I Am Baseball

Atlanta Braves Orange Alternate Jerseys

Atlanta Braves fan searching for a unique jersey? These alternate orange Atlanta Braves jerseys are occasionally worn on the field by their players. You can customize the orange alternate uniform below and have any Braves players name added to the back.

Orange Alternate Atlanta Braves Jersey

Atlanta Braves Orange Alternate MLB Jerseys - Pick Any Player on Roster

You can also add your own name on the jersey below! These make great gifts for friends, family, or treating yourself! Officially Licensed by Major League Baseball.

Add your own name to this custom Atlanta Braves Orange Alternate Jersey

Jackie Robinson Throwback Jersey - Brooklyn Dodgers

Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers Throwback Baseball Jersey

Jackie Robinson was the first African American player to play in the Major Leagues. Subject to criticism, racial slurs, and death threats Jackie Robinson weathered the storm and helped pave the way for future black athletes in baseball. Replica, and authentic Jackie Robinson throwback jerseys are a great way to commemorate the Brooklyn Dodgers and show that your a fan of legendary trailblazer Jackie Robinson.

Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers Throwback Jersey

Jackie Robinson Blue Los Angeles Dodgers Throwback Baseball Jersey

Los Angeles Dodgers Blue Throwback Baseball Jersey

View More Brooklyn Dodgers Jackie Robinson Tee Shirts - Many Styles!


Jackie Robinson changed the landscape of baseball, and he left a legacy for future generations to follow. One of the greatest legendary baseball icons of our time. Read Jackie Robinson's Biography

Jackie Robinson Baseball Biography - Dodgers

Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers MLB Baseball Biography

When Jackie Robinson first took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, he altered the course of U.S. history. The century's first African American major leaguer, his inspiring performance on and off the baseball diamond ignited an era of pride among people of color that formed the foundation of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

The intelligent and supremely talented second baseman went head to head with the white world, dispelling once and for all, myths of black inferiority. Playing under impossible conditions, Jackie Robinson proved to be a daring competitor. So immense were his abilities that he eventually earned the respect and admiration of even his loudest detractors. In 10 MLB seasons, Jackie Robinson literally changed the face of baseball, as he opened the door to a generation of black superstars who otherwise might have toiled in obscurity. A supreme player, Jackie Robinson became a hero of all races.

Did You Know? Interesting Jackie Robinson Fact:

When Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn dodgers in 1947, several star baseball players signed a letter to GM Branch Rickey stating that they preferred not to play with a Negro. Branch Rickey replied that they were welcome to spend the season on the bench - Jackie was playing. The following year, Branch Rickey traded most of the offending players.

The Jackie Robinson Meeting With Branch Rickey

This infamous meeting between Jackie Robinson and Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey was like no other job interview. Jackie Robinson had responded to Rickey's invitation thinking he would be asked to play in the all African American U.S. League that Rickey said he was starting. However, when Robinson arrived he found that the USL was just a scheme to hide Rickey's real intention, which was to break baseball's color barrier.

In rapid succession, Rickey fired questions at Jackie Robinson: What would he do if a waiter refused to serve him with his white teamates? What if he were refused a room at a hotel? What if a pitcher threw at his head? "Mr. Rickey," answered the even tempered star, "they've been throwing at my head for a long time." Puzzled by the continuing barrage of questions, Jackie Robinson finally asked Branch Rickey if he wanted a player who was afraid to fight back. "I want a player with guts enough NOT to fight back," explained Rickey, adding that this experiment would work only if Robinson waged his war with a bat and a glove.

"Now it's the World Series," Rickey continued. "I go into you spikes first, but you don't give ground....all I see is your black face....I haul off and punch you in the cheek. What do you do?"

"Mr. Rickey, I've got two cheeks," said Robinson. Two months later, he was playing with Brooklyn's top farm club. Two years after that, he was a member of the pennant winning Brooklyn Dodgers.

Looking For A Jackie Robinson Throwback Jersey?

Branch Rickey was right about the hatred Jackie Robinson would face. In his first season with the Brooklyn dodgers he was abused by opposing players, unruly fans and his own teammates. A proud and combative man, Robinson wanted to strike back. But remembering his pact with Rickey, he did so on the diamond, terrorizing opponents while blazing a path for the wave of African Americans that would soon follow.

Did You Know?

When Jackie Robinson first came to the Dodgers, entire teams would shout racial slurs at him when he was warming up before games. One writer described him as the loneliest man in sports. The turning point came before a game with Cincinnati. Shortstop Pee Wee Reese, a respected baseball player and a southerner, walked across the diamond and put his arm around Robinson in a show of support.

Tom Glavine Atlanta Braves Biography

Tom Glavine Atlanta Braves MLB Baseball Biography

Being called the best left handed pitcher of his era, may have been considered a compliment to many. However, in Tom Glavine's case, it may have been selling him short. With a Cy Young award, two all star game starts and three 20 win seasons under his belt before his 28th birthday, Tom Glavine may have been the top pitcher in the game. (right handers included!)

Tom Glavine was the complete pitching package. Glavine would supplement a sneaky fastball with a wide breaking curve and a wicked change up that baffled even the best hitters in baseball. Combining pinpoint control with steely determination, the gritty Tom Glavine was a good bet to come away with a win every time he took the mound.

Did you know?

In 1993, Tom Glavine recorded 22 victories and his third consecutive 20 win season. There are only 19 pitchers in the Hall of Fame who never accomplished this amazing feat, including legends Whitey Ford, Tom Seaver, Lefty Gomez, Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax.

As a two sport star in high school, Tom Glavine led a double life. On the hockey rink, he was known as "Silk", a 160 pound center whose smooth moves and deft touch around the net helped him outmaneuver bigger, stronger players. The ultimate finesse player in hockey, he took on a completely different persona when he put on a baseball uniform -- pure power. In fact, he once racked up 17 ks in a game. Drafted by both the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the National League's Atlanta Braves in 1984, the multi-talented Glavine thought he had a better shot as a pitcher and hung up his skates. Ironically, the lessons he learned on the ice would eventually help get his baseball career off the ground. Going 2-3 for the Atlanta Braves minor league team in Brandenton, Fla., he found that striking out pro batters was not as easy as mowing down inexperienced high schoolers. After being told that his fastball didn't have enough pop to get him to the big leagues by itself, Tom Glavine's career was at a crossroads before it had even begun.

Reverting to the same philosophy that made him successful in hockey, he learned to outwit rather than overpower his opponents. By the time he made the Atlanta Braves in 1988, Tom Glavine was armed with a slider, a curve, and a wicked change up.

Having to pitch a lot of innings for the struggling Braves, Glavine's game improved rapidly. The extra heavy workload helped him perfect all his pitches, and in 1991 he roard to an 8-0 start. In one game against the Philadelphia Phillies, he struck out 10 of the first 13 batters he faced. Mixing off speed stuff with hard heat, Glavine was the NL's most dominant pitcher that year, winning 20 games and the Cy Young award. Tom Glavine, the former high school hockey star, netted the biggest goal of his career---- Major League success and a hall of fame career.

Browse Our Tom Glavine Major League Baseball Memorabilia

Stan Musial - St. Louis Cardinals

Stan Musial - St. Louis Cardinals

Stan "the Man" Musial was a baseball player for the ages. His list of accomplishments is so extensive, it's almost gaudy. During his 22 year stint with the St. Louis Cardinals, he won four pennants and three World Series and batted under .300 just four times. He was a model of consistency and excellence. At the time of Stan Musial's retirement in 1963, he held the National League records for runs, hits, doubles and RBIs and held the Major League Baseball career marks for extra base hits and total bases.

Stan Musial had a career that had a certain balance to it. Of his 3,630 hits, exactly half came at home and half on the road. In his first Major League game he had two hits, and in his last game he stroked two more. He drove his very last hit past a crew cut rookie named Pete Rose (the same man who would later break his National League hit record. Despite his on the field brilliance, Stan Musial's greatest legacy was his infection joy. Just a kid at heart, he got as much pleasure from playing the harmonica to entertain his teamates in the clubhouse as he did in leading them to a win on the field.

Rarely in sports has there been an athlete as universally loved as the St. Louis Cardinals Stan Musial. He epitomized what was right about the game of baseball. Musial exuded a boyish exuberance for the game and for life, which was as natural as his contagious smile.

Musial struck a chord in people not because he was flashy, witty, or boastful. He was quite simply a decent man in whom people saw a glimpse of their own potential for good. The son of a coal miner, he said that the thrill of baseball made the hardships of the great depression easier to bear. This profound love of the game stayed with him throughout his baseball career.

Musial's decency was as legendary as it was unforced. Stan the man, would invite lonely rookies to tag along with him. Hank Aaron said that Stan Musial was one of his favorite MLB baseball players because he treated all men equally, regardless of their skin color. Musial stood by these beliefs in 1947 when some Cardinals wanted to boycott an upcoming game against the Brooklyn Dodgers because that had African American Jackie Robinson on their roster. Unaffected by the pressure, Musial adamantly refused to follow suit. A testament to the respect he commanded in the clubhouse, the St. Louis Cardinals played the game.

A favorite with baseball fans Musial was living proof that good guys can finish first. One of baseball's greatest hitters, he hit over .300 17 times! Has bat and glove were the cornerstones of the great St. Louis Cardinal teams of the 1940's.

Musial maintained that while the career numbers, the World Series wins and the MVP awards were nice, his biggest thrill came at the start of each season, when he put on his opening day uniform. Musial lived by the belief that hope does spring eternal, that life is a series of renewals, of home openers and of opening day pennant dreams for everyone.

Customize a Stan Musial Throwback Baseball Jersey!

View Stan Musial's Throwback Jersey as well as other MLB baseball vintage jerseys available!

Stan Musial Biography Facts

• Because of Stan Musial's speed on the base paths, he was called the Donora Greyhound befor he was nicknamed the Man.
• Why was Musial nicknamed "The Man"? Stan earned the name "The Man" by impressing the notoriously nasty fans at Ebbets Field. They gave him the tag because of the way Musial pounded the Brooklyn Dodgers pitching so relentlessly.
• In his first five seasons in baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals, he was a part of three World Series winners.

biding my time

It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.

                                                      A. Bartlett Giamatti ~ The Green Fields of The Mind

With the dust settled on the 2010 baseball season I have struggled to add purpose and meaning to my life. Much like banging your head against a wall, it hurts not to have baseball around. All this talk of free agents, arbitration, and winter meetings is doing little for me. All talk. No action. It is not disguising the fact that there are still over 3 months until it begins all over again. Alas, life goes on. Or so I'm told. I must do something to  bide my time. Give me a moment to think about this...

OK. My thinking grenades are used up. This off-season I could:

1. Grow A Mo. 
In the spirit of MOvember I could grow a moustache. Like this man, Rollie Fingers.
Ya, no. While I am all for supporting charitable causes, my stache would indeed be trash.

 2. Learn to do The Dougie
Ya, still no.



3. Run. 
OK, getting warmer. I like to do this. It hurts, but I like it. We might be on to something.

4. Eat food. 
Warmer still. I like to do this. A. Lot.




5. Come up with my own cologne. 
It worked for Gustavo Chacin.

6. Blog more. 


7. Pen a Sonnet. HUH?!


Only 7 things to do over the next 3 months. It's going to be a long off-season.






  

World Series Pumpkins

This is something I started a few years ago - Carving pumpkins of the teams that are in the World Series for Halloween.
Here is the collection to date...

2010 World Series
San Francisco Giants vs Texas Rangers

2009 World Series
New York Yankees vs Philadelphia Phillies

2008 World Series
Tampa Bay Rays vs Philadelphia Phillies

2007 World Series
Boston Red Sox vs Colorado Rockies

2006 World Series
St Louis Cardinals

come to my window

Some months ago when I started this blogging experience I wasn't totally sure what I was getting into. I saw it more as a diary of the team I coached this past summer with tidbits of my personal experiences in baseball intertwined. The stories came easily because there was so much we did together and accomplished as a team. But alas, that chapter of our lives is now complete. I knew it would be limited in scope, but didn't care - these boys had a story that deserved to be told. I wanted it to not only be readable but relatable. I wanted you, the reader, to in some way, feel like you were a part of the team.

As best I could I wanted to stay away from reporting on events within the broader game of baseball if they had no connection to me. This is your window into my life. You might be saying though, that the blinds on said window seem only half rolled up because when you look through it all you see is a room full of baseballs. There has to be more to me. I can assure you that I do have other interests. I like stuff and I do things.

Soon enough, this window will become a frosty pane of glass with the coming winter months. Other than longing for the beginning of spring training the stories of me and baseball will be largely dried up. Frozen over if you will. Where I go from here I'm not too sure (I've come full circle). Baseball will always be a part of my life, that is for certain. It has been said that there is always a story you just have to look for it. While that may be true, I'm not looking for just a story. I'm looking for a story about me to you.

baseball is love

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love.

Those that know me know that there are very few things in this life that I do at a high rate of speed. Some years ago there was a hurricane named Hurricane Nate to which a friend replied, "Don't you mean Glacier Nate?" Touche.

Baseball, of course, is not a game of speed. It is a game of nuances and the unseen. To sit and simply watch is to miss the point. It is a game to be absorbed and appreciated under the glare of the summer sun. Kids play it and adults who still wish they were kids play it.

Growing up, I can remember pouring over the stats in the Saturday paper until I had most of them memorized. And Sundays were for popcorn and scoring the Blue Jay game on TV. These days I drive by parks at night and see them lit up and, like a moth to a flame, I rubberneck. Baseball stadiums are my Disney World.

I have been to the cathedrals of the sport - Cooperstown, Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway Park - and didn't care if I ever came back. I walk out of the tunnel to my seat be it right next to the action or off in the far reaches of the park and stand in awe. Field of Dreams, my favourite movie, so eloquently represents this. Undeterred by all those around him who suggest he is certifiably nuts, Kevin Costner watches a cornfield full of his heroes play a game no one else sees. And that's what keeps me coming back for more. Whether it's a professional who makes you say, "how'd they do that?" or the Little Leaguer standing on first who just drove in the winning run and you're smiling right along with them. Each time it's something new.

Everybody has their passions - mine just happens to be a game.

we are family

Coming from an average sized family as I did, fielding an entire baseball team proved to be very difficult. My mom, as wonderful as she is, was never quite able to master the art of playing pitcher, catcher, and fielding all four infield spots at the same time while my dad, my brother and I roamed the outfield.

Fast forward to the summer of 2010 and I have been able to fill in the glaring holes in my familial defense with 12 new recruits. And as if by some divine Octomomian intervention they all happen to be 11 or 12 yrs old. Add 5 coaches into that mix and we are indeed one big family. We are a family brought together by our love of the sport and desire to accomplish something special this summer.

My newest family members are:
Simon Ranger #3
Matthew Grabstas #5
Liam Gallagher #11
Ben Miller #14
Adam Delfabbro #19
Brandon Chong #25
Justin Mignardi #27
Anthony Marzanek #33
Riley Gray #34
Mark Szostak #77
Caleb Radley #94
Justin Stephenson #98
Dave Whalen C
Andrew Thompson C
Mike Furdal C
Bill Gallagher C

on the road to the canadians

Consider this my first foray into the online world of self disclosure. Bear with me as I figure out this new method of spilling my brand of general nonsense.

For those not in the know I heart baseball - a lot. My playing days are over and I've since turned to coaching. I am an assistant coach of the Ancaster Cardinals that is hosting the Canadian Little League Championships in August. My intent is to use this as part update, part blog, part diary, and part whatever else I decide to tell you as our team of parents, coaches, and 12 incredibly talented boys journey along the road to this once in a lifetime tournament.

If they made baseball advent calendars I would probably have one for this.

Mike Schmidt - Philadelphia Phillies

Mike Schmidt could be characterized by one phrase, it would be this: Walk softly and carry a big stick. Mild mannered, even tempered and one of the most fearsome slugging third baseman of all time. That was Mike Schmidt. He hit for average, he hit for powere, and he fielded third base better than anyone of his era. In his prime, Mike Schmidt was considered by many, as the best player in baseball. In 1989, when he wrapped up his 18 year career (all of which was with Philadelphia), only six men in history had hit more home runs, and no National League third baseman had won more gold gloves. He led the Phillies to five NL East titles, two pennants and a World Series win. Schmidt proved that actions speak louder than words.

Interesting Mike Schmidt Story

In 1980, Mike Schmidt was a desperate man. During the late 1970s, Philadelphia was one of baseball's winningest teams, but only during the regular season. In three straight trips to the National League Championship Series between 1976 and '78, the Phillies came away empty-handed, winning a total of just two games in the three series.

The 1980 season proved to be different. Having blasted 45 homers the previous year, Schmidt was primed and determined to take the Phillies past the NLCS all the way to the World Series, even if it meant carrying the team on his back. For much of the year he did just that, hitting a career high and major league leading 48 homers (a record for third basemen). Toward the end of the season, the Phillies found themselves in a hot pennant race with Montreal. Schmidt, who had been Philadelphia's clutch performer all year, was swinging his bat more ferociously than ever. In four of the club's last five victories of the season, he batted in the winning run. His heroics earned him the first of three NL MVP awards.

Despite a less than illustrious performance by their all star third baseman in the championship series, the Phillies beat Houston and captured their first pennant in 30 years, earning a trip to the World Series against the Kansas City Royals.

Buy a Mike Schmidt Philadelphia Phillies Throwback Jersey
Fueled by his poor showing in the NLCS, Schmidt was eager to redeem himself in the fall classic. He regained the awesome form that he had displayed all season, batting .381 and hammering two home runs. The Phillies went on to win the World Series, and Mike Schmidt finally had the World Series tropy he had so desperately wanted.

Mike Schmidt Facts - Did you know?

• When Mike Schmidt was a teenager, his grandmother would take in his baseball pants so that they would be as tight as those of their mutual idol, Pete Rose. :)
• Once while on a radio talk show, Schmidt riled Philadelphia fans by saying they were out of control. He thought the statement would anger Phillie fans, so in his next home game, he wore sunglasses and a long black wig during warmup to make light of the situation. Rather than boo him, the crowd cheered.
• On April 17, 1976 Schmidt hit four homers in a game agains the Cubs.
• When Schmidt retired in 1989, he held or shared 14 Major League records, 18 National League records and 24 Philadelphia Phillie records.

Mike Schmidt Career Highlights

• World Series Champ, 1980
• World Series MVP, 1980
• 3 Time NL Baseball MVP
• 4 Time NL RBI Champ
• 8 Time NL Home Run Champ
• 10 Time Gold Glove Winner
• 12 Time All Star Selection
• Hall of Fame, 1995

View More Stories of MLB Baseball Legends

Mickey Mantle Biography and Jerseys - Yankees

Mickey Mantle Biography 

Many baseball historians often debate on what kind of player Mickey Mantle could have been if he didn't have such a fondness for booze, women, and nightlife. While his numbers were exceptional, we will always wonder if Mickey would have rewritten the record books if his body and mind were in a healthy state.

Buy a Mickey Mantle Throwback Jersey

The question of who is the greatest player in baseball history could be debated forever. But the question of who is the most inspiring has only one answer: Mickey Mantle.

Time and time again this Yankee phenom dragged his broken body onto the field to hit titanic, late inning homers or make game winning circus catches. His teamates watched in awe as Mantle went through his pre-game ritual of taping, bandaging and bracing, wondering if they could ever bear the pain he endured to play ball every day.

The fans, of course, felt the same way, even those in other ballparks. Once in Cleveland, with the Indians leading the league midway through the 1962 season, Mantle was watching the game from the dugout. He had been out of action for five weeks and was still nursing a bad hamstring. The Yankees were trailing 7-6 in the eighth inning with two out and man on base. Manager Ralph Houk looked down the bench at his injured slugger. Without either man uttering a word, Mantle grabbed a bat, limped to the plate and lined a pitch into the right field seats. As he struggled around the bases, the 70,000 Indians fans rose to their feet and gave him a standing ovation.

Mantle raised the stakes and heightened the drama of every contest in which he played. Each game could've been his last. And in the end, the measure of his greatness was that, despite the pain, he went out and played each game as if it were his last.

Some of Mickey Mantle's Highlights

• Triple Crown Winner, 1956
• 7 Time World Series Champ
• 3 Time AL MVP
• 4 Time AL Home run Champ
• Gold Glove Winner, 1962
• Hall of Fame, 1974
  

Interesting Facts About Mickey Mantle

• Mickey Mantle was on pace to break Babe Ruth's home-run record in 1961, but he missed most of the last month with a virus. He inded up with 54, second to Roger Maris' record 61.

• When Mickey Mantle was young, his family was so poor that his father whittled his bats. The one extravagance allowed was a new glove every Christmas.

Did you know that Mickey Mantle almost had his leg amputated?

• During a high-School football game, Mantle took a blow to his left shin. A day later he was in the hospital where doctors were talking about amputating his leg! He had Osteomyelitis, a rare, incurable bone disease that would tear at his body for the rest of his life. He could keep his leg, they said, but he might never take a pain-free step again. That he became the fastest, most powerful player of his time is a testament to his ability, courage and desire.
  

Quote by Mickey Mantle
"Baseball was my whole life. Nothing's ever been as fun"

Quote about Mickey Mantle by Tom Greenwade (Yankees scout)
"The first time I saw Mantle I knew....I'd never have another moment like that."

Mickey Mantle's father knew the advantages of switch-hitting, so he taught his five-year-old son how to swing from both sides. Each day, Mantle would swing lefty against his father's right handed pitching, then take cuts from the right side against his left handed grandfather. A natural righty, Mintle hit more homers from the left than from the right.

Buy a Mickey Mantle Throwback Jersey

• View More Yankee Throwback Jerseys. Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Joe Dimaggio, Reggie Jackson, and more.
• Mickey Mantle Throwback Jerseys
• Baseball Biographies

Detroit's Justin Verlander Throws No-Hitter

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander was throwing 100 MPH heat on Tuesday night and in the process threw the sixth no hitter in Tigers history.

The 2006 AL Rookie of the Year came back with the game of his career, striking out 12. He benefited from several stellar defensive plays, the best by Neifi Perez, who turned a possible single up the middle in the eighth into an inning-ending double play.

Verlander (7-2) worked around four walks in the Tigers’ first no-hitter since Jack Morris in 1984.

The 24-year-old trotted to the mound for the ninth to a standing ovation from the crowd of 33,555.

“I had way too much adrenaline, to be honest,” Verlander said.

Amped up, he struck out Counsell and Tony Graffanino. That brought up J.J. Hardy, and Verlander had a momentary lapse, throwing a high breaking ball. At that point, Verlander stepped off the mound.

“I said, ‘Let’s get it back down,”‘ he said.

Verlander then got Hardy to lift a high fly ball that right fielder Magglio Ordonez caught at the edge of the warning track.

Verlander didn’t even see the ball settle into Ordonez’s glove.

“I wanted to watch the catch, but Pudge was yelling in my ear,” he said.

Catcher Ivan Rodriguez was already at the mound and hugged Verlander as the pitcher wheeled around.

Verlander was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2006.