Cynthia Sperber: D12: Smoky Joe Wood and the 99-year-old death threat

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

D12: Smoky Joe Wood and the 99-year-old death threat

Duk's Dozen, a selection of 12 morning-fresh links and items, has returned in 2011 to start your baseball news day off right. Got links? Send 'em here or via Twitter.

1. You might be under the belief that losing all perspective is a byproduct of modern sports fandom, but the truth is that we went postal a very long time ago. To wit: B&C's Tyler Maas digs up one of the death threats that Boston Red Sox pitcher Smoky Joe Wood received in Cleveland during the 1912 season.

"Say your final farewells," it begins.

The would-be assassins, of course, never followed through on that letter and Wood lived another 73 years before dying in 1985. (As for a suspect in the case, I'm going with the ghost of @oldhossradbourn.) Bugs & Cranks

2. Rob Neyer saying happy trails at the worldwide leader was Monday's biggest news in baseball. ESPN

3. Neyer channeling Pink Floyd in his introductory column at SB Nation is today's. SBN

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4. Manny Ramirez won't be going Gretzky in Tampa Bay as Marc Topkin reports that Man-Ram will go back to his old No. 24. Johnny Damon, meanwhile, won't pull rank with Ben Zobrist. He'll opt for No. 22 since Zobrist occupies his usual No. 18. The Heater

5. After signing a four-year, $32.5 million contract on Tuesday night, shortstop Alexei Ramirez is no longer the best bargain held by the Chicago White Sox. South Side Sox

6. Dance, stalker, dance! If I were famous like Tom Seaver, I'd probably also make grown men do ridiculous things before agreeing to sign autographs. NY Times

7. Grant wants to give MLB even more of his money in exchange for access to old Hubie Brooks clips. Why won't baseball take it? McCovey Chronicles

8. The weirdest of all the weird Tim Lincecum videos on the 'Net? Yes. YT