Sports' Forgotten Heroes

Thanksgiving Day, 1924. The recently-established tradition of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers football team hosting the Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions on the afternoon of the national autumnal holiday continues. Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is sent to cover the Pitt-Penn State “Keystone Classic” of 1924; in so doing, he discovers a throughline of the football-on-Thanksgiving tradition going back to 1621 (okay, actually, that’s going back to 1869) and reminds us that high-level football games on Thanksgiving are nearly as old as the official Thanksgiving holiday itself.  Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is an audio drama podcast from Number 80 Productions and the Sports History Network.Thanksgiving and Football (or maybe Vice Versa) script & story by Os Davis. Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer stars Doug Fye, Ilona Fye, and Eric Bodwell. Thanksgiving and Football (or maybe Vice Versa) co-stars, in order of appearance, Caedmon Holland, Forrest Hartl and Wayne Brett.Additional direction by Eric

The greatest players to have ever appeared in a Major League Baseball game are honored and immortalized in Cooperstown, New York at the Baseball Hall of Fame. Players like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson. Ted William and Joe DiMaggio. Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial. Of course there's Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Tom Seaver and more recently Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mariano Rivera. But there are dozens upon dozens more who have been enshrined and whose stories we know so little about. Names very few of us recognize. Guys like Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, Bid McPhee and George Davis. Guys who had great careers, but guys whom we know so little about - not matter how deserving of a plaque they are. Another of those names is Dave Bancroft. He made his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1915 and led them to a World Series appearance. A career .279 hitter, Bancroft enjoyed his best years with the New York Giants for whom he hit .310 and played shortstop on a team that went to three straight World

In 1941, the USGA cancelled the U.S. Open because of World War II. But the strange thing about the cancellation is the fact that the USGA still staged a tournament, the Hale America National Open. Now, while it was moved from Interlachen in Minnesota to the new Ridgemoor Country Club just outside of Chicago, there were very few differences between the Hale America and a U.S. Open. Ridgemoor was an easier course. The U.S. Open Championship trophy was not awarded. But consider this: there was qualifying, just like today; guys like Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Jimmy Demaret, Lloyd Mangrum and Bobby Jones all entered, a medal very similar to the one handed to winner of the U.S. Open was handed to the winner of the Hale America, and the list goes on. So, why did/does the USGA not consider the Hale America National Open a U.S. Open? Peter May, author of the book, "The Open Question" is here to explore that question. We discuss the many similarities. If the Hale America was considered to be a U.S. Open, amazingly, it wo

The CFL, Canadian Football League, launches its 2022 campaign on Thursday, June 9 when the Calgary Stampeders host the Montreal Alouettes. On Friday, June 10 the Winnipeg Blue Bombers start their journey to try and win a third-straight Grey Cup when they host the Ottawa Redblacks. Winnipeg has quite the history. They were the first western-based team to win the Cup when they topped Hamilton 18-12 in 1935. The road to the championship was an interesting one for the "Winnipegs". Yes, they were only known as the Winnipegs during their first few years of play. The Winnipegs were a decent team, but not a very strong team. To turn their fortunes around, and to become a stronger championship-contending team, the Winnipegs looked to the Lower-48 for help. They found it. Today, I'm not so sure the way the Winnipegs put their team together would be greatly appreciated. The Winnipegs were dominated by an American presence in the form of stars like Bob Fritz, Bert Oja, Joe Perpich, Bud Marquardt, Herb Peschel and others.

Sam Byrd had a bright future ahead of him in baseball. A solid hitter and an even better outfielder, he had one huge issue facing him. He played for the New York Yankees and there was guy named Babe Ruth ahead of him. So, Byrd took his seat on the bench and patiently waited for an opportunity. When he got a chance to play, he did well. But never enough to supplant Ruth. In his spare time, Byrd not only worked to improve his game at the plate, but he also continued to refine his skills on the golf course. In fact, he was so good on the links, that guys like Ruth never stood a chance against him. Sam would enter a tournament, here and there, and win. He toyed with the idea of playing highly competitive golf on the PGA TOUR, but baseball paid the bills. When Sam finally got a chance on the diamond, he got hurt and when he returned he again had to take a seat on the bench. After trying to breakthrough with the Yankees for six years, Sam finally realized his dream of taking the field every day by virtue of a trade

In the movie, "The Natural", Roy Hobbs is a baseball prodigy. On his way to the minor leagues, he gets sidetracked and is shot by an obsessed fan. Years later, Hobbs surfaces and becomes a star for the fictional New York Knights. There is no definitive answer of whom the life of Roy Hobbs is based upon. However, speculation has always revolved around the careers of Eddie Waitkus who was shot by a woman while he was playing for the Philadelphia Phillies. But there's also the career of Billy Jurges who was dating a showgirl, Violet Valli. After breaking up with Valli, she was upset and ultimately shot Jurges in the hotel he was living in. So, whose life is Hobbs based upon? the answer might never be revealed. And while many think it's about Jurges, one thing is certain, while there are similarities, Jurges's career had many more interesting moments. He was a central figure in Babe Ruth's called shot. He is partially responsible for the batting helmet, partially responsible for the nets on the foul poles and he

36 times Lloyd Mangrum collected the winner's check on the PGA TOUR. He set the course record at The Masters. Won the U.S. Open in 1946 (almost won it again in 1950, but lost in the famous playoff to Ben Hogan). Twice he finished third in the PGA. Twice he finished second at The Masters. He was the TOUR's leading money winner in 1951 and won the Vardon Trophy twice (1951 and 1953). He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1998. Yet, after he retired from the game, many of the newer generation of golfers (1990s), guys who knew Hogan, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, golfers whom Mangrum competed with and beat, were asked about Mangrum and they didn't know who he was. Incredible. Mangrum had an illustrious career. In addition to all the aforementioned facts, he also played on four Ryder Cup teams, was the team's playing captain in 1953 and compiled an overall record of 6-2-0. How can he be forgotten? Off the course, Mangrum was the recipient of two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts and was

There have been very few women to own a Major League Baseball franchise. The most notable, Marge Schott, owned the CIncinnati Reds from 1984 to 1999. Before her came Helene Hathaway Robison Britton who inherited the the St. Louis Cardinals. After Britton came Joan Payson, the first owner of the New York Mets and the first woman to own an MLB franchise without inheriting it. But, there was another. Effa Manley owned the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League from 1936 thru 1948. A woman in a man's world, the Eagles were one of the cornerstones of the Negro Leagues along with teams such as the Homestead Grays, Pittsburgh Crawfords and Kansas City Monarchs. And, while Manley ran a tight ship and was one of the more vocal owners in the Negro Leagues, it was what she did away from the game that truly separated her from her fellow owners. An activist always fighting for minority rights, she made a difference not just on the baseball diamond, but away from it too. And, much to the surprise of many, her backgroun

One of the most obscure teams in the history of the NHL is the Cleveland Barons. In existence for just two years, the Barons moved to Cleveland from Oakland where they were first known as the California Golden Seals and ultimately merged with the Minnesota North Stars who are now the Dallas Stars. After playing in front of few fans and experiencing financial hardships in Oakland, the Seals packed up during the summer of 1977 and headed east to Cleveland. Ownership thought it had uncovered a great location for the team. Cleveland's AHL team had once been invited to join the NHL - although that version of the Barons turned down the offer. Now, the NHL was coming. Cleveland had a new arena, and 18,000-seat palace known as the Richfield Coliseum. But, the location of the Coliseum, the fact that the Seals owner, Mel Swig, had never been to Cleveland, failed to research the region's appetite for hockey, failed to market the team in any meaningful way, and the failed to study the issues that the previous barons face

When he was just 14, Leo Houck decided to step into the ring and give boxing a try. He loved it! For the next 24-years he made it his life. And he was pretty darned good at it too. In fact, over the course of his career, Leo never suffered a knockout. But he sure dished out punishment. According to BoxRec, Leo fought 210 times finishing his career with 144 wins, 39 losses and 27 draws. When Leo fought, though, it was a different game. There were no governing bodies like there are today; and even though Leo thumped then middleweight champion George Chip, he didn't knock him out. So, Leo beat the champ, but didn't win the title. Nonetheless, Leo kept on boxing and became a top-contender for the Light Heavyweight Championship. Although he never actually was crowned champion of any weight class, Leo was one of the most feared and dominant boxers of his era. On this episode of Sports' Forgotten Heroes, I discuss the extraordinary career of Leo Houck with Randy Swope author of a terrific biography on Leo, "Leo Houc

The NHL expanded to Atlanta for the 1972-73 season with the Flames. The team quickly became a perennial playoff team qualifying for the post-season in just its second season. In fact, in the eight years that the Flames called Atlanta home, they made the playoffs six times (although they never advanced past the first round). After the 1979-80 season, the Flames packed up and left the south for Calgary where they have enjoyed sellouts and a Stanley Cup Championship in 1988-89; and made it to the Finals in two other seasons. The NHL, however, was not done in Atlanta. The expansion Thrashers took the ice for the 1999-2000 season. But they never experienced the on-ice successes as their predecessors did. In fact, in 11 seasons, the Thrashers only made the playoffs once (2006-07) when they won the Southeast Division and lost in the first round to the New York Rangers. After the 2010-11 season, the Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg where they have enjoyed sellout crowds and a modicum of success in the playoffs. So, wh

The 1920s featured several legendary names in the NFL. Guys like Red Grange, Curley Lambeau ,Jim Thorpe, George Halas and a host of others. But one name that if often overlooked is that of Paddy Driscoll. The first-ever All-Pro QB, Driscoll was one of the game's most dominant forces. Originally a member of the then "Chicago" Cardinals, Driscoll also played halfback, would line up on defense, and was also a terrific dropkicker. In fact, over the course of his career, not only did Driscoll pass for 18 touchdowns (according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame), he also rushed for 25, caught four touchdown passes, returned a punt for a touchdown, returned a fumble for touchdown and he kicked 63 extra points and added 51 field goals. On this edition of Sports' Forgotten Heroes, I take a look back at the Hall of Fame career of Driscoll with one of the foremost experts on the Cardinals - Joe Ziemba. We cover it all, from Driscoll's early days as star with Northwestern and the Great Lakes Naval team that won the Rose Bo

Think about this. You’re a Major League pitcher and you pitch in the World Series four times. You start four games and complete three of them. The game you didn’t complete, you pitch 8 2/3 innings. One of those four games, you pitch a 2-hit shutout and your overall ERA for those games is 1.01. You would certainly be one of the more talked about “great” pitchers each year when the post-season comes along. Well, that’s not the case for Monte Pearson. Those are his numbers and so few people can tell you much about Pearson. He was traded to the New York Yankees from the Cleveland Indians … actually, he was a “throw-in”. During his five years with the Yankees, in which he faced several injuries, he went 63-27. There were times management thought he wouldn’t be able to take the ball in the World Series, but when his spot in the rotation came up, Pearson was always ready. And his stats prove it. A terrific pitcher, Pearson was the subject of a new bio written for the SABR (Society of Baseball Research) bioproject by

In 1950, the residents of Milwaukee, Wisconsin were given hope. Hope that with the building of a new stadium, professional sports would follow. Well, it didn’t happen right away, but it didn’t take too long before Lou Perini moved his Boston Braves of the National League to Milwaukee. On, April 6, 1953, the Milwaukee Braves took the field for the first time in County Stadium and a love affair between a city and its team was born. In fact, even today, there are those who can’t get over the fact that the Braves packed up after the 1965 season and left for Atlanta. Even with the Seattle Pilots moving to Milwaukee in 1970, there are those who felt so betrayed, they have watched baseball since. They enjoyed the experience of going to County Stadium and watching their beloved team featuring the likes of Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn, Eddie Mathews and so many others win the World Series in 1957. They came out in record-breaking numbers … over two-million packed the Stadium in 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957 – they were the fi

In 1909, pitcher Jack Quinn made his Major League debut. 24-years later, 1933, Quinn made his final appearance. A remarkable career, in which he was out of the game in 1916 and 1917, had come to an end. Incredibly, part of the reason he didn’t play in 1916 and 1917 was because many thought Quinn was too old. Yet, after he came back in 1918, he went on to pitch 16-more years and when he retired, depending on who you ask, he might have been as old as 51. Meanwhile, another pitcher who came back after a time away from the game was Howard Ehmke. Limitless in potential, Ehmke was also a thinking-man’s pitcher and sometimes over analyzed and would also occasionally lose concentration. Combined with continual injury battles, Ehmke, who never realized his full potential made his Major League debut 1915 and retired in 1930. Jack Quinn and Howard Ehmke both enjoyed terrific careers with many highs and many lows; and their careers intersected two times, first the Boston Red Sox and later they played together with the Ph

Zack Wheat was overlooked by the baseball Hall of Fame for years. In 1959, after a unanimous vote, Wheat was elected to the Hall – an honor long overdue, but an honor he was able to enjoy in person. When you look back at the history of the great Los Angeles/Brooklyn Dodgers teams, their all-time team reads like a who’s who of baseball history. Names like Koufax, Campanella, Hodges, Robinson, Reese, Snider, Garvey, Cey, Lopes, are all names that fans of the Dodgers from coast-to-coast love to recall and reminisce about. But one name that is usually omitted from that all-time great’s list is that of Zack Wheat. A star for the Dodgers from 1909 through 1926, Wheat was a career .317 hitter and as late as 1925 when he was 37, playing a full season, Wheat hit .359! He was a hitting machine. On this episode of Sports’ Forgotten Heroes, author Joe Niese returns to the podcast for a wonderful conversation about a guy who challenged the system, won … and lost … and was named one of the 100 greatest to ever play the gam

Archie Clark broke into the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakes in 1966. He came off the bench his first season (1966-67) and averaged 10.5 PPG. Over the course of the next few seasons, Archie brought two new moves to the game that so any players use today, the “Shake and Bake” and the “step-back”. And while Archie was an innovator on the floor with such moves, it was what he did off the court that has made the most important and lasting impression for the NBA stars of today – he challenged management when it came to contract negotiations. Very few players whose names weren’t Chamberlain, Russell, Baylor, etc. saw the big dollars of the day. But Archie fought and won. It was his determination that paved the way for today’s “supporting” players. But, Archie was more than a supporting player. He was a star, albeit, for teams that weren’t so great. After spending the first two years of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Archie was traded to the Philadelphia Warriors (before they moved to San Francisco) for Wilt

Denny Shute won 16 PGA TOUR events including the 1936 and 1937 PGA Championships. In 1933, Shute outlasted Craig Wood in a 36-o playoff at St. Andrew’s to win the Open Championship. Largely forgotten, Shute had a marvelous career. In fact, it wouldn’t be until 2000 when another golfer, Tiger Woods, would win back-to-back PGA Championships (1999 and 2000). Shute played during the 30s and 40s when the fairways were largely ruled by guys like Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Tommy Armour and the game was just getting ready for the famous trio of Byron Nelson, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan. And, despite the notoriety and fame that all of the aforementioned received, Shute just kept going about his business. He recorded at least one victory every year from 1929 through 1934, finished second in the Masters in 1935, and then went out and won twice in 1936 and recorded wins in 1937 and 1939. But it was those three Majors that really vaulted Shute to the top of the game and he also finished second in the 1941 U.S. Open. Shute’s

When it comes to firsts, Larry Doby just misses the mark. Jackie Robinson was the first to cross the color line when he did so for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. Larry Doby was second (but the first in the American League to do so) when he made his debut for the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947. Frank Robinson was the first black manager in baseball history when he was named player-manager of the Cleveland Indians in 1975. Doby was the second black man to be named manager of a team when he was picked to do so for the Chicago White Sox in 1978. When you’re second, it just doesn’t come with the same notoriety. But being second is not a knock on Doby. In fact, Larry Doby was a star for Cleveland, and later the White Sox. In fact, he was the first black man to be part of a World Series champion when he led Cleveland to a 4 games to 2 win over the Boston Braves in 1948. He actually garnered regular season MVP consideration in his first full year with the team. He made the all-star team seven straight yea

Jim McCormick might not be a name familiar to most baseball fans, but it should be. After all, how many pitchers have tossed over 500-innings in a season five times AND 657 2/3 innings in one year? McCormick had seasons of 45, 40, 36 and 31 wins. He started 485 games and completed 466 of them. He won 265 games over his 10-year career (average of 26 per season) and posted an ERA of 2.43. But those numbers, as impressive as they are, pale in comparison to the other numbers that Jay Wiley has discovered when it comes to Jim McCormick. Wiley is on a mission and believes the fact that Jim McCormick not being a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York is one of baseball’s biggest injustices. His arguments made it hard to disagree. In fact, Wiley created a website documenting all of this – mccormickforthehall.com – and he posts daily about the career of McCormick on twitter. On this episode of Sports’ Forgotten Heroes, I welcome Jay to the show for a terrific discussion about a pitcher w