Baseball players have tried to fool base runners into an out by using a fake ball made with a frozen, painted potato. The hidden potato trick has a hundred year history, and was last used in a 1987 minor league game.
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The Brooklyn Dodgers name stems…
The Brooklyn Dodgers name stems from a nickname given in the 1890s to people who, in a matter of life and death, had to evade railcars speeding down the streets. They were known as trolley dodgers. Trolleys were new inventions, which led to two issues. First, cities lacked the safety infrastructure which protects pedestrians today (e.g. well-delineated pedestrian paths which minimize intersection with traffic to deliberately designed, high-visibility crossings). Second, trolleys were much faster than the alternatives with which people were accustomed (horse carriages), and so folks were much less prepared to deal with them safely.
Baseball hall of famer Larry Walker…
Baseball hall of famer Larry Walker was fixated on the number 3. He wore number 33, was married on November 3 at 3:33 and his phone number had “as many threes as the phone company would allow.” In 1993, he signed a $3 million contract.
Russians purchased 500,000…
In 2014, Russians purchased 500,000 baseball bats, but only one ball. It may not make sense, but in Russia baseball bats are much more frequently used for protection, rather than for actual game.
In 1939, Major League pitcher, Bob Feller…
In 1939, Major League pitcher, Bob Feller, tested the speed of his pitches by throwing them against a racing motorcycle before radar guns were invented.
Baseball is so popular in Japan that many…
Baseball is so popular in Japan that many fans are surprised to hear that Americans also consider it their national sport.
The Cleveland Indians once had a $0.10 Beer Night…
The Cleveland Indians once had a $0.10 Beer Night. Cleveland had to forfeit the game when their drunk fans started a riot during the 9th inning. Players had to attack fans with baseball bats to protect themselves.
Kathryn Johnston became the first girl to play…
Kathryn Johnston became the first girl to play Little League baseball in 1950, when she tucked her hair under her hat, adopted the nickname “Tubby”, and joined the Kings Dairy team, posing as a boy. When she told her coach she was a girl, he said “That’s O.K., you’re a darned good player.”
On Jose Fernandez’s 4th attempt to defect from Cuba…
On Jose Fernandez’s 4th attempt to defect from Cuba to the US, a person fell overboard. Jose jumped into the waters and saved the person. He recalled, “I don’t remember much, just diving in the water and swimming towards this woman. As I was getting close, I could see it was my mother”.
In 1925 an all-black baseball team in Wichita, Kansas played…
In 1925 an all-black baseball team in Wichita, Kansas played an exhibition against a local KKK Klavern, with Irish Catholics serving as umpires. The black team won 10-8.