Answers for the Week of October 18, 2010

MONDAY

Q.         Who was the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award unanimously?

Hint:     He is the only pitcher to strike out 18 batters in a game in the 1950s.

Twint:    He was selected with the final pick in the 2007 Israel Baseball League draft.

Twint:    He once said, “Can nice guys win? Sure, nice guys can win—if they're nice guys with a lot of talent. Nice guys with a little talent finish fourth and nice guys with no talent finish last."

A.         Sandy Koufax (1963 CYA; 18K 31-Aug-1959 against the Giants.  Reader Scott Schleifer correctly pointed out that Warren Spahn struck out 18 in a 15-inning loss to the Cubs on Flag Day 1952; Quote: Almanac.)

First Correct Respondent - Chuck Durante, Dover, DE

TUESDAY

Q.         Who led the National League in home runs five times during the 1980s?

Hint:     He played his first Major League game on the day Denny McLain played his last.

Twint:    He ate three slices of wheat toast with butter before every game (except double headers).

A.         Mike Schmidt (NL HR leader 1980-81, 83-84, 86; debut 12-Sep-1972)

FCR -    Art Springsteen, Sunapee, NH

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was the only National League manager to win 100 or more games in a season in the 1960s and the 1970s?

Hint:     His fastball earned him the nickname “Smokey.”

Twint:    In his Major League debut, he replaced Hall of Famer Johnny Mize.

A.         Walter Alston (102 W in 1962 and 1974; debut 27-Sep-1936)

FCR -    Frank Workman, Lake Forest Park, WA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who hired baseball clown Max Patkin as a coach in 1946?

Hint:     He arranged to buy the Phillies in 1942 and stock the team with Negro League stars before Judge Landis halted the deal.

Twint:    In 1937 he planted the ivy that still grows on the outfield wall at Wrigley Field.

A.         Bill Veeck

FCR -    Tony Szabelsk, Addison, IL

THURSDAY

Q.         Which former catcher served as head baseball coach at University of Michigan while he pursued his law degree?

Hint:     His brother was the scout who discovered Hall of Famers Walter Alston and Enos Slaughter.

Twint:    He once proclaimed, “the the ultimate human experience is to witness the flawless execution of a hit-&-run.”

A.         Branch Rickey (UMich coach 1910-13; brother Frank Rickey a long-time scout for several teams)

FCR -    Art Springsteen, Sunapee, NH

FRIDAY

Q.         Who was just the second pitcher (after Cy Young) to win 100 games and strike out 1,000 batters in both the American League and National League?

Hint:     He had a 10-2 record against the Senators, which probably emboldened him in his stand against the Senate this year.

Twint:    He is also one of only five players to throw a no-hitter in both leagues.

Twint:    His son is a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

A.         Jim Bunning (106 w in NL, 118 in AL, 1,449 K in NL, 1,406 AL; R-KY; On February 25, 2010 Bunning objected to a proposal of unanimous consent for an extension of unemployment insurance, COBRA, and other federal programs, citing that this extension was not pay-as-you-go.  He proposed an amendment which sought to find the funds to pay for the bill from the Stimulus Bill of 2009, and declared that he supported the unemployed, but that a bill such as this only adds to the growing deficit and that it should be paid for immediately; son is David L. Bunning)

FCR -    Dave Serota, Kalamazoo, MI

SATURDAY

Q.         Who is the only manager to manage the Yankees to losses in consecutive World Series?

Twint:    Between 1900-07, he was the only player other than Roy Thomas to lead the National League in Bases-on-Balls.

Twint:    He was honored with the first monument in Yankee Stadium.

A.         Miller Huggins (1921-22 WS losses to NY Giants; led NL in BB in 1905, tied Thomas for lead in 1907; 30-May-1932 monument unveiling.)

FCR -    Rich Klein, Plano, TX

SUNDAY

Q.         Which judge stalled his decision on the case between MLB and the Federal League until the latter had collapsed?

Hint:     He also seized control of the Eastland disaster court case (in which over 800 employees of the Western Electric Co. & their family members died), then limited the historical documentation of the disaster by sealing court records.

Twint:    He earned fame in his youth as a fairgrounds bicycle racer in Indiana.

A.         Kenesaw Mountain Landis (sat on MLB vs. FL case in 1915; seized & sealed Eastland case Jul-1915 [His name came from a misspelling of Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia, where his father, a physician, fought on the Union side and lost a leg during the American Civil War at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.])

FCR -    John Wanamaker, Binghamton, NY

WEEKLY THEME – Hall of Famers who attended college in Ohio

Alston         Miami University

Bunning      Xavier University

Huggins      University of Cincinnati

Koufax       University of Cincinnati

Landis        University of Cincinnati

Rickey        Ohio Wesleyan University

Schmidt      Ohio University

Veeck         Kenyon College

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Matthew Dicker, Arlington, VA (Wednesday in the wee hours)

Answers for the Week of October 11, 2010

MONDAY

Q.         What “Old Roman” was (is) blamed for the Black Sox scandal?

Hint:     A current major league park used to bear his name.

Twint:    His major league hosiery’s original color was brown, not black.

A.         Charles Comiskey (His penurious treatment of his players was, they claimed, the main reason they accepted bribes to purposely lose the 1919 World Series; Comiskey Park became U.S. Cellular Field in 2003.  The Chicago White Sox have played there or in its predecessor park for over a century; His major league playing career started with the St. Louis Brown Stockings)

First Correct Respondent - Cappy Gagnon, South Bend, IN

TUESDAY

Q.         Who was the first player to hit home runs in three consecutive at-bats?

Hint:     He was the first first baseman to record two unassisted double plays in one game.

Hint:     He was the first player to hit four doubles in one game.

Twint:    Ironically, he was the first white child born in Marshalltown, IA.

A.         Cap Anson (1884)

FCR -    Art Springsteen, Sunapee, NH

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who owns the highest winning percentage of all 19^th century managers? (500 W min.)

Hint:     It’s second all-time, behind only Joe McCarthy’s.

Twint:    He grew up in England playing cricket.

Twint:    He is credited with giving the New York Gothams the nickname they still retain, the Giants.

A.         James Mutrie (W pct. .611)

FCR -    Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, MD

THURSDAY

Q.         Who is the only manager to guide seven major league teams during his career?

Hint:     He alone managed in the National League before the American Association came into existence and after the American League began competition.

Twint:    He was handsome enough, but no Beauty.

A.         Frank Bancroft (7 teams; Not to be mistaken for Hall of Famer Dave “Beauty” Bancroft)

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

FRIDAY

Q.         Who was Brooklyn’s first major league pennant-winning manager?

Hint:     He managed five Hall of Famers.

Twint:    He won for the borough in consecutive years in different leagues.

A.         Bill McGunnigle (1888 Bridegrooms; Managed Connie Mack, Jake Beckley, Ned Hanlon, Pud Galvin, and Fred Clarke; 1888 AA, 1889 NL)

FCR -    Ken Bell, Chicago

SATURDAY

Q.         Who was the SECOND Canadian-born major league manager?

Hint:     He was the last manager in Kansas City in the 19^th century.

Twint:    He’s from Alexander Graham Bell’s home town.

A.         Bill Watkins (b. Brantford, ON; KC Cowboys 1889)

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first player whose nickname was “Death to Flying Things”?

Hint:     He was the first player for a Brooklyn team to have ten doubles in a season.

Hint:     He had to retire as a player due to his weight problem.

Twint:    A team he managed had players suspended for gambling.

A.         Jack Chapman (10 2b 1874)

FCR -    Mike Henderson, Silver Spring, MD

WEEKLY THEME – Managers of the World Series played between the champions of the American Association and the National League 1884-1890.

Anson               1885, 1886

Bancroft           1884

Chapman          1890

Comiskey         1885, 1886, 1887, 1888

McGunnigle       1889, 1890

Mutrie               1884, 1888, 1889

Watkins            1887

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Al Blumkin, Brooklyn (Thursday afternoon)

Answers for the Week of October 4, 2010

MONDAY

Q.         Who was the first New York Yankee shortstop to hit 20 home runs in a season?

Hint:     He was the first Yankee to win the All-Star Game MVP award.

Twint:    He was the first high school player selected in the 1992 amateur draft.

A.         Derek Jeter (24 HR in 1999; AS MVP 2000)

First Correct Respondent - Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, MD

TUESDAY

Q.         Who is the only player active in 2010 to turn an unassisted triple play AND have a cycle to his credit?

Hint:     He is the only player in major league history whose last name ends with zki.

Twint:    One of his teammates hit for the cycle in 2010.

Twint:    He was the victim of a triple play the same year he turned one.

A.         Troy Tulowitzki (UTP 29-Apr-2007, cycle 10-Aug-2009; No longer true of his last name since the debut of the Padres’ Lance Zawadzki on 02-May-2010; Carlos Gonzales’ cycle 31-Jul-2010 including a walk-off HR; TP 12-Sep-2007)

FCR -    Alex Swingle, New York

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who holds the records for most at-bats in a season?

Hint:     He also holds the record for the most plate appearances.

Hint:     Yes, it was the same year.

Twint:    He owns the music label Bay Sluggas, Inc.

Twint:    As a teenager, he appeared in MC Hammer music videos.

A.         Jimmy Rollins (716 AB, 778 PA, both in 2007)

FCR -    David Serota, Kalamazoo, MI

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who was the first National League shortstop to hit 40 doubles, 10 triples and 20 home runs in the same season?

Hint:     Led his team in batting during the 2007 NLDS.

Twint:    He set a record by being the third sibling chosen in the first round of the major league draft.

Twint:    He signed just minutes before the deadline for the next draft.

A.         Stephen Drew (2008 44 2b, 11 3b, 21 HR; .500 7/14; Signed in 2005, brother J.D. drafted in 1997 and 1998 and brother Tim in 1997)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

THURSDAY

Q.         Who earned American a free taco at Taco Bell by stealing a base in the 5^th inning of Game One of the 2008 World Series?

Hint:     He was named the Rays MVP in his first year with the team.

Twint:    After finishing 2^nd to Derek Jeter in the fan voting, he was voted to the 2009 All-Star team by his fellow players.

A.         Jason Bartlett (Team MVP in 2008)

FCR -    Bob Stonehouse, Carmichael, CA

THURSDAY EXTRA

Q.         Who was rated as the best defensive infielder with the best infield arm and best strike zone discipline among his franchise’s prospects in 2008?

Hint:     His rise to the majors was facilitated by the trade of veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

Twint:    This former Aggie was leading all of minor league baseball in walks when he was called up to the majors.

A.         Cliff Pennington (93 BB on 12-Aug-2008)

FCR -    Jake White, Fontana, CA

FRIDAY

Q.         Who, according to TBS had 2010’s lowest percentage of first pitches swung at in the American League?

Hint:     He won a silver medal in Canada in 2001.

Hint:     He was the shortstop on the 2003 Futures All-Star team.

Twint:    He was National League Player of the Week June 30-July 6, 2008.

Twint:    His mother was a professional tennis player

A.         J. J. Hardy (6.8%)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute, IN

FRIDAY EXTRA

Q.         Who played in 100 games for one team the first time for his 6^th team in only four major league seasons?

Hint:     His father Mike was the last baseball coach at Duquesne University.

Twint:    Mike Sweeney dubbed him “The Paperboy” because of his youthful appearance.

A.         Josh Wilson (100+ G in 2010; Duquesne recently announced it was terminating its baseball program)

FCR -    Terry Walters, Mechanicsburg, PA

SATURDAY

Q.         After Ted Kazanski in 1953, who was the next shortstop to four runs batted in during his major league debut?

Hint:     He was drafted by a team in one country, but made his major league debut five years later for the same team, but in a different country.

Twint:    After his second major league game he was batting .750 with a slugging pct. of 1.500.

Twint:    No, Kazanski’s nickname was NOT “The Unabomber”.  (He only had 14 career bombs.)

A.         Ian Desmond (Debut 10-Sep-2009;Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals; 3 2b and HR)

FCR -    Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

SATURDAY EXTRA

Q.         Who was the first position player drafted in 2003 by the St. Louis Cardinals to make the team?

Hint:     He played for Notre Dame in the championship game at Dodger stadium in 2000.

Twint:    His father nicknamed him Boog and the name has stuck.

Twint:    Cardinals fans call him “Twitch”.

A.         Brendan Ryan (Notre Dame High School vs.

FCR -    Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

SUNDAY

Q.         What former Conference USA standout was the Round Rock Express Most Valuable Player in 2009?

Hint:     He was the Green Wave male athlete of the year in 2005.

Twint:    His father Jim holds the Loyola Marymount season record for hits in a season with a wood bat.

A.         Tommy Manzella (Tulane University Green Wave)

FCR -    Terry Walters, Mechanicsburg, PA

WEEKLY THEME – This year’s starting shortstops who were born in the United States (37%)

Bartlett           Mountain View, CA

Desmond       Sarasota, FL

Drew              Hahira, GA

Hardy            Tucson, AZ

Jeter              Pequannock, NJ

Manzella        Chalmette, LA

Pennington    Corpus Christi, TX

Rollins           Oakland, CA

Ryan              Los Angeles, CA

Tulowitzki       Santa Clara, CA

Wilson           Pittsbrugh, PA

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara (in the wee hours of Saturday morning)

Answers for the Week of September 27, 2010

27-Sep-2010

MONDAY

Q.         After John Montefusco in 1975, who was the next Giants rookie pitcher to strike out 12 batters in a game?

Hint:     He is often referred to in a new refrain that rhymes with refrain.

Twint:    He earned USA Today’s Organizational Player of Year honors for the Giants farm system in back-to-back seasons.

Twint:    He earned the nickname “Big Sugar” pitching for Houston High School.

A.         Matt Cain (12 K 06-Aug-2006; “Lincecum and Cain and pray for rain.”; OPY 2004-05; Houston HS in Germantown, TN)

First Correct Respondent - Peter Beagle, Oakland

TUESDAY

Q.         Who leads all active pitchers in shutouts with almost a 50% lead, despite being 10 years younger than some of his closest competitors?

Hint:     He lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning in his second career start on a solo home run by Bobby Higginson.

Twint:    His nickname comes from a famous dentist.

A.         Roy Halladay (19 ShO, Chris Carpenter is 2^nd with 13 and 47-year-old Jamie Moyer has 10; No-hit bid 27-Sep-1998; “Doc”, from John Henry Holliday, who was involved in law enforcement in 1880s Arizona.)

FCR -    Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, MD

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What first-round draft pick is ranked by Baseball-Reference to have a career that, to date, most closely matches that of Barry Bonds?

Hint:     He was named Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, Sporting News and his franchise’s organization.

Twint:    He was born in the same city as a Hall of Famer who once starred for the team he now plays for.

A.         Jay Bruce (965 correlation in B-R; awards in 2007; Beaumont, TX, Frank Robinson for the Cincinnati Reds)

FCR -    Gregg Gaylord, Champaign, IL

THURSDAY

Q.         Who was only the second athlete to earn first-team All-Ivy League honors in both baseball and basketball?

Hint:     He hit a triple in his first at-bat in the big leagues.

Twint:    His father played for four team in the majors, but ended his career as a Marine.

A.         Will Venable (Princeton, fellow alum and teammate Chris Young was the first doubly honored; 3b 29-Aug-2008; Max Venable played for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League)

FCR -    Phil Oppenheim, Santa Barbara

THURSDAY THE TWICE

Q.         Phil Nevin was the first college world series Most Outstanding Player to be chosen first over-all in the MLB draft.  Who was the second?

Hint:     He played football against Tom Brady in high school.

Twint:    He is the active career leader in outfield assists by a left-fielder.

A.         Pat Burrell (NCAA WS MOP & draft in 1998, Nevin in 1992; Brady played for a school rival, Junipero Serra High School.  Burrell played for Bellarmine College Preparatory High School in San Jose; 90 assists and counting)

FCR -    Joe Ullian, Sacramento

THURSDAY THE THRICE

Q.         What BLTR player won the state championship when at Liberty?

Hint:     His 15 victories is the fewest by a starter in a full season where he won the Cy Young award.

Twint:    His follow-through has enabled him to pick up a few more dollars.

A.         Tim Lincecum (Lincecum attended Liberty Senior High School in Renton, Washington, where he played two seasons of varsity baseball. As a senior, he won state player of the year and led his school to the 2003 AAA state championship; CYA 2009 15-7; His father taught him to follow through close to the ground by placing dollars bills on the pitcher’s mound near the point where the follow-through should finish.  The young Lincecum was allowed to keep those he could collect in a smooth motion after releasing the ball.)

FCR -    Joe Merrill, Brunswick, ME

FRIDAY

Q.         Who was originally drafted by the Pirates but didn’t play for them until four years later, after doing stints with three other teams?

Hint:     He now toils for his fifth team in the majors.

Hint:     Last year, he homered in four consecutive games from Sept. 28-Oct. 2 and hit five over the season’s final seven games.

Twint:    He has only hit one of his 54 home runs this year to right field.

A.         Jose Bautista

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

SATURDAY

Q.         Who player ended the 2005 season with a 36-game hitting streak intact?

Hint:     He was married earlier this year to his former trainer.

Twint:    He has led the National League four times in at-bats, including in his MVP season.

Twint:    He grew up in Oakland and his childhood hero was Rickey Henderson.

A.         Jimmy Rollins (Streak was extended to 38 the next season; Johari Smith; MVP 2007)

FCR -    Tom Zocco, Rocky Hill, CT

SATURDAY BONUS

Q.         Whose first career hit was off Jason Marquis?

Hint:     He immediately then thole his first base.

Hint:     It is said that after viewing him in spring training, Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen gushed about his catcher skills.

Twint:    He had allowed a passed ball in the previous half inning.

Twint:    The kids might say that his performance last night was “to’lly” awesome.

A.         Josh Thole (Pronounced “TOE-lee”; 03-Sept-2009)

FCR -    Dave MacEntee, Beacon, NY

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first American Leaguer to be award the Player of the Month award for the first two months of the season?

Hint:     At the start of his professional career in the minors, his parents quit their jobs to follow him on the road.

Hint:     In 2009, he led all players with runs batted in during spring training.

Twint:    He made his major league debut against the club that had selected him in the Rule Five draft the prior season.

A.         Josh Hamilton (April & May 2008; 27 RBI; Playing for the Reds against the Cubs)

FCR -    Matthew Repplinger, Denver

WEEKLY THEME – Outstanding players of the prior day.

Cain            Sunday          Hurled three-hit complete game against Colorado in tight NL West match, where he had a no-hitter into the 8^th inning

Halladay     Monday         Shut out Nationals for 21^st win and clinched NL East title

Bruce          Tuesday         Walk-off home run clinched NL Central for the Reds

Venable      Wednesday    Made two tremendous outfield catches against the Cubs to help insure a victory for the Padres in a tight division race in the NL West

Burrell         Wednesday    Hit a towering three-run home run to provide all the scoring in the win over the D’Backs, reducing the Giants’ magic number to three

Lincecum    Wednesday    Struck out 11 in a seven-inning performance, allowing only one earned run (and none after the game’s first batter)

Bautista      Thursday        Hit his major-league-leading 53^rd and 54^th home runs, including a third deck grand slam

Rollins        Friday            Crushed a grand slam off Michael Dunn that broke open the game against the Braves for the Phillies in the top of the 6^th, helping reduce the Braves’ National League Wild Card to one game.

Thole          Friday            Hit a game winning-home run in the 10^th inning for the Mets against the Nationals.

Hamilton     Saturday        Hit a home run in a dramatic return to action.  It was also was his 100^th RBI for the season.

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one.