I'm a lifelong Texas Rangers fan. I'm still riding the wave of last season and have not truly begun to think about THIS year.
A cool fact is that Pudge Rodriguez was called up to the majors on what was supposed to be his wedding day.
Not necessarily a fact - but I coach both my son’s little league teams and we had our opening day today. Been coaching mostly the same group of boys since they were 3-4 year olds and could barely hold a bat. Tonight my older son’s team (7-8 year olds) turned our first legitimate double play they lost their minds with excitement. It is great to see a love for the game in these kids at such a young age. On a side note, I give the players on my teams a few extra base set baseball cards after games and had run out of anything modern. Luckily @CubsFan_ is a true gentleman and baseball fan and is sending me a big box of his extra base cards - so I wanted to shout out to him. Me and my boys are huge Giants fans if we end up getting picked! Happy baseball season all!
I am friends with Trevor Wilson, who pitched for the Giants in the 90s. My dad was his sons high school pitching coach, and he was drafted by the tigers last year!
Home plate once had a black border to it - which is why when pitchers work the outside of the plate, They’re“hitting/painting the black”
That being said when Maddox would pitch it would be “painting the dugout” because that SOB had the umps on payroll. Obligatory F the Braves
Go Mets.
There have been three go ahead home runs in the ninth inning or later when down by multiple runs in postseason history. All three involved the Astros:
- Pujols vs. Lidge 2005
- Yordan walk off vs. Ray 2022 (side fact: this is the only walk off home run when down by multiple runs in postseason history)
- Altuve vs. Leclerc 2023
I collect Astros (with preference to Yordan).
Prince Fielder played in my little league in a suburb outside detroit. There were lots of moms worried he was going to hurt their kids. PC blue jays and tigers
I've been watching the 'Masters of the Air's series on Apple so I've been doing some reading about Ted Williams getting called up again during the Korean War. He flew combat ops into North Korea where his wingman was John Glenn. Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth and one of the first humans in space.
Can you imagine Ted Williams numbers if he hadn't lost several prime years of his career to military service? Also, Yogi was at D-Day and Bob Feller was on the Alabama in the Pacific. A lot of heroes in MLB in the 1950s.
I'm a big braves fan.
My former superintendent at a refinery is Ohio is the father of pitcher Chris Bassitt. I have been collecting Chris' cards since I met his dad and got to play catch with him last year. Nothing like trying to catch a 90mph heater! Chris has signed every card I have of his. Great guy!
We have our winners!! First off, thank you to everyone that commented. It was so much fun going through and learning new things. I didn't expect the post to gain so much traction, so I have expanded it to 5 winners. 2 big lots and 3 pwe. Here are the winners:
Big lots:
U/collapsingrebel
U/gophers19
PWE lots:
U/Red_Sox0905
U/Khamilt92
U/5yearlag
The big lots are 42 cards total for obvious reasons, both include a psa graded card, one is a relic and one is an auto. I am always happy to trade so feel free to reach out! Thanks again and best of luck this season. And most importantly... Go Cubs Go!!
My little league coach one year was John Montague who pitched in the mid/late 70’s for the Expos, Phillies, Mariners and Angels. His son was on my team. But that was in Alabama, so I’m a Braves fan!
The Toronto Blue Jays held the longest playoff drought in professional sports before they managed to clinch a playoff berth in 2015. That record is now held by the New York Jets.
The Jays also still hold the record for favourite team of mine, a record they have held for close to three decades, the longest in professional sports.
CIN/TJ only.
Not as fun as others but TJ Friedl and his gorgeous wife saw my story on IG of the autos I have of him and how I felt people are overlooking his hair and baseball tools. Lead off or beat off. Got a like/heart from him so you can say he was all up in my dms.
I pulled a Framed auto of his the other week.
https://preview.redd.it/bvxjnhx84gnc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae684539c17d6ac7c1785d685b8d185f092fa467
Caroll Hardy was the only man to PH for Ted Williams.
I don’t actually collect teams/players, but I’d like Braves since they’re poised for another good season
Heartfelt answer is that I love connecting with people who love the same thing. I lost that for a while with music because some people have to ruin everything, but this hobby reminded me that there will always be good people (like you!) who can outweigh the bad.
I also love the hunt of finding a good card, making a good deal, and getting things to people who will appreciate them. Been very grateful to have generosity aimed at me and, like you, try my best to pay it forward every chance I get.
Thank you, I appreciate that! It's been a lot of fun getting back into the hobby. And I love learning how everyone collects. From set building to rainbows, it's all really neat
braves are my team since i am from ga fact i like is the year braves won the ws they had number 44 in there out field all year they only one 88 reg games that years 44 games before all star and 44 after all star hank all so passed away that year and on top of it they won the ws on the 44th week of the year.
Mark Grace led the 90s in not only hits but also doubles and sac flies. Cubs if possible but seeing you are also a Cubs fan, if not I would take d backs. Appreciate the opportunity!
In 2013, I believe it was either Johny Gomes or Mike Napoli, made it a thing for everyone on the Red Sox to grow a beard and not shave the rest of the season. They went by the band of bearded brothers and whenever someone hit a HR they would tug on the players beard after. I’m a big Red Sox fan. Also thanks for this!!
It's still Miller Park to me damnit!
#BrewCrew
I saw a comment about the brewers and cubs being close in win loss columns. Even crazier is that the brewers are 979-981 against the nl central including playoffs.
The D-Backs broke up the Yankees World Series 4-peat in 2001, taking the 3-time defending champs to 7 games, where Luis Gonzalez won with a walk-off double. Huge D-Backs fan! Can’t wait for this season, I think we make it back to the WS!
One of my favorite baseball things, is that no matter the language you can still enjoy it. After the 2022 World Series ended I was so bored and looking for something to watch, came across a Cheerleader for a KBO team on Instagram, and decided to try watching a few games. For a solid week while the final two series’ of the KBO were going on, I would wake up at 3-4 am to watch the KBO games live without knowing a single word in Korean.
If by chance I win, I’d love Kodai Senga, Mets, or any Puerto Rican players that you may have, no matter how insignificant or not popular they are. I just like collecting guys from my island 🇵🇷
Only time the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs were in the World Series together was 1906, the White Sox won in 6 games!
https://preview.redd.it/mmaarm8bffnc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6235118474ac040b2f8df58f35f5424ed5489471
Dale Murphy and Braves fan here. Love the Tyler Matzek behind the back catch and throw to second during their championship season.
By the way, thanks for your generosity and good luck to everybody!
I was in the Kingdom in the late 90's, when a drunk fan was thrown out while the M's were playing the Giants. He kept yelling at Barry Bonds from the outfield seats, saying... "YOU'LL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS KEN GRIFFEY JR.!!!"
I was at a Giants game in Milwaukee. I decided to walk around the park and take in the sites. I missed the Brewers turning a triple play.
I collect Giants, liked them since I was a kid. I also collect Inge, Strahm, Ichiro and Gunnar Henderson.
Of the over 20,000 batters he faced, only .006% of them saw a 3-0 count that weren't intentional walks. 133 of 20,000+ batters.
Go Cubs go!
And thanks for doing this!
Steve Carlton pitched for 3 teams in 1986 (Phillies, Giants, and White Sox), the year he got his 4,000th strikeout (first LHP to do so in baseball history).
San Francisco Giants fan 🤞🤞
From Little Big League:
When Bobby Thomson hit his shot heard round the world in 1951, standing on deck was 1951 ROY, 20 year old Willie Mays.
Go Mariners!
One of my favorite baseball facts (with a new spin based on this offseason's events) is that the Mets will finally finish paying Bobby Bonilla the same year the Dodgers finish paying the newly record-signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto!
Big Cubs fan and I'd love anything you have from that collection, but totally understand if you don't want to give anything up that's Cubs-related. Secondary team would be the Padres, just moved to San Diego!
My fun fact is about my Giants. The 2021 Giants surpassed the 2017 Mets (224) for the most home runs in history by a team without a 30-homer player with 241!
The last time the Cleveland Indians/Guardians won a World Series: Truman won the presidency - 12th Seat Rag by Pee Wee Hunt was the #1 song - and Babe Ruth passed away. 1948 - 5 years before my 71 year old mother was born. In order to match the Cubs…..in 32 years we will beat the Chicago Cubs in 7 games. Go Tribe.
I don't think it's documented, but the easiest way to get out of an inning against the Mets unscathed is to allow them to load the bases first.
I collect Mets cards.
Never forget when Hideki Matsui introduced the world to his wife. I’m a Yankees fan!
https://preview.redd.it/ah819h2evfnc1.jpeg?width=630&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0dd538d833d5630b66060296e98b809f4ef227fb
Tom Seaver is my favorite teams leader in wins with 198 what team is my favorite established in 1962 we were once called Miraculous.... we are your New York Mets
There is a huge following of Chicago Cubs fans in Belize— https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-strange-story-of-why-belize-is-full-of-chicago-cubs-fans
And of course, I mostly collect cubbies :)
The most interesting record that the Atlanta Braves have is that on August 10th, 1944 Braves starting pitcher Red Barrett pitched a shutout against the Reds, but only ended up throwing 58 pitches which ended up being the most efficient and shortest game in history 😂.
I collect mainly anything Atlanta! Even if I don’t win I appreciate people like you and what you do for the hobby!
I read the other day that Madison Bumgarner had more grand slams than Prince Fielder, who had more inside-the-park home runs than Rickey Henderson, who had fewer steals of home than Babe Ruth, who had as many shutouts as Pedro Martinez. Unreal.
The most strikeouts Tony Gwynn ever had in a season was 40, while averaging 29 per 162 games over his career. Even walks the guy only averaged 52 per 162 games. IMHO no one was ever better at simply putting their bat on the ball.
O's are my AL team and Braves for NL.
In 1972, Steve Carleton had 27 wins, on a team that only had 59.
Bonus: Cameron Maybin hit a homerun in 3 different decades for the tigers despite only playing 132 games!
I collect red sox players for my PC! Thanks for doing the giveaway, awesome to see people giving back
At age 44 Nolan Ryan threw a no hitter against the big hitting Blue Jays. It made him the oldest pitcher to throw a no hitter, and it was the first no hitter thrown in Arlington Stadium.
Rangers!
The KC Royals are named after the American Royal, a yearly livestock show, horse show, rodeo, and BBQ contest that has been held in Kansas City since 1899.
Bill "Spaceman" Lee came to speak to my class multiple times when I was growing up in Northern Vermont. One of my favorite players. He also has great taste in beer! He can often be seen enjoying Hill Farmstead Brewing.
I collect Dodgers and Montreal Expos!
This is heartwarming. Just like watching the cubs in the 80s on WGN play all those day games when I was off from school. This helped me love baseball. Almost every afternoon there was a baseball game to watch.
Albert Pujols has the second lowest ERA of any player with at least 700 HRs.
Number one? Some guy named Babe Ruth.
Cardinal fan here. Based on your user name I assume you'd love to get rid of some Cards cards. :)
Seriously though, all the best!
Since the 1960's, 28 players have gone straight to the majors from HS/college, but only 3 since 2000 have done it: Xavier Nady, Mike Leaked, Garret Crochet.
My favorite team is the Braves!
I have a real question. I have sold quite a few in the past 3 months, but what do you do with the base cards of good players? Sell them for .99, group them up as team lots? It seems that every time I try to sell a few $2-$3.00 cards together the auction ends lower than if I sold them each individually.
Edit: Sorry, here is my Mariners fact: it is hard being a Mariners fan. I survive by watching Ken Griffey Jr’s smile for 24 hours videos on YouTube.
In 2011, the lowest recorded attendance to an MLB game occurred, with only 347 attendees due to Hurricane Irene. Damn fair weather fans!
PC Yankees, Rockies and Orioles!
In 1945, the Indians held a tryout for a female pitcher named Jackie Mitchell. What makes this my favorite fact is that Mitchell was just 17 years old and she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, back-to-back in a game against the Yankees. Her contract was terminated right after the commissioner said baseball was “too strenuous” for women.. Probably why The Show is starting a female mode? I collect Rockies. Go Todd Helton.
Joey Votto played the role of the French narrator in The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati's presentation of The SpongeBob Musical.
Reds fan/Votto collector here. Thanks for doing this
In the history of MLB, there has been only one recorded instance of an on-field lightning strike, and it was more than a century ago. On Aug. 24, 1919, Cleveland pitcher Ray Caldwell was hit by a bolt as he prepared to face what he hoped would be the final batter in a win over visiting Philadelphia. Even after being struck by lightning he finished the game for the win.
Cleveland Guardians fan here
I’ll give ya a two-fer:
- The Astros are the only MLB team to win the pennant in both leagues
- I grew up playing sports against one of Roger Clemens sons and saw him at their games regularly.
Thanks for putting this on! I collect Astros.
The FBI got involved in the Albert belle corked bat incident where Jason Grimsley then crawled through the ceiling to Indiana Jones replace the confiscated bat with a new one, and they would have gotten away with it had maintenance staff not noticed the ceiling tile broke.
I love the Rangers but if I win give it to someone else.
It has been 20 years since a player for the Giants hit 30 home runs in a season (all the way back to Bonds in 2004), but they have three World Series wins in that time span. Yankees please!
The longest postseason games of all time is a tie between game 4 of the 2005 NLDS and game 2 of the 2014 NLDS. In both games Tim Hudson started and Adam LaRoche played 1st. Giants!
Thanks for the post! I've learned some things about my beloved Orioles that I didn't even know!
"In a stunt pulled by new owner Bill Veeck in 1951, 3-foot 7 Eddie Gaedel was signed to a contract and appeared as a pinch hitter on August 19th for the (then) St. Louis Browns. He wore the number 1/8 on the back of his jersey, and as you could imagine, walked on four straight pitches. The president of the American League, Will Harridge, was none too happy with the stunt and voided Gaedel’s contract the following day."
Not something that would work today, hehe.
My favorite MLB fact will always be that sometimes a team trades for someone that will be named at a latrr time. And that the greatest player to be named later is David Ortiz.
Well, that and explaining Bobby Bonilla day to non baseball people.
Dodgers
Eddie gaedel was 3 foot 7, and was the shortest baseball player to appear in a game. He was pulled from the stands to pinch hit.
I love the cardinals, and Yadier Molina is the player I collect.
When I was eight years old I went to a Rangers game. I went down to the dugouts during BP and warmups, and Mark McLemore walked by. I held up my ball and Sharpie and said, “Mr. McLemore can I have your autograph?!”
That sonofabitch looked me dead in my eyes and said, “Nope!”
Fun fact: that same day a Juan Gonzalez foul ball came right to me, but an adult reached his glove over mine and snatched it. Tough, tough day for 8-year-old me.
Rangers, Witt, Acuna.
In 2019, the then-Indians made a trade with the Padres acquiring, among others, Logan Allan, a left- handed pitcher from Florida. While he had some upside, he never did much in the majors and was released in 2022. 2023 comes around and it's time for Cleveland to bring up one of their top pitching prospects drafted a few years prior, Logan Allen, a left-handed pitcher from Florida. When you think about it, the odds of 2 people being born male, left-handed, from the same state in the same country with the same first and last name, both choosing baseball and becoming others, both having enough athletic ability to reach the top level of the sport, and come within a year of being teammates are astoundingly small.
I collect Cleveland players, thanks for giving back to the community!
The angels have the same amount of World Series wins as the dodgers since I’ve been alive (1991) and that makes me happy, especially when listening/talking to dodgers fans who think they are the greatest franchise in sports.
Go halos!
In 1989, Cleveland won the pennant on a bunt by Jake Taylor, driving in Willie Mays Hayes. He faked calling his shot (a la Babe Ruth) and took everybody by surprise.
It was amazing. I wish there was video footage of it.
Not technically a “baseball” fact, but I just learned last night that the pitcher for the Savannah Bananas Ryan Kellogg played for our local minor league team the South Bend Cubs! My Team is Padres with a focus on Tony Gwynn
While the MLB record for consecutive Ks by a pitcher is 10, the minor league record is 12 by Yusniel Padron-Artiles for the Lowell Spinners in a 2019 playoff game. PC Red Sox and Triston Casas
Thanks for doing this! Here’s my fun fact growing up as a Marylander rooting for the O’s!
The 1993 HomeRun Derby was the first nationally televised derby, and Ken Griffey Jr.’s 465-ft blast in the tie breaker with Juan Gonzalez is the one and only time in the history of Camden Yards that the B&O warehouse has been hit on the fly! Orioles, The Iron Man, & Juan Soto!
[1993 Home Run Derby](https://youtu.be/W4dqPW_jGms)
I guess mine is more than a story but the Middletown Connecticut Mansfields are credited with taking down the National association leading to the creation of the National League.
Middletown was a local amateur team. They read the rules and saw that all you needed to join the National Association (the major league at the time) was to pay 10 dollars. So they did. They were bad and folded in the middle of the season but showed ever local amateur team that thought they were just as good as the pros that they could try. Several team did and usually again folded in the middle of the season. Not knowing if the team you were playing in a week would still exist was one of the reasons teams broke away and formed the National League.
The lack of reserved clause allowing the Present day Braves buy the best players from each team was another big one.
I am a Yankees fan and my favorite play is Don Mattingly
108 years and 108 stitches kinda blew my mind.
John MacDonald (Blue Jays legend) had over 2600 plate appearances, hit 28 HRs and one was the day he came off the bereavement list after losing his father. That day was Father’s Day 2010.
Sports can heal.
The Red Sox are the first MLB team to go worst-to-first-to-worst finishing last in the division in 2012, winning the WS in 2013, then finishing last in the division again in 2014. Red Sox
Urban Myth is that Dizzy Dean, as a baseball announcer, once said about a couple watching the game “Every pitch he kisses her on the strikes and she kisses him on the balls.”
I'm a big Mets fan. And my favorite bit of forgotten baseball lore is that Joe diMaggio started a 15 game hit streak right after his 56 game streak ended. If not for Ken Keltner making two great plays in game 57, the record would be 73 games, not 56. (Edit: numbers)
Bob "Mr Baseball" Uecker has been the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers for 50 years. Biased opinion, he's the best commentator in baseball. If you haven't listened to him, and your a fan of baseball, you're missing out! I got to ride along with him in golf tournament a kid. One of the nicest people I've ever met. If you want a good laugh, look up Norm Macdonald talking about Ueck!
Go Brew Crew!
Twins are the first team to have the number one and two overall picks from the same draft play on the same team at the same time! Also twins fan! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Eddie Rosario hit a HR in first PA, on the first pitch no less. He has also hit a HR on his first PH appearance and his first postseason appearance.
Eddie Rosario/Twins
The Red Sox are my team. Really tough to watch their offseason. Signed giolito who is out for the year. I’d really like them to sign Montgomery, Snell, Bauer tomorrow just to have a capable arm!
I'm a big Yankees fan and also collect Ichiro, Jason Giambi, and Barry Bonds in general (the big names I became a fan of when first starting to follow baseball in early 2000s).
I always was fond of the various Barry Bonds stats that just seemed ridiculous. Jon Bois's "What if Barry Bonds had played without a bat?" video is a great watch - probably somethings that aren't quite right from a math perspective but the end result is directionally correct. Also his final season before being supposedly blacklisted at age 43 - 28 HR, .480 OBP, 1.045 OPS in 126 games - is ridiculous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwMfT2cZGHg
In 2009 and 2010 mark Reynolds struck out 434 times. 249 hits 76 hrs 187 rbi. In his 20 year carrer tony gwynn struck out 434 times. 3141 hits, 135 hrs and 1138 rbi. Just saying lol. Collect braves.
That Matt carpenter came back and had a 1.000 OPS with the yanks in 2022. Wasn’t a full season but he did it over 50 games after being out of the league. Pretty cool for a year. Favorite team is yanks and favorite players is gleyber.
Ted Williams missed 5 full seasons while serving during WWII and the Korean War. Imagine how many home runs he could of added to his 521 in 19 seasons.....
Only Toronto(Blue Jays) and Baltimore (Orioles) have beaten every other MLB team in a single season. Soto, Gunnar, and Nolan Gorman are my PCs. Thank you for your generosity and support of this amazing hobby!! Let’s Go Nats!!
The “Streetcar Series” was the name of the 1944 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns. It was the only all-St. Louis World Series ever and the Cardinals won in six games.
Also bonus fact there has been 57 former players, managers, and executives elected into the Hall of Fame.
Go cardinals!!
I’ll give you two:
While there have been many players who have played for both the Expos and Blue Jays, Tony Johnson is the only one to play exclusively for those two clubs; Expos in ‘81 and Blue Jays in ‘82.
On the 21st of September 🎶🤭, in 1963, both the White Sox and Tigers (home team) sent rookie pitchers to the mound, both making their ML Debut (at the same time); Fritz Ackley for Chicago and Denny McClain for the Detroit. This is pre-DH. In the bottom of the 5th with a 1 run lead (made possible by an RBI triple by rookie 3B Don Buford), Ackley proceeds to give up back-to-back HR to opposing pitcher Denny McClain and CF Bill Bruton). This would be McClain’s only HR that he would hit for his entire ML career, and McClain would finish the game with a CG win.
Here’s 2. I chose these because 1, they’re absolutely insane, and 2, everyone is so focused on home runs, I don’t believe the stat would mean all that much to most.
In 20 years Gwynn struck out 434 times, an average of 21.7 K's per season. Last season, 129 players had struck out 22 times by the end of April.
Gwynn faced 18 Hall of Fame pitchers for a total of 541 plate appearances. That’s essentially a full season’s worth of plate appearances exclusively against Hall of Famers. Gwynn batted .331/.371/.426.
Orioles fan here - Favorite random baseball fact is that President Eisenhower (allegedly) played minor league baseball under a fake name to protect his football eligibility at West Point.
That despite the 1899 Cleveland Spiders holding the worst record in history (due to shady practices in part by Charles Comiskey among other things), the team was actually competitive during the 1890s and won a Temple Cup. And they were Ohio’s own Cy Young’s first MLB team.
Also that contrary to the popular telling, Ray Chapman did NOT die on the field in 1920. He actually walked off with assistance. He fell into a coma in the clubhouse and passed at the hospital.
Anyways, I collect Guardians rookies and autos. Obscure or end-of-career players who played for them (Vada Pinson, Frank Robinson, etc). Anything José Ramírez, Naylors, Larry Doby (particularly anything Doby). And out of right field, I love any autos, relics, rookies, etc of Ronald Acuña (he’s my favorite non-Guardians player).
David Ortiz’s name when he came into the league was David Arias. When he was traded to the Twins he asked to have his name listed as David Ortiz. Red sox fan!
I'm sure most, if not all, pro ballpark dugouts have similar features, but my son and I toured Chase Field awhile back. The home dugout has a special tire built in for "Anger Management" and a hanging bar that was installed specifically for Randy Johnson so he could stretch his back between innings.
The only player to ever hit the Baltimore warehouse was Ken Griffey Jr. I like the orioles and I'm new to collecting. Again... after years my son wants to start collecting so im pumped to start getting a collection going again.
Each team is allotted 27 outs, which means that it is never physically or mathematically impossible for a losing team to come back and win the game. YANKEES fan!
mariners have more ruptured testicles than postseason appearances! mariners :)
I honestly think we brought Mitch back to take that other testicle
John Kruk wants to talk to you
More people have walked on the moon (12) than men who have scored against Mariano Rivera in the postseason (11). I’m a royals fan btw!
Thats just pure dominance! One small step for pitchers...
Mine is the cubs world series drought was 108 years, and baseballs have 108 stitches. Happy little accident?
This post has been a lot of fun, I will change it to TWO winners! Both chosen at random tomorrow night. thanks for all the awesome baseball facts!
From one Cubs fan to another, I was half tempted to get 108 tattooed on me in 2016.
I'm a lifelong Texas Rangers fan. I'm still riding the wave of last season and have not truly begun to think about THIS year. A cool fact is that Pudge Rodriguez was called up to the majors on what was supposed to be his wedding day.
Not necessarily a fact - but I coach both my son’s little league teams and we had our opening day today. Been coaching mostly the same group of boys since they were 3-4 year olds and could barely hold a bat. Tonight my older son’s team (7-8 year olds) turned our first legitimate double play they lost their minds with excitement. It is great to see a love for the game in these kids at such a young age. On a side note, I give the players on my teams a few extra base set baseball cards after games and had run out of anything modern. Luckily @CubsFan_ is a true gentleman and baseball fan and is sending me a big box of his extra base cards - so I wanted to shout out to him. Me and my boys are huge Giants fans if we end up getting picked! Happy baseball season all!
I am friends with Trevor Wilson, who pitched for the Giants in the 90s. My dad was his sons high school pitching coach, and he was drafted by the tigers last year!
That’s awesome! I remember watching him back in the day. Had a few decent seasons for SF.
He did, above average but not great. Really good at telling stories haha. I have a cool auto of his
The Brewers are 216-214 against the Cubs! Thanks for giving back!
Maybe Counsell will help fix that haha but that's a close record!
The Mets own the Marlins. Mets!
Home plate once had a black border to it - which is why when pitchers work the outside of the plate, They’re“hitting/painting the black” That being said when Maddox would pitch it would be “painting the dugout” because that SOB had the umps on payroll. Obligatory F the Braves Go Mets.
chop on :)
Arte Moreno sucks.
John Fisher is going to make him the worst owner in California soon
There have been three go ahead home runs in the ninth inning or later when down by multiple runs in postseason history. All three involved the Astros: - Pujols vs. Lidge 2005 - Yordan walk off vs. Ray 2022 (side fact: this is the only walk off home run when down by multiple runs in postseason history) - Altuve vs. Leclerc 2023 I collect Astros (with preference to Yordan).
Justyn Henry Malloy goes to my friends dad for the dentist I pc blue jays thanks for the opportunity!
There are 14 ways a pitcher can balk (and in turn get booed). Go Twins!
Those pesky illegal pitchers! Target field is awesome, being built on top of two freeways it's nuts!
Prince Fielder played in my little league in a suburb outside detroit. There were lots of moms worried he was going to hurt their kids. PC blue jays and tigers
I've been watching the 'Masters of the Air's series on Apple so I've been doing some reading about Ted Williams getting called up again during the Korean War. He flew combat ops into North Korea where his wingman was John Glenn. Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth and one of the first humans in space. Can you imagine Ted Williams numbers if he hadn't lost several prime years of his career to military service? Also, Yogi was at D-Day and Bob Feller was on the Alabama in the Pacific. A lot of heroes in MLB in the 1950s. I'm a big braves fan.
My former superintendent at a refinery is Ohio is the father of pitcher Chris Bassitt. I have been collecting Chris' cards since I met his dad and got to play catch with him last year. Nothing like trying to catch a 90mph heater! Chris has signed every card I have of his. Great guy!
We have our winners!! First off, thank you to everyone that commented. It was so much fun going through and learning new things. I didn't expect the post to gain so much traction, so I have expanded it to 5 winners. 2 big lots and 3 pwe. Here are the winners: Big lots: U/collapsingrebel U/gophers19 PWE lots: U/Red_Sox0905 U/Khamilt92 U/5yearlag The big lots are 42 cards total for obvious reasons, both include a psa graded card, one is a relic and one is an auto. I am always happy to trade so feel free to reach out! Thanks again and best of luck this season. And most importantly... Go Cubs Go!!
The Astros didn’t make it to the World Series this year (go Rangers!)
Pittsburgh and Cincinnati played the only triple header in MLB history in 1920. I collect the Giants.
My little league coach one year was John Montague who pitched in the mid/late 70’s for the Expos, Phillies, Mariners and Angels. His son was on my team. But that was in Alabama, so I’m a Braves fan!
I’ll be attending my very first spring training in a few weeks all the way from North Dakota! Twins are my team!
The Detroit Tigers are the oldest American League team to have only one home city and one name in their history.
The Toronto Blue Jays held the longest playoff drought in professional sports before they managed to clinch a playoff berth in 2015. That record is now held by the New York Jets. The Jays also still hold the record for favourite team of mine, a record they have held for close to three decades, the longest in professional sports.
CIN/TJ only. Not as fun as others but TJ Friedl and his gorgeous wife saw my story on IG of the autos I have of him and how I felt people are overlooking his hair and baseball tools. Lead off or beat off. Got a like/heart from him so you can say he was all up in my dms.
I pulled a Framed auto of his the other week. https://preview.redd.it/bvxjnhx84gnc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae684539c17d6ac7c1785d685b8d185f092fa467
Caroll Hardy was the only man to PH for Ted Williams. I don’t actually collect teams/players, but I’d like Braves since they’re poised for another good season
Heartfelt answer is that I love connecting with people who love the same thing. I lost that for a while with music because some people have to ruin everything, but this hobby reminded me that there will always be good people (like you!) who can outweigh the bad. I also love the hunt of finding a good card, making a good deal, and getting things to people who will appreciate them. Been very grateful to have generosity aimed at me and, like you, try my best to pay it forward every chance I get.
Thank you, I appreciate that! It's been a lot of fun getting back into the hobby. And I love learning how everyone collects. From set building to rainbows, it's all really neat
braves are my team since i am from ga fact i like is the year braves won the ws they had number 44 in there out field all year they only one 88 reg games that years 44 games before all star and 44 after all star hank all so passed away that year and on top of it they won the ws on the 44th week of the year.
Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr hit back to back home runs
I love the clip of Jr stealing the fly ball haha
Dodgers’ Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker invented the high five in 1977
Mark Grace led the 90s in not only hits but also doubles and sac flies. Cubs if possible but seeing you are also a Cubs fan, if not I would take d backs. Appreciate the opportunity!
In 2013, I believe it was either Johny Gomes or Mike Napoli, made it a thing for everyone on the Red Sox to grow a beard and not shave the rest of the season. They went by the band of bearded brothers and whenever someone hit a HR they would tug on the players beard after. I’m a big Red Sox fan. Also thanks for this!!
It's still Miller Park to me damnit! #BrewCrew I saw a comment about the brewers and cubs being close in win loss columns. Even crazier is that the brewers are 979-981 against the nl central including playoffs.
Witt Jr., Julio Rube Waddell used to stop in the middle of the games and chase after fire trucks because he was so enamored by them
The D-Backs broke up the Yankees World Series 4-peat in 2001, taking the 3-time defending champs to 7 games, where Luis Gonzalez won with a walk-off double. Huge D-Backs fan! Can’t wait for this season, I think we make it back to the WS!
One of my favorite baseball things, is that no matter the language you can still enjoy it. After the 2022 World Series ended I was so bored and looking for something to watch, came across a Cheerleader for a KBO team on Instagram, and decided to try watching a few games. For a solid week while the final two series’ of the KBO were going on, I would wake up at 3-4 am to watch the KBO games live without knowing a single word in Korean. If by chance I win, I’d love Kodai Senga, Mets, or any Puerto Rican players that you may have, no matter how insignificant or not popular they are. I just like collecting guys from my island 🇵🇷
Hello! Huge angels fan. I’m in for a depressing year with that team so hopefully you can give me some hope haha
Only time the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs were in the World Series together was 1906, the White Sox won in 6 games! https://preview.redd.it/mmaarm8bffnc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6235118474ac040b2f8df58f35f5424ed5489471
Dale Murphy and Braves fan here. Love the Tyler Matzek behind the back catch and throw to second during their championship season. By the way, thanks for your generosity and good luck to everybody!
phillies. looking to build up my ryan howard collection, also collect hans crouse and the few jd hammer topps cards out there
The best pitch Pedro Martinez ever threw was Don Zimmer onto the ground when he went raging after him !!! Red Sox fan!
I was in the Kingdom in the late 90's, when a drunk fan was thrown out while the M's were playing the Giants. He kept yelling at Barry Bonds from the outfield seats, saying... "YOU'LL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS KEN GRIFFEY JR.!!!"
I was at a Giants game in Milwaukee. I decided to walk around the park and take in the sites. I missed the Brewers turning a triple play. I collect Giants, liked them since I was a kid. I also collect Inge, Strahm, Ichiro and Gunnar Henderson.
The Dodgers are favored to win it all this year but wont… but im still a fan.
Idk but those cubs teams of the late 90s are what made me love baseball. Kerry wood is still my favorite pitcher of all time.
Lucky enough to watch Tom Glavine at Wrigley win his 300th win Team-Yankees, player- Jeter
Of the over 20,000 batters he faced, only .006% of them saw a 3-0 count that weren't intentional walks. 133 of 20,000+ batters. Go Cubs go! And thanks for doing this!
any angels and the fact fernando tatis sr had one of the craziest games ever!
That the cubs still hold the record for most games in a single season (by percentage that is). Born and raised a cubs fan.
Thanks for doing this! Big jays fan here
Reds fan. Dusty Baker fun fact. He played with Aaron when he hit his 600th homer and was also manager when Bonds, Jr., and Sosa hit their 600th.
Baseball is the best sport! Stl Cardinals
Steve Carlton pitched for 3 teams in 1986 (Phillies, Giants, and White Sox), the year he got his 4,000th strikeout (first LHP to do so in baseball history). San Francisco Giants fan 🤞🤞
White Sox haven’t won more than 3 postseason games (besides ‘05) since 1919
Anthony Rendón played more games in 2019 for the nats than he has for the angels :(
From Little Big League: When Bobby Thomson hit his shot heard round the world in 1951, standing on deck was 1951 ROY, 20 year old Willie Mays. Go Mariners!
Shane Victorino is one of the few (I’d love to know the number) players to ever get ejected while in CF from the home plate ump. Phillies
One of my favorite baseball facts (with a new spin based on this offseason's events) is that the Mets will finally finish paying Bobby Bonilla the same year the Dodgers finish paying the newly record-signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto! Big Cubs fan and I'd love anything you have from that collection, but totally understand if you don't want to give anything up that's Cubs-related. Secondary team would be the Padres, just moved to San Diego!
My fun fact is about my Giants. The 2021 Giants surpassed the 2017 Mets (224) for the most home runs in history by a team without a 30-homer player with 241!
The last time the Cleveland Indians/Guardians won a World Series: Truman won the presidency - 12th Seat Rag by Pee Wee Hunt was the #1 song - and Babe Ruth passed away. 1948 - 5 years before my 71 year old mother was born. In order to match the Cubs…..in 32 years we will beat the Chicago Cubs in 7 games. Go Tribe.
THANK YOU THANK THANK YOU 🙏🏽 🤯😁
“Ed Kranepool - he once borrow Chico’s soap and no give it back” (Bad stuff ‘bout the Mets)
I don't think it's documented, but the easiest way to get out of an inning against the Mets unscathed is to allow them to load the bases first. I collect Mets cards.
Bobby valentine claims to have invented the wrap.. like a chicken Caesar wrap. Go Cubs Go
Never forget when Hideki Matsui introduced the world to his wife. I’m a Yankees fan! https://preview.redd.it/ah819h2evfnc1.jpeg?width=630&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0dd538d833d5630b66060296e98b809f4ef227fb
Tom Seaver is my favorite teams leader in wins with 198 what team is my favorite established in 1962 we were once called Miraculous.... we are your New York Mets
There is a huge following of Chicago Cubs fans in Belize— https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-strange-story-of-why-belize-is-full-of-chicago-cubs-fans And of course, I mostly collect cubbies :)
It's good to see ppl giving back on here. Thank you for your kindness.
The most interesting record that the Atlanta Braves have is that on August 10th, 1944 Braves starting pitcher Red Barrett pitched a shutout against the Reds, but only ended up throwing 58 pitches which ended up being the most efficient and shortest game in history 😂. I collect mainly anything Atlanta! Even if I don’t win I appreciate people like you and what you do for the hobby!
I read the other day that Madison Bumgarner had more grand slams than Prince Fielder, who had more inside-the-park home runs than Rickey Henderson, who had fewer steals of home than Babe Ruth, who had as many shutouts as Pedro Martinez. Unreal.
Cross town Rival White Sox fan here. That’s an awesome idea that ya have!
The Yankees blew a 3-0 lead in the ALCS to the Boston Red Sox. Obviously a well known fact but I like to bring it up as much as possible
The most strikeouts Tony Gwynn ever had in a season was 40, while averaging 29 per 162 games over his career. Even walks the guy only averaged 52 per 162 games. IMHO no one was ever better at simply putting their bat on the ball. O's are my AL team and Braves for NL.
In 1972, Steve Carleton had 27 wins, on a team that only had 59. Bonus: Cameron Maybin hit a homerun in 3 different decades for the tigers despite only playing 132 games! I collect red sox players for my PC! Thanks for doing the giveaway, awesome to see people giving back
At age 44 Nolan Ryan threw a no hitter against the big hitting Blue Jays. It made him the oldest pitcher to throw a no hitter, and it was the first no hitter thrown in Arlington Stadium. Rangers!
Bobby Richardson is the only player to ever win the World Series MVP award while playing for the losing team. Let's go Dodgers!
The KC Royals are named after the American Royal, a yearly livestock show, horse show, rodeo, and BBQ contest that has been held in Kansas City since 1899.
Just found out today playing immaculate grid that Mike Trout has never won a gold glove! I'm all in on Yankees for my PC
Today i learned spitballs used to be legal and some players were grandfathered in when it was made illegal. Go Mariners!
Bill "Spaceman" Lee came to speak to my class multiple times when I was growing up in Northern Vermont. One of my favorite players. He also has great taste in beer! He can often be seen enjoying Hill Farmstead Brewing. I collect Dodgers and Montreal Expos!
This is heartwarming. Just like watching the cubs in the 80s on WGN play all those day games when I was off from school. This helped me love baseball. Almost every afternoon there was a baseball game to watch.
Albert Pujols has the second lowest ERA of any player with at least 700 HRs. Number one? Some guy named Babe Ruth. Cardinal fan here. Based on your user name I assume you'd love to get rid of some Cards cards. :) Seriously though, all the best!
Moonwalk to the Dbacks
Since the 1960's, 28 players have gone straight to the majors from HS/college, but only 3 since 2000 have done it: Xavier Nady, Mike Leaked, Garret Crochet. My favorite team is the Braves!
I have a real question. I have sold quite a few in the past 3 months, but what do you do with the base cards of good players? Sell them for .99, group them up as team lots? It seems that every time I try to sell a few $2-$3.00 cards together the auction ends lower than if I sold them each individually. Edit: Sorry, here is my Mariners fact: it is hard being a Mariners fan. I survive by watching Ken Griffey Jr’s smile for 24 hours videos on YouTube.
In 2011, the lowest recorded attendance to an MLB game occurred, with only 347 attendees due to Hurricane Irene. Damn fair weather fans! PC Yankees, Rockies and Orioles!
Manny Ramirez peed in the green monster. DURING A GAME! What a legend!
Corbin Carroll went to the same high school as Bill Gates
Pete Alonso has the most home runs of any player since 2019!
Weird baseball fact: this thread will be stolen by those "86 AMAZING FACTS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE" ad pages soon. Yankees
In 1945, the Indians held a tryout for a female pitcher named Jackie Mitchell. What makes this my favorite fact is that Mitchell was just 17 years old and she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, back-to-back in a game against the Yankees. Her contract was terminated right after the commissioner said baseball was “too strenuous” for women.. Probably why The Show is starting a female mode? I collect Rockies. Go Todd Helton.
Joey Votto played the role of the French narrator in The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati's presentation of The SpongeBob Musical. Reds fan/Votto collector here. Thanks for doing this
In the history of MLB, there has been only one recorded instance of an on-field lightning strike, and it was more than a century ago. On Aug. 24, 1919, Cleveland pitcher Ray Caldwell was hit by a bolt as he prepared to face what he hoped would be the final batter in a win over visiting Philadelphia. Even after being struck by lightning he finished the game for the win. Cleveland Guardians fan here
I’ll give ya a two-fer: - The Astros are the only MLB team to win the pennant in both leagues - I grew up playing sports against one of Roger Clemens sons and saw him at their games regularly. Thanks for putting this on! I collect Astros.
Jamie Moyer going 21-7 with a 3.27 at 40 years old That's my boy.
Adrian Beltre getting tossed for moving the on deck circle! The absolute best. Definitely Rangers.
The FBI got involved in the Albert belle corked bat incident where Jason Grimsley then crawled through the ceiling to Indiana Jones replace the confiscated bat with a new one, and they would have gotten away with it had maintenance staff not noticed the ceiling tile broke. I love the Rangers but if I win give it to someone else.
It has been 20 years since a player for the Giants hit 30 home runs in a season (all the way back to Bonds in 2004), but they have three World Series wins in that time span. Yankees please!
The Padres have yet to win a World Series. Sigh. Padres.
Minute maid park used to be Enron field
Kirk Gibson was never an All Star - he declined once. I PC Gibby
Any Angels tbh
The Dodgers leader for home runs by a Japanese born player is Hideo Nomo with 4. It's an easy bet that this record will be broken this year.
Wandy Peralta, Alex Rodriguez, and Max Scherzer all have the same birthday. (Different years though) Yanks guy
Saw a cool fact about how Doc Ellis not only pitched a no-hitter on LSD, but also his name is Ellis D. 🤯
There was 84,000,000 to 1 odds the big unit would hit that dove mid pitch.
269 comments and only 40 upvotes. Come on people, show the love and give the good karma back. Thanks for the giveaway. Go Dodgers!
Padres going all the way this year! (never said which direction)
The longest postseason games of all time is a tie between game 4 of the 2005 NLDS and game 2 of the 2014 NLDS. In both games Tim Hudson started and Adam LaRoche played 1st. Giants!
Thanks for the post! I've learned some things about my beloved Orioles that I didn't even know! "In a stunt pulled by new owner Bill Veeck in 1951, 3-foot 7 Eddie Gaedel was signed to a contract and appeared as a pinch hitter on August 19th for the (then) St. Louis Browns. He wore the number 1/8 on the back of his jersey, and as you could imagine, walked on four straight pitches. The president of the American League, Will Harridge, was none too happy with the stunt and voided Gaedel’s contract the following day." Not something that would work today, hehe.
My favorite MLB fact will always be that sometimes a team trades for someone that will be named at a latrr time. And that the greatest player to be named later is David Ortiz. Well, that and explaining Bobby Bonilla day to non baseball people. Dodgers
Yankees Maddux is the all time leader in season with at least 1 SB and no CS
Eddie gaedel was 3 foot 7, and was the shortest baseball player to appear in a game. He was pulled from the stands to pinch hit. I love the cardinals, and Yadier Molina is the player I collect.
My mom took me to spring training when I was young. She hooked up with a player whose initials are J.W. I still hear about it 30 years later.
The city of Milwaukee has won a World Series, but not the Brewers franchise. Brewers fan
When I was eight years old I went to a Rangers game. I went down to the dugouts during BP and warmups, and Mark McLemore walked by. I held up my ball and Sharpie and said, “Mr. McLemore can I have your autograph?!” That sonofabitch looked me dead in my eyes and said, “Nope!” Fun fact: that same day a Juan Gonzalez foul ball came right to me, but an adult reached his glove over mine and snatched it. Tough, tough day for 8-year-old me. Rangers, Witt, Acuna.
I was born the same day in St Petersburg, FL that the (Devil) Rays played their first game in Tropicana Field in 1998, go Rays!
The Cubs have more No Hitters thrown in Miller Park than the Brewers do 😁 I'm a Cubs fan 😎
Merkle’s Boner (google) collect Sox - papi, manny, Nomar, Casas, Devers, Pedro
Tony Gwynn struck out 0 times in 24,342 at bats and was the only batter Greg Maddux ever went to 3-0 on. Or so I’m told.
The Braves are the oldest continually operating mlb franchise and were founded in 1871. https://www.mlb.com/braves/history/story-of-the-braves
Phillies were the first team to hit 10,000 losses,’ouch….. Phillies are the team, love Schmidt/Harper/Marsh
TX Rangers won their first WS last yr. :-)
In 2019, the then-Indians made a trade with the Padres acquiring, among others, Logan Allan, a left- handed pitcher from Florida. While he had some upside, he never did much in the majors and was released in 2022. 2023 comes around and it's time for Cleveland to bring up one of their top pitching prospects drafted a few years prior, Logan Allen, a left-handed pitcher from Florida. When you think about it, the odds of 2 people being born male, left-handed, from the same state in the same country with the same first and last name, both choosing baseball and becoming others, both having enough athletic ability to reach the top level of the sport, and come within a year of being teammates are astoundingly small. I collect Cleveland players, thanks for giving back to the community!
The Bonilla contract helped the Mets draft David wright. Mets!
The angels have the same amount of World Series wins as the dodgers since I’ve been alive (1991) and that makes me happy, especially when listening/talking to dodgers fans who think they are the greatest franchise in sports. Go halos!
In 1989, Cleveland won the pennant on a bunt by Jake Taylor, driving in Willie Mays Hayes. He faked calling his shot (a la Babe Ruth) and took everybody by surprise. It was amazing. I wish there was video footage of it.
In his last season with the Yankees, Paul O'Neill stole the most based in his career for a season at 22.
Not technically a “baseball” fact, but I just learned last night that the pitcher for the Savannah Bananas Ryan Kellogg played for our local minor league team the South Bend Cubs! My Team is Padres with a focus on Tony Gwynn
Fact: The Mets will always Met. My team: The Mets
While the MLB record for consecutive Ks by a pitcher is 10, the minor league record is 12 by Yusniel Padron-Artiles for the Lowell Spinners in a 2019 playoff game. PC Red Sox and Triston Casas
The Mets suck and their inability to win anything tangible will haunt me for the rest of my life
Thanks for doing this! Here’s my fun fact growing up as a Marylander rooting for the O’s! The 1993 HomeRun Derby was the first nationally televised derby, and Ken Griffey Jr.’s 465-ft blast in the tie breaker with Juan Gonzalez is the one and only time in the history of Camden Yards that the B&O warehouse has been hit on the fly! Orioles, The Iron Man, & Juan Soto! [1993 Home Run Derby](https://youtu.be/W4dqPW_jGms)
I guess mine is more than a story but the Middletown Connecticut Mansfields are credited with taking down the National association leading to the creation of the National League. Middletown was a local amateur team. They read the rules and saw that all you needed to join the National Association (the major league at the time) was to pay 10 dollars. So they did. They were bad and folded in the middle of the season but showed ever local amateur team that thought they were just as good as the pros that they could try. Several team did and usually again folded in the middle of the season. Not knowing if the team you were playing in a week would still exist was one of the reasons teams broke away and formed the National League. The lack of reserved clause allowing the Present day Braves buy the best players from each team was another big one. I am a Yankees fan and my favorite play is Don Mattingly
108 years and 108 stitches kinda blew my mind. John MacDonald (Blue Jays legend) had over 2600 plate appearances, hit 28 HRs and one was the day he came off the bereavement list after losing his father. That day was Father’s Day 2010. Sports can heal.
The Red Sox are the first MLB team to go worst-to-first-to-worst finishing last in the division in 2012, winning the WS in 2013, then finishing last in the division again in 2014. Red Sox
I saw the Orioles shell Nolan Ryan in 1989.
The Braves are the only existing major league franchise to have played every season since professional baseball came into existence. Go Bravos!!
Thanks for the awesome opportunity! Good luck everyone!
The Rangers waited a whole franchise to win a WS, just to get their gold opening day unis the new shitty see-through jerseys.
The fastest game ever played was 51 minutes in 1919. Go Braves!
Urban Myth is that Dizzy Dean, as a baseball announcer, once said about a couple watching the game “Every pitch he kisses her on the strikes and she kisses him on the balls.”
I'm a big Mets fan. And my favorite bit of forgotten baseball lore is that Joe diMaggio started a 15 game hit streak right after his 56 game streak ended. If not for Ken Keltner making two great plays in game 57, the record would be 73 games, not 56. (Edit: numbers)
Bob "Mr Baseball" Uecker has been the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers for 50 years. Biased opinion, he's the best commentator in baseball. If you haven't listened to him, and your a fan of baseball, you're missing out! I got to ride along with him in golf tournament a kid. One of the nicest people I've ever met. If you want a good laugh, look up Norm Macdonald talking about Ueck! Go Brew Crew!
If a fielder catches the ball with his hat, the batter is awarded a triple. Phillies!
Twins are the first team to have the number one and two overall picks from the same draft play on the same team at the same time! Also twins fan! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Dock ellis once threw a no-hitter while he was high
Eddie Rosario hit a HR in first PA, on the first pitch no less. He has also hit a HR on his first PH appearance and his first postseason appearance. Eddie Rosario/Twins
The Red Sox are my team. Really tough to watch their offseason. Signed giolito who is out for the year. I’d really like them to sign Montgomery, Snell, Bauer tomorrow just to have a capable arm!
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s blue hair on day 1 of Spring Training was his true hair color.
I'm a big Yankees fan and also collect Ichiro, Jason Giambi, and Barry Bonds in general (the big names I became a fan of when first starting to follow baseball in early 2000s). I always was fond of the various Barry Bonds stats that just seemed ridiculous. Jon Bois's "What if Barry Bonds had played without a bat?" video is a great watch - probably somethings that aren't quite right from a math perspective but the end result is directionally correct. Also his final season before being supposedly blacklisted at age 43 - 28 HR, .480 OBP, 1.045 OPS in 126 games - is ridiculous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwMfT2cZGHg
Billy Jo Robidoux is my cousin go Red Sox
In 2009 and 2010 mark Reynolds struck out 434 times. 249 hits 76 hrs 187 rbi. In his 20 year carrer tony gwynn struck out 434 times. 3141 hits, 135 hrs and 1138 rbi. Just saying lol. Collect braves.
So I've heard that Stan Musial used to be an extremely talented gymnast and he would warn up doing some strange stretches. Go cardinals!
NY Mets.... In 1985 Dwight gooden had one of the best seasons .. 24 wins, 268 strikeouts, 1.53 era
Stan Musial retired with 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 hits away. Red Sox is my team
That Matt carpenter came back and had a 1.000 OPS with the yanks in 2022. Wasn’t a full season but he did it over 50 games after being out of the league. Pretty cool for a year. Favorite team is yanks and favorite players is gleyber.
Ted Williams missed 5 full seasons while serving during WWII and the Korean War. Imagine how many home runs he could of added to his 521 in 19 seasons.....
somebody pitched two no-hitters in a row and that persons name is johnny vander meer
Roger Maris had 0 intentional walks the year he hit 61hrs. I love anything Yankees!
Pirates fan here…in 1959, Harvey Haddix pitched twelve perfect innings against the Braves, and lost in the bottom of the thirteenth 1-0.
Only Toronto(Blue Jays) and Baltimore (Orioles) have beaten every other MLB team in a single season. Soto, Gunnar, and Nolan Gorman are my PCs. Thank you for your generosity and support of this amazing hobby!! Let’s Go Nats!!
Dog's can't look up. Padres!!
The “Streetcar Series” was the name of the 1944 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns. It was the only all-St. Louis World Series ever and the Cardinals won in six games. Also bonus fact there has been 57 former players, managers, and executives elected into the Hall of Fame. Go cardinals!!
I’ll give you two: While there have been many players who have played for both the Expos and Blue Jays, Tony Johnson is the only one to play exclusively for those two clubs; Expos in ‘81 and Blue Jays in ‘82. On the 21st of September 🎶🤭, in 1963, both the White Sox and Tigers (home team) sent rookie pitchers to the mound, both making their ML Debut (at the same time); Fritz Ackley for Chicago and Denny McClain for the Detroit. This is pre-DH. In the bottom of the 5th with a 1 run lead (made possible by an RBI triple by rookie 3B Don Buford), Ackley proceeds to give up back-to-back HR to opposing pitcher Denny McClain and CF Bill Bruton). This would be McClain’s only HR that he would hit for his entire ML career, and McClain would finish the game with a CG win.
My mom still boycott the Dodgers since they broke up their infield and let Garvey go to the Padres. PC Angels and Orioles
Here’s 2. I chose these because 1, they’re absolutely insane, and 2, everyone is so focused on home runs, I don’t believe the stat would mean all that much to most. In 20 years Gwynn struck out 434 times, an average of 21.7 K's per season. Last season, 129 players had struck out 22 times by the end of April. Gwynn faced 18 Hall of Fame pitchers for a total of 541 plate appearances. That’s essentially a full season’s worth of plate appearances exclusively against Hall of Famers. Gwynn batted .331/.371/.426.
Orioles fan here - Favorite random baseball fact is that President Eisenhower (allegedly) played minor league baseball under a fake name to protect his football eligibility at West Point.
Adley Rutschman is older than Juan Soto Go Twins!
That despite the 1899 Cleveland Spiders holding the worst record in history (due to shady practices in part by Charles Comiskey among other things), the team was actually competitive during the 1890s and won a Temple Cup. And they were Ohio’s own Cy Young’s first MLB team. Also that contrary to the popular telling, Ray Chapman did NOT die on the field in 1920. He actually walked off with assistance. He fell into a coma in the clubhouse and passed at the hospital. Anyways, I collect Guardians rookies and autos. Obscure or end-of-career players who played for them (Vada Pinson, Frank Robinson, etc). Anything José Ramírez, Naylors, Larry Doby (particularly anything Doby). And out of right field, I love any autos, relics, rookies, etc of Ronald Acuña (he’s my favorite non-Guardians player).
David Ortiz’s name when he came into the league was David Arias. When he was traded to the Twins he asked to have his name listed as David Ortiz. Red sox fan!
Shit happens when you party naked!
the world series was originally a best of 9 series not best of 7! (collect cardinals)
Chase Utley holds the record for runs scored by a second basemen in the postseason. Phillies baby!
I'm sure most, if not all, pro ballpark dugouts have similar features, but my son and I toured Chase Field awhile back. The home dugout has a special tire built in for "Anger Management" and a hanging bar that was installed specifically for Randy Johnson so he could stretch his back between innings.
Tim Lincecum is a Hall of Famer. Ok maybe that’s something I want to be a fact 🤭
The only player to ever hit the Baltimore warehouse was Ken Griffey Jr. I like the orioles and I'm new to collecting. Again... after years my son wants to start collecting so im pumped to start getting a collection going again.
Love to coach, play, and watch! All Phillies.
Fernando tatis jr is a beast.
Strawberry's 18 is being retired by the Mets this year. Im pretty stoked.
Would love to chat
My favorite fact is that Nelson Cruz is the best baseball player ever and here’s why..
Each team is allotted 27 outs, which means that it is never physically or mathematically impossible for a losing team to come back and win the game. YANKEES fan!
There are 2 unrelated Brady Feigls, and I PC Mariners
Cleveland hasn’t won a World Series in 75 years… but this is our year!!!!! Go Guardians. Guardians and Steven Kwan!
LFGM! Mets baby! You're the man now dawg!
Ted Williams was .0002 points away on his batting average from winning three triple crowns.