Went to the Braves game last night with Chrissy and some friends. We had a great time, even though the Braves got shelled. Alfonso Soriano hit 3 home runs in his first 3 at bats; his first 2 were off the first 2 pitches he saw. What a bummer. It was fun anyways. Great weather, a good hot dog and decent seats. While at the game, a few questions came up, and I didn't know the answers to any of them. I took a few minutes looking them up and found myself immersed in baseball history. Good things to know:
What was the longest home run ever hit:
That is a loaded question. Some say that Ruth, Mays, and Mantle have each hit one over 600 feet. The longest proven home run was Cecil Fielder at 502 feet. I'd stick with that one.
Who did Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell play for?
McDowell played for the Mets, Phillies and Dodgers from 85 through 96. He started 2 games his rookie year and spent the remainder of his career in the bullpen. He played for the 86 Champion Mets. Just for fun, Allen Butts is the Baseball Systems Operator.
What is the longest last name in major league history?
That would be Jarrod Saltalamacchia. "Salty" is the current Braves catcher along with Brian McCann. On May 1, McCann went out with a hurt hand early in the game. Backup catcher Brayan Pena was hit in the back of the head by a batter's backswing in the 9th. Pena stayed in for the rest of the game, but Salty was called up the next day.
Now, don't you feel smarter? I know I sure do.
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