By Coach Howie Thompson
 
Ask a young black male baseball player who Jackie Robinson or Satchel Paige was and you will be amazed at the blank stares you receive. And these are the very men and who made it possible for that athlete to be able to play.
Baseball is our National Pastime, and it is one sport that every young boy and now even young girls are taught about very early on in the life.  A Dad, or Mom almost has the obligatory right to buy that first glove and ball and take their son and daughter out on the lawn for a catch.
Baseball was invented here, so we believe that it is “our” sport.  However, if you look at a major league roster today, it looks like a United Nations line up of delegates.  While we did invent the game, Japan, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic are perfecting it today in the opinion of many.
Moms and Dads all over our great land sit on iron bleachers for hours watching their young sons and daughters play.  Everyone sitting in the stands has opinions of the bad call at first base, the wide strike zone, the narrow strike zone and of course the lack of hustle the umpires have on the field.
Yet, they all seem very sure that what they are yelling at the official of a game is absolutely right.
So, I have come up with a little quiz for all you fans out there.  If you get 100 percent good, for you – chances are you are one of the quiet fans at games.  Anything less then 50 percent and you should monitor your chatter and save it for positive things:
1. What is the infield fly rule?
2. What defines the strike zone?
3. What do the letters ERA and OBP stand for?
4. What do the letters RBI and LOB stand for?
5. Who was the second black player to play in the Major League and which team did he play for?
6. What do the letters AAWPBL stand for?
7. Who was the only player in the Hall of Fame to hit a home run his very first time at bat and never again?
8. How many feet from the pitchers mound to home plate. A. In the Major Leagues, and B. In Little League.
9. At what level can you no longer use metal bats?
10. If a player hits a home run in the bottom of the 9th, with the score 1-1 and bases loaded, does he have to touch all the bases in order for the runs to count?
BONUS QUESTION:  In Baseball, there was a rule adopted in 1973 that forever changed the game of Baseball.  What was the rule and who was the first player that became know for this rule change.
Email me your answers at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Winners and the answers will be posted in the next column.
 
Howie Thompson, Coastal Family’s newest columnist, is a national author and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He has written three books, including the recently published “Overtime.” Currently, he teaches physical education and coaches women’s sports at Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, N.C., and he coaches youth soccer in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Visit him online at www.howiethompsononline.com. Send your questions and comments to him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it