Robservations: Strange facts from our U.S. pastime
Japan, Schmapan.
You can say what you want about last week’s season-opening series between the Yanks and the Devil Rays from the land of the rising sun.
But for your friendly neighborhood sports editor, and any other red-blooded American baseball fan, Monday was the day we celebrated Opening Day.
We didn’t go all out, the way we might’ve back in college. Of course, back then, we were known to personally “cancel” all of our classes for the day, and string two television sets together so we could watch more than one game at a time.
These days, the celebration is a bit more tame (and, unlike my esteemed colleague described in his Wednesday column, there were no fireworks displays). But at least we know when we should be celebrating.
Bottom line, until the Cincinnati Reds play their first game, the Major League Baseball season hasn’t started. They’re the oldest pro team, and tradition dictates they should play first — despite what current MLB officials and their TV network buddies have to say about it.
At any rate, we’re off and running on the 2004 season now. The Cubs are 1-2, having just dropped two-of-three to those same Reds. (Both losing Cubs pitchers are on my fantasy team, naturally.)
But with baseball fever picking up around the country, here are a few strange and interesting baseball facts, courtesy of www.jambone.com, you can peruse while watching a game:
• Ernie Lombardi used a massive 42-ounce bat. He was a phenomenal hitter, a slow runner, a good catcher and the last catcher to win a batting title.
(As a frame of reference, the average major-leaguer’s bat these days weighs about 33 ounces.)
Lombardi also had one of the biggest noses in the game. His nicknames were Schnozz, Lumbago, Bocci and the Cyrano of the mask.
• On June 17, 1953, the Boston Red Sox scored a modern day record 17 runs in one inning against the Detroit Tigers.
Obviously, that could’ve been prevented had Jamie “Cat” Walker been around in those days.
• Hank Aaron hit 755 home runs in his career, but never hit 50 in a season.
Of course if he played these days, he’d probably hit 60 or more every year, and everyone would accuse him of being on steroids.
• In 1984, Steve Garvey — then with the Padres — became the first-ever first baseman to finish the season with a perfect fielding average of 1.000.
Of course, most of his plays came courtesy of nice throws from the rest of the Padre infield, but they got none of the credit.
• Pitcher Dolly Gray holds the record for the most consecutive batters walked in one inning. Pitching for the Washington Senators in a 1909 game against the White Sox, Gray walked seven consecutive batters and gave up six runs in the second inning. He lost a complete game, 6-4.
What’s the deal? Didn’t the Senators have a bullpen?
• In 1966, Matty Alou of the Pittsburgh Pirates won the National League batting title with a .342 average. Runner-up was Matty’s brother, Felipe, who batted .327 for the Atlanta Braves. This marked the first occasion in which brothers had finished first and second in the batting race.
Don’t you know Felipe went through most of the season just hoping his brother would strike out, so he’d have bragging rights around the Thanksgiving dinner table?
(For more fun facts, visit www.jambone.com/BaseballFacts.htm. Or just wait until your friendly neighborhood sports editor needs some good filler material for his weekly column.)