Numbers Game | Spring football games return
While spring football is finally here, with games on the horizon this week, there's still plenty to digest from across the area and beyond in latest installment of Numbers Game.
So strap in for digits galore:
48.56
Average number of pass attempts for Braden River senior Jacob Huesman per interception thrown during his final two seasons leading the Pirates, who advanced to last fall's Class 7A state semifinals after a second straight undefeated regular season.
The program's new quarterback, IMG Academy transfer Louis Colosimo, gets his chance shine in Thursday's spring game at St. Petersburg Lakewood since Huesman is heading to Appalachian State for college football.
The Pirates still boast a menacing defense, which
saw Tyrone Collins and Demetrius Lawson combine for 14 of the Pirates' 28 interceptions in 2015.
5/15/41
Date that New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio started his Major League Baseball 56-game hitting streak, which celebrated its 75th anniversary on Sunday. The closest anyone has come to matching the feat was all-time hit king Pete Rose, who hit safely in 44 consecutive games for the Cincinnati Reds in 1978. MLB even advertises a cash giveaway of $5.6 million to anyone successfully picking the same or different players each day to accrue a 56-game hitting streak in honor of "Joltin" Joe.
DiMaggio hit .408 during the streak, and added a 16-game hitting streak a game after the original one was snapped. So he hit safely in 72 of 73 games en route to the American League's Most Valuable Player award that season. Former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins (38 games in 2006) possesses the longest hit streak since 2006, showing just how difficult it is in any era, let alone one with specialized matchup pitchers, to pull it off. A couple of final tidbits about the Yankee Clipper's streak: he faced four future Hall of Fame pitchers during it, and it was his second super-long streak of his pro career. DiMaggio amassed a 61-game hitting streak in the minors with San Francisco of the Pacific Coast League.
195
Weight, in pounds, of Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor, who delivered a clean punch to Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista's face during Sunday's series finale between both clubs. Bautista was hit earlier, which drew warnings to both teams from home plate umpire Dan Iassogna. Then on a double-play attempt, Odor's throw from second was pretty low as Bautista slid through the bag to break it up. And both men got close to each other when a push and punch were connected, but Bautista didn't fall down and Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre restrained him before any more fists were thrown. Both benches cleared, and eight ejections followed the melee.
3
Ranking of Twitter trending topics that Bradenton found itself in due to angering Tampa Bay Lightning fans after the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau issued a rally towel to the fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the opponents of the Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals. A photo with the rally towel was tweeted from the Penguins' official Twitter account, and that sparked a #BoycottBradenton trend Friday night. An apology followed, and the situation has added intensity to the Bolts' series with the Pens.
4
Final Four appearances in the 2015-16 season for Manatee County high schools in team-only sports. Braden River led the way with two trips, reaching the 7A state semifinals in football and softball. Every season saw at least one Final Four team with Manatee volleyball and Braden River football advancing that deep in the fall, while Lakewood Ranch girls basketball and Bradenton Christian boys basketball grabbed Final Four berths in the winter and Bayshore softball joined Braden River softball in the last four of their respective classifications in the spring.
The Bruins' softball team, Mustangs girls basketball team and Panthers boys basketball team were the lone ones to make the state championship game, before finishing as state runner-ups.
Jason Dill, sports reporter, can be reached at 745-7017 or via email at jdill@bradenton.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason__Dill and like his Facebook page at Jason Dill Bradenton Herald.
This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 11:57 PM with the headline "Numbers Game | Spring football games return ."