Baseball · Interesting Facts
Chapter 1: History & Origins
10 parts · 10 tests · 100 facts · updated 28 October 2026 · markdown
Curiosities from baseball's past: presidents at the ballpark, cards, food, the first spring trainings, the famous song, where club names come from, old ballparks' second lives, the Congressional game and the stories behind baseball words.
1.11Presidents and the First Pitch
Presidents at the ballpark, from Taft's toss in 1910 to Yale's first baseman.
Test 1Presidents and the first pitchTake a test
He tossed the ball from his seat in the stands.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
Historians have found the stretch was older than that game.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
He went to Game 2 in Philadelphia.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
He threw it eight times.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
He threw from the mound in Yankee Stadium wearing a protective vest.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
Babe Ruth presented a manuscript to him at Yale in 1948.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
He was a lifelong fan of the South Side club.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
1910, 1915, 2001, then 2009.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
1948, 1952, then 1989.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · recall
Johnson then threw a one-hitter for Washington.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history · applied
1.12Baseball Cards
From tobacco packs to record auctions.
Test 1Baseball cardsTake a test
Stiff cards protected the cigarettes and advertised the brand.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
The company was best known for its gum.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
The story helps explain why high-number 1952 cards are so rare.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
It was then the highest price ever paid for a sports card.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
Griffey's card was number 1 in the set.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
A high grade can multiply a card's value.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
It also took over MLB's card licence.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
The 1880s, 1933, 1951, then 1989.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
1952, 1981, then 2022.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · recall
Goudey's 1933 set had four different Babe Ruth cards.
Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022) · applied
1.13Ballpark Food
Famous food and drink at the ballpark, from Brooklyn to Seattle.
Test 1Ballpark foodTake a test
His family firm ran concessions in many ballparks for decades.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
It sticks out well past both ends of the bun.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
The dish comes from ranching country.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
They came in a cup seasoned with chilli and lime.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
The smell drifts across the stands.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
It comes from a Pittsburgh restaurant founded in the 1930s.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
The old snack returned within weeks.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
San Francisco, Denver, then Pittsburgh.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
Strangers in the row help the sale along.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · recall
It has been sold there since the 1960s.
Source: MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history · applied
1.14The First Spring Trainings
Hot springs, hot sand and the camps that came after.
Test 1The first spring trainingsTake a test
Players soaked in the town's thermal baths.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
Many players had spent the winter drinking and eating well.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
They trained in Jacksonville.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
His Cleveland club trained in Tucson, the Giants in Phoenix.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
They then moved to Arizona.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
Each state has its own spring league.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
It opened in 2009 near Phoenix.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
1886, 1918, 1947, then 2008.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
Clubs paid for the trip by playing towns along the route.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · recall
Cap Anson's team made the trip.
Source: Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history · applied
1.15'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'
The 1908 song that every ballpark sings.
Test 1'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'Take a test
It quickly became a hit of the music halls.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
He wrote them on a train in New York.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
He was a successful Tin Pan Alley composer.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
He did not go to a big-league game until 1940.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
The sign advertised a game at the Polo Grounds.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
The first version of 1908 had a different name.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
He recorded it on a cylinder for Edison.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
The chorus is all most fans know; the verses are rarely sung.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
1908, 1940, then 1982.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · recall
The verse sets up the famous chorus.
Source: Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing' · applied
1.16National League Club Names
Where National League clubs got their names.
Test 1National League club namesTake a test
The owner was a member of Tammany Hall, whose emblem was a Native American chief.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
They signed a player another club believed was theirs.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
A 19th-century New York club had the same name.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
Mission San Diego de Alcalá was founded in 1769.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
A writer heard a fan admire the 'lovely shade of cardinal'.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
The name has stayed since the club moved west.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
NASA's mission control is in Houston.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
The 1880s, 1891, the 1900s, then 1962.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
San Diego, Denver, Milwaukee, then Miami.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · recall
Brooklyn people were known as trolley dodgers.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research · applied
1.17American League Club Names
Where American League clubs got their names.
Test 1American League club namesTake a test
Earlier Baltimore clubs had used the name too.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
The American Royal has been held in the city since 1899.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
The A's adopted it with pride in 1902.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
They reached the World Series that same season.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
Fans chose the name in a contest.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
The 'Twin Cities' lie on either side of the Mississippi.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
The city's National League club had dropped its red stockings.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
1908, 1913, 1969, then 2022.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
1976, 2008, then 2022.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · recall
The 'Guardians of Traffic' were carved in the 1930s.
Source: Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021) · applied
1.18Old Ballparks' Second Lives
What stands today where famous ballparks once stood.
Test 1Old ballparks' second livesTake a test
The buildings are named after the old ballpark.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
They are called the Polo Grounds Towers.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
Home plate is set in the floor of a university building.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
A youth league now has its headquarters there.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
Markers show home plate and the bases.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
It is called Heritage Field.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
Howard University's hospital was built there.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
1960, 1964, 1991, then 2009.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
1988, 2000, then 2014.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · recall
The White Sox's old home stood across the street from today's park.
Source: SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium · applied
1.19The Congressional Baseball Game
Republicans against Democrats, every summer since 1909.
Test 1The Congressional Baseball GameTake a test
It is one of Washington's oldest traditions.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
He had pitched for Chicago in the 1880s.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
He also served as governor of Pennsylvania.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
The Nationals' park opened that year.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
It is named after a Capitol Hill newspaper.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
The game went ahead the next day before a record crowd.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
Money goes to a young women's cancer charity.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
1909, 1913, 2008, then 2017.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
Practices begin weeks before the game.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · recall
It is the best-known game in Washington.
Source: Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener · applied
1.20Where Baseball Words Come From
The stories behind baseball words.
Test 1Where baseball words come fromTake a test
With home plate in the west, a lefty's throwing arm pointed south.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
It is named after shortstop Mario Mendoza.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
Free tickets were punched with holes, like the sharpshooter's targets.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
Orioles hitters chopped down on the ball on their hard-packed infield.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
He used it on Brooklyn Dodgers broadcasts.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
Coaches use a long, thin fungo bat to hit them.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
A big, slow curve is sometimes called 'Lord Charles'.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
A curve is thrown, a chopper bounces, an easy fly falls into the glove.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
That kind of practice hit has its own name.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · recall
The word is now used for left-handers in other sports too.
Source: Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms · applied
Sources
Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia citations: the National Baseball Hall of Fame, MLB and its clubs, the WBSC, SABR's BioProject, the Library of Congress, Guinness World Records, makers' and leagues' own histories and named reputable media.
- National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Presidents and the first pitch' features (baseballhall.org); White House Historical Association; MLB.com Opening Day history10
- National Baseball Hall of Fame card collection (baseballhall.org); Library of Congress Benjamin K. Edwards baseball card collection; Topps company history; Heritage Auctions (2022)10
- MLB.com and club ballpark food guides (Dodgers, Rockies, Mariners, Giants, Phillies, Pirates); Smithsonian Magazine on ballpark food history10
- Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail (hotspringsbaseballtrail.com); Cactus League history (cactusleague.com); Los Angeles Dodgers, 'Dodgertown' history10
- Library of Congress, 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (loc.gov performing arts); National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'The song that made baseball sing'10
- Club histories on MLB.com (Dodgers, Pirates, Mets, Padres, Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Astros); SABR team-name research10
- Club histories on MLB.com (Guardians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox); Cleveland Guardians name announcement (2021)10
- SABR Ballparks Project (sabr.org); club and city histories of Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium and Shea Stadium10
- Congressional Baseball Game for Charity (congressionalbaseball.org); Roll Call coverage; National Baseball Hall of Fame on John Tener10
- Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd ed.); National Baseball Hall of Fame features; SABR research on baseball terms10