NEW TRIVIA CONTEST: You will still be required to enter the drawing as usual. However, through the end of 2024 you will get points depending on the complexity of the questions. Enter each week and correct answers will get those points-one guess per person per week. The reader with the most points after the years final column will get a $50 Starbucks Gift Card. Ties will be placed into a drawing. Questions will be worth anywhere from 10-25 points depending on degree of difficulty. Questions will be more difficult as the year goes on, so you are never really out of the mix. Tell your friends and sports fans who like trivia. We will keep track of your points. - YOU MUST ENTER VIA THE EMAIL AT THE END OF THIS COLUMN.
NEW TRIVIA QUESTION: WITHOUT LOOKING IT UP, Name the five teams Mike Cuellar pitched for in the major leagues? TOTAL 35 POINTS.
We are currently in the midst of the major league baseball playoffs. This all started in 1969, the last year of the decade of the 1960s. And the very first such game took place in Baltimore on October 4, 1969 and what a game it was.
The 109-win Orioles hosted the Western Division winning Twins (97-65). It would be the Twins Jim Perry (20-6) against Mike Cuellar (23-11) of the O's. Both pitchers would toss eight strong innings with each giving up three runs, although only two were earned runs off the Oriole's ace. That came on an uncharacteristic error by slugger Frank Robinson who would also hit a home run in the game.
Boog Powell belted a homer in the game too, and Brooks Robinson had four hits. Mark Belanger and Paul Blair would drive in runs while the Twins RBI came from Bobby Allison and Tony Oliva.
The game went 12 innings. with Ron Perranoski on the mound for the Twins and Dick Hall on in relief for the O's. It was Small Ball, the kind of baseball you will not see in 2024, which did it. Belanger led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Andy Etchebarren. Belanger took third on a ground out to the pitcher. It was then Paul Blair laid down a beautiful bunt beating it out for a single and scoring Belanger with the winning run, 4-3.
TRIVIA CONTEST;