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Baseball Oddities: Bizarre Plays & Other Funny Stuff
Looks at the oddest plays, funniest quips, and weirdest happenings in professional baseball
96 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1998
5 people want to read
About the author
Wayne Stewart
76 books5 followersWAYNE STEWART has been a professional sports writer for more than 30 years, and has published hundreds of articles in such publications as USA Today/Baseball Weekly, Baseball Digest, Boy's Life, and Beckett Baseball Card Monthly.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 10, 2025
“Baseball Oddities” was an enjoyable, but dated, book about the odd things that can occur on a baseball field. Some of the oddities that are in this book include:
- Max West, spying a ball as he entered the dugout, picked it up and tossed it to the opposing catcher. Unfortunately, he did not realize that it was a live ball, and that he assisted to helping his teammate get thrown out at home plate.
- Ralph Kiner misspoke when identifying his show’s sponsor, calling it “Manufacturer’s Hangover” instead of “Manufacturer’s Hanover”.
- Why baseball is better is golf: “When I hit a ball, I want someone else to chase it” – Roger’s Hornsby.
- How the Florida Marlin’s groundcrew was unable to get the tarp out during a rain storm and ended up in a comical fight with the tarp.
- Dave Bresnahan swapped hit catcher mitt where a peeled potato was hidden, and threw it wildly towards 3rd base fooling the runner and tagging him out at home.
- Every baseball fan knows about Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak. However, less known is that during the streak he compiled 56 singles and 56 runs scored.
- Scott Rolen won the 1997 Rookie of the Year award, in part because when he was hit by a pitch that broke his right forearm, he was at the limit of 130 at-bats. Had he gotten a hit or made an out, he would have exceeded the limit.
This was a pretty good book to read by baseball fans. It was mainly filled with quotes and quips, but it was a quick and enjoyable read. Having been written almost 20 years ago, it is certainly dated. However, the humor within the pages will make any baseball fan smile, and remind them of their simple love of the game. I would recommend this book to any baseball fan, though it probably would be best enjoyed by new/young fans of the game.
- Max West, spying a ball as he entered the dugout, picked it up and tossed it to the opposing catcher. Unfortunately, he did not realize that it was a live ball, and that he assisted to helping his teammate get thrown out at home plate.
- Ralph Kiner misspoke when identifying his show’s sponsor, calling it “Manufacturer’s Hangover” instead of “Manufacturer’s Hanover”.
- Why baseball is better is golf: “When I hit a ball, I want someone else to chase it” – Roger’s Hornsby.
- How the Florida Marlin’s groundcrew was unable to get the tarp out during a rain storm and ended up in a comical fight with the tarp.
- Dave Bresnahan swapped hit catcher mitt where a peeled potato was hidden, and threw it wildly towards 3rd base fooling the runner and tagging him out at home.
- Every baseball fan knows about Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak. However, less known is that during the streak he compiled 56 singles and 56 runs scored.
- Scott Rolen won the 1997 Rookie of the Year award, in part because when he was hit by a pitch that broke his right forearm, he was at the limit of 130 at-bats. Had he gotten a hit or made an out, he would have exceeded the limit.
This was a pretty good book to read by baseball fans. It was mainly filled with quotes and quips, but it was a quick and enjoyable read. Having been written almost 20 years ago, it is certainly dated. However, the humor within the pages will make any baseball fan smile, and remind them of their simple love of the game. I would recommend this book to any baseball fan, though it probably would be best enjoyed by new/young fans of the game.
Displaying 1 of 1 review