Through sixteen major league seasons, Tom Candiotti baffled batters with his knuckle ball. He threw strikes on his way to 151 career victories, and he continues to throw strikes...in the bowling alley. This summer Candiotti, radio broadcaster for the Arizona Diamondbacks, was honored with induction into the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. Candiotti owns a bowling average of better than 200 and rolled a perfect 300 game this past spring. In his honor, the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America has established the Tom Candiotti Youth Bowling Initiative.

Congratulations to this month's trivia winner, John H of Plymouth, winner of a River Eels Prize Package. Congratulations too to Mary M.of Braintree who was selected at random from our newsletter subscribers and wins a River Eels Prize Package.

Check out this month's trivia challenge regarding the best and worst trades in Red Sox history.

Identity the only New England native who was selected as the first overall choice in the baseball’s amateur entry draft.

Bill Almon, also the last major leaguer from Brown University, was selected number one overall by the San Diego Padres in the 1974 amateur draft. He went on to a 15-year career in the majors with the Padres, Expos, Mets, Pirates, Phillies, White Sox and A’s. Bill was born in Providence and attended high school in Warwick before going on to Brown and then the big league.

Congratulations to Cheryl L of Kingston for her winning a River Eels prize extravaganza for her correct answer.

What Massachusetts-born pitcher in the modern era (post 1900) has amassed the most career victories.

The answer to this question become much easier as the 2007 season progressed and Tom Glavine, born in Concord and raised in Billerica, marched inexorably to his 300th career victory.

Congratulations to Janet W. of Plymouth for correctly identifying Tom Glavine.

This Massachusetts college has sent more baseball players to the major
leagues than any other, yet it has not seen an alumnus debut in the big
leagues for in 30 years.

Answer: Worcester’s College of the Holy Cross

The last Crusader to enter the majors was Mike Pazik, who pitched in 13 games for the Minnesota Twins from 1975-1977, amassing a career record of 1-4 with a 5.79 ERA. Pazik was the 77th Holy Cross player to make it to the show. Boston College is a distant second with 35 players in the bigs.

Among the most notable major leaguers coming out of Holy Cross were Louis Sockalexis, the first native American to play in the majors (1897-1899 Cleveland Spiders) whose career there is part of the reason the current team is named the “Indians;” Bill Carrigan who played with the Red Sox from 1906-1916 and managed the team to World Series victories in 1915 and 1916; Jack Barry, who played with the A’s and Red Sox from 1908-1919, winning 5 World Series rings, and went on to coach Holy Cross baseball for 40 years, winning the College World Series in 1952; Joe Dugan, third baseman on the 1927 “Murderer’s Row” Yankees;  knuckleballer Bill Lefebvre, who homered in his first major league at bat, which was his only at bat in that 1938 season, and later scouted for the red Sox in the1970s; Mike Hegan, a 12-year major leaguer who won a ring with the A’s in 1972 and now broadcasts for the Indians; and Mike Pazik, a major and minor league pitching coach and scout.

Congratulations to Trivia Winner:  Mark L. of West Bridgewater 

Which major league baseball player had the longest Hollywood resume?

Answer: The Rifleman, Chuck Connors.

The most prolific television and movie actor to have played in the Major Leagues was The Rifleman, Chuck Connors. A career minor-leaguer, he had one at bat for Brooklyn in 1949 and played in 66 games for the Cubs in 1951. He also played basketball for the Boston Celtics. Starting in 1952, Connors appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, most notably as Lucas McCain in “The Rifleman” in the early 1960s.  

Congratulations to Trivia Winner Christopher L. of Plymouth.

Answer: The wall is 37 feet 2 inches high.

Congratulations to Trivia Winner Gordon H. of Carver

There are five major leaguers who were born in Massachusetts, played for a team in Massachusetts, and whose last name is the same as a town in Massachusetts. Name three of them.

Answer: Baseball fans may recall that Jeff Plympton pitched for the 1991 Red Sox. Jeff was born in Framingham, and his last name is indeed the same as the town of PLYMPTON, a few miles from our new stadium. The other four players who fit our qualifications took a bit more digging (or a lot more remembering!). Dick CONWAY was born in Lowell and played for the 1887-1888 Boston Beaneaters of the National League. Chick MAYNARD of Turners Falls played for the 1922 Red Sox. Bob ADAMS of Holyoke played for the Sox in 1925. And Al WESTON from Lynn played for the 1929 Braves.

Congratulations to Trivia Winner Carl A. of South Easton

What is the longest April winning streak in Red Sox history.

Answer: In 1978 and again in 1982, the Red Sox won eight games in a row. 1978's streak went from April 12-21 with victories over Cleveland, Texas, and Milwaukee. In 1982, the streak went from April 20-27 with victories over Baltimore, Toronto, the White Sox, and Kansas City. The Sox also had a 15-game winning streak from April 25 to May 10, 1946, but the April streak was only 5 games.

Congratulations to Trivia Winner David M. of Plymouth

What is the name of the first professional baseball team in Plymouth?

Answer: A number of fans responded with "The Plymouth Rocks." While the Boston entry in the American League was often called that in the local press, that team played in Boston (at the Huntington Avenue Grounds) and within a few years became permanently nicknamed the Red Sox.

The correct answer in your very own Plymouth River Eels, which is the first professional baseball team located in Plymouth

Congratulations to Trivia Winner Ann M. of Pembroke