Lee Lowenfish

This fall has been an active one for yours truly. I have been pleased that there continues to be interest in my biography of Branch Rickey and especially his role in the signing of Jackie Robinson. In November I talked on the subject at the University of Oregon - part of the traveling exhibit “ (more…)

WINTER HAS COME AS WILD CARD CARDINALS WIN WORLD SERIES
[this post originally appeared at booktrib.com before Tony LaRussa surprisingly
retired as Cardinals manager - there are now less than 100 days to spring training!]

I was speaking metaphorically when I wrote “winter has come” to signify the end of the baseball season. Then a rare blizzard hit New York City Saturday October 29 that caused havoc to traffic and local football games.

(more…)

[this post originally appeared at www. booktrib.com]
The Jewish New Year of 5772 began on Wednesday night Sep 28, 2011. Though Jewish by birth and temperament, I have not been a synagogue-goer for years.
I actually did consider going to temple this night given my growing need for the solace of community and tradition in a (more…)

[most of this post originally appeared on booktrib.com]
I hadn’t been to Fenway Park in over a decade and on Wednesday September 14th I made my first visit ever to the Fenway press box.

As usual I was wearing many hats when it comes to loving and writing about baseball. I am a board member of the College Baseball Foundation and I was covering for mlb.com the pre-game ceremony honoring Bosox manager TERRY FRANCONA’s recent induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame. (more…)

The bulk of the following post originally appeared on booktrib.com but before we go there, just want to say a word in behalf of September baseball. The pennant races have not been dramatic this year but suddenly the Tampa Bay Rays and California Angels started to make moves in the American League wild (more…)

The profile of John Tumminia that follows this introduction originally appeared on Johanna Wagner's lovemyteam.com website. I have been contributing monthly scout profiles to the site and veteran White Sox scout John Tumminia has a lot to say about his profession. Previously I profiled Billy Blitzer of the Cubs, Mel Didier currently with (more…)

[this post appeared originally on booktrib.com and has been expanded]
Three score and nine years ago I arrived on this earth. June 27, 1942. I beat future Red Sox shortstop RICO PETROCELLI by one year, “Mr. Florida Marlin” and onetime Oriole first baseman JEFF CONINE by several years and by even more JIM JOHNSON the (more…)

Two great sports quotations lead my post this steamy early June morning in NYC.

"Baseball taught me more about life than real life ever did."
-Hall of Fame second baseman/broadcaster Joe Morgan

"Humans often end up forgiving infidelity. But golf never does." Thomas Boswell
on Tiger Woods's decision not to play US Open -Wash Post June 8, 2011

And now the main post that appeared originally at booktrib.com (more…)

For a fan and follower of all kinds of baseball as I am, the end of May brings unbridled joys. The Major League Baseball pennant races are heating up and traditionally Memorial Day has served as the one-third pole of the long season. Clearly the big surprise in the American League is Cleveland tho’ (more…)

[this post originally appeared at booktrib.com] Inter-league play returned to baseball this past weekend with the most attention given to the first meeting of the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs since the 1918 World Series. In that one the Bosox led by pitcher Babe Ruth won in six games, keeping alive the Chicagoans’s victory drought in the fall classic that (more…)