Diamonds For Women

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sat 4/1/06 1:46 am Post subject: Beware...

It's April Fool's Day!

Since we all have our favorite "jokers" among MLB players, I thought I'd share this very amusing article from mlb.com about some of the pranks that have been played over the years.

Click here to read, and meanwhile, don't get fooled today!

Also, the joke will be on YOU if you don't set your clock ahead one hour tonight.

Embarassed

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

la_periodista · Guest

That was great, L, thanks for posting the link.

How about if we each share a prank we've heard about that wasn't in the article?

One I remember from the Dodgers happened a few years ago (I think either 2000 or 2001). They were in Milwaukee and couldn't stay in their normal hotel because of a convention being hosted there, so they went to an older hotel. Some of the players told the others that the hotel was haunted, and Eric Gagne and Adrian Beltre went into panic mode. One of them kept changing rooms every night, and the other slept with a bat next to his bed. I believe it wasn't until some time after they left that the two found out it was just a big joke.

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sun 4/1/07 12:28 am Post subject:

Bumping this up again...

This time, I'll just warn you all, and although none of my postings today will be jokes Smile

, I thought I would post excerpts from an article I recently ran across, to give you all a few chuckles.

It's a moldy oldie--from Sport Magazine, the September, 1978 issue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Needling is More than Just Having Fun, to Rick Monday"

It has not been one of Rick Monday's better weeks. First he pulled a muscle in his right leg. Then he pulled a muscle in his left leg. When he finally returned to the lineup eight games later, he made two base-running errors, misjudged a fly ball, cost his team the game--and re-injured his left leg.

Nevertheless, as Monday walks into the Dodger clubhouse he looks and sounds anything but depressed--or even distressed. When reserve outfielder Vic Davalillo strides by, fresh from a close-cropped haircut that has left his ears protruding beneath his cap, Monday loudly announces: "Vic, you look like a Volkswagen with the doors open." Then Monday spots second baseman Davey Lopes wearing a massive ten-pound ice pack on his injured chest: "Hey, Lopes, I've seen tuna on less ice than that." Before Lopes can reply, Monday strikes again: "You ain't playing today, so I know the only reason you're here so early is to sneak up in the stands and stuff the All-Star ballot box with votes for yourself." Monday grabs a handful of fan mail, pretends the letters are All-Star ballots, and tucks several under his baseball cap so they can dangle over his ears and eyes. Then he affects a Lopes swagger and says, "This is how you go out on the field, Davey: 'Anyone not have an All-Star ballot? I just happen to have a couple of extras here." Monday passes around the "ballots."

...Monday strides out of the clubhouse. But a few minutes later he's back--watching pitcher Don Sutton practice putts on the clubhouse carpet. Sutton is concentrating mightily. He lines up his putt, starts to swing--and Monday drops a magazine three inches from the ball. Sutton discards his putter. Right fielder Reggie Smith picks it up and lines up the same putt. Everyone is quiet--until Monday mutters, "I hope all your trophies tarnish." Smith blows the putt.

Before his injuries, Rick Monday, an outstanding defensive centerfielder, had been leading the league in hitting, HRs and RBIs. Clearly he is as quick with a bat as he is with a needle. Monday is the Dodgers' resident wit, and on a team that does not exactly revere flamboyance or individualism (example, outfielder Bill North was ordered to shave off his beard the day he joined the Dodgers from the Oakland "A"s), Monday stands out like Mick Jagger at a Des Moines Rotary Club meeting.

For 33-year old Monday, such distinction is not unusual. He has never been your everyday face in the crowd. Tall, handsome and talented, he has been attracting attention ever since he was a teenage baseball star in the suburbs of Los Angeles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Note: I'm not reprinting the article in its entirety, but after lauding his accomplishments with the Cubs and the Dodgers and covering the flag-saving incident, it continues):

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...Then Monday began to slump. His batting average and home run production fell off. But not his sense of humor. One day, he even burned the toes and soles out of the socks that reserve infielder Teddy Martinez wore to the ballpark. "They were mismatched", Monday says matter-of- actly. "That's against the rules. (Pitcher) Doug Rau is our official enforcer in those situations, but he was busy and I'm the 'DE' - 'Designated Enforcer.' " Monday pauses, then resumes in stentorian tones: " 'The Designated Human Torch.' "

It's the next-to-the-last day of May, and two injured Dodgers--Rick Monday and Reggie Smith--are watching an NBA playoff game on TV in the Dodgers clubhouse. A few minutes before their own game is scheduled to start, Monday gets a glint in his eye. "Bring me a pen and a piece of paper," he says to the clubhouse boy. The boy complies. Monday carefully prints a letter to be posted behind manager Tommy Lasorda's seat in the Dodger dugout:

"Dear Tommy,

I realize we are engaged in a great ballgame tonight, but I will be detained due to the NBA playoffs which are currently being shown on TV. In the event that I am needed prior to the completion of the basketball game, please send Davey Lopes...into the clubhouse to get me. Any requests for my services will require 20 minutes advance notice."

Monday signs the letter, "Reggie."

*************************************************************

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Jay Johnstone and Rick Monday were the biggest practical jokers I remember from that era, from the Dodgers, although I know there were a few on several other teams around the majors, too.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed that one, and don't get fooled today!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Tue 4/1/08 10:52 pm Post subject:

Watching the Dodgers game tonight (my first of the season on the couch) Smile

and seeing Rick Monday in the broadcast booth, I couldn't help but think of the above article, and thought I'd bump the thread before the clock strikes midnight and April Fool's Day officially ends, for those of you who may not have read about any of these pranks before. And, if anyone wants to share other examples (related to baseball players, teams or fans), please do so.

I called a Giants fan friend from Triple Crown and said to him, "Hey, Giants."

He replied, "What about them?"

I answered, "That's the April Fool word of the day."
Very Happy

Of course, the Cubs could be great fodder here too.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Wed 4/2/08 7:35 am Post subject:

Gee, how ominous were my words. The mantra continues, as I found this article linked on MLB.com.

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Tue 4/1/14 6:23 pm Post subject:

Was searching around in the archives, and thought I would give this one a bump for the day. Smile

Cathy, if you want a good chuckle, remember this thread? LOL.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 6266 Location: San Diego

Lol!

_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Wed 4/1/15 12:39 am Post subject:

Well, another April Fool's Day has almost arrived.

Let's see what kind of pranks go on around spring training. Twisted Evil

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 6266 Location: San Diego

Now you know why I did not visit this forum on that day. Wink

_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sun 4/5/15 11:59 pm Post subject:

I will say this, in past years I've noticed on baseball forums that a lot of jokesters think their own creative trades (supposedly confirmed) and/or injury reports (always on a key player/superstar) are appropriate on April Fool's Day. It shouldn't come as any surprise, I guess.

This year in particular, though, it was quite annoying to constantly see posts on various Dodger forums "reporting" that Clayton was placed on the DL--with seemingly legitimate links accompanying the posts (from the L.A. Times, dodgers.com, etc.)

However, if one were to click on the link and read closely, they'd have noticed that it was from this time in 2014, when for the first time in his career, Clayton was added to the disabled list, after the team's return from their opener in Australia--seemingly just a bump in the road en route to another phenomenal season.

At a certain point, those "fool's posts" got pretty old.

Rolling Eyes

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Fri 4/1/16 5:34 pm Post subject:

Happy April Fools Day!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

sunnyblue · Posted: Sat 4/2/16 3:55 pm Post subject:

lol

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sat 4/1/17 3:34 pm Post subject:

From MLB.com, the year in baseball pranks--Happy April Fools Day!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 6266 Location: San Diego

Lol, those are some good ones. Loved the one about Kris! Did you see the quiz on the same page about what pranks to play on friends?

If you missed it - linked here
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sat 4/1/17 11:04 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Cath. They could be fun! Smile

One last share before the day ends--a great hoax played by a Long Beach newspaper in 1961.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sun 4/1/18 3:01 pm Post subject:

Enough already with the "fake trade" scenarios.

Baseball Savvy on April Fool's Day
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 6266 Location: San Diego

My Padres fooled their fans. They were swept in their first series and decided to "take the day off" today!
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Mon 4/2/18 6:25 pm Post subject:

Didn't they take all four days off? Razz

(Sorry.)
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 6266 Location: San Diego

OK i guess that was called for, Lol.
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Mon 4/1/19 9:55 pm Post subject:

*sigh*

I'm beginning to think the Dodgers' bullpen is going to a joke for longer than just April Fools' Day. Rolling Eyes

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Wed 4/1/20 4:29 pm Post subject:

Just looking at my response in this thread from last year...LOL.

I wish I were complaining about the Dodgers now because it would at least mean they were playing!

Anyway, I'm grateful to see that nobody tried to "fool" me earlier in the day. Smile

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 6266 Location: San Diego

No, not me, I missed out. Lol. But thank you for the reminder of Sidd Fynch. I also wish I was complaining about my Padres instead of not watching baseball!

I think we have been fooled a lot already just by Coronavirus and that is one that will not go away for awhile. Sad

_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Thu 4/1/21 9:19 am Post subject:

Just read your last post here, Cathy, from April of last year. Sad

Anyway, whose bright idea was it to schedule Opening Day on April Fool's Day this year? Shocked

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 6266 Location: San Diego

Yes, we still have that not-so-funny "joke" still going on and with new variants. Sad

_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg