30-3

I listened to a bit of the Rangers game last night on the way to a faculty meeting at the college. When I went inside, our boys from Arlington were doing well--they were ahead of the Orioles, 14-3 in the seventh inning. So I was quite shocked to get in the car about an hour later and learn that the Rangers had tacked on sixteen more runs in the last two innings! That's right, thirty runs--the most scored by a single team in a single game since before 1900.

(Incidentally, this game was the first of a doubleheader, and the Rangers entered the nightcap already holding the record for most runs in a doubleheader before the first pitch of that game, which they would also win, 9-7.)

The Rangers haven't had a great season so far, but it was great to see a bright spot like this--one that won't be forgotten for quite some time. (The funniest stat connected with the game was provided by KRLD's Victor Rojas, who pointed out that the Baltimore Ravens, who play next door to Camden Yards, haven't given up 30 points since Game 10 of the 2005 season. You have to admit that 30-3 really does sound like a football score.)

Here's hoping that the team can build on this and salvage a respectable finish this season.

UPDATE: Here's a great essay from the Dallas Morning News writer Jean-Jacques Taylor on the magic of sports; it's true that you really never know when something special will happen during what might otherwise be a completely ordinary game.

A Fairly unusual snack: It's way too hot for this in Texas, but a lot of other places are having their state fairs right about now. Over at buzz.mn, James Lileks will be making live appearances and blogging the Minnesota State Fair for its duration. Meanwhile, in Illinois, the food vendors are going beyond the everyday corny dogs, fried Twinkies and fried Coke for an unusual sensation: Breakfast on a Stick.

A fair trade? A Malaysian man who married two wives has to give his original family a buffalo and a pig as compensation

I has a donut! Nooo, they be stealin' my donut: Senior citizens in Putnam County, New York were up in arms because the city decided to stop allowing day-old donuts to be donated to senior centers, citing health worries. The seniors decided that they were old enough to make that decision themselves, and the donuts will be coming back, though still not stored at the centers.

Grilled bird? It's not on the menu quite yet: A wild bird was hit by a car in Michigan and then spent two days trapped behind the vehicle's grille. Amazingly enough, the bird surivived and is recovering at a local residence.

Another yourbaby.com story: Last week, I posted a story about a Chinese couple who wanted to name their baby with the "@" symbol. Now comes word that some couples here in the U.S. are choosing baby names based on availability as a domain name, which they are then securing for the baby upon its birth.