This is opening weekend for Big Ten Baseball albeit without the Illini. Those teams lucky enough to play in warmer climates have been doing fairly well at least for the first two days. In the 11 games played Friday and Saturday, the Big Ten is 7-4 led by two wallopings by Michigan over Jacksonville State by the scores of 19-11 and 14-2.
Those weren’t the only offensive showings by the Big Ten. Friday, Northwestern slaughtered George Mason 24-2 lost to George Mason 25-2 (sorry, BTN got it wrong) and today Iowa did the same to Illinois State 19-11.
Meanwhile, the Illini players could just stay home and watch… or study… or whatever.
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Some Illini History
A question I get a lot from the seasoned fans out by the left field fence is ‘Where can I find more info on the history of Illinois baseball?’. There really wasn’t a good answer to this question. Certainly, the media guide’s Records section is a good start. But some were looking for more detail.
Now the baseball program may have taken steps to address this. Recently, they have posted the “All-time Rosters” of Illinois Baseball going back to 1879.
Neat.
Note the roster of the 1937 baseball team, the one that won a Big Ten title:
- John R. Berner
- Louis Boudreau 3B
- John H. Callahan 1B
- Ernest S. Cavallo
- Frank C. Conley
- Carter L. Cooley
- Murray Franklin 2B
- Robert E. Haefler RF
- Wilbur L. Henry CF
- Victor H. Hinze RF
- Thomas McConnell C
- John J. McDonald RF
- Frank T. Nikelwicz 1B
- Raymond W. Poat P
- Maurice L. Quinn
- Freddie A. Reinhart LF
- Frank H. Russell
- Leo Salnati
- Meyers Schuckman P
- August C. Sisco SS
- Howard W. Steubner
- Harold A. Swanson P
- Coach: Walter H. Roettger
- Manager: John J. Roche
Coach Walter Roettger is the one and same Wally Roettger who played 599 games in the National League between the years 1927-1934. The things I learn.
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By the way in addition to getting a Facebook page, Illinois Baseball Report is now on Twitter. I’ll be posting links to all my articles and chiming in whenever I can. You can follow IBR @illbaseballrpt.