Yankee In Exile

Incredible Sports Stories From the Past

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That Time Baseball’s Color Barrier Was Almost Broken……..In 1901

Tales From Spring Training, Vol. 2 August 28, 1945  This is the date that Jackie Robinson signed a contract to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. In April of 1947, he saw his first major league action and officially broke baseball’s decades old color barrier. However, the notion of Robinson being the first ever black player…

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The Italian vs. The Ostrich

Tales From Spring Training, Vol. 1  Ping Bodie That was the nickname of the San Francisco-born Francesco Stephano Pezzolo, an MLB outfielder of the 1910s and early 1920s. He was one of the first Italian-American players that professional baseball had ever seen. He spent time with the White Sox, A’s, and Yankees organizations as well…

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The Olympics Were Hosted Where? 

Forgotten Cities of the Winter Olympics  Winter vs. Summer The Summer Olympics often find themselves being hosted by some of the most important and influential cities in the world. Athens (the original organizer), Los Angeles, London, Rome, Sydney, Tokyo, Barcelona and, most recently, Paris. These municipalities are the centers of business, trade, and commerce both…

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  • That Time Baseball’s Color Barrier Was Almost Broken……..In 1901

    Tales From Spring Training, Vol. 2 August 28, 1945  This is the date that Jackie Robinson signed a contract to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. In April of 1947, he saw his first major league action and officially broke baseball’s decades old color barrier. However, the notion of Robinson being the first ever black player…

  • The Italian vs. The Ostrich

    Tales From Spring Training, Vol. 1  Ping Bodie That was the nickname of the San Francisco-born Francesco Stephano Pezzolo, an MLB outfielder of the 1910s and early 1920s. He was one of the first Italian-American players that professional baseball had ever seen. He spent time with the White Sox, A’s, and Yankees organizations as well…

  • The Olympics Were Hosted Where? 

    Forgotten Cities of the Winter Olympics  Winter vs. Summer The Summer Olympics often find themselves being hosted by some of the most important and influential cities in the world. Athens (the original organizer), Los Angeles, London, Rome, Sydney, Tokyo, Barcelona and, most recently, Paris. These municipalities are the centers of business, trade, and commerce both…

  • Is The Super Bowl Really Named After A Children’s Toy? 

    A Super Bowl Name Origin Story  What’s In A Name?  The Super Bowl is easily the most popular sporting event in North America. Last year’s (2025) edition set a record with 127.7 viewers across all television and streaming platforms. It’s not always the action on the field that’s the attraction either, with the halftime show…

  • Should Roberto Clemente’s Number Be Retired By All of Baseball?

    April 15, 1997 This was the day that the legendary Jackie Robinson’s number was retired by all of Major League Baseball. It was the 50th anniversary of Robinson’s big league debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers and of him becoming the first African-American since the 19th century to play in an integrated, top-level baseball game. During…

  • This College Football Trophy Was Lost for 80 Years………..

    Basic Information  Rivalry: Arizona vs. Arizona State.  First Meeting: November 30, 1899  All-Time Series Record: Arizona leads 52-45-1 Rivalry Trophy: Territorial Cup  These are the mundane statistics that one can easily find on wikipedia while searching for information about the rivalry that is also referred to as “The Duel in the Desert.” The yearly contest…

  • How Good Were the 1927 Yankees?

    The Team Centerfielder Earle Combs. Shortstop, Mark Koenig. Right field, Babe Ruth. First base, Lou Gehrig. Left Field, Bob Meusel. Second base, Tony Lazzeri. Third base, Joe Dugan. Catcher, Pat Collins.  That was the lineup of the 1927 Yankees in their most common batting order. These were the men that made up the now infamous…