49's Fastball

At the turn of the century, song writer, Jack Norworth, noticed how popular the sport of baseball was becoming and saw it as the opportune time to write a song on the subject. The song became the most popular song in the country at the time and has now been adapted as the theme song for baseball.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

Having noted that teammate, Duke Snider, received little attention for hitting his 400th career homer, wacky Jim Piersall made sure his 100th homerun would be talked about by moonwalking his way to home plate.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

On June 16, 1991, Otis Nixon pulled a fast one on his former team, the Montreal Expos when he stole 6 bases in a single game, tying Eddie Collins for the record.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

Fans got rowdy on opening day at Comiskey Park in 1974. There were countless streakers, strippers, fights, and bottles thrown, leading to the arrests of three men and one women. Nolan Ryan tells of his experience pitching this very chaotic game here.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

Larry Dierker, former Astros pitcher, manager, and announcer, tells a short bio of his life.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

On Friday the 13th in 1924, a brawl ensued at Navin field between the Tigers and the Yankees. Rivals Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb involved, along with players, Bert Cole and Bob Meusel, who were ejected from the game. Players and fans started pouring onto the field and the brawl became so large, the umpires had to call the game.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

The Astrodome Scoreboard brought an unparalleled experience to games played at the dome. At 4 stories high and 474 ft wide, it was the largest scoreboard in the world. When a home run was hit, it displayed a show of 50,000 animated lights that lasted 45 seconds, a truly unique and exciting spectacle.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

On April 17, 1953, Mickey Mantle hit a home run in Griffith Stadium. The ball hit the scoreboard, exited the stadium, and entered a residential neighborhood. Yankee’s press secretary, Red Patterson, took a tape measure and determined the ball traveled 565 ft from home plate. This was the first legitimate tape measure homer.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

Dock Ellis, an eccentric flower child and black activist, unexpectedly gets called in to pitch a game while he is under the influence of LSD. He ends up pitching a no hitter that day, making for the strangest no hitter in major league history.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com

Players often associate the success of their hitting to the bat they were using, while others are not as superstitious. Throughout the years, bats have been stolen, borrowed, broken, and even given names. Stories of players and their bats told here.For more information visit www.49sfastball.com