User:RyanCross/DYK

This page contains information on my DYK-related contributions.

DYKs created or expanded
Did you know...


 * ... that the Knickerbocker Baseball Club of New York used the first recorded baseball uniform in 1849?


 * ... that Atlanta Braves pitcher Pete Smith threw three of his four career shutouts in 1988, the season after his rookie year?


 * ... that Pete Young declined to sign with the Cincinnati Reds after being selected in the 1986 minor league baseball draft, but later signed with the Montreal Expos instead?


 * ... that 894 of the 5,000 recorded aftershocks of the 1981 Coalinga, California earthquake (location pictured) had a magnitude of 2.5 or larger?


 * ... that Garry Roggenburk, after his Major League Baseball career, became a general manager for the Winter Haven Red Sox in the farm system of his former team, the Boston Red Sox?


 * ... that Major League Baseballer Willis Roberts signed as a free agent to play with the Cincinnati Reds on the same day he was released by the Detroit Tigers?


 * ... that Charlie Waitt was taunted and called a "sissy" by fans and teammates because he was one of the first to wear baseball gloves to protect his hands?


 * ... that two games after returning from injury in 2000, Reggie Taylor (pictured) became the second-ever Scranton baseball player to collect five hits in a game?


 * ... that in 1992, baseball player Steve Rodriguez was named one of the West Coast Conference's (location pictured) top fifty athletes of all time?


 * ... that on the very same day that baseball player Hector Mercado was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies, he was traded to the New York Mets for Mike Welch?


 * ... that the New York Mets traded Mike Welch to the Philadelphia Phillies for Hector Mercado, a player who was drafted and traded the same day, only for him to play against the Mets on his major league debut?


 * ... that baseball pitcher Marc Wilkins balked on Rob Ryan ' s first at bat, on the day of Ryan's major league debut, making the Arizona Diamondbacks score one run?


 * ... that in the 2008 baseball season, Randy Ruiz (pictured) got a hit in 24 consecutive games, the longest hitting streak by a Rochester Red Wing player since 1979?


 * ... that Art Stewart, who was recently inducted into the Kansas City Royals Baseball Hall of Fame, was responsible for the drafting of 70 people who eventually became Major League Baseball players?


 * ... that Larry Gowell's baseball in the Baseball Hall of Fame was his first and only major league hit?


 * ... that Roger Connor, whose brother Joe Connor was also a baseball player, was the first to hit an over-the-wall home run at Polo Grounds?


 * ... that former Major League Baseball player Kid Durbin, who was a baker at a restaurant after his career, died only one day after his 57th birthday due to coronary thrombosis?


 * ... that Mike Cather earned his first major-league win in an 11-inning Atlanta Braves’ win, the same night the Braves earned the National League Eastern Division title?


 * ... that Darrin Winston still holds the baseball records for victories, innings pitched, and complete games at Rutgers University more than twenty years after he graduated?


 * ... that Dick Woodson was the first baseball player to invoke the free agency clause?


 * ... that Al Jackson and Roger Craig share the worst winning percentage of the Opening Day starting pitchers for the New York Mets with a record of 0–2?


 * ... that Bob Brenly led his team to the 2001 World Series and won in his first season as the Arizona Diamondbacks manager?


 * ... that The New York Times published an article mentioning that MLB player Jeff Johnson had been bothered because of rumors he had heard about the New York Yankees pursuing different pitchers?


 * ... that Ochna serrulata is called "Mickey Mouse Plant" because the plant's bright-red sepals (pictured) resemble the face of Mickey Mouse?


 * ... that Steve Souchock was possibly going to be first baseman for the New York Yankees, but instead served military service during World War II, eventually earning five battle stars and one Bronze Star?


 * ... that on Jackie Robinson Day of 2007, more than 200 baseball players wore number 42 in honor of the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's (pictured) major league debut?


 * ... that in the only inning he pitched in Major League Baseball, Cal Cooper gave up five hits, a walk and five runs for a lifetime ERA of 45.0?


 * ... that Hall of Famer Mel Ott made his final appearance as a Major League Baseball player pinch hitting for Ken Trinkle?


 * ... that out of the ten players that attended Morehead State University who eventually played in Major League Baseball, Ron Klimkowski was the only one who attended the college for only one year?


 * ... that Larry McCall was released by the Baltimore Orioles and was signed with the New York Yankees as a free agent both on the same day?


 * ... that relief pitcher Doug Nickle was assigned to seven different clubs over the course of his six-year major league baseball career?


 * ... that the term battery in baseball was first used by Henry Chadwick (pictured) in reference to the firepower of a team's pitching staff, inspired by artillery batteries then in use in the American Civil War?


 * ... that the 1902 discovery of gold in Interior Alaska by Italian immigrant Felix Pedro (pictured) marked the start of the Fairbanks Gold Rush?


 * ... that Static Major featured in Lil Wayne's 2008 hit single "Lollipop" but died before the song was released in Tha Carter III?


 * ... that Frank Tepedino, former Major League Baseball player, lost 343 colleagues from the New York City Fire Department during the September 11 attacks?


 * ... that rioting in 2001 involving Christians and Muslims in Jos, Nigeria, caused over 1,000 deaths along with many buildings, cars, and people being burned?


 * ... that Nolan Reimold led the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in home runs (20), runs batted in (60), total bases (137), on-base % (.496), and slugging % (.770) throughout the baseball regular season?


 * ... that Cisero Murphy was the first African American professional pocket billiards player to ever win a World or U.S. National billiard title?


 * ... that Kelly Paris' three career home runs were all hit in 1988 in 44 at bats with the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball?


 * ... that Jeff Moronko is one of two Major League Baseball players to have attended Texas Wesleyan University, the other being Hall of Famer Tris Speaker?


 * ... that Major League Baseball player Barry Foote batted in eight runs, including a game-winning grand slam, in a single game against the St. Louis Cardinals?


 * ... that in June 2008, Pat Fleming and Allen Hopkins became the 51st and 52nd pocket billiards players to be inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame?


 * ... that rapper T.I. is starring in T.I.'s Road To Redemption, an upcoming reality television show?

DYKs nominated only
Did you know...


 * ... that Ronald Joy was an English cricketer, who played eight County Championship matches in the 1928 season?


 * ... that Bahá'í Faith in Niger began during a period of wide scale growth in the religion across Sub-Saharan Africa near the end of its colonial period?


 * ... that Harley Parker, in 1973, was selected to be the first William A. Kern Institute Professor of Communications at the Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, New York?


 * ... that "Nuit" was written in a very short time in just a few hours?


 * ... that Whitney Ellsworth became associated with Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's fledgling company National Allied Publications, later known as DC Comics?


 * ... that Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith founded a children's charity in his native Jacksonville which ran for two decades?


 * ... that Tiny Thompson was the first professional ice hockey goaltender to make a save by catching the puck?


 * ... that Todd Friel performed over 1,500 times on stage as a stand-up comedian, mostly in venues in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul area in Minnesota?


 * ... that Hindi is the language used for educational and official matters in Bihari culture?


 * ... that the winning cup for the European club champion of football is now kept by the final winners?


 * ... that Women For Sobriety, a group founded in 1976 as an alternative to twelve-step addiction recovery groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, had over 200 chapters as of 1998?


 * ... that three years after the Battle of Marcelae in 756 AD, Constantine V invaded Bulgaria once more but suffered a crushing defeat in the Battle of the Rishki Pass?


 * ... that the Fountain of Qayt Bay, built by the Mamluks in the fifteenth century, has a large reservoir beneath it?


 * ... that James Godkin was simultaneously the chief editor of the Daily Express newspaper and the Dublin correspondent of The Times of London?


 * ... that the Durham Performing Arts Center opened in November 2008 as the largest performing arts center in the Carolinas, at a cost of US$48 million?


 * ... that Imero Fiorentino has served as a lighting designer for every U.S. President since Dwight D. Eisenhower?


 * ... that gemstone irradiation processes enable the creation of certain gemstone colors that do not exist or are extremely rare in nature?


 * ... that Charles Ranken and Lord Randolph Churchill founded the Oxford University Chess Club in April 1869, with Ranken becoming its first president?


 * ... that historical structures in Yellagonga Regional Park include the the City of Wanneroo's oldest residence and an early winery?


 * ... that Charlie Bowman was a major influence on the distinctive fiddle sound that helped shape and develop early country music in the 1920s and 1930s?