknamed "The Intellectual Assassin" for his physical play. Mix was called for a mere two holding penalties in ten years.

Mix, who was listed at 6'5 and 270 pounds, was an early proponent of weightlifting to enhance athletic power. He was years ahead of the curve that soon at lineman and other football players taking up that practice to become better athletes.

He was a factor in the Chargers' early domination of the AFL's Western Division, and in San Diego helped them win an [[wikipedia:Professional American football championship games|American Football League Championship]] in 1963, when they defeated the [[wikipedia:Boston Patriots|Boston Patriots]].

He was elected to the [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Star games|AFL All-Star]] team for nine straight years as a Charger, is a member of the [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Time Team|All-time All-AFL Team]], and is one of only 20 men who played the entire 10 years of the AFL.

He was voted to the [[wikipedia:Pro Football Hall of Fame|Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1979 and also a member of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, being elected to that in 1980.

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of American Football League players|Other American Football League players]]

==External links==
* ''Pro Football Hall of Fame:'' [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=153 Member profile]
* [http://www.conigliofamily.com/AFLHallofFamePhotos.htm#RonMix Mix's 1967 Topps football card]
* [http://www.raidersonline.org/ron-mix.php Ron Mix - Raidersonline.org]
* [http://www.usclegends.org/ron-mix.php Ron Mix] Profile at USC Legends

[[Category:American Football]]
[[Category:USC Trojans]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Chargers]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers]]
[[Category:Oakland Raiders]]

Jim Tyrer

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:57:53 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|thumb|350px|Image Needed]]
'''James Efflo Tyrer''' (February 25, [[wikipedia:1939| 1939]] – September 15, [[wikipedia:1980| 1980]]) was an [[wikipedia:American football| American football]] [[wikipedia:offensive tackle|offensive tackle]] who earned All-America honors at [[wikipedia:Ohio State University|Ohio State University]] before playing professionally for 14 years. Tyrer retired as a player after the 1974 season.

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== Background ==
Born in [[wikipedia:Newark, Ohio|Newark, Ohio]], he signed with the [[wikipedia:American Football League|American Football League]]'s Dallas Texans in [[wikipedia:1961| 1961]]. He played 13 years with that franchise, which became the [[wikipedia:Kansas City Chiefs|Kansas City Chiefs]] in 1963, helping set the standard for his position, and he concluded his career in [[wikipedia:1974| 1974]] with the NFL [[wikipedia:Washington Redskins|Washington Redskins]],

Ranking among the best offensive tackles of his era, Tyrer used a crushing blocking style to maintain a consistent level of play that helped the Chiefs reach two of the first four [[wikipedia:Super Bowl|Super Bowl]]s.

He served as an anchor for the Texans' (who became the [[wikipedia:Kansas City Chiefs| Kansas City Chiefs]] in [[wikipedia:1963| 1963]]) line, and was selected as ''[[wikipedia:Sporting News|The Sporting News']]''' [[wikipedia:American Football League All-League Teams|AFL All-League]] tackle eight consective years, from [[wikipedia:1962 AFL season|1962]] through [[wikipedia:1969 AFL season|1969]]. He was an [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Star games|AFL Western Division All-Star]] seven times, in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969 before also capturing a pair of All-AFC accolades in 1970-71. His efforts in the upstart league would result in his selection to the [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Time Team|American Football League All-Time Team]].

In [[wikipedia:Super Bowl IV|Super Bowl IV]], Tyrer used his uncanny ability to open a hole for Chiefs running backs, single-handedly taking on two of the [[wikipedia:Minnesota Vikings|Minnesota Vikings]]'s vaunted defensive linemen to help the team to an upset 23-7 victory. Tyrer was named AFL Offensive Lineman of the Year that same year and play in 180 consecutive games for the franchise. He wore jersey number 77 while with the Chiefs.

Remaining in the [[wikipedia:Kansas City Metropolitan Area|Kansas City]] area following his retirement, Tyrer turned down an opportunity to serve as a scout for the Chiefs. He then spent the next three years as a salesman before tiring of the constant travel and investing in a tire business. However, a mild winter proved to be financially disastrous for Tyrer, who moved on to work for [[wikipedia:Amway| Amway]].

This series of business misfortunes culminated on September 15, [[wikipedia:1980| 1980]] when Tyrer, the father of four, shot his wife and then committed [[wikipedia:suicide| suicide]] by turning the gun on himself. Because of the circumstances of the [[wikipedia:murder-suicide|murder-suicide]] (which was not unlike the [[wikipedia:Chris Benoit double murder and suicide|Chris Benoit double murder and suicide]] 27 years later with [[wikipedia:professional wrestling|professional wrestler]] [[wikipedia:Chris Benoit|Chris Benoit]]), it is likely that Tyrer will never be inducted into the [[wikipedia:Pro Football Hall of Fame|Pro Football Hall of Fame]].

Tyrer had once summarized his position by saying, "You have to have a certain personality to be an offensive lineman. You have to be orderly, disciplined. You have to take the shots like a hockey goalie. It's a passive violence. You build up anxiety. But when you finally get a clear shot at a guy you say, 'Take this for all of those'."

== See also ==

*[[wikipedia:List of American Football League players|Other American Football League players]]

==External links==
*[http://www.remembertheafl.com/1965ToppsChiefs.htm#JimTyrer Tyrer's 1965 Topps football card]

[[Category:American Football]]
[[Category:Dallas Texans]]
[[Category:Kansas City Chiefs]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins]]

Paul Lowe

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:49:05 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|thumb|350px|Trading Card Image Needed]]
'''Paul Edward Lowe''' (born September 27, [[wikipedia:1936| 1936]] in [[wikipedia:Homer, Louisiana|Homer, Louisiana]]) is a retired [[wikipedia:American football|American football]] [[wikipedia:running back| running back]] who played for the [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Chargers|Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers]] and [[wikipedia:Kansas City Chiefs|Kansas City Chiefs]] of the [[wikipedia:American Football League|American Football League]] from [[wikipedia:1960| 1960]] to [[wikipedia:1969| 1969]].

== Specifications ==
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== Background ==
Lowe attend [[wikipedia:Oregon State University|Oregon State University]] and played football for the [[wikipedia:Oregon State Beavers football|Beavers]] under legendary coach [[wikipedia:Tommy Prothro|Tommy Prothro]]. After graduating from Oregon State University, Lowe played for the [[wikipedia:San Francisco 49ers|San Francisco 49ers]] during the 1959 pre-season. However, Lowe was unable to make the team and was released before the regular season began. He returned to [[wikipedia:Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, California]] to get a job to support his wife. He took a job in the mailroom for the Carte Blanche Credit Card Corporation, owned by the [[wikipedia:Hilton Hotels Corporation|Hilton]] family.

In 1960, [[wikipedia:Barron Hilton|Barron Hilton]], son of famed hotel magnet [[wikipedia:Conrad Hilton|Conrad Hilton]], was the owner of the [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Chargers|Los Angeles Chargers]], a start-up team in the newly formed [[wikipedia:American Football League|American Football League]]. The Chargers General Manager, [[wikipedia:Frank Leahy|Frank Leahy]], asked Lowe to come out to the Chargers training camp on the basis of his talents at Oregon State a few years back. Lowe joined the Chargers as a [[wikipedia:free agent|free agent]]. He returned his first touch of the football in the AFL for a 105-yard touchdown in the Chargers' first-ever exhibition game and led the team in rushing with 855 yards on 136 carries (6.3 yard average) and also had 23 receptions for 377 yards. In 1961, Lowe had the Chargers' longest run from scrimmage with an 87-yard run, a record that still stands today.<ref name=chargers.com/>

Lowe was the [[wikipedia:UPI| UPI]] and ''[[wikipedia:The Sporting News|Sporting News]]'' [[wikipedia:American Football League Most Valuable Players|American Football League MVP]] in [[wikipedia:1965| 1965]] with 1,121 yards rushing (14-game schedule). He was also a three-time [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Star games|all-American Football League]] selection. Lowe set a pro football record with six games in which he gained 100 or more yards on 14 or fewer carries. He has the AFL's all-time highest rushing average, at 4.89 yd/carry, and his career rushing total of 4,995 yards is second best all-time in the AFL. He is also one of only twenty players who were in the AFL for its entire ten-year existence.

==See also==
*[[wikipedia:List of American Football League players|Other American Football League players]]

==External links==
*[http://www.remembertheafl.com/1965ToppsChargers.htm#PaulLowe Lowe's 1965 Topps footbal card]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Oregon State Beavers]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Chargers]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers]]
[[Category:Kansas City Chiefs]]

Joe Namath

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:29:27 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:Jnamath10.jpg|thumb|250px|1969 Topps Joe Namath]]
'''Joseph William Namath''' (born May 31 1943, [[wikipedia:Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania|Beaver Falls]], [[wikipedia:Pennsylvania| Pennsylvania]]), also known as '''Broadway Joe''', is a former [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:American football|football]] [[wikipedia:quarterback| quarterback]]. He played for the University of Alabama under legendary coach [[wikipedia:Paul "Bear" Bryant|Paul "Bear" Bryant]] and his assistant, [[wikipedia:Howard Schnellenberger|Howard Schnellenberger]], from 1962–1964, and in the [[wikipedia:American Football League|American Football League]] and [[wikipedia:National Football League|National Football League]] during the 1960s and 1970s. Namath played for the [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]] for most of his professional career, but finished his career with the [[wikipedia:St. Louis Rams|Los Angeles Rams]]. He was later elected to the [[wikipedia:Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]].

== Background ==
Namath retired after playing in 77 wins, 108 losses and 3 ties. In his career he threw 173 touchdowns and 220 interceptions. During his thirteen years in the [[wikipedia:American Football League|AFL]] and [[wikipedia:National Football League|NFL]] he played for three division champions (the 1968 and 1969 AFL East Champion Jets and the 1977 NFC West Champion Rams), earned one league championship ([[wikipedia:American Football League playoffs#1968 Championship|1968 AFL Championship]]), and one world championship ([[wikipedia:Super Bowl III|Super Bowl III]]).

In 1999, he was ranked number 96 on ''[[wikipedia:The Sporting News|The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He was the only player on the list to have spent a majority of his career with the Jets.

He is known for brashly telling the media that he guaranteed that his team would upset [[wikipedia:Don Shula|Don Shula]]'s NFL [[wikipedia:Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]] in the [[wikipedia:Super Bowl III|third NFL-AFL Championship Game]] in 1969, and then delivering on his promise.

== Football Cards ==
<center>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! width="50"|Card
! width="185"|Set
! width="35"|No.
! width="150"|Team
! width="100"|No. Printed
! width="100"|Est. Value
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:1965Topps122.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1965 Topps]]
| [[1965 Topps #122|122]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $500 - $1,500
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1966 Topps]]
| [[1966 Topps #96|96]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $100 - $600
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1967 Topps]]
| [[1967 Topps #98|98]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $50 - $600
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1968 Topps]]
| [[1968 Topps #65|65]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $10 - $120
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:Jnamath10.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1969 Topps]]
| [[1969 Topps #100|100]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $10 - $210
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1969 Topps 4-in-1]]
| [[1969 Topps 4-in-1 #15|15]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
|
|------ bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1970 Topps]]
| [[1970 Topps #150|150]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $10 - $30
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1970 Topps Super Glossy]]
| [[1970 Topps Super Glossy #29|29]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $10 - $50
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1971 Topps]]
| [[1971 Topps #250|250]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $1 - $180
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1971 Topps Game]]
| [[1971 Topps Game #3|3]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $1 - $60
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1972 Topps]]
| [[1972 Topps #100|100]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $5 - $40
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:ImageNeeded.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1972 Topps]]
| [[1972 Topps #343|343]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $50 - $350
|----- bgcolor=#E8E8E8
| [[Image:1973-Topps-400.jpg|50px|Image Needed]]
| [[1973 Topps]]
| [[1973 Topps #400|400]]
| [[wikisports:New York Jets|New York Jets]]
| ???
| $5 - $60
|}
</center>

==Pro Football Career==
Despite suffering a serious knee injury in his senior year at Alabama, Namath was drafted by both the National Football League and the upstart American Football League. The two competing leagues held their respective drafts on the same day -- November 28], [[wikipedia:1964| 1964]].

The NFL's [[wikipedia:Arizona Cardinals|St. Louis Cardinals]] selected Namath 12th overall in their draft, while the Jets selected him with the AFL's first overall pick. He elected to sign with the Jets, who were under the direction of Hall of Fame owner [[wikipedia:Sonny Werblin|Sonny Werblin]], for a salary of more than $400,000 (a pro football record at the time) and never put on a Cardinals uniform.

Namath was the [[wikipedia:American Football League Rookies of the Year|American Football League Rookie of the year]] in 1965 and became the first professional quarterback to pass for 4,000 yards in a season (1967), a feat which remained a record for the 14-game seasons that were played during that time. <ref> NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Edited by Randall Liu, p. 439, Workman Publishing, 2001, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2</ref> He was a four-time [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Star games|American Football League All-Star]], in 1965, 1967, 1968, and 1969, although he was plagued with knee injuries through much of his career and underwent four pioneering knee operations by [[wikipedia:James A. Nicholas|Dr. James A. Nicholas]]. On some occasions, Namath had to have his knee drained at halftime so that he could finish a game. Later in life, long after he left football, he had to have [[wikipedia:knee replacement surgery|knee replacement surgery]] on both legs.

In the 1968 AFL title game, Namath threw three [[wikipedia:touchdown| touchdown]] passes to lead New York to a 27-23 win over the defending American Football League Champion [[wikipedia:Oakland Raiders|Oakland Raiders]]. His performance in the 1968 season earned him the [[wikipedia:Hickok Belt|Hickok Belt]] as top professional athlete of the year. He was an [[wikipedia:Pro Bowl|AFC-NFC Pro Bowl]]er in 1972. Besides having the Hall of Fame distinction, he is a member of the Jets' all-time team and the [[wikipedia:American Football League All-Time Team|American Football League All-Time Team]].

===Super Bowl III===
The apex of his career was his performance in the Jets' January 1969 win over the [[wikipedia:History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]] in the [[wikipedia:Super Bowl III|AFL-NFL World Championship Game]], now referred to as the [[wikipedia:Super Bowl|Super Bowl]]. This win would make him the only QB to ever start and win a national championship in college and start and win the Super Bowl. The Colts were touted as "the greatest football team in history". Former NFL star and coach [[wikipedia:Norm Van Brocklin|Norm Van Brocklin]] ridiculed the AFL before the game, saying "This will be Namath's first professional football game." Writers from NFL cities insisted it would take the AFL several more years to be truly competitive with the NFL. Much of the hype surrounding the game was related to how it would either prove or disprove the proposition that the AFL teams were truly worthy of being allowed to [[wikipedia:AFL-NFL Merger|merge with the NFL]]; the first two such games had resulted in blowout victories for the NFL champion in the two previous years, the [[wikipedia:Green Bay Packers|Green Bay Packers]], and the Colts were even more favored by [[wikipedia:mass media|media]] figures and handicappers than the Packers had been.

Three days before the game, Namath responded to a heckler with the now-famous line: "We'll win the game. I guarantee you." His words eventually made headlines across the country, but were dismissed as mere bravado by most observers.

In the game, however, Namath backed up his boast and showed that his success against tough American Football League competition had more than prepared him to take on the NFL. The Colts' vaunted defense was unable to contain the Jets' running or passing game, while their ineffective offense gave up four [[wikipedia:interception| interception]]s to the Jets. Namath was the game's [[wikipedia:Super Bowl MVP|MVP]], completing eight passes to [[wikipedia:George Sauer|George Sauer]] alone, for 133 yards. Namath acquired legendary status for American Football League fans as the symbol of their league's legitimacy.

===Los Angeles Rams===
In the twilight of his career, Namath was waived by the Jets to facilitate his move to the [[wikipedia:St. Louis Rams|Los Angeles Rams]] when a trade couldn't be worked out. He was signed by the Rams on May 12, [[wikipedia:1977| 1977]]. Namath hoped to revitalize his flagging career, but by this point his effectiveness as a quarterback was greatly reduced by his knee injuries, a bad [[wikipedia:hamstring| hamstring]] and the general ravages of a long period of time playing professional football, as well as his "hard and fast" lifestyle. After a 2-1 start, Namath took a beating on a cold, windy and rainy Monday night game in a one point loss at the [[wikipedia:Chicago Bears| Chicago Bears]] and was through for the regular season.

He did not play again, but redemption and a Hollywood ending was there for the taking. After a disastrous three quarters of turnovers and only trailing by seven points in the opening round of the play-offs, head coach [[wikipedia:Chuck Knox|Chuck Knox]] seemed ready to pull [[wikipedia:Pat Haden|Pat Haden]] and insert Namath. Rams assistant coach [[wikipedia:Kay Stephenson|Kay Stephenson]] said Joe looked great warming-up in the third quarter and advised Knox to put him in. The television audience was on the edge of their seats as it appeared Namath would replace Pat Haden and save the Rams' season. But Knox hesitated. Haden's problems continued and the Rams lost to the Vikings by a score of 14-7 in a sea of mud at the [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum|Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]]. Namath retired from the Rams after a single season.

===Hall of Fame legacy===
Joe Namath is in the Professional Football Hall of Fame. While his career statistics are not exceptional, Namath was the first great modern era quarterback and he was the game's first true media superstar. Namath was the first NFL quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards during the 14 game 1967 season. This feat was not to be achieved again until Dan Fouts topped 4,000 yards during the 1979 season in a 16 game season. Namath threw for 4,000 yards under old rules that gave much less protection to both the quarterback and receivers. Namath's play on the field in the years before his knees seriously limited his mobility helped evolve the quarterback position and the NFL style of play from a run oriented ball control game to today's more open passing style. Perhaps the accolades of experts say it best. Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh stated that Namath was "the most beautiful, accurate, stylish passer with the quickest release I've ever seen." Hall of Fame coach Don Shula stated that Namath was "one of the 3 smartest quarterbacks of all time"

==See also==
*[[wikipedia:List of American Football League players|List of American Football League players]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cgyZp5jrTQ Clip From Documentary about his Hometown, featuring Namath]
* [http://footballcardgallery.com/player/Joe+Namath/ Joe Namath Football Cards]

[[Category:American Football]]
[[Category:Alabama Crimson Tide]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Rams]]
[[Category:New York Jets]]

Ginger Beaumont

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:15:23 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Ginger beumont.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Ginger Beaumont Baseball Card]]
'''Clarence Howeth "Ginger" Beaumont''' (July 23 [[wikipedia:1876| 1876]] - April 10 [[wikipedia:1956| 1956]]) was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:center fielder| center fielder]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] who spent most of his career with the [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1899-1906) and [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Braves]] (1907-09). He was born in [[wikipedia:Rochester, Wisconsin|Rochester, Wisconsin]], and attended [[wikipedia:Beloit College|Beloit College]]. During the years 1900-1904 – with the Pirates winning pennants from 1901-03 – Beaumont led the [[wikipedia:National League|National League]] in [[wikipedia:hit (baseball)|hits]] three times, scored 100 [[wikipedia:run (baseball)|runs]] four times, leading the league once, and also captured the 1902 [[wikipedia:batting average|batting championship]] with a .357 mark.

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1899-1906), [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Doves]] (1907-1909), [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago Cubs]] (1910)

== Background ==
As the Pirates' regular leadoff hitter, he was the first player ever to come to bat in a [[wikipedia:1903 World Series|World Series]] game. Nicknamed "Ginger" for his thick red hair, he used his excellent speed to great advantage; on the day before his 23rd birthday in his rookie season, he had six infield singles and scored all six times. He was the first player in major league history to lead the league in hits three consecutive years, since accomplished by only five others; he led the NL in hits a fourth time with the 1907 Braves. Often bothered by leg injuries, he joined the [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago Cubs]] for the 1910 season, and made pinch-hitting appearances in the first three games of the [[wikipedia:1910 World Series|1910 World Series]] before leaving the major leagues with a .311 career batting average. He played one more season in the minor leagues before retiring to his [[wikipedia:Honey Creek (Walworth County), Wisconsin|Honey Creek, Wisconsin]] farm. He was one of the first inductees to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1951. Beaumont suffered two strokes in his 70s, and died at age 79 in [[wikipedia:Burlington, Wisconsin| Burlington, Wisconsin]].

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball batting champions|List of Major League Baseball batting champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions|List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions]]
* [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball titles leaders|Major League Baseball titles leaders]]

==External links==

==References==
* ''Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia'' (2000). Kingston, NY: Total/Sports Illustrated. ISBN 1-892129-34-5.

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates]]
[[Category:Boston Braves]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs]]

Fred Abbott

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:08:38 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Fred Abbott.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Fred Abbott Baseball Card]]
'''Harry Frederick Abbott''' (October 22, [[wikipedia:1874| 1874]]-June 11, [[wikipedia:1935| 1935]]) was a [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] [[wikipedia:catcher| catcher]]. Born Harry Frederick Winbigler, he played three seasons of Major League baseball for the [[wikipedia:Cleveland Naps|Cleveland Naps]] and the [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Phillies]]. His interment was located at [[wikipedia:Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery|Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery]].

== Specifications ==
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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Cleveland Indians|ClevelandNaps]] (1903-1904), [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies| Philadelphia Phillies]] (1905)

== Background ==

==External links==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Cleveland Naps]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies]]

Frank Chance

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:04:16 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Frank Chance.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Frank Chance Baseball Card]]
'''Frank Leroy Chance''' (September 9, [[wikipedia:1877| 1877]] – September 15, [[wikipedia:1924| 1924]]) was a [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] player at the turn of the 20th century. Performing the roles of [[wikipedia:first baseman|first baseman]] and [[wikipedia:manager (baseball)|manager]], Chance led the [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago Cubs]] to four [[wikipedia:National League|National League]] championships in the span of five years (1906-1910) and earned the nickname "The Peerless Leader".

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago Orphan/Cubs]] (1898-1912), [[wikipedia:New York Yankees|New York Yankees]] (1913-1914)

== Background ==
Born in [[wikipedia:Fresno, California|Fresno, California]], Chance began his career in [[wikipedia:1898| 1898]] with the Chicago Cubs and played irregularly until [[wikipedia:1902| 1902]]. In [[wikipedia:1903| 1903]] he asserted himself with a .327 [[wikipedia:batting average|batting average]], 67 [[wikipedia:stolen base|stolen base]]s and 81 [[wikipedia:runs batted in|RBI]] in 441 at-bats. Chance was the first player ever ejected from a [[wikipedia:World Series|World Series]] game, doing so in Game 3 of the [[wikipedia:1910 World Series|1910 World Series]] against the Philadelphia Athletics.

He was part of the infield trio remembered in "[[wikipedia:Tinker to Evers to Chance|Baseball's Sad Lexicon]]," a poem by newspaper [[wikipedia:columnist| columnist]] [[wikipedia:Franklin Pierce Adams|Franklin Pierce Adams]] first published in [[wikipedia:191|1910]] and also known as "[[wikipedia:Joe Tinker|Tinker]] to [[wikipedia:Johnny Evers|Evers]] to Chance."

Chance took over as Chicago's manager in [[wikipedia:1905| 1905]], taking the helm of a very good team. Although his playing time decreased towards the end of the decade, as a manager he proved inspirational. The Cubs won the NL pennant in [[wikipedia:1906| 1906]], [[wikipedia:1907| 1907]], [[wikipedia:1908| 1908]] and [[wikipedia:1910| 1910]] and won the [[wikipedia:World Series|World Series]] in 1907 and 1908. He left the Cubs after the [[wikipedia:1912| 1912]] season to manage the [[wikipedia:New York Yankees|New York Yankees]], which he did for two seasons. He returned to his native California, and owned and managed the Los Angeles (Pacific Coast League) team in 1916-17. After a brief retirement, he returned to coach the [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox|Boston Red Sox]] in [[wikipedia:1923| 1923]] before retiring for good. His nickname as a manager was "the Peerless Leader," and his lifetime record as a manager was 946-648.

He died at age 48. He is interred in the [[wikipedia:Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery|Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery]], [[wikipedia:Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, California]].

Frank Chance was inducted into the [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame|Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1946|1946]].

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions|List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions|List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Chicago Orphans]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs]]
[[Category:New York Yankees]]

Ed Abbaticchio

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:48:31 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Ed Abbaticchio.jpg|thumb|right|300px|thumb|Ed Abbaticchio Baseball Card]]
'''Edoardo Giacomo Abbaticchio''' (April 15, [[wikipedia:1877| 1877]] - January 6, [[wikipedia:1957| 1957]]) was the first [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major Leaguer]] of [[wikipedia:Italy|Italian]] [[wikipedia:ancestry| ancestry]].

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== Background ==
He was primarily a [[wikipedia:shortstop| shortstop]] and [[wikipedia:second baseman|second baseman]], though he also saw playing time in the [[wikipedia:outfield| outfield]] and at [[wikipedia:third base|third base]]. Born in [[wikipedia:Latrobe, Pennsylvania|Latrobe, Pennsylvania]], he made his Major League debut in 1897 for the [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Phillies]]. He would later play for the [[wikipedia:Boston Beaneaters|Boston Beaneaters]] and the [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates| Pittsburgh Pirates]] (he was on their 1909 [[wikipedia:World Series|World Series]] team, striking out in his only at-bat). He had initially decided to leave baseball in 1906, choosing to run a hotel instead; however, the Pirates coaxed him back, and he continued to play until 1910. He was an above-average fielder and base thief. In addition to his baseball skills, he was among the first wave of professional [[wikipedia:American football|football]] players.

He died in [[wikipedia:Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale, Florida]].

==External links==

*[http://www.thediamondangle.com/archive/aug01/abbaticchio.html "The Diamond Angle" article on Edward Abbaticchio]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies]]
[[Category:Boston Beaneaters]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates]]
[[Category:Boston Doves]]

Cy Young

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:41:56 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Cy_young.jpg|thumb|right|300px|right|Cy Young Baseball Card]]
'''Denton True "Cy" Young''' (March 29, [[wikipedia:1867| 1867]] – November 4, [[wikipedia:1955| 1955]]) was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:baseball| baseball]] player who [[wikipedia:pitched| pitched]] for five different [[wikipedia:professional baseball|major league]] teams from 1890 to 1911. He established numerous professional [[wikipedia:pitcher|pitching]] records during his 22-year career in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|the majors]], some of which have stood for a century. Young retired with 511 career wins, the [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins|most in MLB history]] and 94 more wins than [[wikipedia:Walter Johnson|Walter Johnson]], who is second on the list.

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Cleveland Spiders|Cleveland Spiders]] (1890-1898), [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Perfectos]] (1899-1900), [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox|Boston Americans/Red Sox]] (1901-1908), [[wikipedia:Cleveland Indians|Cleveland Naps]] (1909-1911), [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Rustlers]] (1911)

== Background ==
In honor of Young's contributions to [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]], MLB created the [[wikipedia:Cy Young Award| Cy Young Award]], an annual award given to the pitcher voted the most effective in each of the two leagues. The [[wikipedia:National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] elected Young in 1939. During his professional career, Young won at least 30 games in a season five times, with ten other seasons of 20+ wins. He also pitched three [[wikipedia:no-hitter|no-hitter]]s, including the first [[wikipedia:perfect game|perfect game]] of baseball's "modern era."

In addition to wins, Young holds the MLB records for most career [[wikipedia:innings pitched|innings pitched]] (7,355), most career games started (815), and most [[wikipedia:complete game|complete game]]s (749). He also retired with 316 [[wikipedia:Loss (baseball)|losses]] the most in MLB history (the only other pitcher with more than 300 career losses was [[wikipedia:Pud Galvin| Pud Galvin]]). Young had 76 career shutouts, fourth most in history.

In 1999, 88 years after his final Major League appearance and 44 years after his death, [[wikipedia:literary editor|editors]] at ''[[wikipedia:The Sporting News|The Sporting News]]'' ranked Cy Young 14th on their list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players". That same year, baseball fans named Young to the [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball All-Century Team|Major League Baseball All-Century Team]].

==Early life==
Young was born in Gilmore, a tiny [[wikipedia:farm|farming]] community located in [[wikipedia:Washington Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio|Washington Township]], [[wikipedia:Tuscarawas County, Ohio|Tuscarawas County]], [[wikipedia:Ohio| Ohio]], in the southeastern [[wikipedia:Appalachia|Appalachian]] region of the state. Raised on one of these local farms, Young went by the name Dent Young in his early years.

Also known from time to time as "Farmer Young" and "Farmboy Young," Young stopped his [[wikipedia:Education|formal education]] after he completed the [[wikipedia:sixth grade|sixth grade]].

==Professional career==
[[Image:Young Cy 1 MLB HOF.jpg|left|100px]]
Young began his professional career in 1889 with the [[wikipedia:Canton, Ohio|Canton, Ohio]] team of the [[wikipedia:Tri-State League|Tri-State League]], a professional minor league. Young impressed scouts during his tryout; years later, he recalled, "I almost tore the boards off the grandstand with my fast ball."<ref>[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/deaths/cy_young_obituary.shtml Cy Young Obituary]</ref> The [[wikipedia:catcher| catcher]] who [[wikipedia:Warming up|warmed up]] Young gave him the nickname "Cyclone" in reference to the speed of his fastball. [[wikipedia:Reporter| Reporter]]s then shortened the name to "Cy". "Cy" became the nickname he used the rest of his life.

Franchises in the [[wikipedia:National League|National League]], the major professional sports league, wanted the best players available to them. Therefore, in 1890, Young signed for $500 with the [[wikipedia:Cleveland Spiders|Cleveland Spiders]], which had moved up from the [[wikipedia:American Association (19th century)|American Association]] to the National League the previous year.

On August 6, 1890, in his first major league start, Young pitched a three-hit [[wikipedia:shutout#baseball|shutout]]. While Young was on the Spiders, [[Chief Zimmer]] was his catcher more often than any other player. [[wikipedia:Bill James|Bill James]], a noted baseball [[wikipedia:statistician| statistician]], estimated that Zimmer caught Young in more games than any other [[wikipedia:battery (baseball)|battery]] in baseball history.<ref name=abstract>The New Bill James Historical Abstract, Simon & Schuster, 2001, pgs. 410-411</ref>

Early on, Young established himself as one of the harder throwing pitchers in the sport. In the absence of [[wikipedia:radar gun|radar gun]]s, it is difficult to say just how hard Young actually threw. However, James wrote that Zimmer often put a piece of beefsteak inside his [[wikipedia:baseball glove|baseball glove]] to protect his catching hand from Young's fastball.<ref name=abstract/> Young continued to perform at a high level and on the last day of the 1890 season, he won both games of a doubleheader.<ref name=dugout/> By the end of his rookie season, Young was the team's top pitcher.

In the first weeks of Young's career, [[wikipedia:Cap Anson|Cap Anson]], the famous player-manager of the [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago Colts]] spotted his ability. Anson told Spiders manager [[wikipedia:Gus Schmelz|Gus Schmelz]] "He's too green to do your club much good, but I believe if I taught him what I know, I might make a pitcher out of him in a couple of years. He's not worth it now, but I'm willing to give you $1,000 for him." Schmelz replied, "Cap, you can keep your thousand and we'll keep the rube."

Two years after his debut, the National League moved the [[wikipedia:Baseball field#Pitcher's mound|pitcher's mound]] from fifty feet (where it had been since 1881) to sixty feet and six inches.
In the book ''[[wikipedia:The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers|The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers]]'', [[wikipedia:Sports journalism|sports journalist]] [[wikipedia:Rob Neyer|Rob Neyer]] wrote that the speed with which pitchers like Cy Young, [[wikipedia:Amos Rusie| Amos Rusie]], and [[wikipedia:Jouett Meekin|Jouett Meekin]] threw was the impetus that caused the move.

The 1892 regular season was a success for Young, who led the National League in wins (36), ERA (1.93), and shutouts (9). Just as many contemporary Minor League Baseball leagues operate today, the National League was using a [[wikipedia:split season|split season]] format during the 1892 season. The [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves#Boston|Boston Beaneaters]] won the first-half title and the Spiders won the second-half title, with a best-of-nine series determining the league champion. Despite the Spiders' second half run, the Beaneaters swept the series five games to none. Young pitched three complete games in the series but lost his only two decisions. He also threw a complete game shutout, but the game ended in a 0-0 tie.

In 1895, the Spiders faced the [[wikipedia:Baltimore Orioles (19th century)|Baltimore Orioles]] in the [[wikipedia:Temple Cup|Temple Cup]], a precursor to the [[wikipedia:World Series|World Series]]. Young won three games and Cleveland won the Cup, four games to one. It was around this time that Young added what he called a "slow ball" to his pitching repertoire, to reduce stress on his arm; today, the pitch is called a [[wikipedia:changeup| changeup]].<ref name=dugout/>

In July, 1896, Young lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning when [[wikipedia:Ed Delahanty|Ed Delahanty]] of the [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Phillies]] hit a single. On September 18, 1897, Young pitched the first [[wikipedia:no-hitter| no-hitter]] of his career in a game against the [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]]. Although Young did not walk a batter, the Spiders committed four [[wikipedia:error (baseball)|errors]] while on defense. One of the errors had originally been ruled a [[wikipedia:Hit (baseball)|hit]], but the Cleveland [[wikipedia:third baseman|third baseman]] sent a note to the press box after the eighth inning, saying he had made an error, and the ruling was changed. Young later said that despite his teammate's gesture, he considered the game to be a one-hitter.

Prior to the 1899 season, Frank Robison, the Spiders owner, bought the [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]], thus owning two clubs at the same time. The Browns were renamed the "Perfectos," and restocked with Cleveland talent. Just weeks before the season opener, most of the better Spiders players were transferred to St. Louis, including three future Hall of Famers: Young, [[wikipedia:Jesse Burkett|Jesse Burkett]] and [[wikipedia:Bobby Wallace|Bobby Wallace]]. The roster maneuvers failed to create a powerhouse Perfectos team, as St. Louis finished fifth in both 1899 and 1900. But the depleted Spiders lost 134 games, the most in MLB history, before folding.

Young spent two years with St. Louis, while finding his favorite catcher, [[wikipedia:Lou Criger|Lou Criger]]. The two men would be teammates for a decade.<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/cy-young-award Young, Denton True (Cy): Biography and Much More from Answers.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/dugout0e.shtml Cy Young : A Life In Baseball Book Review]</ref>

In 1901, the rival [[wikipedia:American League|American League]] declared major league status, and set about raiding National League rosters. Young left St. Louis and joined the [[wikipedia:American League|American League]]'s [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox#The Golden Era 1900-1919|Boston Americans]] for a $3,500 contract. Young would remain with the Boston team until 1909.

In his first year in the American League, Young was dominant. Pitching to Criger, who had also jumped to Boston, Young led the league in wins, strikeouts, and ERA, thus earning the colloquial [[wikipedia:Triple crown (baseball)#American League winners 2|AL Triple Crown]] for Pitchers. That season, he also pitched the first perfect game in American League history

In February, 1902, before the start of the baseball season, Young served as a pitching coach at [[wikipedia:Harvard University|Harvard University]]. The sixth-grade graduate instructing Harvard students made great copy for the delighted Boston newspapers.<ref name=dugout/>

In 1903 the Boston Americans played the [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]] in the first modern [[wikipedia:World Series|World Series]]. Young, who started [[wikipedia:1903 World Series#Game 1|Game One]], threw the first pitch in World Series history. But the Pirates scored four runs in the first inning and Young lost the game. Young performed better in subsequent games, winning his next two starts. He also drove in three runs in [[wikipedia:1903 World Series#Game 5|Game Five]]. Young finished the series with a 2-1 record and a 1.85 ERA in four appearances, and the Americans defeat the Pirates five games to three games.

After one-hitting Boston on May 2, 1904, [[wikipedia:Oakland Athletics|Philadelphia Athletics]] star pitcher [[Rube Waddell]] taunted Young to face him so that he could repeat his performance against Boston's ace. Three days later, Young pitched a [[wikipedia:perfect game|perfect game]] against Waddell and the Athletics. It was the first perfect game in [[wikipedia:American League|American League]] history. <ref>[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/05051904.shtml Cy Young Perfect Game Box Score], ''baseball-almanac.com''</ref> Waddell was the 27th and last batter, and when he flied out, Young shouted, "How do you like that, you hayseed?" <ref>[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/Y/Young_Cy.stm Cy Young | BaseballLibrary.com]</ref>

Waddell had picked an inauspicious time to issue his challenge. Young's perfect game was the centerpiece of a sterling pitching streak. Young set major league records for both the most consecutive scoreless innings pitched, and for the most consecutive innings without allowing a hit; the latter record still stands at 24.1 innings, or 73 hitless batters. Even after allowing a hit, Young's scoreless streak reached a then-record 45 shutout innings.

Before Young, only two pitchers had thrown perfect games. During the 1880 season, [[Lee Richmond]] and [[John Ward]] pitched perfect games within five days of each other. However, the circumstances for Richmond and Ward were very different from Young's. In 1880, the [[wikipedia:Baseball field#Pitcher's mound|mound]] was 15 feet closer to the batter, walks required eight [[wikipedia:Strike zone|balls|Strike zone|balls]], and pitchers were obliged to throw side-armed.<ref name=perfect />

One year later, on July 4, 1905, Rube Waddell got a measure of revenge when he beat Young and the Americans 4-2 in a 20-inning matchup. Young pitched 13 consecutive scoreless innings before he gave up a pair of unearned runs in the final inning. Young did not walk a batter, and was later quoted: "For my part, I think it was the greatest game of ball I ever took part in." In 1907, Young and Waddell faced off in a scoreless 13-inning tie.

On June 30, 1908, Young pitched the third no-hitter of his career. Three months past his 41st birthday, Cy Young was the oldest pitcher to record a no-hitter, a record which would stand 82 years until 43-year-old Nolan Ryan surpassed the feat. Only a leadoff walk kept Young from his second perfect game; after that runner was caught stealing, no other batter reached base. Young was now the second-oldest player in either league, but was still one of the AL's elite pitchers. One month before his no-hitter, he'd allowed just one single while facing 28 batters.<ref name="Chronology"/>

On August 13, 1908, the league celebrated "Cy Young Day." No American League games were played on that day, and a group of All-Stars from the league's other teams gathered in Boston to play against Young and the Red Sox.

Young was traded back to Cleveland, the place where he played over half his career, before the 1909 season, this time to the [[wikipedia:Cleveland Indians|Cleveland Naps]] of the American League. He split 1911, his final year, between the Naps and the [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Rustlers]].

On September 22, [[wikipedia:1911| 1911]], Young shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates and their pitcher [[Babe Adams]] 1-0, for his last career victory. But two weeks later, Young's 906th and final game was an unsatisfying coda: the last eight batters of Young's career combined to hit a [[wikipedia:Triple (baseball)|triple]], four [[wikipedia:Single (baseball)|singles]] and three [[wikipedia:Double (baseball)|doubles]].

==Young's legacy==
[[Image:CyYoung photo and painting1.JPG|thumb|left|300px|A photo of Young taken in 1908 was the source for a painting that was displayed in the Baseball Hall of Fame.]]
Young retired after the 1911 season with 511 career wins. His win total set the record for most career wins by a pitcher. At the time, [[Pud Galvin]] had the second most career wins with 364. [[Walter Johnson]], then in his fourth season, finished his career with 417 wins and is now second on the list. However, Johnson broke Young's career record for strikeouts.

Cy Young's career spanned several decades and is seen as a bridge from baseball's earliest days to its modern era; he pitched against stars such as [[Cap Anson]], already an established player when the [[wikipedia:National League|National League]] was first formed in 1876, as well as against [[Eddie Collins]], who played until 1930. When Young's career began, pitchers delivered the baseball underhand and fouls were not counted as strikes. The pitcher's mound was not moved back to its present position of 60 feet, six inches until Young's fourth season; he did not wear a glove until his sixth.<ref name=dugout/>

Young led his league in wins five times (1892, 1895, and 1901-1903), finishing second twice. His career high was 36 in 1892. He had fifteen seasons with twenty or more wins, two more than the runners-up, [[Christy Mathewson]] and [[Warren Spahn]]. Young won two [[wikipedia:ERA| ERA]] titles during his career, in 1892 (1.93) and in 1901 (1.62), and was three times the runner-up. Young's earned run average was below 2.00 six times, but this was not uncommon during the [[wikipedia:dead ball era|dead ball era]]. Although Young threw over 400 innings in each of his first four full seasons, he did not lead his league until 1902. He had 40 or more complete games nine times. Young also led his league in strikeouts twice (with 140 in 1896, and 158 in 1901), and in shutouts nine times.

Particularly after his fastball slowed, Young's success relied upon his great control. Young said:
:"Some may have thought it was essential to know how to curve a ball before anything else. Experience, to my mind, teaches to the contrary. Any young player who has good control will become a successful curve pitcher long before the pitcher who is endeavoring to master both curves and control at the same time. The curve is merely an accessory to control."<ref name=quotes />

For fourteen consecutive years, from 1893 through 1906, Young led his league in fewest walks per nine innings thirteen times, and finished second the other season. Only twice in his 22-year career did Young finish lower than 6th in the category. Although the [[wikipedia:WHIP| WHIP]] ratio was not calculated until well after Young's death, Young was the retroactive league leader in this category seven times, and was second or third another seven times.

In addition to his peerless control, Young was also a workhorse who avoided injury. For nineteen consecutive years, from 1891 through 1909, Cy Young was in his leagues' top ten for innings pitched; in fourteen of the seasons, he was in the top five. Not until 1900, a decade into his career, did Young pitch two consecutive incomplete games.<ref name=1897chron />

By habit, Young restricted his practice throws in [[wikipedia:spring training|spring training]]. "I figured the old arm had just so many throws in it," said Young, "and there wasn't any use wasting them." Young once described his approach before a game:
:"I never warmed up ten, fifteen minutes before a game like most pitchers do. I'd loosen up, three, four minutes. Five at the outside. And I never went to the bullpen. Oh, I'd relieve all right, plenty of times, but I went right from the bench to the box, and I'd take a few warm-up pitches and be ready. Then I had good control. I aimed to make the batter hit the ball, and I threw as few pitches as possible. That's why I was able to work every other day."<ref name=quotes />

Young also credited his offseason farming chores, including wood chopping, with keeping his pitching strength in good shape until he was 44.<ref name = "edkfnu">[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=cy_young_1867 The Ballplayers - Cy Young | BaseballLibrary.com]</ref> Even at the time of his retirement, his arm was healthy, but Young had gained weight and was unable to field his position anymore.<ref name = "edkfnu"/> In three of his last four years, he was the oldest player in the league.

The first Cy Young Award was voted on in 1956, and was given to Brooklyn's [[Don Newcombe]]. Originally, it was a single award covering the whole of baseball. The honor was divided into two Cy Young Awards in 1967, one for each league.

Cy Young is tied with [[Roger Clemens]] for the most career wins by a Boston Red Sox pitcher. They each won 192 games while with the franchise.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame|Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame]]
* [[wikipedia:List of MLB individual streaks|List of MLB individual streaks]]
* [[wikipedia:300 win club|300 win club]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins|List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball ERA champions|List of Major League Baseball ERA champions]]
* [[wikipedia:Triple crown (baseball)#American League winners 2|Triple Crown]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball saves champions|List of Major League Baseball saves champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions|List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball wins champions|List of Major League Baseball wins champions]]
* [[wikipedia:MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List|MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List]]
* [[wikipedia:Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time|Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time]]
* [[wikipedia:MLB all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers|MLB all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers]]
* [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball titles leaders|Major League Baseball titles leaders]]
* [[wikipedia:Perfect Game|Pitchers who have thrown a perfect game|Perfect Game|Pitchers who have thrown a perfect game]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball no-hitters|List of Major League Baseball no-hitters]]
* [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox all-time roster|Boston Red Sox all-time roster]]

==Notes==

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cmgworldwide.com/baseball/young/ cmgworldwide.com] official homepage
* [http://baseballevolution.com/halloffame/youngc.html BaseballEvolution.com] Profile Page at Baseball Evolution

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Boston Somersets]]
[[Category:Boston Pilgrims]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox]]
[[Category:Boston Rustlers]]
[[Category:Cleveland Naps]]
[[Category:Cleveland Spiders]]

Al Maul

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:04:29 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Al Maul.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Al Maul Baseball Card]]
'''Albert Joseph "Smiling Al" Maul''' (October 9, [[wikipedia:1865| 1865]] - May 3, [[wikipedia:1958| 1958]]) was a former professional [[wikipedia:baseball player|baseball player]]. He was a [[wikipedia:pitcher| pitcher]] over parts of fifteen seasons ([[wikipedia:1884| 1884]]-[[wikipedia:1901| 1901]]) with the [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Keystones|Philadelphia Keystones]], [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Quakers/Phillies]], [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Alleghenys]], [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Burghers|Pittsburgh Burghers]], [[wikipedia:Washington Senators (1891-1899)|Washington Senators]], [[wikipedia:Baltimore Orioles (19th century)|Baltimore Orioles]], [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Superbas]] and [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]]. He led the [[wikipedia:National League|National League]] in [[wikipedia:earned run average|ERA]] in 1895 while playing for [[wikipedia:Washington Senators (1891-1899)|Washington]]. For his career, he compiled an 84-80 record in 188 appearances, with a 4.43 ERA and 346 [[wikipedia:strikeout| strikeout]]s.

== Specifications ==
*Publisher =
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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Keystones|Philadelphia Keystones]] (1884), [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Quakers/Phillies]] (1887, 1900), [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Alleghenys/Pirates]] (1888-1889, 1891), [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Burghers|Pittsburgh Burghers]] (1890), [[wikipedia:Washington Senators (1891-1899)|Washington Senators]] (1893-1897), [[wikipedia:Baltimore Orioles (19th century)|Baltimore Orioles]] (1897-1898), [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Superbas]] (1899), [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]] (1901)

== Background ==
He was born and later died in [[wikipedia:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] at the age of 92.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball ERA champions|List of Major League Baseball ERA champions]]

==External links==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Keystones]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Quakers]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Alleghenys]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Burghers]]
[[Category:Washington Senators]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Superbas]]
[[Category:New York Giants]]

Abner Dalrymple

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 03:57:41 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Abner Dalrymple.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Abner Dalrymple Baseball Card]]
'''Abner Frank Dalrymple''' (September 9 [[wikipedia:1857| 1857]] - January 25 [[wikipedia:1939| 1939]]) was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:left fielder|left fielder]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] who hit 43 [[wikipedia:home run|home run]]s (including 22 in 1884, the second-highest total to that date) and [[wikipedia:batting average|batted]] .288 during his 12-season career spent primarily with the [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago White Stockings]], for whom he starred as the leadoff hitter on five [[wikipedia:National League|National League]] pennant winners. Born in [[wikipedia:Gratiot, Wisconsin|Gratiot, Wisconsin]], he played for the [[wikipedia:Milwaukee Grays|Milwaukee Grays]], White Stockings, [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Alleghenys]], and [[wikipedia:Milwaukee Brewers (1891)|Milwaukee Brewers]].

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Milwaukee Grays|Milwaukee Grays]] (1878), [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago White Stockings]] (1879-1884), [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Alleghenys]] (1887-1888), [[wikipedia:Milwaukee Brewers (1891)|Milwaukee Brewers]] (1891)

== Background ==
In [[wikipedia:1881 in baseball|1881]], he was given an [[wikipedia:intentional walk|intentional walk]] with the bases loaded; the first batter to accomplish that honor.
In [[wikipedia:1884 in baseball|1884]], he catapulted into sixth place on the all-time home run list. On the strength of 11 HR for the 1885 champions, he moved up one place; his power threat made him the first hitter to be intentionally walked with the bases loaded. He hit just 3 home runs the next two years, however, and he held 10th on the all-time list. He fell from the top ten the next year.

Dalrymple died in [[wikipedia:Warren, Illinois|Warren, Illinois]] at age 81.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:Hitting for the cycle|Hitting for the cycle]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball home run champions|List of Major League Baseball home run champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions|List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions]]

==External links==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Grays]]
[[Category:Chicago White Stockings]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Alleghenys]]

Nat Hudson

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:47:42 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Nat Hudson.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Nat Hudson]]
'''Nat Hudson''' (January 12, 1859 - March 14, 1928) was a pitcher for the [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]] from 1886 to 1889. He lead the American Association in winning percentage in 1888(.714). The same year he had 25 wins and a 2.54 ERA. His career record was 48 wins and 26 losses, and had a 3.08 earned run average.

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]] (1886-1889)

== Background ==

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball saves leaders|List of Major League Baseball saves leaders]]

==Sources==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:St. Louis Browns]]

Dummy Hoy

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:11:38 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Dummy Hoy.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Dummy Hoy]]
'''William Ellsworth "Dummy" Hoy''' (May 23 [[wikipedia:1862| 1862]] – December 15 [[wikipedia:1961| 1961]]) was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:center fielder|center fielder]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] who played for several teams from 1888 to 1902, most notably the [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]] and two [[wikipedia:Washington, D.C.|Washington, D.C.]] franchises.

== Specifications ==
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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Washington Nationals (1886-1889)|Washington Nationals]] (1888-1889), [[wikipedia:Buffalo Bisons (1890)|Buffalo Bisons]] (1890), [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]] (1891), [[wikipedia:Washington Senators (1891-1899)|Washington Senators]] (1892-1893), [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]] (1894-1897, 1902), [[wikipedia:Louisville Colonels|Louisville Colonels]] (1898-1899), [[wikipedia:Chicago White Sox|Chicago White Sox]] (1901)

== Background ==
He is noted for being the most accomplished [[wikipedia:deafness|deaf]] player in major league history, and is credited by some sources with causing the establishment of signals for safe and out calls.<ref name="timeline1"> Sandy and Miller, p. 48.</ref> He held the major league record for games in center field (1,726) from 1899 to 1920, set records for career [[wikipedia:putout| putout]]s (3,958) and [[wikipedia:total chances|total chances]] (4,625) as an outfielder, and retired among the leaders in outfield games (2nd; 1,795), [[wikipedia:assist (baseball)|assists]] (7th; 273), and [[wikipedia:double play| double play]]s (3rd; 72). He was also an excellent [[wikipedia:baserunning|baserunner]], scoring over 100 [[wikipedia:run (baseball)|runs]] nine times, and often finishing among the top [[wikipedia:stolen base|base stealers]]. He is one of only 29 players to have played in four different major leagues. His 1,004 career [[wikipedia:base on balls|walks]] put him second in major league history behind [[wikipedia:Billy Hamilton (baseball player)|Billy Hamilton]] when he retired, and he also ended his career ranking eighth in career [[wikipedia:games played|games]] (1,796).

==Career==
Born in the small town of [[wikipedia:Hancock County, Ohio|Houcktown]], [[wikipedia:Ohio| Ohio]], Hoy became deaf after suffering from [[wikipedia:meningitis| meningitis]] at age three, and went on to graduate from the Ohio State School for the Deaf in [[wikipedia:Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] as class [[wikipedia:valedictorian| valedictorian]]. He opened a shoe repair store in his hometown and played baseball on weekends, earning a professional contract in [[wikipedia:1886 in baseball|1886]] with an [[wikipedia:Oshkosh, Wisconsin|Oshkosh, Wisconsin]] team which was managed by [[wikipedia:Frank Selee| Frank Selee]] in 1887. In [[wikipedia:1888 in baseball|1888]], with the [[wikipedia:Washington Nationals (1886-1889)|Washington Nationals]] of the [[wikipedia:American Association (19th century)|American Association]], Hoy became the third deaf player in the major leagues, after pitcher [[wikipedia:Ed Dundon|Ed Dundon]] and catcher Tom Lynch. In his rookie year he led the league in stolen bases (although the statistic was defined differently prior to 1898),<ref name="timeline2-03-2000">Sandy and Miller, p. 50.</ref> and also finished second with 69 walks while [[wikipedia:batting average|batting]] .274. At 5'4" and batting left-handed, he was able to gain numerous walks with a small [[wikipedia:strike zone|strike zone]], leading the league twice and compiling an excellent .386 career [[wikipedia:on base percentage|on base percentage]].

His speed was a great advantage in the outfield, and he was able to play shallow as a result. On June 19, [[wikipedia:1889 in baseball|1889]] he set a major league record (which has since been tied twice) by throwing out three runners at home plate in one game, with catcher [[Connie Mack]] recording the outs. He and Mack joined the [[wikipedia:Buffalo Bisons (1890)|Buffalo Bisons]] of the [[wikipedia:Players League|Players League]] in 1890, after which Hoy returned to the AA with the [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]] under player-manager [[wikipedia:Charles Comiskey|Charles Comiskey]] for the league's final season in [[wikipedia:1891 in baseball|1891]], leading the league with 119 walks and scoring a career-high 136 runs (second in the league). He returned to Washington for two years with the [[wikipedia:Washington Senators (1891-1899)|Washington Nationals]] of the [[wikipedia:National League|National League]], and was traded to the Reds in December 1893, where he was reunited with Comiskey. Hoy spent the next four years with that club, hitting over 20 [[wikipedia:double (baseball)|doubles]] each year and batting over .290 three times; in [[wikipedia:1897 in baseball|1897]] he led the NL with 359 putouts.

Before the 1898 season he was traded to the [[wikipedia:Louisville Colonels|Louisville Colonels]], where his teammates included [[Honus Wagner]], [[Fred Clarke]] and [[Tommy Leach]] (who was his roommate), and he hit .304 and .306 in his two seasons with the club; in [[wikipedia:1899 in baseball|1899]] he broke [[Mike Griffin]]'s major league record of 1459 games in center field. After playing for the [[wikipedia:Chicago White Sox|Chicago White Sox]] in the [[wikipedia:American League|American League]] during its [[wikipedia:Western League (U.S. baseball)|last minor league season]] in 1900, where Comiskey was now the team owner, Hoy stayed with the team when the AL achieved major league status in [[wikipedia:1901 in baseball|1901]], helping them to the league's (and his) first pennant; that year he broke [[Tom Brown]]'s record of 3623 career outfield putouts, and also led the league with 86 walks and 14 times [[wikipedia:hit by pitch| hit by pitch]] while finishing fourth in runs (112) and on base percentage (.407). He ended his major league career with the Reds in [[wikipedia:1902 in baseball|1902]], batting .290 and breaking Brown's record of 4461 career total chances in the outfield, and played for Los Angeles in the [[wikipedia:Pacific Coast League|Pacific Coast League]] in 1903. In May of his last season with the Reds, he batted against pitcher [[Dummy Taylor]] of the [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]] in the first faceoff between deaf players in the major leagues; Hoy got two [[wikipedia:hit (baseball)|hits]].

Hoy retired with a .287 batting average, 2044 hits, 1426 runs, 726 [[wikipedia:run batted in|runs batted in]], 248 doubles, 121 [[wikipedia:triple (baseball)|triples]] and 40 [[wikipedia:home run|home run]]s. He had 487 stolen bases from 1888 through 1897, and 107 more after the statistic was redefined to its present meaning in 1898. His 1795 games in the outfield ranked second to [[Jimmy Ryan]] (then at 1829) in major league history. [[Jesse Burkett]] broke his major league record for career putouts in [[wikipedia:1905 in baseball|1905]], and Clarke topped his record for career total chances in [[wikipedia:1909 in baseball|1909]]. His record for career games in center field was broken by [[Tris Speaker]] in [[wikipedia:1920 in baseball|1920]].

==Personal life==
In Hoy's time, the word "dumb" was used to describe someone who could not speak (as most deaf people at the time could not), rather than someone who was stupid; but since the ability to speak was often unfairly connected to one's intelligence, the epithets "dumb" and "dummy" became interchangeable with stupidity. Hoy himself often corrected individuals who addressed him as William, and referred to himself as Dummy. Said to have been able to speak with a voice that resembled a squeak, he was actually one of the most intelligent players of his time, and is sometimes credited with developing the hand signals used by [[wikipedia:umpire (baseball)|umpires]] to this day, though this view is widely disputed; [[Cy Rigler]] is believed to have created signals for balls and strikes while working in the minor leagues, and [[Bill Klem]] is credited with introducing those signals to the major leagues. Indeed, no articles printed during Hoy's lifetime have been found to support the suggestion that he influenced the creation of signals, nor did he ever maintain that he had such a role. In addition, if Hoy could read the lips of an umpire only a few feet away, it is unlikely that he would have needed a manual signal as well. Nonetheless, due to the possibility that he may have played a role in the use of signals, as well as for his all-around play, there is a movement to support his election to the [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame|Baseball Hall of Fame]] in Cooperstown, New York.<ref name="timeline3-03-2000">Sandy and Miller, p. 49.</ref>

In retirement, Hoy and his wife Anna Maria (who was also deaf) operated a dairy farm in [[wikipedia:Mount Healthy, Ohio|Mount Healthy, Ohio]], outside [[wikipedia:Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]]; among their six children was Carson, an Ohio judge, and their grandson [[wikipedia:Judson Hoy|Judson]] became a member of the Ohio State House of Representatives. They also raised his nephew Paul Hoy Helms, the founder of the [[wikipedia:Helms Athletic Foundation|Helms Athletic Foundation]] in Los Angeles. Hoy also worked as an executive with [[wikipedia:Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]] after supervising hundreds of deaf workers during [[wikipedia:World War I|World War I]]. In 1951 he was the first deaf athlete elected to membership in the [[wikipedia:USA Deaf Sports Federation|American Athletic Association of the Deaf]] Hall of Fame. At the age of 99 and just two months before his death in Cincinnati following a [[wikipedia:stroke| stroke]], the Reds brought him back to [[wikipedia:Crosley Field]|Crosley Field]], built on the site of his former home field, to [[wikipedia:ceremonial first pitch|throw out the first ball]] before Game 3 of the [[wikipedia:1961 World Series|1961 World Series]].<ref name="timeline4-03-2000">Sandy and Miller, p. 53.</ref> He could see, if not hear, the standing ovation he received. Upon his death that December, his remains were cremated according to family tradition and were scattered at Lytle Park in Cincinnati. Until the 1980s, he was believed to have been the longest-lived former player ever. In [[wikipedia:2001 in baseball|2001]] the baseball field at [[wikipedia:Gallaudet University|Gallaudet University]] was named William "Dummy" Hoy Baseball Field. He was inducted into the [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame|Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame]] in [[wikipedia:2003 in baseball|2003]].

==See also==
*[[wikipedia:List of major league players with 2,000 hits|List of major league players with 2,000 hits]]
*[[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples|List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples]]
*[[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs|List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs]]
*[[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases]]
*[[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases]]
*[[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions|List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions]]
*[[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases| List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases]]
*[[wikipedia:Chicago White Sox all-time roster|Chicago White Sox all-time roster]]

==Notes==
<references/>

==References==
*Sandy, Steve; Miller, Richard. "No Dummy: William Ellsworth Hoy." ''Timeline'', March–April 2000, pp. 48–53.

==External links==
*[http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1006111&position=OF Fangraphs stats]
*[http://www.bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=832&pid=6635 SABR biography]
*[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/H/Hoy_Dummy.stm BaseballLibrary] - profile and career highlights
*[http://www.dummyhoy.com/ DummyHoy.com] - website promoting his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Reds]]
[[Category:Washington Nationals]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bisons]]
[[Category:St. Louis Browns]]
[[Category:Washington Senators]]
[[Category:Louisville Colonels]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox]]

Buck Herzog

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:48:10 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Buck Herzog.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Buck Herzog Baseball Card, circa 1910]]

'''Charles Lincoln "Buck" Herzog''' (July 9 [[wikipedia:1885| 1885]] - September 4 [[wikipedia:1953| 1953]]) was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:infielder| infielder]] and [[wikipedia:manager (baseball)|manager]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] who played for four [[wikipedia:National League|National League]] clubs between 1908 and 1920. He played for the [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]], [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Braves]], [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]], and [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago Cubs]]. He was a lifelong resident of Maryland: he was born and died in [[wikipedia:Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]], but spent a considerable amount of his retirement years in [[wikipedia:Ridgely, Maryland|Ridgely]]. He died at age 68 in Baltimore.

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== Background ==

==External links==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:New York Giants ]]
[[Category:Boston Braves]]
[[Category:Boston Doves]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Reds]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs]]

Guy Hecker

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:22:48 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Guy Hecker.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Guy Hecker Baseball Card]]
'''Guy Jackson Hecker''' (April 3, [[wikipedia:1856| 1856]] in [[wikipedia:Youngsville, Pennsylvania|Youngsville, Pennsylvania]] – December 3, [[wikipedia:1938| 1938]]) was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:pitcher| pitcher]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]]. He was born in [[wikipedia:Youngsville, Pennsylvania|Youngsville, Pennsylvania]]. His debut game took place on May 2, [[wikipedia:1882| 1882]]. His final game took place on September 30, [[wikipedia:1890| 1890]]. During his career he played for the [[wikipedia:Louisville Colonels|Louisville Eclipse]] and [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]]. Hecker is considered by some baseball historians to be the best combination pitcher and [[wikipedia:hitter| hitter]] to play in the [[wikipedia:19th Century|19th Century]].

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Louisville Colonels|Louisville Eclipse/Colonels]] (1882-1889), [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Alleghenys]] (1890)

== Background ==
Hecker was the second pitcher ever in the [[wikipedia:American Association (19th century)|American Association]] to pitch a [[wikipedia:no hitter|no hitter]]. He did this as a rookie on September 19, [[wikipedia:1882| 1882]]. He narrowly missed becoming the first pitcher in AA by a week when his teammate [[wikipedia:Tony Mullane|Tony Mullane]] threw one. In [[wikipedia:1884| 1884]], Hecker won the pitching version of the [[wikipedia:Triple crown (baseball)|triple crown]] by compiling 52 wins, 385 [[wikipedia:strikeout| strikeout]]s and a 1.85 [[wikipedia:Earned run average|ERA]]. In 1886, Hecker won the batting title by hitting .341 for the season. Hecker finished his career in 1890 by managing and playing for the [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Alleghenys|Pittsburgh Alleghenys]].

He died in [[wikipedia:Wooster, Ohio|Wooster, Ohio]], and was laid to rest at [[wikipedia:Wooster Cemetery|Wooster Cemetery]].

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game|Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball no-hitters|List of Major League Baseball no-hitters]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball ERA champions|List of Major League Baseball ERA champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions|List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions]]

==External links==
*[http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=280&pid=6058 Article on Hecker]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Louisville Colonels]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates]]

Topsy Hartsel

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:15:39 GMT

Summary:

[[image:Topsy Hartsel.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Topsy Hartsel]]
'''Tully Frederick Hartsel''' (June 26, 1874 - October 14, 1944) was a [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] outfielder, born in [[wikipedia:Polk, Ohio|Polk, Ohio]], who played for the [[wikipedia:Louisville Colonels|Louisville Colonels]] (1898-99), [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds| Cincinnati Reds]] (1900), [[wikipedia:Chicago Orphans| Chicago Orphans]] (1901), [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Athletics| Philadelphia Athletics]] (1902-11).
He died in [[wikipedia:Toledo, Ohio|Toledo, Ohio]] on October 14, [[wikipedia:1944| 1944]].

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*Publisher =
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*Position =
*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Louisville Colonels|Louisville Colonels]] (1898-1899), [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]] (1900), [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago Orphans]] (1901), [[wikipedia:Oakland Athletics|Philadelphia Athletics]] (1902-1911)

== Background ==

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions|List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions|List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions]]

==Sources==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Louisville Colonels]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Reds]]
[[Category:Chicago Orphans]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Athletics]]

Grover Hartley

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:56:06 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Grover Hartley.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Grover Hartley Baseball Card]]
'''Grover Allen Hartley''' (July 2, [[wikipedia:1888| 1888]] - October 19, [[wikipedia:1964| 1964]]) was a backup [[wikipedia:catcher| catcher]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball| Major League Baseball]]. From [[wikipedia:1911 in baseball|1911]] through [[wikipedia:1934 in baseball|1934]], he played for the [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]] (1911-13, 1924-26), [[wikipedia:St. Louis Terriers|St. Louis Terriers]] (1914-15), [[wikipedia:Baltimore Orioles|St. Louis Browns]] (1916-17, 1934), [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox| Boston Red Sox]] (1927) and [[wikipedia:Cleveland Indians|Cleveland Indians]] (1930). Hartley batted and threw right handed. He was born in [[wikipedia:Osgood, Indiana|Osgood, Indiana]].

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== Background ==
In a 14-season career, Hartley was a .268 [[wikipedia:batting average|hitter]] with three [[wikipedia:home run|home run]]s and 144 [[wikipedia:run batted in|RBI]] in 569 [[wikipedia:games played|games played]].

Hartley was a catcher with good defensive skills as he took responsibility for getting the most out of his [[wikipedia:pitcher| pitcher]]s, and worked hard at ensuring their success. He debuted with the New York Giants in 1911, appearing in part of three seasons. In 1914 he jumped to the outlaw [[wikipedia:Federal League|Federal League]], becoming a regular with the St. Louis Terriers for the next two years, and later shared catching tenures for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, and new stints with the Giants and Browns, retiring at the end of the 1934 season.

In 1935 Hartley became an [[wikipedia:American League| American League]] [[wikipedia:umpire (baseball)|umpire]]. He also [[wikipedia:manager (baseball)|managed]] in the [[wikipedia:minor league baseball|minors]] and [[wikipedia:coach (baseball)|coached]] for the Browns and [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pirates]].

Hartley died in [[wikipedia:Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach, Florida]], at the age of 76.

==External links==
*[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hartlgr01 Baseball Almanac]
*[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/H/Hartley_Grover.stm Baseball Library]
*[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Phartg102.htm Retrosheet]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians]]
[[Category:New York Giants]]
[[Category:St. Louis Browns]]
[[Category:St. Louis Terriers]]

Earl Hamilton

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:50:32 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Earl Hamilton.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Earl Hamilton Baseball Card]]
'''Earl Andrew Hamilton''' (July 19 [[wikipedia:1891| 1891]] - November 17 [[wikipedia:1968| 1968]]) was a [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|MLB]] left-handed [[wikipedia:pitcher| pitcher]] for the [[wikipedia:Baltimore Orioles|St. Louis Browns]] (1911-1916, later in 1916-1917), [[wikipedia:Detroit Tigers|Detroit Tigers]] (1916), [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1918-1923), and the [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Phillies]] (1924). He pitched a [[wikipedia:no-hitter|no-hitter]] against Detroit on August 30, [[wikipedia:1912| 1912]]. The Tigers did get a run on a [[Ty Cobb]] [[wikipedia:Base on ball|walk]] and an [[wikipedia:error (baseball)|error]], making the final score 5-1 Browns. Hamilton also batted left-handed and ended his career with an average pitcher's [[wikipedia:batting average|batting average]] of .153 in 733 [[wikipedia:at bat|at bat]]s.

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Detroit Tigers| Detroit Tigers]] (1911-1917), [[wikipedia:Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1918-1923), [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Phillies]] (1924)

== Background ==
Born in [[wikipedia:Gibson City, Illinois|Gibson City, Illinois]], Hamilton played his first Major League game on April 14, [[wikipedia:1911| 1911]]. Through the early to mid-teens, Hamilton was considered a quality pitcher and was one of the better pitchers on some terrible Browns teams. In [[wikipedia:1914| 1914]], Hamilton had a very quality season, going 17-18 with a 2.50 [[wikipedia:Earned run average|ERA]] in 302 and 1/3 [[wikipedia:innings pitched|innings pitched]].

After being purchased by Detroit in [[wikipedia:1916| 1916]], he was waived back to the Browns less than a month later. Then, in [[wikipedia:1918| 1918]], he finally left St. Louis for good after an 0-9 season, being purchased by Pittsburgh before the season began. That season, in 6 starts, he had one of the most amazing seasons ever recorded. Hamilton was 6-0 with a 0.83 ERA in 54 innings that year. He finished with 1 [[wikipedia:shutout| shutout]] in his 6 [[wikipedia:complete game|complete game]]s. Hamilton had only given up 7 runs (5 earned) in 6 games. Oddly, he picked that season to enlist in the [[wikipedia:U.S. Navy|Navy]]. Hamilton returned for more fair seasons with the Pirates. Along with [[wikipedia:Wilbur Cooper|Wilbur Cooper]], [[wikipedia:Whitey Glazner|Whitey Glazner]], and [[wikipedia:Babe Adams|Babe Adams]], he helped make up a good rotation for Pittsburgh, culminating with a second place finish in [[wikipedia:1921| 1921]] (behind only the [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]], 4 games). However, they never made the [[wikipedia:World Series|World Series]] with Hamilton.

Before he retired in [[wikipedia:1924| 1924]], Hamilton was selected off waivers by the Phillies, and he went 0-1 with them, with a 10.50 ERA. Hamilton made sparse appearances on leaderboards throughout his career, such as a 9th place finish in the ERA leaderboard (3.36, 1921) and a 7th place finish in [[wikipedia:win (baseball)|wins]] in 1914, when he had 17. He also made the top 10 in losses three times (1914, 15, 21), and ended up finishing only two years of his career with a winning record; his 6-0 season of 1918 and [[wikipedia:1922| 1922]] (11-7).

In 14 years, he was 116-147 with a solid 3.16 ERA in 410 games (261 starts). He pitched 140 complete games, 16 of them shutouts. Hamilton recorded 790 career [[wikipedia:strike out|strike out]]s and allowed 1075 [[wikipedia:run (baseball)|runs]] (822 earned) in 2342 and 2/3 innings pitched.

He died in [[wikipedia:Anaheim, California|Anaheim, California]] at the age of 77.

==Trivia==
*Hamilton pitched 16 shutout innings on July 16, [[wikipedia:1920| 1920]] with the Pirates, before losing 7-0 against the [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]], clearly having run out of gas in the 17th. [[wikipedia:Rube Benton|Rube Benton]] was the Giants' pitcher, also going 16 shutout innings.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball no-hitters|List of Major League Baseball no-hitters]]

==Sources==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:St. Louis Browns]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates]]
[[Category:Detroit Tigers]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies]]

Billy Hamilton

WikiSysop — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:02:20 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Billy_Hamilton.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Billy Hamilton Baseball Card]]
'''William Robert "Sliding Billy" Hamilton''' (b. February 16, [[wikipedia:1866| 1866]], d. December 15<ref>obituary, New York Times, December 17, 1940</ref> or December 16, [[wikipedia:1940| 1940]]) was a [[wikipedia:19th century|19th century]] [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] player. He holds a number of offensive records that still stand today. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961.

== Specifications ==
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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Kansas City Cowboys (baseball)|Kansas City Cowboys]] (1888-1889), [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Phillies]] (1890-1895), [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Beaneaters]] (1896-1901)

== Background ==
Born in [[wikipedia:Newark, New Jersey|Newark, New Jersey]], "Sliding Billy" Hamilton broke into the Majors in the [[wikipedia:American Association (19th century)|American Association]] with the [[wikipedia:Kansas City Cowboys (baseball)|Kansas City Cowboys]] in [[wikipedia:1888 in sports|1888]] and established himself as a star the following season by [[wikipedia:batting average|batting]] .301 with 144 [[wikipedia:runs (baseball statistics)|runs]] and 111 [[wikipedia:stolen base|stolen base]]s.

Hamilton joined the [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Phillies]] in the [[wikipedia:National League|National League]] in [[wikipedia:1890 in sports|1890]] and continued his trend-setting ways over the following six years, averaging 146 runs and 92 stolen bases a season while hitting as high as .404 (in [[wikipedia:1894 in sports|1894]]). Hamilton was part of one of the greatest hitting outfields and teams of all-time. Hamilton, [[wikipedia:Sam Thompson|Sam Thompson]], [[wikipedia:Ed Delahanty|Ed Delahanty]], and [[wikipedia:Tuck Turner|Tuck Turner]] all hit over .400 for the season. (Done in by a poor pitching staff, however, the team only finished 71-57, fourth in the National League.) In [[wikipedia:1896 in sports|1896]], Hamilton moved to the [[wikipedia:Boston Beaneaters|Boston Beaneaters]], for whom he played his final six seasons. Although his numbers declined, Hamilton still scored over 100 runs in all but two of those seasons. He holds the major league record for runs scored in a season, scoring 192 runs in 1894.

Hamilton retired after the [[wikipedia:1901 in sports|1901]] season. Over his career he compiled 912 stolen bases, a .344 batting average and 1690 runs in 1591 games; he is one of only three players to average more than one run per game played. His .455 career [[wikipedia:on base percentage| on base percentage]] is ranked 4th all time behind [[wikipedia:Ted Williams|Ted Williams]], [[wikipedia:Babe Ruth|Babe Ruth]] and [[John McGraw]], and his 912 stolen bases rank 3rd behind [[Rickey Henderson]] and [[Lou Brock]]. Even for the run-happy 1890's, these are very fine career numbers. Hamilton also set the record for most stolen bases in one game, with seven, set August 31, [[wikipedia:1894 in sports|1894]].

Hamilton was inducted into the [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame|Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[wikipedia:1961 in sports|1961]]. He was the first [[wikipedia:New Jersey|New Jersey]] native so honored, and remains the only one from the northern part of the State, although [[wikipedia:Alabama| Alabama]]-born [[wikipedia:Monte Irvin| Monte Irvin]] grew up in [[wikipedia:East Orange|East Orange]] and [[wikipedia:South Carolina|South Carolina]]-born [[wikipedia:Larry Doby|Larry Doby]] grew up in [[wikipedia:Paterson, New Jersey|Paterson]]. Hamilton died in 1940.

==Accomplishments==
* Inducted into the [[wikipedia:Baseball Hall of Fame|Baseball Hall of Fame]] (1961)
* 3rd all time for stolen bases in a career (912)
* Led the Major Leagues in stolen bases (1889-91, 1894, 1895)
* Led the National League in batting average (1891, with .340)
* Led the National League in runs scored (1891, with 141)
* Led the National League in hits (1891, with 179)
* Led the National League for times on base (1891)
* Led the Major Leagues in batting average (1893, with .380)
* Led the Major Leagues in runs scored (1894-95, 1897)
* Led the Major Leagues for times on base (1894, 1896-97)
* Set record for runs scored with 198 in 1894.
* Philadelphia Phillies Career Leader in Batting Average (.361), On-base percentage (.468) and Stolen Bases (508).
* Holds Phillies single season records for On-base percentage (.523 in 1894), Runs (192 in 1894), Stolen Bases (111 in 1891) and Times on Base (355 in 1894)

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of major league players with 2,000 hits|List of major league players with 2,000 hits]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs|List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball players with 500 stolen bases]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball batting champions|List of Major League Baseball batting champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions| List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions|List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases|List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases]]

==External links==
* [http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/hamilton_billy.htm Baseball Hall of Fame]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Kansas City Cowboys]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies]]
[[Category:Boston Beaneaters]]

Henry Gruber

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:51:27 GMT

Summary:

[[Image:Henry Gruber.jpg|thumb|300px|right||Henry Gruber Baseball Card]]
'''Henry Gruber''' (December 14, 1863 - September 26, 1932) was a baseball pitcher in the late 19th century. He played 5 years, his first with the [[wikipedia:Detroit Wolverines|Detroit Wolverines]], and then played with two [[wikipedia:Cleveland| Cleveland]] clubs, the [[wikipedia:Cleveland Spiders|Spiders]] and the [[wikipedia:Cleveland Infants|Infants]]. He won 61 games and lost 78 in his career, and had a 3.67 E.R.A.

== Specifications ==
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[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Cleveland Infants]]
[[Category:Cleveland Spiders]]
[[Category:Detroit Wolverines]]

Jack Graney

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:29:09 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Jack Graney.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Jack Franey Baseball Card]]
'''John Gladstone Graney''' (June 10 [[wikipedia:1886| 1886]] – April 20 [[wikipedia:1978| 1978]]) was a [[wikipedia:Canada|Canadian]] [[wikipedia:left fielder|left fielder]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] who played his entire career with the [[wikipedia:Cleveland Indians|Cleveland Indians]] (1908, 1910-1922). He was born in [[wikipedia:St. Thomas, Ontario|St. Thomas, Ontario]].

== Specifications ==
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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Cleveland Indians|Cleveland Naps/Indians]] (1908, 1910-1922)

== Background ==
On June 26, [[wikipedia:1916 in baseball|1916]], the Cleveland Indians used numbers on their uniforms on an experimental basis in a home game against the White Sox. The numbers, which were worn on the players' uniform sleeves, corresponded with information in the scorecards. Jack Graney was the first major league player to appear in a game with a number on his uniform.

After retiring from playing, Graney became a play-by-play broadcaster for the team, thus being the first former major league player to become a broadcaster in the United States. He died at age 91 in [[wikipedia:Louisiana, Missouri|Louisiana, Missouri]]. He has been inducted into the [[wikipedia:Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame|Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]].

In the [[wikipedia:1980s| 1980s]], the [[wikipedia:Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame|Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]] instituted an [[wikipedia:Jack Graney Award|award]] in Graney's name, presented periodically to journalists deemed to have made notable contributions to promoting baseball in Canada.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players from Canada|List of Major League Baseball players from Canada]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball doubles champions|List of Major League Baseball doubles champions]]

==External links==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Cleveland Naps]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians]]

George Gore

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:16:40 GMT

Summary:

[[image:George Gore.jpg|thumb|right|300px|George Gore Baseball Card]]
'''George F. Gore''' (May 3 [[wikipedia:1857| 1857]] - September 16 [[wikipedia:1933| 1933]]) was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:center fielder|center fielder]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] who played fourteen seasons for the [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago White Stockings]] (1879-1886), [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]] (1887-89, 1891-1892), and [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]] (1892) in the [[wikipedia:National League|National League]], and the [[wikipedia:New York Giants (PL)|New York Giants]] of the [[wikipedia:Players League|Players League]] (1890). Born in [[wikipedia:Westbrook, Maine|Saccarappa, Maine|Westbrook, Maine|Saccarappa, Maine]], Gore won the National League [[wikipedia:batting average|batting]] title in [[wikipedia:1880 in baseball|1880]] while playing for Chicago. He died at age 76 in [[wikipedia:Utica, New York|Utica, New York]].

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago White Stockings]] (1879-1886), [[wikipedia:San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]] (1887-1889, 1891-1892), [[wikipedia:New York Giants (PL)|New York Giants (PL)]] (1890), [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]] (1892)

== Background ==
Gore played with Chicago from 1879 to 1886, and after he was sold by the club after the 1886 season, for drinking, longtime writer [[wikipedia:Henry Chadwick (writer)|Henry Chadwick]] said Gore "cannot play in harmony with Captain and Manager [[wikipedia:Cap Anson|Anson]], and Mr. [[wikipedia:Albert Spalding|Spalding]] has wisely released a discontented player whose skill as a fielder, batter, and base runner was offset by his unpleasant relations with the team captain."

Weeks after Gore's contract was sold to the New York Giants, Chicago writer Harry Palmer wrote that whenever Gore "failed to play ball for all he was worth, Anson has reprimanded him." Socially, Palmer added, Anson says “Gore is all right. As an instance of their friendly relations, Anson says Gore applied to him for work this Winter, and the big Chicago captain promised him employment on the toboggan slides at the White Stocking Park whenever he wanted it."

In 1888, after seeing him in street clothes during a home game, the ''New York Star'' called him "'Budweiser' Gore."

In 1894, a judge granted a divorce to his wife. Married since 1882, she had accused him of living in 1891 and into 1892 with a Florence "Florilla" Sinclaire "as his wife, and that they [Gore and Sinclaire] lived as man and wife in One Hundred and Twenty-ninth street" in New York City. Gore denied his wife’s charge of having had intimate relations with Sinclaire.

In his 1900 book ''A Ball Player's Career'', Anson said Gore was a good player. Also, "Women and wine brought about his downfall, however, and the last time that I saw him in New York he was broken down, both in heart and pocket, and willing to work at anything that would yield him the bare necessities of life."

In 1933, months before his death at age 76, Gore told a reporter, "I haven't seen a sick day in seventy-five years, and I feel as good today as I did thirty years ago. I can't get around like I used to, but I still am able to walk three or four miles daily. That keeps me in good shape. I eat three hearty meals a day and my favorite diversion now is playing [[wikipedia:pinochle|pinocle]]. I play it every night. It's great sport for us old-timers."

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs|List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball batting champions| List of Major League Baseball batting champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions|List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions]]

==External links==
* Howard W. Rosenberg, [http://www.capanson.com/cap_anson_books.html ''Cap Anson 4: Bigger Than Babe Ruth: Captain Anson of Chicago'' (Arlington, Virginia: Tile Books, 2006)]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Chicago White Stockings]]
[[Category:New York Giants]]
[[Category:New York Giants]]
[[Category:St. Louis Browns]]

Wilbur Good

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:09:51 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Wilbur Good.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Wilbur Good Baseball Card]]
'''Wilbur David Good''' (September 28, [[wikipedia:1885| 1885]] - December 30, [[wikipedia:1963| 1963]]) born in [[wikipedia:Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania|Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania]] was an [[wikipedia:outfielder| outfielder]] for the [[wikipedia:New York Highlanders|New York Highlanders]] (1905), [[wikipedia:Cleveland Naps|Cleveland Naps]] (1908-09), [[wikipedia:Boston Doves|Boston Doves]]/[[wikipedia:Boston Rustlers|Boston Rustlers]] (1910-11), [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago Cubs]] (1911-15), [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia Phillies]] (1916) and [[wikipedia:Chicago White Sox|Chicago White Sox]] (1918).

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== Background ==
In 11 seasons he played in 749 Games and had 2,364 At Bats, 324 Runs, 609 Hits, 84 Doubles, 44 Triples, 9 Home Runs, 187 RBI, 104 Stolen Bases, 190 Walks, .258 Batting Average, .322 On-base percentage, .342 Slugging Percentage, 808 Total Bases and 60 Sacrifice Hits.

He died in [[wikipedia:Brooksville, Florida|Brooksville, Florida]] at the age of 78.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:Chicago White Sox all-time roster|Chicago White Sox all-time roster]]

==References==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:New York Highlanders]]
[[Category:Cleveland Naps]]
[[Category:Boston Doves ]]
[[Category:Boston Rustlers]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox]]

Larry Gardner

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:04:47 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Larry Gardner.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Larry Gardner Baseball Card]]
'''William Lawrence "Larry" Gardner''' (May 13 [[wikipedia:1886| 1886]] - March 11 [[wikipedia:1976| 1976]]) was a [[wikipedia:third baseman|third baseman]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]]. From [[wikipedia:1908 in sports|1908]] through [[wikipedia:1924 in sports|1924]], Gardner played for the [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox|Boston Red Sox]] (1908-17), [[wikipedia:Oakland Athletics|Philadelphia Athletics]], and [[wikipedia:Cleveland Indians|Cleveland Indians]] (1919-1924). He batted [[wikipedia:left-handed|left-handed]] and threw [[wikipedia:right-handed|right-handed]].

==Career==
In his 17-season career, Larry Gardner posted a .289 [[wikipedia:batting average|batting average]] with 27 [[wikipedia:home run|home run]]s and 929 [[wikipedia:run batted in|RBI]] in 1922 [[wikipedia:games played|games]].

An [[wikipedia:Enosburg, Vermont|Enosburg, Vermont]] native and the first player out of the [[wikipedia:University of Vermont|University of Vermont]] to play in the [[wikipedia:American League|American League]], Gardner played most of his prime in the [[wikipedia:dead ball era|dead ball era]], as the third baseman on several successful Red Sox teams. While he was with the Red Sox, he played in the [[wikipedia:1912 World Series|1912]], [[wikipedia:1915 World Series|1915]], and [[wikipedia:1916 World Series|1916]] World Series. He played in another World Series for the Indians in [[wikipedia:1920 World Series|1920]].

In the famous tenth inning of the final game of 1912 World Series, the same inning that included [[Fred Snodgrass]] and [[Chief Meyers]] making critical fielding mistakes and giving the Red Sox two extra outs to work with, it was Gardner who drove in [[Steve Yerkes]] with the winning run of the series.

After his retirement, he returned to the University of Vermont as a [[wikipedia:baseball coach|baseball coach]] and [[wikipedia:athletic director|athletic director]]. Larry Gardner was inducted to the [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame|Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame]] in [[wikipedia:2000 in sports|2000]].

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples|List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples]]

==Sources==
*[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/G/Gardner_Larry.stm Baseball Library]
*[http://www.historicvermont.org/markers/markers2.html Vermont Historical Marker]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Athletics]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians]]

John Gaffney

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:59:25 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:John Gaffney.jpg|thumb|300px|right|John Gaffney baseball card]]
'''John H. Gaffney''' (June 29 [[wikipedia:1855| 1855]] - August 8 [[wikipedia:1913| 1913]]), nicknamed the "King of Umpires" and "Honest John", was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:umpire (baseball)|umpire]] and [[wikipedia:manager (baseball)|manager]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball| Major League Baseball]]. He was baseball's first great umpire, and played a pioneering role in the use of multiple umpires in baseball games.

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== Background ==
Born in [[wikipedia:Roxbury, Massachusetts| Roxbury, Massachusetts]], Gaffney's family moved to [[wikipedia:Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]] when he was 11. He began playing baseball as a [[wikipedia:third baseman|third baseman]], but his promising career was ended when he injured his arm throwing a snowball in [[wikipedia:1880 in baseball|1880]], reportedly just before being promoted to the [[wikipedia:National League|National League]]. He became a [[wikipedia:printing|printer]], and started umpiring college games involving nearby [[wikipedia:Ivy League|Ivy League]] teams in [[wikipedia:1883 in baseball|1883]].

He joined the National League's umpiring staff in August [[wikipedia:1884 in baseball|1884]], with his first game being an 11-inning, 1-0 game between the two teams battling for first place, [[wikipedia:Providence Grays|Providence]] and [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston]]. He quickly gained wide respect as a top officiator, and as the league's best judge of [[wikipedia:strike zone|balls and strikes|strike zone|balls and strikes]]. In the middle of his third season, his knowledge of the game was so highly regarded that he was offered the managing position of the [[wikipedia:Washington Nationals (1886-1889)|Washington Nationals]], and he took over the team on August 21, [[wikipedia:1886 in baseball|1886]]. The team, mired in last place, finished the last third of the season without improving its position; but Gaffney continued in the post for the entire [[wikipedia:1887 in baseball|1887]] campaign, with a slight improvement to 7th place. He finished his managing career with 61 wins against 101 losses. He was much-liked by the players, and while he was traveling during the 1887 world championship series, his players – including catcher [[Connie Mack]] and future umpiring great [[wikipedia:Hank O'Day|Hank O'Day]] – boarded his train during a Washington stopover and surprised him with the gift of a diamond ring in appreciation of his efforts.

Into the 1880s, baseball had always been played with the use of a single umpire, but by late in the decade it was becoming apparent that this was an unsatisfactory arrangement for the most important games. The 1886 [[wikipedia:World Series#Early World Series (1884-1900)|World's Championship Series]] had witnessed a two-game experiment in which each team selected an umpire – both positioned behind the catcher – with a third official, called a referee, positioned behind the pitcher and able to move about the bases. However, the referee was only permitted to make calls when the two umpires either disagreed or requested his decision; this system was deemed a failure by all observers. The following year, Gaffney was selected by the NL as one of the two umpires to work the 1887 series, along with [[wikipedia:Kick Kelly|Kick Kelly]], who was regarded as the best umpire in the [[wikipedia:American Association (19th century)|American Association]] from 1883-86 before managing that league's [[wikipedia:Louisville Colonels|Louisville]] team in 1887. The two worked out a system whereby one umpire would work behind home plate, calling balls and strikes, while the other positioned himself in the field to make calls on the bases. This format was a decided success, and although it was not until almost [[wikipedia:1910 in baseball|1910]] that two umpires per game became standard, it formed the basis for the multiple umpire systems which followed. Gaffney later umpired in the [[wikipedia:1888 in baseball|1888]] and [[wikipedia:1889 in baseball|1889]] championship series, and again for three games in the [[wikipedia:1892 in baseball|1892]] NL championship series, for a total of 37 postseason games – a 19th-century record.

After the 1887 series, Gaffney and Kelly both returned to umpiring, although they switched leagues in the process – Kelly moved to the NL for the 1888 season, while Gaffney switched to the American Association for 1888-89, where he received a salary of $2,500 plus road expenses, making him easily the best-paid umpire. In the American Association, Gaffney pioneered the practice of moving from behind the catcher to behind the pitcher when a batter reached first base, a crucial move in the days of solitary umpires. He made other innovations, including calling balls fair or foul depending on where they cleared the fence rather than where they landed, and creating a shirt in which extra baseballs could be stored. After each season, he reported omissions and inadequacies in the rules to the league, and many of his suggested revisions were enacted.

Mack, who was a rookie catcher for Gaffney's 1887 team and later caught for 5 years in which Gaffney umpired, described him as the perfect umpire; umpiring legend [[wikipedia:Bill Klem|Bill Klem]] noted that he was the first to be widely called "King of Umpires".

Gaffney moved to the [[wikipedia:Players League|Players League]] for its sole season in 1890 before returning to the NL in September 1891. The stress of 19th century umpiring, when players and fans demonstrated tremendous abusiveness and hostility toward the lone umpires, began to take its toll, however, and Gaffney was released by the NL after the 1893 season due to his increasing drinking. After beginning 1894 in the Eastern League, he returned to the NL in mid-season, but his alcohol abuse continued and he was again let go. He umpired in the Eastern League again from 1895-97 before coming back to the NL in 1899-1900, joining [[wikipedia:Thomas Lynch (baseball)|Tom Lynch]] in becoming one of only two men to umpire in 12 major league seasons in the 19th century.

He umpired college games near Worcester after 1900, and later moved to [[wikipedia:New York City|New York City]], where he worked as a night watchman.

Gaffney died in poverty at age 58 in New York City. After his death, Mack arranged a benefit game in Worcester between his [[wikipedia:Oakland Athletics|Philadelphia Athletics]] and the [[wikipedia:Boston Red Sox|Boston Red Sox]] to pay for a monument over Gaffney's grave.

==Quotes==

*''"I have studied the rules thoroughly. I keep my eyes wide open, and I follow the ball with all possible dispatch. With the players I try to keep as even tempered as I can, always speaking to them gentlemanly yet firmly. I dislike to fine, and in all my experience have not inflicted more than $300 in fines, and I never found it necessary to order a player from the field. Pleasant words to players in passion will work far better than fines."'' - as quoted in ''The Sporting News'', April 25, 1891
*''"He was perfect. He would follow a ball all the way from the pitcher, and when he made his decision, he would say, 'That was one-eighth of an inch outside' - or 'That was one-eighth of an inch too low,' and he was right. There has never been another umpire like him."'' - Connie Mack, in ''The Sporting News'', April 8, 1943

==Sources==
* Gerlach, Larry R. "John H. Gaffney", in ''Baseball's First Stars'', The Society for American Baseball Research, 1996.
* ''The Sporting News'', 1886-1887.

==External links==
*[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/G/Gaffney_John.stm BaseballLibrary.com] - short profile
*[http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/gaffnjo99.shtml Baseball-Reference.com] - managing record
*[http://www.providencegrays.org/Old_Grays/N._L._Umpires/n._l._umpires.html 1884 NL umpire biographies]
*[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/G/Pgaffj801.htm Retrosheet]

[[Category:Baseball]]

Dave Foutz

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:42:13 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Dave_Foutz.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Dave Foutz Baseball Card]]
'''David Luther Foutz''' (September 7, [[wikipedia:1856| 1856]] - March 5, [[wikipedia:1897| 1897]]) was a pitcher for the [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|Saint Louis Browns]] of the [[wikipedia:American Association (19th century)|American Association]] and the [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Bridegrooms]] of the [[wikipedia:National League| National League]] from 1884 to 1896, compiling a 147-66 career record. He also played [[wikipedia:first base|first base]] and the outfield. From 1893 to 1896, he was the player-manager of the Bridegrooms.

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]] (1884-1887), [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Grooms]] (1888-1896) ''As Manager''', [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Grooms/Bridegrooms]] (1893-1896)

== Background ==
Foutz died on March 5, 1897 in his mother's house in [[wikipedia:Waverly, Maryland|Waverly, Maryland]] of [[wikipedia:asthma| asthma]].

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball saves champions|List of Major League Baseball saves champions]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball ERA champions|List of Major League Baseball ERA champions]]

==External links==
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/foutzda01.shtml Baseball-Reference.com] - career managing record and playing statistics

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:St. Louis Browns (AA)]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Bridegrooms]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Grooms]]

Jack Fournier

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:32:20 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Jack Fournier.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Jack Fournier Baseball Card]]
'''John Frank "Jack" Fournier''' (September 28 [[wikipedia:1889| 1889]] – September 5 [[wikipedia:1973| 1973]]) was a [[wikipedia:first baseman|first baseman]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]].

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Chicago White Sox| Chicago White Sox]] (1912–1917), [[wikipedia:New York Yankees| New York Yankees]] (1918), [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals| St. Louis Cardinals]] (1920-1922), [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Robins]] (1923-1926), [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Braves]] (1927)

== Background ==
Purchased by the White Sox from the Red Sox in 1912, Fournier presented Clarence "Pants" Rowland, and a half-dozen other managers, with the dilemma of what to do with this inept-fielding pure hitter. Rowland solved that problem in 1916, a year after Fournier had led the AL in slugging, by replacing him at first base with the marginal Jack Ness. Keep in mind that before 1920, a first baseman was one of the key fielding positions because of the constant threat of the bunt. Fournier proved time and time again, that he could simply not field the bunt with any degree of competence. Thus the quick exit from teams despite the fat batting numbers he could put up.

Fournier hit .350 for the Yankees in limited duty in 1918 before they passed him off to the Cardinals. Fournier led NL first basemen with 25 errors in 1920. After three productive years in St. Louis, Fournier was dealt to Brooklyn on February 15, 1923. Fournier said he would quit the game rather than leave St. Louis, but he ended his holdout and reported to the Dodgers. Fournier had found his spot, among an offensive unit that included [[Zack Wheat]], [[Milt Stock]], and [[Zack Taylor]]. He turned in a six-for-six performance on June 29 of that year, hit .351, and made a league-high 21 errors. In 1924 Fournier led the NL with 27 HR, and in 1925 was second to Rogers Hornsby with 130 RBI.

He hit 136 career [[wikipedia:home runs|home runs]] in 14 seasons while rapping .313 with a .393 [[wikipedia:on-base percentage|on-base percentage]]. He also racked up three straight seasons with 20+ home runs, 20+ doubles, a .400 or higher on-base percentage, a .330 plus [[wikipedia:batting average|batting average]], and 90+ runs.

Born in [[wikipedia:Au Sable, Michigan|AuSable]], [[wikipedia:Michigan| Michigan]], he played for the [[wikipedia:Chicago White Sox|Chicago White Sox]] ([[wikipedia:1912| 1912]]-[[wikipedia:1917| 1917]]), [[wikipedia:New York Yankees|New York Yankees]], ([[wikipedia:1918| 1918]]), [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Cardinals]], ([[wikipedia:1920| 1920]]-[[wikipedia:1922| 1922]]), [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Robins]], ([[wikipedia:1923| 1923]]-[[wikipedia:1926| 1926]]), and [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Braves]] ([[wikipedia:1927| 1927]]).

He ranks number 449 on the all-time list of home run leaders.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:Top 500 home run hitters of all time|Top 500 home run hitters of all time]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples|List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples]]
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball home run champions|List of Major League Baseball home run champions]]
* [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game|Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game]]
* [[wikipedia:Chicago White Sox all-time roster|Chicago White Sox all-time roster]]

==External links==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox]]
[[Category:New York Yankees]]
[[Category:St. Louis Cardinals]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Robins]]
[[Category:Boston Braves]]

Russ Ford

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:18:17 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Russ Ford.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Russ Ford Baseball Card]]
'''Russell William Ford''' (born April 25, [[wikipedia:1883| 1883]] in [[wikipedia:Brandon, Manitoba|Brandon, Manitoba]], [[wikipedia:Canada| Canada]] – died January 24, [[wikipedia:1960| 1960]] in [[wikipedia:Rockingham, NC|Rockingham, NC]]) was a [[wikipedia:baseball| baseball]] [[wikipedia:pitcher| pitcher]] during the [[wikipedia:dead-ball era|dead-ball era]] of the early 1900s.

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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:New York Yankees|New York Highlanders/Yankees]] (1909-1913), [[wikipedia:Buffalo Buffeds|Buffalo Buffeds/Blues]] (1914-1915)

== Background ==
He is known as the creator of the "emery" or "scuff" ball, a pitch that was thrown with a ball that had been scuffed with a [[wikipedia:emery board|piece of emery]]. Ford won 26 games in his rookie season of 1910, becoming only the third player in major league history to win 20 games and strike out at least 200 batters in his first season. ([[Christy Mathewson]] and [[Pete Alexander]] are the others)

His pitch selection included his famed scuff/emery ball, a [[wikipedia:spitball| spitball]], [[wikipedia:fastball| fastball]], and [[wikipedia:knuckle ball|knuckle ball]]. <ref> The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers: An Historical Compendium of Pitching, Pitchers, and Pitches. Bill James and Rob Neyer. 2004.</ref>

Ford was elected to the [[wikipedia:Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame|Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[wikipedia:1989| 1989]]. Inducted into the [[wikipedia:Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum|Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum]] in 2002.

Brother Gene Ford also played in the major leagues, pitching in seven games for the [[wikipedia:Detroit Tigers|Detroit Tigers]] in [[wikipedia:1907| 1907]]

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball saves champions|List of Major League Baseball saves champions]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fordru01.shtml Baseball-Reference ] - career statistics and analysis
* [http://mopupduty.com/index.php/russ-ford/ Bio at Mop Up Duty]
* [http://www.halloffame.mb.ca/honoured/2002/rFord.htm Russ Ford’s biography] at [http://www.halloffame.mb.ca/ Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:New York Highlanders]]
[[Category:New York Yankees]]
[[Category:Buffalo Buffeds]]
[[Category:Buffalo Blues]]

Silver Flint

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:10:53 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Silver Flint.jpg|thumb|300px|right||Silver Flint baseball card]]
'''Frank Sylvester Flint''' (August 3, [[wikipedia:1855| 1855]] - January 14, [[wikipedia:1892| 1892]]) was a Major League catcher in the 19th century. He began his career at age 19 with the [[wikipedia:St. Louis Red Stockings|St. Louis Red Stockings]] of the [[wikipedia:National Association| :National Association]] and he played one year for the [[wikipedia:Indianapolis Blues|Indianapolis Blues]] before joining the [[wikipedia:Chicago Cubs|Chicago White Stockings]] in [[wikipedia:1879 in baseball|1879]], where he would remain for the rest of his playing career, eleven seasons almost exclusively as a [[wikipedia:catcher| catcher]].

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== Background ==
In his first season with the White Stockings, Flint and Cap Anson split duties piloting the team, which finished 5-12 under Flint and 41-21 under Anson. That was Flint's only opportunity as field manager.

Unfortunately, he was also known as a drinker, and in 1892, he died in [[wikipedia:Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] at age 36.

==Sources==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Chicago White Stockings]]
[[Category:St. Louis Red Stockings]]
[[Category:Indianapolis Blues]]

Ray Fisher

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:05:46 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[Image:Ray Fisher.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Ray Fisher Baseball Card]]
'''Ray Lyle Fisher''' (October 4 [[wikipedia:1887| 1887]] in [[wikipedia:Middlebury, Vermont|Middlebury, Vermont]] -November 3 [[wikipedia:1982| 1982]] in Ann Arbor, Michigan) was an [[wikipedia:United States|American]] [[wikipedia:pitcher| pitcher]] in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]]. His debut game took place on July 2, 1910. His final game took place on October 2, 1920. During his career he played for the [[wikipedia:New York Yankees|New York Yankees]] and [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]].

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== Background ==
Ray Fisher (nicknamed "Pick", not "Chic" as reported in some sources) was an all-round athlete who played football, basketball, and baseball. He played on Vermont's 1904 State Championship football team and received multiple college scholarships in football, but his real love was baseball and he stayed on in his hometown attending [[wikipedia:Middlebury College| Middlebury College]]. After stellar performances on the college mound, he was offered a position pitching with a semi-pro team in [[wikipedia:Valleyfield, Quebec|Valleyfield, Quebec]] in the summer of 1907. In 1908 and 1909 he pitched in the [[wikipedia:minor leagues|minor leagues]] for Hartford in the [[wikipedia:Connecticut League|Connecticut League]], going 12-1 in his first partial season (batting .304) and 25-4 the following year with 243 strikeouts. His contract was sold to the [[wikipedia:New York Highlanders| New York Highlanders]] (Yankees), and he reported there in 1910 following his graduation from Middlebury, bringing along- to the amusement of his new teammates- his homemade bat from off the farm. Dubbed the "Vermont Schoolmaster" because he taught Latin during his first off season, Ray pitched for New York from 1910-1917, spending 1918 in the Army stationed at [[wikipedia:Fort Slocum|Fort Slocum]] off [[wikipedia:New Rochelle|New Rochelle]]. As a rookie, the newspapers were frequently comparing Fisher to Highlander's spitball pitcher [[Jack Chesbro]], and early in his tenure with the Yankees Fisher was also cited by [[Ty Cobb]] and [[:Nap Lajoie]] as one of the twelve best pitchers in the [[wikipedia:American League|American League]], both players also listing [[:Ed Walsh]], [[:Russ Ford]], [[:Walter Johnson]], and [[:Smokey Joe Wood]].* His ERA ranked fifth in the league in 1915. The following year, a bout of pleurisy was to cripple his effectivness. From 1911 to 1915, during the off season, Fisher was also employed as Middlebury College's first Physical (Athletic) Director. About the time of his discharge from the Army, Fisher was selected off waivers by the [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]], thereby taking a $3100 cut in pay from his $6,600 with the Yankees. Ray pitched for the Reds in 1919 and 1920. He went 14-5 in 1919 and pitched game three in the infamous [[wikipedia:1919 World Series|1919 World Series]], a game in which the Reds were shut out by Chicago's [[:Dickie Kerr]]. In 1920, the [[wikipedia:spitball| spitball]] was declared a banned pitch. However, 17 pitchers known to rely on the pitch were "grandfathered" and allowed to continue to throw it. Though he had largely discontinued use of the spitter by 1914, Fisher was one of those allowed to continue to use the pitch.

Fisher is known for being one of the few players to be re-instated into professional baseball after being banned for life. Prior to the 1921 season, the Reds offered him a contract in which his salary was $1000 less than that of the previous season. After making his objections known in a letter to Red's president [[wikipedia:August Herrmann|August Herrmann]], Fisher signed the contract. Before the season began, however, Fisher learned that the position of head baseball coach had again become available at the [[wikipedia:University of Michigan|University of Michigan]], a position for which he had belatedly applied the previous year on the recommendation of [[wikipedia:Branch Rickey|Branch Rickey]]. Fisher requested, and was apparently given by manager [[wikipedia:Pat Moran|Pat Moran]], permission to go and look into the job. When he was offered the position at Michigan, the Reds' management tried to induce Fisher to remain with the team by offering to restore the $1000 cut from the previous year's contract. Fisher thought the Michigan position held greater long-term promise and accepted the job, believing that he would be given his release from Cincinnati or placed on the list of voluntarily retired players (both of which were subsequently reported in the local papers). After Michigan's playing season was over, other teams began contacting Fisher, inquiring as to his availability to pitch, Rickey's [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Cardinals]] among them. Fisher contacted the Reds for clarification on his status, noting that he realized they had first call on his services. He learned that he was being placed on the list of those ineligible to play, the Reds citing his having given them only seven days notice, rather than the required ten, prior to leaving the club. Fisher appealed to the commissioner of baseball, [[wikipedia:Kenesaw Mountain Landis|Kenesaw Mountain Landis]], and the commissioner promised to look into the matter. After obtaining the Red's version of the negotiations, the commissioner upheld the Red's position and banned Fisher for leaving the team after having signed a contract. Ray ended his major league career with a 100-94 record and a 2.82 ERA. In 1951 Ray was called to Washington, D.C. to testify about his "blacklisting" in a House Judiciary Committee investigation into the alleged monopoly of power in professional baseball.

Fisher remained head coach for the [[wikipedia:University of Michigan|University of Michigan]]'s baseball team for 38 seasons, also serving as freshman football coach and assistant basketball coach for about 25 years. (In football he coached [[wikipedia:Gerald Ford|Gerald Ford]].) While at Michigan, he led his teams to 14 [[wikipedia:Big Ten|Big Ten]] championships and the [[wikipedia:1953 College World Series|1953 College World Series]] championship, after which he was named Coach of the Year. Within his first few seasons, Ray became Michigan's first coach in the 20th century to integrate a varsity sport. Fisher was active in the startup of the National Association of College Baseball Coaches and served as its first vice president. During the 1940s he was hailed by ''[[wikipedia:Esquire Magazine|Esquire Magazine]]'' as a close second to [[wikipedia:Jack Barry|Jack Barry]] of [[wikipedia:Holy Cross|Holy Cross]] as the top college baseball coach in the country. While coaching summer teams in Vermont's [[wikipedia:Northern League (baseball, 1902-71)|Northern League]], Fisher mentored [[wikipedia:Robin Roberts|Robin Roberts]] who sent many accolades in Fisher's direction once he was signed into the major leagues. By the time he retired in 1958, Fisher had compiled a 636-295-8 record with only two losing seasons, and he held the record as the University of Michigan's winningest coach for 70 years (1930-2000). For five years during the 1960s Fisher coached pitchers for the farm teams of the [[wikipedia:Milwaukee Braves|Milwaukee Braves]] and the [[wikipedia:Detroit Tigers|Detroit Tigers]]. In 1970 the baseball stadium at U of M, until then unnamed, was dedicated as [[wikipedia:Ray Fisher Stadium|Ray Fisher Stadium]]. In 2008 a renovated Ray Fisher Stadium was incorporated into the university's new [[wikipedia:Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex|Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex]], [[wikipedia:Fred Wilpon| Fred Wilpon]] having pitched for Michigan under Ray. After a reinvestigation into the circumstances surrounding his leaving the [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]], Commissioner of Baseball [[wikipedia:Bowie Kuhn|Bowie Kuhn]] re-instated Fisher in 1980, declaring him a "retired player in good standing" with professional baseball. In an interesting twist of fate, following the 1981 players' strike the Cincinnati Reds came to the University of Michigan for workouts at Ray Fisher Stadium.

In the summer of 1982, Fisher was invited to the yearly Old Timers' Day at [[wikipedia:Yankee Stadium|Yankee Stadium]], his first visit to the famous facility which had been built after he'd left the team. Approaching age 95, he was then the oldest former Yankee, Cincinnati Red, and [[wikipedia:World Series|World Series]] player. He received two standing ovations by the fans and threw out the opening pitch for that day's Yankees-Rangers game. He died three months later in [[wikipedia:Ann Arbor, Michigan|Ann Arbor, Michigan]]. Through the efforts of the Vermont chapter of the [[wikipedia:Society for American Baseball Research| Society for American Baseball Research]], an historic site marker was placed near Ray Fisher's birth place in [[wikipedia:Middlebury, Vermont|Middlebury, Vermont]] in 2003 by the State of Vermont.

*As reported in the 18 November 1911 ''Philadelphia Inquirer'', "Tyrus Cobb and Napolean Lajoie, the greatest batsmen in the American League, if not in the country, were recently given twenty four hours to study the work of the American league pitchers and name the best ones as they appear to them. Cobb named as the best twelve: Russell Ford, Joe Wood, Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Ed Walsh, Eddie Karger, Bob Groom, Dolly Gray, Vean Gregg, Harry Krause, Ray Fisher and Jimmy Scott. Larry's selections were: Ed Walsh, Walter Johnson, Russell Ford, Jack Coombs, Chief Bender, Eddie Plank, Joe Wood, Barney Pelty, George Mullin, Bill Donovan, Ray Fisher and Frank Lange."

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor|University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor]]

==External links==

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:New York Yankees]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Reds]]

Frank Fennelly

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:55:29 GMT

Summary:

[[image:Frank Fennelly.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Frank Fennelly Baseball Card]]
'''Francis John Fennelly''' (February 18, [[wikipedia:1860| 1860]] – August 4, [[wikipedia:1920| 1920]]) was a 19th century [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] [[wikipedia:shortstop| shortstop]]. He played his entire career for [[wikipedia:American Association (19th century)|American Association]] teams: the [[wikipedia:Washington Nationals (AA)|Washington Nationals]] (1884), [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Red Stockings|Cincinnati Red Stockings]] (1884-1888), [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Athletics (AA)|Philadelphia Athletics]] (1888-1889), and [[wikipedia:Brooklyn Gladiators|Brooklyn Gladiators]] (1890). He stood 5'8" (1.73 m) and weighed 168 pounds (76.5 kg).

== Specifications ==
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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Washington Nationals (AA)|Washington Nationals]] (1884), [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Red Stockings|Cincinnati Red Stockings]] (1884-1888), [[wikipedia:Philadelphia Athletics (AA)|Philadelphia Athletics]] (1888-1889), [[wikipedia:Brooklyn Gladiators|Brooklyn Gladiators]] (1890)

== Background ==
In his [[wikipedia:rookie| rookie]] season of 1884 he hit .311, good for eighth in the league, and his .367 [[wikipedia:on base percentage|on base percentage]] ranked fourth. He led the league in games played (112) and [[wikipedia:runs batted in|runs batted in]] (89) in 1885.

Fennelly finished in the league Top Ten twice for [[wikipedia:run (baseball)|runs]] and [[wikipedia:slugging percentage|slugging percentage]], three times for [[wikipedia:home runs|home runs]] and [[wikipedia:RBI| RBI]], four times for [[wikipedia:triple (baseball)|triples]], and five times for [[wikipedia:bases on balls|bases on balls]].

The best team he ever played for was the 1887 Red Stockings, who had a record of 81–54 (.600) and finished second in the league, 14 games behind the [[wikipedia:St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Browns]].

Career totals for 786 [[wikipedia:games played|games played]] include 781 [[wikipedia:hit (baseball)|hits]], 34 home runs, 408 RBI, 609 [[wikipedia:run (baseball)|runs scored]], and a batting average of .257.

Fennelly died in his hometown of [[wikipedia:Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River, Massachusetts]] at the age of 60.

==See also==
* [[wikipedia:List of Major League Baseball RBI champions|List of Major League Baseball RBI champions]]

==External links==
*[http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fennefr01.shtml Baseball Reference]
*[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Pfennf101.htm Retrosheet]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Washington Nationals (AA)]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Red Stockings (AA)]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Athletics (AA)]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Gladiators]]

Dick Egan

WikiSysop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:49:50 GMT

Summary: Copied from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License

[[image:Dick Egan.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Dick Egan Baseball Card]]
'''Richard Joseph (Dick) Egan''' (June 23, [[wikipedia:1884| 1884]] - July 7, [[wikipedia:1947| 1947]]) was a [[wikipedia:shortstop| shortstop]]/[[wikipedia:second baseman|second baseman]] who played in [[wikipedia:Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] from [[wikipedia:1908 in baseball|1908]] through [[wikipedia:1916 in baseball|1916]] for the [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds| Cincinnati Reds]] (1908-1913), [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Robins]] (1914-1915) and [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Braves]] (1915-1916). Egan batted and threw right-handed. He was born in [[wikipedia:Portland, Oregon|Portland, Oregon]] and attended [[wikipedia:Fordham University|Fordham University]].

== Specifications ==
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*Team(s) = [[wikipedia:Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Reds]] (1908-1913), [[wikipedia:Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Robins]] (1914-1915), [[wikipedia:Atlanta Braves|Boston Braves]] (1915-1916)

== Background ==
In a nine-season career, Egan was a .249 hitter (767-for-3080) with four [[wikipedia:home run|home run]]s and 292 [[wikipedia:run batted in|RBI]] in 917 [[wikipedia:games played|games played]], including 374 [[wikipedia:run (baseball)|runs]], 87 [[wikipedia:double (baseball)|doubles]], 29 [[wikipedia:triple (baseball)|triples]] and 167 [[wikipedia:stolen base|stolen base]]s.

Egan died in [[wikipedia:Oakland, California|Oakland, California]], at the age of 63.

==External links==
*[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/E/Egan_Dick.stm Baseball Library]
*[http://www.baseball-reference.com/e/egandi01.shtml Baseball Reference]
*[http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/E/Pegand102.htm Retrosheet]

[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Boston Braves]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Robins]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Reds]]