1. Match the player with his jersey number

1. Reggie Jackson
2. Ernie Banks
3. Tom Seaver
4. Babe Ruth
5. Yogi Berra

(a) 41 (b) 1 (c) 8 (d) 44 (e) 3

2. Who holds the record for the most seasons played on the same team?

a. George Brett (Kansas City Royals)
b. Stan Musial (St. Louis Cardinals)
c. Brooks Robinson (Baltimore Orioles)
d. Lou Gehrig (New York Yankees)
e. Ernie Banks (Chicago Cubs)

3. Rank each player according to their highest number of home runs in a season:

a. Hank Aaron
b. Willie Mays
c. Jimmie Foxx
d. Roger Maris
e. Babe Ruth

4. Who has hit the most home runs in opening day games?

a. Lou Gehrig
b. Stan Musial
c. George Brett
d. Frank Robinson
e. Willie Stargell

5. Who is the only batter to win a batting title in three different decades?

From Manny Mota: “Concentration, rhythm, and purpose are some of the most important aspects to hitting, according to legendary Dodgers outfielder Manny Mota. “Hitters should take short strides and use quick hands,” he said. “Taking a short stride actually helps your hands be quicker. It keeps your swing compact and under control.”

Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

He played his entire 18-year major-league professional career for the New York Yankees, winning 3 American League MVP titles and playing for 16 All-Star teams. Mantle played on 12 pennant winners and 7 World Championship clubs. He still holds the records for most World Series home runs (18), RBIs (40), runs (42), walks (43), extra-base hits (26), and total bases (123).

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig says there is a good chance Major League Baseball will have an instant replay system in place to help umpires determine boundary calls on home runs by as soon as this year’s postseason.

While I believe baseball is just fine as it is, and that there are many more calls that can save or cost a game in this sport besides a blown homerun call, it appears I’m in the minority.

Like many other fans, I’ll take this change in stride, still loving the game I grew up watching… and cussing at the blown out and safe calls and some of the ridiculous strike zones a few MLB umpires have. Besides, the TV sportscasters already show all of us fans when an ump blows a call. Maybe it is time for the umps to see them all.

Regardless, such is the American Pastime!

I decided to add this section simply to honor some of the amazing players the game of baseball has had over time. And so maybe kids will learn a little about the proud history of the game they play every summer.

I wanted to start with Cal Ripken, Jr not because he was the greatest fielder in the game, nor the most prolific slugger, but because he embodied a work ethic, a love for his calling and a tenacity that I see missing so frequently in today’s world.

My hat’s off to Mr. Ripken, and I humbly thank him for the lessons, the effort, the entertainment and the memories.

Cal Ripken - The Iron Man

Calvin Edwin Ripken, Jr. (born August 24, 1960 in Havre de Grace, Maryland), commonly known as Cal or Cal Jr., is a Hall of Fame shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Baltimore Orioles from 1981 to 2001.

DENVER — Rockies right-hander Aaron Cook didn’t have time to contemplate becoming a National League All-Star this year. There were much bigger issues, like keeping the Rockies from sinking so far that they couldn’t rise, even in the mediocre NL West.

Cook stopped seven losing streaks and tied a club record with 11 wins before the All-Star break. The performance earned him his first career selection to the squad by Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who is managing the NL team this year.

Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday, through voting by peers, was selected to his third straight All-Star Game.

The 79th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, at Yankee Stadium on July 15, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 6 p.m. MT. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage. XM will provide satellite radio play-by-play coverage of the XM All-Star Futures Game.

1 If a batter fails two-thirds of the time, they’re still considered an excellent batter. It’s too bad this standard isn’t applied to everything else in life.

2 It is legal to “steal” in this game. This is, perhaps, a questionable example for children.

3 If you aren’t such a good hitter, you can have a pinch hitter bat for you. If you aren’t such a fast runner, you can have someone—a pinch runner—come in and run for you. At what point, you might wonder, is a team entirely comprised of “pinch” players?

4 There’s a rule preventing pitchers from spitting on the ball. They can spit anywhere else they like, apparently.

5 If a batter walks with the bases loaded, he is credited with an RBI (Run Batted In). That’s right: even though he didn’t hit the ball.

Figuring a pitcher’s Earned Run Average (ERA):

According to the official rules of baseball, an earned run is a run for which the pitcher is held accountable. The pitcher is charged with an earned run for every base runner that scores who hasn’t reached base because of an error. In more basic terms, the pitcher is responsible for runs scored as a result of:

Hits Sacrifice bunts Sacrifice flies Stolen bases Putouts Fielder’s Choices Bases on balls thrown by the pitcher Batters hit by the pitcher Balks by the pitcher Wild pitches thrown by the pitcher

The earned run average is the average number of earned runs scored on a pitcher per game. A quick glance at the formula involved in determining a pitcher’s ERA can be a bit scary — reminiscent at times of the complex formulas used to determine how much rocket fuel is needed to get the Space Shuttle to lift off — but it’s really not that difficult at all.

ACE A team’s best starting pitcher.

ALLEY The section of the outfield between the outfielders. Also called gap.

Around the Horn: The 5-4-3 double play — third to second to first. In the infield the numbers go: Pitcher #1, catcher #2, 1st base #3, 2nd base #4, shortstop #6, 3rd base #5.

ASSIST Help from a fielder in putting an offensive player out. A fielder is credited with an assist when he throws a baserunner or hitter out at a base.

AT BAT The offensive team’s turn to bat the ball and score. Each player takes a turn at bat until three outs are made. Each Batter’s opportunity at the plate is scored as an “at bat” for him

BACKDOOR SLIDER A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks over the plate.

BACKSTOP Fence or wall behind home plate.