Opening Day in America!

Time for that seminal rite of spring, Opening Day for Baseball!  Thanks to George Will and the Washington Post for reminding us what really counts right now - at least until October.

"There'll be two buses leaving the hotel for the park tomorrow.

The 2 o'clock bus will be for those of you who need a little extra work.

The empty bus will leave at 5 o'clock."

— Dave Bristol, Milwaukee Brewers manager, 1972

Everyone needs extra work to prepare for the season. [answers below (full disclosure - I got only 14 right)]

1. Name the fourth player (the others are Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays) with a career .300 average, 500 home runs and 100 stolen bases.

• Mark McGwire
• Reggie Jackson
• Albert Pujols
• Harmon Killebrew

2. Name the player that played in the most wins.

• Cal Ripken Jr.
• Pete Rose
• Hank Aaron
• Brooks Robinson

3. Name the last player to get 3,000 hits without winning a batting title.

• Ichiro Suzuki
• Derek Jeter
• Rafael Palmeiro
• Craig Biggio

4. Who got 30 homers and 100 RBIs in a season for five different teams?

• Xavier Nady
• Bobby Bonds
• Alfonso Soriano
• Gary Sheffield

5.  Which player struck out three times in a game just once in 13 seasons?

• Joe DiMaggio
• Tony Gwynn
• Ozzie Smith
• Ozzie Guillen

6. Who hit .461 at home but .286 on the road?

• Roberto Alomar
• Gil Hodges
• Larry Walker
• Carl Yastrzemski

7. Who was the last person to enter September batting over .400?

• Daniel Murphy
• George Brett
• Jeff Bagwell
• Rod Carew

8. What player led his league in hits for three different teams?

• Juan Pierre
• Napoleon Lajoie
• Willie Keeler
• Paul Molitor

9. Who hit .408 in a season but lost the batting title?

• Shoeless Joe Jackson
• Ty Cobb
• George Sisler
• Ted Williams

10. Who hit at least 40 doubles in 10 seasons?

• Stan Musial
• Tris Speaker
• Wade Boggs
• Harry Heilman

11. Who was the first 40-year-old with a 100-RBI season?

• Willie Mays
• Dave Winfield
• Andres Galarraga
• Edgar Martinez

12. Which player is the most recent to win consecutive MVP awards?

• Alex Rodriguez
• Albert Pujols
• Miguel Cabrera
• Mike Trout

13. Who had the most career homers (399) without a 30-homer season?

• Al Kaline
• Andres Galarraga
• Dale Murphy
• Joe Carter

14. Who has the highest career batting average among players with at least 300 homers?

• Rogers Hornsby
• Lou Gehrig
• Babe Ruth
• Ted Williams

15. Who is the only non-Yankee with 500 home runs and three championships?

• David Ortiz
• Ted Williams
• Albert Pujols
• Jimmie Foxx

16. Who are the four right-handed hitters to lead the major leagues in hitting at least three times?

• Rogers Hornsby, Napoleon Lajoie, Roberto Clemente, Miguel Cabrera
• Tommy Davis, Roberto Clemente, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn
• Rogers Hornsby, Tommy Davis, Roberto Clemente, Miguel Cabrera
• Napoleon Lajoie, Tommy Davis, Wade Boggs, Miguel Cabrera

17. Who are the two pitchers to have 300 more strikeouts than walks (not counting intentional walks) in a season?

• Bob Feller and Nolan Ryan
• Sandy Koufax and Nolan Ryan
• Bob Feller and Randy Johnson
• Sandy Koufax and Randy Johnson

18. Which player was the only batter to average 200 hits per season in his first 14 seasons?

• Ichiro Suzuki
• Paul Waner
• Pete Rose
• Derek Jeter

19. Who holds the career record for doubles?

• Carl Yastrzemski
• Ty Cobb
• Tris Speaker
• Stan Musial

20.  Who are the three pairs of rookies of the year who were later enshrined in Cooperstown?

• Luis Aparicio and Frank Robinson, Tom Seaver and Rod Carew, Andre Dawson and Eddie Murray
• Willie McCovey and Don Drysdale, Tom Seaver and Rod Carew, Luis Aparicio and Tony Kubek
• Luis Aparicio and Tony Kubek, Andre Dawson and Eddie Murray, Don Drysdale and Brooks Robinson
• Don Drysdale and Brooks Robinson, Luis Aparicio and Frank Robinson, Andre Dawson and Eddie Murray

21. Who holds the record for most four-strikeout games?

• Ryan Howard
• Reggie Jackson
• Adam Dunn
• Pete Incaviglia

22. Who struck out in a record 37 consecutive games in a single season?

• Brad Hawpe
• Jarrod Saltalamacchia
• Adam Dunn
• Aaron Judge

23. What player was the first to win three MVP awards?

• Carl Hubbell
• Jimmie Foxx
• Stan Musial
• Roy Campanella

24. Who are the two third basemen with 500 home runs?

• Eddie Matthews and Mike Schmidt
• Eddie Matthews and Mel Ott
• Jim Thome and Mike Schmidt
• Mike Schmidt and Ernie Banks

25. Who was the first player to get 3,000 hits in the 20th century?

• Eddie Collins
• Napoleon Lajoie
• Honus Wagner
• Ty Cobb

26. What player had 999 walks with three starts to go in his career and did not reach 1,000?

• Greg Maddux
• Jim Bunning
• Jim Perry
• Fergie Jenkins

27. Who were the only two players to bat cleanup in a World Series at age 20?

• Ty Cobb and Miguel Cabrera
• Andruw Jones and Raul Mondesi
• Miguel Cabrera and Andruw Jones 
• Ty Cobb and Raul Mondesi

28. Who led his league in RBIs in 2014 while batting second?

• Mike Trout
• Rickey Henderson
• Chase Utley
• Johnny Damon

29. Although not in the Hall of Fame until 2017, what player reached base more than Jeff Bagwell, Roberto Clemente and Tony Gwynn and had five seasons with at least 30 doubles and 70 stolen bases (Ty Cobb had only three)?

• Tim Raines
• Craig Biggio
• Alan Trammell
• Shoeless Joe Jackson

30. What player is the only player with at least 100 triples, 150 homers and 600 stolen bases?

• Kenny Lofton
• Honus Wagner
• Rickey Henderson
• Tim Raines

31. Who was the only 300-game winner between the world wars?

• Carl Hubbell
• Lefty Grove
• Ted Lyons
• Wait Hoyte

32. What pitcher threw a no-hitter with no walks and 17 strikeouts?

• Don Wilson
• Max Scherzer
• Nolan Ryan
• Warren Spahn

33. Who scored the most World Series runs?

• Derek Jeter
• Yogi Berra
• Mickey Mantle
• Roger Marris

34. Who was the first White Sox player to be named MVP?

• Nellie Fox
• Dick Allen
• Luke Appling
• Eddie Collins

35. Who won 25 or more games three times in the 1960s but never won a Cy Young award?

• Sam McDowell
• Denny McLain
• Bob Gibson
• Juan Marichal

36. Which player won the most ERA titles?

• Pete Alexander
• Roger Clemens
• Sandy Koufax
• Lefty Grove

37. Who is the only catcher to win three batting titles?

• Joe Mauer
• Ernie Lombardi
• Eugene "Bubbles" Hargrove
• Rogers Hornsby

38. Who led his league in batting average his first two seasons?

• Napoleon Lajoie
• Ichiro Suzuki
• Tony Oliva
• Rod Carew

39. Which player had three seasons with 40 or more homers and fewer strikeouts than homers?

• Johnny Mize
• Ted Kluszewski
• Lou Gehrig
• Joe DiMaggio

40. Who was the Hall of Famer who hit a record four triple plays?

• Deacon McGuire
• Joe Start
• George Sisler
• Brooks Robinson 

41. Bonus question: What manager said, "Our phenoms aren't phenomenating."?

• Casey Stengel
• Gil Hodges
• Lou Piniella
• Lefty Phillips

ANSWERS:

1. Albert Pujols
2. Pete Rose
3. Derek Jeter
4. Gary Sheffield
5. Joe DiMaggio
6. Larry Walker
7. George Brett
8. Paul Molitor
9. Shoeless Joe Jackson
10. Tris Speaker
11. Dave Winfield
12. Miguel Cabrera
13. Al Kaline
14. Rogers Hornsby
15. David Ortiz
16. Rogers Hornsby, Napoleon Lajoie, Roberto Clemente, Miguel Cabrera
17. Sandy Koufax and Randy Johnson
18. Ichiro Suzuki
19. Tris Speaker
20. Luis Aparicio and Frank Robinson, Tom Seaver and Rod Carew, Andre Dawson and Eddie Murray
21. Ryan Howard
22. Aaron Judge
23. Jimmie Foxx
24. Eddie Matthews and Mike Schmidt
25. Honus Wagner
26. Greg Maddux
27. Ty Cobb and Miguel Cabrera
28. Mike Trout
29. Tim Raines
30. Tim Raines
31. Lefty Grove
32. Max Scherzer
33. Mickey Mantle
34. Nellie Fox 
35. Juan Marichal
36. Lefty Grove
37. Joe Mauer
38. Tony Oliva
39. Ted Kluszewski
40. Brooks Robinson
41. Lefty Phillips

The Tragedy of Washington Sports Teams

Ninety-two years.  That's a long time to wait.  1924 was the last time that a Washington baseball team won a post season series.  And it just grew by one more.  Despite winning the National League East and having one of the most formidable starting rotations in baseball, the Washington Nationals lost last night in game 5 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The season is over.

As most you all know, dear readers, I grew up in New York, rooting for the team that plays baseball in the Bronx.  I was never a big fan of the guys that played in that "purple stadium" in Queens.  When I came to DC, I signed on with the Nationals as soon as they arrived.  I went to Opening Day for the first several seasons and made it to at least half a dozen games each season.  At some point I will have season tickets for the team.  I would tell my New York friends that I was fine rooting for the Nats - it was only if they made it to the World Series against the Yankees that I would find myself in a dilemma.  With the way that both teams have been playing the last few seasons, I'm OK for now.

I stayed up to watch the entire game and sat on the edge of my seat as the Nationals put the tying and go ahead runs on base in the bottom of the night.  Then I held the remote in my hand for the final at-bat, with my finger on the power button, and turned it off seconds after the last swing.  Mrs. BA and I had allowed LBA and SoBA to watch the beginning of the game - sending them to bed when the Nationals were up 1-0.  I didn't have the heart to tell either of them this morning - though LBA had learned the outcome from his device.  We didn't discuss it.

I don't really have a solution for the team - I guess if I did, I'd be in the dugout with Dusty.  But I do think there is something to be said for the curse that afflicts the sports teams in the Capital City.  The Nationals will get there at some point, hopefully before they hit the century mark of a postseason win drought.

In related news, the National Hockey League started its season and the Washington Capitals had their first game last night, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins.  I am not in a position to comment on that team's successes and failures, my friend ADR has lived with them much longer than I.  Again, as noted, I am a New Yorker by birth and grew up with my allegiance pledged to the New York Rangers.  It has made for some tense conversations with ADR, especially at playoff time.  I can root for the Caps, and do so, except when the Rangers face off against them, which happens a fair number of times during the season and often during the Stanley Cup playoffs.  The Rangers know of Cup droughts, going more that 40 years between Cup wins.  The Caps haven't hoisted the Cup yet and continue to perform above expectations each season.  With the dawn of each season, there is hope.  But here in Washington, sadness and anger smack us again at the end of a season, with goals unfulfilled.  Here's to another great season and that maybe, this is the year.

I won't comment on the basketball team - I'm not a big fan of the bouncy ball and the sport doesn't really do it for me.  I do like college basketball and will watch March Madness.  But other than that, I can't get excited about it.  As to the Washington football team, I don't particularly care about that sport either, I was never a big football fan growing up, but as I will say, if you pin me down, I was a fan of the Giants over the Jets.  Now, while the team that currently plays football here has won the Super Bowl, I really believe that they won't (or can't) win again until the weasel owner of the team is gone.  I don't really care about the name controversy, I suppose it should change, but he's not in favor of that, so that sort of puts me on the other side of that issue, if only to be in opposition to him.

Finally, as a parent of two boys engaged in soccer for their fall sport, this is one that I really don't get.  Maybe I just don't understand it well enough - but there is nothing more mind numbing that watching players run up and down a field, with the occasional (and infrequent) goal here and there.  But I'll root for the Cheverly teams any day of the week and twice on Sundays (which is usually the case with both of them playing games on Saturdays and Sundays for the next few weeks.

Baseball Answers

How'd you do?

1.  Name the team that won a record 26 consecutive games (but finished fourth).

1. 1916 New York Giants

2.  Name the player among those with 3,000 hits, the player with the fewest home runs.

2.  Eddie Collins

3. Who is the player who led both leagues in homers and triples (not in the same season)?

2. Sam Crawford

4.  Who hit the only game seven World Series walk-off home run?

4. Bill Mazeroski

5.  Name the four players who hit World Series homers in three different decades.

1. Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Eddie Murray, Matt Williams

6.  Who was the first manager to lead three teams to pennants?

2. Bill McKechnie

7. Who, after managers Connie Mack and John McGraw, had the most consecutive years managing one team?

4. Walter Alston

8.  Who was the first player to hit 30 home runs, score 125 runs and steal 45 bases in a season?

1. Mike Trout

9.  Name the four hitters who, since World War II, had five or more seasons batting .350 or better.

4. Wade Boggs, Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, Ted Williams

10. Name the five hitters ranked in the top 25 in career singles, doubles and triples.

2. Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Tris Speaker, Paul Waner, Honus Wagner

11. Whose 44 hits in his first month is second to Joe DiMaggio's 48?

3. Yasiel Puig

12. Who are the four Hall of Fame pitchers DiMaggio faced during his 56-game hitting streak?

4. Bob Feller, Lefty Grove, Ted Lyons, Hal Newhouser

13. Who was the youngest player to lead the National League in hits?

3. Starlin Castro

14. Name the three players to get two extra-base hits in an All-Star game before age 23.

3. Ken Griffey, Jr., Mike Trout, Ted Williams

15. Who played seven straight seasons with a .300 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 walks?

1. Frank Thomas

16. Name the Hall of Famer who played most of his games as DH.

4. Frank Thomas

17. Who was the second player, after Ty Cobb, to have at least 221 hits, 46 doubles and 54 steals in a season?

1. Jose Altuve

18. Name the team that had five consecutive Rookie of the Year winners.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

19. Who was the player who slugged .826 in a six-game World Series, with a record 10 RBIs, but whose team lost?

2. Ted Kluszewski

20. Which player had the most consecutive World Series hits (7)?

3. Billy Hatcher

21. What is the record number of games in a season in which a team homered?

4. 131

22. Who had the most career RBIs (1,903) without ever leading the league?

3. Willie Mays

23. Name the player who reached a base in a record 84 consecutive games.

4. Ted Williams

24. Name the most recent former Rookie of the Year elected to the Hall of Fame.

2. Mike Piazza

25. Which two pitchers pitched 27 World Series innings without yielding an earned run?

2. Christy Mathewson, Waite Hoyt

26. Who was the only player in the last 100 years who twice in a season scored four runs in a game without a hit?

2. Bryce Harper

27. Name the pitcher who won 107 games before age 23.

2. Bob Feller

28. Which pitcher was the first to have two 300-strikeout seasons?

3. Rube Waddell

29. Name the four pitchers to win at least two Cy Young awards, to win at least two World Series rings, and pitch a no-hitter.

1. Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Tim Lincecum, Jim Palmer

30. Who were the three pitchers who started five All-Star games?

4. Don Drysdale, Lefty Gomez, Robin Roberts

31. Name the team that had the highest American League season winning percentage.

2. 1954 Cleveland Indians

32. Name the team with the most wins in an AL season.

3. Seattle Mariners

33. Which NL team holds the best single-season winning percentage since 1900?

2. 1906 Chicago Cubs

34.  Which team that existed in 1900 took the longest to win a World Series?

4. Philadelphia Phillies

35. Name the youngest unanimous MVP.

1. Bryce Harper

36. Name the three pitchers to strike out 150 in each of their first nine seasons.

1. Hideo Nomo, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton

37. Who was the first infielder (other than first basemen) to hit 500 home runs?

4. Eddie Mathews

38. Name the manager of the AL team with a season-record 116 wins.

3. Lou Piniella

39. Who won a home run title with a batting average lower than that year's Cy Young winner, Steve Carlton (.218)?

4. Dave Kingman

40. Name the pitcher who retired 46 consecutive batters.

1. Yusmeiro Petit

Bonus question: Who said, "All of the Mets' road wins against the Dodgers this year occurred at Dodger Stadium."?

2. Ralph Kiner

Baseball Is Back, Baby!

To commemorate the return of America's Pastime - here is George Will's Annual Baseball Quiz.  How well do you know baseball?  Answers on Thursday - the day of the Nationals Home Opener.

1.  Name the team that won a record 26 consecutive games (but finished fourth).

1. 1916 New York Giants
2. 1935 Chicago Cubs 
3. 1998 New York Yankees 
4. 2002 Oakland Athletics 

2.  Name the player among those with 3,000 hits, the player with the fewest home runs.

1. Stan Musial 
2. Eddie Collins 
3. Rickey Henderson 
4. Pete Rose 

3. Who is the player who led both leagues in homers and triples (not in the same season)?

1. Albert Pujols 
2. Sam Crawford 
3. Fred McGriff 
4. Mark McGwire

4.  Who hit the only game seven World Series walk-off home run?

1. Joe Carter 
2. Jack Morris 
3. Mickey Mantle 
4. Bill Mazeroski

5.  Name the four players who hit World Series homers in three different decades.

1. Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Eddie Murray, Matt Williams 
2. Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Bill Skowron 
3. Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Goose Goslin 
4. Babe Ruth, Matt Williams, Duke Snider, Frank Robinson

6.  Who was the first manager to lead three teams to pennants?

1. Joe McCarthy 
2. Bill McKechnie 
3. Tony La Russa 
4. John McGraw

7. Who, after managers Connie Mack and John McGraw, had the most consecutive years managing one team?

1. Bobby Cox 
2. Joe Torre 
3. Sparky Anderson 
4. Walter Alston

8.  Who was the first player to hit 30 home runs, score 125 runs and steal 45 bases in a season?

1. Mike Trout 
2. Jose Canseco 
3. Gary Sheffield 
4. Ken Griffey, Jr.

9.  Name the four hitters who, since World War II, had five or more seasons batting .350 or better.

1. Barry Bonds, Rod Carew, Nomar Garciaparra, Roberto Clemente 
2. Todd Helton, Tony Gwynn, Roberto Clemente, Larry Walker 
3. Paul Hoover, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, Barry Bonds 
4. Wade Boggs, Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, Ted Williams

10. Name the five hitters ranked in the top 25 in career singles, doubles and triples.

1. Tris Speaker, Ichiro Suzuki, George Brett, Pete Rose, Eddie Collins 
2. Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Tris Speaker, Paul Waner, Honus Wagner 
3. Pete Rose, Hank Aaron, Cap Anson, Ty Cobb, Carl Yastrzemski 
4. Goose Goslin, Rod Carew, Paul Waner, Wade Boggs, Cal Ripken

11. Whose 44 hits in his first month is second to Joe DiMaggio's 48?

1. Steve Sax 
2. Mike Trout 
3. Yasiel Puig 
4. Ichiro Suzuki

12. Who are the four Hall of Fame pitchers DiMaggio faced during his 56-game hitting streak?

1. Hal Newhouser, Dizzy Trout, Bob Feller, Claude Passeau 
2. Mort Cooper, Bucky Walters, Dizzy Trout, Al Benton 
3. Dutch Leonard, Mort Cooper, Whit Wyatt, Bob Feller 
4. Bob Feller, Lefty Grove, Ted Lyons, Hal Newhouser

13. Who was the youngest player to lead the National League in hits?

1. Freddie Lindstrom 
2. Stan Musial 
3. Starlin Castro 
4. Vada Pinson

14. Name the three players to get two extra-base hits in an All-Star game before age 23.

1. Bryce Harper, Ken Griffey, Jr., Paul Konerko 
2. Mike Trout, Andruw Jones, Ernie Banks 
3. Ken Griffey, Jr., Mike Trout, Ted Williams 
4. Albert Pujols, Bryce Harper, Willie Mays

15. Who played seven straight seasons with a .300 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 walks?

1. Frank Thomas 
2. Barry Bonds 
3. Babe Ruth 
4. Jimmie Foxx

16. Name the Hall of Famer who played most of his games as DH.

1. Paul Molitor 
2. Jim Rice 
3. Eddie Murray 
4. Frank Thomas

17. Who was the second player, after Ty Cobb, to have at least 221 hits, 46 doubles and 54 steals in a season?

1. Jose Altuve
2. Willie Mays 
3. Jimmy Rollins 
4. Stan Musial

18. Name the team that had five consecutive Rookie of the Year winners.

1. Oakland Athletics 
2. Atlanta Braves 
3. Chicago Cubs 
4. Los Angeles Dodgers

19. Who was the player who slugged .826 in a six-game World Series, with a record 10 RBIs, but whose team lost?

1. Gil Hodges 
2. Ted Kluszewski 
3. Lee May 
4. Lou Gehrig

20. Which player had the most consecutive World Series hits (7)?

1. Frank Baker 
2. Bobby Richardson 
3. Billy Hatcher 
4. Roberto Alomar

21. What is the record number of games in a season in which a team homered?

1. 108 
2. 117 
3. 127 
4. 131

22. Who had the most career RBIs (1,903) without ever leading the league?

1. Hank Aaron 
2. Ty Cobb 
3. Willie Mays 
4. Ted Williams

23. Name the player who reached a base in a record 84 consecutive games.

1. Joe DiMaggio 
2. Pete Rose 
3. Willie Keeler 
4. Ted Williams

24. Name the most recent former Rookie of the Year elected to the Hall of Fame.

1. Andre Dawson 
2. Mike Piazza 
3. Cal Ripken 
4. Ken Griffey, Jr.

25. Which two pitchers pitched 27 World Series innings without yielding an earned run?

1. Whitey Ford, Jack Billingham 
2. Christy Mathewson, Waite Hoyt 
3. Joe McGinnity, Babe Ruth 
4. Carl Hubbell, Joe Dobson

26. Who was the only player in the last 100 years who twice in a season scored four runs in a game without a hit?

1. Ted Williams 
2. Bryce Harper 
3. Rickey Henderson 
4. Jackie Robinson

27. Name the pitcher who won 107 games before age 23.

1. Walter Johnson 
2. Bob Feller 
3. Hal Newhouser 
4. Denny McLain

28. Which pitcher was the first to have two 300-strikeout seasons?

1. Sandy Koufax 
2. Nolan Ryan 
3. Rube Waddell 
4. Walter Johnson

29. Name the four pitchers to win at least two Cy Young awards, to win at least two World Series rings, and pitch a no-hitter.

1. Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Tim Lincecum, Jim Palmer 
2. Randy Johnson, Bret Saberhagen, Roger Clemens, Bob Gibson 
3. Pedro Martinez, Tim Lincecum, Steve Carlton, Greg Maddux 
4. Greg Maddux, Roy Halladay, Pedro Martinez, Tom Seaver

30. Who were the three pitchers who started five All-Star games?

1. Lefty Gomez, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux 
2. Roger Clemens, Jack Morris, Jim Bunning 
3. Greg Maddux, Jim Palmer, Whitey Ford 
4. Don Drysdale, Lefty Gomez, Robin Roberts

31. Name the team that had the highest American League season winning percentage.

1. 1927 New York Yankees 
2. 1954 Cleveland Indians 
3. 1998 New York Yankees 
4. 2001 Seattle Mariners

32. Name the team with the most wins in an AL season.

1. Cleveland Indians 
2. New York Yankees 
3. Seattle Mariners 
4. Philadelphia Athletics

33. Which NL team holds the best single-season winning percentage since 1900?

1. 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates 
2. 1906 Chicago Cubs 
3. 1975 Cincinnati Reds 
4. 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates

34.  Which team that existed in 1900 took the longest to win a World Series?

1. Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers 
2. Cincinnati Reds 
3. Pittsburgh Pirates 
4. Philadelphia Phillies

35. Name the youngest unanimous MVP.

1. Bryce Harper 
2. Ken Griffey, Jr. 
3. Barry Bonds 
4. Cal Ripken

36. Name the three pitchers to strike out 150 in each of their first nine seasons.

1. Hideo Nomo, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton 
2. Fergie Jenkins, Roger Clemens, Steve Carlton 
3. Justin Verlander, Fergie Jenkins, Lefty Grove 
4. Felix Hernandez, Walter Johnson, Hideo Nomo

37. Who was the first infielder (other than first basemen) to hit 500 home runs?

1. Alex Rodriguez 
2. Mike Schmidt 
3. Yogi Berra 
4. Eddie Mathews

38. Name the manager of the AL team with a season-record 116 wins.

1. Joe Torre 
2. Tony La Russa 
3. Lou Piniella 
4. Joe McCarthy

39. Who won a home run title with a batting average lower than that year's Cy Young winner, Steve Carlton (.218)?

1. Rob Deer 
2. Mark McGwire 
3. Tony Armas 
4. Dave Kingman

40. Name the pitcher who retired 46 consecutive batters.

1. Yusmeiro Petit
2. Mark Buehrle 
3. Zack Greinke 
4. Walter Johnson

Bonus question: Who said, "All of the Mets' road wins against the Dodgers this year occurred at Dodger Stadium."?

1. Gil Hodges 
2. Ralph Kiner 
3. Harry Caray 
4. Tom Seaver

It's A Beautiful Night for Baseball!

Tonight is the annual outing where I invite 200 of my closest archival friends to a baseball game during the Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archivists.  With the SAA Annual Meeting here in Washington, DC this year, that means the Washington Nationals.  Tonight, the Nats will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (which was the team that we saw the first time I organized this outing, lo these many years ago).

Here's a post that came out on BuzzFeed back at the beginning of the baseball season on why "Baseball is the Best Sport for Anxious Fans." (click the link to see the associated pictures with the text below)

We all know the horror of watching your closing pitcher blow a lead. But for the overall anxious among us, baseball provides invaluable respite.

1. There are 162 games in a season. Day One! So filled with hope! With so many games on the schedule, losses are easier to stomach than in other sports… 
2. Each game is roughly three hours long. So over the course of a season, you invest an unspeakable amount of time and nervous energy into baseball that might otherwise be pent up in anxiety.
3. Baseball stadiums are significantly less stressful than arenas for other sports. Your team is down by 5 runs? Shrug it off, go buy yourself a $25 hot dog. So get out there, the sun’s good for you. Just don’t forget sunblock.
4. The pace of the game is rarely stressful due to its slow pace. We all know those strikeout, fly out, ground out innings. Which gives you time to get to know your favorite players and their quirky personalities.
5. However, something exciting could happen at any moment, which helps keeps your focus on the game and not on external stressors. Honestly, whose day wouldn’t be made better by a Bartolo Colon home run? 
6. Following the game closely could actually stimulate your brain in a calming way.
7. Diving deep into the world of complicated statistics can be tranquilizing for the more obsessive of us. 
8. Nostalgia, considered a reprieve from emotional distress, goes hand in hand with baseball. Much has been written about the traditional and ritualistic nature of the game. Richard Skolnik says “Baseball memories are said to be memories of America’s youth, and to represent rich receptacles of traditions and values as meaningful as the greater socio-cultural context in which the game is played.”
9. Even after the stressful end of the season, you have a long offseason to recover.
10. Yet nothing puts a smile on your face like waking up and realizing pitchers and catchers are set to report that day.

The Babe Takes the Field

LBA wrapped up another season of baseball last month, as did SoBA on a developmental clinic for T-Ball.  The two of them are pretty rabid about baseball.  They really enjoyed their trip to Cooperstown in April (as both Mrs. BA and I did as well).  At the Hall of Fame, there is a special exhibition devoted to "The Babe."


Today marks the day (July 11, 1914) when Babe Ruth took to the bump for the Boston Red Sox to begin his pitching career.  Ruth pitched seven innings to lead the Sox over the Cleveland Indians 4-3, giving up five hits over six innings. 

Born in Baltimore in 1895, George Herman "Babe" Ruth, was the first of eight children, although only he and a sister survived past infancy.  Ruth was constantly in trouble with his parents and school officials - and was sent to the St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys until the age of 19.  In 1914, he was signed as a pitcher by the Baltimore Orioles who shortly thereafter sold him to the Red Sox.  He was given the nickname Babe, primarily due to his youth.  He of course, went on to legend as a New York Yankee.

[Home] Opening Day!

The Washington Nationals open their season today at home (they started the season on the road - with a series against the Mets earlier this week).  There's instant replay in baseball this year and each of the managers are allowed one challenge (like in football).  The problem is - we may not see some of these managerial eruptions any more.  From BuzzFeed.

"In a preseason game Monday, Major League Baseball saw its first use of the expanded instant replay system.  This is great news! But there is also reason to mourn. Because the advent of instant replay could mean a scarcity of disputed calls, and therefore, epic manager ejections. So let’s take this moment to appreciate some of the great manager meltdowns of the past."

1.  Lou Piniella - June 2, 2007 - one of the all time greats at blowing up, Lou Piniella even has a signature move — kicking his hat around the field. Which he enthusiastically employs here. This was his first ejection as Cubs manager, and the crowd is immediately behind him, launching their own hats and assorted detritus onto the field in solidarity.
Best Part: The groundskeeping crew swarming the field to collect the debris at the end.
End result: Lou’s Cubs lost, 3-5.

2.  Joe Mikulik - June 25, 2006 - the minor leagues are known for having some of the best manager meltdowns around. Frequently, minor league managers will “get their money’s worth” from their ejections in an attempt to raise the profile of themselves or their teams. Here, Joe Mikulik just plain goes ballistic, throwing bases, covering home plate with dirt, throwing bats on the field and more, all while the home team sound system taunts Mikulik with a stream of music and movie clips (the “Who’s On First” routine matches shockingly well).
Best moment: After Mikulik throws bats out on the field, the poor bat boy takes a step toward them to clean them up, only to jump back from Mikulik’s re-emergence from the dugout.
End result: The Tourists lost, 2-5.

3.  Gary Robinson - August 27, 2010 - There are certain moves that become recurring themes in manager meltdowns — kicking dirt on the umpires, uprooting and throwing the bases, and covering home plate with dirt are tried and true favorites. But sometimes a manager takes a move and makes it his own. Take State College Spikes manager Gary Robinson, who doesn’t just remove a base, he then PULLS A PEN OUT OF HIS UNIFORM AND AUTOGRAPHS IT for a kid in the stands. Was it planned? Improvised? I’m honestly not sure which is more awesome.
Best moment: The kid’s awkward thumbs up to the camera after he receives the autographed base.
End result: The Spikes lost 3-7.

4.  Gary Allenson - June 12, 2011 - Here is an ejection tirade that will probably never be replicated. In the top of the ninth inning, Norfolk Tides right fielder Tyler Henson launches what appears to be a home run, but upon replay is actually a ground rule double. The ball landed behind the padding of the wall. The Durham Bulls players notified the umps that the ball was still behind the padding, and the umps reversed the call. Tides manager Gary Allenson did not agree with overturning the call. Presumably thinking that the ball behind the wall was already there from before, Allenson marched out to the wall, climbed the wall, and searched the grass behind the wall to see if he could find, in theory, the “real” ball. Not surprisingly, he did not find it.
Best moment: The “Well what did you expect to find?!” smirk from the umpire during Allenson’s long walk back.
End result: The Tides won even without the home run, 11-5.

5.  Wally Backman - June 26, 2007 - in 2007, a ten episode documentary called “Playing For Peanuts” followed the return of manager Wally Backman to minor league baseball, as he managed the South Georgia Peanuts. During one game, Backman came out to argue a call, got ejected, and proceeded to flip out on the umpires. The cameras recorded every single word (most of those words NSFW) for future generations to enjoy, in all it’s bat-throwing, nail-clipping glory.
Best moment: “Let’s go have a beer, Doug.”
End Result: The Peanuts lost 5-6.

6.  Phillip Wellman - June 1, 2007 - there is a point at which this stops being a baseball ejection and becomes something resembling performance art. It starts off with the classics — covering home plate in dirt, removing bases and throwing them, etc. But then Mississippi Braves manager Phillip Wellman takes it to another level, dropping to the ground in an army crawl, and pantomiming throwing a rosin bag grenade at one of the umpires before ultimately marching through the outfield to the exit, pausing to bow to his adoring fans.
Best moment: Are you kidding? Of course it’s the grenade throw.
End result: The Braves lost 6-7.

7.  Earl Weaver - September 17, 1980 - this confrontation is profane, hilarious baseball poetry. Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver, a true baseball character who once had a meltdown so massive he ended up forfeiting a game in the middle of a pennant race, and umpire Bill Haller get into a truly extraordinary shouting match. There are countless amazing lines from each. Weaver is a diminutive bulldog, going straight at his much taller opponent, and Haller is the perfect dance partner, alternatively dishing the hostility back at Weaver, then dismissing him with a weary, “Ahhhh.” Notice how Weaver plays the crowd, coaxing a thrilled cheer from them with every time he turns back to continue the confrontation.
Best moment: Though the video is dominated by Weaver, Haller lands the best blow with, “You gonna be in the Hall of Fame for f*cking up World Series?”
End result: Weaver’s Orioles coasted, 9-3.

"Although baseball’s expanded replay system will eliminate plenty of mistakes, balls and strikes, most managers’ favorite argument topics, still belong strictly to the umps. So while the apoplectic manager might become more rare, he will likely never go extinct."

Let's Go Zephyrs!

Tonight is the Brave Astronaut's last night in the Big Easy and the Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archivists. I am celebrating with an outing with a group of friends at the New Orleans Zephyrs game in nearby Metarie.  As most of you know - I have been organizing outings to baseball at the SAA Annual Meeting for the past several years, including a visit to the Zephyrs and New Orleans in 2005 (a week before Katrina struck the city).

For that past few baseball seasons, I have also been running a fantasy baseball team, named the Brave Astronauts of course.  I have finished in the middle of the pack most years - this year I have had better offense than I have had in years past, when my pitching has been strongest.  Some time ago, I saw this post about the "Ultimate Fictional Baseball Team."  It's like fantasy, fantasy baseball.

Thanks SAA for another great week in the Big Easy!  Back home again tomorrow!

Baseball Movies

Tomorrow is LBA's last baseball game - he has been playing on a team this year comprised of 9 and 10 year-old kids and has been holding his own.  I'm very proud of him.  The team hasn't done well (their best games were the rainouts) but he has contributed to the team in just about every game.

LBA is of course a big fan of baseball movies - I caught him watching "A League of Their Own" unsupervised a while back - though we had watched together before - and luckily, for the most part - the adult content goes over his head.  LBA was also after me to take him to see 42, the Jackie Robinson biopic, we missed it in the theaters - but we will see it as soon as its available on demand.

But here's a brief essay (click on the link for pictures from the post) of "Why Baseball Movies are the Best"

It starts when you’re young . . . When you still believe anything could happen . . . Like Tony Danza could be a star pitcher. And breaking your arm could help you earn a spot on the Cubs. Being an MLB manager before graduating middle school doesn’t seem too crazy. And a bunch of misfits could become champions. It’s a sport filled with has-beens, renegades, and never-will-bes. It’s dominated by weird superstitions and even weirder personalities. And hey, this happened in a baseball movie! It’s a comedy of errors, but sometimes, when you least expect it, it knocks you off your feet. Because baseball has heart, miles and miles of heart, where naturals finally get their storybook ending. And it’s okay to cry, no matter what Tom Hanks says. Because it’s a place where it’s okay to listen to mysterious voices, and it’s okay to dream. Because baseball represents something more and you’re never too old to have a catch with your dad.

On Hockey and New York Sports Teams

It's Sunday October 14 and normally hockey season would be underway.  However, for the third time in about 20 years, the NHL owners and players are at odds - the owners have locked out the players - and there is no NHL.  The NHL has already canceled games through the end of this month.

I have at least one friend who, after the last strike (which canceled the entire season), stayed away from hockey for about five years.  She has said she might be done altogether this time.

Today I fully expected to tune in to watch the first game of the NLCS with the Washington Nationals taking on the San Francisco Giants.  Unfortunately, Friday night was a soul-crushing, mind-boggling defeat of the Nationals by the St. Louis Cardinals.  I still can't go into it without getting depressed, angry, upset.  But I still have my Natitude and we'll be back next year.

There is baseball still to watch, I suppose, although the Orioles were also defeated by the New York Yankees, though I was more prepared for that outcome.  The Yankees are now facing the Detroit Tigers and lost game 1 AND their captain, Derek Jeter, who broke his ankle in the 12th inning last night.

This leads me to a commentary on New York sports teams.

As most everyone knows, I was born and raised in New York.  I am a fan of the New York Rangers in hockey and the New York Yankees in baseball.  I have never been a huge football fan and I would usually tell people when asked to pick a team - it would be the Giants.

Since moving to Washington, I have been more involved with the teams that live and play here, obviously.  I fell hard for the Nationals and root for them religiously and will continue to do so.  My New York friends questioned how I could do that as a Yankees fan - I quickly responded that I could have a National League affiliation and an American League affiliation.  I presumed the two teams wouldn't meet in a World Series for a few more years (despite the possibility that existed this year, which vanished on Friday night).

I have been moving in the direction of rooting for the Washington Capitals more than the Rangers in recent years - as I explained to a friend, who is a lifelong Caps fan - I knew more about that team than the current Rangers.  The Rangers I knew and loved were the ones of my youth.  But of course, now with hockey iced for the foreseeable future - I am not sure what to do. 


I have been teased about my allegiance to the Yankees - the devil incarnate to some, well, many.  But I really believe in team loyalty, which is why I may be a half-hearted Yankee fan - I am an ardent fan of Derek Jeter, who has only ever worn pinstripes and will always wear pinstripes.  That other guy, who they paid all that money to and plays third base?  Not a Yankee (and probably won't be next year).  Players that have come to the Yankees for money (and sometimes fame) are not truly loyal to the team, like Jeter, DiMaggio, Maris, Gehrig.

I will continue to follow the Yankees and cheer their successes (which I don't think they will have this season, BTW).  But I will be a bigger fan of the Nationals going forward.  I may start to root for the Orioles a little more passionately - but that may take a change in ownership before that can really happen.

As to hockey - it appears I don't have a decision to make right now.  But if and when the season comes back - I will figure it out.  I will root for the Caps, because they're here and I will cheer their successes as well.  They're due for something great and it will be a fun ride to be a part of.  Those Rangers of my younger days have been at the top - and they may get there again someday.  My mother will haunt me if I turn my back on them altogether - so I'll keep an eye on the sports pages to see how they're doing.

On Baseball

The weather today is cool, there's some rain around.  Hey, it's October.  And that means playoff baseball.

As most of my readers know, I grew up in New York and have been a lifelong New York Yankees fan.  When I moved to Washington, I soon fell hard for the new team that arrived here, the Washington Nationals.  I have been to opening day for each of the seasons the Nationals have had - and have rooted for them endlessly.  My friends often asked me what would happen if the Yankees and the Nationals met in the World Series - who would I root for?  My usual response was that I didn't have to think about that for awhile.

Until this year.

The Washington Nationals, the team with the best record in all of baseball, is playing its first playoff baseball game in its brief history.  The team they used to be, the Montreal Expos, were in the World Series in 1981, but that's long in the past.  There is playoff baseball in Washington DC for the first time since 1933.  The Washington Senators made it to the postseason three times, winning the World Series only once.

I can dream how this will all turn out.  I would love to see the Nationals go all the way - but I'm not sure it will happen.  The statistic that is getting a lot of airtime is that since the MLB went to the wild card format - the team with the best record in baseball has one the World Series only three times (I will point out that one of those was the New York Yankees).

Watch along with me and see what happens.  Here's my predictions on the divisional series:

NLDS #1 - Washington Nationals vs. the St. Louis Cardinals - Nationals in 4

NLDS #2 - Cincinnati Reds vs. the San Francisco Giants - Giants in 4

ALDS #1 - Oakland Athletics vs. the Detroit Tigers - well, as of this writing, the Tigers are heading to Oakland up 2 games to none - so unfortunately Moneyball is on the short end of the stick here - Tigers in 4.

ALDS #2 - New York Yankees vs. the Baltimore Orioles - the Orioles have played some amazing baseball this season, and I can see them getting past the Yankees here - but it's a tossup.  No bet.

Grilled Lemon-Coriander Chicken

Today is Labor Day.  It is the unofficial end of summer and a required grilling day.  There is a rumor the C in DC family may be joining us for dinner this evening - but the Brave Astronauts are going to try and get some pool time in today as well.  After today, our pool will only be opened next weekend and then closed for the season.

I got a round of golf in on Saturday and yesterday we all took in the red-hot Washington Nationals as they try to seal up a post-season berth.  If you had told me at the beginning of the season that both the Nationals and the Orioles would be likely playoff teams, I would have called you crazy.

I have a good idea of what we may be grilling today for our Labor Day barbecue - it might be this - or something else altogether.  Have a great Labor Day!

Grilled Lemon-Coriander Chicken
from Gourmet | May 2006
Grilling a whole chicken cuts down on prep time and makes for a dramatic presentation. A purée made from fresh herbs, garlic, and chile spread under the skin of the bird keeps the meat moist. 
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active Time: 25 min
Total Time: 1 1/2 hr

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro sprigs 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 2 shallots, chopped (1/2 cup) 
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped 
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 
• 1 fresh serrano chile, minced, including seeds 
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 (3- to 3 1/2-lb) chicken, rinsed and patted dry 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled 

Special equipment: kitchen string; a large chimney starter (if using charcoal); an instant-read thermometer

Preparation
Purée cilantro, oil, shallots, garlic, lemon zest and juice, chile, coriander, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until it forms a paste. Leave any fat in opening of chicken cavity and sprinkle cavity with pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Starting at cavity end, gently slide an index finger between skin and flesh of breast and legs to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin). Using a small spoon, slide cilantro purée under skin over breast and drumsticks, using your finger on outside of skin to push purée out of spoon and distribute evenly. Tie legs together with kitchen string and tuck wing tips under. Brush outside of chicken all over with butter.

Prepare grill for cooking over indirect heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas)

To cook chicken using a charcoal grill: Lightly oil grill rack, then put chicken on rack with no coals directly underneath and cook, covered with lid, until thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, 40 to 50 minutes. (Add more briquettes during grilling if necessary to maintain heat.) Transfer chicken to a platter and let stand 15 minutes.

To cook chicken using a gas grill: Lightly oil grill rack, then put chicken above shut-off burner. Grill, covered with lid, turning chicken 180 degrees halfway through cooking if using a 2-burner grill, until thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, 35 to 45 minutes.

Cooks' notes:

• Chicken can be prepared, but not grilled, 1 day ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap. Let stand at cool room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.
• If you can't grill outdoors, chicken can be roasted on an oiled rack set in a roasting pan in middle of a 375°F oven about 1 1/4 hours.

Hope Springs Eternal

Baseball Season starts tonight - in fact, as we speak, the opening game (not counting the games that were played last week in Japan) is underway.  There has been a lot of buzz around the Washington Nationals this year - I think they are going to be fun to watch this year.  "I think there's 3 or 4 potential All-Stars out there" (that one's just for Amy in Ohio).  I have tickets for a game on April 13, purchased as part of a five-pack, but unfortunately I can't make the game as the Brave Astronaut clan will be otherwise engaged.

This weekend will also feature a little golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia.  the Brave Astronaut will be watching as he always does.

George Will pushed out his 2012 baseball quiz over the weekend.  How's your baseball knowledge?  Click on the link for the answers - but after you've attempted the quiz, boys and girls.


Think you’re ready for Opening Day? Prove it.

Name the person or persons who:

1. Hit the most home runs in the 1960s.
2. In 2011, joined Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson and Pete Rose as the only players to appear in at least 140 games for 16 consecutive seasons. 
3. Had the most hits in the 1950s. 
4. Played for the Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves and Atlanta Braves. 
5. Had the most hits in the 1990s. 
6. Had the most hits in the 1940s. 
7. Holds the career record for grounding into double plays. 
8. Hit .322 with 42 homers and 129 RBIs in 1970 and .333 with 37 homers and 122 RBIs in 1972, but finished second to Johnny Bench in MVP voting both years. 
9. Pitched the most wins in the 1960s. 
10. Has the most career hits without winning a batting title. 
11. Led the majors in total bases in the 1980s, ahead of Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, Eddie Murray, Robin Yount and Andre Dawson. 
12. Is the only pitcher to hurl a shutout in four decades. 
13. Only once in a 22-year career — in his last season, when he was 42 — struck out three times in a game. 
14. Allowed the fewest hits per nine innings in a career. 
15. Started more World Series games than any other pitcher. 
16. Is the only catcher to lead a league in triples. 
17. Turned an unassisted triple play in a World Series.
18. Played more than 500 games each at catcher, first and third base. 
19. Has the highest single-season batting average since 1901. 
20. Led American League pitchers in wins in the 1960s. 
21. Has 283 wins (more than 40 Hall of Fame pitchers) and 16 Gold Gloves but is not in Coopers­town.
22. Played the most games of anyone whose entire career was with one team. 
23. Was the only player to win the Cy Young Award after being traded in midseason.
24. Led their three respective teams in career singles, doubles, triples and home runs. 
25. Was the only lefthander since 1900 to win at least 350 games. 
26. Won an American League batting title without hitting a home run.
27. Had the best career pitching record against the Yankees. 
28. Leads all third basemen in combined hits and walks. 
29. Is the last pitcher to win at least 20 games in four consecutive season.
30. Pitched three Braves wins over the Yankees in the 1957 seven-game World Series. 
31. Pitched three Tigers wins over the Cardinals in the 1968 seven-game Series. 
32. Pitched three Giants wins over the Athletics in the five-game 1905 Series.
33. Pitched a record 24 consecutive wins. 
34. Holds the National League career record for grand slam home runs. 
35. Has appeared in more games than any other pitcher. 
36. Had a career batting average of .356 but never won a batting title. 
37. Got at least 100 extra-base hits in two consecutive seasons. 
38. Won Rookie of the Year, MVP and Cy Young awards (not in the same season). 
39. Pitched the most consecutive strikeouts in one game.
40. Hit his last three home runs in one game. 
41. Before David Freese did it in Game 6 of last year’s World Series, were the only two players to hit an extra-inning walk-off home run when facing elimination. 
42. Was hitting .394 when the players’ strike ended the 1994 season on Aug. 12. 
43. Said, “It beats rooming with Joe Page.”

Baseball Quiz Answers

I told you it was hard.

1. Question: Which two players hold the record for the most seasons (23) played for the same team?
Answer: Brooks Robinson (Orioles) and Carl Yastrzemski (Red Sox).

2. Question: Who hit 48 home runs beginning June 1, but only 51 in the season?
Answer: Ralph Kiner.

3. Question: Which two managers had six 100-win seasons?
Answer: Bobby Cox and Joe McCarthy. (I had half of this answer)

4. Question: Who played the most regular-season games without ever playing a postseason game?
Answer: Ernie Banks (2,528).

5. Question: Who has the best winning percentage among 300-win pitchers? Answer: Lefty Grove.

(6) Question: Who had a 79-15 record over three years? Answer: Lefty Grove.

(7) Question: Who was the player -- and in what year -- who led his league in home runs and RBIs, started every game of the World Series, and never crossed the Mississippi?
Answer: Larry Doby in 1954, the year after the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and the year before the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City.

8. Question: Since Tris Speaker did it in 1912, who is the only player with 50 doubles and 50 stolen bases in a season?
Answer: Craig Biggio.

9. Question: Which 10 Hall of Famers never played in the minor leagues?
Answer: Al Kaline, Sandy Koufax, Dave Winfield, Mel Ott, Bob Feller, Catfish Hunter, Eppa Rixey, Eddie Plank, Frankie Frisch, Ted Lyons.

10. Question: Who is the only catcher to lead a league in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in the same season?
Answer: Joe Mauer (2009). (I might have gotten here eventually)

11. Question: When the strike stopped the 1994 season on Aug. 11, what team had the best record?
And what was Tony Gwynn’s batting average? Answer: The Montreal Expos, 74-40. Gwynn’s average was .394. (I knew Gwynn was close to Ted Williams' record)

12. Question: In 1955, the year they won their only championship in Brooklyn, what was the Dodgers’ average regular-season attendance?
Answer: 13,423.

13. Question: What two players share the record for most hits in a month?
Answer: Ty Cobb (July 1922) and Tris Speaker (July 1923), 67.

14. Question: From 2000 through 2009, Roy Halladay pitched the most shutouts, 14. Who led the 1970s with 44?
Answer: Jim Palmer. (Jim Palmer - really? The Underwear Pitcher? - sorry, a little Yankees sarcasm there)

15. Question: What pitcher won World Series games in three decades?
Answer: Jim Palmer (1966, 1970, 1971, 1983).

16. Question: Who won a batting title during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s?
Answer: George Brett (1976, 1980, 1990). (the Gordie Howe of Baseball?)

17. Question: Who was the youngest pitcher to win a Cy Young award?
Answer: Dwight Gooden was 20 years and 324 days old when the 1985 season ended. (I knew this one)

18. Question: What two-time MVP and Hall of Famer won league fielding titles as a shortstop and center fielder?
Answer: Robin Yount.

19. Question: Since 1900, what two pitchers won at least 20 games in 13 seasons?
Answer: Christy Mathewson and Warren Spahn.

20. Question: Who is the only pitcher to have 20-win seasons with both the Yankees and the Mets?
Answer: David Cone. (knew this one, too)

21. Question: Who is the only pitcher to have 2,000 strikeouts with two different teams? Answer: Randy Johnson (Mariners and Diamondbacks). (I expected this to be Nolan Ryan)

22. Question: Who had at least 200 hits and 100 walks in four consecutive seasons?
Answer: Wade Boggs, 1986-1989.

23. Question: Whom did the Reds intentionally walk five times in a 1990 game?
Answer: The Cubs’ Andre Dawson in a 16-inning game.

24. Question: Who is the only pitcher to twice pitch a complete game in a World Series seventh game?
Answer: Bob Gibson (1964 and 1967).

25. Question: Who twice got 10 or more hits in a World Series, with different teams?
Answer: Paul Molitor with the Brewers in 1982 and the Blue Jays in 1993.

26. Question: What Hall of Famer got his 3,000th hit off a Hall of Famer?
Answer: Dave Winfield off Dennis Eckersley.

27. Question: The Yankees’ Bobby Richardson set a World Series record with 12 RBIs in the 1960 World Series. How many RBIs did he have during the regular season?
Answer: 26.

28. Question: What player, whose number 44 is retired by two teams, hit 44 home runs in four different seasons?
Answer: Henry Aaron. (the answer is not Reggie Jackson)

29. Question: What six pitchers had 3,000 strikeouts before (or without ever) allowing 1,000 walks?
Answer: Ferguson Jenkins, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, Curt Schilling, John Smoltz, Roger Clemens.

30. Question: What team has won its last nine World Series games?
Answer: The Reds.

31. Question: Why was Roger Maris never intentionally walked in 1961 en route to 61 home runs?
Answer: Mickey Mantle batted behind him. (C'mon this was a pitch right over the heart of the plate. I crushed this one out of the park)

It's Draft Day

As you read this, I am likely putting the finishing touches on my fantasy baseball team. For the past few years, I have been the "owner" of a fantasy baseball team. I have done OK, primarily from my pitching. It could be said I am still in a "rebuilding" phase, having inherited the team from another individual. I would really like some speed (base stealers) and a little more home run production. Hopefully I will score some of that tonight.

In draft news, I spotted this article in the Washington Post a few weeks back. I would so be up for the idea of a Meat Draft. I could even "stomach" the high price (the meat is standard priced at $9.50/lb.) with the idea that one would get a wide range of meat cuts. The guys who run the meat draft find really good cows. If you are interested, talk to them.

It's Opening Day

Yes, I could have been there. A friend offered me a ticket at the last minute to Opening Day for the Nationals. I didn't go. The streak is broken - I had been to every Opening Day game since the Nationals came to town. Maybe things will be better this season as a result.

George Will, the syndicated columnist, is a baseball lover. In his column today, he offered this baseball quiz. Answers on Sunday (or you can click the link to the column - the answers are at the end). How'd you do? I consider myself a lover of baseball and I only got a few of these. Like I said, George Will knows and loves baseball.

1. Which two players hold the record for the most seasons (23) played for the same team?
2. Who hit 48 home runs beginning June 1, but only 51 in the season?
3. Which two managers had six 100-win seasons?
4. Who played the most regular-season games without ever playing a postseason game?
5. Who has the best winning percentage among 300-win pitchers?
6. Who had a 79-15 record over three years?
7. Who was the player — and in what year — who led his league in home runs and RBIs, started every game of the World Series, and never crossed the Mississippi?
8. Since Tris Speaker did it in 1912, who is the only player with 50 doubles and 50 stolen bases in a season?
9. Which 10 Hall of Famers never played in the minor leagues?
10. Who is the only catcher to lead a league in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in the same season?
11. When the strike stopped the 1994 season on Aug. 11, what team had the best record? And what was Tony Gwynn’s batting average?
12. In 1955, the year they won their only championship in Brooklyn, what was the Dodgers’ average regular-season attendance?
13. What two players share the record for most hits in a month?
14. From 2000 through 2009, Roy Halladay pitched the most shutouts, 14. Who led the 1970s with 44?
15. What pitcher won World Series games in three decades?
16. Who won a batting title during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s?
17. Who was the youngest pitcher to win a Cy Young award?
18. What two-time MVP and Hall of Famer won league fielding titles as a shortstop and center fielder?
19. Since 1900, what two pitchers won at least 20 games in 13 seasons?
20. Who is the only pitcher to have 20-win seasons with both the Yankees and the Mets?
21. Who is the only pitcher to have 2,000 strikeouts with two different teams?
22. Who had at least 200 hits and 100 walks in four consecutive seasons?
23. Whom did the Reds intentionally walk five times in a 1990 game?
24. Who is the only pitcher to twice pitch a complete game in a World Series seventh game?
25. Who twice got 10 or more hits in a World Series, with different teams?
26. What Hall of Famer got his 3,000th hit off a Hall of Famer?
27. The Yankees’ Bobby Richardson set a World Series record with 12 RBIs in the 1960 World Series. How many RBIs did he have during the regular season?
28. What player, whose number 44 is retired by two teams, hit 44 home runs in four different seasons?
29. What six pitchers had 3,000 strikeouts before (or without ever) allowing 1,000 walks?
30. What team has won its last nine World Series games?
31. Why was Roger Maris never intentionally walked in 1961 en route to 61 home runs?

It's All About Baseball

In a few days, the World Series will get under way. As most people know, I have always been a Yankee fan. I have borne the scorn of my friends for being a Yankee fan - for, again as you may know, the Yankees are not universally loved. I do not make apologies for the Yankees, they are what they are. I do not approve of everything they do, especially the huge, obnoxious sums of money they throw at players (see the upcoming purchase of Cliff Lee as a perfect example). I am, for the most part, a baseball purist and really want to watch games for the sake of the game. (And don't I know that the preceding sentence is going to get me in trouble.)

Well the Yankees got sent packing - and of course they will be back next year. Congratulations to the Texas Rangers - it is nice to see a team that has never been to the World Series get there - it was hard to root against Nolan Ryan. Ryan is one of those players that played the game for the game. He is why people love this game. But let's remember that guy who used to be part owner of the Rangers. And that they used to be the Washington Senators. And their manager used to be Ted Williams. And . . .

Good luck to the Rangers who will face off against the San Francisco Giants in the Fall Classic. Both Pennant series were great displays of baseball and I hope the World Series will not disappoint.

Baseball has become an industry. It's not a pastime anymore. Owners, agents and "superplayers" have definitely polluted the game. Scandals have rocked the game and money has driven fans away. But I will continue to watch. It's broken, but there isn't an easy fix.

To that end, here is something I spotted on McSweeney's the other day.

After You Hit a Home Run:
A Guide for Major League Baseball Players

by Kate Hahn

1. Point to God.
2. Kiss necklace.
3. Kiss your hands, biceps, and shoulders. Kiss each finger, individually.
4. Begin running.
5. At first base, stop, mount podium your agent has rolled out for you, and make thank you speech.
6. Kiss your own mouth, for making such a beautiful speech.
7. Run slowly, very slowly to second. Raise your hands in the air to make the crowd cheer louder. Fist pump! Monster face! Gorilla gallop! Back flip! (Kidding, you're not in that kind of shape.) It's like you are the only player who has ever hit one out of the park!
8. At second base, call agent on cell and demand endorsement deal with God.
9. Between second and third, tackle opposing team's shortstop and ask him, "Who the man? Who the man?" Dance on his chest, pointing to the sky.
10. At third base, build a small church. Invite select group of international dignitaries to attend your first sermon. Preach about how God will make you rich if you follow the right path, especially if it's an uninterrupted path around a major league baseball diamond.
11. Refuse to cross home plate until you have warmed up for your happy dance.
12. Jump on home plate and do happy dance. This should be a signature move that fans associate only with you, or it can be from Footloose, which everyone loves. Either way, it should include pointing at the sky.
13. Do a chicken-walk toward the dugout, emphasizing a head nod at the catcher. This shows the fans you have a sense of humor about yourself. Plus it subtly reminds them to buy your bobblehead doll.
14. Enter dugout. High five your teammates. One high five is not enough! Allot ten minutes. Refuse to come out of dugout again until your agent has gotten you the endorsement deal with God.
    

Lets Go Nats!

Where am I tonight? I am attending one of the last Nationals games of the 2010 season. It hasn't been the best season this year, but like the Cubs, "we'll get 'em next year." There's always next year . . . and the year after that . . . and the year after that . . . Tonight, the Brave Astronaut will be on the field as part of a recognition ceremony for all of the group leaders who brought groups to a game this year. As you may recall, I arranged for about 150 of my closest archival friends out to a game in August as part of the SAA Annual Meeting.

The 2011 schedules have been announced and it looks like Brave Astronaut tours will be taking in the Cubbies in Chicago when SAA meets there next August. As the regular baseball season leads into October and the playoffs, I will likely make my focus on those lovable American League dominators, my friends, your World Series Champion New York Yankees.

Can they repeat? Sure. Will they? Maybe.

And of course, hockey starts this month - so I've got that going for me.

Update: After being down by three runs for most of the game - the Nats exploded in the 8th inning for 8 runs and won the game 8-4.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

April is a grand month.

On Monday afternoon, I kept the streak alive by attending the Washington Nationals home opener. So far, I have not missed one. I also attended the first game for the Nationals ever, when they debuted on the road in 2005 (against Philadelphia). For those keeping track (it was a topic of discussion on Monday):

• April 14, 2005 - RFK Stadium - vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks (W, 5-3) - George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 11, 2006 - RFK Stadium - vs. the New York Mets (L, 7-1)
  
• April 2, 2007 - RFK Stadium - vs. the Florida Marlins (L, 9-2) - Dick Cheney threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• March 30, 2008 - Nationals Park - vs. the Atlanta Braves (W, 3-2) - George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 13, 2009 - Nationals Park - vs. the Philadelphia Phillies (L, 9-8) - DC Mayor Adrian Fenty threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 5, 2010 - Nationals Park - vs. the Philadelphia Phillies (L, 11-1) - President Barack Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

There is nothing quite like Opening Day. A sort of hope springs eternal moment, which for the Nationals lasted all of about one inning. But they did manage their first win this evening. My American League team, the World Champion New York Yankees, took two out of three from the Red Sox, so it's been a good week there. Tomorrow night, I will sit down with my fellow "owners" in my fantasy baseball league to fill out our rosters for our teams. I have a list and hope to get some players that might just get me to finish in the money this year.

April is also the month when the first major of the year is played in golf. The Cathedral of Golf, also known as Augusta National, hosts The Masters. This year has particular significance of a particular golfer you know as Tiger, but lets just call "Cheetah." The Masters is the one tournament I try to see as much of as I can - the scenery, the course, the players - it is the very best. Tonight, the clubhouse leader is Fred "Boom-Boom" Couples, followed by 60 year-old Tom Watson and Phil "Lefty" Mickelson, along with a few others. And that "Cheetah" guy? He's tied for 7th and, you heard it here first, he will not win this tournament. I mean I would like it if he never won a major again, but unfortunately that's not likely to happen - but I don't think he should be out there yet.

Finally, April is the month when hockey season comes to a close. As a resident of Washington DC, I am very impressed with the play and performance of the Washington Capitals and I root for them, provided they are not playing against my team of choice, the New York Rangers. Now this presents a difficult situation, for if (and at this point it's not a done deal by any sorts) the Rangers make the playoffs, they will likely face the Capitals in the first round. The Rangers will play a home-and-home series with the Flyers, who are immediately above them in the standings. If the Rangers can win both those games, they likely make it. It must be noted that ADR will likely implement his policy of not speaking to me for the duration of the series, which was a little unnerving last year, but this year I'm ready for it. For the record, I am rooting for the Rangers until the season ends. When and if the playoffs arrive for them, I will see what happens. Last year my position was that I wouldn't root actively for the Rangers. I will probably do the same this year, because the disappointment the Rangers hand out is not worth it.

On Monday, I have a dentist appointment. After it, I will squeeze in my first nine holes of the season. And who knows, it could be a "Cinderella story, outta nowhere, a former greenskeeper, now about to become the Masters champion."

I Aint Afraid of No Ghost.

It's another lazy Saturday here at the Brave Astronaut launchpad. Mrs. BA went off this morning to do some work at the Library of Congress, leaving me to look after LBA and SoBA. I am still attempting to shake something off (perhaps its a reaction to my H1N1 vaccine or just the fact that I haven't slept well in about three days) but I soldiered on. The weather was somewhat cooperative and the gang headed out into the backyard to play. Just about every ball in the inventory was thrown out into the backyard by SoBA (footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, all of them). We were soon joined by the neighbor children (AKA the "Hooligans"). The soccer ball saw some use as did the baseball and bat. I nearly took a line drive off my head, hit by LBA. How long till Pitchers and Catchers report?

We came inside to have some lunch and unfortunately only SoBA got to have naptime (though I could have so closed my eyes for a bit). LBA and I adjourned to the TV room to follow our normal SoBA naptime ritual - the movie. Last night's movie night featured "Dorothy" AKA The Wizard of Oz, and today, LBA requested Ghostbusters. Because "I'm five now and big boys like scary movies - so I won't be scared."

We've watched Ghostbusters before (it's also a favorite of J in PA and Special K, when they have come to visit). Evidently we are not alone in loving Ghostbusters. The film, which just turned 25, is being pushed as better than Star Wars and its ilk. I don't know if I would go that far, but that's what this article by a British journalist maintains in the Times Online (seen first on kottke, last June). In September, kottke also raised the question that perhaps 1984 was by far one of the greatest years ever for film.

Kottke includes a partial list (just look):

• Beverly Hills Cop
• Ghostbusters
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
• Footloose
• Purple Rain
• Revenge of the Nerds
• Red Dawn
• The Terminator
• Sixteen Candles
• This Is Spinal Tap