The Fall Classic

World Series, Game 1 - here we go.

I know this is usually a football blog, but heck, if I can put in items about Michael Flatley Lord of the Dance, then throwing in something about baseball seems positively ON-topic, by comparison.

I would like to know why the World Series is called the Fall Classic? Is that something like the British calling The British Open simply "The Open"? Which is more baffling to me than Renee Zellweger's popularity.

One quick trivia tidbit about the World Series matchup (I got this from my daily "Sports Illustrated Extra" email that I subscribe to):


DID YOU KNOW?

Jeff Francis, the Rockies' Game 1 World Series starter, beat the Red Sox at Fenway Park in June with five scoreless innings. Only two other lefthanders in the past five years have beaten Boston at Fenway without allowing a run: Scott Kazmir (twice) and Gustavo Chacin. Only one lefty has ever done it in the postseason: Hippo Vaughn of the Cubs in the 1918 World Series.

• By the way, I love the name Hippo Vaughn. Do you think that's short for Hipolito? But considering that it was back in 1918, in the days of great nicknames like Mordecai "Three-Fingers" Brown, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Cool Papa Bell and Dizzy Dean, it could just be a great nickname. Either way, I think I'm going to name my next child 'Hippo'.
  

---JohnnyUnitas