February 21-27, 2011 The 12 All-Star Games played in by Aaron, Mays & Musial

20-Feb-2011

MONDAY

Q.         Which All-Star Game did the National League win on a home run by Stan Musial in the bottom of the 12^th inning?

Hint:     Mickey Mantle also homered in the game.

SABR Hint:       Arch Ward, impresario and originator of the All-Star Game concept, died on his way to the game.

Twint:    A future NBA player struck out the side in the 12^th and got the win.

Twint:    County Stadium, Milwaukee, WI

A.         1955 (Conley w/the W; Ward was actually buried on the day of the game; http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/1955-all-star-game-winning-bat-on-block/

First Correct Respondent – Phil Oppenheim, Sacramento

TUESDAY

Q.         In which All-Star Game is a gust of wind a significant part of the game’s lore?

Hint:     Facing Whitey Ford in the first inning, Willie Mays was put out for the first time in eleven at‑bats against him.

SABR Hint:       It was the first time Mays had come to bat in an All-Star game in his home team’s park.

Twint:    In his first All-Star appearance Sandy Koufax faced only Roger Maris, surrendering a single.

Twint:    Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA

A.         1961, first game (Pitcher Stu Miller balked at the exact moment one of Candlestick’s famous gusts of wind arose.  To this day he denies any connection between the two events.)

FCR -   

TUESDAY BONUS

Q.         Which was the first All-Star Game played without an extra-base hit?

Hint:     Billy O’Dell, pitching in his home team’s stadium, threw three perfect innings.

SABR HINT:      Hall of Fame Early Wynn earned his only All-Star win.

Twint:    Nellie Fox was the only player with more than one hit.

A.         1958 (O’Dell pitched the 7^th, 8^th & 9^th & got the save)

FCR -    David Serota, Kalamazoo

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Which was the first All-Star Game to end in a tie?

Hint:     After a first inning home run, no other American League runner reached second base until the ninth inning.

SABR Hint:       Only one American League pitcher gave up any hits in the game.

SABR Hint:       He gave up five.

Twint:    Fenway Park, Boston, MA

A.         1961, second game (Rocky Colavito with the 1^st inning HR; Don Schwall gave up 5 H)

FCR -    Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         In which All-Star Game did Mays, Mantle, Musial and Williams all homer?

Hint:     It was the first year where 60% of radio and television All-Star Game revenues went to the players’ pension fund.

SABR Hint:       Mays’s home run was his seventh consecutive hit off Whitey Ford.

Twint:    Ken Boyer got three hits and denied three hits with sparkling plays at third base.

A.         1956

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

THURSDAY

Q.         Which All-Star Game was impacted by (also the cause of) the “Cincinnati Scandal”?

Hint:     Commissioner Ford Frick named Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Stan Musial to replace George Crowe, Wally Post and Gus Bell respectively.

SABR Hint:       Musial would have been the only non-Cincinnati starter according to the fans’ vote totals.

Twint:    Minnie Minoso saved the game with a running catch in the outfield.

A.         1957

FCR -    Larry Lamb, Kettering, OH

FRIDAY

Q.         For which All-Star Game was Hank Aaron the first player unanimously chosen?

Hint:     Whitey Ford was credited with a blown save.

SABR Hint:       It was Willie Mays who sent Ford to the showers, with his 8^th consecutive hit off the New York native.

Twint:    Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, PA

A.         1959, first game

FCR -    Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

FRIDAY INSOUCIANCE

Q.         Which was the first All-Star Game played entirely on the west side of the state of Missouri?

Hint:     Bill Monbouquette surrendered Del Crandall’s only All-Star home run in the game.

SABR Hint:       Bob Friend won the second of his two All-Star victories.

Twint:    Municipal Stadium, Kansas City, MO

A.         1960, first game

FCR -    Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, PA

SATURDAY

Q.         Which All-Star Game was the first played in California?

Hint:     Twenty-year-old pitcher Jerry Walker started for the American League, making his only All-Star appearance.

SABR Hint:       Walker got the victory.

Twint:    Musial was the only batter Walker walked.

A.         1959, second game

FCR -    Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA

SATURDAY, BUT LATER ON…

Q.         In which game did the Splendid Splinter make his final All-Star at-bat?

Hint:     Williams pinch-hit for Minnie Minoso, stroked a single and was replaced by speedster Brooks Robinson.

SABR Hint:       Stan Musial hit his record sixth All-Star home run in the game.

Twint:    Vern Law was the second Pirate to earn an All-Star victory that year, a mere two days after his teammate Bob Friend.

Twint:    Six different pitchers combined on the shut-out effort.

A.         1960, second game

FCR -    Abbey Garber, Dallas

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         In which All-Star Game was the starting National League infield made up entirely of St Louis Cardinals?

Hint:     It was the first year in five where only one All-Star Game would be played.

SABR Hint:       Tom Haller’s brother made his first All-Star appearance.

Twint:    Don Drysdale earned his only All-Star save.

A.         Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH, 1963 (Umpire Bill Haller also appeared in 1970, 75 & 81)

FCR -    Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA

SUNDAY

Q.         When did an American League player first win an All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award?

Hint:     It would be 21 years before the American League again scored as many runs in an All‑Star game.

SABR Hint:       This was the American League’s first win in five tries.

Twint:    Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

A.         1962, second game (ASG MVP Leon Wagner)

FCR -    Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Willie, Mickey and ________?

Hint:     He hit more home runs than any other player in the decade of the 1950s.

Hint:     He was the 10^th player to hit 400 home runs, but the first to hit his 400^th on color television.

Hint:     He holds the record for the most home runs by one player off a single pitcher.

Hint:     He hit the last home run at Ebbets Field.

Hint:     He was the first Dodger to get a hit in Los Angeles.

Hint:     He is the only player to hit four home runs in a World Series twice.

Twint:    He wore the uniform number vacated by Gil Hodges when Hodges entered World War II.

Twint:    He was the first player with 40 home runs and fewer than 100 RBI in the same season.

Twint:    As a quarterback at Compton High School, he could reportedly throw a football 70 yards.

A.         The Duke Duke Snider http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110227&content_id=16753578&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb (326 HR 1950-59; 14-Jun-1963; 19 HR off Robin Roberts; 22-Sep-1957 [off Roberts]; 1^st L.A. H 18‑Apr‑1958; 40+ HR & <100 RBI in 1957)

FCR -    Leonard Levin,

WEEKLY THEME –

Stan Musial, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron each played in a record 24 All-Star Games.  These are the twelve they played in together.  Aaron was a reserve on 1962a, but didn’t get in.

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959a

1959b

1960a

1960b

1961a

1961b

1962b

1963

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one

February 14-20, 2011 AL MVP winners opposite Barry Bonds

14-Feb-2011

MONDAY

Q.         During a break in a major league game, who took the microphone and publicly proclaimed himself, “…the greatest of all time!”?

Hint:     Admittedly, he slipped a little and referred to himself in the first person.  He was probably just excited.

SABR Hint:       Nolan Ryan notched his 7^th no-hitter the same day.

Twint:    His career record of 1,408 stolen bases will probably stand at least as long as Cy Young’s 749 complete games.

A.         Rickey Henderson (Self-proclamation came when he passed Lou Brock on the career steal list. 01-May-1991; Usually refers to himself in the 3^rd person; Ryan)

First Correct Respondent - Dan Silverberg, Aventura, FL

TUESDAY

Q.         Who was the oldest player to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award?

Hint:     His career was with these teams in this sequence:  Indians, Red Sox, Cubs, A's, Cardinals, Red Sox.

SABR Hint:       He threw the 200^th no-hitter in major league history.

Twint:    Ron Darling said, "He's the most amazing pitcher I've ever seen.  He has the ability to throw a strike any time he wants.  Nobody else can do that.  Nobody."

A.         Dennis Eckersley (AL MVP 1992 at age 38; inNo-hitter 30-May-1977)

FCR -    Richard Nicholson, Richmond, VA

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What Dominican grew up idolizing Cal Ripken and then got the chance to replace him?

Hint:     His consecutive games played streak reached to over 40% of Cal’s total.

SABR Hint:       That places him 5^th all-time.

Twint:    He received a sentence of one year probation after he admitted that he’d lied to Congress.

A.         Miguel Tejeda (1,152 G to Ripken’s 2,632; Record)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

THURSDAY

Q.         What Dominican grew up idolizing Cal Ripken and is now in second place behind him for career home runs hit by a shortstop?

Hint:     He has 14 seasons with 100 RBI, the most in history.

SABR Hint:       He and Jose Canseco are both linked to Guy Ritchie.

Twint:    He has signed the two most lucrative contracts in the history of major league baseball.

Twint:    Yes, he DOES know how popcorn works, but it’s always nice to be shown.

A.         Alex Rodriguez (344 HR @ SS; Both dated Madonna, Ritchie’s husband; Popcorn video)

FCR -    Blake Sherry, Dublin, OH

FRIDAY

Q.         Who leads a 110-year old franchise in 23 career offensive categories, but played for two other teams during his career, one of them twice?

Hint:     This according to Baseball-Reference.

SABR Hint:       He is one of only four players with a .300 batting average, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBI, 1,000 runs and 1,500 bases-on-balls.

Twint:    He was a college teammate of Bo Jackson.

A.         Frank Thomas (The other stat holders: Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams; played football with Jackson at Auburn University.)

FCR -    Kevin Johnson, Broken Arrow, OK

SATURDAY

Q.         Whose 44-game hitting streak against the Texas Rangers is the longest player‑versus‑team such stat since MLB began keeping track?

Hint:     Jose Santiago said of him, "There's no way to pitch to him.  The pitches haven't been invented to get that guy out."?

Hint:     Frank Robinson said, ".  He doesn't take a back seat to anyone I've ever seen play this game.  Ever."

SABR Hint:       He just signed with his fourth major league team.

Twint:    He and his brother were once both intentionally walked in the same inning.

Twint:    In 2009, he broke the record he had shared with Frank Robinson and Jeff Kent by stroking his 19^th Opening Day run batted in.

A.         Vladimir Guerrero (Streak ended 05-Aug-2006 where he was 0 for 4  but w/ a BB & 3 R; BB w/bro Wilton 07-Jul-1999 [Turns out it WASN’T the same inning and Wilton’s walk wasn’t intentional.  Other than that, my eyewitness account was completely reliable.])

FCR -    Steven Young, Middletown, MD

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who had the first at-bat in a major league game on the west coast?

Hint:     He struck out.

Hint:     His only All-Star appearance was the year before.

Hint:     Doubling his previous career high, he led the American League in triples his first year there.

Twint:    He was once traded for a player who had been Rookie of the Year in the National League.

A.         Gino Cimoli Passed away this week. (15-Apr-1958; 15 3b in 1962; AS 1957; traded for Wally Moon)

FCR -    Barry Mednick, Yorba Linda, CA

IN MEMORIAM 2

Q.         Which manager did Joe Torre replace in New York?

Hint:     As far as we know, he never fought Ali.

SABR Hint:       His four years as a player in the majors were dwarfed by his 14 years in the minors.

Twint:    He spent time in the minors on the rosters of the Triplets, the Raiders, the Barons, the Indians, the Missions and the Orioles.

Twint:    …as well as the Mounties and another version of the Indians.

A.         Joe Frazier Passed away this week. (Mets mgr. 1976-77)

FCR -    Harvey Judkowitz, Miami

SUNDAY

Q.         Whose long-standing hit record was broken this year by Matt Murton?

Hint:     He led his league in at-bats seven out of his first ten seasons.

SABR Hint:        As a young boy, his daily routine included throwing 50 pitches, fielding 50 infield balls and 50 outfield balls, and hitting 500 pitches, 250 from a pitching machine and 250 from his father.

Twint:    He holds the major league single-season record for the most hits.

Twint:    He hit the only inside-the-park home run in All-Star history.

A.         Ichiro Suzuki (214 H in 144 games in the Japanese League [NPD]; 262 H in 2004);

FCR -    P.L. Cohen, Brooklyn

WEEKLY THEME – The seven American League Most Valuable Award winners who won it the same seasons that Barry Bonds won it in the National League.

1990     Henderson  Oakland A’s

1992     Eckersley    Oakland A’s

1993     Thomas      Chicago White Sox

2001     Ichiro          Seattle Mariners

2002     Tejada        Oakland A’s

2003     A-Rod         Texas Rangers

2004     Guerrero     Anaheim Angels

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one

February 7-13, 2011 Pitchers who recorded the final outs in multiple World Series

N.B.  The authors acknowledge that the Save was not an official statistic until 1969.  We are proceeding this week as if it had always been.

MONDAY

Q.         Who, at the age of 36, was the youngest player ever elected to the Hall of Fame?

Hint:     He holds the top four places in Dodger pitching history for strikeouts in a season.

SABR Hint:       All three of his Cy Young Awards were by unanimous vote.

Twint:    He played basketball at the University of Cincinnati.

Twint:    He had a tryout with the Pirates, but they failed to offer him a contract.

A.         Sandy Koufax (CYAs 1963, 65, 66)

First Correct Respondent - Lawrence Creeden, Boulder City, NV

TUESDAY

Q.         Whose refusal to join the Cincinnati Reds was because he wouldn’t shave off his trademark moustache?

Hint:     He was the first relief pitcher to amass 300 saves.

SABR Hint:       He still owns the lowest ERA of any Cy Young Award winner.

Twint:    He was converted from starter to reliever by Hall of Famer Dick Williams.

Twint:    He was with the Red Sox and Cardinals, but never appeared in a game for either.

A.         Rollie Fingers (300^th S 21-Aug-1982; 1.04 ERA in 1981)

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was the first American League pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a season?

Hint:     In the first game, he faced Bob Feller; In the second, the last out was Ted Williams.

Hint:     Gene Woodling hit a home run in each game.

SABR Hint:       He was once traded for Hall of Famer Joe Gordon.

Twint:    In 1969, he became the president of the American Association.

Twint:    That same season, the AA renamed its top pitching award in his honor.

A.         Allie Reynolds (No-nos 12-Jul-1951 & 28-Sep-1951)

FCR -    Dean Georges, Rockaway Beach, NY

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who was the first pitcher to appear in 700 games for a New York-based major league team?

Hint:     He broke Juan Berenguer’s 15-year-old record for victories by a Panamanian pitcher.

SABR Hint:       He struck out Russ Davis all seven times he faced him.

Twint:    He struck out Pedro Martinez all five times he faced him.

Twint:    He donated his 2001 Rolaids Relief Award to the (FDNY) Fire Department of New York.

A.         Mariano Rivera (700^th G 27-Sep-2006; 68^th W 28-Sep-2008)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who is the only player traded for Hall of Famers Jim Bunning and Tony Perez?

Hint:     His arm “popped” during a 1983 game, immediately ending his 18-year major league career.

Hint:     He was pitching to a bear at the time.

Hint:     He was he opposing pitcher in Tom Seaver’s debut.

Twint:    He was discovered while playing semi-pro softball in Kentucky.

A.         Woody Fryman (28-Jul1983 while pitching to Floyd “Honeybear” Rayford; Seaver debut 13-Apr-1967)

FCR -    P.L. Cohen, Brooklyn

IN MEMORIAM TWO

Q.         Which classmate of Richard Nixon was the first Whittier College alumnus to appear in a major league game?

Hint:     Hubie Brooks was the next Whittier position player in the bigs, 43 years later.

Hint:     He fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

Hint:     The Dodgers celebrated his 100^th birthday in ceremonies preceding the final game of the 2009 season.

Twint:    He wore #4 for the Dodgers after Hack Wilson and before Duck snider.

Twint:    After World War II, he and his wife Vi ran a trailer park in Twentynine Palms, California.

A.         Tony Malinosky (Dodgers ceremony 04-Oct-2009)

FCR -    Rod Nelson, Detroit

THURSDAY

Q.         What pitcher broke Sandy Koufax’s single-game World Series strikeout record?

Hint:     He coached the Mets six years before his namesake played for them.

SABR Hint:       Steve Carlton broke his National League career strikeout record.

Twint:    During a mound conference, he told battery mate Tim McCarver, “Get back behind the batter.  The only thing you know about pitching is how hard it is to hit.”

Twint:    He was charged with assault on the same day as was fellow Cy Young Award winner Dwight Gooden.

A.         Bob Gibson (17 Ks 02-Oct-1968; The other Bob Gibson; Held NL K record till 1982; 19‑Feb‑2002 Alleged road-rage incident.)

FCR -    Peter Beagle, Oakland

THURSDAY THOROUGH

Q.         Who was the first American League players’ representative?

Hint:     He was the first Yankee to earn 100 career saves.

Hint:     At the end of his playing career, he stepped immediately into the Red Sox front office.

SABR Hint:       He was in the front office of the New York Mets during their formation.

Twint:    In 1944, he went on the voluntarily Retired List in order to remain in war work.

Twint:    He was the General Manager of the Miracle Mets and died that following off-season.

A.         Johnny Murphy (Rep on 08-Jul-1946; 100^th S 05-Jun-1946; Retired after 1947 season; Joined Mets in 1962; Died 14-Jan-1970)

FCR -    P.L. Cohen, Brooklyn

FRIDAY

Q.         Which major leaguer was the last alumnus of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology?

Hint:     He failed to retire a single batter in his last major league game following his 15-year career.

SABR Hint:       This one’s for you, John.

Twint:    He gave up the last World Series inside-the-park home run.

Twint:    In the 1918 season, he led the National League in batters face while allowing the most hits and the most earned runs.

A.         Art Nehf (Rose-Hulman, named Rose Polytechnic Institute at the time; 12-Oct-1929)

FCR -    Phillip Opperman, Sacramento

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who is the only manager to defeat Ted Turner?

Hint:     Turner later hired him.

Hint:     In his first at-bat in the majors, a pinch-hit appearance, in front of a National League record opening-day crowd, he hit a home run on the first pitch he saw.

Hint:     He was he manager of the World Series champion 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, famous for their theme and theme song, “We are Family”.

Twint:    He is the first manager to be traded for a player.

A.         Chuck Tanner http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/11/chuck-tanner-1929-2011/ (Turner game 11-May-1977; HR 12-Apr-1955; Traded for Manny Sanguillen 05-Nov-1976.  N.B.  There WAS a prior mag/player swap:  27-Nov-1967, Gil Hodges was traded by the Washington Senators to the New York Mets for Bill Denehy and $100,000.  Thanks to Jeff Freedman for catching that. [And for having the wisdom to read the Twitter clues.])

FCR -    Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA

FRIDAY FOLLOW-UP

Q.         Who was the first Yankee to save 20 games in a season?

Hint:     That year, he set the major league season save record.

Hint:     He was the first recipient of the Babe Ruth Award.

Twint:    His nickname was “The Gay Reliever”.

Twint:    Incident to his marriage to Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio is reputed to have quipped, “It’s better than rooming with (him).”

A.         Joe Page (27 S in 1947; Babe Ruth Award 1949)

FCR -    John Rickert, Rose-Hulman, Indiana

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who ended his own iron-man streak of 3,769 consecutive home games to attend Cal Ripken’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown?

Hint:     He set the record at two different stadiums.

Hint:     Andy Etchebarren said of him, “He was a wonderful man who will bypass everything and go straight to heaven.”

Hint:     Cal Ripken said, “Today, Baltimore lost a very special man… O’s games won’t be the same without him.”

Twint:    Jim Palmer asked, ”How many guys do you know who walk into a room and light it up?”

A.         Ernie Tyler, Baltimore Orioles umpire attendant since 1960.  He died yesterday from a brain tumor. http://www.baltimoresun.com/videobeta/?watchId=4a3899ea-2813-4369-a657-a5490360871a

FCR -    Blake Sherry, Dublin, OH

SATURDAY

Q.         Who earned his first win in the game where Bob Gibson got his 3,000^th strikeout?

Hint:     In 1981, he attempted to rehabilitate his career with Tabasco.

Hint:     He has the most at-bats in a hitless season before getting a hit in the postseason.

Twint:    His World Series ring was the first such ever sold on eBay.

A.         Will McEnaney (17-Jul-1974; 1981 for the Tobasco Olmecas of the Mexican League; WS hit 1975; eBay sale in March 2003 for $6,500.01 [WS replica rings had been auctioned there before.])

FCR -    Bradley Curtis, Roseville, CA

SUNDAY

Q.         Who went mid-season from the second division Senators to have the best ERA on the eventual World Series champions?

Hint:     In only six starts one year, he pitched two shutouts.

Hint:     Although primarily a reliever, he once took a no-hitter deep into the 9^th inning against a pitcher who had thrown two no-hitters the year before.

SABR Hint:       He threw shutouts in his next two starts.

Twint:    Rose to the rank of sergeant during World War II in the U.S. Army.

Twint:    His last stint in professional baseball was as the 3^rd manager for the 1960 Charleston White Sox.

A.         Bob Kuzava (Trade to the Yankees 15-Jun1951; Near no-hitter 08-Aug-1953 vs. Virgil Trucks; SHO)

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

Pitcher                 Series

Fingers                1972, 74

Gibson                1964, 67

Koufax                1963, 65

Kuzava                1951, 52

McEnaney            1975, 76

Murphy                1936, 39

Nehf                    1921, 22

Page                   1947, 49

Reynolds             1950, 53

Rivera                  1998, 99, 2000, 09

WEEKLY THEME – Pitchers who recorded the final outs in multiple World Series.

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Jeff Miller, Brookeville, MD