Swing and a Hit: 16 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Baseball You Never Knew

1. Babe Ruth's Home Run Madness

Before Babe Ruth went all "Avengers: Endgame" on baseballs and turned them to dust with his mighty swing, he had a historic day that could only be dubbed "The Bambino: Home Run Madness": In a single World Series game, the Sultan of Swat smashed three home runs, etching his name in the annals of baseball history as one of its greatest players.
Source => newsfeed.time.com

2. Bobby Bonds' Grand Slam Debut

Talk about a grand entrance: Bobby Bonds burst onto the major league scene on June 25, 1968, hitting a grand slam in his very first game, becoming the first player in the 20th century to do so and marking the first time it had happened in 70 years since William Duggleby's debut for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1898.
Source => espn.com

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=> Fun Facts about Softball

3. The Speedy "Shoeless" Joe Jackson

Did you hear about the baseball legend who was paradoxically swift despite being "Shoeless"? If Joe Jackson's missing shoes didn't slow him down, they must've been fast-laced with incredible stats: Between 1911 and 1913, "Shoeless" Joe had a .392 batting average, scored 118 runs per year, and set a rookie record by hitting .408 in his first season with the Cleveland Naps, making him an iconic figure in the baseball hall of fame!
Source => baseballhistorycomesalive.com

4. Moises Alou's Unordinary Hand Strengthener

Talk about taking the "golden gloves" to a whole new level: Moises Alou would pee on his hands to toughen them up, resulting in a successful career boasting a .303 batting average and 332 home runs.
Source => bleacherreport.com

5. Nolan Ryan: Hide-and-Seek Champion Pitcher

If life was a game of "hide and seek," Nolan Ryan would have been the undisputed hide-and-seek champion of the pitching mound: The all-time hits-per-nine-innings record holder, Ryan allowed only 3,923 hits in 5,386 innings, boasting a staggering H/9 of 6.56 and leading his league in this category 12 times - six more than any other pitcher.
Source => mlb.com

6. Ageless Wonder Satchel Paige

They say age is just a number, but Satchel Paige took that to heart and turned it into a fastball with a side of whimsy: Making his Major League Baseball debut at 42, gracing the All-Star Team at 46 and 47, and becoming the oldest pitcher to ever play in the major leagues at 59, Paige's legendary career made him a Baseball Hall of Famer with knees that defied time and a fastball that defied logic.
Source => history.com

7. The Brooklyn Safety Cap Evolution

Talk about an early brainchild for a hardheaded idea: In 1941, the Brooklyn Dodgers introduced the "Brooklyn Safety Cap," which featured internal plastic protectors resembling a standard baseball cap to shield players from dangerous beanings, leading to the eventual requirement for all major league players to wear protective headgear in 1971.
Source => baseballhall.org

8. Melissa Mayeux: Baseball's First Female Prodigy

Who needs princes charming when you've got baseball queens swinging for the fences? Meet the Royal-Leaguer herself: Melissa Mayeux, a 16-year-old shortstop prodigy from France, who became the first female player to be added to MLB's international registration list, opening the doors for a potential Major League signing and shattering glass ceilings with each impressive swing.
Source => mlb.com

9. The Game-Changing Axe Bat

In a world where "swinging for the fences" and "hitting it out of the park" are more than just metaphorical phrases, a revolutionary bat emerges to change the game: The Axe bat, with its asymmetrical handle, increases comfort, power efficiency, rotational speed, and control while reducing injury risks. Already sparking joy amongst MLB stars like Mookie Betts, George Springer, and Kris Bryant, this radical design is making its mark in major, amateur, and professional leagues for baseball, fast-pitch softball, and slow-pitch softball.
Source => stack.com

10. The Mega-Valuable Honus Wagner Card

Move over Mona Lisa, there's a new masterpiece in town, and it's not hanging in the Louvre: The Honus Wagner baseball card, one of the world's rarest and most expensive sports memorabilia, has only 50 to 60 known existing copies, with a 2007 auction seeing it sold for a whopping $2.8 million to Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick.
Source => pophistorydig.com

11. Greg Harris: King of Curve Balls

Bending it like Beckham? More like curving it like Harris! In the world of baseball, Greg Allen Harris carved a unique niche for himself: this former MLB pitcher threw curve balls almost exclusively during his time with the Boston Red Sox from 1991 to 1993, resulting in a successful career across multiple teams.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Honus Wagner Card: Sports Memorabilia Gold

In a twist of fate that would make Gollum green with envy, it turns out the ultimate "precious" in the world of sports memorabilia isn't forged in gold but printed on humble cardboard: The 1909-1911 Honus Wagner T-206 baseball card set a record by being sold for a mindboggling $7.25 million, with the legendary player's face worth more than a treasure trove of shiny trinkets. Honus "The Card King" Wagner was a Pittsburgh Pirate who plundered 18 seasons of fame, boasting .328 batting average, 82 home runs, and 1,474 RBI, with his number retired in 1956 and a Baseball Hall of Fame induction in 1936.
Source => cbssports.com

13. Mantle's Historic Tape-Measure Home Run

Batter up and feast your eyes on this yard sale deal: In 1953, when Mickey Mantle hit a 565-foot "tape-measure home run" that was the first to leave Griffith Stadium and land in a backyard, a 10-year-old budding entrepreneur found the ball and sold it to the Yankees press secretary for a whopping 75 cents, only to later score five more dollars and two autographed baseballs in exchange; now, the ball and bat reside in Cooperstown, with Mantle himself considering the hit as one of his most remarkable achievements.
Source => baseballhall.org

14. Cy Young's Unbreakable Records

Before Cy Young threw the first perfect game, you could say he was merely "im-peach-able": This baseball legend boasts a staggering 511 career wins and 7,356 innings pitched, crafted three no-hitters, was the inaugural American League perfect gamer, nabbed the Triple Crown award in 1901, and led his league in wins for five bona fide seasons - all records that, despite over a century of competition, continue to reign supreme in the MLB.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

15. Base-Stealing: Baseball vs. Softball

In the game of baseball, where the stakes are higher than a pair of "antique" socks at a garage sale, there lies a secret world of base-sneaking and tip-toeing: the base runners actually have permission to mosey away from their bases before the pitcher can show off his fastball! In stark contrast, their softball counterparts are confined to their stations like statues in a garden until the pitcher hurls the heat.
Source => snapsoftball.com

16. Bark at the Park: Pawsitively Adorable Fans

Move aside, humans, it's a dog's day out: On July 8th, 2018, Safeco Field welcomed over 300 tail-wagging guests and their lucky humans at the Mariners' first "Bark at the Park" event. Decked in Mariners logo bandanas, these furry fans ranged from petite Chihuahuas to a regal Irish Wolfhound; they enjoyed a dip in the kiddie pool, some lush grass for lounging, and a bonus security detail from the Seattle Police and King County Sheriff's bomb-sniffing dogs. As a reward for their well-behaved attendance, these canine aficionados even got to trot around the bases post-game with their humans in tow!
Source => marinersblog.mlblogs.com