Thursday 15 December 2011

General Softball Quiz!

If you are planning a Softball Party and looking for interesting ideas to break the ice, here is a quiz which you may like to use.  It is quite difficult so be warned!  For the Bobcats Christmas Party I added two more rounds – one about the club and one about the players (see previous post).
History of Softball

Questions
Answers
1. What was the first softball made of?
A rolled up boxing glove.
2. What year was the first game that inspired softball first played?
1887, During a Thanksgiving American Softball game, a supporter of Yale supporter playfully throw a boxing glove at a Havard Supporter who swung at the glove with a broom stick.  George Hancock called out play ball and the first game commenced.  It went on to be developed as an indoor version of baseball, which explains the shorter distance between bases.
3. When was the name ‘softball’ first officially suggested and name two other names for the game prior to this date. (3 points)
1926 – Diamond Ball and Mush Ball, Pumpkin Ball, Kitten Baseball, Lemon Ball
4. When was Softball first 'officially' introduced to the UK?
1972
5. What was the name of the first team to play 'Softball'?
Farragut Boat Club
6. The European Softball Federation was established in Rome in 1976 by six national Baseball and Softball Federations – who were they?  ½ point for each.
Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands and Spain.

10 points
International Softball

Questions
Answers
7. How many countries are members of the International Softball Federation?
127.
8. Name one country to recently join the ISF?
Gambia, Jordan and Guinea Bissau.
9. Which country is credited as the number one softball nation? Why?
Australia – it is the only country to have four elite national teams ranked top 3 in the world.
10. According to a recent American article what are the European ‘big five’ national teams in Softball?
Netherlands, Italy, Czech Republic, Great Britain and Russia
11. What do the following acronym stand for –SBAI
Softball Association of India

5 points
British Softball

Questions
Answers
12. How many times have the GB Co-ed Slowpitch team won the European Co-ed Slowpitch Championships
Who did they beat in the 2011 final? ½ point
8 times
GB beat Slovenia in the 2011 final.
13. How many registered slowpitch leagues are there in GB? 
Can you name 2 beginning with B, 1 beginning with C and 1 beginning with S? ½ point
25 Leagues. 
Brighton and Hove Softball League, Bristol Softball Association, Cardiff Softball League, Central Scotland Softball League and the Solent Softball League.
14. How many teams were there in the Manchester Softball League in 2011
Which team won division 1? ½ point
30 teams
Greensox were triumphant. 
15. Which city are the following teams associated with?
The Penguins and Wolverines?
The Brewers and Sheriffs?
The Candy Bulls and Sporting Hangovers?
The Black Sox and the Bright Sox?

London Penguins and Wolverines
Nottingham Brewers and Sherriffs
Edinburgh Candy Bulls and Sporting Hangovers
Brighton Black Sox and the Bright Sox

10 points (7 plus 6 ½ points)

The Spectacular Bobcat Christmas Quiz!

If you can’t remember the quiz from the Christmas Party ,don’t fret – here it is!

Questions
Answers
 Before Hallfield, where was the Bobcats Home Ground in 2010?
Four Dwellings High School, Quinton
Who did the TourCats play against in the Netherlands in July 2011?
Sittard Condors
Who are the current Bobcat Committee and what are their positions?
Alex - Chair, Justin – Secretary, Debbie – Treasurer, Kate – Social Secretary, Reinout – player representative, Chris & Jeff – general committee member
Was the nickname the umpire gave the Bobcats at the Cotswold Spring Tournament 2010?
Bobbie cats!
Name four teams the Bobcats faced at the East Midlands FirstBall Tournament in 2011? ½ point each
Nottingham Pyros, University of Nottingham Swingwers, Beeston Beavers, Alea Alleycats
Who were the Bobkitties who won the Girls Relay race at the East Midlands FirstBall Tournament in 2011?
Kate, Charlie, Meg, Jayne, Debbie and Maisey.
During the Picnic the Bobcats played fancy dress croquet.  Can you name the two fancy dress items?
Moulin rouge dancer, two pirates, Supergirl and a monkey.
How many times has Chris been hit in the face this year and by whom?
Twice – Quentin and Tad
Who was the MVP Offensive and MVP Defensive players at the West Midlands Softball Diamond League in May 2011?
Jeff – Offensive and Meg – Defensive.
Who was shot point blank in the back during the Bobcats paintballing day and by whom?
Debbie by Mike.
Name who won the following awards in 2011 – Top of the Litter, On the Prowl, Cat-Nip Award
Top of the Litter – Rosie; On the Prowl – Chad; Cat-Nip Award - Pete
What were the 2011 End of Season Awards made of?
Play-doh.
Which two Bobcats won the bowling games at the End of Season Social?
Kate and Alex
Who won the Bobcats the final game at the Monmouth Halloween Tournament?
Tad



Questions
Answers
Which Bobcat has had the following job: a pirate, chocolate packer, language teacher and TV extra.
Kate
Which Bobcat is a secret electrician?
Debbie
Which Bobcat has Burmese ancestry?
Chris
Name three Bobcats who work in a hospital?
Alex, Reinout and Pete
Which Bobcat dreams of being the Milkybar kid?
Jim
Which Bobcat destroyed Lord Vestey’s lawn?
Jonathan
Which Bobcat has a diploma from New Symrna Beach Clown Alley?
Meg
Which Bobcat has swam the Channel?
Rosie
Which Bobcat has never learnt to ride a bike?
Pete
The ancestor of which Bobcat was an antiquarian whose work helped establish the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland?
Quentin

There was also a picture round, in which the participants had to match the Bobcat with their stage name (worked out from a secret formula that involved pet names and addresses).  This turned out to be hilarious.
 Alex = Gary Dover. 
Christmas Elf Name: Adorable Berry-Baubles

Chris = Simpkins Deal
Christmas Elf Name: Wriggly Horny Helper
Dan = Smokey Barnsdale
Christmas Elf Name: Perky Candy-Lips
Debbie = Brownie Maya  
Christmas Elf Name: Cheerful Fluffy-Paws
Jayne = Pipkin Whetstone
Christmas Elf Name: Lucky Crazy-Legs
Jim = Little Pig Forshaw
Christmas Elf Name: Scrummy Floppy-Fairy
Jonathan = Susan Fareham
Christmas Elf Name: Snooky Bed-Head
Justin = Rosie Park
Christmas Elf Name: Lucky Horny Fairy
Kate = Cat Rodwell
Christmas Elf Name:  Sparky Holly Tinsel
Meg = Streaker Woodland
Christmas Elf Name: Giggley Dancing-Cracker
Pete = Ben Thorn
Christmas Elf Name: Lovable Horny Sprout
Quentin = Frisky Glendonwynne
Christmas Elf Name: Lucky Chilly Bow
Reinout = Kasper Breugellaan
Christmas Elf Name: Brandy butter-Cheeks
Rosie = Ginger Rock
Christmas Elf Name: Cutie Dancing-Cheeks
Tad = Terry Osaka
Christmas Elf Name: Smiley Christmas Tummy

The Spectacular Bobcat Christmas Party!

Saturday 10th December was the Birmingham Bobcats Softball Club Christmas Party.  This is the main social event of the season, and after last year’s party expectations were high.  The party was held at Bennetts in the centre of Birmingham, situated between the German Christmas Market and the Cathedral. 
The dress code was smart and boy did the Bobcats do well!  It was wonderful to see so many in tuxedos and suits.  Even Quentin was relatively smartly dressed – at least he wasn’t wearing sports gear that fell down!
 Chris and Pete

Jonathan and Debbie
Tad, Chris, Pete, Jonathan and Dan
Upon entry the Bobcats were greeted with champagne and a badge with their Christmas Elf Name (See following post for details).   These ranged from Lucky Horny Fairy to Cheerful Fluffy-Paws.  They had their own area in which to play in and the atmosphere was soon buzzing with everyone catching up. 
Tad, Pete, Alex, Dan and Chris

 Reinout and Rosie (with Kate sneaking in the background)


Although the menu looked outstanding, the food left something to be desired – but honesty no one was there for the food!  The service was excellent, especially as the rest of the venue was packed.  The games began immediately with Kate and Jim trying to launch springy cracker toys into each other drinks. 
 Dan, Wendy, Colin Meg, Chris, Jayne, Quentin and Pete

 Jonathan, Jim, Alex, Kate, Reinout and Tad


After dinner the Bobcats were joined by three special guests – Father Christmas, an Elf and a Reindeer (also known as Alex, Debbie and Kate – a few of the committee).  This caused great hilarity all round and really added to the Christmas spirit. 
 Father Christmas and his helpers

 Father Christmas is not actually from the North Pole – he is from New York

 Our favourite Christmas Elf comes complete with Jager Bombs!


Father Christmas came equipped with presents, but you know where you have to sit if you are going to get a present from Santa!  It started off quite reserved, but as the game went on it became more ... interesting.
Elf keeping an orderly queue
Chris with Father Christmas
Tad with Father Christmas
Reinout with Father Christmas 
Jim with Father Christmas 
Quentin with Father Christmas
Pete with Father Christmas
Jayne with Father Christmas
 Meg with Father Christmas

One happy little Elf.

Following the present-giving the Bobcats said goodbye to Father Christmas and his helpers and embarked upon a softball quiz.  Unfortunately the venue was too loud and the participations took intoxicated to take it seriously.  The reason for the intoxication – the good old Bobcat favourite – JAGER BOMBS!  They have even created a new way to serve them – a Jager-bomb dominoes rally, which Jim has perfected. 
Jim getting ready for the Jager-Bob rally
And he did it, much to the delight of the crowd!
Success!


 Chris, Jim, Pete and Debbie

Jim and Pete 
The night continued on in this fashion (in true Bobcat style), but I shall leave that to your imagination!




Chris and Pete looking a bit different from the first photo in this post!

Three stages of Jager-Bob- starting from the right!

Chris, Jim and Pete saying hello to the Reindeer (no petting).

Cracker time – Rosie, Alex and Debbie

Meg, Jayne and Rosie