From Casey to KC: Kevin Kane’s Unique Take on a Baseball Classic

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Lawrence Hogan author of several books about Black American baseball. His book Shades of Glory is widely considered a baseball literary classic. Larry recommended a video that he produced featuring his friend and associate Kevin Kane. Mr. Kane is a writer, a musician and a playwright. The video features Mr. Kane’s reading of his poem From Casey to KC: Breaking the Line of the Mudville Nine.

We have all heard of the famous poem Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer. That poem became famous after being performed by actor DeWolf Hopper and has been frequently recited by many different performers in many different venues.

As you will see from the link below Mr. Kane has an intriguingly different take on Thayer’s theme and an updated performance that matches and exceeds Hopper’s. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

Bing Videos

From Casey to KC: Breaking the Line with the Mudville Nine was commissioned by the Cooperstown National Baseball Hall of Fame where Mr. Kane presented a program of readings with NPR essayist and sportswriter Frank DeFord. DeFord read the original Casey, and then introduced Kevin, who read his work. Since then, Kevin has done readings of this long-form story-poem at New York City’s 92nd Street Y, at the Society for American Baseball Research’s National Conference and at many libraries, historical societies and colleges in New Jersey and New York, and at the National Negro League Museum in Kansas City.

Singer-songwriter, playwright and poet Kevin Kane

Mr. Kane’s play A Love of the Game is one of many of his plays produced in New York City and regional theaters. As for his musical talents one CD reviewer suggested his writing was “brilliantly funny, yet tragic. A cross between Kris Kristofferson and John Prine. He writes country standards that will last.” His songs have been covered on solo efforts by members of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, by many club/cabaret singers in New York City, and by a couple of singers in Houston. He’s been writing, performing, and recording for a long time – with many CDs on iTunes, Spotify and other digital outlets.

Kevin is proud to note that he has been featured on WFUV-Fordham radio, as a guest artist on their “A New York Slice—NYC Singer/Songwriters of Note.”

Kevin Kane is truly a talented guy.

Hogan’s Unheralded Heroes

Last Saturday I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Dr. Lawrence D. Hogan at the Local Author Fair in the Fanwood Memorial Library.

Dr. Hogan is Professor of History Emeritus from Union County College in New Jersey where he taught African American History for 37 years. He is the author of A Black National News Service: Claude Barnett and the Associated Negro Press, and The Forgotten History of African American Baseball, and principal author and editor of Shades Of Glory, published by National Geographic.

He is a delightful man to speak with and shared some interesting stories about his life studying baseball, particularly Black Baseball. He talked about the charms of long-forgotten Ruppert Stadium in Newark where the Newark Eagles played in the Negro National League and his long friendship with Eagle star Monte Irvin who eventually played for the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs. He told me about an interview he had with Yankee shortstop Tony Kubek for his latest book So Many Seasons in the Sun. He was gracious enough to buy a copy of my book Mickey Mantle’s Last Home Run and after reading the first few pages warmed my heart when he commented on his appreciation of the iconic Pulaski Skyway which is mentioned on page four.

circa 1950: Outfielder Monte Irvin #20 of the New York Giants poses for a portrait, crouching and holding a baseball bat, 1950s. Irvin played for the Giants from 1949-1955. He also played for the Negro National League before his eight years in the Majors. (Photo by Photo File/Getty Images)

Dr. Hogan is also the executive producer of Before You Can Say Jackie Robinson: Black Baseball in America in the Era of the Color Line a documentary that is now available on You Tube. This engrossing and entertaining documentary features veteran Negro League players, places where they played, and fans who saw them play. It includes interviews with Max Manning, Larry Doby and a moving tribute to Ray Dandridge as he is finally recognized for his immense talent and is inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame. The documentary is part of a program that Dr. Hogan along with his friend Kevin Kane, offer to museums, libraries, historical societies, colleges and other venues.

Ray Dandridge was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987

Here is the You Tube link.

Bing Videos

Dr. Hogan, (I guess I can call him Larry since we are neighbors and he lives only a few blocks away) is quite a guy.

The Greatest World Series Game Ever?

Now that we’ve had a little time to reflect on Saturday night’s classic World Series game, I can now say that the LA Dodgers 5-4 win in 11 innings against the Toronto Blues Jays in game seven of the 2025 World Series was one of the greatest World Series games ever, if not the greatest. But just to be sure I checked in with my good friend Grandpa Gordy who, as you know if you have read my book Grandpa Gordy’s Greatest World Series Games, is an expert on World Series games. This was our conversation.

“Well let me think. It was a pretty darn good game that’s for sure.”

Then I said, “well, it had all the ingredients to be one of the greatest games ever, filled with tremendous drama. “

“Got to agree with that. It was a seventh game. Don’t get any more dramatic than a seventh game.”

And I added, “and it was decided in the final inning.”

“Extra innings to boot. Now as I recall there were some pretty darn good extra inning-seventh games. The one way back in 1924 when the Washington Senators beat the New York Giants was a doozy. And it was in my book.”

“That’s right. I know and so was the 1991 Minnesota Twins’ 1-0 victory over the Braves.”

“Hey and don’t forget when the underrated Florida Marlins beat Cleveland in 1997.”

“That’s right. It went 11 innings.”

“In my book too. And there’s that classic game in 2016 when the Chicago Cubs ended their 108-year draught and finally won a World Series. That was another doozy.”

“I don’t remember that one from your book.”

“You wouldn’t because my book came out in 2002.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to be critical”

‘That’s okay. I’m working on my updated version.”

“So, Friday night the Blue Jays were only two outs away from winning the World Series when the Dodgers’ number nine hitter Miguel Rojas blasted a game-tying home run. Pretty dramatic.”

“Well, that’s for sure but in 2001 the Yankees were only two outs away from victory with Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera on the mound when Arizona’s Tony Womack lashed a game-tying double.”

“Who?”

Tony Womack DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn/ALLSPORT

“That’s right. You think Miguel Rojas was an unsung hero? Well, how about Tony Womack in the ninth inning of game seven against the Yanks!”

“Well, that’s true. But what about that incredible bottom of the ninth. The Blues Jays had the bases loaded, one out. The winning run ninety feet away and Rojas (again Rojas!) makes a backhanded stab at second base, stumbles, but still fires a laser to nail the Blue Jay runner at home by a millisecond. The Blue Jays literally lost the World Series by a millisecond! And then Andy Pages makes a sensational game-saving, World Series-saving catch in deep left-center field!”

“Yeah, hard to top that!”

“And then in the top of the 11^th Will Smith hits the go-ahead home run.”

“That’s true but I’m sure you heard of that Bill Mazeroski fellow who hit the only walk-off, game-seven home run in World Series history way back in 1960 for the Pirates over the Yankees.”

“Yeah, you’re right about that. But what about Yoshi Yamamoto’s performance, pitching the final two innings in game seven after starting and winning game six.”

“Well, if I’m not mistaken that big ol’ scraggly-haired lefty Randy Johnson did the same thing against the Yanks in game six and game seven of the 2001 World Series.”

“Wow. That’s amazing. But what about the bottom of the 11^th. The Blues Jays had first and third with only one out. The tying run was on third and the winning run on first.”

“Oh yeah. That was pretty incredible, but Kirk hit into a double play ending it.”

“A really nice clutch play but Mookie Betts.”

“No doubt about it. The defense in the entire Series was tremendous. But think about this.” Grandpa Gordy scratched his beard. “What if Kirk hit a gapper and that guy Madison Barger who was on first came flying around third and slid into home with the winning running, beating the throw by a millisecond. And Blue Jays have comeback and are the champs.”

“Oh yeah. That would have been truly sensational!”

“So if that happened there would have been no doubt that this was the greatest World Series game ever.”

“I guess we can agree on that.”

“Yep and that in a little over three months it’s “pitchers and catchers”.

“Agreed!”

References: Grandpa Gordy’s Greatest World Series Games https://amzn.to/2T9lYVT

And The Baseball Almanac

Big Joe, Lenny and the Wild Thing

As we get ready for tonight’s game three of the World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers it’s a good time to take a trip back down memory lane to the last time the Blue Jays made it to the Series in 1993. In that Series, the Blue Jays against the Philadelphia Phillies, game six was one of the most memorable games in baseball history.

And if you haven’t learned about that game, you probably haven’t read my first book Grandpa Gordy’s Greatest World Series Games. It’s a great book for a baseball fan to read to your child or grandchild or just read it for yourself if you love the game. Chapter 13 entitled Game Six 1993 Big Joe, Lenny and the Wild Thing features that incredible game.

You can pick up the book by clicking on this link. https://amzn.to/2T9lYVT

Here’s a quick summary of that exciting game.

The Blue Jays, who were the defending champions, led the Phillies three games to two and were cruising through game six with a 5-1 lead going into the top of the seventh. It was then that “Little” Lenny Dykstra blasted a three-run home run of Dave Stewart to put the Phillies back in the game. They then pushed across two more runs and went ahead 6-5.

1993: Pitcher Mitch Williams of the Philadelphia Phillies in action during a Phillies game versus the San Diego Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Icon Sportswire)

Toronto failed to score in the seventh and eighth and Philadelphia called on their fire balling closer Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams to pitch the ninth. Williams immediately got into trouble when by walking Ricky Henderson. After recording an out Williams faced the Series’ eventual MVP Paul Molitor who laced his 12^th hit of the Series.

That brought up “Big Joe” Carter Toronto’s leftfielder and best slugger. During the regular season Carter led the Blue Jays with 33 home runs and 121 RBI’s. “Big Joe” got the best of the “Wild Thing” and lashed a line drive over the left field wall for a three-run, game-winning, World Series-winning home run. It was then, and still is, only the second time in World Series history that the Series ended with a walk-off home run. That time occurred in 1960 when Bill Mazeroski of the Pirates homered in the bottom of the ninth in game seven to beat the Yankees.

Let’s see what drama unfolds in the 2025 World Series and if Grandpa Gordy needs to add to his greatest World Series games.

Reference: Grandpa Gordy’s Greatest World Series Games, by Steven A. Falco 2002

Shohei-the-Kid Puts on a Really Big Show

As the 2025 World Series gets ready to begin this Friday, I would like to reflect on Shohei Ohtani’s incredible performance for the L.A. Dodgers in the pennant-clinching game on Friday night.

Quite simply it was the greatest performance by a single player ever in an MLB game. Period.

You can look it up.

The only other pitcher ever to hit three home runs in a game he was pitching occurred in May 1942. The pitcher was Jim Tobin of the Boston Red Sox. He pitched nine innings, allowed three runs and was credited with the win. He did not strike out a batter. It was a fabulous performance, but it occurred in a meaningless game in May during a time when baseball’s talent pool was being diluted by World War II.

Ohtani only pitched six innings, but they were scoreless innings in which he struck out a whopping ten Brewers. Ohtani was also perfect at the plate, 3 home runs and one base on balls. And Ohtani’s performance came in a crucial pennant-clinching game. There have been many brilliantly pitched games in crucial games but never by a pitcher who hit three home runs.

Ohtani is also the only player ever to hit three home runs in a pennant-clinching game or playoff-clinching game. As for the World Series, Babe Ruth did it twice, in game four 1926 and game four 1928. “Mr. October” Reggie Jackson performed his dramatic feat in game six 1977. But Ruth and Jackson’s historic slugging was accomplished while leisurely patrolling the pastoral confines of right field.

For Ohtani it was quite a show that along with millions of baseball fans I was thrilled to watch.

Joost to Suder to Fain

By guest blogger Bruce Solomon

In 1949, the Philadelphia A’s set a still-standing major-league record by turning 217 double plays. The A’s went on to accumulate a three-year total of 629 DPs, a record that stands today, even with MLB’s longer playing seasons. Most of these twin-killings involved their keystone combination of shortstop Eddie Joost and second baseman Pete Suder, along with first baseman Ferris Fain. Using the meter of Franklin Pierce Adams’ famous “Tinker to Evers to Chance,” the A’s PR director Dick Armstrong in 1950 composed a poetic tribute to these now-forgotten A’s record-setters, “Joost to Suder to Fain”:

Voluminous prose has been written by those

Who have this one thought to advance:

That the greatest combine in the double play line

Was Tinker to Evers to Chance.

Those three famous Cubs were surely not dubs.

Their fielding was something sublime.

They were far and away the class of their day,

The double play kings of the time.

But they’ve since been dethroned and partly disowned.

No longer as kings do they reign.

For a new DP team is ruling supreme,

Known as Joost to Suder to Fain.

These sensational A’s have perfected their ways

To a point where they lead all the rest.

As twin killings go, three years in a row

They’ve ranked as the Major Leagues’ best.

There’s never a worry; they’ll comply in a hurry,

When a quick double play is desired.

A roller or liner just couldn’t be finer,

You can bet that two men are retired.

You may already know what the record books show,

Three years they’ve continued to shine,

All others surpassing this record amassing:

A total of six twenty-nine!

Eddie Joost rings the bell as a shortstop as well

As a mighty good man with the stick.

To select someone who has an arm that’s as true,

It would be an impossible pick.

On second there stands “the man with the hands.”

If a ball’s hit to Pete there’s no doubt.

You never need look, jot it down in your book,

It’s a cinch that the batter is out.

A hitter’s accursed with Ferris on first.

There’s no one as clever as he,

At spearing a bounder or sizzling grounder

And completing that tough three-six-three.

A long time from now, when they’re telling of how

So and so could get two with no strain,

We’ll think of the days of Connie Mack’s A’s,

And of Joost and Suder and Fain.

— Dick Armstrong, 1950

Ferris Fain, Hank Majeski, Pete Suder, Eddie Joost 1949

Billy Tried it Too

While researching my last post about Jackie Robinson’s iconic steal-of-home in game one of the 1955 World Series I made a remarkable discovery. I was studying the box score of that game reprinted on BaseballAlmanac.com and was dumfounded when I read the following baserunning notes:

SB-Robinson (1, Home off Ford/Berra). CS Martin (2, 2^nd base by Newcombe/Campanella, Home by Bessent/Campanella).

Say what? Billy Martin was caught stealing home in the same game as Jackie Robinson’s iconic steal??

“Tis the truth!” Nobody ever talks about it, but Billy Martin tried to steal home in the same game as Robinson’s famous steal. And two innings earlier.

Billy Martin out stealing home in the sixth inning game one of the 1955 World Series

According to an article in SABR Martin tripled to deep left off Don Newcombe with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Martin had already been caught stealing second earlier in the game. Joe Collins had hit a two-run homer in the inning and the Yankees had a comfortable 6-3 lead, so it was not a bad strategy to try to steal an insurance run with the bottom of the order coming up. Don Bessent had just replaced Newcombe on the mound when Martin took off for home and was tagged out by Dodger catcher Roy Campanella. The fiery pepper-pot Martin took exception to the high tag and took a few steps toward Campanella but decided instead to retreat to the Yankee dugout. He later said that he thought he was tagged in the throat. After the game Campanella spoke to the press. “Tell that little so-and-so that I missed. I tried to put the ball in his mouth.” Undoubtedly Campy knew that Billy had labeled him “spike shy” before the World Series started and so there was some bad blood between them.

It’s also quite possible that Robinson’s steal-of-home was instigated by Martin’s brazen attempt. Martin’s exceptional World Series play* had been a thorn in the Dodgers’ side for years and perhaps Robinson had had enough of Martin and needed to finally show up Bad Billy on the big stage.

Here’s a bit more psychoanalytic baseball. Remember how Yogi Berra reacted to Robinson’s steal. He basically went ballistic. Well in another World Series game one, this time in 1951 against the New York Giants, Monte Irvin, the Giant’s dynamic young outfielder slid safely past Yogi’s tag for a steal-of-home. When Robinson accomplished his feat four years later ol’ Yogi must have been thinking “not again” and went crazy.

Monte Irvin steals home in game one of the 1951 World Series

So how rare is a straight steal-of-home in the World Series? In the 119 World Series going back to 1903 there have been only 13 attempted steals-of-home and only five were successful. The last attempt occurred in 2020 when Manuel Margot of Tampa Bay was nailed in game five against the LA dodgers.

Manuel Margot out stealing home in game five of the 2020 World Series

Lonnie Smith of the Cardinals was out stealing home in game 6 of the 1982 World Series against the Brewers.

In 1955 game one Robinson was safe, and Martin was out.

Monte Irvin was safe in game one 1951.

We then have to go back 30 years for the next attempt and there were two 1921. Bob Meusel stole home for the Yankees in game two (Babe Ruth also stole two bases in that game, but not home). Mike McNally stole home for the Yankees in game one.

There were six attempts in the dead ball era and only Ty Cobb was successful when he stole home in game two of the 1909 World Series. He was out stealing home in 1908. Cobb was credited with a remarkable 32 steals-of-home in his career.

Fred Snodgrass was called out in 1911. Johnny Evers was out twice, 1907 and 1909 and Tommy Leach was nailed twice, in 1903 and 1909.

So back to Yogi’s lament as he commented on Robinson’s steal of home calling it a bad play. He may have been correct in theory. Of the 13 attempted steals-of-home in the World Series only five were successful. A .384 percentage. Good for a batting average not so good for baserunning when you consider the many other ways to score from third base even with two outs—any kind of base hit, a wild pitch, a passed ball, an error, a balk. And only once did the team with the successful steal home go on to win the World Series. That of course was the Dodgers’ by Jackie Robinson which we are still arguing about, but which may never have happened if not for Billy Martin’s brash attempt that nobody remembers.

References: Baseballalmanac.com; SABR; Matt Kelly for MLB

*Check out my Billy Martin post from 2022.

Lou Gehrig Day Yankee Stadium, July 4, 1939

As we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day those of us who are endeared to baseball, our national pastime, also know that this date has another profound significance. It was 85 years ago this day that Lou Gehrig, the Hall-of -Fame first baseman, gave his farewell speech at Yankee Stadium sadly ending his stellar 17-year career. It is beyond my ability to describe the poignancy of Gehrig’s words so I will leave that to one of my favorite poets, Ed Romond and his wonderful poem:

Lou Gehrig Day Yankee Stadium, July 4, 1939

He was scared and did not want to speak to 62,000 people.

Maybe he felt facing death was enough to endure but

they kept calling his name till he stepped up to the mic

and gave 278 words of thank you and goodbye. His body trembled

as he spoke with the voice of a dying man still strong enough

to unlock his heart before thousands and let them all come in.

The poem was dedicated to BJ Ward. You can find this poem and many other excellent poems in:

Home Team Poems About Baseball

By Edwin Romond

Published by Grayson Books

Remembering Willie Mays

Baseball legend Wille Mays died yesterday at the age of 93. After starring in the Negro Leagues Mays went on to have a 23-year Hall-of-Fame career with the Giants finishing up back in New York with the Mets in 1973. Along the way Mays earned two MVP awards, batted over .300 ten times and when he retired, he was second only to Babe Ruth in career home runs with 660. He is now sixth on the all-time home run list. Willie appeared in three World Series, winning for the New York Giants in 1954 against the Cleveland Indians where he made his world-famous catch of Vic Wertz’s 425-foot blast in the first inning of game one. “The Catch” as it has been called ever since propelled his Giants to victory in five games.

But what I remember most about Willie Mays is how he tormented the American League in All Stars games throughout the 1960’s. Being from New Jersey I rarely got to see Mays once the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958. But I did see him in the Nationally televised All Star Games. I was a devoted Yankee fan and thus an American League fan and when the All Star Game rolled around every July I fervently rooted for the American League, which was routinely battered in those days by the National League and especially terrorized by the “Say Hey Kid”. I vividly remember that the 1960 All Star game in my home ballpark Yankee Stadium was ruined by Mays as he hit a third inning home run against my favorite pitcher Whitey Ford. The AL went on to suffer a demoralizing loss 6-0 with my hero Ford taking the loss.

The NL’s battering of the AL continued through the sixties and once again Willie Mays was in the forefront in 1965. That game, in Metropolitan Stadium, featured a National League team which was so good they had Mays leading off! Whether they were showing off or just trying to rub it in, us American League fans knew we were in for a rough day with the game’s best slugger leading off followed by the likes of Hank Aaron, Willie Stargell, Ernie Banks and Pete Rose. And sure enough the “Say Hey Kid” promptly led off the game with a home run against Milt Pappas and my AL was doomed again. Mays of course scored the winning run in the seventh inning of what turned out to be a close 6-5 loss for the AL.

Throughout the sixties the NL won 12 of 15 All Star games with Willie Mays leading the way. Having been tormented by him all those years I eventually came around to appreciate what a remarkable ball player and incredible human being Willie Mays really was. The world has suffered a great loss with the passing of Willie Mays. RIP.

References: baseball-almanac.com

Breaking

A poem by Ed Romond

A few weeks back I was fortunate to attend a wonderful event by The Carriage House Poetry Series in my town of Fanwood. The event featured readings by Edwin Romond the author of five collections of poetry. I had recently finished some research on Hank Aaron and a post that you may have read about the anniversary of his momentous achievement breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record. One of Ed’s poems was about that very event and he gave me permission to post his wonderful poem here.

Breaking In memory of Hank Aaron (1934-2021)

1953 in Washington, DC Hank Aaron could see the Capitol Dome, glistening symbol of freedom, through windows of the cafe where he and his black teammates had just finished breakfast. After the waitress took their plates to the kitchen he heard glassware breaking, smashed so no one else would use them, so no one else would eat from plates that had touched the forks that had been in the mouths of black American men.

But Hank would answer hate with excellence playing baseball with graceful greatness through the 50’s, 60’s and, on one Atlanta night in ’74, did his own breaking, smashing #715, one more homer than Babe Ruth whose record stood unshattered for five decades. And in 2002 Aaron returned to Washington, DC this time to stand in the White House, just blocks from that cafe, to receive the “Presidential Medal of Freedom” from George W. Bush and as the East Room audience stood and cheered, Hank’s face broke into a grand slam smile before sitting down to dine on the First Family china.

This poem can be found in Ed Romond’s award-winning poetry collection “Man at the Railing” published by NQY Books http://www.nyq.org

The Carriage House Poetry Series of Fanwood NJ is co-directed by poets Adele Kenny and Tom Plante. https://carriagehousepoetryseries.blogspot.com/

Adele is the poetry editor of Tiferet. Tom is the editor of Exit 13 Magazine