The notion that appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated is bad luck began when the magazine itself did, with Braves third baseman Eddie Mathews appearing on the front of the first issue.

Matthews broke his hand just a week after the release of the issue, thus starting the so-called curse.

BU84BEAR said:

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Jerry Hairston Jr. played one of the cruelest jokes on catcher Gerald Laird during the spring of 2007, even getting approval from Rangers manager Ron Washington before doing so.

Hairston arranged for two police officers to show up in the clubhouse and issue a warrant for Laird's arrest on charges of unpaid child support.

Laird lost it as the officers cuffed him, removed him from the clubhouse and even placed him in the back of the squad car before those in on the prank would finally come clean.

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Gerald Laird was arrested for real a couple of years later. He also apparently has a horn dog for a grandfather.

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2010/01/police_report_says_incident_in.html

The Dec. 30 arrest of Tigers catcher Gerald Laird and his younger brother, Brandon, stemmed from an incident at a Celtics-Suns game in Phoenix, Ariz. after Laird's grandfather allegedly groped the wife of Celtics guard Eddie House, according to a police report released Tuesday.

House's wife Charlsie accused Laird's 70-year-old grandfather of touching her inappropriately while watching the game from a lounge at the U.S. Airways Center. A bartender told police House claimed she was being harassed prior to the fight, The Arizona Republic reports.

Officers who responded to the fight said Brandon, 22, shouted derogatory remarks toward House and other women at the lounge before taking a swing at one of the women, according to the report. The Yankees' prospect was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

On June 27, 1986, Robby Thompson of the San Francisco Giants was caught stealing a record four times in one game. Small consolation for Thompson: it was a 12-inning game.

On June 11 and 15, 1938, Johnny Vander Meer pitched back-to-back no-hitters for the Cincinnati Reds. The second no-no was pitched at Ebbets Field and was the first night game ever played there. Babe Ruth was in attendance. Vander Meer, a lifetime "fairly good" 119-121 pitcher, is enshrined in the Cincinnati Hall of Fame. No, Pete Rose can't get in that one, either.

In a 1939 game, pitcher Bob Feller's mother was cheering her boy on from the stands on Mother's Day. While Feller was pitching, a foul ball was hit into the stands, smacking poor Mrs. Feller in the head and injuring her over the eye.

Hot dogs are a baseball stadium staple, but they first became popular at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The "dachshund sausages" were served with bread, making them easy to eat, and within the same year hot dogs became available at baseball games. Legend has it that Chris Von de Ahe, a German immigrant and owner of the St. Louis Browns baseball team, introduced the sausages into the stands in St. Louis. As for the name, hot dog historians are split on where it came from. One story credits New York Journal sports cartoonist Tad Dorgan, who drew a scene of stadium vendors selling the snack in 1901. Unsure of how to spell dachshund, Dorgan simply wrote "hot dog" as the caption. Another tale says the name comes from college towns in the 1890s, where "dog wagons" peddled hot dogs to students.

Note: The linked story is worth the read if you like baseball history.

On June 25, 1976, Texas Ranger shortstop Toby Harrah played a doubleheader and never touched a batted ball nor had a single ball hit to him -no chances, no putouts, no assists.

Sandy Koufax so far is the only Major League pitcher to pitch to a horse.

1904: Alta Weiss becomes the first woman to play professional baseball for the Vermilion Independents.

Today, in 1898, Reds first baseman Jake Beckley handles a record 22 chances, making 21 put outs and one assist, without committing any errors. The Cincinnati infielder's defensive acumen contributes to the home team's 9-2 victory over the Cleveland Spiders League Park.

The 1906 Chicago Cubs won a record 116 games.

Batters had the right to request a low or high pitch from 1867 to 1887

Prior to every at-bat, batters would request a high or low strike zone -- either from the knee to the belt or the belt to the shoulder -- and the pitcher had to put it there.

BU84BEAR said:

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The 1906 Chicago Cubs won a record 116 games.

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And promptly lost in the first round of the postseason.




I know, it was the World Series. But it sounds funnier to say first round.

ValpoCory said:

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BU84BEAR said:

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The 1906 Chicago Cubs won a record 116 games.

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And promptly lost in the first round of the postseason.




I know, it was the World Series. But it sounds funnier to say first round.

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The 2001 Mariners also won 116 games, but at least they won their first round series before crapping the bed in the ALCS.

The Mariners also now have the longest postseason drought in baseball--16 years and counting.

Record for most hits by a pitcher on opening day

Detroit's Harry Coveleski.

Remarkably, Coveleski hit two singles, a double, and a triple on April 12th, 1916 in Chicago against the White Sox, as his Tigers beat the White Sox 4-0. He only had 25 hits the entire season, and hit only one triple and two more doubles as extra base hits that year outside this game. What could make his performance more spectacular? How about the fact that he had more hits than the entire other team? He threw a 3-hit shutout.

Walks were scored as hits for one year, in 1887

If you read the above and thought, "Wow, that seems destined to cause all kind of record-keeping difficulties," well, you would be absolutely correct!

A staggering 11 players hit .400 that season, nine of whom wouldn't have had walks not counted as an at-bat. The statistics were even rewritten in 1968 by the Special Baseball Records Committee, with drastic consequences: Cap Anson, who hit .421 to lead the league in 1887, had 60 hits taken away, which stripped him of not only the batting title but the honor of first-ever member of the 3,000-hit club. In 2001, MLB reversed the Committee's decision, and Cap now sits proudly in the Hall of Fame with over 3,400 hits and one stellar mustache:

In 1876, walks were considered outs.

The only two brothers who ended with the exact same batting average in the same season

Mike and Bob Garbark in 1944. That year, plagued by World War II and saw an influx of retired players coming back and younger, inexperienced players getting their chance in the big leagues. In the American League, Mike was a catcher for the New York Yankees while his brother Bob was a catcher for the Philadelphia A's. Mike went 78 for 299 and Bob went 6 for 23, both posting a .261 batting average.

Despite running about three hours, actual playing time in a Major League Baseball game is under 18 minutes.

According to the Wall Street Journal's own calculations, the 17 minutes and 58 seconds of action includes "balls in play, runner advancement attempts on stolen bases, wild pitches, pitches (balls, strikes, fouls and balls hit into play), trotting batters (on home runs, walks and hit-by-pitches), pickoff throws and even one fake-pickoff throw." Take all those away, and the amount of time that is pure action on the field is about 5 minutes and 47 seconds.

Former MLB catcher Harry Chiti was the first player ever to be traded for himself.
Chiti was originally traded from the Cleveland Indians to the New York Mets for a "player to be named later," but after fifteen terrible games with the Mets, Chiti became that player and was shipped back to Cleveland.

The Giants' Bill White slides in safely after Cub catcher Harry Chiti drops the ball for an error.

Texas MLB Trivia -- Name the Year
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1. A Texas MLB team wins the AL West
2. In one ALDS, that Texas MLB team faces off against the AL East Champion with David Price on the roster.
3. In the final road game of the series, the Texes MLB team wins the series.
4. In the other ALDS, the Wild Card New York Yankees with David Robertson, Brett Gardner, and CC Sabathia on the roster face off against the AL Central Champs
5. In that other ALDS, the Yankees win 3 games in a row to close out the series
6. The Texas MLB hosts Game 1 of an ALCS for the first time in history, meeting up with the Yankees.

Name the year.

ValpoCory said:

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Texas MLB Trivia -- Name the Year
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1. A Texas MLB team wins the AL West
2. In one ALDS, that Texas MLB team faces off against the AL East Champion with David Price on the roster.
3. In the final road game of the series, the Texes MLB team wins the series.
4. In the other ALDS, the Wild Card New York Yankees with David Robertson, Brett Gardner, and CC Sabathia on the roster face off against the AL Central Champs
4. In that other ALDS, the Yankees win 3 games in a row to close out the series
5. The Texas MLB hosts Game 1 of an ALCS for the first time in history, meeting up with the Yankees.

Name the year.

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2010

BU84BEAR said:

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ValpoCory said:

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Texas MLB Trivia -- Name the Year
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1. A Texas MLB team wins the AL West
2. In one ALDS, that Texas MLB team faces off against the AL East Champion with David Price on the roster.
3. In the final road game of the series, the Texes MLB team wins the series.
4. In the other ALDS, the Wild Card New York Yankees with David Robertson, Brett Gardner, and CC Sabathia on the roster face off against the AL Central Champs
4. In that other ALDS, the Yankees win 3 games in a row to close out the series
5. The Texas MLB hosts Game 1 of an ALCS for the first time in history, meeting up with the Yankees.

Name the year.

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2010

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You get half credit.

duplicate post. please delete.

I figured this was a trick question involving the Astros, but didn't bother to check it out after confirming 2010 was a correct answer.

BU84BEAR said:

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I figured this was a trick question involving the Astros, but didn't bother to check it out after confirming 2010 was a correct answer.

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Yep. Lots of similarities between the two years. The 2017 Astros and the 2010 Rangers both were coming off division championship droughts of over a decade. Both had a bright future. And if Washington wins tonight, both NLCS underdogs in 2010 and 2017 were cities that had never won a championship (San Fran in 2010).

I love the uncanny coincidences. Good luck to the 'stros!

Speaking of 2010, the curse of the Washington Senators was broken on this day in 2010, as the Texas Rangers did indeed win a playoff series for the first time in franchise history....against the Tampa Bay Rays.

BU84BEAR said:

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Speaking of 2010, the curse of the Washington Senators was broken on this day in 2010, as the Texas Rangers did indeed win a playoff series for the first time in franchise history....against the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Lots of people in Washington, D.C. were heard saying, "I can die now".

October 13, 1862

In a game against the Unions of Morrisania, Jim Creighton of the Excelsiors hits a sixth-inning home run after doubling in each of his first four times to the plate. When he crosses home, the 21 year-old superstar complains of having broken his belt, that turns out to be a suspected fatal ruptured inguinal hernia caused by the torque created by his all upper-body hard swing with the bat.

Today is also the anniversary of the 8th and deciding game of the first World Series in 1903 attended by 7,455 fans.

So, my son just texted me to tell me he is at game one of the NLCS, Dodgers/Cubs.......

Jerk........


LOL

Postseason Trivia

Who is the only player to play his entire major league career in the postseason?


What person, whose number is retired by the Yankees, hit the first ever World Series home run at the original Yankee Stadium??


Answers will be posted this evening.

BU84BEAR said:

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Postseason Trivia

Who is the only player to play his entire major league career in the postseason?


What person, whose number is retired by the Yankees, hit the first ever World Series home run at the original Yankee Stadium??


Answers will be posted this evening.

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Without looking, because what's the fun in that ...

1. At the end of the 2015 season, Raul Mondesi, Jr. would have been on the list, as he is the only player to make his major league debut in the World Series. But he fell off the list when he played regular season action since then. I'll say Moonlight Graham

2. Someone in the 1923 World Series, since that was the first in the Stadium. I'll say Babe Ruth (although since I know you and your questions, I know that can't be right since it'd be too easy ). .

I just looked up Game 1 of the 1923 World Series. You Trickster! Well done.

ValpoCory said:

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BU84BEAR said:

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Postseason Trivia

Who is the only player to play his entire major league career in the postseason?


What person, whose number is retired by the Yankees, hit the first ever World Series home run at the original Yankee Stadium??


Answers will be posted this evening.

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Without looking, because what's the fun in that ...

1. At the end of the 2015 season, Raul Mondesi, Jr. would have been on the list, as he is the only player to make his major league debut in the World Series. But he fell off the list when he played regular season action since then. I'll say Moonlight Graham

2. Someone in the 1923 World Series, since that was the first in the Stadium. I'll say Babe Ruth (although since I know you and your questions, I know that can't be right since it'd be too easy ). .

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There are 5 or 6 players that come real close to being the answer to 1, including K-Rod.