Following up on my mean geographic center story, lboros from Viva El Birdos has a couple of follow-up stories regarding Tuscumbia, Missouri, MLB’s geographic center.

A self-proclaimed “physics geek” commenter in the first story says that I did not account for the curvature of the earth in my calculations, which could make the actual center off by up to 10 miles. Perhaps. But Cooperstown isn’t the actual birthplace of baseball, but everybody agrees to play along with the idea, because it’s a nice story. So regardless of what the facts actually happen to be, let’s all let Tuscumbia have its fun, OK?

Our winner is: For The Turnstiles!

Congrats, Turnstiles. You win a PTBNL (prize to be named later).

Just so you don’t have to check, nobody got the Final Humbugardy question right, which was: Who is Mark Grant? I’ll leave it as a puzzle for you to figure out why.

Here are the final standings:

For The Turnstiles: 2203
T J: 1101
Humma Kavula: 1100
argosy: 800
graciebarn: 600
Dan Lucero: 500
Rorschach: 500
TFD: 500
Jacob L: 400
Baby Maddux: 300
cynic: 300
Ryan Wilkins: 300
Cliff Corcoran: 0
MatPat11: 200
Sam DC: 100
metfaninalaska: 100
Vishal: 80
deadteddy8: 29
Bob Timmerman: 1

Eligible players should email their questions to scorebard AT yahoo dot com.

OK, I’m finally ready for Final Humbugardy. Sorry for the delay.

Here are the rules:

1. The category is: “Riddle”

2. Only players who have positive points are eligible to play. Those players are:

For The Turnstiles: 6300
Bob Timmerman: 2600
T J: 1200
Humma Kavula: 1100
argosy: 800
graciebarn: 600
deadteddy8: 550
Dan Lucero: 500
Rorschach: 500
TFD: 500
Jacob L: 400
Vishal: 400
Baby Maddux: 300
cynic: 300
Ryan Wilkins: 300
Cliff Corcoran: 200
MatPat11: 200
Sam DC: 200
metfaninalaska: 100

2. You may bet as many of your points as you like in the comments below. I will close the betting just before I post the answer.

3. On Friday, February 10, 2006, at 9AM Pacific Time, I will post the answer.

4. The first three people to email the correct question to scorebard At yahoo dot com will win points. The others will lose their bets. Only the first answer submitted by each player will count.

5. The first correct answer will win triple the bet. The second will win double the bet. The third will win the amount of the bet.

6. If there aren’t three correct answers by noon PT on Monday, February 13, the game is over.

Some follow-up data on yesterday’s Humbugardy bonus question, where it was revealed that the mean geographic center of the 30 major league ballparks is by Pea Ridge Road in Tuscumbia, Missouri.

The mean geographic center (calculated by averaging the latitudes and longitudes of ballpark locations) of the American League is near Monroe City, Missouri. The mean geographic center of the National League is on Logan Ridge Road, near Highlandville, Missouri.

Nearest towns to the mean geographic centers, by division:
AL West: Caliente, NV.
AL Central: Addison, IL.
AL East: Upper Marlboro, MD.
NL West: Boulder City, NV.
NL Central: Birds, IL.
NL East: Bailey, NC.

Mean geographic centers for popular rivalries:
Red Sox/Yankees: at the end of North Maple Street, East Hampton, CT.
Dodgers/Giants: in the hills south of Coalinga, CA.
Cards/Cubs: two miles east of Heyworth, IL.

Same metro area:
Cubs/White Sox: N Union Ave at W Kinzie St, Chicago.
Dodgers/Angels: Emmons Way, Santa Fe Springs.
Giants/A’s: In San Francisco Bay, near Encinal High School, Alameda.
Mets/Yankees: On Rikers Island.

Yes, really, it’s true…if you meet the Mets and Yankees halfway, you end up in prison.

OK, I’ll have the Final Humbugardy question later this week. But first, a bonus answer, worth 500 points:

The birdbrains who footed for Bruce,
But ducked doing likewise for Goose,
Sure ruffle my feather.
Why one, not together?
They must have some fowled-up excuse.

Hiram Bocachica:
I liked him as an A.
Hiram Bocachica:
I really wish he’d stay.
Hiram Bocachica:
I want him even though
(Hiram Bocachica)
I think his bat is slow.
Hiram Bocachica:
Keep him on the A’s!
Hiram Bocachica:
He deserves a raise!
Hiram Bocachica:
To the Hall of Fame!
Hiram Bocachica:
Simply for his name.

Inspired by Bob Timmermann’s brilliant analysis, I have modified the Word Score technology (Patent Pending), which was in turn based on Random Diamond Note technology (also Patent Pending), to produce a brand new useless tool.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Baseball Player Consonant-to-Vowel Ratio Tool!

Humbug.com is proud to announce the Player Word Score tool.

Look up the Scrabble scores for the players on your favorite team!

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

What and where this is:

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

What and where this is:

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

For those who wagered, please email your questions to scorebard AT yahoo DOT com by 12:45pm PT.

The player who set a record with the number depicted here:

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

It’s time for the last Humbugardy Double Up category. The category is Numb3r5 for 1000.

Im So Blue controls the board, and will get to choose the exact time the question will be posted. It can be any time after 9AM on Tuesday. Wednesday would work, too. Once the answer is posted, you will have 30 minutes to email me your question.

The first correct question will win double the wager. Other correct questions win their wagers. Wrong questions lose their wagers.

Anyone who has successfully questioned an answer may place a wager. You may bet any or all of your points, or up to 1000 points if you have less than 1000 points. Place your wager before 9AM on Tuesday.

The current standings are as follows:
For The Turnstiles: 5500
Bob Timmerman: 3100
T J: 1200
Humma Kavula: 1100
argosy: 800
graciebarn: 600
deadteddy8: 550
Dan Lucero: 500
Rorschach: 500
TFD: 500
Jacob L: 400
Vishal: 400
Baby Maddux: 300
cynic: 300
Ryan Wilkins: 300
Cliff Corcoran: 200
Im So Blue: 200
MatPat11: 200
Sam DC: 200
metfaninalaska: 100
misterjohnny: 100
Derek Smart: 0
Murray: 0
Shaun P: 0
Joe: -600
Jen: -788
Philip Michaels: -1000

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

What and where this is:

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.