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Did you know ...

• Judge Henry F. Werker's rejection of unfair labor practice charges against baseball owners preceded the two-month 1981 Major League Baseball strike, even though his opinion ended by urging the parties to "PLAY BALL"?
• after pitcher Don Black suffered a cerebral hemorrhage during a baseball game, the Cleveland Indians played a benefit game and raised $40,000 for him?
• William Stevens wrote a law review article, The Common Law Origins of the Infield Fly Rule, which treated the development of one of baseball's most-misunderstood rules as if it were a legal matter?
• Teiji Honma became one of the first goaltenders in ice hockey to wear a mask when he used one that resembled a baseball catcher's mask at the 1936 Winter Olympics?
• Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium, Washington & Jefferson College's combined lacrosse, baseball, and soccer facility, is the largest continuous artificial playing surface in the world?
• after an ultimatum by the Chicago White Stockings to pull his African American players from the active roster, baseball manager Charlie Morton put Moses Fleetwood Walker back on despite having given him time off for injuries?
• after graduating from high school, baseball pitcher Ed Blake pitched batting practice for the St. Louis Cardinals during their 1943 World Series appearance?
• despite its author keeping detailed journals of his experiences, the baseball memoir Odd Man Out was criticized by many people named in the book as being factually inaccurate?
• despite being named one of the "top prospects of the decade" by Baseball America, American baseball pitcher Nick Neugebauer compiled a career record of just two wins and eight losses?
• at least four different knuckleball pitchers have been credited as the inventor of the knuckleball, first used in the 1907 or 1908 baseball season?
• an amateur baseball tournament held on August 16, 1933 in the Christie Pits, ended with Nazi-sympathisers unveiling a flag depicting a swastika?
• Rosario Rodríguez was the youngest baseball player in the National League during the 1989 season?
• Orval Grove was one out away from a no-hitter in a baseball game on July 8, 1943 when Joe Gordon hit a double off his pitch?
• left-handed specialists in baseball frequently enjoy long careers since their pitching arm suffers lesser stress?
• Labatt Park in London, Ontario, Canada is thought to be the oldest continually operating baseball diamond in the world?
• Johnny Temple became a sportscaster after he retired from Major League baseball?
  
• Johnny Sylvester received a promise from baseball player Babe Ruth while suffering from a life-threatening illness that he would hit a home run for him during the 1926 World Series?
• Mel Krause lost his job as head coach of the University of Oregon's baseball team when the university cut its century-old baseball program in 1981?
• Mike Menosky, a probation officer who was a former baseball player, helped to dismiss a court case by proving the defendant could not have thrown a rock 250 feet (76 m)?
• Nolan Reimold led the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in home runs (20), runs batted in (60), total bases (137), on-base % (.496), and slugging % (.770) throughout the baseball regular season?
• Nig Cuppy, having scored five runs against the Chicago Colts on August 9, 1895, holds the record for most runs scored by a pitcher in a major league baseball game?
• Mysterious Walker, who played for or coached more than 30 baseball, basketball and football teams, earned his nickname pitching for the San Francisco Seals under a pseudonym and wearing a mask?
• Morganna, the Kissing Bandit, originally wanted to be a nun but ran away from school at the age of 13 to become an exotic dancer and legendary kisser of baseball players?
• during spring training in 1997, Mexican baseball player Tavo Alvarez was mistakenly introduced as Taco Alvarez?
• former baseball pitcher Butch Wensloff served in the United States Army during World War II?
• the White House Tee Ball Initiative was created by President George W. Bush to promote baseball and softball by allowing youth Tee Ball events on the grounds of the White House in 2001?
• the pool game of baseball pocket billiards borrows both language and aspects of form from the game of baseball, featuring a pitcher, a home plate, runs and is played to nine innings?
• the Cuban national baseball team won the gold or silver medal at every Summer Olympics where baseball was an official Olympic sport?
• retired baseball coach Jacke Davis had five players he coached at Panola College go on to play in Major League Baseball?
• the champion of the new Australian Baseball League will be awarded the Claxton Shield (pictured), given to the top Australian baseball team since the first national tournament held in 1934?
• the longest extra inning game in professional baseball history was an International League game that lasted 33 innings?
• while serving in World War II, baseball player Eddie Kazak spent 18 months in hospitals recovering from a bayonet wound to his left arm and his right elbow being shattered by shrapnel?
• while playing baseball at Shibe Park, outfielder Herschel Bennett crashed into a wall, causing him to fall into a 36-hour coma and helping to end his major league career?
• two games after returning from injury in 2000, Reggie Taylor became the second-ever Scranton baseball player to collect five hits in a game?
• the term battery in baseball was first used by Henry Chadwick in reference to the firepower of a team's pitching staff, inspired by artillery batteries then in use in the American Civil War?
• on the very same day that baseball player Hector Mercado was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies, he was traded to the New York Mets for Mike Welch?
• on April 7, 1977, baseball pitcher Ken Brett was the Chicago White Sox's Opening Day starter against the Toronto Blue Jays in the latter's first-ever regular season game?
• former South African national rugby union team player Popeye Strydom also played baseball for Orange Free State?
• former Princeton Tigers Will Venable and Chris Young were the first players named first-team All-Ivy League in both basketball and baseball?
• former Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Dale Sittig was credited with obtaining lighting for the Louisiana State University at Eunice's baseball stadium?
• former baseball player Joe Abreu became an enthusiast of magic after he saw former baseball player and professional magician Carl Zamloch put on a magic show at his high school?
• in 1891, Gus Weyhing won 31 games pitching for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association, the third of his four consecutive 30-win seasons in baseball?
• in 1917, baseball managers John McGraw and Christy Mathewson were arrested after a game for playing on Sunday?
• in baseball, no Gold Glove Award-winning catcher posted an errorless season until Charles Johnson and Mike Matheny accomplished the feat twice in six years?
• in 1994, while baseball pitcher Kevin King was a member of the Seattle Mariners, he registered a loss on Opening Day against the Cleveland Indians?
• in 1911 baseball player Ed Konetchy and the St. Louis Cardinals were involved in a train wreck that killed 12 and injured 47, and Konetchy and manager Roger Bresnahan led the rescue effort?
• in 1992, baseball player Steve Rodriguez was named one of the West Coast Conference's top fifty athletes of all time?
• "Big John" Macklin coached the Michigan State Spartans football program to its first wins over Ohio State and Michigan and also coached the school's basketball, baseball and track teams?
• Joey Hamilton held five baseball records at Georgia Southern University until 1995?
• baseball player Jim Creighton's death at age 21 may have been caused by the force with which he swung his bat?
• baseball player Jimmy Brown led all St. Louis Cardinals hitters in batting average with .300 en route to their 1942 World Series victory?
• baseball player Jack Lelivelt's International League-record hitting streak set in 1912 was not recognized by the International League until 2007, the year it was broken?
• baseball player Jack Clements (baseball card pictured) was the first person to catch 1,000 games in Major League Baseball and the last regular catcher to throw left-handed?
• baseball player Esix Snead stole 507 bases in the minor-leagues but had just four stolen bases in the major leagues?
• baseball player Lyman Linde was part of the Beaver Dam High School basketball team when they were Wisconsin state champions in 1937?
• baseball player Slick Coffman pitched an 11-inning victory over Hall of Famer Lefty Grove in his first game in Major League Baseball?
• Harvard Business School associate professor and financial economist Randolph Cohen has published research on the valuation of baseball star Alex Rodriguez?
• Gary Sheffield is one of ten baseball players to join the 500 home run club since 1999?
• Dominican baseball player Tetelo Vargas led the Dominican Republic's winter baseball league in 1952, hitting for an average of .350 at the age of 46?
• Bill Klem (pictured), a major league baseball umpire who retired in 1941, holds umpiring records for most games officiated, most World Series officiated and most appearances as the home plate umpire?
• baseball player Don Kelly was drafted by the Detroit Tigers, made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and later played his first game as a Tiger against the Pirates?
• baseball player Randy Johnson has pitched six times on Opening Day for the Arizona Diamondbacks, three more times than any other pitcher in Diamondbacks' history?
• baseball Hall of Famer Fred Clarke was the last Louisville Colonels manager?
• 1912 Olympic champion Jim Thorpe was stripped of his track and field medals after it was discovered he had played baseball professionally?
• 20 days after he brought his high school baseball team to the state finals, Texas Rangers first-round draft pick David Clyde made his Major League Baseball debut?
• 13 baseball players Fred McAlister scouted for the St. Louis Cardinals became the team's first-round draft picks, and 12 made the major leagues?
• baseball pitcher Nick Carter was the Philadelphia Athletics' Opening Day starting pitcher in 1908, his only season on the Major Leagues?
• baseball pitcher Walter Johnson (pictured) made 14 Opening Day starts for the Washington Senators between 1910 and 1926?
• baseball player Ed Sprague, Jr. is the only Toronto Blue Jays first-round draft pick to be a part of both Blue Jays' World Series championships?
• baseball pitcher Marc Wilkins balked on Rob Ryan's first at bat, on the day of Ryan's major league debut, making the Arizona Diamondbacks score one run?
• baseball pitcher Darryl Scott was demoted to the minor leagues in 1993 while at a hospital with his wife and newborn son?
• baseball pitcher Antonio Bastardo had an average of 21.6 strikeouts per game after one start in 2007?
• Major League Baseball pitcher Stan Baumgartner was named to the All-Big Ten Conference teams for baseball, basketball, and football in 1914?
• major league baseball player Terry Pendleton participated in the World Series in 1985, 1987, 1991, 1992 and 1996, but lost all five times?
• Francis Ley is credited with introducing baseball to England with the Derby County Baseball Club?
• Floyd Rayford was the baseball player that Cal Ripken, Jr. replaced in the starting lineup to begin his streak of 2,632 consecutive games played?
• Dr. Edgar Fauver, a football and baseball player in the 1890s, became a pioneer in women's athletics coaching women's basketball and baseball at Barnard College in the 1900s?
• Eddie Gillette led the Wisconsin Badgers football team to an undefeated season and in baseball "beat some of the best pitchers in the 'Three-Eye League'"?
• Freeman Fitzgerald played football with Knute Rockne and once struck out 19 batters in a baseball game?
• Gordie Gillespie is the all-time winningest college baseball coach and was also selected as the head coach of the Chicago Tribune all-time Illinois high school football team?
• the word jazz was originally a California baseball slang term and was first applied to a style of music in Chicago?
• J. A. "Daff" Gammons played professional baseball and football, coached the Brown University football team, founded a successful insurance agency, and was an accomplished amateur golfer?
• Icehouse Wilson, a member of "Oakland's first World Champion Baseball team," had a career batting average of .000 in Major League Baseball?
• Ian Pont is the only professional cricketer to have played a professional baseball game?
• Dode Criss is considered by historian Bill James to be the first player to be used as a baseball pinch hitter regularly?
• Dick Woodson was the first baseball player to invoke the free agency clause?
• Artie Wilson, who hit .402 in 1948 with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, is often considered the last professional major league baseball player to bat over .400 for a season?
• Albert Sharpe participated in football, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, rowing, and track and field, and was called "the greatest living all round athlete" in 1915?
• Roger Connor, whose brother Joe Connor was also a baseball player, was the first to hit an over-the-wall home run at Polo Grounds?
• millipedes in the order Sphaerotheriida (pictured) roll up into balls the size of a cherry, a golf ball, or even a baseball when disturbed?
• Augie Schmidt won the Golden Spikes Award, an award given to the top amateur baseball player in the United States, in 1982?
• Bo Molenda played professional football, baseball and basketball and was the "workhorse" for the Green Bay Packers teams that won three consecutive NFL championships from 1929 to 1931?
• Darryl Brinkley, the first Northern League baseball player to bat .400, lost his chance to play in the majors due to the September 11, 2001 attacks?
• Darrin Winston still holds the baseball records for victories, innings pitched, and complete games at Rutgers University more than twenty years after he graduated?
• Crispin Sanchez, a pioneer of education and athletics among Mexican Americans in South Texas, turned down an opportunity to play baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals in order to attend college?
• Chick Gandil was the ringleader of the 1919 Black Sox scandal in American baseball?
• "discoveries" by baseball scout Paul Krichell included future Hall of Famers Lou Gehrig and Whitey Ford?