(image borrowed from MLB.com)
We all know controversy surrounds the choice of Native American names for sports teams, ironically, not for Cleveland though. The team was named after of their star players from the 1890s, Alex Sophalexis, who was a Penobscot Indian. He was so respected that in 1914, a year after he died, Cleveland decided to commemorate him by naming the baseball team the Indians.
That's rather interesting! I honestly always wondered why Cleveland named their baseball team this!
(image borrowed from ESPN.com)
The LA Dodgers actually originated in Brooklyn, New York and they earned their name during the 19th century when pedestrians had to dodge the horse-drawn carriages and the like in the busy streets in order to see the baseball team play. These fans were called "trolley dodgers." The team decided to name themselves the Dodgers in honor of their fans were doing a lot of dodging in order to see them play. The name stuck even when they moved to LA in the 1950s.
Another factoid I didn't know! Can you tell I pay attention to sports? Lol!
(image borrowed from People of Lancaster)
The letter K has been used to signify strikeouts in keeping track of baseball scores since the early days of the sport. Henry Chadwick designed the system that is used today for keeping score, but he realized there was an abundance of S's scattered throughout. The "S" stood for safe, slide, shortstop, sacrifice, second base, etc. So instead of trying to use it again for a strike or struck out, he decided to use the last letter, "K" of struck to signify a strike out.
(image borrowed from Adam Douglass)
When the first baseball diamond was laid out, there wasn't any night games. In order to keep the sun out of players' eyes, home plate was positioned facing east, so the pitcher was facing west. Most pitchers threw with their right arm, but the rare left handed pitcher as on the "unfamiliar south side" and they referred to him, with respect, as a "southpaw."
I still don't get it. Lol.
(image borrowed from My Little Pony Fan Labor Wiki)
Erratic and eccentric people are tend to be called screwballs. When it comes to baseball terminology, it dates back to the early 20th century when Christy Mathewson came up with a pitch that broke in the opposite direction, baffling the opposing batters. This was opposite of the standard "curveball" and was so bizarre that it earned the name "screwball."
Interesting fact about baseball. They called lefties southpaws because they through with the arm on the south side of the field. Their right sides while standing still face the north.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I love my sports, but baseball is lower down in the ranking. Sometimes it's just too boring. I like a lot of action. Mr Wonderful is a huge Red Sox fan and I root for the Detroit Tigers, though I will root for the Red Sox to support my man. lol
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental