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DIZZY DEAN
Q: What dialectical past tense form of the word "slide" did Dizzy Dean usually use (his contribution to the vocabulary of baseball)?
-- Sue and David Tavernetti
A: Pitcher and announcer Dizzy Dean coined many new words and phrases to describe the game of baseball. He said players "slud" into base, and when they went back to their previous base they returned to their "respectable bases." After being hit in the head with a ball in the 1934 World Series, he said, "the doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing." According to Paul Dickson's Baseball Dictionary, during a broadcast of the "Game of the Week" Dean referred to an act of courage as "testicle fortitude."
Back to top	-- Alex Friedman

EARTHQUAKE!
Q: What year did a devastating earthquake occur during the World Series?
-- LMunizMAD@aol.com
A: The Oakland Athletics swept the San Francisco Giants in the 1989 World Series, but the Series was overshadowed by Mother Nature. On October 17, just before Game Three was supposed to begin at Candlestick Park, a devastating earthquake hit the Bay Area. The game was postponed, and the Series didn't resume until ten days later.
Back to top	-- Alex Friedman

CORKING BATS
Q: Is there any proof that corked baseball bats make you hit harder?
-- IHeArVoIcEsAgAiN@aol.com
A: "Corking" a bat involves drilling a hole into the barrel and filling it up with cork, rubber, or another light substance. The purpose is to lighten the bat and increase batspeed, which gives the hitter an advantage. It is also believed that the cork acts as a springboard, allowing the batter to hit the ball farther. Whether this is true or not, it does increase bat speed, and the practice is illegal.
Back to top	-- Alex Friedman

GAME SEVEN STARTER
Q: Who was the starting pitcher for the Dodgers in the seventh game of the 1956 World Series?
-- Bocarogue@aol.com
A: The New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers four games to three in the 1956 World Series. In Game Seven, Don Newcombe started for the Dodgers. Despite going 27-7 in the regular season, he had to be removed early for the second time in the series, as the Dodgers lost, 9-0.
Back to top	-- Alex Friedman

EXPOS?
Q: What is an Expo?
-- TLadyjane@aol.com
A: The Montreal Expos began playing in 1968. Their name came from the World's Fair -- Expo '67.
Back to top	-- Alex Friedman

LONG TIME YANKEES
Q: Who played the most games for the New York Yankees?
-- Richard Amidon
A: Mickey Mantle played more games for the Yankees than any other player, with 2,401. Lou Gehrig is second (2,164), and Yogi Berra is third (2,116).
Back to top	-- Alex Friedman

GOLD GLOVES
Q: How many Gold Gloves has Paul O'Neill won?
-- Diggerwow@aol.com
A: Paul O'Neill led National League rightfielders in fielding percentage from 1990-92 and is known for his strong arm, but he has never won a Gold Glove award.
Back to top	-- Alex Friedman

BIRTH OF THE DH
Q: In what year did the American League adopt the "designated hitter" concept?
-- Justin Marino
A: The rule allowing a designated hitter to bat in the place of the pitcher was put into place in 1973.
Back to top	-- Alex Friedman

ALL-STAR SNUB
Q: Was Kirk Gibson the first player to win a regular season MVP award and not make the All-Star Team in 1988?
-- Christine
A: Yes -- In fact, Gibson is the only man ever to win an MVP without EVER making the All-Star team.
Back to top	-- James G. Robinson

» New questions and answers are posted every Wednesday.