Why is "K" used to score a strikeout in baseball?

The Answer:

According to Total Baseball, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Baseball, Third Edition, sportswriter Henry Chadwick is credited with inventing the baseball scoring system the media and fans still use today back in the 1850s. He was the first person to assign letters for each play that could take place on the field and numbers to every defensive player on the field. That way he could record the result of every at bat easily and quickly. Chadwick needed to use the letter "S" for sacrifice, so he decided a strikeout would be recorded as the letter "K", which was the last letter in the word "struck" — a common term for striking out. Take note that when the letter “" appears backwards it means the player struck out "looking", or struck out without swinging at the third strike.

 

What major league baseball player was the model for the Major League Baseball Logo?

The Answer:

Harmon Killebrew of the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins, who finished his career at with the Royals.

 

Who started the seventh inning stretch?

The Answer:

 According to urban legend, President William Howard Taft started the trend on April 14, 1910 in a game between the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Athletics at Griffith Park in Washington. Taft, who weighed over 300 pounds, grew more and more uncomfortable in his chair as the game wore on. Finally, by the middle of the seventh inning, he could not stand it no more, so he stood up from his chair. Everyone in the stadium thought that the President was about to leave, so they stood in respect. The seventh inning stretch was born.

In another bit of trivia, Taft launched the tradition of the Presidential first pitch in the same game. Apparently on the spur of the moment, umpire Billy Evans handed Taft the ball after the managers had been introduced, and asked him to throw it over home plate. The President did so with delight. Nearly every president since has done this at least once during his term in office.

 

In 2004, Edgar Martinez of the Seattle Mariners won the award for a combination of outstanding skills on the field with devoted work in the community. What is the Name of this award?

The Answer:

Roberto Clemente Man of the Year Award

Since 1971, Major League Baseball has annually presented an award to recognize a player who combines outstanding skills on the field with devoted work in the community. In 1973, the award was named in honor of Clemente, who died on December 31, 1972 during a humanitarian mission to assist earthquake victims in Nicaragua.  Upon receiving the award, Martinez said: "I never saw him (Roberto Clemente) play, other than on television in the 1971 World Series, but I heard so much about him from people who did see him play. They talked about the way he played the game. That is why this award (2004 Roberto Clemente) means so much to me. It is more about making a contribution off the field instead of on the field."

 

In Baseball, what is meant by "hitting for the cycle" Bonus: who last Phillie to accomplished this feat?

The Answer:

Hitting for the cycle means hitting a single, double, triple, and home run in one game; a "natural" cycle is hitting them in order--that is, first a single, then a double, then a triple, and then a home run. BONUS: David Bell on 06-28-2004

 

Can you name name the top five hitters of all time?

The Answer:

1 - Babe Ruth, 2 - Ty Cobb, 3 - Stan Musial, 4 - Ted Williams, 5 - Hank Aaron

 

The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY was established in 1936 to honor baseball's top players.  Five men were inducted that year, who were they?

The Answer:

1 - Babe Ruth, 2 - Ty Cobb, 3 - Walter Johnson, 4 - Honus Wagner,  5 - Christy Mathewson

 

Who was the last player to hit a homerun from both sides of the plate in one game? How about more than once in one season?

The Answer:

Alex Cintron of the Arizona Diamond Backs did it July 8, 2004.  Carlos Beltran did it for the 3rd time in the season 7 days prior!

 

Who was the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in both the American and the National League?

The Answer:

Gaylord Perry, with Cleveland in 1972 and with the Padres in 1978.

 

How many consecutive games did Cal Ripken Jr. play in?

The Answer:

2632

 

Who wrote the 1970 best selling book "Ball Four"?  For what team did he play at the time?

The Answer:

Jim Bouton of the 1969 Seattle Pilots.

 

Who is the first pitcher in major league history to win the final game of the Division Series, the League Championship and the World Series all during the same season.

The Answer:

Derek Lowe of the Boston Red Sox (10-27-2004)