JeffCranstondotcom

"You Think You Know" Answer

Here's the answer to Sunday's "You Think You Know?" The fact that his nickname was Lefty should help. Lefties have good pick-off moves (I used to have one that was half-way decent myself. "Used to" being the operative phrase here.) So imagine this: It's the top of the ninth, and the game is tied. The opponents have a guy on first base and there are two outs. Lefty's brought in. He doesn't throw a single pitch. Instead he picks the guy off of first base. The inning is over. He never threw a pitch. In the bottom of the ninth, one of his teammates hits a home run, thus ending the game. Lefty wins, gets his thousand bucks bonus, and the manager gets fired anyway. AND ...

- Ignominiously = discreditable; ignoble; humiliating; contemptible.

The person with the first correct answer is Willy Powell. Willy is a Clemson graduate so this makes complete sense. (This may also explain why he didn't give a guess as to the definition of ignominiously! No one else did either - at least correctly...) In the issue of fairness, however, I believe two other answers we received are also correct - but not in the context of my fictitious story ... so Rob and Jimmy, while you guys are technically correct, the manager couldn't start Lefty per the owner's orders.  Nice effort though!

Okay, back to reality everyone!

Image: Travis Blackley of the  Reno Aces, a Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamonbacks, and one of the few Aussies to ever pitch in the Major Leagues.

You Think You Know?

We haven't had one of these in a while. And as we head into the baseball play-off season with my Orioles slinking ignominiously into yet another season-to-forget, I bring you the following brain teaser. It's from Ray and Tom's CarTalk radio show on PBS stations.

Lefty McDougal, star pitcher of the Kenosha Ramblers, had an incentive clause in his contract that guaranteed him an extra thousand bucks if he won 20 games during the season. (This was a long time ago!)

It's the last game of the season. Lefty has 19 victories, and is scheduled to be that day's starting pitcher. The opponent is a lousy team. They've got a terrible record, and Lefty knows he's going to get the bonus.

As luck would have it, an hour before the game his manager approaches him and says, "You ain't starting, Lefty."

Lefty asks, "Why not?"

The manager says, "The owner of the team came and said, 'If you start this bum... if he throws even one pitch, you're losing your job!'"

Lefty's dejected. He says, "I was going buy a new house in the Hamptons with that thousand bucks!"

Lefty's discouraged, and the manager is discouraged too, because he has great regard for Lefty. The manager wonders, "How can I get Lefty to win his 20th game and collect his bonus-- and not throw a single pitch?"

And that's what happens. Lefty wins the game without throwing a single pitch.

How did he do it?

The first correct answer gains world-wide fame - at least among the 259 subscribers to this blog. (Extra points for defining ignominiously without looking it up on-line!) The answer will come later this week. Good luck!

Image: The great Cal Ripken, Jr., always a reminder of what's best about baseball. From www.cal-ripken-jr.net

You Think You Know? Answer

Here's the question and the answer:

Question: It's the 9th inning...batter at the plate...there's the pitch...it's a fly ball, deep into the right field corner. The outfielder runs and positions himself to make the catch...which he does...then at the last second, he suddenly drops it - on purpose.

Why does he do this?

Answer: He dropped the ball on purpose so the catch would not be recorded as an out.

Here's why...I didn't give you ALL of the information.  If I had, it would have been too easy!

There was a runner on third; there was one out; the score was tied; the fly ball was hit deep, but it was also a foul ball. Had the catch been made, the runner could have tagged up and scored the go-ahead run.

There you are...not too hard, was it? Unfortunately, this guy played for the Orioles. They didn't score in their half of the ninth and their relief pitcher walked in the winning run after hitting two batters and walking another.

It's going to be a long season...

You Think You Know?

Okay, now that the baseball season is in full swing and my Orioles have already been mathematically eliminated from the play-offs, it's time for another baseball quiz.

It's the 9th inning...batter at the plate...there's the pitch...it's a fly ball, deep into the right field corner. The outfielder runs and positions himself to make the catch...which he does...then at the last second, he suddenly drops it - on purpose.

Why does he do this?

First correct answer wins the adulation of the nation.  Good luck! The answer will be posted on Saturday.

PLEASE post your answer in the comments section of my blog. Our email is under-going some surgery at the office this weekend.

You Think You Know? Part Two

Yesterday's "You Think You Know" question was: What do the following men have in common (besides being famous and dead...). Ready? Woodrow Wilson, Ulysses S. Grant, Rudyard Kipling, Calvin Coolidge, and Grover Cleveland.

Here's the answer: They are best known by their middle names.

I know what you're thinking: Ulysses S. Grant, right? His given birth name was Hiram Ulysses Grant. He added the "S" for Simpson later in life.  The others were named Joseph Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Woodrow Wilson, Stephen Grover Cleveland and John Calvin Coolidge (no wonder he grew up Presbyterian!)

Hey, that was fun.  I'll announce the winner in Monday's post.

You Think You Know?

Today's post is just for fun.  Check back tomorrow for the answer.

What do the following men have in common (besides being famous and dead...). Ready? Woodrow Wilson, Ulysses S. Grant, Rudyard Kipling, Calvin Coolidge, and Grover Cleveland.

If you think you know, reply via comments or email me.  Good luck.  The first person who guesses correctly gets ten percent off their tithe!