MONDAY
Q. Who celebrated his 80th birthday this past Friday?
Hint: Jack Bauer
SABR Hint: Serious baseball people cannot think of a more complete outfielder.
Twint: He is the only player to have a game with four home runs and another game with three triples.
A. Willie Mays (b. 06-May-1931; “24” matching Mays’s famous uniform number; 4 HR 30-Apr-1961, 3 3b 15-Sep-1960)
First Correct Respondent - Matt Gibson, Barboursville, WV
TUESDAY
Q. Whom did Willie Mays pass to move into second place on the career home run list?
Hint: He hit thirty or more home runs in twelve consecutive seasons.
SABR Hint: He was “discovered” by a Hall of Famer for whom home runs were also a calling card.
Twint: He was the first player to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards.
A. Jimmie Foxx (30+ HR 1929-40; Frank “Home Run” Baker; MVPs 1932, 33)
FCR - Bob Kimball, Washington, DC
WEDNESDAY
Q. Who is the only player to hit an All-Star game home run for a team in each league?
Hint: He was the first position player to win a league Most Valuable Player Award and a World Series Most Valuable Player Award?
SABR Hint: He was a high school teammate of a man who was his teammate for eight years in the majors.
Twint: He hit a home in his first at-bat as a player-manager.
A. Frank Robinson (ASG HRs 03-Aug-1959 off Early Wynn, 13-Jul-1971 off Dock Ellis; MVP 1961, 66, WS MVP 1966; Vada Pinson; HR 08-Apr-1975 off Doc Medich)
FCR - Rev. Gerald Beirne, Narragansett, RI
MIDWEEK BONUS
Q. Which Hall of Famer hit the 300th home run in World Series history?
Hint: He hit at least one major league home run per season for 23 consecutive years.
SABR Hint: He was the first player to hit a home run off of 300 different pitchers during his career.
Twint: His congratulatory note for Barry Bonds was prepared well in advance.
A. Hank Aaron (06-Oct-1957; HRs 1954-76; Message when Bonds established the new career home run record 07-Aug-2007)
FCR - David Krassin, New York
THURSDAY
Q. Who boasted, “I am a natural hitter,” after his first season of leading the league in runs batted in with a relatively modest 114?
Hint: He only became an All-Star in his 20th season in the majors.
SABR Hint: He donated generously to his alma mater.
Twint: He eclipses even Cal Ripken, Jimmie Foxx and Left Grove as the greatest player born in Maryland.
A. Babe Ruth (Quote from “Playing the Game”, 114 RBI in 1919; AS 1933; St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys)
FCR - Judah Kaplan, Silver Spring, MD
FRIDAY
Q. Who hit 41 triples in just over five minor league seasons, but only hit 46 triples in his 22-year Major League career?
Hint: Before Barry Bonds in 1992, he had been the last player to top 200 OPS+ in a season.
SABR Hint: His "invisible triple" prompted umpire Frank Dascoli to halt the game due to fog.
Twint: He once said of his manager, “He managed percentages, not people.”?
A. Willie McCovey (209 OPS+ in 1969; Fog G 15-Jul-1960; Mgr. Alvin Dark)
FCR - Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA
SATURDAY
Q. Who led his team in home runs one season, but was not invited to return, effectively ending his major league career?
Hint: He hit his first career home run off Roger Clemens, but never hit another off him in 22 at‑bats.
SABR Hint: His performance in front of Congress, while not lachrymose, was, however, deceitfully taciturn.
Twint: Although he tried out, he was left off his country’s World Baseball Classic team.
Twint: He hit his 600th career home run off a player wearing his old number for his old team after everyone thought that number would be retired.
A. Sammy Sosa (21 HR for the 2007 Rangers; 1st HR 21-Jun-1989; Before Congress 18-Mar-2005; HR off Jason Marquis 20-Jun-2007, the only HR he ever hit against the Cubs)
FCR - Barry Kramer, Reisterstown, MD
WEEKEND BONUS
Q. Who is the only switch-hitter to hit three home runs in a game three times?
Hint: He was the first post-expansion switch-hitter to lead the league in home runs.
SABR Hint: He is the only man to hit home runs in World Series games in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
Twint: In 2008, he released a charity wine, the proceeds of which benefitted a local community foundation.
Twint: More than 300 inner city Little Leaguers attended his Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
A. Eddie Murray (3 HR Gs 29-Aug-1979, 14-Sep-1980, 26-Aug-1985; HR Title 1981; WS HRs 11-Oct-1979 G2, 16-Oct-1983 G5, 22-Oct-1995 G2; Eddie Murray 504 Cabernet Sauvignon; HOF 2003)
FCR - Jim Casey, Savannah
SUNDAY
Q. Who hit his 500th career home run for the New York Mets?
Hint: He was the first to hit his 500th as a pinch-hitter.
SABR Hint: He and Paul O’Neil are the only38-year-old players to have 20-20 seasons.
Twint: His $61,000,000 contract set a baseball record.
A. Gary Sheffield (HR 17-Apr-2009 off Mitch Stetter; 20-20 at 38 in 2007; Contract 1979)
FCR - Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA
WEEKLY THEME – 500 Home Run Club members who homered for different teams in the same city (greater metro).
Aaron Milwaukee Braves/Brewers
Foxx Philadelphia A’s/Phillies
Mays New York Giants/Mets
McCovey San Francisco Giants/A’s
Murray Los Angeles Dodgers/Angels
Robinson Los Angeles Dodgers/Angels
Ruth Boston Red Sox/Braves
Sheffield New York Mets/Yankees
Sosa Chicago White Sox/Cubs
First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Al Blumkin, Brooklyn
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