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On April 1, 1996, which major league home plate umpire collapsed and died, as a result of a heart attack during the game?

John McSherry. The others were famous baseball announcers. The game between the Reds at home against Montreal, was less than 10 pitches into the game when McSherry collapsed. The 328lb McSherry had umpired in the Majors for over 20 seasons. The game was canceled, although Cincinnati owner Marge Schott, was being Marge Schott, and did not want the game to end. She later stated, "Snow this morning, and now this".

Hall of Fame pitching great, Rube Waddell, died on April Fool's Day, 1914. How did he die?

Tuberculosis. Waddell played for only 13 seasons, and finally with the St. Louis Browns in 1910. Rube helped in a relief effort to major flooding victims in Kentucky in 1911, prior to the start of the season, and it weakened his condition tremendously. He never fully recovered, and never played the game again. He died in a sanitarium in San Antonio, Texas. Waddell's career record was 193-146, and was a Hall of Fame inductee in 1946.

After playing for two seasons with the Brewers, the Angels signed free agent Steve Sparks prior to the 1997 season. Sparks injured himself and missed the entire '97 season. How did he do it?

Tearing a phone book in half. Sparks went 9-11, then 4-7 with Milwaukee. He injured his hand after a poor outing in a spring training game in 1997, attempting to tear the book.

On April 1, 1947, Major League baseball made a historical announcement. Which was it?

Jackie Robinson would play for the Major League Dodgers. Branch Rickey had signed Robinson to the Dodger organization in 1945, but kept a lot of pressure off Jackie, by keeping him in the International League in Montreal. Robinson debuted for the Montreal Royals in April 1946, and won the league batting crown, hitting .349. His first game saw him hit a home run and three singles.

On April Fool's Day 1978, Japanese baseball star Sadaharu Oh, hit his 757th career home run on opening day. Which type of home run was it?

Grand slam. Arguably the world's greatest home run hitter, Oh, played for the Yomiuri Giants from 1959-1981. Sadaharu once hit 54 home runs in a 130 game season. He retired with 868 career home runs.

On April Fool's Day 1996, what was strange about opening day for the Oakland Athletics?

The game was played in a minor league park. For the first time in almost 40 years, a Major League team played in a minor league park. The Athletics' new stadium was not finished yet, so they played their game at Cashman Field, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The attendance was below 7500 fans. The Blue Jays defeated the Oakland, 9-6.

On April Fool's Day in 1970, who purchased the Major League team, Seattle Pilots?

Bud Selig. 2004 Major League Commissioner Bud Selig, was head of the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club in 1970. He was first appointed as acting Major League commissioner in 1992.

On April 1, 1997, a major league record for most runs scored in an inning by one team, in a season-opening day game was tied. How many runs were scored?

11. The record was set in 1994. The Padres playing the Mets on opening day in 1997, scored 11 runs in the 6th inning, winning the game 12-5, and tying the record. Three consecutive home runs were hit in the inning.

April 1, 1967, saw the youngest rookie in the 20th century, retire after 16 seasons. Who was it?

Joe Nuxhall. Nuxhall debuted for the Reds in 1944, just shy of his 16th birthday. With permission from his high school principal, Nuxhall pitched his first Major League game on June 10th. Nuxhall retired with a record of 135-117, and hit 15 home runs of his own.

On April Fool's Day 1963, the New York Mets purchased the contract of which 16-season Dodger home run king?

Duke Snider. Snider hammered the National League in a Dodger uniform from 1947 to just shy of opening day in 1963. Duke was approaching the 400 home run club when he departed for New York. Snider hit 40 or more home runs in five consecutive seasons, and was in the season MVP top 10 voting six times. He retired as a San Francisco Giant after the 1964 season.