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Nerd Football?

I Love Nerd York City — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:33:59 +0000

I know posts have been irregular lately, but I wanted to mark the opening of the football season with something you just don’t come across every day…a picture that would qualify as “nerd football.”

Apparently this is Bob Griese, a pro-football Hall-of-Famer, and two time Super Bowl winning quarterback.

Memorial Day

I Love Nerd York City — Mon, 30 May 2011 10:35:25 +0000

On this Memorial Day, we here at Nerd Central want to pay tribute to all those who have died in service of our nation. In their honor, we are using today’s post to commemorate the eight major league players who were killed in active duty during World War I, World War II and the Korean War:

Eddie Grant, WWI - ten year professional career

Robert Troy, WWI – one game for Detroit

Larry Chappell, WWI – 5 year professional career

Ralph Sharman, WWI – 13 games for the Philadelphia Athletics

Alex Burr, WWI – one game for the Yankees

Elmer Gedeon, WWII - 17 plate appearances for the Washington Senators

Harry O'Neil, WWII - one game, zero plate apperances for the Phillies

Robert Neighbors, Korean War - 11 plate appearances for the St. Louis Browns

Joe Sambito

I Love Nerd York City — Thu, 26 May 2011 10:29:52 +0000

Mr. Sambito was off to an amazing career as a relief pitcher before being derailed by an arm injury that required Tommy John surgery. In his first five full seasons, he posted ERA+’s of 154, 108, 199, 151, and 180, and was a National League all-star. He was injured in 1982, and did not return to the major leagues until 1984, but struggled upon his return. He did, however, help the 1986 Red Sox reach the World Series, contributing 12 saves over 44.2 innings.

While not a typical nerd card, I like to imagine that this picture was taken with some sort of supernatural camera out of a David Lynch movie or a “Twilight Zone” episode. So when we look at the picture, we see both the way things are, and the way things once were, with these parallel existences mirroring each other through the lens. Young Joe Sambito, can you see the injury lying in wait for your future self? Are you helpless to prevent it?

And the guy in the back is even like the cowboy from Mulholland Drive.

Mike Schmidt – Home Run King

I Love Nerd York City — Thu, 12 May 2011 10:45:39 +0000

“Oh wow, it’s baseball card picture day today? I had no idea…I just happened to be carrying these large trophies with me today. Dammit, they’re so big and heavy, let me put them down and I’ll be right with you. What’s that, you’ll use them in the picture? Ok, well I guess that works.”

Bill Bonham / Shirtless Man

I Love Nerd York City — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:23:59 +0000

I am posting this card not as evidence of the nerd-era in MLB, but as evidence of the “we don’t give a crap” attitude of the Fleer company in the early 1980′s.

Not only is Mr. Bonham featured in a profile view, with his face obscured by shadow, but he is forced to share his card with an anonymous shirtless fan, who is given an equal amount of baseball card real estate. Only the early ’80s Fleer company…

Online quiz + baseball = nerdy

Vorpy McNerd — Mon, 24 May 2010 05:56:47 +0000

As a recently unemployed nerd, I discovered a fantastic time waster of a site called Sporcle, which consists of hundreds of quizzes on dozens of topics.

My favorite quiz was baseball related (of course). Can you name the five pitchers with the most starts for each MLB team from 2000 to 2009? I got 86 out of 150, with minimal cheating. I dare my fellow nerds to beat that score. You try naming the 5 guys who made the most starts for Tampa or Washington since 2000.

EDIT: Might help if I actually included the link. http://www.sporcle.com/games/stanvick/starting_pitchers_00s

Renaissance?

Prof. Nerdtron 3000 — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:00:44 +0000

We all know that nerds in baseball are on the decline. Hopefully, this trend is about to stop. Yesterday, the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays signed 16 year old Czech phenom Štěpán Havlíček. After seeing what he looks like, I am very much looking forward to his first baseball card. Havlíček is on the right.

Happy Nerd Year!

I Love Nerd York City — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:37:41 +0000

Happy New Year from everyone at Nerd Central. Sadly enough, when I ran a Google image search for “Mets” and “champagne,” the best picture is this old:

Happy Holidays from Nerd Central

I Love Nerd York City — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:29:03 +0000

Yes, Vorpy, there is a Santa Claus.

In 2007, Topps released a 14 card “Santa Claus” set. Some of them came with autographed Santa cards.

Happy Holidays.

Joe Nolan Bonus

I Love Nerd York City — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:37:42 +0000

If you didn’t get enough Joe Nolan from our previous post, check him out again, in what is quite possibly the silliest-looking base running celebration of all time:

Thanks to Dr. Nerd for remembering Mr. Nolan from his days of working for the Orioles.