Sunday, February 27, 2011

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 12th 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 12th 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 7th, 8th & 9th & 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 1st 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 8th 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 10th player to hit 400 home runs, but the first to hit his 400th 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]; 1st 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.


First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one

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