Baseball Trivia

[Kid]

Who was the last left-handed throwing player to play 2nd base in MLB?

[Butcher]

I had to look it up.

Don Mattingly played one game at 2B in 1981.

[Kid]

<!--quoteo(post=63011:date=Sep 14 2009, 12:45 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Sep 14 2009, 12:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I had to look it up.

Don Mattingly played one game at 2B in 1981.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's correct. But there's an interesting reason for it.

It happened in the resumption of the "Pine Tar Game" after the Royals' protest was upheld. Billy Martin wanted to make a mockery out of the game so he had Mattingly play 2nd for the last 1/3 of an inning and also played pitcher Ron Guidry in center field.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=63012:date=Sep 14 2009, 11:48 AM:name=Kid)-->QUOTE (Kid @ Sep 14 2009, 11:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=63011:date=Sep 14 2009, 12:45 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Sep 14 2009, 12:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I had to look it up.

Don Mattingly played one game at 2B in 1981.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's correct. But there's an interesting reason for it.

It happened in the resumption of the "Pine Tar Game" after the Royals' protest was upheld. Billy Martin wanted to make a mockery out of the game so he had Mattingly play 2nd for the last 1/3 of an inning and also played pitcher Ron Guidry in center field.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's pretty funny.

[kbwsb]

let us in.
BTW, wasn't Charles Johnson a lefty-throwing catcher for the Marlins?

[Kid]

Just highlight the blacked out text to see the answer.

[Fella]

<!--quoteo(post=63021:date=Sep 14 2009, 11:46 AM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Sep 14 2009, 11:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->let us in.
BTW, wasn't Charles Johnson a lefty-throwing catcher for the Marlins?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pretty sure Charles Johnson threw right handed.

[Coach]

<!--quoteo(post=63026:date=Sep 14 2009, 02:48 PM:name=Fella)-->QUOTE (Fella @ Sep 14 2009, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=63021:date=Sep 14 2009, 11:46 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Sep 14 2009, 11:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->let us in.
BTW, wasn't Charles Johnson a lefty-throwing catcher for the Marlins?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pretty sure Charles Johnson threw right handed.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He did and probably still does

[Andy]

Oddly enough, <!--coloro:#000000--><!--/coloro-->Mattingly
<!--colorc--><!--/colorc--> is also on a very short list of lefties to play 3rd base.
Mike Squires
Terry Francona
<!--coloro:#000000--><!--/coloro-->Don Mattingly
<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
Mario Valdez

Only 3 catchers in the last 51 years:
Dale Long
Mike Squires
Benny Distefan

There has not been a single lefthanded SS in the past 50 years.

[Bricklayer]

<!--quoteo(post=63037:date=Sep 14 2009, 02:35 PM:name=Andy)-->QUOTE (Andy @ Sep 14 2009, 02:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Oddly enough, <!--coloro:#000000--><!--/coloro-->Mattingly
<!--colorc--><!--/colorc--> is also on a very short list of lefties to play 3rd base.
Mike Squires
Terry Francona
<!--coloro:#000000--><!--/coloro-->Don Mattingly
<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
Mario Valdez

Only 3 catchers in the last 51 years:
Dale Long
Mike Squires
Benny Distefan
<b>
There has not been a single lefthanded SS in the past 50 years.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

That doesn't surprise me. That would have to be the most un-natural position for a lefty in baseball.

[Kid]

My favorite part of the Pine Tar Game:

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->MacPhail ordered the game resumed on August 18 (a scheduled off day for each team), at the point following Brett’s home run with the Royals leading 5-4. Martin continued to protest the decision. On the date the game was resumed, before New York pitcher George Frazier could throw a pitch to Royals’ batter Hal McRae, Martin challenged that Brett had not touched all the bases when he hit the homer, nearly four weeks earlier. The Yankees contended that the umpiring crew (which was not the same one that had officiated the original game), had no idea if Brett had circled the bases legally. Despite the clever move by Martin, crew chief Davey Phillips was prepared. Phillips produced an affidavit signed by the four members of Brinkman’s crew, stating that Brett and the baserunner in front of him (Washington) had touched all the bases on July 24.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[veryzer]

i wonder if billy martin would ever have managed the cubs, would he be all calm and serene and lovable like lou is?

[cigar]

<!--quoteo(post=63036:date=Sep 14 2009, 02:34 PM:name=Coach)-->QUOTE (Coach @ Sep 14 2009, 02:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=63026:date=Sep 14 2009, 02:48 PM:name=Fella)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fella @ Sep 14 2009, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=63021:date=Sep 14 2009, 11:46 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Sep 14 2009, 11:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->let us in.
BTW, wasn't Charles Johnson a lefty-throwing catcher for the Marlins?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pretty sure Charles Johnson threw right handed.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He did and probably still does
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/funny.gif[/img] That is the first thing that has made me laugh out loud on here in a while.

[Bricklayer]

<!--quoteo(post=63052:date=Sep 14 2009, 03:20 PM:name=Kid)-->QUOTE (Kid @ Sep 14 2009, 03:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->My favorite part of the Pine Tar Game:

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->MacPhail ordered the game resumed on August 18 (a scheduled off day for each team), at the point following Brett's home run with the Royals leading 5-4. Martin continued to protest the decision. On the date the game was resumed, before New York pitcher George Frazier could throw a pitch to Royals' batter Hal McRae, Martin challenged that Brett had not touched all the bases when he hit the homer, nearly four weeks earlier. The Yankees contended that the umpiring crew (which was not the same one that had officiated the original game), had no idea if Brett had circled the bases legally. Despite the clever move by Martin, crew chief Davey Phillips was prepared. Phillips produced an affidavit signed by the four members of Brinkman's crew, stating that Brett and the baserunner in front of him (Washington) had touched all the bases on July 24.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Several years ago I had a Billy Martin moment playing softball. It was a work team playing in the local park district and all games were governed by standard ASA rules. Well, this one team we played had a guy who was using a baseball bat instead of an ASA approved softball bat. No one noticed, except me, but I didn’t say anything because I wanted to use it when would have made a big difference. As it turned out, it was the last inning and we were up by a run and this guy comes up with 2 on and hits a 3 run shot to take the lead. I then bring it up to the ump, he checks it out, calls the guy out and brings back the runners. Next guy flied out and we won.



That team hated me to no end.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=63132:date=Sep 15 2009, 10:10 AM:name=Bricklayer)-->QUOTE (Bricklayer @ Sep 15 2009, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=63052:date=Sep 14 2009, 03:20 PM:name=Kid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kid @ Sep 14 2009, 03:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->My favorite part of the Pine Tar Game:

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->MacPhail ordered the game resumed on August 18 (a scheduled off day for each team), at the point following Brett's home run with the Royals leading 5-4. Martin continued to protest the decision. On the date the game was resumed, before New York pitcher George Frazier could throw a pitch to Royals' batter Hal McRae, Martin challenged that Brett had not touched all the bases when he hit the homer, nearly four weeks earlier. The Yankees contended that the umpiring crew (which was not the same one that had officiated the original game), had no idea if Brett had circled the bases legally. Despite the clever move by Martin, crew chief Davey Phillips was prepared. Phillips produced an affidavit signed by the four members of Brinkman's crew, stating that Brett and the baserunner in front of him (Washington) had touched all the bases on July 24.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Several years ago I had a Billy Martin moment playing softball. It was a work team playing in the local park district and all games were governed by standard ASA rules. Well, this one team we played had a guy who was using a baseball bat instead of an ASA approved softball bat. No one noticed, except me, but I didn’t say anything because I wanted to use it when would have made a big difference. As it turned out, it was the last inning and we were up by a run and this guy comes up with 2 on and hits a 3 run shot to take the lead. I then bring it up to the ump, he checks it out, calls the guy out and brings back the runners. Next guy flied out and we won.



That team hated me to no end.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img]

Nicely done, my friend.