He Always Finds Out What’s in a Name

Bob Casey, the Minnesota Twins’ 78-year-old public address announcer, recently became the 12th member of the club’s hall of fame.

In the franchise’s 43-year history in Minneapolis, Casey has worked all but a few games, sharing a cramped space behind home plate at the Metrodome with television cameras and cameramen and, reportedly, a rat named Charlie.

Casey’s raspy baritone is synonymous with Twin baseball, as are some rather infamous slip-ups and mispronounced names.

For example, Kansas City Royal infielder Desi (DEH-zee) Relaford became “DEE-see Rutherford.” And Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra became just “Garcia Parra” because, Casey said, “I was just skipping the first part to save time.”

Ground rules: Casey has these daily reminders to fans: “Nooooooo smoking in this stadium” and “Please do not throw anything -- or anybody -- onto the playing field.”

Trivia time: Who is the Canadian Football League’s career passing leader?

Water warning: Drinking may be hazardous to your health.

Obvious, you say? Not if you happen to be running a marathon.

Indeed, drinking too much water may be just as damaging as not getting enough fluids, USA Track and Field recently announced when it changed its guidelines for endurance athletes.

Too much water can lower the sodium content in blood, leading to exertional hyponatremia -- a condition that causes headaches, nausea, coma and even death, said Douglas J. Casa, a consultant who advised the organization.

Previously advised to drink at every opportunity, long-distance runners are now being guided by a new golden rule: Drink only when thirsty.

Tall tale: Jason Collins remembers the day he became 7 feet tall. “Media day, my junior year,” he said. “I told our sports information guy that I wanted to be 7 feet and it’s been 7 feet ever since.”

Actually, Collins, who played at Stanford, is more like 6-8. But he’s not the only NBA player to stretch the truth.

Steve Kerr told Bloomberg News of several aspiring NBA players who suddenly shrank to hone their skills in the now-defunct World Basketball League, which at the time allowed only players 6-5 and under.

“They lost four inches in a six-month period,” Kerr said.

Trivia answer: Damon Allen of Cal State Fullerton started this season, his 19th in the CFL, with league career records of 7,425 passes, 4,107 completions and 58,407 passing yards.

And finally: “Medicine for the Outdoors: The Essential Guide to Emergency Medical Procedures and First Aid” is, according to a press release by the publisher, a “peerless volume” of reference for “anyone who wants to be prepared to handle and heal all types of injuries.”

Author Paul Auerbach, a Stanford professor, is lauded for his “clear, understandable guidance on treating just about any imaginable medical problem.”

Well, that’s certainly true. Take the section on “Emergency Childbirth,” for example. It includes this tip:

“Don’t deliver a baby in the woods if it isn’t necessary.”