Ripley's Believe it or Not! and Tim O'Brien offer an offbeat and bizarre, but 100% factual journey through the world of baseball players, coaches, owners, teams, stadiums and fans!
While best known for his artistic endeavors and the coining of the popular Believe It or Not! phrase, Robert Ripley's move to New York City in early 1914 marked his determination to play professional baseball. He tried out for the New York Giants in 1914 and made the team but had his pitching arm shattered by a line drive in his very first appearance.
With his baseball career over, he landed an illustrator's job at the New York Globe in the sports department where he soon was combining his passion for sports with his love for the odd and unusual. With more than 350 Believe It or Nots! and original illustrations by Ripley's official cartoonist John Graziano, the entire book is dedicated to the bizarre, colorful and entertaining universe of baseball oddities and trivia.
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Baseball Oddities & Trivia
Publisher: Ripley Entertainment
Published: January 1, 2008
Paperback: 120 pages
ISBN: 978-1893951297
Dimensions: 6 x 0.25 x 9 inches
Joseph Layton
3.0 out of 5 stars Technical Critique
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 20, 2008
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I enjoy reading baseball trivia. However, found four errors in this book and e-mailed the publisher. The publisher responded and said these would be corrected in the next edition.
MIKE MCPHERSON
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 25, 2017
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great stories
Audrieloo
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 3, 2016
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Good!
Mario Iamurri
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 16, 2015
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Great info and little-known facts really enjoyed reading
Loyd Eskildson
HALL OF FAME
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 30, 2008
The first interesting fact contained in "Ripley's Believe It or Not! Baseball Oddities and Trivia" is that THE Robert Ripley actually was a big-league player - for the N.Y. Giants in 1914. Unfortunately, he broke his pitching arm during his debut, and it was back to the N.Y. Globe as a full-time sports illustrator. Three of my other favorites are:
1)It takes a baseball traveling 89.9 mph only 400 milliseconds to reach home plate!
2)The smallest strike zone ever was only 1.5 inches when a 3'7" midget made an official appearance as a pinch hitter for the St. Louis Browns on August 19,1951. He walked on four straight pitches and was paid $100.
3)The longest home run was hit by Lou Gehrig on April 3, 1929 - over 600' from home plate.