trivia

[garyfan]

texiban001 said:

If you wash your hands at the same time you piss, you're an AGGIE! If you wash them afterward, you're TEXAN. If you never wash them after, you're just a nasty bastard!(Probably from South Of Border!) ;D

Actually that person would be from Oklahoma

[crashtest]

I came across this trivia while I was researching another thread. The Ultimate Grand Slam (defined as a grand slam in the bottom of the last inning with 2 out and the home team down by three) has happened 13 times in the history of major league baseball. There have been 13 unassisted triple plays, so it is indeed a rare event. The BBGs, being as fond of our ani as they are, saw to it that we were the victim THREE out of the THIRTEEN times over the course of 125 years.

September 9, 1881 Roger Connor - 2 outs
September 24, 1925 Babe Ruth - 1 out (10th inning)
May 23, 1936 Sammy Byrd - 0 outs
July 8, 1950 Jack Phillips - 1 out
June 16, 1952 Bobby Thomson - 0 outs
July 15, 1952 Eddie Joost - 0 outs
September 11, 1955 Del Crandall - 2 outs
May 11, 1956 Danny Kravitz - 0 outs
July 25, 1956 Roberto Clemente - 0 outs (inside the park!)
August 31, 1963 Ellis Burton - 2 outs**********************(The Cubs off Woodeschick)
August 2, 1970 Tony Taylor - 0 outs
August 11, 1970 Carl Taylor - 2 outs
April 22, 1973 Ron Lolich - 2 outs
May 1, 1979 Roger Freed - 2 outs*****************************(The Cards off Sambito)
April 13, 1983 Bo Diaz - 2 outs
August 31, 1984 Buddy Bell - 2 outs
April 13, 1985 Phil Bradley - 2 outs
August 29, 1986 d*ck Schofield - 2 outs
June 21, 1988 Alan Trammell - 2 outs
May 17, 1996 Chris Hoiles - 2 outs (full count)
July 28, 2001 Brian Giles - 2 outs****************************(The Pirates off Wagner)
May 17, 2002 Jason Giambi - 1 out (14th inning)


I find that incredible but masochistically delicious. C'mon, BBGs, pile it on --- you ain't got sh!t. We can take anything you got and you still ain't got sh!t. So here's spit in your eye to go with whatever load the Yankees give you in the other eye from blowing them all the time.

[crashtest]

We came damned close to a FOURTH ultimate grand slam last night. $hitholes could have only tied it, but after he walked in a run, Molina was primed to do it. Too bad

[crashtest]

Unbelievably, Lidge was poised and ready for yet ANOTHER ultimate Grand Slam last night. They are as rare as unassisted triple plays, yet Lidge finds himself on the ledge of one almost weekly.

[crashtest]

This is the 13th season of the current post-season format. Only in 2003 did no 3 and out sweep occur in the first round. This season has had the fewest first round games ever, where only the Yankmees avoid a sweep. I am a little surprised at the frequency of sweeps. The new spread out format will probably only serve to foster more of them. All in all, it was a very boring first round. Nothing can beat the excitement of 3 or 4 teams in the hunt for the WC in the last week of the season. The first round is a set-up for the anti-climax.

[crashtest]

Only two players to date can claim this distinction: they made their first and only All-Star appearance in the last season of their careers. Name them.

Which player scored the one-millionth run in MLB history?

Which player hit the 100th HR in All-Star game history?

[crashtest]

OK sleepy-heads times up. Answers


1. JR Richard and Dave Nilsson. Nilsson retired from MLB in 1999 after his first and only ASG appearance so he could play for his native Australia in the 2000 Olympics.

2. Bob Watson.

3. Jimmy Wynn

Probably the 3 most productive African-American players in Astros history. Morgan don't count - he "produced" elsewhere, although I'd like to see a WinShare analysis - Morgan might still place in the top three.

[crashtest]

Only once in team history have the Astros run out the same Opening Day starting 8 for two consecutive years. Name the consecutive seasons and the starting eight position players.


Edit: This actually seems to be a rare occurence for the National League expansion teams. Of the Colt .45s/Astros, Mets; Padres, Expos/Nationals; and Diamondbacks, Marlins - only Houston has done that. Betcha didn't know that.

[crashtest]

Along that line, the Astros have never completely altered all Opening Day starting eight positions in consecutive years. But they have had 2 sets of consecutive seasons where they completely changed all but one position. Name the seasons and the line-ups.


For what it's worth, of the 4 original expansion teams: Colt .45s/Astros, Mets, Angels and Senators/Rangers, the Astros - by far - have had the fewest players to make Opening Day starts. I think that speaks of the substantial talent we have developed compared to the other 3 organizations.

[crashtest]

I'm on a roll. Which keystone combination of ours made the most consecutive Opening Day starts? Hint: our record is 4 consecutive seasons.

There have been 2 occasions when the same 4 infielders were Opening Day starters for three consecutive seasons. Name the seasons and the 4 infielders (2 sets).

[jamesa46]

crashtest said:

I'm on a roll. Which keystone combination of ours made the most consecutive Opening Day starts? Hint: our record is 4 consecutive seasons.

There have been 2 occasions when the same 4 infielders were Opening Day starters for three consecutive seasons. Name the seasons and the 4 infielders (2 sets).

OK...'72-'73-'74?
1st base: Bob Watson
2nd Base: Tommy Helms
SS: Roger Metzger
3rd Base: Doug Rader

'92-'93-'94:
First Base: Jeff Bagwell
2nd Base: Craig Biggio
SS: Andujar Cedeno
3rd Base: Ken Caminiti

How close did I get?

[crashtest]

jamesa46 said:

crashtest said:

I'm on a roll. Which keystone combination of ours made the most consecutive Opening Day starts? Hint: our record is 4 consecutive seasons.

There have been 2 occasions when the same 4 infielders were Opening Day starters for three consecutive seasons. Name the seasons and the 4 infielders (2 sets).

OK...'72-'73-'74?
1st base: Bob Watson
2nd Base: Tommy Helms
SS: Roger Metzger
3rd Base: Doug Rader

'92-'93-'94:
First Base: Jeff Bagwell
2nd Base: Craig Biggio
SS: Andujar Cedeno
3rd Base: Ken Caminiti

How close did I get?

As close as a mosquito's testicles. Good job! Now, strut your stuff with the other questions.

BTW, Houston has the best winning percentage of ANY of the expansion teams (ie, the 14 teams who were not the original 16.We are currently at .499, 20 games under .500. Wasn't our high water mark 7 games over .500? A 100 win season would be just what it would take to top it. Of course, another season like last years and we won't see .500+ in our lifetimes. I think 2008 could see 92-96 wins, I really do. As much as we complain about our lousy luck, we have seen more wins relative to loses than ANY
expansion team. Considering how screwed we got in the expansion draft and how screwed we got by Hofheinz' blunders, we've done pretty damned good. You'd have thought we could have parlayed that overall competitive excellence into at least ONE world championship by now.