The time has come to test your knowledge of Sports Trivia as it compares to our resident expert, Chris Loat. Your task is to answer as many of the questions as you can before he does. You may answer as many questions as you like, but for posterity, please post the answer to one question at a time… it will make judging answers a whole lot easier. The questions may seem fairly difficult, but, should the need arise, I trust you know how to use Google.
Can you Stump the Loat?
Your theme this week: Baseball
- The score, the count, and the runners on base, moments before Joe Carter hit his World Series winning home run in 1993.
- Baseball’s first Rookie of the Year.
- The number of ways a batter can be declared out.
- The two professional athletes to hit both a major league home run and make a pro football touchdown in the same week.
- The first baseball player to have his number retired by his team.
- The only major league player to have a brand of cigarettes named after him.
- The team for which Babe Ruth was the coach for one season after declaring retirement as a player.
- The call on the field when a player catches a ball that is sailing over their head by throwing their glove in the air (causing the ball to nestle in the glove) and catching the glove before it hits the ground.
- The pitcher who threw two consecutive no hitters.
Here’s something for a little inspiration:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUJOgFPAvts]
(thanks to Jon for finding the clip)
Chris
Holy crappola. Much tougher this week.
1. 6-5 Phillies; I think 2 balls, 2 strikes (I know for sure it was 2 strikes, as Carter fouled off a few pitches) Henderson on second, Molitor on first
February 7, 2007 at 11:09 am
Chris
2. Jackie Robinson (a few “firsts” for his)
February 7, 2007 at 11:10 am
Chris
5. Lou Gehrig (thus making him the happiest person on the face of the Earth)
February 7, 2007 at 11:11 am
Chris
4. Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders
February 7, 2007 at 11:14 am
Chris
9. Johnny Vander Meer
February 7, 2007 at 11:15 am
hroman
Wow, that was quick.
So far, it’s Loat 3. The rest of you suckers, 0.
February 7, 2007 at 11:15 am
Dan
7. Brooklyn Dodgers
February 7, 2007 at 11:15 am
hroman
Chris is human.
Bo Jackson is incorrect. He never did it in the same week. Deon is right, though.
Johnny Vandermeer is right, too.
So it’s Chris 4, the rest of you suckers, 0.
February 7, 2007 at 11:17 am
hroman
Oh, and Dan kicks in with Brooklyn! That’s right.
Loat 4, Dan 1.
February 7, 2007 at 11:19 am
Chris
6. Ty Cobb
February 7, 2007 at 11:20 am
Dan
3. By the rules I think 6 ways:
-third strike
-fly ball
-illegal action – eg: out of line, passes runner, etc.
-runner or batter-runner is out – eg: force, tag, appeal, illegal action, etc.
-proper batter is out – eg: batting out of turn, etc.
-interference (by runner, batter, double hit, spectoator, etc.)
February 7, 2007 at 11:23 am
Dan
oops, double pressed by accident.
February 7, 2007 at 11:24 am
Dan
8 is a tough one.
I remember something like that happened to pujols in the 2004 post season.
If an umpire judges that a fielder intentionally throws his glove at a batted ball and the glove makes contact with the ball in any manner, the batter and all runners are awarded three bases. Though the ball is live and the batter can go for a 4th.
February 7, 2007 at 11:29 am
hroman
Ty Cobb is correct.
Dan: you need to be more specific with the ways. For instance, on a third strike, you can strike out looking, you can strike out swinging, and if first base is open, you can strike out on a wild pitch and be thrown out at first…
As a hint, there are well over 10… MLB has a rulebook on their site that lists every way, so that might be helpful.
Loat 5, Everyone Else 1.
February 7, 2007 at 11:31 am
hroman
Dan, you’re bang on with #8.
It’s Loat 5, Dan 2.
February 7, 2007 at 11:32 am
Dan
Holy crap you want me to name all the ways?? Wow, give me a second.
February 7, 2007 at 11:34 am
hroman
You don’t have to name all of them. Just the number is fine.
February 7, 2007 at 11:37 am
Chris
4. Was Brian Jordan the other one?
February 7, 2007 at 11:38 am
Dan
Someone really needs to post “Thank you, come again!” on youtube for Chris.
This will have to do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc1IJwc4HRA
February 7, 2007 at 12:40 pm
hroman
Chris, for #4, think: Before World War 2.
February 7, 2007 at 11:44 am
Dan
third strike:
caught
uncaught
foul bunt
hits batter (swinging)
hits runner trying to score
fly ball:
caught
infield fly
intentionally dropped
illegal action:
out of box
changes box
doctored bat
runner or batter-runner is out:
force out
tagged
off base
two runners on one base
appeal
doesn’t tag up
misses base
doesn’t return after overrunning first
misses home plate
illegal action
out of direct base line
abandonment
passes runner
runs bases in reverse
proper batter is out:
batting out of turn
interference:
by batter
double hit
by runner, batter-runner, batter, or retired batter or runner batter interferes with catcher
runner trying to score is out
lane violation
batter hinders fielder fielding batted ball
batter intentionally interferes with throw
hit by fair ball
intentionally deflects foul ball
offensive gathering confuses fielder
coach touches or holds runner
coach draws throw
coach interferes with throw
coach doesn’t vacate space needed by fielder
by authorized on-field personnel
by spectator
42 WAYS!
Ok I had a little help with that, but as Jon can contest I have been out as a batter before when a “offensive gathering confuses fielder” (it was actually a stupid make-up call). And I’ve also got an RBI when my dreads got me a HBP with the bases loaded. DBI! Dread Batted In!
February 7, 2007 at 11:47 am
Dan
4 Harry Agganis
February 7, 2007 at 11:55 am
Dan
Wow, that was awesome. Are there any left?
February 7, 2007 at 11:58 am
hroman
Okay, #4 is not Harry Agganis.
The name is really famous. He is known for being possibly the world’s best athlete ever.
And I’ll give you the rules, since you did your homework.
So it’s Loat 5, Dan 3.
A respectable showing from you two. Only question 4 remains.
February 7, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Dan
4. Jim Thorpe?
February 7, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Dan
But I really really wanted to say Lionel Conacher, for all us Canucks.
February 7, 2007 at 12:12 pm
hroman
Yeah, it’s Jim Thorpe.
Final:
Loat 5, Dan 4.
Loat has yet to be stumped.
Very nice, very competitive.
I’ve wasted an hour by continuously pressing “refresh”…
Hope you guys enjoyed it.
February 7, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Dan
Thanks Hamid, that was great. Amazing questions. Too back I forgot until 11:15 and the Loat already had it in the bag.
But that’s what makes stumping the Loat so tough, he’s so damn punctual.
February 7, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Chris
Alright…beat Dan at his specialty. Better luck next time.
February 7, 2007 at 12:22 pm