Hal Lebovitz was baseball’s oracle. From the sandlots of South Euclid to the bigger-than-life stage of the World Series, there was no weird call or strange situation that fell outside his realm of expertise (his “Ask the Referee” column ran in The Sporting News for decades). In the introduction to “Ask Hal” (Gray & Co., $14.95) local sportswriter and commentator Les Levine recalls how an odd play during his Little League days, which left two players standing on third base — both tagged out, was met with a singular answer as to which player should head to the dugout: Ask Hal.
The memory makes it all the more fitting that Levine, who had Lebovitz on his television show as a weekly guest for 10 years and now pens the Sunday sports column that Hal once did for the The News-Herald and The Morning Journal, was the one who helped Neil Lebovitz sift through decades of his father’s inquiries and answers to assemble this collection, which serves as an eternal conversation starter for fans of the game. Test how your baseball knowledge matches up some of the innate wisdom Hal dished out over the years.
QUESTIONS: 1. A batter hits a routine ground ball and it rolls through the fielder’s legs without touching his glove, although he put it down. Is it an error?
For a little over two days in September 1964, it cost Cleveland $17,000 (over $175,000 today) in police overtime pay to protect the Beatles. By Jaden Stambolia
The plan would demolish the outdated health center on Lorain Avenue to make way for 72 affordable senior apartments, with construction targeted for 2026. By Ken Predergast, NEOTrans
Green Bay Packers fans pay neighbors to park on front lawns near Lambeau Field. With limited public parking projected, the Haslam Sports Group's proposed Brook Park stadium could see similar challenges. By Ken Prendergast, NEOtrans
