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Baseball · Interesting Facts

Chapter 7: Geography & Culture

10 parts · 10 tests · 100 facts · updated 28 October 2026 · markdown

Baseball has spread far beyond the field, into films, songs, books and other languages. On screen, the classics run from 1942 to 1989: a bat breaks in the last game of The Natural, and Field of Dreams, based on W. P. Kinsella's Shoeless Joe, ends with cars lining up to visit the field. Later films include Bull Durham, in which Tim Robbins played the young pitcher, Mr. Baseball, set at a club based in Nagoya, and 42, with Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. The comedy routine 'Who's on First?' gives every player a name that sounds like a question or an answer, runs for about six minutes and is in the national recording registry.

Songs and pictures followed the game too, from a song about centre fielders Mays, Mantle and Snider to Neil Diamond's, a Fenway ritual since the early 2000s. Nat Fein's photo of Ruth won a Pulitzer Prize in 1949, the first sports photo to do so. In Japan, fans wave umbrellas to 'Tokyo Ondo' and release whistling balloons, while Spanish calls the outfield 'los jardines', the gardens. San Pedro de Macorís, a Dominican town whose mills fielded teams between harvests, has sent dozens of players to the majors.

The facts below cover classic and recent films, 'Who's on First?', baseball songs and books, art and photography, Japan's ballpark culture, San Pedro de Macorís, baseball words around the world, and stamps and coins.

7.71Classic Films

Ballpark stories on the big screen, from 1942 to 1989.

Test 1Classic filmsTake a test

  1. He was nominated for an Oscar for the role.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  2. He played Gehrig's old team-mate on screen.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  3. The bat breaks in the last game of the film.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  4. He batted left-handed for the role.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  5. It is one of the best-known lines in sports films.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  6. He bats right-handed in the film, though the real player batted left.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  7. The film's title was changed late in production.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  8. 1942, 1958, 1984, then 1989.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  9. The film ends with cars lining up to visit the field.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · recall

  10. The scene ends the 1984 film.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) · applied

7.72Films Since the Late 1980s

Comedies, true stories and a dog behind a fence.

Test 1Films since the late 1980sTake a test

  1. The club was losing badly in real life at the time.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  2. Tim Robbins played the young pitcher he was sent to teach.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  3. He pitches for the Chicago Cubs in the film.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  4. The club is based in Nagoya.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  5. Harrison Ford played Branch Rickey.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  6. The character was based on a real front-office aide.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  7. The boy had taken it from his stepfather's room.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  8. 1988, 1989, 1993, then 2013.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  9. He debuted for Tampa Bay in 1999.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · recall

  10. The dog was known to the boys as 'the Beast'.

    Source: American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris · applied

7.73'Who's on First?'

The comedy routine with players called Who, What and I Don't Know.

Test 1Who's on FirstTake a test

  1. They performed it hundreds of times.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  2. Every player has a name that sounds like a question or an answer.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  3. Costello shouts it back without knowing it is the answer.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  4. They did it on The Kate Smith Hour.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  5. The film version is the best known today.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  6. Visitors stop to listen to it.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  7. It is also in the national recording registry.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  8. The joke runs for about six minutes.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  9. 1938, 1945, 1956, then 1999.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · recall

  10. He played the one asking the questions.

    Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 1999 · applied

7.74Baseball Songs

Songs about centre fielders, streaks and the Cubs.

Test 1Baseball songsTake a test

  1. The Hall of Fame has honoured the song.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  2. Mays, Mantle and Snider all played in New York in the 1950s.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  3. Count Basie's band also recorded it.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  4. DiMaggio later met Paul Simon and asked what the line meant.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  5. Goodman wrote it in 1984.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  6. It is still played at Citi Field.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  7. The friend now sits in a bar telling old stories.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  8. 1941, 1968, 1981, then 1985.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  9. 1949, 1963, then 1984.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · recall

  10. Neil Diamond's song has been a Fenway ritual since the early 2000s.

    Source: Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field) · applied

7.75Books

Novels, diaries and memories of the game.

Test 1BooksTake a test

  1. Kahn had covered the team as a young reporter.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  2. It was his first novel.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  3. He travelled thousands of miles to find them.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  4. Virginia Woolf praised it.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  5. It was filmed in 1988.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  6. His imaginary players come to feel real to him.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  7. Many of his books are about baseball.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  8. 1916, 1952, 1963, then 1970.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  9. Cobb died in 1961.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · recall

  10. His book 'Ball Four' came out in 1970.

    Source: Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR · applied

7.76Art and Photography

Rockwell's covers and famous ballpark photos.

Test 1Art and photographyTake a test

  1. It was a magazine cover.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  2. Two managers argue below them.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  3. Ted Williams is among the players.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  4. He stood behind Ruth while others shot him from the front.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  5. He repeated the image across the canvas.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  6. He photographed players for decades.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  7. Berra argued for years that Robinson was out.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  8. 1910, 1948, 1957, then 1962.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  9. The prize came in 1949.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · recall

  10. It was the first sports photo to win it.

    Source: Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation · applied

7.77Japan's Ballpark Culture

Umbrellas, balloons and a sauna beside the outfield.

Test 1Japan's ballpark cultureTake a test

  1. It is named after a wind from the nearby mountains.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  2. They wave them to the song 'Tokyo Ondo'.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  3. It stands in the grounds of a famous shrine.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  4. Ties are common in Japan; MLB plays on until there is a winner.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  5. They pour each cup fresh from the keg.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  6. The stands seem to bounce up and down.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  7. They can watch the game from the water.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  8. 1926, 1988, 2009, then 2023.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  9. The balloons whistle as they fly.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · recall

  10. It is called the 'Lucky Seven'.

    Source: Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture · applied

7.78San Pedro de Macorís

The Dominican town that sends shortstops to the majors.

Test 1San Pedro de MacorisTake a test

  1. Dozens of its players have reached the majors.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  2. The mills fielded teams between harvests.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  3. He hit 47 homers for Toronto that year.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  4. He was known for his throws from deep in the hole.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  5. He played there as a teenager in 1997.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  6. He had left the Yankees as a free agent.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  7. Its home is Estadio Tetelo Vargas.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  8. 1963, 1983, 1989, then 2005.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  9. 609, 412, then 335.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · recall

  10. He sold oranges and shined shoes to help his family.

    Source: SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM · applied

7.79Baseball Words Around the World

What baseball is called in Japanese and Spanish.

Test 1Baseball words around the worldTake a test

  1. It comes from the English word 'nighter'.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  2. In English the batter is 'hit by pitch'.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  3. Japanese baseball made up many terms like this.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  4. The word was coined in the 1890s.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  5. Another Spanish word for it is 'cuadrangular'.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  6. Pitchers 'ponchan' batters.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  7. The outfield is called 'los jardines', the gardens.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  8. Before 2010 the strikes came first.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  9. None, one, two, then all four.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · recall

  10. Lanzador is the pitcher, receptor the catcher, torpedero the shortstop.

    Source: Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu · applied

7.80Stamps and Coins

Baseball on US stamps and on a curved coin.

Test 1Stamps and coinsTake a test

  1. It was issued in Cooperstown.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  2. The stamp cost 20 cents.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  3. It was issued in Chicago.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  4. The stamp was issued in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  5. It marked 50 years since his farewell.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  6. Each showed a Hall of Fame player.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  7. All three were curved.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  8. 1939, 1982, 1989, then 2000.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  9. $5, $1, then 50 cents.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · recall

  10. It was the first curved coin made by the US Mint.

    Source: Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins · applied

Questions people ask

What is 'Who's on First?'
A comedy routine in which every player has a name that sounds like a question or an answer, such as Who, What and I Don't Know. It runs for about six minutes and is in the national recording registry.
What book is Field of Dreams based on?
W. P. Kinsella's Shoeless Joe (1982). The 1989 film ends with cars lining up to visit the field.
What is the outfield called in Spanish?
'Los jardines', the gardens. Spanish also has the word 'cuadrangular' for a home run, and pitchers 'ponchan' batters.
Where does the Japanese word for a night game come from?
It comes from the English word 'nighter'. Japanese baseball made up many terms like this.
Why is San Pedro de Macorís famous in baseball?
Dozens of its players have reached the majors, many of them shortstops. The town's mills fielded teams between harvests.
What is the 'Lucky Seven' at Japanese ballparks?
It is the moment in the seventh inning when fans release balloons, which whistle as they fly.
Which baseball photo won a Pulitzer Prize?
Nat Fein's photo of Babe Ruth won in 1949, the first sports photo to win it. He stood behind Ruth while others shot him from the front.
What was the first curved coin made by the US Mint?
The 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins. All three of them were curved.

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.

  • American Film Institute catalog (The Pride of the Yankees 1942, Damn Yankees 1958, The Natural 1984, Field of Dreams 1989); W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982)10
  • American Film Institute catalog (Bull Durham 1988, Major League 1989, Mr. Baseball 1992, Rookie of the Year 1993, The Sandlot 1993, The Rookie 2002, Moneyball 2011, 42 2013); SABR BioProject, Jim Morris10
  • National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Who's on First?' exhibit; Library of Congress National Recording Registry; Time magazine, 199910
  • Library of Congress; National Baseball Hall of Fame, 'Baseball and music'; MLB.com on ballpark songs (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field)10
  • Library of Congress catalog (Lardner 1916, Malamud 1952, Asinof 1963, Ritter 1966, Coover 1968, Bouton 1970, Kahn 1972, Christopher 1972); SABR10
  • Norman Rockwell Museum (The Dugout 1948, Game Called Because of Rain 1949, The Rookie 1957); Pulitzer Prize archive (Nat Fein, 1949); National Baseball Hall of Fame (Conlon collection); Warhol Foundation10
  • Nippon Professional Baseball rules and club histories (Hanshin Tigers, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters); Japan Times features on ballpark culture10
  • SABR BioProject (Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernández, George Bell, Alfonso Soriano, Rico Carty, Robinson Canó); Alan Klein, Sugarball (1991); LIDOM10
  • Japanese baseball glossaries (NPB, Japan Times); Real Academia Española dictionary (jonrón, ponche, jardinero); Fundéu10
  • Smithsonian National Postal Museum; US Postal Service stamp archive (1939, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2000); United States Mint, 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins10