Sunday, April 7, 2013

April 1-7, 2013 Catchers who caught a combined no-hitter


MONDAY
Q.         Which Tigers star broke the American League record for most home runs in a season by a catcher which had been shared by Yogi Berra and Gus Triandos?
Hint:     He only held the record for one season.
Hint:     From 1982-86, when the Tigers played the Rangers box scores often included the first three letters of his first name.
Hint:     He was a bodyguard for Tina Turner.
Twint:    He accounted for all three outs (K, GIDP) in the top of the first inning on 13-Apr-1984.
A.         Lance Parrish (32 HR in 1982, broke record of 30 held by Berra [1952] & Triandos [1958]; broken by Carlton Fisk in 1983; Larry Parrish played for TEX, so box scores frequently identified them as LarParrish & LanParrish)
FCR -    Jeff Bergida, Albany, NY

TUESDAY
Q.         Who was the first player to hit a home run in his first two World Series plate appearances?
Hint:     He had previously gone 1-20 in postseason play.
Hint:     His .211 batting average was the lowest average by a modern player who led the league in walks.
Twint:    Jimmy Wynn and Adam Dunn have since submarined his mark.
A.         Gene Tenace (2 HR in 1972 WS Game 1; 0-3 in 1971 ALCS, 1-17 in 1972 ALCS; .211 w-110 BB in 1974, Yank Robinson [118 BB .208 AVG in 1889] held the all-time record; Wynn [127 BB .207 AVG in 1976] & Dunn [105 BB .204 AVG in 2012] eclipsed Tenace and Robinson)
FCR -    Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, AR

TUESDAY TWICE
Q.         Who continued playing with a fractured and separated shoulder after colliding with Pete Rose, only to have his season later ended by a broken index finger?
Hint:     He was the Indians’ first-ever draft pick, chosen ahead of Johnny Bench in the inaugural June Free Agent Draft.
Hint:     He suffered a crushed disk in his neck while trying to break up a fight between Reggie Jackson and Bill North.
Twint:    He only played 19 games after tripping in a hole while running down the first base line in a spring training game.
Twint:    Why there was a hole on the first base line, only the groundskeeper knows.
A.         Ray Fosse (Rose collision in 1970 All-Star Game, broken finger 03-Sep-1970; 7th pick in 1965 draft, Bench chosen 36th; Jackson-North duel 05-Jun-1974; hole trip during 1978 spring training, on DL entire 1978 season, played 19 games in 1979 before retiring)
FCR -    Morris Buenemann, Florissant, MO

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Which top prospect was traded for Michael Pineda prior to the 2012 season?
Hint:     Although a catcher in the minors, he was projected to be primarily a designated hitter due to his defensive liabilities.
Hint:     After signing for a $2,000,000 bonus, the sides renegotiated the bonus down to $1,650,000 without disclosing their reasons.
Hint:     Although he struck out with the bases loaded in his first major league at-bat, he scored the go-ahead run that day in his team’s crucial victory.
Twint:    He was the first Mariners rookie to start as designated hitter on Opening Day.
A.         Jesus Montero (traded w- Hector Noesi for Pineda on 23-Jan-2012; debut 10-Sep-2011; OD DH start 28-Mar-2012)
FCR -    Elijah Kaplan, Teaneck, NJ

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         Who is the only major leaguer catcher to play 140 games in a season eight times?
Hint:     His father did it once.
Hint:     He is in fifth place on the career HBP list.
Twint:    He was the first Pirate to hit for the cycle at Three Rivers Stadium.
A.         Jason Kendall (140 G caught in 1997-98, 2000, 2002-06, 2008; Fred Kendall 146 G caught in 1976; 254 HBP; Pirate cycle 19-May-2000)
FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY

THURSDAY
Q.         Who finally stuck in the majors when Tom Glavine insisted on using him as a personal catcher?
Hint:     He may be best-known for a headstand.
Hint:     His only American League hit was called “the longest single in the history of the Metrodome” by Kirby Puckett.
Twint:    He was named to the NL All-Star team in his rookie season after spending more than eight years toiling in the minors.
A.         Greg Olson (Glavine’s personal catcher; bowled over by Dan Gladden in the 3rd inning 19‑Oct‑1991 of the 1991 WS; hit line drive off the top of the left field Plexiglas at Metrodome on 01-Jul-1989, held to a single when ball caromed directly to Chili Davis, holding him to a long single; Minors 1982-90)
FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY

FRIDAY
Q.         Which Jewish player has appeared in the most Major League games?
Hint:     While sitting out during Yom Kippur he joked that he was “trying to atone for my poor first half.”
Hint:     He was the manager of the Israel National Baseball Team during the qualifying round of the 2012-13 WBC.
Hint:     The team did not advance.
Twint:    He was a high school teammate of Hall of Famer Brian Leetch.
A.         Brad Ausmus (1,971 ML games; Yom Kippur in 2001; Ausmus & Leetch teammates at Cheshire HS, Leetch elected to Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009)
FCR -    Rick Brody, Austin, TX

FRIDAY FREEBIE
Q.         Who was the last player to bat against Sandy Koufax?
Hint:     He led the York Revolution to back-to-back Atlantic League championships in 2010-11.
Hint:     He has been bench coach for Tom Trebelhorn and Davey Johnson.
Twint:    He helped save teammate Frank Robinson from drowning during Robinson’s Triple Crown season.
A.         Andy Etchebarren (GIDP vs. Koufax in 1966 WS Game 2; bench coach for Trebelhorn with 1987-88 Brewers & for Johnson with 1996-97 Orioles; Robinson pool incident 22‑Aug‑1966)
FCR -    Dave Raglin, McLean, VA

SATURDAY
Q.         Who was the first manager of the Atlantic League York Revolution?
Hint:     Before reaching the majors he was traded for Fred Lynn.
Hint:     He was just the third rookie catcher to win an American League fielding title.
Hint:     The prior two winners played for the same franchise.
Twint:    He is second only to Rick Dempsey in games caught for the Orioles.
Twint:    He hit a home run may be considered the "most ultimate" grand slam of all time, as he hit his home run on a full 3-2 count with 2 outs, the only time in major league history this has ever been recorded.
A.         Chris Hoiles (named Revolution manager for the 2007 season;  Lynn trade 31-Aug-1988; 819 G @ C for BAL, Dempsey 1,230; Clint Courtney [pre-relocation St. Louis Browns] won 1952 AL C fielding title, Johnny Oates won in 1972; GS HR 17‑May‑1996 off future teammate and battery mate Norm Charlton)
FCR -    Bill Lewers, McLean, VA

WEEKEND BONUS
Q.         Who was the first Major League manager of Armenian heritage?
Hint:     He insisted that his players call him “Skip Johnson.”
Hint:     A Chicago Cubs blog employs a writer who uses the moniker in honor of this former Cubs pilot.
Twint:    Nephews Chris & Scott Demetral played in the minors.
Twint:    He managed nephew Ted Demetral on the Greek team in the 2010 European Championship.
A.         Jim Essian (“Skip” has a weekly column on Cubs blog Hire Jim Essian!; Greek team)
FCR -    John Michael Pierobon, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

SUNDAY
Q.         Which player was arrested on the field for punching opposing manager Clark Griffith in the face during a brawl?
Hint:     All charges were later dropped and three years later, Griffith purchased him for the Senators.
Hint:     In his first year in the Pacific Coast League, he was hailed as the only catcher in America to play 100 games without allowing a passed ball.
Hint:     During his rookie season in the majors, his jaw was broken by a Joe Engel fastball.
Twint:    He was the only catcher on the 1916 Red Sox roster who did not play in the World Series that year.
A.         Sam Agnew (fight/arrest 30-Jun-1916; Purchase to Washington Jan‑1919; broken jaw 25‑Jul‑1913; 1916 WS)
FCR -    Steve Bonfield, Calgary, AB

SUNDAY SERMONIZER
Q.         Which player, immediately after leading the American League in fielding, was traded along with $60,000 and two other players for Wally Schang, Bullet Joe Bush and Amos Strunk?
Hint:     He never played for the team that acquired him and his contract was sold six months later.
Hint:     According to legend, he nearly lost an eye during a mugging in San Francisco the year before he reached the majors.
Twint:    Belying his nickname, he went 0-for-his-last-16 as a pinch-hitter.
A.         Pinch Thomas (led AL C in fielding 1917, traded to PHA 14‑Dec‑1917; Sold to CLE 01‑Jun‑1918; attacked by “toughs” in San Francisco in 1911)
FCR -    Damian Begley, New York, NY


WEEKLY THEME – Players who caught combined no-hitters

Catcher        Game              Pitchers                 Opponent
Thomas        23-Jun-1917     Babe Ruth               Senators
& Agnew                             Ernie Shore

Etchebarren  30-Apr-1967     Steve Barber           Tigers
                                          Stu Miller

Tenace         28-Sep-1975    Vida Blue                Angels
& Fosse                              Paul Abbott
                                          Paul Lindblad

Essian          28-Jul-1976      Blue Moon Odom    White Sox
                                          Francisco Barrios

Parrish         11-Apr-1990     Mark Langston        Angels
                                          Mike Witt

Hoiles          13-Jul-1991      Bob Milacki             A’s
                                          Mike Flanagan
                                          Mark Williamson
                                          Gregg Olson

Olson           11-Sep-1991    Kent Mercker           Padres
                                          Mark Wohlers
                                          Alejandro Pena

Kendall         12-Jul-1997      Francisco Cordova  Astros
                                          Ricardo Rincon

Ausmus        11-Jun-2003     Roy Oswalt             Yankees
                                          Peter Munro
                                          Kirk Saarloos
                                          Brad Lidge
                                          Octavio Dotel
                                          Billy Wagner

Montero       08-Jun-2012     Kevin Millwood        Dodgers
                                          Charlie Furbush
                                          Stephen Pryor
                                          Lucas Luetge
                                          Brandon League
                                          Tom Wilhelmson
Oddities:

1. The Ruth/Shore game was perfect after Ruth was ejected following a disputed first-batter walk.
2. In Etchebarren’s game, the Orioles actually lost to the Tigers.
3. Paul Lindblad was involved in both games in the 1970s.
4. There are two guys named Greg(g) Olson on this list.
5. In the game Mercker won, the loser Greg Harris pitched a complete game.


First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Jeff Bergida, Albany, NY (after the Fosse question)


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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