Sunday, July 22, 2012

July 16-22 Players who played for three different New York City major league teams


MONDAY
Q.         What Hall of Famer hit the second grand slam in World Series history?
Hint:     It was his fifth World Series.
Hint:     When he hit for the cycle dur9ing the season four years earlier, his home run that day was a grand slam.
Hint:     It was a “natural” cycle, with single, double, triple and home run coming in that order.
Hint:     He also stole a base that same day.
Twint:    Only 42 at the time of his death, he died after falling down a flight of stairs at his home during an epileptic seizure.
A.         Tony Lazzeri (WS GS 02-Oct-1936; Cycle/SB 03-Jun-1932)
FCR -    Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, PA

TUESDAY
Q.         Who was the first pitcher to surrender a World Series home run to another pitcher?
Hint:     Worse yet, he had given up a grand slam two innings earlier, also a World Series first.
Hint:     Later in his baseball career, he replaced Casey Stengel as the Dodgers manager.
Twint:    He had two separate stints with the Cardinals and three such with the Pirates.
A.         Burleigh Grimes (1920 WS G 5 10-Oct-1920 HR by Jim Bagby; WS GS by Elmer Smith; Mgr. 1937-38, Stengel was the Dodgers mgr 1934-36)
FCR -    Alex Swingle, New York

TUESDAY BONUS
Q.         Who holds the record for most hits in a season without a home run?
Hint:     He had 239 hits in only 129 games.
Hint:     He was the heart of the Baltimore Orioles when they won three consecutive pennants.
Twint:    He owns the highest career batting average for the 19th century.
A.         Willie Keeler (239 in 1897, 0 HR; Orioles 1894, 95, 96; .381 1892-1900)
FCR -    Ken Auerbach, Bronxville, NY

WEDNESDAY
Q.         What pitcher led the American League in wins the year the first time the Yankees set the American League record for team wins in a season?
Hint:     He was pitching batting practice to major leaguers at age 15.
Twint:    He claimed, "The secret of success as a pitcher lies in getting a job with the Yankees."
A.         Waite Hoyt (22 W in 1927, Yankees won 110 G)
FCR -    Bob Kimball, Washington, DC

WEDNESDAY BONUS
Q.         What former Purple Eagle came within two outs of breaking Cark Hubbell’s National League record for consecutive scoreless innings?
Hint:     He surrendered half of Chuck Connors’ career home runs.
Twint:    He was the losing pitcher in Don Larsen's 2-0 perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
A.         Sal Maglie (45.0 IP in 1950, Hubbell 45.1 IP in 1933; Connor HR 26-Aug-1951; WS L 08‑Oct‑1956)
FCR -    Prisco Panza, Milford, CT

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         Who recorded the highest ERA of any pitcher in a twenty-win season?
Hint:     Former record holder Clark Griffith signed him to pitch for the Senators five separate times, in part because he was Griffith's favorite pinochle partner.
Hint:     He is the only pitcher other than Walter Johnson to win an American League strikeout title for the Senators.
Twint:    He won Game One of the 1940 World Series.  His father, who had been able to watch the game, passed away the following morning.
A.         Bobo Newsom (1938:  20-16 W-L, 5.08 ERA; [Griffith had once held the record of highest ERA for a 20-game winner at 4.92 & 21-14 for the Colts in 1892.] 113 K in 1942; WS G 1 02-Oct-1940 )
FCR -    Bob Dorrill, Kingwood, TX

THURSDAY
Q.         Who was the first player to collect six runs-batted-in in one inning?
Hint:     This if you backdate the modern definition of run-batted-in.
Hint:     A well-known base running error of his once cost his teammate Moose McCormick a run scored.
Twint:    McGraw loved the kid, as he often said.
A.         Fred Merkle (6 RBI 1st inning, 13-May-1911; McCormick’s run would have been the winning run 23‑Sep‑1908.  Merkle famously headed to the centerfield clubhouse thinking the game over.  The Cubs retrieved the ball and stepped on second for a force out which forced a replay.  The Cubs won the replayed game and went on to their 2nd and last WS championship.)
FCR -    Steve Bonfield, Calgary, AB

THURSDAY BONUS
Q.         Whose career batting average is the highest among all people born in the state of California?
Hint:     He was the first pinch-hitter in All-Star competition.
Twint:    A bridge over McCovey Cove is named in his honor.
Twint:    I’ve eaten at his place.  In fact, I had an O’Doul’s with my meal.
A.         Lefty O’Doul (BA .349; PH 1933 ASG NL 6th inning; Lefty O'Doul Bridge; Lefty O'Doul's Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge)
FCR -    Frank DiPrima, Morristown, NJ

FRIDAY
Q.         Whom does SABR refer to as “the Deion Sanders of the Deadball Era”?
Hint:     One of the strongest players of his day, he credited his strength to long hours in the coal mines beginning at age eleven.
Twint:    Though found innocent of legal charges against him, (The jury took less than an hour to return a not-guilty verdict.) Commissioner Landis banned him from the majors for life.
A.         Benny Kauff
FCR -    Ken Auerbach, Bronxville, NY

FRIDAY BONUS
Q.         Who is the only shortstop to lead the Dodgers in doubles, triples, home runs and slugging percentage in the same season?
Hint:     He had, however, no respect for his Hall of Fame manager, telling a reporter years later, “I had him long enough.  All he thought of was himself.  All he did was tell stories to reporters.  He didn’t know what he was doing.”
Hint:     He was the second baseman behind Johnny Vander Meer in both his consecutive no‑hitters.
Twint:    He played for World Series champions in 1940 and 1947.
A.         Lonny Frey (1935 Dodgers 11HR, 11 3b, 35 2b, .437 SLG; Manager Casey Stengel; Vandy’s no-nos:  11-, 15-Jun-1938; WS 1940 & 1947)
FCR -    Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, AR

END-OF-THE-WEEK BONUS
Q.         What rookie pitcher led the majors with a .810% winning percentage?
Hint:     Although his team won the World Series that year, his 40.50 postseason ERA was likely not the reason.
Twint:    While working as a bellhop in a North Carolina hotel, he introduced himself to a legendary Yankee scout, who arranged a try-out resulting in his first professional contract.
A.         Johnny Allen (17-4 in 1932; Yankee scout Paul Krichell)
FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn, NY

SATURDAY
Q.         Who was the first National League pitcher, and second pitcher overall (after Jim Bagby in the AL) to hit a home run in the World Series?
Hint:     When Cy Williams set the record for the most home runs in the month of May, it was he who surrendered the 15th, record-setting home run.
Hint:     He earned pitching victories in relief in three consecutive World Series.
Twint:    In 1961 he was presented with the King of Baseball award given by Minor League Baseball.
A.         Rosy Ryan (Williams’ 15th May HR: 27-May-1923; Relief Ws King of Baseball)
FCR -    Dave Williams, Glastonbury, CT

WEEKEND BONUS
Q.         Who was the catcher in the longest game in major league history?
Hint:     He managed the Peoria Tractors to a 69-66 record, good for 4th place in the 1928 Three-I League.
Hint:     He was a founder of the Old Timers Baseball Players Association.
Twint:    Although never more than a part-time player, he had several fans clubs in Japan, where the passion for baseball was starting to grow.
A.         Ernie Krueger (26 innings 01-May-1920, played over the course of two days, ending in a tie)
FCR -    Jack Carlson, Beaver Creek, OH

SUNDAY
Q.         What former Tar is the namesake of both a Power Ranger and a U.S. president?
Hint:     He began his career as a Millionaire.
Hint:     Though he played in the majors for sixteen years, the only time he got MVP votes is when he split the season between the Cubs and Braves.
Hint:     He finished 23rd and last in the voting, receiving exactly one vote.
Hint:     He later managed the St. Louis Browns to a pitiful .364 winning percentage over four and a half seasons, no doubt keeping his job due to a sympathetic owner.
Twint:    He was replaced as manager by one of the greatest hitters of all time who merely raised the winning percentage to .431 before being fired.
A.         Zack Taylor (Had attended Rollins College, President Zachary Taylor; Power Ranger Zack Taylor; 1915 Valdosta Millionaires; 1929 NL MVP voting; Managed the Browns 1946, 48-51, owner Bill Veeck; Replaced by Rogers Hornsby)
FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD


WEEKLY THEME – Players who played for three different New York City major league teams (counting all boroughs) in the 20th century

Allen                 Yankees     1932-35
Bullpen Bio        Dodgers     1941-43
                        Giants         1943-44

Frey                 Dodgers     1933-36
Bullpen Bio        Yankees     1947-48
                        Giants         1948

Grimes              Robins        1918-26
Bio                   Giants         1927
                        Yankees     1934

Hoyt                 Giants         1918, 32
Bullpen Bio        Yankees     1921-30
                        Dodgers     1932, 37-38

Kauff                Highlanders 1912
Bio                   Tip-Tops     1915
                        Giants         1916-20

Keeler               Giants         1892-93, 1910
Bio                   Superbas    1899-1902
                        Highlanders 1903-09

Krueger            Yankees     1915
Bullpen Bio        Giants         1917
                        Robins        1917-21

Lazzeri             Yankees     1926-37
Bio                   Dodgers     1939
                        Giants         1939

Maglie              Giants         1945, 50-55
Bio                   Dodgers     1956-57
                        Yankees     1957-58

Merkle              Giants         1907-16
Bio                   Robins        1916-17
                        Yankees     1925-26

Newsom            Robins        1930
Bio                   Dodgers     1942-43
                        Yankees     1947
                        Giants         1948

O’Doul              Yankees     1919-20, 22
Bio                   Giants         1928, 33-34
                        Dodgers     1932-33
                        Robins        1931

Ryan                 Giants         1919-24
Bullpen Bio        Yankees     1928
                        Dodgers     1933

Taylor              Robins        1920-25
Bullpen Bio        Giants         1927
                        Yankees     1934

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Gregg Gaylord, Chicago (Almost had it after the Monday question, then got it on Wednesday and 20 or so more tries.)


Horsehide Trivia blog has the questions and answers from this week as well as from previous weeks:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/


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