Braves Report

Today is April’s Fool’s day. In honor of that I have decided to post my four favorite tricks and pranks. I am doing four instead of the traditional five in honor of Ric Flair and the 4 Horsemen.

4) Derek Bell – On the last day of the 1992 season the Toronto Blue Jays were holding Fan Appreciation Day. The PA announced that as part of Fan Appreciation Day the Blue Jays would be giving away a car. As this was said an outfield gate opened and Joe Carter drives on the field in a candy-apple green jeep. The jeep belonged to rookie Derek Bell.

3) Kyle Kendrick – We have all seen the video of this prank. Brett Myers got everyone involved in this prank from the players to the assistant GM to the media. This prank would be higher if it was the first time it was pulled but years earlier the Phillies pulled this same prank on Wayne Gomes. Since no video of the Wayne Gomes to Japan prank exists, Kyle Kendrick wins. Only time will tell if this prank will stand the test of time.

2) The Grand Illusion – You may not have heard of this play, but if you have seen Little Big League you certainly have seen it. The play where Bowers fakes a pick-off throw to first with Ken Griffey Jr. on 1st the team pretends that the ball is going down the line and when Griffey starts to run Bowers tosses the ball to 2^nd for the easy out. That play was based off The Grand Illusion. It was the 1982 College Baseball World Series, Miami pulled it off against Wichita State. It is in my opinion the best trick play in the history of baseball (yes I know its not MLB). This took place in the championship game and would help the Hurricanes win the College World Series.

1) Siddhartha Finch – This may be the most infamous April Fool’s prank of all time. In the April 1^st, 1985 issue of Sports Illustrated , George Plimpton wrote about an incredibly talented rookie pitcher that the Mets had discovered by the name of Sid Finch. The article boasted that Finch could throw his fastball at 168 MPH. This prank was so elaborate that SI hired Joe Berton, a junior high school teacher, to play the part of Finch. The Mets were in on the prank and supplied Berton with a uniform. The commissioner received phone calls from 2 different GM’s saying that it would not be fair to allow Finch to pitch. The next week, SI printed a small article saying that Finch had retired. The following week, it was revealed as a prank.

I am going to leave you with this excerpt from Sidd Finch, “He’s a pitcher, part yogi and part recluse. Impressively liberated from our opulent life-style, Sid’s deciding about yoga.”