FYI Friday (finally returns): A potpourri, a gumbo of items you can win bets with

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Welcome to The Central Georgia Sports Report’s new feature: FYI Friday.

Sorry for the unintentional hiatus. This week, catching up with half of what we missed.

Every Friday, during the visit you should make every day to gain knowledge, come get specific information on specific topics, answers to questions you didn’t know you had, but answers you’re glad to get.

          If you like being smarter.

1.

          The College World Series starts this weekend in Omaha, Neb.

          The first one was in Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1947, then moved to Wichita two years later before being drawn in 1950 to Omaha.

          Omaha’s a bigger city than most realize, the nation’s No. 59 metro area with a million people, bigger than New Orleans, Knoxville, Tulsa, Baton Rouge, Dayton, and Winston-Salem, among others.

          City limits population is nearly 500,000, putting it in the top 45 in the country. It is home to a premier zoo (Henry Doorly Zoo, as well as the largest community theater in the nation, along with museums and a thriving performing arts community.

2.

          Winners of the College World Series include Holy Cross (1952), Wichita State (1989), Cal State Fullerton (1979, 1984), Pepperdine (1992), and Coastal Carolina (2016).

          Southern Cal has reached 14 finals and won 12, with LSU next at eight, winning seven). The Trojans, though, have been quiet since 1998.

Georgia won it in 1990, and finished second in 2008.

3.

          Arkansas can break a dubious streak.

          The Razorbacks have 12 trips to the CWS, but have never won, tying Clemson and North Carolina for the second-most visits without a dogpile. Florida State leads with 24, finishing second three times. Auburn has made it to Omaha six times, but has won just three games.

(More CWS next week, with other items)