February 23-March 1, 2015 Texas Rangers with 200 hits in a season

MONDAY

Q.         Who hit the most career home runs without ever having won a league HR title?

Hint:     He won a Gold Glove Award as a first baseman during a season in which he played 100 more games at designated hitter than at first base.

Hint:     He was born in Cuba, raised in Miami, went to college in Mississippi.

Twint:    He played the most career games without ever appearing in a World Series.

A.         RAFAEL PALMEIRO (569 HR, never finished higher than 2^nd [1999]; 1999 DH GG [28 G 1B, 128 G DH]; 2,831 G, [+22 postseason G] 0 WS G)

FCR -    Mark Kanter, Portsmouth, RI

Incorrect answers: Edgar Martinez, Orlando Cepeda, David Ortiz, Andre Dawson, Eddie Murray

TUESDAY

Q.         Who broke Joe DiMaggio’s Yankees’ record for most home runs in a season by a right-handed hitter?

Hint:     His home run on 03-Sep-2008 was the first play reviewed under the new MLB instant replay rule.

Hint:     The home run call was upheld.

Hint:     He had a “Saberhagenesque” MVP run.

Twint:    After Tim Conroy in 1978, he was the next player to debut as an 18-year-old.

A.         ALEX RODRIGUEZ (48 HR in 2005; AL MVP 2005-2007-2009, similar to Bret Saberhagen’s dominant years in 1985, 1987 and 1989)

FCR -    David Wallack, Greenwood Village, CO

Incorrect answers: Jason Giambi, Mark Teixeira, Tino Martinez, Gary Sheffield

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who, in 2006, became the oldest player to appear in a postseason game?

Hint:     He was the oldest player in the league for each of his last four Major League seasons.

Hint:     He was a teammate of Pete Rose and Carlos Gomez.

Twint:    He is currently a player-manager in Japan.

A.         JULIO FRANCO (48yrs 51 days in 2006 NLCS Game 2; oldest player in NL 2004-07; teammate of Rose on 1982 Phillies, CarGo on 2007 Mets; P-M for semi-pro Ishikawa Million Stars)

FCR -    Ticker Warner, Spottsylvania, VA

Incorrect answers: Jamie Moyer, Jesse Orosco, David Wells, Juan Samuel

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         After being led by sluggers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire for seven straight years from 1986-92, who topped the A’s in home runs in 1993 with just 22?

Hint:     He made his Major League debut as a 20-year-old CF in-between Pete Incaviglia and Gary Ward.

Hint:     He was traded for Jose Canseco and Cecil Fielder.

Hint:     He wore 12 numbers during his career, including #21 for five different teams.

Twint:    He was one of six players on the 2012 Hall of Fame ballot who did not receive a single vote.

A.         RUBEN SIERRA (debut 01-Jun-1986; traded for Canseco 31-Aug-1992, traded for Fielder 31-Jul-1996; wore 3, 14, 16, 21, 22, 24, 25, 28, 29, 38, 44 & 47, wore 21 for Rangers, A’s, Tigers, Mariners & Twins; Jeromy Burnitz, Brian Jordan, Terry Mulholland, Phil Nevin & Tony Womack also received no HOF votes)

FCR -    Doug Greenwald, San Francisco, CA

Incorrect answers: Harold Baines, Oddibe McDowell, Rickey Henderson, Dave Henderson, Juan Gonzalez

THURSDAY

Q.         When Reggie Jackson claimed to have an IQ of 160, which teammate asked, “Out of what, a thousand?”

Hint:     Piling on, he told Reggie, “No wonder you’re all mixed up. You got a white man’s first name, a Spanish man’s second name and a black man’s third name.”

Hint:     He was the leadoff hitter in the 1976 All-Star Game but could not be found during the National Anthem. He was napping in a space between the dugout and clubhouse.

Hint:     He played for the Cowboys before he got to the majors.

Twint:    He was a college teammate of Bucky Dent and reunited with him on the Yankees and Rangers.

Twint:    He led the American League with 70 steals in 1975.

Twint:    No American Leaguer had topped that total going back to Ty Cobb’s 96 in 1915.

A.         MICKEY RIVERS (Ethnic observation based on Jackson’s full name, Reginald Martinez Jackson; 1969 Magic Valley Cowboys; teammate with Dent at Miami-Dade College, 1977-79 Yankees and 1982-83 Rangers)

FCR -    Dean Kloner, New York, NY

Incorrect answers: Deion Sanders, Rickey Henderson, Bobby Bonds, Billy North, Deion Sanders, Ron LeFlore, Rick Monday, Joe Rudi, Pete Rose, Danny Tartabull, Fred Lynn

FRIDAY

Q.         What pinch-hitter got the game-winning hit in the Blue Jays’ second- and fourth-ever postseason games?

Hint:     He was the first Expos player to collect 200 hits in a season.

Hint:     His Expos record for RBI in a season only lasted one year.

Twint:    He won a Silver Slugger in each of the first three years of the award, each time at a different position.

A.         AL OLIVER (walk-off single in 1985 ALCS Game 2, game-winning double in Game 4; 204 H in 1982 for MON; 109 RBI in 1982, Andre Dawson had 113 in 1983; 1980 OF SS, 1981 DH SS, 1982 1B SS)

FCR -    Rich Klein, Plano, TX

Incorrect answers:  Warren Cromartie, Rusty Staub, Jason Giambi, Tim Raines

SATURDAY

Q.         Who was the manager of the silver medal-winning Team USA at the 1999 Pan-American Games?

Hint:     After seven complete years in the majors, he was traded and immediately paid big dividends for his new team, winning six consecutive Gold Gloves.

Hint:     Over that span he also made four All-Star teams, won a Silver Slugger Award and five times received MVP votes.

Twint:    Frank Robinson was teammates with him and his dad; Barry Larkin was teammates with him and his son.

A.         BUDDY BELL (Frank Robinson played with Gus Bell on the 1956-61 Reds and with Buddy Bell on the 1974-76 Indians; Barry Larkin played with Buddy Bell on the 1986-88 Reds and with Mike Bell on the 2000 Reds)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY

Incorrect answers:  Davey Johnson, Bill Madlock

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who was the first black to play on a Chicago major league team?

Hint:     In that same game, he hit the second home run of his career.  On the other team, Mickey Mantle hit his first.

Hint:     He had actually debuted in the majors two years earlier.

Hint:     He was the first native of Cuba to play in an All-Star game.

Hint:     Along with Willie Mays and Al Kaline, he was one of the three outfielders to receive the very first Gold Glove Award.  He would win it twice again.

Hint:     Although his last appearance in the majors was carefully scripted, one can still safely say that he played in the majors in five (5!) decades.

Hint:     Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda said of him, "[He] was the Jackie Robinson for all Latinos; the first star who opened doors for all Latin American players. He was everybody's hero. I wanted to be [him]. Clemente wanted to be [him]."

Hint:     At 53 years old, he is the oldest player to get a hit in a major league game.  [FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWS HIM TO BE THE 4^TH OLDEST.]*

Hint:     One observer noted, “As soon as he gets on base, which is often, a sort of restless hum sweeps across the stands.”

Hint:     A life-size statue of him stands within sight of the field as U.S. Cellular Park in Chicago.

Twint:    J. G. Taylor Spink quoted Ted Williams as saying that he (today’s honoree) could become the greatest player of modern times.

Twint:    His skull was fractured by a pitch thrown by young Yankees phenom Bob Grim.

Twint:    Although he received Hall of Fame inductions in Mexico and his native Cuba, he became, and died as, an American citizen.

A          MINNIE MINOSO (CHW debut 01-May-1951; MLB debut 19-Apr-1949; GG 1957, 59, 60; B. 29-Nov-1925—last H 12-Sep-1976; Pitch to the head by Grim18-May-1955)

FCR -    Harvey Judkowitz, Miami, FL

* 1 – Charley O’Leary  DoB 15-Oct-1875 H @ 58 yrs 350 days on 30-Sep-1934

   2 – Jim O’Rourke     Dob 01-Sep-1850 H @ 54 yrs 21 days on 22-Sep-1904

   3 – Nick Altrock       DoB 15-Sep-1876 H @ 53 yrs 21 days on 06-Oct-1929

   4 – Minoso              DoB 29-Nov-1925 H @ 50 yrs 288 days on 12-Sep-1976

   Big thanks to Bill Deane for this data.

Incorrect answers:  Gene Baker, Larry Doby

SUNDAY

Q.         Who hit a 9^th-inning, 2-out, game-winning 2-run triple in the All-Star Game?

Hint:     It was the first triple he had hit in more than a year.

Hint:     It earned him the All-Star MVP Award.

Hint:     He lost his fielding position to a highly-touted rookie the year after winning a Gold Glove.

Hint:     Two years later he moved to DH when he lost his new fielding position to a yet better glove man.

Twint:    Between 2004 and 2010 he was the only player to beat Ichiro for the AL hits title.

A.         MICHAEL YOUNG (AS 3B 11-Jul-2006, previous 3B 08-Jul-2005; 2008 GG at SS, moved to 3B for Elvis Andrus; moved to DH in 2011 for Adrian Beltre; led AL in H in 2005 [Dustin Pedroia tied Ichiro in 2008])

FCR -    Kevin Epstein, San Antonio, TX

Incorrect answers:  Brian Downing, Hank Blalock, Edgar Martinez

WEEKLY THEME – Texas Rangers with 200 hits in a season

Bell                200     1979

Franco           201     1991

Oliver             209     1980

Palmeiro        203     1991

Rivers            210     1980

Rodriguez      201     2001

Sierra             203     1991

Young           204     2003

"               216     2004

"               221     2005

"               217     2006

"            201     2007

"               213     2011

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Douglas Sher, Charleston, SC (after Sierra)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday   -  Latin players with the most HR.

Wed        -  Hispanic/Latino players who spent at least part of their career with the Texas Rangers

               -  Played in the All-Star game wearing Texas Rangers uniforms

               -  Players who won batting championships as Texas Rangers

               -  Hispanic or Latin Players with at least 20 years in the Bigs

               -  Texas Rangers who have won a Silver Slugger award

               -  Hispanic Rangers All-Stars

               -  Texas Rangers players to lead the American League in an offensive category

Thursday  -  Players who spent part of their careers with the Rangers

               -  Players who received MVP votes with the Rangers

Friday      -  Players with the highest single season batting averages for the Texas Rangers

               -  Select Texas Rangers with single season batting averages over .300

Saturday  -  Rangers with 20 game hit streaks

We archive our questions here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia

February 16-22, 2015 MLB Hall of Fame Players who also played in the Negro Leagues.

MONDAY

Q.         Which player had the most total home runs for the 1950s and 1960s combined?

Hint:     Beginning with the first year the Gold Glove was awarded, he won twelve straight.

Hint:     He played in 24 All-Star games, all consecutive.

Twint:    Only Stan Musial matches that career All-Star record.

Twint:    In 99 postseason plate appearances, he hit but a single home run.

A.         WILLIE MAYS (600 HR 1951-69; 1957-1968 GG winner; AS 1954-73 including the two/year games 1959-62;  HR G 2 1971 NLCS)

FCR -    Tommy Garber, Austin, TX

Incorrect answers:  Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Stan Musial, Mike Schmidt

TUESDAY

Q.         Who holds the career records for most runs batted in and total bases?

Hint:     He once said “I never worried about the fastball. They couldn’t throw it past me. None of them.”

Hint:     He has more 30-home run seasons than any other player.

Twint:    Once he corrected his childhood batting grip, he began to hit home runs and became (ahem!) quite proficient at it.

A.         HENRY AARON (2,297 RBI career leader, 6,856 TB; Full quote "I looked for the same pitch my whole career, a breaking ball. All of the time. I never worried about the fastball. They couldn't throw it past me, none of them.”; 15 seasons with at least 30 HR; A Braves scout corrected his cross-handed position after observing him in batting practice, and he hit two HR that very day)

FCR -    Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, AR

Incorrect answers:  Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Barry Bonds

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What Hall-of-Famer-to-be player chose retirement rather than accept a trade to his team’s decades-old rival?

Hint:     He led the National League in stolen bases and sacrifice hits as a rookie.

Hint:     Of fielding his position, he once said "Pop flies, in a sense, are just a diversion for a second baseman.  Grounders are his stock trade."

Twint:    A Hall of Fame teammate described him this way. "He was the greatest competitor I've ever seen.  I've seen him beat a team with his bat, his ball, his glove, his feet and, in a game in Chicago one time, with his mouth."

A.         JACKIE ROBINSON (Was traded to the Giants after the 1956 season for Dick Littlefield and $30,000; Quote by Duke Snider; 29 SB, 28 SH)

FCR -    Blake Sherry, Dublin, OH

Incorrect answers:  Craig Biggio

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who holds the record for home runs in a season by a National League shortstop?

Hint:     An unfortunate set of circumstances surround his last will and testament.

Hint:     He switched positions two years after winning the NL Gold Glove Award at shortstop.

Twint:    He skipped the minors and started in the majors 9 days after an early September signing.

Twint:    His roommate was the player originally slated to start at short, but due to an injury the roomie became the second baseman two days later – forming the first African-American double play combo in the majors.

A.         ERNIE BANKS (47 HR in 1958, played all 154 G @ SS;  GG in 1960, 1B in ‘62; Will controversy:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-ernie-banks-will-met-20150217-story.html; Signed 09‑Sep‑1953, started at short 18-Sep-1953; Banks was brought up to room with Gene Baker who was supposed to be the first black player or the Cubs.  Baker suffered an injury, and Banks took over @ SS.  Banks was moved to 2^nd.)

FCR -    Jake Hopper, Houston, TX

Incorrect answers:  Cal Ripken

THURSDAY

Q.         Who is the only Dodger to win the National League MVP Award more than once?

Hint:     He once replaced his ejected manager in the middle of a minor league game with his team down by three runs.

Hint:     His team won a come-from-behind victory in no small part due to his decision to use a pitcher as a pinch hitter.

Hint:     The result was a game-tying two-run homer.

Twint:    Some say if not for his injury, the Giants may not have gone on to “win the pennant”.

A.         ROY CAMPANELLA (Won three MVPs 1951, ’53 and ‘55; He took over for manager Walt Alston in a Nashua Dodgers game in 1946 making him the first African-American to manage an integrated team in “organized baseball”.  His choice of pitcher Don Newcombe to pinch-hit was clever.  Newk homered; Campy was out of the “shot heard around the world” game and there is speculation that if he had played, Branca would not have thrown that second weak fastball to Bobby Thompson [Seriously—who speculates more than Brooklyn Dodger fans?])

FCR -    Dave Johnson, Swarthmore, PA

Incorrect answers:  Gil Hodges, Sandy Koufax, Steve Garvey, Duke Snider, Maury Wills, Pee Wee Reese

FRIDAY

Q.         Of all the Major League managers born in South Carolina, who had the lowest winning percentage?

Hint:     He is, however, the only one in the Hall of Fame.

Hint:     Trying to place things into perspective, he once said, "Part of history?  I have no notions about that.  I just want to play baseball."?

Twint:    The last time the Indians won the World Series, he had the highest series batting average (minimum 20 AB).

A.         LARRY DOBY (CWS manager 1978 2^nd of 2 went 37-50, the others being Willie Randolph and Marty Marion; HOF 1998; Frist black player in the AL; .318, 7 H/22 AB 1948 WS)

FCR -    Richard Marston, Newport Beach, CA

            Incorrect answers:  Lou Brisse, Frank Robinson, Jim Rice, Early Wynn, Willie Randolph

SATURDAY

Q.         Which 32-year-old player stole home in the first inning of his first World Series game?

Hint:     He had two steals for the Series.  No other member of his team had any.

Hint:     In addition, he compiled the highest batting average in that Series.

Hint:     In spite of that performance, he was not named the World Series MVP.

Twint:    His batting average dropped by more than 250 points for his next World Series, but this time, his team won.

Twint:    In addition to his well-deserved place in Cooperstown, he has been inducted into halls of fame in both Cuba and Mexico.

Twint:    He is the oldest living African American major league veteran.

Twint:    Hall of Famer Effa Manley lent him the down payment on his first house.

A.         MONTE IRVIN (SB G 1 1951 WS; BA .458, 1954 WS NYG topped CLE, Went 2/9 BA .222; WS MVP first awarded 4 yrs. later, in 1955; B. 25-Feb-1919, 95 years old)

FCR -    Mike McCroskey, Sugar Land, TX

Incorrect answers:  Jackie Robinson, Brad Fullmer, Enos Slaughter, Maury Wills, Sandy Amoros, Frankie Frisch, Rickey Henderson, Rod Carew

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         In Bob Feller’s final World Series appearance, which pitcher came in and “stopped the bleeding” facing only two batters to get the final two outs, ending a six-run rally?

Hint:     The first of those two batters had a Hall of Fame career.

Hint:     …as did he.

Twint:    He learned to pitch while “enrolled” in reform school at age 12, about which he said "You might say I traded five years of freedom to learn how to pitch."

A.         SATCHEL PAIGE (Game 5, 1948 WS, he was the 4^th pitcher of the 7th inning and the only one not charged with a run; Batter Warren Spahn hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly; Taught mechanics by Edward Byrd while serving time for petty theft at the Industrial School for Negro Children in Mount Meigs, AL)

FCR -    Tom Hablitzel, Hudson, OH

Incorrect answers:  Hal Newhouser, Early Wynn, Bob Lemon

SUNDAY

Q.         Who hit the only inside-the-park home run ever given up by Hal Newhouser?

Hint:     It was the only home run of his Major League career.

Hint:     Yet he was nicknamed “Home Run”.

Hint:     He was released from that team after 21 days of service.

Hint:     He claimed, probably correctly, that his MLB team could beat the Negro League he then joined “ …only if we was all asleep.”

Hint:     He would later hit 27 homers one year in the Puerto Rican Winter League – a record that stands today.

Twint:    He twice won the Puerto Rican League Triple Crown.

A.         WILLARD BROWN (HR hit pinch hitting, b 8 13-Aug-1947 to secure a 6-5 win, Newhouser allowed 136 career HR; Brown only played in 21 games but his homer was the first by an African-American in the American League; A powerful hitter, he was given the nickname by Josh Gibson after out-slugging Josh Gibson in several HR hitting events; He rejoined the Kansas City Monarchs after being released from the St. Louis Browns, with the full quote “The Browns couldn’t beat the Monarchs no kind of way, only if we was all asleep. That’s the truth. They didn’t have nothing. I said, ‘Major league team?’ They got to be kidding.”; PRWL HR records Brown1947-48 season 27, two years later 23 – Reggie Jackson and Jose Hernandez tied for 3^rd with 20 each; PRL TC 1947-48 & 1949-50)

FCR -    Bill Deane, Cooperstown, NY

Incorrect answers:  Frank Baker, Grant Johnson

WEEKLY THEME –  MLB Hall of Fame Players who also played in the Negro Leagues.

Player            HOF        Career, Negro Leagues included

Aaron            1982        1952 – 1976

Banks            1977        1950 – 1971

Brown            2006        1933 – 1956

Campanella    1969        1937 – 1957

Doby             1998        1942 – 1962

Irvin               1973        1937 – 1957

Mays             1979        1948 – 1973

Paige             1971        1927 – 1966

Robinson       1962        1945 – 1956

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Ken Bell, Miami, FL

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday   -  Hall-of-Famers born in the 1930s

               -  600 HR club

               -  All time [HR | RBI | Total base] leaders

               -  Hall of Famers born in Alabama

               -  Guys from Alabama

               -  Black outfielders born in Alabama

               -  Total bases leaders

Wed.       -  Black Hall of Famers

               -  Negro Leaguers who made the HOF based on their play, at least mostly, in MLB

               -  Players with 3,000 hits, 300 HR's and 300 SB's

               -  First black HOFamer elected for each team

               -  Players who played in the Negro Leagues before they came to the Majors

               -  Hall of Famers who played in the Negro Leagues

               -  Last active Major league players that also played in the Negro Leagues that are in the Hall of Fame

               -  January 31 birthdays

               -  Greatest African American players of all time

               -  Players who were all-stars in both the Negro and major leagues

               -  Negro League alumni who were NL MVP's

               -  Major League MVPs who played in the Negro Leagues

               -  MLB Hall of Famers who began their pro careers in the Negro Leagues

Thursday  -  NL MVP's of the 50's

               -  MLB Hall of Famers who won MVP awards and began their pro careers in the Negro Leagues

               -  Black MVPs in the 1940-1950s

               -  Black hall of famers who won MVP awards

               -  First black players elected to the hall of fame based on their accomplishments in the Major Leagues.

Friday      -  Players who were on Negro League championship teams and World Series winners

Saturday  -  Former Negro League players who eventually played in a the World Series

Horsehide Trivia blog has the questions and answers from this week as well as from previous weeks:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia

February 9-15, 2015 Pitchers with 10 strikeouts and 10 walks in the same game

MONDAY

Q.         Who struck out seventeen batters in a major league game at the tender age of seventeen?

Hint:     He had a game of fifteen Ks just three weeks prior.

Hint:     He graced the cover of Time magazine and THEN graduated from high school.

Twint:    His rise to fame was as rapid as his fastball.

A.         BOB FELLER (17 K G 13-Sep-1936; 15 K G 23-Aug-1936; Time cover 19-Apr-1937, Graduation in May)

FCR -    Timothy Kearns, Washington, DC

Incorrect answers:  Dwight Gooden, Stephen Strasburg, David Clyde, Joe Nuxhall, Mark Fidrych, Herb Score, Lindy McDaniel

MONDAY ALSO

Q.         What fireballer ranks in the Top 5 for career strikeouts for three different franchises?

Hint:     He won a World Series ring with the only other team he played with.

Hint:     All four of the franchises he played for didn’t exist when Ted Williams played.

Twint:    By a whopping margin of 50, he holds the modern career record for wild pitches.

A.         NOLAN RYAN (Angels: #1 w/2,416 K, Astros: #1 w/1,866 K, Rangers #4 w/939 K [With the Mets, he only [ONLY!} ranks 23^rd w/493 K.]; WS ring with the 1969 Mets; WP record 277, runner-up is Phil Niekro @ 226)

FCR -    Eugene Schwartz, Weston, CT

Incorrect answers:  Randy Johnson, Bert Blyleven, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling

TUESDAY

Q.         What Hall of Famer was the only pitcher to hit a walk-off grand slam for the Yankees?

Hint:     He is the only Yankee pitcher to throw over 200 complete games for them.

Hint:     No Yankee pitcher hit more career home runs and that doesn’t even take into account the ones he hit for the Red Sox and White Sox.

Twint:    He holds the all-time record for losses in a season by a Red Sox pitcher.

Twint:    He’s also in second place on the same list.

A.         RED RUFFING (GS 14-Apr-1933; 162 CG [Next is Lefty Gomez w/173]; 30 HR for NYY [6 for BOS, 0 for CHW; 25 L in 1928, 22 L in 1929)

FCR -    Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, AR

Incorrect answers:  Babe Ruth, Vic Raschi, Jack Chesbro, Bob Grim, Ed Lopat

TUESDAY ALSO

Q.         What pitcher with 109 career losses did the Indians trade to the Giants for another pitcher with 109 career losses?

Hint:     Their years of major league service, salaries and career WAR were also nearly identical.

Hint:     He retired #8 on the all-time strikeout list in the liveball era.  The player he was traded for now occupies that very spot.

Hint:     When he joined the Indians as a rookie, he was five years younger than any other pitcher on the team.     

Twint:    Teammate All-Star pitcher Dick Radatz once said of him, "We thought he was just stupid.  It turned out he was never sober."

Twint:    He (Not Radatz) later became the Pirates' drug and alcohol counselor.

A.         SAM McDOWELL (Traded for Gaylord Perry: 9 yrs. Each, 1971 salaries $72K/$75K, WAR 42.3/42.3.; 18 Yrs old in 1961, next were Joe Shaffernoth and Bob Allen @ 23)

FCR -    Mark Jones, Birmingham, AL

Incorrect answers:  Gaylord Perry, Jack McDowell, Jim Perry

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was the only pitcher in American League history to clinch a pennant with a no-hitter?

Hint:     He was with the Indians, but not chiefly.

Hint:     He was drafted by the Giants but never played for them.

Twint:    In the only trade of his thirteen-year career, he was traded straight-up for a future Hall of Famer.

Twint:    No other players were involved on either side.

Twint:    He was on the winning side in the World Series every time he played in the postseason.  

A.         ALLIE REYNOLDS (29-Sep-1951; Nicknamed “Superchief”, he is a Creek Indian; Drafted by the NFL New York Giants; Traded 11-Oct-1946 by CLE to NYY for Joe Gordon; 6 WS rings:  1947, 1949-53)

FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD

Incorrect answers:  Chief Bender, Kerry Wood, Roy Halladay, Mike Scott, Mike Garcia, Tommy John, Early Wynn

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who was the first left-handed pitcher to win a Rookie of the Year Award?

Hint:     Led his league in wild pitches in both his first two seasons.

Twint:    The Red Sox once offered Hank Greenberg’s Indians $1,000,000 to purchase his contract – and Greenberg turned it down.

A.         HERB SCORE (ROY 1955; 12 WP in 1955, 11 in 1956; Joe Cronin offered the money [worth over $8million today] to which Greenberg said, “Joe, I could not let you have Score.”)

FCR -    Larry Lamb, Oakwood, OH

Incorrect answers:  Sandy Koufax, Sam McDowell, Warren Spahn, Roy Halladay, Fernando Valenzuela, Whitey Ford, Gary Peters, Jon Matlack, Vida Blue, Bobby Shantz

THURSDAY

Q.         Which pitcher holds the record for most bases on balls issued by a rookie in the post-expansion era?

Hint:     His only World Series appearance was the last game of his career.

Hint:     He was the first American League pitcher to homer since the adoption of the designated hitter.

Hint:     He pitched one inning and his team won by the largest World Series run differential since 1960.

Twint:    And in that game he took the win by a single run.

A.         BOBBY WITT (143BB led the league in 1986, Sam Jones issued 185 his rookie season in 1955; Game 6 2001 WS ARI 15-2 (13 run victory) over NYY with the record of 14 set in 1936; solo shot 6^th inning 30-Jun-1997 3-2 victory TEX over LAD)

FCR -    Richard Marston, Newport Beach, CA

Incorrect answers:  Mike Morgan, Ken Holtzman

FRIDAY

Q.         Which pitcher holds the Cincinnati Reds’ franchise record for career strikeouts?

Hint:     He once threw a no-hitter only to watch his team suffer a no-hit defeat the very next day.

Hint:     He attended the same high school from which Frank Chance and Tom Seaver are alumni.

Twint:    He pitched another “no-hitter” four years prior but he gave up two 11^th inning hits, and when the rules defining a no-hitter were officially changed he lost his no-no.

Twint:    Incidentally, the first hit was a homer and he lost the game 1-0.

A.         JIM MALONEY (1,592 Ks; 30-Apr-1969 no hitter won 10-0 over HOU, Then the Astros’ Don Wilson threw a tidy 4-0 no-no thrown at CIN the next day 01-May-1969; Previous no-no: 14-Jun-1965, he pitched 10 hitless [prior to 1991 rule change, this was a no-hitter], then gave up an 11^th inning dinger to NYM Johnny Lewis)

FCR -    Dave Gross, Wind Gap, PA

Incorrect answers:  Bucky Walters, Jim O’Toole, Tom Browning, Mario Soto, Johnny Vander Meer

SATURDAY

Q:         Who was the first modern Baltimore Orioles pitcher to have a 20-win season?

Hint:     He was also the first Baltimore Orioles pitcher to lead the American League in shutouts.

Hint:     Just one season prior – his rookie year - he led his league in bases on balls and wild pitches.

Twint:    He once went 8.2 innings without giving up a hit, and his reliever closed the ninth completing the no-hitter – and yet they lost 2-1.

Twint:    Two games prior, his first start of the same season, he gave up a 9^th-inning one-out hit that was the only one in his complete-game shut-out victory.

A.         STEVE BARBER (20-13 in 1963, 8 ShO 1961 tied Camilo Pascual; 1960 113 BB and 10 WP; Combined no hitter with Stu Miller 30-Apr-1967, the two runs were the result of three walks, a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice; 16-Apr-1967, Jim Fregosi broke up the no-no with a double)

FCR -    Dave Pugh, Baltimore, MD

Incorrect answers:  Jim Palmer, Hoyt Wilhelm, Dave McNally, Chuck Estrada, Stu Miller, Wally Bunker, Milt Pappas

SUNDAY

Q:         Who surrendered the last triple at the Los Angeles Coliseum?

Hint:     It was to a future Hall of Famer.

Twint:    Who finished the last few innings of Sandy Koufax’s first World Series start?

Twint:    He didn’t give up a hit, but Koufax still lost the game 1-0.

Twint:    He got a ring with that team, but a few years later he was on the losing end when the Los Angeles Dodgers took their second Fall Classic since moving west.

Twint:    He was a Yankee because the Dodgers wanted a “Moose” on first, beating out a certain “Horse” that failed to make the squad despite hitting a try-out homer off Koufax.

A.         STAN WILLIAMS (1959 WS Game 5, LAD v CWS, Koufax went 7i, but lost 1-0 with Williams pitching no hit ball the last two innings; He was a NYY in 1963 when the LAD swept them; 26-Nov-1962 he was traded to the NYY for Bill Skowron; Mr Ed tried out for the Dodgers; Surrendered a 3b to Ernie Banks 19-Sep-1961)

FCR -    Douglas Sher, Charleston, SC

Incorrect answers:  Dean Chance, Warren Spahn, Roger Craig, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Ron Perranoski, Early Wynn

WEEKLY THEME – Pitchers who had 10 strikeouts and 10 bases-on-balls in the same game.

Pitcher              Date         BB       K     Dec.

Barber        13-Aug-1961      11       11      W

Feller           7-Aug-1941       11       13      L

                   6-Aug-1937       10       12      T

Maloney     19-Aug-1965      10       12      W

McDowell     4-Jul-1964        11       12      L

                   2-May-1970       10       10      L

Reynolds    14-Jun-1946      10       10      L

Ruffing        5-Sep-1927       11       12      W

Ryan           14-Jun-1974      10       19      W

Score          16-Apr-1957      11       10      L

Williams      17-May-1961      12       11      W

Witt             1-Sep-1990       10       10      W

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Douglas Sher, Charleston, SC

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday   -  Pitchers who led their leagues in strikeouts and walks

               -  Pitchers who had their careers interrupted due to military service

               -  Pitchers clocked at over 100 mph

               -  Top 10 MLB strikeout leaders

               -  Pitchers with multiple 300 Strikeout seasons

Tuesday   -  Season strikeout leaders who made their first career starts as teenagers

Wed        -  Pitchers who led their leagues in strikeouts and wild pitches in the same season

               -  Pitchers who led their leagues in Ks and WP at some point in careers

               -  Pitchers who led their leagues in Ks in years when they walked at least 100 batters

               -  Pitchers considered to be the fastest in the league

Thursday  -  Cleveland Indian pitchers who led the league in strikeouts

               -  Pitchers to walk 10 or more batters in a game

Friday      -  Pitchers to have more than one game with double digit walks

               -  Pitchers who have led their league in strikeouts and walks allowed

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