Cartwright or Moiliil Field?

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Cartwright or Moiliil Field?

...all I see are 10 million micronesians & their children

This makes me think, "good thing they are 'micro'-nesians, or else 10,000,000 wouldn't fit on one field."

[Creative-1]

Re: Cartwright or Moiliil Field?

Alexander Joy Cartwright laid out the modern rules of baseball in New York in 1846. He went to California for the Gold Rush but left for Hawaii in 1849.

Dan Cisco's "Hawaii Sports" book says he laid out Hawaii's first baseball diamond in 1852 at Makiki Field, now called Cartwright Field.

Hawaii's first recorded modern baseball game was held on July 4, 1866 at a field now occupied by Central Union Church (formerly "Woodlawn," BF Dillingham's estate).

Cartwright was the first to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. Players at Ebbet's Field in Brooklyn toasted Cartwright that day with a special drink.

Anyone want to guess what drink it was?

[scrivener]

Re: Cartwright or Moiliili Field?

Alexander Joy Cartwright laid out the modern rules of baseball in New York in 1846. He went to California for the Gold Rush but left for Hawaii in 1849.

The basic structure of the game was formalized by Cartwright and others (in 1845, actually, 'though I think the first game played under these rules was in 1846). I'm one of those baseball geeks who thinks it's more accurate to call him the father of modern baseball, or really the Johnny Appleseed of modern baseball, as I did in this thread. Also, I don't think he left for Hawaii: I think he left for China, but he hated riding on the boat and got off in Hawaii, where he swore he would never set foot on another boat, which is why he spent the rest of his life here.

Dan Cisco's "Hawaii Sports" book says he laid out Hawaii's first baseball diamond in 1852 at Makiki Field, now called Cartwright Field.

Does he cite his sources? I'd really like to get to the bottom of this. Perhaps I'll track that book down.

Cartwright was the first to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

This one I know is incorrect because it's one of the things I memorized when I was hoping to get on a certain television gameshow. Cobb, Matthewson, Wagner, Ruth, and Johnson were the first five in 1936. It's tough to argue the validity of any of these men's rights to the honor, but how Matthewson got in before Young will always be a mystery to me. Cartwright was inducted two years later.

Players at Ebbet's Field in Brooklyn toasted Cartwright that day with a special drink.

That would be Ebbets Field (no apostrophe), but you got me on the drink! What was it?

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Cartwright or Moiliili Field?

This one I know is incorrect because it's one of the things I memorized when I was hoping to get on a certain television gameshow. Cobb, Matthewson, Wagner, Ruth, and Johnson were the first five in 1936. It's tough to argue the validity of any of these men's rights to the honor, but how Matthewson got in before Young will always be a mystery to me.

Not a mystery to me. Although Cy Young had more career wins, Christy Matthewson had a significantly higher winning percentage (.665 to .618). Young was able to accumulate more wins as he played in an era where he routinely racked up 40+ starts per season. Matthewson began his career at the turn of the 20th century, when teams employed more pitchers and stars like Matty typically averaged about 35 starts.

[scrivener]

Re: Cartwright or Moiliili Field?

Not a mystery to me. Although Cy Young had more career wins, Christy Mathewson had a significantly higher winning percentage (.665 to .618). Young was able to accumulate more wins as he played in an era where he routinely racked up 40+ starts per season. Mathewson began his career at the turn of the 20th century, when teams employed more pitchers and stars like Matty typically averaged about 35 starts.

Oh, I'm not saying Mathewson wasn't a first-tier Hall of Famer. Take any one of the others out of history and I'd say he's a definite first-fiver. He may even have been a better pitcher than Young. But we are talking about a difference of a 138 victories, and we are talking about the first five guys to walk into those hallowed halls. Sometimes greatest trumps best; in this case, I think Young is the obvious choice.

But you make a good point, and I guess I can see how others would feel differently.

[bittersweet]

Re: Cartwright or Moiliil Field?

This makes me think, "good thing they are 'micro'-nesians, or else 10,000,000 wouldn't fit on one field."

Haha! funny!

[Creative-1]

Re: Cartwright or Moiliili Field?

Does he cite his sources? I'd really like to get to the bottom of this. Perhaps I'll track that book down.

Yes, he has a bibliography, and it's extensive, but it's not clear which sources are for which set of facts.

Cobb, Matthewson, Wagner, Ruth, and Johnson were the first five in 1936. Cartwright was inducted two years later.

I double-checked and you are correct. Cartwright was in 1938.

You got me on the drink! What was it?

The day Cartwright was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, players at Ebbets field toasted him with PINEAPPLE JUICE!.

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Cartwright or Moiliili Field?

The day Cartwright was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, players at Ebbets field toasted him with PINEAPPLE JUICE!.

Did it have the Dole label on the can?