BR Bullpen:Did You Know Archive1

This is an archive of articles that were featured on the Main Page as part of Did You Know? from August 2006 to February 12, 2007.

Did you know...[edit]

...that Jay Davis has had the longest career by a foreign player in the Korea Baseball Organization?
...that Orlando Merced only got signed originally because of a friendship with Luis Clemente?
...that the Brooklyn Dodgers almost vanished from the National League in 1902?
...that Bonnie Baker was the only woman hired to manage full-time in the AAGPBL?
...that Jim Tobin is the only pitcher in modern baseball history to hit three home runs in a game?
...that Johnny Balentina was the first player from the Netherlands Antilles to play 100 games for the Dutch national team?
...that Bill Shipke once used a paper with "magic properties" to help his hitting?
...that Diegomar Markwell, a cousin of Andruw Jones, was Hoofdklasse Pitcher of the Year in 2006?
...that Phil Garner how promised his wife a historic home run feat - and delivered?
...that Candy Jim Taylor won more games than any other Negro League manager?
...that Karl Winsch once managed a team for which his wife was the star pitcher?
...that Esteban Yan was the first American League pitcher to homer in his first career at-bat after the introduction of the Designated Hitter rule?
...that Wladimir Balentien set the Arizona League home run record?
...that Jin-Man Park was the Korean Series MVP in 2006?
...that Adam LaRoche attributed his fine performance in 2006 to his pharmaceutical treatment of his attention deficit disorder?
...about the controversy that erupted when ex-convict Alabama Pitts was signed by the Albany Senators in 1935?
...that the 1958 Caribbean Series marked the first time the Caribbean Series had a repeat winner?
...that Dong-Yeol Sun won 8 ERA titles in the Korea Baseball Organization?
...what circumstances made Dave Malarcher the manager of the Chicago American Giants?
...that former minor leaguer Randy Poffo achieved fame as wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage?
...that Cliff Brumbaugh won two MVP awards in one year?
...that Bruce Dostal missed playing in a major league game only because Harold Baines didn't reach base?
...how backup Frankie Zak was chosen for the 1944 All-Star Game?
...that Ray Knoblauch (the father of Chuck Knoblauch) coached a high school team to four Texas state championships?
...that Masayuki Nagayasu was the first Nippon Pro Baseball player to be banned for life?
...that Twins reliever Pat Neshek collects sports memorabilia?
...that former minor leaguer Scott Lucas eventually became the US Senate Majority Leader?
...why Rick Guttormson was sent down to the minors a day after throwing a no-hitter?
...that José Hernández broke a long-standing home run record previously held by a Hall-of-Famer?
...why NPB single-season save record holder Hitoki Iwase chose his uniform number?
...the fate of the New York Yankees' two big international signees in 1996 - Jackson Melián and Katsuhiro Maeda?
...that sportswriter Rick Wolff had a 15-year break in his professional baseball career yet had the best average in the Chicago White Sox chain upon his return?
...that Bob Thurman is the all-time home run leader in the Puerto Rican Winter League?
...that Len Picota was invited to spring training by the Montréal Expos seven years after he had last pitched in the affiliated minor leagues?
...that Clemente Nunez was the first player ever signed by the Florida Marlins?
...that Masahiro Kawai is the all-time world leader in sacrifice hits?
...that Preacher Roe admitted to throwing a spitball?
...that Slim Jones died of pneumonia after selling his winter coat to buy whiskey?
...that Larry Jansen was the last pitcher to win 30 games in AAA?
...that Steve Biras had a hit in his only two major league at-bats - and never got an at-bat in the minors, making him a 1.000 hitter in pro ball?
...that Bunny Mick tried to teach Vince Coleman how to bunt?
...which future MVP Steve Stone often beat in pool during their college days?
...that Greg Bicknell set the modern Northern League record for wins one year - and the record for losses the next?
...that Ryan Goleski had surgery shortly before being the first pick in the 2006 Rule V Draft, a fact not revealed by his team?
...that Joe Black hurt his arm trying to expand his repertoire?
...that Hirofumi Naito was offered a deal by the Brooklyn Dodgers over a decade before Masanori Murakami became the first Japanese player in the majors?
...what Manuel García's unusual nickname was and how he got it?
...that Tom Paciorek's first minor league roommate was his last major league manager?
...how Louis Santop broke three ribs of a fellow future Hall-of-Famer?
...that Dutch Meyer kicked the winning field goal in the 1936 Sugar Bowl?
...that Andy Pafko was the left fielder when the Shot Heard 'Round the World sailed into the left field seats?
...that Pat Patterson was the first black member of the Texas Coaches Hall of Fame?
...that José Uribe almost broke Orel Hershiser's scoreless inning streak before Hershiser had passed record-holder Don Drysdale?
...that Brian Dayett set the Columbus Clippers home run record one year after being the Southern League MVP?
...that Tetsuya Iida set a Central League record for consecutive steals without getting nabbed?
...that Bill Lange faked an injury and delayed reporting to spring training one year so he could see a boxing match?
...about some of the more famous Fire Sales in Major League Baseball history?
...that Andre Keene was once traded for a Muddy Waters album and cash?
...that Craig Stansberry is one step from becoming the first Major League player born in the Middle East?
...that Andy Green was the Pacific Coast League MVP in 2005?
...that Eddie Locke pitched complete games in both ends of a doubleheader four times in 1953 - and won all 8 games?
...that Al Schacht left high school when he was forbidden from pitching?
...that Larry Jaster set the record for most consecutive shutouts of the same team in a year?
...that Johnny Davis was only allowed to play games in New York State for two years due to his being on probation?
...that Choji Murata was the first Japanese star to have Tommy John surgery?
...that Luis Padrón almost became the first Cuban player of the 20th Century?
...that John Van Benschoten led NCAA Division I in home runs and slugging - and then was converted into a pitcher?
...that Panamanian shortstop Frank Austin lost one Negro National League batting title upon recent research - but gained a different batting championship?
...that former independent league infielder Bo Durkac was a Baseball America contributor before writing two books?
...that Jack Wilson is in the Hall of Fame of a team he never played on?
...that Jumbo Ozaki became one of Japan's greatest golfers after his baseball career went nowhere?
...that Mike Birkbeck just missed two pitching Triple Crowns in the minor leagues?
...that the 1946 World Series was the only postseason appearance by Ted Williams as well as the scene of Enos Slaughter's famed mad dash?
...that Tatsuya Ozeki lost his chance to play in the Milwaukee Brewers system when they botched the immigration paperwork?
...that there was once a minor league player whose actual name was Ten Million?
...that 1992-1993 Orix BlueWave manager Shozo Doi refused to give regular playing time to a young Ichiro Suzuki, convinced he could not succeed with his swing?
...that the Prince William Pirates were Barry Bonds' first professional club?
...that John E. Olerud (the father of John Olerud) studied medicine while playing baseball and then retired to become a doctor?
...that Jimmie Reese was the third man to have his number retired by the California Angels?
...that Heavy Johnson won a Negro National League Triple Crown a year after leaving the army?
...that Kazumi Saitoh recently became the first two-time Sawamura Award winner from the Pacific League?
...how Charlie Hough defined a good knuckleball?
...that former Orix BlueWave and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Takahito Nomura was recently arrested for possession of drugs?
...that Chuck Connors retired after four games in the minors before resuming his career two years later?
...that Ronald Williamson is the subject of a new book by John Grisham?
...that Gary W. Jones led his league in walks at least five times?
...that Skeeter Ebnet was killed by a pitch in a 1938 game?
...that Barney Pelty has the records for the lowest career ERA by a Jewish pitcher and the lowest single-season ERA by a St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles pitcher?
...that Zach Duke had a 1.46 ERA in the minor leagues in 2004?
...how Jack McKeon almost lost his life in 1950?
...that Ntema Ndungidi was the first African native to play for an affiliated minor league team and almost the first Canadian drafted in the first round of major league baseball's amateur draft?
...that Takuro Ishii is the all-time Yokohama BayStars franchise hit leader despite having been a pitcher for his first three years?
...that pitching prospect Erik Walker recently lost his life in a tragic boating accident?
...that Jose Oliva posthumously won a Dominican League MVP award?
...that former GM Kevin Malone claimed that baseball is run by Satan?
...how Hiromi Makihara pitched a perfect game despite an error by his club?
...that Milt Wilcox is into dog diving?
...that Phil Seghi hired Frank Robinson as the first black manager in the majors?
...that the Grand Rapids Rippers and their opponents averaged 22.1 runs per game in that club's only season of play?
...that Jimmie Lyons fell 25' down an elevator shaft but was back in the lineup in four days?
...that Fernando Seguignol led the minor leagues in slugging in 2003?
...that Sachio Kinugasa holds the Most Consecutive Games Played in Nippon Pro Baseball despite leading the Central League in times hit by pitch six times?
...that Joe Engel scouted Goose Goslin and Joe Cronin?
...that the 1949 Caribbean Series was the first edition of the Caribbean Series and was the subject of a sweep by the Almendares Blues?
...that Fernando Valenzuela Jr. is a winter ball teammate of his father?
...that Bill DeWitt began his baseball career selling soda?
...that Xavier Nady broke Mark McGwire's slugging record for the Pacific-10 Conference?
...that Gentry Jessup's brother was a prizefighter?
...that Omar Moreno broke a 91-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates record for steals in a season - then topped it the next year?
...that Darryl Brinkley is the only Winter League Player of the Year not to make the majors?
...that Morimichi Takagi was supposedly offered a million yen bonus if he would show more emotion?
...that Bill Kazmierczak was the first Carolina League pitcher to throw a no-hitter twice in a season?
...that minor league infielder Joe Rovner had a bit part in a 1950s movie?
...that Jeromy Burnitz was the first 30-30 player in Eastern League history?
...that former Negro League pitcher Si Simmons was recently discovered to still be alive at 110 years of age?
...that Tony Freitas once was let out of jail to pitch in a game, then returned to complete his sentence?
...that Charlie Berry was an umpire in the 1958 World Series after having been an official at the NFL title game that year?
...that Takao Kajimoto oddly set NPB records for both consecutive losses and consecutive strikeouts?
...that Devern Hansack worked as a lobsterman in between his first and second stints in the minor leagues?
...how Greg Minton discovered his best pitch?
...that Francisco Campos won the first Mexican League pitching Triple Crown in 48 years?
...that the Eastern League stolen base leader one year was Wonderful Terrific Monds III?
...that recently retired Atsushi Kataoka holds the Pacific League single-season walk record?
...that former AAGPBL infielder Marge Callaghan is the aunt of Casey Candaele?
...that the 1985 Expos were helped by Jeff Reardon setting a team save record?
...why George Britt was called Chippy?
...that Demond Smith has stolen over 500 bases in the minor leagues?
...that Dirk van 't Klooster outhit outfield mates Andruw Jones and Yurendell de Caster in the 2006 World Baseball Classic?
...that Salomon Torres worked as a minor league baseball coach for a couple seasons before returning to the major leagues as a pitcher?
...that Darrell Evans had such poor vision that he could not see the pitcher without wearing his contact lenses?
...that Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams spent four seasons as an outfielder in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system?
...that Bobby Mattick scouted Frank Robinson and later was one of the first employees of the Toronto Blue Jays?
...that Kenichi Zenimura is known as the Father of Japanese American baseball - and was also the father of two professional baseball players?
...why Alonzo Powell made his Chunichi Dragons teammates T-shirts of an elephant swinging a baseball bat
...that Tsuyoshi Wada holds the Tokyo Big Six University League record for strikeouts in a career?
...that Kal Daniels had six knee surgeries during the course of his career?
...that Mackey Sasser was moved from catching after developing a psychological block about throwing the ball back to the pitcher?
...that Sam Barkley's signing by the Pittsburgh Alleghenies led to the resignation of the club president?
...that Leroy Matlock once won 26 consecutive Negro National League games?
...that Dennis Holmberg's wife has been in a vegetative state for over two decades
...that Kazuhisa Ishii holds the Nippon Pro Baseball record for wild pitches in a season?
...that Jouett Meekin is reputed to have issued the first intentional walk in baseball history?
...that Futoshi Nakanishi married his manager's daughter the year he was Pacific League MVP?
...that minor league pitcher Jon Hooker recently died in a plane crash one day after his wedding?
...that Shohei Baba became a famous wrestler after his NPB pitching career was ended by injury?
...that Jimmy Wood was believed to be the first Canadian major leaguer until research in 2006 proved this to be false?
...which characters played which positions in the Peanuts comic strip?
...that Kazumi Takahashi won the clincher in the Japan Series a record four years in a row?
...that Roy Campanella was suspended by the Negro National League for his appearance in an exhibition contest
...that Cheol-Sun Bak was the first South Korean native to sign with a major league team?
...that the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup was a postseason competition in 1900?
...that Jason Bay's sister, Lauren, was a pitcher for the Canadian softball team at the 2004 Olympics?
...why Jake Atz quit his job as manager of the Fort Worth Panthers only to return the next year?
...that Gil Patterson was working as a valet when he was first offered a job as a pitching coach?
...why Mike Gonzalez was traded between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox twice in nine days?
...that the Osceola Astros shattered the Florida State League record for steals in 1988'?
...that The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award predates the more famous Rookie of the Year award given out by the BBWAA?
...that Hitoshi Tamura lost his chances at a Triple Crown in 2005 when he crashed his porsche and missed a month due to injuries?
...that Eric Hillman was the second foreign pitcher in the Pacific League to be named to the Best Nine, earning the honor 32 years after it was first accomplished?
...that Deacon White had the first hit in the first game in the first professional baseball league?
...that AAGPBL All-Star Thelma Eisen once played in a womens' football league that was banned by the city of Los Angeles, CA?
...that Nick Markakis was the first two-time Junior College Player of the Year?
...that Aaron Pointer, the last man to hit .400 in a full season, US-based minor league, is the brother of the famous Pointer Sisters? Or that his most recent challenger was Rick Short?
...that Mark Merchant was taken second overall in the 1987 amateur draft, right after Ken Griffey Jr., but barely even played in AAA, never making the majors?
...that Tommy Brown was the youngest player ever to steal home in a major league game?
...that Hiroki Kuroda was the second Olympic athlete in his family? He pitched in the 2004 Olympics while his mother had been an Olympic shotputter.
...that Angel Moreno has won over 420 games in 31 seasons in professional baseball?
...that Shinya Miyamoto, the captain of Japan's team in the 2000 Olympics, holds the NPB record with 67 sacrifice hits in a season?
...that minor league umpire Larry Smith died at age 21 in the Vietnam War?
...that infamously light-hitting Mario Mendoza is a member of the Salon de la Fama, Mexico's Baseball Hall of Fame?
...that Billy Geer played at the highest level of baseball at the time at age 14?
...that Harry Chozen wrote a letter to Kenesaw Mountain Landis demanding free agency in 1938?
...that Jose Bautista (bautijo02) was part of four transactions within one year, winding up back where he started?
...that Rikkert Faneyte was MVP of the 1987 European Championships and a two-time MVP in Hoofdklasse?
...that Akinori Otsuka refused to report to the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 2003, demanding a trade when he felt they rigged his chances under the posting system?
...that Willie Wells once played on the same infield as his son, Willie Wells Jr.?
...that Doc Cramer was not ejected for a game during the first 16 years of his career?
...that Ted Page was ironically beaten to death with a baseball bat after making his living using one?
...that the Águilas del Zulia have produced the likes of Greg Maddux, Luis Aparicio and Ryne Sandberg?
...that Yukio Muramatsu had a 1.26 career ERA before his life was cut short by World War II?
...that Jeff Allison did not allow an earned run in his senior year of high school and nearly died the next year?
...that Chile Gomez was once paraded through the streets of Mexico City on the shoulders of the fans?
...that Matt Stairs was signed off of the Canadian national team after being undrafted out of high school, then was the Eastern League MVP a short two years later?
...that Richard Nixon once put together a list of All-Time All-Star Teams which appeared in many newspapers?
...that Cristobal Torriente was one of the initial inductees in the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame a year after dying in poverty?
...that the Tennessee Tomahawks went 33-1 in the second half of the 1997 Heartland League season?
...that Nick Etten led the 1945 AL in RBI and was considered one of the worst defensive first basemen ever?
...that Takahiro Arai, as a rookie, lost track of the number of outs and threw away the baseball with two outs, letting a run score?
...that Sam Jethroe led his leagues at least eight times in stolen bases, multiple times in runs, average, doubles, triples, outfield put-outsand at least once (possibly more given limited data) in hits, walks, OBP and times hit by pitch?
...that Emmett O'Donnell was once picked to serve as major league baseball commissioner but did not serve in that role?
...that Oliver Perez, in 2004, became the #3 pitcher in Pittsburgh Pirates club history in single-season strikeouts?
...that Mike Easler spent 10 years in the minors, winning two batting titles, before he was able to win a bench job with the Pittsburgh Pirates...then almost lost that job in favor of a pinch-runner?
...that John Castino's cousin played in the NFL?
...that Tom Maggard, the 1969 Red Sox first-round pick, had his life cut short by an insect bite?
...that a Perfect Game was thrown in the 2005 Mexican League postseason?
...that Chris Duffy sat out almost a month of the 2006 season for reasons that are unclear?
...that the pitcher's mound has only been at its present height since 1969?
...that Jorge Cortes reached base in 55 consecutive Texas League games in 2006?
...that Steve Yeager invented a throat protector for catchers?
...that Lyle Overbay led the minor leagues in doubles in 2001?
...that Red Faber missed the 1919 World Series due to illness?
...that Bud Smith got his nickname because he would get his father a Budweiser every workday?
...that Cuba native Andrés Ayón is second all-time in the Mexican League in winning percentage?
...that the 1985 Pittsburgh drug trials tarnished the reputation of the Pirate Parrot?
...that Val Pascucci holds the modern Harrisburg Senators record for walks in a season?
...that Harold Danielson never homered six times in a season as a pro but hit two grand slams in one day in 1949?
...that the 2005 Japan Series marked the first time the winning club in the Japan Series was managed by an American?
...that Merkle's Boner featured the involvement of several Hall of Famers?
...that Hall-of-Fame hurler Smokey Joe Williams threw four shutouts in 12 games against white major league teams and is considered by many Negro League experts to be the best black pitcher ever?
...that Japanese Baseball Hall of Famer Takehiko Bessho pitched 14 innings in the Koshien Tournament one year with a broken arm?
...that the Muncie Reds once had a future 40-home-slugger, Wally Post, as their star pitcher?
...that Cornelio Garcia has the highest average of any Mexican native in the history of the Mexican League?
...that Joe Burke was a one-eyed Giants minor leaguer who went on to live the high life?
...that Mule Suttles is the all-time home run leader in both the Negro Leagues and the California Winter League?
...that Yokohama Peace Stadium was the site of the first international baseball game in Japan and was briefly named after Lou Gehrig?
...that Brian Horwitz was undrafted out of college yet won batting titles his first two years in the minor leagues?
...that 1988 Olympian Kenjiro Nomura was the 4th-fastest player in Nippon Professional Baseball history to collect 1,500 hits?
...that Martin Dihigo is the only man to be a member of the Hall of Fame, Salon de la Fama and Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame?
...that Endy Chávez was the last batter in the history of the Montreal Expos?
...that the MLB trading deadline was June 15 until 1985?
...that Sid Bream broke an 81-year-old National League record for assists by a first baseman in 1986 with 166?
...that Matt Keough tied a major-league record when he lost his first 14 games in 1979?
...that Alex Cabrera's 55 home runs in 2002 are tied for the most in a season in Nippon Pro Baseball?
...that Bill Sarni was the youngest player in the history of the Pacific Coast League?
...that Lew Burdette was frequently accused of throwing a spitball?
...that Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Bird played in two games for the Indiana State Sycamores baseball team?
...that Jimmy Claxton was the first black player featured on a baseball card?
...that Reggie Otero led the Canadian-American League in batting average in 1942 and won a record seven titles in the Venezuelan League?
...that Art Shamsky was a roommate of Pete Rose when they were in the New York-Penn League and that Shamsky later homered four times in four at-bats?
...that Negro League catcher Larry Brown routinely got more votes for the East-West Game than players like Josh Gibson, Biz Mackey and Roy Campanella?
...that the 19th Century brought us the first baseball rules and the first professional baseball league?
...that Teo Acosta won five minor league batting titles but never played a day in the major leagues?
...that Masahiro Yamamoto had a chance at becoming the second Japanese player for an American team but decided to return to Japan instead?
...that the Venezuelan League traces its roots to the mid-1940s as one of the oldest winter leagues?
...that while Mac Suzuki was the Salinas Spurs' clubhouse boy in 1992 he pitched one inning for club.
...that Morgan Burkhart won the Frontier League's MVP and Triple Crown winner in 1998, with a .404 average, 36 homers and 98 RBI and was named as the Independent League Player of the Year by Baseball America.
...that Helen Fox is the AAGPBL's all-time leader in games pitched (313), wins (163), losses (118), innings (2,382), earned runs allowed (499), hits allowed (1,579), and strikeouts (1,076).
...that the 1933 East-West Game was the first of the Negro Leagues version of the All-Star Game, taking place on September 10 in Chicago's Comiskey Park.
...that Dennis Martinez is the all-time leader in wins among Latin American players with 245 wins.
...that Moe Hill won five consecutive home run titles in the Midwest League in the 1970s.

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BR Bullpen:Did You Know Archive1

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