October 17-23, 2011 The first ten players to hit two home runs in a World Series

MONDAY

Q.         Whose last name developed into an adjective describing tremendous home runs, even while he was still a player?

Hint:     His most famous statue shows him with a mitt that is not his and his most famous photo shows him with a bat that is not his.

Twint:    He himself had no fewer than three nicknames in common usage before he retired.

A.         Babe Ruth (“Ruthian”; Statue at Camden Yards with right-hander’s glove, photo [leaning on Bob Feller’s bat]; “The Bambino”, “The Sultan of Swat”, “The Caliph of Clout”, More of his nicknames)

First Correct Respondent - Dave Serota, Kalamazoo, MI

TUESDAY

Q.         Who is the only manager to win more than 35 World Series games?

Hint:     He was once fined by the commissioner for allowing his picture to appear in a beer ad (his picture, not the commissioner’s).

Twint:    He is the only man to wear the uniforms of, the Yankees, Giants, Dodgers and Mets while all were still New York teams.

Twint:    He once teased Joe Garagiola saying, "When they list all the great catchers—you’ll be there, … listening!"

Twint:    He had the only hit in what otherwise would have been the first ever Opening Day no-hitter.

A.         Casey Stengel (37 WS W; $500 by Ford Frick for Rheingold Beer ad in 1962; Near‑no‑hitter H off Pete Schneider 16‑Apr‑1918)

FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What Hall of Famer was purchased by the Yankees for half of what Alex Rodriguez made per plate appearance in 2011?

Hint:     He led the league in home runs four times before the trade, but never again after becoming a Yankee.

Twint:    A statue with his likeness was rumored to have been erected on the campus of University of Massachusetts.

Twint:    He was an expert duck hunter and raised hunting dogs.

Twint:    His son Franklin played baseball for the University of Maryland.

A.         Frank Baker (15-Feb-1916 Yankees paid Athletics $37,500, A-Rod’s salary per plate appearance in 2011 $74,766.36; UMass staffers know of the rumor, but no one currently working there has ever seen the statue.)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who is the only manager to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 100-win season?

Hint:     He did it twice, but they only won the World Series in one of those seasons.

Twint:    He took part in the Cherokee Strip, Oklahoma land dash in 1893, but was unable to stake a suitable claim.

A.         Fred Clarke (1902, 1909)

FCR -    Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA

THURSDAY

Q.         What Hall of Famer first honed his athletic skills by tossing fresh eggs against the side of the family's barn?

Hint:     He was the first player in American League history to lead off consecutive games with home runs.

Hint:     The games were played on the same day.

Hint:     Those were half the home runs he had all season.

Hint:     These were also ONLY THE 3^rd AND 4^th HOME RUNS the first two of his then career eleven career home runs that had cleared the fence.

Twint:    He holds the Red Sox franchise record for career stolen bases.

A.         Harry Hooper (HRs 30-May-1913; 300 of his 375 SB were w/Boston AL)

FCR -    Jim McCoy, Melrose, MA

FRIDAY

Q.         What Hall of Famer attempted to use a black and white striped bat during a game, but was stopped by the umpire.

Hint:     He went three for four that day with his more conventional bat.

Hint:     He was the team’s star and this was Opening Day.

Twint:    He won World Series rings for different American League teams eleven years apart.

A.         Goose Goslin (Umpire Harry Geisel ruled bat illegal 12-Apr-1932; 1924 Senators, 1935 Tigers)

FCR -    J.J. McCoy, Washington, DC

END-OF-THE-WEEK SPECIAL

Q.         Who was the first American Leaguer to hit to two triples in a World Series?

Hint:     For good measure, he did it in the same game.

Hint:     For even better measure, three teammates also hit triples in that same game.

Twint:    Earlier that season, he’d hit three triples in a game.

A.         Patsy Dougherty (WS G5 07-Oct-1903; 3b same G Cy Young, Chick Stahl, Jimmy Collins; 3bX3 05-Sep-1903)

FCR -    Dave Serota, Kalamazoo

SATURDAY

Q.         Who led the Federal League in batting average and stolen bases in both of its major league seasons?

Hint:     This led to his being call the Ty Cobb of the Federal League.

Twint:    He is the only 20^th century player to be picked off first base three times in one game.

Twint:    His infield single spoiled spitballer Jimmy Lavender’s no-hit bid.

A.         Benny Kauff (FL 1914-15; Pick-offs 26-May-1916; One-hitter 14-Jun-1916)

FCR -    Rick Huhn, Westerville, OH

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who is the only American League player to collect 120 runs batted in a season while hitting fewer than five home runs?

Hint:     He’d had 118 the season prior with the same home run total.

Hint:     He served as the athletic director and baseball coach for the University of Vermont from 1918-52.

Twint:    No other player, born and raised in Vermont, had more years in the majors.

A.         Larry Gardner (1921; 1920)

FCR -    Tom Zocco, Rocky Hill, CT

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first Yankee to get a hit in Yankee Stadium?

Hint:     He lost his starting spot to a Hall of Famer.

Twint:    His team’s owner game him most of the credit for the franchise’s first World Series championship.

A.         Aaron Ward (18-Apr-1923; Tony Lazzeri; Jacob Rupert)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

WEEKLY THEME – The first ten players to hit two home runs in a World Series

Baker           1911     G2, G3      Bio

Clarke          1909     G1, G5      Bio

Dougherty    1903     G2            Bio

Gardner        1916     G3, G4      Bio

Goslin          1924     G2, G4      Bio

Hooper         1915     G5            Bio

Kauff           1917     G4            Bio

Ruth             1923     G2, G6      Bio

Stengel        1923     G1, G3      Bio

Ward            1922     G2, G4

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara