Weekend Reposter: Demystifying Billy

Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs used Billy Hamilton's performance in Tuesday night's game against the Cubs to analyze the differences between Billy Hamilton the Myth and Billy Hamilton the Player. Sullivan seems intent on tempering some of the hyperbole that has surrounded Hamilton's young career, but he also acknowledges that he's a better player than he appeared to be for the first two weeks of the season. Also, there's some GIF's of him doing cool stuff, like hitting his first career home run.

The big story in sports this week was the NBA's Donald Sterling saga. And that of course led to the inevitable comparisons between that situation and the ordeal former Reds owner Marge Schott put the Reds and the city of Cincinnati through lo these many years ago. Sports Illustrated's Jay Jaffe has a pretty good rundown of that sordid tale if you're interested. SB Nation's own Mike Bates also has a look back at a different situation involving a baseball owner, and the possibility that that owner's racist beliefs might have played a role in the relocation of an entire franchise.

Reds Hall of Famer and Big Red Machinist Ken Griffey Sr has written a book. It's called Big Red: Baseball, Fatherhood, and My Life in the Big Red Machine and it was released earlier this week. If you'd like to meet the man himself, here's a schedule of some book signings in the Cincinnati area over the next couple of weeks.

Speaking of Reds Hall of Famers, Sean Casey was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in Portsmouth, VA last weekend, presumably for his collegiate exploits as a University of Richmond Spider. There's video of the Mayor's induction speech and it's...well, it's exactly what you'd expect it to be.

Ever wonder which team was the first to wear memorial patches on their uniforms to commemorate a beloved player who passed away? Or who was the last player to wear a batting helmet with no ear flaps? Well, you're in luck. Paul Lukas at ESPN's Uni Watch has the answers to those questions and more in his look at MLB uniform firsts and lasts.

Finally, if you don't follow any of the other links here, at least take a few moments and watch this absolutely amazing silent Canadian newsreel footage of the 1919 World Series that was recently (literally) dug up. The game action isn't ideal for obvious reasons, but there are some great crowd shots and even some aerial footage of Cincinnati's Redland Field and the surrounding neighborhood. My personal favorite part is the brief glimpse of one of the primitive electronic scoreboards that were used to keep out of town fans updated on the game action, in as close to real time as could be managed with telegraphs. Many have pointed out that the video also includes a brief pitcher's mound conference between alleged White Sox co-conspirators Chick Gandil and Eddie Cicotte. It's easy to wonder what they could have been talking about. As amazing as the footage is, the story of where it's been all this time and how it was found is worth a read as well. Seriously, this video is a rare treat and I encourage everyone to take the time to watch it.