Philadelphia Baseball History

Controversial plays happen, particularly in the World Series.  Not all of them are as clear-cut as the blown call in the bottom of the ninth inning of game 6 of the 1985 World Series, where Royals Jorge Orta was called safe at first.  Had replay review existed back then, Orta would have been called out, and the Cardinals would have captured another World Championship.  Instead, the Royals staged a comeback in that inning, and then took game 7 to win their first World Championship. But other plays are not so clear-cut, and spark debate among sports fans for decades.  Had replay review existed, would it have changed the outcome of the entire World Series?  Some of those plays, though controversial at the time, have faded into the background of baseball history. One such play occurred in game 5 of the 1980 World Series.  Rookie phenom, and Pitcher of the Month for September, Marty Bystrom took the mound against the Royals.  Bystr...

William J.Kovatch, Jr.             The first Philadelphia Athletics baseball club, according to star second baseman Alfred J. Reach, had its roots in music.   A group of music lovers, calling themselves the Handel and Haydn Music Society met regularly along Philadelphia’s Spring Garden Street.   In addition to their penchant for singing, the members also had a joy for playing ball.             In a meeting held in 1859, over which a coal merchant named John J. Heisler presided, the Philadelphia Athletic Ball Club was created.   Heisler became the club’s first treasurer and second baseman.   William Ernst was elected president.             When the club was formed, the popular ball game in the Philadelphia area was called town ball.   The game involved a bowler lobbing a ball to a batsman o...