MONDAY
Q. Who retired with major league career records for games played, at bats, runs, hits, total bases, and batting average?
Hint: That last one is still his and is likely to be his for some time to come.
SABR Hint: He was the highest-paid player during his career but became a millionaire from his investments.
Twint: He was peachy.
A. Ty Cobb (G 3,035, AB 11,434, R 2,246, H 4,189, TB 5,854, AVG .366; Coca-Cola was the investment that paid the biggest dividends early for him; “Georgia Peach” was his nickname.)
First Correct Respondent - David Krassin, New York
TUESDAY
Q. Who is the career leader in outfield assists?
Hint: He twice had 35 in a season.
SABR Hint: He got a World Series championship as a player/manager after winning two as a player.
Twint: His career record of 792 career doubles seems safe.
A. Tris Speaker (A 449; 35 A in 1909 & 1912; WS 1920, 1912, 1915)
FCR - Charlie Brown, Washington, DC
TUESDAY 2’SDAY
Q. Who was the first native of Pennsylvania in the Hall of Fame?
Hint: He had, according to Lee Sinins' Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia, the greatest single offensive National League season in the 20th century.
SABR Hint: Jack Dunn, the same Jack Dunn who signed Babe Ruth to his first professional contract, gave up his first homer in the majors.
Twint: His ERA of 0.00 is the lowest of any player in the Hall of Fame.
A. Honus Wagner (HOF 1936; 1908 season; Dunn HR 27-Aug-1997 [N.B. It cleared the fence.])
FCR - Dave Williams, Glastonbury, CT
WEDNESDAY
Q. Who is the only player/manager to win the National League Most Valuable Player award?
Hint: The last major league uniform he wore was that of an expansion team.
SABR Hint: His career major league average was over 100 points higher than he hit in 857 at-bats in the minors.
Twint: Born in Winters, he hated winters.
A. Rogers Hornsby (NL MVP 1925; Coach NY Mets 1962; b. Winters, TX)
FCR - Kenny Fink, Ocala, FL
MIDWEEK BONUS
Q. Who was the first native of Brooklyn to make the Hall of Fame?
Hint: His actual size is disputed by researchers.
SABR Hint: His record of 206 singles in a season stood for over 100 years.
Twint: Apparently the opposing defenses often positioned themselves poorly against him.
A. Willie Keeler (HOF 1939; listed variously at 5'4" to 5'7"; 206 singles in 1898 broken by Ichiro Suzuki in 2004)
FCR - Al Hurley, Columbia, MD
THURSDAY
Q. Who was the first native of West Virginia elected to the Hall of Fame?
Hint: He played for ten seasons in the minors after a sixteen-season career in the majors.
SABR Hint: He was once on a St. Louis Cardinals team that featured four additional Hall of Famers, but finished in fifth place.
Twint: He was once ejected from both ends of a double header.
Twint: He was so disliked by a major league team he coached for that the players did not vote him a World Series share. The team's Hall of Fame manager then made it up out of his own pocket.
A. Jesse Burkett (Minors; 1900 St. Louis Cardinals had John McGraw, Cy Young, Bobby Wallace and Wilbert Robinson; Ejections 1897; Coach 1921 NY Giants managed by John McGraw)
FCR - Michael Miller, Dublin, OH
IN MEMORIAM
Q. Who was hailed as the "Japanese Nolan Ryan"?
Hint: He was sold to the Padres by his Japanese team, but stated he’d only play for the Yankees.
Hint: In the history of Nippon Professional Baseball, he had thrown the fastest pitch ever in a game until his record was eclipsed in 2005.
Hint: …registering 158 on the radar gun.
SABR Hint: He played for the Tigers after his major league career.
Twint: He won two World Series rings, but he never played in either Series.
Twint: His father’s given name was Ichiro.
A. Hideiki Irabu (Chiba Lotte Marines; KPH, not MPH; Hansin Tigers; Marc Kroon was the speedier pitcher, WS 1998, 99)
FCR - Prisco Panza, Milford, CT
FRIDAY
Q. What Hall of Famer leads all first basemen in putouts and total chances?
Hint: Only Eddie Murray played more games at first.
Hint: He never played on a pennant winner, and only one team he played for finished as high as second place.
SABR Hint: He was the umpire in the first Federal League game in Kansas City.
Twint: His umpiring career lasted exactly one game.
A. Jake Beckley (1b putouts; G @ 1b; 2nd place team: the 1893 Pirates; Ump on 16-Apr-1914 )
FCR - Tim Phares, Laurel, MD
SATURDAY
Q. Who was the president of the Baseball Players’ Fraternity which sued for improved playing conditions?
Hint: Even though he trails him by a lot, he trails only Eddie Collins in career sacrifice hits.
Hint: Gil Hodges broke his record for games at first base by a Dodger.
SABR Hint: The new, livelier ball didn’t mean the same results for everyone. This guy’s career season for triples and home runs came two years into the live ball era.
Twint: He played his final game against his doctor’s advice and died less than a week later.
A. Jake Daubert (“Union” rep in 1913; 1,026 G @ 1b; Sac Hits; 3b/HR 1922; d. 09-Oct-1924)
FCR - Kenny Fink, Ocala
SUNDAY
Q. Which 20th century home run leader led the league with the fewest homers?
Hint: He had the first modern World Series base hit and run scored.
Hint: He was driven in on that run by Honus Wagner.
SABR Hint: He was the oldest player interviewed for “The Glory of their Times”.
Twint: He roomed with Dummy Hoy on the road.
A. Tommy Leach (6 HR in 1902; WS 01-Oct-1903; 86 at the time of the interview; TGOTT)
FCR - Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA
WEEKLY THEME – Top ten career inside-the-park home run totals. Thanks go to David Vincent for this data.
Hornsby 32
First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one
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