Thomson’s Pee Wee boy’s shortstop makes the throw after fielding a ground ball off a Savanna hitter’s bat during Saturday morning tourney action at Old Mill Park. The tournament continues this week, weather permitting. (PA photo/Craig Lang)

A Mount Carroll Pee Wee hitter keeps his eye on the pitch as he prepares to take a cut during first game action in Savanna Saturday morning against Pearl City 1. The Pearl City squad advanced with the 19-4 victory. (PA photo/Craig Lang)

A hitter takes a mighty cut at a pitch during Saturday morning tournament action at Old Mill Park in Savanna. (PA photo/Craig Lang)

A Thomson hitter is locked in on the pitch Saturday morning during tourney action against Savanna. (PA photo/Craig Lang)

Sports Trivia

With a bit of a break in the action between the Carroll County summer leagues which are coming to a conclusion for this year and the beginning of the fall high school sports season when school resumes, I’ve decided to throw in a column on sports trivia. Some weird and wacky sports facts from all sports that may be of interest to the casual or hardcore sports fans in our readership area. Enjoy!

In 1905, Honus Wagner became the first player to have his autograph branded into a Louisville Slugger bat.

In 1963, pitcher Gaylord Perry remarked, “They’ll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run.” On July 20, 1969, a few hours after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, Perry hit his first and only home run.

The 1965 Dodgers featured the big league’s first all switch hitting infield: Wes Parker played first base, Jim Lefebvre was at second, Maury Wills at short and Jim Gilliam at third.

A ticket to the best seat in the house for Super Bowl I cost $12. The price was considered exorbitant at the time and the game did not sell out at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Timekeepers estimate that the action in a 60 minute football game actually amounts to 14 minutes.

Aldo Donelli is the only man to coach a professional and collegiate team simultaneously. He managed Duquesne University’s team while also coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1941.

William “Pudge” Heffelfinger was the first professional football player. He was paid $500 to play for the Allegheny Athletic Association in 1892.

Before a game against the St. Louis Rams in 1981, Baltimore Colts offensive lineman Robert Pratt pulled his hamstring while running out for the coin toss.

New Orleans was awarded the Saints NFL franchise on November 1, 1966. Coincidentally, November 1 is known as “All Saints Day.”

A ninth round draft pick, Johnny Unitas was cut in training camp by the Steelers in 1955. He would spend the year playing semi-pro football for the Bloomfield Rams for $6 a game and working at a construction site until he was discovered by the Colts.

In 2003, the Philadelphia Daily News wrote an article in celebration of Johnny Unitas’ 70th birthday. After realizing Unitas died the previous year, they ran a correction stating, “Johnny Unitas remains dead and did not celebrate his 70th birthday.

“Hunchy” Hoernschmeyer played for the Detroit Lions from 1950 to 1955. In Hunchy’s career, he completed eleven passes. Ten were for touchdowns.

In his first NFL game, Bears great Walter Payton carried the football eight times for a total of zero yards.

It takes 300 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year’s supply of footballs.

In 1973, Arthur Thompson shot a round of 103 at the Uplands Golf Course in British Columbia. Not bad for a man who was 103 years old.

While playing in Sweden in 1990, Steve Elkington was waiting for a ruling when he absentmindedly snapped off a blade of grass to chew on. For that, the officials gave him a two-stroke penalty for touching any impediment in a hazard. By tournament’s end, it cost him $5,000.

In 1989, Javier Sotomayor of Cuba became the first person to high jump over eight feet (the equivalent of jumping over the crossbar of a soccer goal).

On the final pitch of his Hall of Fame career, Cardinals great Bob Gibson gave up a grand slam homer.

Quick! Who did the U.S. Olympic hockey team beat for the gold in 1980, in Lake Placid, NY? The answer: Finland. Many people think it was the Soviet Union, but that was the contest which enabled the U.S. to advance to the finals against the Finns.

Midwest League Schedule

Wednesday, July 13

Fort Wayne at Burlington

Lansing at Kane County

Bowling Green at Cedar Rapids

Dayton at Quad Cities

Lake County at Peoria

South Bend at Beloit

Great Lakes at Clinton

West Michigan at Wisconsin

Thursday, July 14

Fort Wayne at Burlington

Lansing at Kane County

Bowling Green at Cedar Rapids

Dayton at Quad Cities

Lake County at Peoria

South Bend at Beloit

Great Lakes at Clinton

West Michigan at Wisconsin

Friday, July 15

Fort Wayne at Burlington

Bowling Green at Cedar Rapids

Dayton at Quad Cities

Lansing at Kane County

Lake County at Peoria

South Bend at Beloit

Great Lakes at Clinton

West Michigan at Wisconsin

Saturday, July 16

Lansing at Clinton

Great Lakes at Kane County

Fort Wayne at Peoria

Lake County at Burlington

Dayton at Cedar Rapids

South Bend at Wisconsin

Bowling Green at Quad Cities

West Michigan at Beloit

Sunday, July 17

Fort Wayne at Peoria

Great Lakes at Kane County

South Bend at Wisconsin

Bowling Green at Quad Cities

Lansing at Clinton

Lake County at Burlington

West Michigan at Beloit

Dayton at Cedar Rapids

Monday, July 18

Lansing at Clinton

Fort Wayne at Peoria

Great Lakes at Kane County

West Michigan at Beloit

Dayton at Cedar Rapids

South Bend at Wisconsin

Bowling Green at Quad Cities

Lake County at Burlington

Midwest League Standings

(as of July 11)

Mid Eastern Division

1. Dayton 13-4 - 2. Great Lakes 10-7 3GB 3. Lansing 10-7 3GB *4. Bowling Green 9-8 4GB 5. West Michigan 9-8 4GB 6. Fort Wayne 6-11 7GB 7. Lake County 6-11 7GB 8. South Bend 5-12 8GB

Mid Western Division

1. Kane County 12-5 - 2. Beloit 10-7 2GB 3. Clinton 10-7 2GB 4. Quad Cities 9-8 3GB 5. Wisconsin 8-9 4GB 6. Peoria 7-10 5GB *7. Burlington 6-11 6GB 8. Cedar Rapids 6-11 6GB

* denotes the first half division winner

MLB Standings

(as of July 11)

AL East

1. Boston 55-35 - 2. New York 53-35 1GB 3. Tampa Bay 49-41 6GB 4. Toronto 45-47 11GB 5. Baltimore 36-52 18GB

AL Central

1. Detroit 49-43 - 2. Cleveland 47-42 1/2GB 3. Chicago 44-48 5GB 4. Minnesota 6 1/2GB 5. Kansas City 37-54 11 1/2GB

AL West

1. Texas 51-41 - 2. Los Angeles 50-42 1GB 3. Seattle 43-48 7 1/2GB 4. Oakland 39-53 12GB

NL East

1. Philadelphia 57-34 - 2. Atlanta 54-38 3 1/2GB 3. New York 46-45 11GB 4. Washington 46-46 11 1/2GB 5. Florida 43-48 14GB

NL Central

1 Milwaukee 49-43 - 2 .St. Louis 49-43 - 3. Pittsburgh 47-43 1GB 4 .Cincinnati 45-47 4GB 5. Chicago 37-55 12GB 6. Houston 30-62 19GB

NL West

1. San Francisco 52-40 - 2. Arizona 49-43 3GB 3. Colorado 43-48 8 1/2GB 4. Los Angeles 41-51 11GB 5. San Diego 40-52 12GB