waashk/20ng huggingface dataset:
NPR this morning had an interview with Linda McCarthy (name possibly garbled by me), an official historian for the CIA.  She has won an Emmy for research on Moe Berg for a TV documentary (which I know from nothing but which sounds good).  She said that among other things, Berg was the  principal spy for the OSS (CIA's WWII precursor) spying on Axis atomic programs, because of his physics background and language skills.  She said that during the war he met with Heisenberg in Switzerland, and had  instructions to shoot Heisenberg if the Germans were close to us in bomb research (he concluded they were two years behind, and didn't shoot him). (I have heard elsewhere that Heisenberg deliberately misled the Nazi bomb program, but I don't know how reliable this is.)  Unfortunately, NPR didn't mention any kind of a book she's writing -- I'd certainly buy it.  (In case you're wondering about baseball relevance, Berg was a longtime MLB backup catcher.  He was a member of an MLB All-Star team that toured Japan in 1934, presumably not because of his baseball prowess but because he was one of the few Americans, much less MLB players, who spoke Japanese. Photos he took of Tokyo on that trip were later used to plan bombing raids, according to McCarthy.)
In article <13586@news.duke.edu> fierkelab@bchm.biochem.duke.edu (Eric Roush) writes: >1)  Since time immemorial, batters have complained about calls. >So have pitchers and catchers.  However, batters didn't use to go for strolls after bad calls to the degree they do now.    >Unless the league notified teams this year about not allowing >complaints, Hirschbeck was acting against expectations.  Everyone was told of the new emphasis on speeding up games.  The rule that Hirschbeck invoked has been in the books a long time.  >2)  It's not as if Gant was "in Hirschbeck's face".   Nobody, including Hirschbeck, ever said he was.    >When Gant turned away, Hirschbeck IMMEDIATELY motioned for Gant >to step into the box.  IMO, at this point in time, Hirschbeck >was determined to show Gant exactly WHO was in charge of this game. >Gant wasn't dawdling; he hadn't had a chance to dawdle.  And Hirschbeck >was simply exercising a power play.   That's your (perhaps colored by your partisanship of the Braves) perception.  Hirschbeck's view was that Gant was heading off for a long walk, and in accordance with his instructions concerning speeding games up, directed him into the batter's box.  > Gant resisted, as many of >us might to what we thought was an unreasonable request, and >Hirschbeck called for the pitch.  The point is, based on the rulebook and the umpires' instructions, it was *not* an unreasonable request.  The Braves were already upset  >IMO, any game where you remember the name of the umpire was >a bad game for the umpire.  Had Gant done as instructed, you wouldn't have remembered the name of the umpire.
> = ( Steve Novak) writes: >> = (Edward [Ted] Fischer) writes: >>> = (Robert C Hite) writes:  >>>DEAD WRONG!  Last time I checked, Jim Fregosi was still managing the >>>Phillies, and doing quite a fine job thank you...best record in >>>baseball at 8-1  >>Look, asshole, I got him confused with somebody else.  I didn't flame >>you, and I would appreciate it if you extended me the same courtesy.  >What _is_ your problem?  Hite's post wasn't a flame.  It was a >correction of *your* error.  That last was me, Steve Novak.  I've since read the entire original posting by Hite.  Mr. Fischer was actually restrained.  Let Mr. Hite hope he never makes some similar, tiny mistake.
In article <1993Apr15.195452.14672@scott.skidmore.edu> jrogoff@scott.skidmore.edu (jay rogoff) writes: >Can anybody figure out why some box score abbreviations make >absolutely no sense?  (At least in the local Gannett rag that finds its way >to my door.)  I must have stared at "Cleman" in the Mets' box for a >good 30 seconds this morning wondering who the hell it was.  Wouldn't >it make more sense to use "Colemn"?  I've seen it as "Colmn" also.  Blame the Associated Press.  After the official scorer balances the official score card, they copy it and give it to several diffent people.  One of those is a person from AP whose job it is to type it up (using a template on a laptop) and transmit it to the AP offices in New York (Rockefeller Center) via the telephone.  The box scores are not checked and just rebroadcasted over AP's news delivery services.  If there are corrections, those are issued later.  It is the person sitting in front of a laptop at Shea (or whereever) whose fault that is.  [NOTE: The AP puts out boxscores in three different formats with the one you see in most newspapers being the first one]  Last week they were in Denver.  Maybe the AP person in Denver did this (remember, they just started with MLB out there).  Check tomorrow's paper (4/21) and see if the person who is doing it from Shea does the same thing.
Can anyone out there tell me Babe Ruth's complete pitching stats? I know he was 5-0 as a pitcher for the Yankees, but what were his numbers when he was with the Red Sox? Thanks in advance!
To Mr. Millitello -  	Listen, Sammy, can you explain why Buck pitched you in relief yesterday?  I figure no-one would know this better than you yourself.  Jason A. Miller "some doctor guy"
In article <1993Apr15.232551.14817@leland.Stanford.EDU> eechen@leland.Stanford.EDU (Emery Ethan Chen) writes: >One phrase for you....FUCK YOU!!!! >Thanks.  Perhaps it's time to start rec.sport.baseball.graffiti, where the kiddies can go yell taunts and insults at each other and leave the rest of us in peace.
Can anybody figure out why some box score abbreviations make absolutely no sense?  (At least in the local Gannett rag that finds its way to my door.)  I must have stared at "Cleman" in the Mets' box for a good 30 seconds this morning wondering who the hell it was.  Wouldn't it make more sense to use "Colemn"?
rickc@krill.corp.sgi.com (Richard Casares) writes:  >In article <1993Apr5.190141.17623@bsu-ucs>, 00bjgood@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu >writes: >|> I just wanted to let everyone know that I have lost what little respect >|> I have >|> for Jim LeFebvre after seeing today's Cubs game.  >|> 						A dishard Cub fan   >Yes, I also wonder if they can win with this manager. >I never believed managers had that much to do with winning >until I saw how much they had to do with losing....  I like the Mariners a lot, but my heart belongs to the Cubs...You can imagine my frustration when I saw the Cubs nabbing LeFebvre...ARHGGHRGHH!  -John Neuharth
>Hi- Does anybody know the # for ticket info for Fenway? > Less Than 40 People (617) 267-1700 40 or more (617) 262-1915
In article <93095@hydra.gatech.EDU> gt7469a@prism.gatech.EDU (Brian R. Landmann) writes:   >Joe Torre has to be the worst manager in baseball. > >For anyone who didn't see Sunday's game, > >With a right hander pitching he decides to bench Lankform, a left handed >hitter and play jordan and gilkey, both right handers. > >Later, in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and two outs he puts >lankford, a 300 hitter with power in as a pinch runner and uses Luis >Alicea, a 250 hitter with no power as a pinch hitter.  What the Hell >is he thinking. > For your information, Lankford is injured (I think it is his shoulder or rib cage), so he could not use him as a pinch hitter.   >Earlier in the game in an interview about acquiring Mark Whiten he commented >how fortunate the Cardinals were to get Whiten and that Whiten would be a >regular even though this meant that Gilkey would be hurt, But torre said >he liked Gilkey coming off the bench.  Gilkey hit over 300 last year, >what does he have to do to start, The guy would be starting on most every >team in the league. > I do believe that Whiten was a very good aquisition for the Cards.  He does not have too much offensive capabilities, but he is an awesome defensively. Since when have the Cardnials actually thought of offense instead of defense?:) I forgot who St. Louis gave up for him, but it was not too much.   As far as Gilkey is concerned, he is a leftfielder and so is Brian Jordan, who beat him out.  I expect to see a Gilkey/Jordan platoon in LF.   >Furthermore, in Sundays game when lankford was thrown out at the plate, >The replay showed Bucky Dent the third base coach looking down the line >and waving lankford home, > I agree with you on this one.  As soon as Larkin threw that ball, I knew that Lankford was a dead bird.  But how could Dent have known that Larkin would make a perfect throw?   I strongly believe that Torre is one of the best managers in baseball.  Don't forget the overachieving Cards of '91 that won all those close games and went from last place to second place (although they were oveshadowed by the Braves/ Twins last to first climb).  He won a division title, and barely lost a pennant race when he was with the Braves (why Atlanta ever even considered firing him I will never understand).  With Torre at the controls, the Cardinals are heading in the right direction.   One more thing, one game does not make a season.  Yes, they lost to the Reds, but with the second best pitching staff in the National League (first in the East), and a pretty good offense, the Redbirds will win a lot more than they lose.  Maybe this is the year that they will go all the way.   Charles, a very enthusiastic Cardnials fan     -----------------------------------------------------------------   º Charles Rosen            º      THIRTY-FOUR TO THIRTEEN!!!    º   º University of Alabama    º   NATIONAL CHAMPS!!!  ROLL TIDE!!! º   º Tuscaloosa, AL           º         (Need I Say More?)         º
I don't know.  I think Phil Plantier has the ugliest stance.  He looks like he's sitting on the toilet.
In article <1993Apr15.234838.4138@ccsvax.sfasu.edu> z_millerwl@ccsvax.sfasu.edu writes: >WHO THINKS THE ASTROS ARE GOING PLACES??? >THEY'RE CURRENTLY FIRST PLACE. >THEY'RE 5-4, 5-1 ON THE ROAD!   I AGREE, LUMBERJACK (except that they're in 2nd)!  They ARE going PLACES - San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Denver, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, New York, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis...and points in between.  :-)  But, THEY'RE 0-3 AT HOME!  I'm just not used to an overly enthusiastic Houston fan.  I really shouldn't discourage it, so HANG IN THERE, LUMBERJACK!  (But, get ahold of that shift key, will ya?)  ObBase:  Apparently the new owner (Drayton McLain (sp?)) doesn't particularly like excuses.  An item in our paper (the Austin American-Statesman - "If you read it here, it was somewhere else first") said that he wouldn't take  injuries as an excuse for losing because that possibility should have been accounted for.  Uh, oh.  I don't want an owner that'll keep everybody on edge - I'd never gotten that feeling about him, but who knows?  Does  anybody down there in the Houston area have a feel for how meddling of an owner McLain is going to be?
I would like to make everyone aware that in winning the NL West the Atlanta Braves did not lead wire-to-wire.  Through games of 4/14/93 the Houston Astros are percentage points ahead of the "unbeatable" Braves.   Go Astros!!!!!
DAK988S@vma.smsu.edu said:  >No....Hal McRae is the worst manager in baseball.  I've never seen a guy who >can waste talent like he can.  One of the best raw-talent staffs in the league, >and he's still finding a way to lose.  I'll be surprised if he makes it through >the next 2 weeks, unless drastic improvement is made.  I'm confused.  How is it Hal McRae's fault that he can't win with a team  whose best offensive player is Phil Hiatt?  I mean, let's be real.  Kansas City will have to get outstanding years from their entire staff just to end up near .500; they have less offense than any other team in baseball, even if you count the expansion teams.
In article <1993Apr21.060530.26367@leland.Stanford.EDU> bohnert@leland.Stanford.EDU (matthew bohnert) writes: >>>consistent hitter -- definitely the best in the National League.  IMHO, to  >>>have Williams, a streaky hitter (and not really a clutch hitter) batting >>>4th ahead of Bonds is simply an injustice to the Giants and fans of the >>>Giants. >> >>(2)   Having Bonds batting behind Williams means that Matt will get >>      more good pitches to hit.  This is important since he struggles >>      so much with breaking balls.  Opposing pitchers don't want to >>      walk Williams to get to Bonds. >> > >You're definitely correct in that Williams absolutely has to be sandwiched >in between Clark and Bonds.  He must, and I mean MUST, get fastballs to >hit...otherwise he becomes little more than Sixto Lezcano in disguise. >What I would suggest is perhaps batting Bonds, Williams, and Clark >3-4-5, the reason being that I feel Bonds' potential basestealing >abilities are wasted when he's stuck behind two slow runners. >I think the chance of getting 20-30 extra stolen bases with Bonds in the >3 spot would more than offset any drop in in run production by having  >Clark in the 5 spot. > >Matt >  Williams does not like hitting cleanup!! Secondly, Bonds and Clark (in that order) are a lot more productive with runners in scoring position than Matt "I am streaky, free swinger" Williams.
: >baseball players, past and present.  We weren't able to come up : >with much, except for Sandy Koufax, (somebody) Stankowitz, and : >maybe John Lowenstein.  Can anyone come up with any more.  I know : >it sounds pretty lame to be racking our brains over this, but : >humor us.  Thanks for your help. :
I watched the final inning of Bosio's no-hitter with several people at work. After Vizquel made that barehanded grab of the chopper up the middle, someone remarked that if he had fielded it with his glove, he wouldn't have had time to throw Riles out. Yet, the throw beat Riles by about two steps. I wonder how many others who watched the final out think Vizquel had no choice but to make the play with his bare hand. Does anybody think Vizquel was wrong to field the ball barehanded? And if he failed to field it cleanly, would it (or should it) have been an error or a hit? (Judging from Bosio's grimace when the ball bounced past him, he must have thought it would go through for a hit.) Whether Vizquel was right or wrong, he certainly made one hell of a play.    -- -------------------------- Phil Brown                | aka pb6755@csc.albany.edu |
In article <1993Apr14.185317.12231@sbcs.sunysb.edu> wynblatt@sbgrad5.cs.sunysb.edu (Michael Wynblatt) writes: > >Weird thing:  Leading 20-4 going into the top of the ninth, Sparky >	      used his ace closer, Henneman.  The tigers have 8 relievers >	      and at least 6 were rested/available.  Does Sparky trust >	      them that little ?  I think he just wanted to get Henneman some work, because the  Tigers had days off both the day before and the day after.
> I agree, though I'd also be happy with a stadium that looks > like new Comiskey. The new park was also made for baseball. > Unlike Three Rivers, the Vet, Riverfront, etc., it's not a > football park in which they also play baseball.   While we're on the multipurpose subject, let's not forget Shea, which was designed to accommodate both the Mets & Jets.  It was the first stadium (I think) to have the box seats on rollers so they could be oriented at right angles for baseball & in parallel for football.  Of course, with the Jets gone to Jersey (and a truly good football stadium), the Mets are saddled with a multipurpose stadium where, because it's circular, the seats are almost always too far from the action.  The Mets announcers--Kiner & Murphy in particular--have always hyped it as "beautiful Shea Stadium," a tipoff to how unbeautiful it truly is.
I think you can add former A's first baseman Mike Epstein (no relation) to  the list.
In article <1psl0jINNam3@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> admiral@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Steve C Liu) writes: >Of all teams, I believe the Cubs have the best record ever in baseball. >Sometime way far back. 110+ and something.
In article <1993Apr5.173500.26383@ra.msstate.edu> js1@Isis.MsState.Edu (Jiann-ming Su) writes: >I say buy out Henderson's contract and let him go bag groceries.  Next  >season, you'll be able to sign him for nothing.  That goes for any bitching >ball player.  I doubt Henderson would clear waivers.  And if he did, he would instantly be signed for the major league minimum, with Oakland picking up the remaining $3 million tab.  Some GMs value on-field performance too...
In article <C51vwC.Lru@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> bodom@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Br ian Odom) writes: >As far as I know, Toronto, Pittsburgh, and New York (NL) change their >uniforms every year.  Every other year (e.g., New York), it will say Mets >in cursive, New York in cursive, or New York in all caps.  Minor changes, >but they do change them often.  Last year, I think they had New York in all >caps.  Did Toronto have Blue Jays or Toronto last year?  What about >Pittsburgh?        It depends on which uniforms you are talking about.  For the last couple of years I believe Toronto and Pittsburgh has used the same uniforms, or at least very similar.  The home jerseys had the team nick name (Blue Jays or Pirates), but the road jerseys had the name of the city (Toronto or Pittsburgh).  I believe this is the way most teams design their uniforms.
Is there anyone out there running a Chicago National 	League Ballclub list?  If so, please send me information 	on it to... 			andrew@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu  	Thanks!
You want to speed up ballgames?  1.  Enforce the two minutes between innings.  As it is, many fields are     allowing THREE minutes between them.  Fifteen seconds before      TV commercials are gone to, Thirty or so before action begins upon     the return to the game.  Two minutes, last out to first pitch, or     a ball is called.  2.  Don't grant time to batters just because they want it.  They may get     pissed at first, but they'll get in line, once anything the pitcher     throws while they're adjusting their wristbands is a strike.  3.  Mandate a rule permitting only N seconds between pitches (the current     rule is too lenient), and then enforce it.  Fifteen seconds is more     than enough time.  If the pitch isn't released in 15, call it a ball,     and restart the clock.  Baseball games take about 2:51 in the NL, and just a shade under 3 hours in the AL.  That's just too damn long.  I don't like to PLAY in 3 hour games, much less WATCH a game for that long.  My butt falls asleep, and if I'm watching on TV, I'll channel surf between pitches, catching colorized versions of Mr. Ed, Leave it to Beaver, and "Those Wacky Nieporents" on Nick at Nite.
kingoz@camelot.bradley.edu (Orin Roth) writes: >   CUB fever is hitting me again. I'm beginning to think they have a >   chance this year. (what the heck am i thinking?) >   Sorry. Just a moment of incompetence. >   I'll be ok. Really. >   Orin. >   Bradley U.  You sure?  This maybe a chronic syndrome.  If it persists, we may have to  banish you to the "Cub-crazy Sanatarium" in north Chicago... :-):-):-)
In article <1993Apr22.175312.19861@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> ec003b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Wizard) writes: >In <jxu.735489739@black.clarku.edu> jxu@black.clarku.edu (Dark Wing Duck!!) writes: > > >>.Just had to respond to the Bosox boasts (i.e. "Bosox win again! ...). > >See, Red Sox fans can never do anything right, in your mind, huh?  If we get >excited about the Sox winning, you tell us it is going to be over soon.  If >we worry that it'll be over soon, you say that we are not true fans.  i am a >Sox fan and I think after what ive been through being a Sox fan, that Sox >fans are true fans.  I am excited at what they are doing.  So Greenwell >was horrible against Johnson, who cares, the Sox are 11-4 (11-1 with all >non-Darwin starts), what are the Mariners??  I think the Sox have the best >record in Baseball still, so they lost one, darn. > >Johnson is a quality pitcher.  And not the only quality Mariner pitcher.  I logged on expecting to see at least ONE congratulatory note for Chris Bosio's NO HITTER, but nary a peep.    So I'll take this opportunity to note that the red feet are now 11-5 and slinking out of town without having scored a run in the last two games or even a hit in last night's gem.    Not that we M's fans can compare our suffering to those of the followers of New England's long-running tragedy, but only one winning season in history is something of a burden to bear.  So we'll take our joys when we can get 'em.    The Mariners now have two no-hit pitchers on the staff and not coincidentally those pitchers beat the Red Sox in back to back games.  jsh
In article <2685.2bd51686@atlas.nafb.trw.com> mspede@atlas.nafb.trw.com writes: > > { Huckabay's counting frames for bat speed discussion ommited...} > >>  >> Well, it's just studying tape, frame by frame.  That's all.  The biggest >> thing that you notice, however, is how bastardized the strike zone has  >> become.  Death to the umpires' union!  The plate is 17" (+1") across, >> not 23"!  Call the high strikes strikes, and quit calling pitches 3" >> outside strikes -- they're balls! >>  > >  Speaking of this 23" wide strike zone.... > >  I'd sure like to see cameras placed in each major league park such that  >  an overview shot of home plate is available.  CBS had this during the >  WS, or did I just dream it. > >  These pictures would be a feedback device for the umpires so that they can >  see just how terrible (or not) there calls were.  Tapes could be sent to >  the league as evidence of bad ball/strike umpiring.  Tapes are available >  as evidence of bad out/safe calls on the bases. > I guess that nobody noticed that the calls during the world series (and, in fact all year) have been pretty much consistently CORRECT.  Remember: the rule says it's a strike if ANY PART of the ball passes through the strike zone.  I would certainly agree that  high strikes are not called (who could argue this point?) but all in all I think in and out is called pretty well.
CCHB@MUSICT.MCGILL.CA (CCHB) writes:  >1) The current roster of the Lynx.  Someone on the minor league mailing list probably does.   >2) Home game schedule of the Lynx.  I do, but I don't have time to type the whole thing in (I don't mind looking up specific date ranges or individual games when I can, but there are limits).   Besides, this stuff is EASY to find. Baseball America puts out a book called the Directory. It's $10(US). Has every team's data and schedule in it. If I WERE to type in the whole scheudle, I'd just be spending a lot of time infringing on their copyright.  Folks who are interested in the minors should check out my minor league list (see the signature), and folks who are tracking down team schedules should chec out the BA Directory. You can order it from 800-845-2726. I find it indispenable.