In honor of
Fenway Park’s 100th birthday Last Friday, this week’s trivia master
is Saul Wisnia. He is a longtime SABR
member (Boston chapter) and the author of several books on baseball, including
his most recent – Fenway Park: The Centennial (http://amzn.to/I2qR5i). Wisnia
blogs about all things Fenway at http://saulwisnia.blogspot.com/.
MONDAY
Q. Which
home run champion was nearly killed by a pitch at Fenway Park in 1967?
Hint: When
he hit his 100th career home run, he was the youngest American
League player to reach that milestone.
Hint: He
was a member of Boston’s 1967 and 1975 American League champions, but played in
neither World Series.
Twint: He
played in the Boston outfield with his brother for two seasons.
A. Tony Conigliaro (HR champ in 1965
w/32; Hit by California’s
Jack
Hamilton 18-Aug-1967;
He did not play again until 1969; Reached 100 homers on 23-Jul-1967,
at age 22 years, 197 days; Teamed with brother Billy in
the 1969-70 Red Sox outfield.)
FCR - Steve
Haas, Clarksville, MD
TUESDAY
Q. Which
Red Sox manager won his first twelve games as a big league skipper?
Hint: He
was the winning manager in baseball’s longest professional game.
Hint: He
was one of the last players signed by the Boston Braves.
Twint: Pinch-hitting,
he had a triple in his only at-bat at Fenway Park.
A. Joe Morgan (Started 12-0 and 19-1 after
taking the helm of the Red Sox in
July 1988, a hot streak known as “Morgan Magic”; Managed AAA Pawtucket
to a 33-inning win over Rochester
18‑Apr-
and 23‑Jun‑1981; He was signed by the Boston Braves
in 1952; Hit his Fenway triple off Boston’s Jerry Casale
12-Sep-1959
while w/ the KC
A’s.)
FCR - Rev.
Gerry Beirne, Narragansett, RI
WEDNESDAY
Q. Who
pitched in the most games ever at Fenway Park?
Hint: After
winning in double figures for five straight years with the Red Sox, he saved 33
games his first season as a closer.
Hint: He
had a 0.00 ERA in five World Series appearances.
Hint: He
pitched in the two most infamous games in Red Sox history.
Twint: His
reign as Red Sox career saves leader was broken by Jonathan
Papelbon.
A. Bob Stanley (Pitched in 637 games for
the Red Sox, nearly half of them at Fenway). His 1986 WS ERA was perfect
because the last two runs of G 6 were charged to Calvin
Schiraldi; He also pitched in the
1978 AL East playoff game vs. the Yankees [Sawks faithful require no further
details on either game.] 132 S broken on 01-Jul-2009).
FCR - Bob Chan, Oakland
THURSDAY
Q. Whose
first major league at-bat was as a pinch-hitter for Carl Yastrzemski?
Hint: He
and Yaz were teammates for parts of four seasons.
Hint: He
replaced an All-Star at his position and was a two-time All-Star himself.
Twint: He
hit a home run in Game Seven of the 1986 World Series.
A. Rich Gedman (Pinch-hit for Yastrzemski
on 07-Sep-1980. He flied out in that at-bat but later had 2 H
in the game; Played with Yaz 1980-83; Replacing AS C Carlton Fisk
in Boston’s lineup, Gedman was an AS 1985-86; Homered in G 7 of the 1986 WS to
give Boston a 2-0, 2nd inning lead.)
FCR - Henry Hascup, Lodi, NJ
FRIDAY
Q. Which
Red Sox hitter had the game-winning RBI at Fenway Park in the final game of the
1912 World Series?
Hint: He
played third base on three Red Sox World Series champions.
Hint: He
won a fourth World Series while with the Indians.
Twint: He
was baseball coach and athletic director at the University of Vermont for many
years.
A. Larry Gardner (Sacrifice fly off Christy
Mathewson in the bottom of the 10th of Game 8, 16‑Oct‑1912).
He was a perfect 4-0 in World Series,
winning with the Red Sox in 1912-15-16 and with the Indians in 1920.)
FCR - Dave Serota, Kalamazoo
IN
MEMORIAM
Q. Who
scored the only and winning run in the famous seventh game of the 1962 World
Series?
Hint: It was his only run of the Series.
Hint: After
making the last out of the 1957 World Series, he redeemed himself in the
postseason of the following year with two home runs and seven runs batted in.
Hint: He was inducted into the Polish-American
Hall of Fame in 1980.
Hint: Although
he attended Purdue University on a football scholarship, he set a Big Ten
Conference record by hitting .500 for the baseball team. The record stood for a decade.
Twint: Playing
against his former teammates, his 1963 World Series batting average was 182
points better than his regular season average.
Twint: Following
his career, he was employed in his native Chicago as a Community Relations
Representative by the White Sox.
A. Bill
Skowron, who passed away on Friday (16-Oct-1962;
1963 = .203/.385)
FCR - Mark Kanter, Portsmouth, RI
SATURDAY
Q. Which
Red Sox hit a game-winning homer at Fenway Park the same day he graduated from
college?
Hint: He
was an All-American quarterback at Boston University.
Hint: He
died of a massive pulmonary embolism at age 26 in 1955.
Twint: The
Red Sox Rookie of the Year Award is named for him.
A. Harry Agganis (Beat Tigers with a
HR on 06-Jun-1954
at Fenway, then drove one mile up the road to get his diploma at BU. In
signing to play baseball, he turned down Cleveland Browns owner Paul Brown for the chance to
replace football Hall of Fame quarterback Otto Graham.)
FCR - Paul
Hirsch, Danville, CA
SUNDAY
Q. What
pitcher was put in a Fenway holding cell for fighting the same day he signed
with the Red Sox?
Hint: He
pitched one of two Red Sox no-hitters in 1962.
Hint: He
struck out 17 men in one game in 1961.
Twint: He
was the only Red Sox twenty game winner between 1953 and 1967.
A. Bill Monbouquette (Locked up with his
father for beating up some nasty drunks in Fenway’s bleachers on the day he
signed with the Red Sox in 1955; No-hitter 01‑Aug‑1962;
17 K G 12-May-1961;
Mel
Parnell 21-8 in 1953, Jim Lonborg
22-9 in 1967)
FCR - Jim Casey, Savannah
WEEKLY THEME
– Selected New England natives who played for the Red Sox at Fenway Park
First Correct Respondent
to Identify Theme – Mark
DeLodovico, Rockville, MD (right after missing the Tuesday question)
