GateHouse News Service
Fall River —
FALL RIVER — Haunted houses are so passe when there are haunted baseball fields screaming out for attention.
Eerie and spine tingling tales abound in the world of America’s favorite pastime: sightings of a phanton Babe Ruth at Huggens-Stengel Field in St. Petesburg, Fla., to name one.
Then there’s Sherm Feller, a Red Sox announcer at Fenway Park from 1967 to 1983, who likes to keep company with today’s announcer Carl Beane.
These stories and many more, a total of 29, have been put on paper in a new book, "Haunted Baseball: Ghosts, curses, legends and eerie events," by lifelong Yankee fan Mickey Bradley and die-hard Red Sox fan Dan Gordon.
Gordon will offer a book signing at the Fall River Historical Society Museum Shop, 451 Rock St., on Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m.
He and Bradley spent two years on "Haunted Baseball," interviewing 800 major and minor league baseball players, managers and coaches throughout the country. The book includes many quotes, observations and chilling stories.
Some of the players interviewed include Jim Thome, Derek Jeter, Jason Varitek, Johnny Damon, Omar Vizquel and Mike Piazza.
"Being baseball season, the whole concept is kind of cool," said Michael Martins, Historical Society curator. "There’s some interesting stuff in there."
The book tells about curses that have vexed the Red Sox, Devil Rays, White Sox, Giants, Cubs and Angels; ghostly goings-on at Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Dodgers Stadium; Roberto Clemente’s premonitions of his death in a plane crash; and the Cleveland Indians trainer who some believe revisits the stadium as a seagull.
There are stories surrounding the tragedies of Sept. 11, 2001, for the New York Yankees and Mets, and an outer-worldly communication from Chicago Black Sox third baseman George "Buck" Weaver, who was banned from baseball for alleged conspiracy to fix a World Series game.
"People love baseball and they love ghost stories," Martins said. "It should be a bit hit."
"Haunted Baseball" will be on sale at the signing for $14.95.Copies will also be in stock in the Museum Shop for those who can’t make it to the signing.
For more information, call the Historical Society at 508-679-1071, Ext. 105.
