Our mailbox is always full of esoteric questions from our readers. So every week, we pass along some of their most interesting queries to baseball historians who know the answers.
Home plate is shaped differently from the other bases because of it has added uses.
The main part is square to help determine the width of the strike zone, and the rear end forms a right angle to line up the foul lines. Six no-hitters have been thrown against the New York Yankees . The pitchers in those games were Cy Young , Rube Foster , Ray Caldwell , Bob Feller , Virgil Trucks , and Hoyt Wilhelm . Mickey Mantle was the last Yankee ever to don the number 7, wearing it from 1951 until he retired. For example, if the Mets' magic number over the Braves is 3, then two Atlanta losses and a Met win would clinch first place for the Mets.