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FOLLY FLOATER
Q: Did Steve Hamilton have a novelty pitch called the Folly Floater?
-- Mike Sobolewski
A: In order to extend his career, reliever Steve Hamilton added a blooper pitch to his arsenal, thrown with a hesitation delivery. It was fashioned after Rip Sewell's "Eephus" ball, and he called it the "Folly Floater."
A: The origin of the term "bullpen" has long been debated. A few theories are given in Paul Dickson's Baseball Dictionary. Casey Stengel claimed that managers, sick of their extra pitchers just sitting around "shooting the bull," would send them to pens in the outfield that resembled pens used for bulls or cows. Johnny Murphy believed the name came from Bull Durham advertising signs located near the bullpens in many the ballparks. The term "bullpen" had also been used to name the place where inmates exercise in prison. A final idea is that relief pitchers are like reserve bulls in bullfighting, penned on the side and called into action if the starting bull is inadequate.
Q: When was the aluminum bat introduced and where is it allowed to be used?
-- VietingAM@aol.com
A: Aluminum bats were first used by college players in 1972, and are now used in most levels of amateur baseball and in softball. However, they are prohibited in the professional leagues for several reasons, including the increased offense they cause and threat to fielders that they pose.
Q: Can you confirm whether or not Ted Uhlaender hit for the cycle during his stint with the Indians and if so, the date, opponent, score and any other available game details.
-- Lauren Lanphear
A: Ted Uhlaender, who hit just 37 career homers, never hit for the cycle.
Q: I am trying to find info on a game between the Senators and the Athletics played on 9/4/54.
-- Melissa Nethery
A: On September 4, 1954 the Senators and Athletics did not play against each other. The Senators were at home with the Yankees and the Red Sox were in Philadelphia. The same was true on 9/5. On 9/6 the Athletics did play a doubleheader in Washington and then followed with a single game on 9/7.
Game of 7/4/1983 -- Boston at New York (D)
Box score generated at Wed Jul 19 10:35:00 2000
Boston AB R H RBI New York AB R H RBI
Remy J, 2b 4 0 0 0 Campaneris B, 3b 3 0 2 0
Boggs W, 3b 4 0 0 0 Mattingly D, 1b 4 0 0 0
Rice J, lf 1 0 0 0 Winfield D, cf 3 1 1 0
Armas T, cf 3 0 0 0 Piniella L, lf 4 0 0 0
Evans D, rf 3 0 0 0 Baylor D, dh 3 2 1 1
Nichols R, dh 2 0 0 0 Wynegar B, c 3 0 0 0
Stapleton D, 1b 3 0 0 0 Kemp S, rf 4 1 2 2
Newman J, c 2 0 0 0 Smalley R, ss 4 0 1 0
Hoffman G, ss 3 0 0 0 Robertson A, 2b 3 0 1 1
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
25 0 0 0 31 4 8 4
Boston 000 000 000 -- 0
New York 000 011 02x -- 4
Boston IP H R ER BB SO
Tudor J (L) 7.2 8 4 4 4 2
Stanley B 0.1 0 0 0 0 0
New York IP H R ER BB SO
Righetti D (W) 9.0 0 0 0 4 9
Game winning RBI -- Robertson A
E -- Boggs W
DP -- Boston 2, New York 1
LOB -- Boston 2, New York 7
HR -- Baylor D
SB -- Campaneris B
CS -- Nichols R
T -- 2:33
A -- 41077
(The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested
parties may contact Retrosheet at 20 Sunset Rd., Newark, DE 19711.)
A: Cy Young played from 1890 to 1911, before players wore uniform numbers. The Yankees started the practice in 1929, and fan demand forced all other Major League teams to follow suit by 1932.
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