The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records

The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records

by Bob Mackin
The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records

The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records

by Bob Mackin

eBook

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Overview

The idea behind The Unofficial Guide to Baseball’s Most Unusual Records is a simple one: to compile all the baseball records that can’t be found anywhere else in one slick, pocket-sized handy guide. The result is a book that goes beyond the standard statistical fare into the twilight world of baseball arcana, presenting records not only of rare achievement but also of abject failure; weird and wacky stuff; records that answer the questions that are often asked but for which – until now – readers could find no answer for.
Baseball’s Most Unusual Records is an irreverent, quirky – even, at times, bizarre -- collection of more than 500 fascinating firsts, one-of-a-kind feats and historic milestones that show us the best and worst of what many consider the world’s most beloved game. It’s a unique, insider’s look. But most important, it’s a captivating look.
Readers soon discover the identity of that infamous player with a thing for birthday cakes (as in, sitting on them); the first major leaguer to run backwards round the bases; the batter with the worst performance at-bat and the one with the most convictions for growing marijuana; plus the one to make the best comeback from a beaning.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781926685502
Publisher: Greystone Books
Publication date: 07/01/2009
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 240
Sales rank: 785,309
File size: 310 KB

About the Author

Bob Mackin is a journalist based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Since 1990, he has reported on sports, arts and entertainment, travel, business, courts, government and politics for local, regional and national newspapers and magazines. In August 2002, Bob began his fifth year as sports columnist with The Vancouver Courier, the largest non-daily, English-language city newspaper in Canada. Bob is author of three sports books for Greystone, including Record-Breaking Baseball Trivia (2000) and Off the Wall Baseball Trivia (2001).

Read an Excerpt

Only pitcher hit by a seagull’s ‘fish-bomb’ — Ellis Kinder, St. Louis (AL), May 7, 1947
While pitching at Fenway Park, St. Louis Browns’ hurler Ellis Kinder was victim of a ‘fly-by’ fish-bomb. A three-pound smelt dropped by a seagull hit Kinder during a 1947 game. It didn’t throw him off his game, however. Kinder yielded six hits in a 4-2 win over the Red Sox. Neither did it deter Kinder from later playing in Fenway Park. He spent eight seasons of his 12-year career there.

First player to use jersey to promote a TV station — Andy Messersmith, Atlanta (AL)
When Andy Messersmith signed his "lifetime" contract with the Atlanta Braves on April 10, 1976, his uniform read ‘Channel’ where his last name should have been on his shoulders. His number? 17. It just so happened that Braves’ owner Ted Turner owned and operated a TV channel at 17 on the dial in Atlanta. Messersmith, a much-heralded free agent, went 11-11 in his first season with the Braves, but broke even the next at 5-4. He finished his 12-year career with the Dodgers.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1 Leading Off: Unusual Beginnings
2 The Delivery: Pitching Prowess and Pity
3 Mound Madness: Tales from the Mound
4 The Target: Catching Craziness
5 History Sticks: Batter Up!
6 Ain't it Grand?: Grand Salamis
7 Exploring the Field: Between the Foul Lines
8 Palaces for the Fans: Balpark Beauties and Beasts
9 Necessary Villains: Umpiring
10 Who's the Boss?: Managing
11 Tools of the Trade: Balls, Bats, Hats and More
12 All Dressed Up: Uniforms for Success and Excess
13 Fan Frenzy: People Power
14 A League of Their Own: They Pay the Players
15 We Are Family: Family Ties
16 A Game for the Ages: Spanning the Generations
17 Team Works and Team Jerks: All for One
18 Midsummer Night's Dreaming: All-Star Galaxy
19 Hall of Fame, Hall of Shame: Baseball Heaven and Hell
20 Legends of the Fall: The World Series

Acknowledgements
Index
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