SI.com's "Things We Miss in Baseball."

The last scheduled doubleheader was in 1996.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/specials/remember-when/baseball/essay.html

 

Dave Parker smoking a doobie in the dugout.....priceless.

 

Major league teams playing an exhibition game at the nearby minor league affiliate in the middle of the season.

 

They just don't have brawls like this anymore.

When was the last time you saw a major leaguer with no shirt on in the dugout?

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5955859

And dixie, I had Morganna back on page 1.

 

A list of -- if not all of them -- as many as can humanly be found: http://www.retrosheet.org/Research/LeConteW/InSeasonExhibitionGames.htm.

Last ones were in June 1999, when the Orioles played Rochester and the Red Sox played Pawtucket.

A (very detailed) history of In-Season Exhibition Games, compiled by SABR member Walter LeConte: http://www.retrosheet.org/Research/LeConteW/ISEG.pdf

 

Fascinating.

I know of one game not on his list. The Expos visited the Indianapolis Indians at old Bush Stadium in '86. I was there, but I don't remember the date.

 

baseball tickets without barcodes, that don't look like concert tickets, and ushers wearing blazers, the smell of cigar smoke at the ballpark and the sound of a transistor radio airing the game broadcast a few seats over.

 

I miss the Mayor's Trophy Game, especially from the late 70s when Steinbrenner was so paranoid about losing to the Mets he'd force whoever the manager du jour was to use the full regular lineup.

 

I remember when Montreal and Toronto used to contest the Pearson Cup. In the very first game, a Montreal pitcher named Bill Atkinson got hurt at home plate while scoring the winning run.

I think he was mainly a minor-leaguer. All I know is I was pissed that this guy had just beaten the Blue Jays in dramatic fashion (I know, I know, everybody beat the Jays back then) and, if he was hurt, it wasn't punishment enough.

Pretty rotten attitude for an eight year old to have, wouldn't you say?? Well, for anyone, but geez, I was eight! I feel immense shame, three decades later. Bill Atkinson, wherever you are.....I apologize. :-[

EDIT: Holy crap, he's only a few hours away from me - Chatham, Ontario, his hometown and also that of Fergie Jenkins. His Chatham Sports Hall of Fame bio even mentions the above incident and the date of the game......June 29, 1978.

http://www.chathamsportshalloffame.com/Membership/bio/Bill%20Atkinson.htm

 

Just ordered tickets for a Yankee game and had to go through stubhub - sorry Yankees, not shelling out $900 apiece for the first game of a day-night doubleheader - and my ticket to the game is a piece of computer paper. I nearly didn't pull the trigger because of it.

Also, for the first time this year Red Sox tickets don't have a perforation to them, sure the scanners have been out in full force for a few years but at least i could fold along the perforated line and have my ticket fit in my wallet without getting the ticket killed.

I have a handful of ticket collages so this is a big one for me.

 

KP, I've started using will-call more than ever, for that reason. I hate the "e-delivery" printout tickets because they screw up my ticket collages. But when you pick them up at the window, they're the old-style kind and I like those so much better. It's worth standing in line for a few minutes.