Baseball dropped. And caught.
In honor of nail-biting baseball games.
Something to wink over – or drink over, depending on the game outcomes today.
A few vintage images of baseball from the Houston area.
A parade float for the 1936 NAtional AAU Convention here. Love that Base Ball Queen on her throne. Wish I could read the logo on the jerseys better.(Screenshot abc13.com)
Baseball: America’s Game
Figures: Lots of strutting, crowds yelling, hitting with sticks, running from one another, studied statistics, calculated strategy, finely tuned skills, sitting, and really good for you foods.
Oh, don’t forgot extreme devotion and loyalty.
1931 Humble Oils. A semi pro team (Image: Historically Houston/Houston lifestyles and Homes Mag.)
These were the original “Oilers”, not the football team.
Humble Oil CO. created employee department baseball teams for fun, then they merged to form one semi-professional team which played baseball circuits around Texas and Louisiana.
Quite popular, Humble built a stadium for their games in Baytown in 1928. They were so good that the team – and company – recruited good players from around the country: if the player needed a job, Humble hired him for their refinery or if a good player needed a team, he found one.
That’s the way the ball bounced.
Play ball!
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.
Read more?
- “Sorry, NFL: Baseball is still America’s Pastime” (The Atlantic)
- “Baseball: America’s Game?” (Aronchick. Huffington Post)
- “Historically Houston: Baseball History” (Houston Lifestyles and Homes Mag.) Picture of Buff’s Stadium
- Houston’s West End Park and Buff Stadium (East End). Baseball was a hit at these early stadiums.
- Read more about Houston’s baseball history (starting in 1861 with the Houston Base Ball Club – who’s season was interrupted by the Civil War antics..the 1888 “Houston Babies/Houston Buffaloes… I’m partial to the 1889 Houston Mud Cats….)
- “Texas Governor Forgets How Long Baseball Games Are” AND JINXES IT! Curses. That’s the way the ball bounces.
Discover more from Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
21 Comments
Trackbacks
Comments are closed.
Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
, The other night announcer says “Canadians did not grow up playing Baseball”Well No Not when the baseball,s freeze and the igloos might get hit and fall down, “Go Jays”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Canadians: not just for hockey any more! Rangers or Jays? Go Jays! Thanks for knocking a comment out of the park
LikeLike
Did you see that insane 7th inning? Can’t keep a good Jay down.
LikeLike
There are so many hidden tidbits of history around all baseball teams. I especially like hearing the nicknames of old-time players. Gotta wonder if there was more emphasis on the human interest angle of professional [and semi-prof] baseball teams and less emphasis on the stats, if the game might be more popular again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Baseball season here is really hot, but the game doesn’t feel the same in the modern luxurious sports palaces with all their glittery screens, overwhelming ad banners, and the commercial product names of the stadiums – not to mention the price of tickets and food. Sugar Land’s (small town/commuter distance to Houston) small non-majorleague team The Skeeters is doing really well with their small town feel. Their stadium is designed and built with local fans and families in mind. Pack a lunch and picnic on the green while you watch the game in their cute new stadium.
I think you’ve hit the reality of big time baseball. Thanks for that home run comment
LikeLike
Wow. Now that’s some Houston baseball history I was not aware of. I remember when the current franchise came to fruition but these guys are new to me. I miss the Astrodome!
LikeLike
In ancient times, I remember riding along to drop my older brother and his friends off to watch baseball games at Buffs Stadium. (It was safe back then to do that.) The Astrodome was such an event. One of the first sports’ palaces. I’m more Sugar Land Skeeter speed now. Less costly, more relaxed, and close up fun. Here’s their FB page.https://www.facebook.com/SugarLandSkeeters. When they first started, the team was asking for local homes where the players could stay during the season. You can still get dirt in your face at that field. Real life sports. Thanks for running the bases here
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool Phil!
LikeLike
Sigh, if only the weather was…hear a real cold front is sweeping the NE area and a cousin in CO. Springs said she had her fireplace working this morning to take the chill off. If wishes were horses, we’d all be riding Pegasuses or unicorns or something. Thanks for the home run comment!
LikeLike
Interesting baseball history. I had no idea. But it makes sense…
Back in the day… rugby league players also had ordinary day jobs often sponsored or organized by the club s as well as playing football… they were just like the rest of us mere mortals before the sport became corporatized and needed superstars & immortals to promote its image. Once, even simply being spectator felt necessary & participatory, now there are so many layers between ‘them’ and ‘us’ it’s more like Box Office & Hollywood than anything.
LikeLike
Once sports got organized into businesses, the flavor, the concept, the relationship between players and audiences – all altered. Now these sports palaces (funded by taxpayers) and the outrageous ticket prices far above what an ordinary family can afford. Guess that’s why the Sugar Land Skeeters (and other not major league teams) are so wildly appreciated and popular now. Sugar Land (a small town Houston just outside of Houston/easy commuter distance) built an old fashion stadium with play ground which like the tickets are family friendly – you can pack a lunch and sit on a grassy hill and watch – or eat at a grill/bar right at the edge of the diamond. The closeness really retro and fun with a small town feel. When it first started the teams were asking for homes where players could live during the season. Now that’s baseball on a human scale. Here’s their FB page:https://www.facebook.com/SugarLandSkeeters and WKI’s info about them here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_Land_Skeeters
Thanks for playing ball!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had no idea about the earlier Oilers, or that there was a ball park in Baytown. I’ve never been much of a baseball fan, but the way you describe the Skeeters, it sounds like terrific fun. Anything that involves a picnic basket is high on my list. I remember hearing something about the Skeeters a year or so ago — there was a promotion, or some famous player was going to coach them, or something. Anyway, it’s a great name, and it does seem to be true that the minor league teams are finding really creative ways to engage an audience.
I do hate that we’re losing so many of the announcers, though. I liked Milo Hamilton, and now Vin Scully is gone. Funny that I enjoyed listening to them, despite not much caring about the game.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Milo. Made baseball exciting – old radio style.He WAS the game.
Do you remember when the Skeeters started here? They played at our high school stadium for a year. The problem with that is that on school grounds, you can’t sell beer in school property- and people wanted beer with baseball. So Sugar Land snatched them, even built that fabulous old timey stadium and the team never looked back. Smart city council – and the team/stadium fits their life in a “small town” concept. The team has events where they invite the community out to play with the players – little kids run the diamond and get to hang out with guys they watch from the stands. Sugar Land is serious about providing affordable entertainment for families so they don’t have to travel to Houston. Picnics and playing under the stars – (even we not serious baseball watchers could enjoy that!) We may have to make a field trip to gawk.(Skeeters has a FB page) Thanks for sitting in these bleachers
LikeLike
We’re celebrating in Chicago right now. 😊
janet
LikeLike
And for one terrific reason! Cheers and onward!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Take me out to the ole blog game…”
LikeLike
You always find the best old pictures.
Even though watching baseball is generally like watching paint dry to me, my poor hubby has been such a loyal, long-suffering fan of the Cubs that I am enjoying the games just because HE’s getting such a kick out of his team’s performance.
LikeLike
(Cubs!) It’s only the last 2-3 innings that are of interest to me…sometimes I think baseball is planned training by cats (who can spend hours looking at a bit of dust on the ground). But the end of the season/playoffs are a social event. Don’t want to miss out on a party. Thanks for batting a comment this way
LikeLike
Well, neither of my teams made the playoffs, but at this stage, I’ll pull for Kansas City. I get tired of seeing the same old big-city teams win so often. Our new city has a minor league team, and next year we’ll take in some games. These days, I enjoy seeing the younger guys playing more than the multimillionaires.
LikeLike
So what about those Blue Jays? I’m with you – the minor leagues seem a lot more like real baseball. Thanks for hitting a homerun
LikeLike