Fun Facts and Strange News

Here are some fun facts to help get you through the day and look like the most informed person at the water cooler…

Fun (or not-so-fun) Facts:

Say what you want about baseball’s new rules . . . but at least they’re not as goofy as having THREE teams playing at once.

There was once a three-way pro baseball game. In 1944, the Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants played to raise money for World War Two. Each team batted three times against both other teams’ pitching and defense. The Dodgers won.

The New York Yankees have the best winning percentage of any Major League Baseball franchise. Since they were founded in 1903, they’ve won 57% of their games. The Miami Marlins are last, at 46%.

There are FIVE MLB teams that have won every time they’ve been in the World Series. The Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays are both 2-and-0, and the Los Angeles Angels, the Washington Nationals, and the Arizona Diamondbacks are 1-and-0. And FIVE teams have LOST every time they’ve been in the World Series. The San Diego Padres, the Texas Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Rays are all 0-and-2, and the Milwaukee Brewers and the Colorado Rockies are 0-and-1. Then, there’s the Seattle Mariners: They’re the only active team that’s never been to the World Series.

(The Mariners COULD make a run in 2023. One site has them at 20-to-1 to win the World Series, which is ninth-best among the 30 teams.)

From 1876 to 1887, Major League Baseball players could request where the pitcher threw the pitches during an at-bat: High, low, or middle. And the umpire adjusted the strike zone to the request.

There’s nothing in the official Major League Baseball rules that forces players to wear hats . . . other than a helmet when batting or running the bases.

Strange and trending news:

A new study has found that getting less than eight hours of sleep every night could be contributing to your beer belly. (Full Story)

Pop-Tarts’ new Frosted Banana Bread flavor will hit shelves this month, and there’s a promotion where you can get a box WITH a limited-edition, granny-like, knit sweater for $45. (Full Story)

Two men in Ohio were arrested last fall after stuffing fish with lead weights . . . in an attempt to win a fishing tournament. Now, they’ve pleaded guilty. (Full Story)

A man in West Virginia was charged with impersonating a paramedic, and “providing care to an unknown individual.” (Full Story)

40% of drivers confessed to reckless driving . . . as a direct result of having their dog in their vehicle. (Full Story)

Smartphones may be falling out of fashion with certain Gen Z crowds. Supposedly, they want “dumb phones” because they’re “tired of screens” and want to make cutbacks for their mental health. (Full Story) (Suuuuure.)

A social media challenge, where people put buckets on the heads of strangers and film their reactions, went wrong . . . when a woman in California fainted after a group of boys did it to her. (Full Story)