IT’S A FACT: The New York Yankees have retired every one of their numbers in the classic Fibonacci sequence up to 55. Get ready for immortality, Hideki Matsui!
IT’S A FACT: Originally trained as an architect, Brewers infielder Craig Counsell personally designed and built his current residence, Counsellwood, a majestic Palladian manor located on several acres of arable land outside Bloomington, Indiana.
IT’S A FACT: In other Brewers news: Rickie Weeks’ father, Richard Weeks Sr., was one of the best-known “acid gurus” of the psychedelic era. He was a huge influence on the young Irish singer Van Morrison, who immortalized him on the hit album Astral Weeks.
IT’S A FACT: As the result of a series of arcane statutes and obscure family connections, Astros outfielder Carlos Lee is fourth in the line of succession for the Presidency of his native Panama.
IT’S A FACT: While Josh Beckett became the first Red Sox pitcher since Roger Clemens to go 5-0 in April, Tim Wakefield became the first Red Sox pitcher since himself to go 2-3 in April.
IT’S A FACT: Greg Maddux’s favorite food? Cole slaw.
IT’S A FACT: Though Houston’s Minute Maid Park was not built on the site of an ancient Indian burial ground, several ancient Indians have since been interred underneath it following the stadium’s opening in 2000.
IT’S A FACT: Former “Nasty Boys” reliever Norm Charlton won runner-up honors in 1997’s “Celebrity Jeopardy” tournament, only bowing to eventual champion Jason Priestley in the tournament’s last “Final Jeopardy” round.
IT’S A FACT! Orioles announcer Gary Thorne warms up before every broadcast by reciting two speeches – Othello’s soliloqouy before he kills his wife, and President Richard Nixon’s resignation.
IT’S A FACT: The #1 song in Japan right now is “Let’s Get Some God Damn Hits Out There,” a dance-rock tune featuring vocal samples from Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine.
IT’S A FACT: During WWII, the Detroit Tigers used a trained chimpanzee named Junior as a mascot. Manager Del Harris loved the chimp, who did uncanny impressions of several Tigers players, and jokingly placed him on the 25-man roster in 1941 when Hank Greenberg was called into military service. In August, during an extra-inning game against the Yankees, Harris ran out of players and inserted the chimp into the lineup. Since there was no rule against it, and over the protests of the Yankees, the umpire allowed the unusual substitution. Junior struck out, but was alert enough to reach first after a dropped third strike. Unfortunately, he was picked off first, ending the 16th inning. The Yankees ended up winning the game, and Junior never played again. “It’s just as well, I guess,” sighed Harris. “But that fuckin’ monkey was a lot better than Tuck Stainback.”
IT’S A FACT: Here at Big Jim Potzrebie’s Used Motor Vehicles, we’re celebrating “Christmas in May”…and our deals are all better than Tuck Stainback. Come check out the finest selection of Mercury LN7s, Chevy Citations, and Buick Somerset Skylarks in the U.S.A….¡Y hablamos español!
Big Jim Potzrebie is the founder and CEO of Big Jim Potzrebie’s Used Motor Vehicles of Milwaukie, Canby, Drain, Dufur, Happy Valley, Barlow, Estacada, and Aurora, Oregon.