This week’s theme and questions were composed by Barry Sparks of York, PA.
MONDAY
Q. Who batted .363 in six World Series?
Hint: He was among the American League stars playing in the benefit for Addie Joss’ widow.
Twint: He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame the same year as Joe DiMaggio.
A. Frank “Home Run” Baker (WS 1910, 11, 13, 14, 21, 22; Joss benefit game 24-Jul-1911; HOF 1955)
First Correct Respondent - John Robertson, Cambridge, ON
TUESDAY
Q. Who was a rookie at age 19 and played until he was 40?
Hint: He helped convert Hall of Famer Larry Doby from a second baseman to a centerfielder.
Twint: He taught Will Rogers how to use a lariat.
FCR - Tom Blaha, Bowling Green, OH
WEDNESDAY
Q. Who was the first American League player to lead the league in both home runs and strikeouts in the same season?
Hint: He once played for the Kalamazoo Celery Champs.
Hint: Tris Speaker, well known for playing a shallow centerfield, made an exception for him and played deep when he was at bat.
Twint: He led American League first basemen in putouts four times.
Twint: He even led National League first basemen in putouts once.
A. Wally Pipp (HR/K lead 1916 12/82; AL PO 1915, 19, 20, 22, NL PO 1926)
FCR - Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, PA
THURSDAY
Q. Who is the only American Leaguer to hit for the cycle three times?
Hint: He drove in the fourth most runs during the decade of the 1920s.
Twint: He and his brother played against each other in three consecutive World Series.
A. Bob Meusel (Cycles 07-May-1921, 03-Jul-1922, 26-Jul-1928; RI 1920-29: Ruth 1,335, Hornsby 1,153, Heilman 1,133, Meusel 1,006; Brother Irish Meusel WS 1921, 22, 23)
FCR - J. R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD
IN MEMORIAM
Q. Which National League player had the highest single-season hit total since the last NL Triple Crown?
Hint: He joined his brothers in the outfield for a historic major league first (and only) time.
Hint: He was the first batter to appear at Atlanta (later Fulton County) Stadium.
Hint: The next day, he hit the first ever triple there.
Hint: He was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.
Hint: He played three seasons for the Taiheiyo (now Seibu) Lions.
Twint: He won the National League batting title in 1966.
Twint: His RBI total of 27 that year is the lowest ever by a batting champ.
A. Matty Alou (231 H in 1969; 15-Sep-1963; ATL AB 12-Apr-1966; HHBMHOF 23-Jun2007; Lions 1975-77)
FCR - Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA
FRIDAY
Q. Who took an eight per cent pay cut the season after he had over 150 RBI?
Hint: He once said, “Let’s face it, I’m not a headline guy.”
Twint: When he died, major league ballparks flew their flags at half-mast.
A. Lou Gehrig (Pay cut 1933; d. 02-Jun-1941)
FCR - Dave Serota, Kalamazoo
IN MEMORIAM II
Q. Which former Cardinal great threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 7 of this year’s World Series?
Hint: He is the only St. Louis Cardinal to pitch two no hitters.
Hint: They were the only no-hitters ever thrown at Busch Stadium (at that iteration of Busch Stadium).
Hint: It had been 54 years since the last Cardinal no-hitter there.
Hint: He also pitched two no-hitters in the minors.
Hint: He won the first ever Silver Slugger Award given to a National League pitcher.
Hint: For good measure, he won it again seven years later.
Twint: When his brother Ken threw a no-hitter, they became the first brother duo with that distinction.
Twint: They are still the only siblings with complete-game no-hitters.
A. Bob Forsch (1st pitch 28-Oct-2011; No hitters 16-Apr-1978, Jesse Haines no-hitter 17-Jul-1924; 26-Sep-1983, SS 1980, 1987)
FCR - Harvey Judkowitz, Miami, FL
SATURDAY
Q. Whose record for RBI by a rookie did Joe DiMaggio break?
Hint: He played on a major league team that finished 61½ games out of first place.
Hint: He played all nine innings for the National League in the inaugural All-Star Game.
Twint: He went 0 for 15 in a World Series.
A. Wally Berger (119 RBI in 1930. DiMaggio had 125 in 1936 [The Phillies’ Chuck Klein had 145 in his first full season 1929, ergo Joe D. broke the AL rookie RBI record. Oops! I'm freely admitting here that I had confused Berger with Ken Williams, whose RBI numbers weren’t impressive until his 7th season in the majors. Sorry about that. My fact-checkers have been duly scolded.]; 1935 Braves; 1933 ASG; 1939 WS)
FCR - Tom Zocco, Rocky Hill, CT
SUNDAY
Q. Whose nickname reflected his propensity for enthusiastically promoting himself?
Hint: Despite (or perhaps because of) the high opinion he had of himself, he played for five different AL teams over a period of four seasons.
Twint: He was one of the players involved in a trade for Shoeless Joe Jackson.
A. Braggo Roth (1918-1921; Jackson trade 21-Aug-1915)
FCR - Jim Hartley, Silver Spring, MD
WEEKLY THEME – Major league home run champs who were teammates of Babe Ruth
Player League HR Titles Ruth’s Teammate SABR Bio
First respondent to correctly decipher the theme – Gregg Gaylord, Chicago (on his fifth try)
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