Seeing how it's just around the corner .....

1. Name the only pitcher to throw an Opening Day no-hitter?

2. What pitcher has made the most Opening Day starts?

3. What pitcher has the most Opening Day victories?

4. The most base hits in an Opening Day game is 5. Who was the last?

5. Name the 2 players that hit 3 HR's in an Opening Day game?

6. On Opening Day in 1950, this player became the first rookie to get 2 hits in one inning?

7. Opening Day 1973 saw the debut of the DH. Who was it and who was the pitcher who walked him?

8. Opening Day 1974, Hank Aaron tied Ruth's record by hitting his 714th HR off of who?

9. Opening Day 1946, Mel Ott hit his 511th and final HR off of who?

Good Luck!

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"I've never felt closer to a group of people. Not even in the portable johns at Woodstock"
Reverend Jim Ignatowski

1. Name the only pitcher to throw an Opening Day no-hitter? Bob Feller

8. Opening Day 1974, Hank Aaron tied Ruth's record by hitting his 714th HR off of who?Jack Billingham

Good job GT! 2 down, 7 to go!

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"I've never felt closer to a group of people. Not even in the portable johns at Woodstock"
Reverend Jim Ignatowski

cc, please excuse my ignorance
but I know a HR is a home run, what's a DH, a dead hit? a dead hitter?

Hi, gtho4 - a DH is a Designated Hitter, a batter in the lineup who bats in place of the pitcher every time ! This person does not play a position in the field. He sits around on the bench and only appears in the game to seemingly boost the team's offense as he is generally a good-hit no-field type of player. This idea was cooked up in the '70's to promote more offense as pitchers in general are not particularly noted for their hitting ! This plan,luckily, is only implemented in the American League on a regular basis and to us purists (and old-timers) is blasphemy to the true meaning of the game ! It was meant as a quick fix to a temporary lag in attendance at the time, but many of us don't like the idea that it impedes the strategy of many game situations (should we leave the pitcher in or pitch-hit for him?) In games that involve teams from both leagues (inter-league games) the DH is used if the game is played in the American League park.
I know that this a lot to digest for a neophyte to the game (I know absolutely NOTHING about cricket, just a little about rugby and not a whole lot about soccer (enjoy Aussie football or whatever it's called when we can get it !)
Hope this helps a little. I salute you for your knowledge and interest in American sports and enjoy your posts !

hiya reedman, greetings from down under mate! thoroughly enjoyed reading your post. My guess wasn't even within coohee of the right answer!! I agree with your comment about purists 100.0% (yep, accountant talk again).

I'm no expert but here's a quick run-down on cricket. There are eleven plaayers to a side and all have to bat, in pairs. So when ten are out they're "all out" and the innings has finished (there are no pairs left to bat). That's how you see progressive scores in an innings e.g.1/34 2/56 6/157 9/202 and 10/237 all out. There's a famous book called "Ten for Sixty-Six and All That" which is also a play on words and history - the last invasion/ conquest of England was in 1066.

The bowler bowls from one end, 6 balls at a time, then another bowler comes in from the other end for another six balls. A batsman is out if he is "bowled" (he misses the ball it goes past him and hits the wicket) caught on the full, if he decides to run after a hit and then doesn't get to the other end b4 the ball (like baseball) - which means he is "run out" - the bowler beats him but doesn't hit the wicket because the batsman is standing in front of the wicket - LBW leg before wicket - the bowler beats him misses the wicket but the ball is caught by the keeper who hits the wicket (also called stumps) with the ball whilst the batter is out of his crease - stumped - it's almost like run out now that I think of it but it isn't called that! The crease is the distance from the stumps at either end in which a batsman is "safe" from a run out or stumping.

If you hit the ball and run to the other end safe, and ditto the other batsman in the pair, that is one run. Sometimes the two batsmen run into each other! Two runs is up to to other end and back again, three etc. If you hit the ball so that it hits the boundary fence (even if fieldsman touches it) it is four runs automatically, no need to run! If you hit a big one and it goes over the boundary fence on the full, that's an automatic six. In baseball if you hit it over the back fence it's a HR but the batter still has to tun around all the bases doing high 5s, I think. Not here, they give the batsman a rest! This is the origin on the slang term "hit for six".

Teams usually have only 4 or 5 bowlers and 6 or 5 batters, plus a wicket keeper. They are all specialists. There are a few all-rounders who can bat and bowl, but not many, (they are valuable players), ditto a wicket-keeper who can also bat. I think I've seen a wicket-keeper bowl once or twice - it's rare because you then need a replacement wicket-keeper and who do you choose out of the eleven (ten)? The skill in selecting a balanced team makes a good manager, too many batters means you'll never bowl out the opposition, too many bowlers means you'll never score as many runs etc etc. I don't think we'll ever see a designated batter emerge over here.

ok, no more I'll only confuse; yep, cricket can be seen as a "weird" game, where else except in England and its former colonies would you play a game in summer that last 5 days!

btw went to the Olympic Stadium and watched a game of gridiron last August - LA Chargers and Denver Broncos from memory. That was an experience and a half when I knew so little about the rules. The teams had 99 players and they all looked like DBs to me, designated persons/ positions! The sidelines looked like a cast of thousands Quo Vadis! I've seen a few laterals on TV, they are an absolute blast, and I'll swear I once read or heard about two laterals in one movement. Is that right?
cheers mate, gt aka gtho4

2. The most opening day starts - Walter Johnson?

5. George Bell & Tuffy Rhodes

[This message has been edited by PARTSDUDE (edited 03-27-2000).]

2. This pitcher broke Johnsons record

5. Correct!

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"I've never felt closer to a group of people. Not even in the portable johns at Woodstock"
Reverend Jim Ignatowski

2.) Tom Seaver
3.) Walter Johnson
4.) Nellie Fox 1959
6.) Billy Martin
7.) Ron Blomberg / Luis Tiant
9.) Oscar Judd

And Leprechaun cleans them up! Good show!

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"I've never felt closer to a group of people. Not even in the portable johns at Woodstock"
Reverend Jim Ignatowski