October 20-26, 2014 Twenty triples and twenty home runs in the same season

MONDAY

Q.         According to www.baseball-reference.com, who has four of the top five best all-time seasons for a player on offense for the Kansas City Royals?

Hint:     Although he owns the highest single-season batting average in the American League since Ted Williams, he never hit over .291 in any of his four minor league seasons.

Twint:    Eight times in the last three weeks, he’s been seen on television, grinning ear-to-ear.

A.         GEORGE BRETT (.390 in 1980; currently vice president of baseball operations for the Kansas City Royals, who have won 8 consecutive postseason games.)

FCR -    Timothy Kearns, Washington, DC

Incorrect answers:  Ken Brett, Hal McRae

TUESDAY

Q.         According to www.baseball-reference.com, who owns six of the top ten best all-time WAR seasons for a player on offense for the New York/San Francisco Giants?

Hint:     Thirteen of his 22-year career seasons made their Top 50.

Hint:     He still hangs around the team a little bit.

Twint:    Lou Gehrig has hit four home runs in a game; Ted Williams has won two MVPs; Babe Ruth has over 2,000 runs scored; Bert Campaneris has four consecutive stolen base titles; Lou Brock has over 140 career triples and Rickey Henderson has over 500 doubles, but only this guy reached ALL of those milestones.

Twint:    Seriously—“stickball”?

A.         WILLIE MAYS (“You could look it up!”)

FCR -    Ira Kotel, Short Hills, NJ

Incorrect answers:  Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds, Willie McCovey, Mel Ott

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Whose twelve RBIs one sunny afternoon broke Wilbert Robinson’s major league record for the most in one game?

Hint:     The base runner he drove in for the twelfth run would end up being a fellow member of the Hall of Fame.

Hint:     He and that player would later manage the major league team across town during the same season.

Twint:    He was the first player to emerge from a team's minor league farm system to win a league MVP playing for that team.

A.         JIM BOTTOMLEY (12 RBI 16-Sep-1924; Runner was Rogers Hornsby; Both managed the 1937 Browns)

FCR -    Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, AR

Incorrect answers:  Mark Whiten, Leo Durocher, Tony Lazzeri

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         In the modern era, who was the first league home run champ to play in that year's World Series?

Hint:     He was the first player to lead both leagues in home runs.

Twint:    No one else hit more home runs in the administration of the 25^th U.S. president.

A.         BUCK FREEMAN (25 HR for the NL Washington Senators in 1899 then 13 HR in 1903 for the Boston Americans [Red Sox], 1903 WS; President Williams McKinley: Mar 1897‑Sep 1901, 46 HRs)

FCR -    Cappy Gagnon, South Bend, IN

Incorrect answers:  Gavvy Cravath, Sam Crawford, Sam Thompson, Babe Ruth, Ginger Beaumont, Frank Robinson, Mark McGwire, Frank Schulte, Hank Greenberg

THURSDAY

Q.         For almost 120 years, Hall of Famer Ed Delahanty was the Phillies’ career leader in doubles.  Who unthroned him?

Hint:     He is the alumnus of a high school that produced another one-team Pennsylvania team player.

Twint:    He has been a major participant in the RBI Program.

A.         JIMMY ROLLINS (Passed Delahanty in 2013; Willie Stargell also attended Encinal High School in the Bay Area; RBI)

FCR -    Jake Hopper, Houston, TX

Incorrect answers:  Chase Utley, Mike Schmidt, Darren Daulton, Del Ennis, Richie Ashburn

FRIDAY

Q.         What Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award winner was runner-up two years in a row to his league’s home run champions?

Hint:     A Silver Slugger and All-Star, he reached double-digits in stolen bases for six years um… running.

Twint:    In separate years, he has been an ambassador for Major League Baseball to South Africa, China and New Zealand.

A.         CURTIS GRANDERSON (In 2011 he had 41 HR to Jose Bautista’s 43 & in 2012, he had 43 [Tied w/ Josh Hamilton] to Miguel Cabrera’s 44; Ambassador to SA 2006, China 2007, NZ 2011)

FCR -    Jim McCoy, Melrose, MA

Incorrect answers:  Kenny Lofton, Jeff Bagwell, Sammy Sosa, Jim Thome

SATURDAY

Q.         What future major leaguer was detained when returning from an overseas baseball tour because he was traveling on a British passport?

Hint:     Tour teammate and local hero Lefty O’Doul threw his weight around and got him sprung.

Hint:     His debut was the game where Bob Feller set a new American League record with seventeen strikeouts.

Twint:    He is one of only two natives of Canada to amass one hundred career triples.

Twint:    He was the leader of the “Crybaby Indians”.

A.         JEFF HEATH (Was selected to play on the 1935 U.S. All-America team in Japan; Debut 13‑Sep‑1936; George Wood 132 3b)

FCR -    Mark Hayne, Dumfries, VA

Incorrect answers:  Moe Berg, George Selkirk, Bobby Thomson

SUNDAY

Q.         What future MVP’s father attempted to bribe him to burn his uniform and forsake baseball?

Hint:     Among other offbeat practices, he would look for discarded hairpins and interpret their shape to forecast his performance in upcoming games.  His accuracy with that remains undocumented.

Twint:    He was the first National League home run champion to play in that year’s World Series.

A.         FRANK SCHULTE (HR champ 1910 w/10, 1910 WS)

FCR -    No one

Incorrect answers:  Larry Walker, Ray Oyler, Joe Medwick, Jimmy Piersall

WEEKLY THEME – Batters with 20 triples and 20 home runs in the same season

Batter                 3b         HR        Year

Freeman            25         25         1899

Schulte               21         21         1911

Bottomley         20         31         1928

Heath                  20         24         1941

Mays                   20         35         1957

Brett                    20         23         1979

Rollins                 20         30         2007

Granderson      23         23         2007

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

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday   -  The starting lineup for the Kansas City Royals in game 1 of the 1985 World Series

               -  HOF'ers who played for KC Royals or SF Giants

               -  3Bs from West Virginia to play in a World Series

               -  Hall of famers who had brothers play in the majors

Tuesday   -  Most postseason games played in the history of both the Royals and Giants

               -  BRef WAR leaders for each franchise

               -  regular season MVP winners who won the award playing for the SF Giants and KC Royals, the two teams in this year's World Series

We archive our questions here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia

October 13-19, 2014 Twenty or more home runs; twenty or fewer strikeouts in the same season

MONDAY

Q.         Who is the only person to play for and manage both the Yankees and the Mets?

Hint:     As a manager, he even took both of them to the postseason.

Hint:     If his nickname had been bestowed forty years later, we might call him “Yoda” and Hanna-Barbera would have had to dig deeper.

Twint:    He and my father were both in uniform against the same opponent on 06-Jun-1944.

Twint:    "I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia.  Let ‘em walk to school like I did."

A.         YOGI BERRA (Played NYY 1946-63, NYM 1964, Managed NYY 1964, 1984-85, NYM 1972-75; Postseason w/NYY 1964, NYM 1973; Cartoon character Yogi Bear, introduced in 1958 was almost certainly named to take advantage of Berra’s popularity in spite of claims to the contrary; Allied forces invaded Normandy, France on D-Day, Berra was Navy, Doug Brown was Army; Berra is no doubt the most quoted and most quotable player of all time.)

FCR -    Doug Wilkins, San Francisco, CA

Incorrect answers:  Joe Torre, Bill Virdon, Casey Stengel

TUESDAY

Q.         Who was the New York Yankees’ last player/manager?

Hint:     Only two men in history played for more World Series champions.

Hint:     He is one of only four players native to his home state to make it to the Hall of Fame.

Twint:    He was selected to the first ever American League All-Star squad, but did not see action, at least not that year.

Twint:    He was often Lou Gehrig's roommate on road trips.

A.         BILL DICKEY (Player/mgr 1946; 8 rings—Berra has 10, DiMaggio 9; Louisiana-born Mel Ott, Ted Lyons & Willard Brown; 1933 ASG)

FCR -    Tony Nicolo, Norfolk, VA

Incorrect answers:  Roger Peckinpaugh, Yogi Berra, Frankie Frisch, Bill Terry, Joe McCarthy, Billy Martin, Ty Cobb, Milller Huggins

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Which Hall of Famer catcher caught both of Johnny Vander Meer's consecutive no-hitters?

Hint:     He was the first ever Cincinnati Reds player to win an MVP Award.

Hint:     Many Hall of Famers are alumni of his famous high school.

Twint:    He was the first catcher to win two batting titles.

A.         ERNIE LOMBARDI (Vander Meer’s no-nos:  11-Jun & 15-Jun-1938; McClymonds High School Hall of Famers:  In Baseball—Frank Robinson, In basketball—Bill Russell; Hit .342 in 1938 and .330 in 1942)

FCR -    Art Mugalian, Minneapolis, MN

Incorrect answers:  Mickey Cochrane, Johnny Bench

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who is the only Phillie to collect more than 250 hits in a season?

Hint:     Not surprisingly, his batting average led the National League that year.

Hint:     A SABR chapter is named for him, but not the one in Philadelphia.

Twint:    His .349 career average puts him fourth on the all-time list.

A.         LEFTY O’DOUL (254 in 1929; Hit .398; O’Doul was from San Francisco and the Northern California SABR chapter bears his name; Batting average list:   #1 Ty Cobb .366, #2 Rogers Hornsby .359, #3 Joe Jackson .356)

FCR -    Mike McCroskey, Sugar Land, TX

Incorrect answers:  Chuck Klein, Richie Ashburn, Ed Delahanty, Napoleon Lajoie, George Sisler, Pete Rose

THURSDAY

Q.         Who came out of a slump only after his wife pointed out that the “5” on the back of his uniform had not been straight for several games?

Hint:     It was not the only wife he was to have.

Twint:    His fluidity of motion, both on offense and defense, was legendary.

A.         JOE DiMAGGIO (#5 now retired by NYY—wife Dorothy Arnold, later married to Marilyn Monroe)

FCR -    Timothy Kearns, Washington, DC

Incorrect answers:  Albert Pujols, Lou Boudreau, Johnny Bench, George Brett, Brooks Robinson

FRIDAY

Q.         Who was the first batter to hit two home runs in one inning in the American League?

Hint:     He also led his league in RBI that season, but received no consideration for MVP.  Not one vote.

Hint:     It was actually his Hall-of-Fame-to-be teammate who took home the honor that year.

Twint:    He was the first major leaguer to hit thirty home runs in the same seasons where he stole thirty bases.

A.         KEN WILLIAMS (2 HR 07-Aug-1922, 6^th inning; 1922 MVP George Sisler; 39 HR/37 SB in 1922)

FCR -    Jan Finkel, Swanton, MD

Incorrect answers:  Stan Musial, Ned Williamson, Lou Gehrig, Home Run Baker, Eddie Mathews, Rocky Colavito, Joe Adcock, Babe Ruth, Carlos Baerga, Lou Klimchock, Joe DiMaggio, Al Kaline, Jim Gentile, Herb Plews

SATURDAY

Q.         Whose record for the longest twentieth-century National League hitting streak did Pete Rose break in 1978?

Hint:     His first All-Star action was followed that same season by his first World Series action.

Hint:     In that World Series, he had 26 plate appearances with neither a single bases-on-balls nor strikeout.

Twint:    He is the only player to have the most home runs and fewest strikeouts in his league in the same season. (Among qualifying batters)

Twint:    He was the last player/manager for the Braves.

A.         TOMMY HOLMES (37 G in 1945 for the Braves; 28 HR & 9 Ks in 1945; Player/Mgr 1951)

FCR -    Don Harrison, Fairfield, CT

Incorrect answers:  Willie Mays, Wee Willie Keeler, Kiki Cuyler, Bill Dahlen, Rogers Hornsby, George Sisler, Stan Musial, Phil Cavarretta

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         After Lou Gehrig’s streak ended in 1939, who was the next player to compile a 600-game-played streak?

Hint:     He, Rogers Hornsby and Ginger Beaumont are the only ones ever to the National League in hits for three straight seasons.

Twint:    He injured his back diving into a hotel pool in 1941, which likely contributed to his exemption from military service during WWII.

Twint:    He was the Yankees' director of group sales from 1978 until his death in 1982.

A.         FRANK McCORMICK (654 consecutive games from 1938-42; H ldr 1938-40)

FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD

Incorrect answers:  Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Pete Rose, Gus Suhr, Steve Garvey, Billy Williams, Richie Ashburn

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first player to collect 200 hits in a season where he was traded?

Hint:     Of his career 1,289 major league games, 1,288 were played in the National League and all of those three years after his debut.

Twint:    His only black ink is an RBI title, but it broke a three-year run by Rogers Hornsby.

A.         IRISH MEUSEL (Traded 25-July 1921 from last-place PHI to eventual WS champs NYG, finished w/201 H; Debuted 01-Oct-1914 with WSH, went 0 for 2 next ML game 16‑Apr‑1918; 125 RBI in 1923)

FCR -    Bob Flynn, Chandler, AZ

Incorrect answers:  Red Schoendienst, Ichiro Suzuki, Harry Walker, Lefty O’Doul, Willie Montanez

BONUS TO CAP OFF THE WEEK

Q.         Who holds the record for most career errors by a first baseman?

Hint:     Before moving to first he had already twice committed 50 errors in a season at third.

Twint:    He dropped out of both Notre Dame and University of Iowa.

Twint:    He was the first player with back-to-back 100 RBI seasons.

A.         CAP ANSON (658 career errors as a first baseman; 57 3B E in 1872, 50 in 1876; 100 RBI 1884-85 [& 1886-87])

FCR -    Lynn Marschke, Somers, New York

Incorrect answers:  Jimmie Foxx, Kent Hrbek, Pete Rose, Hal Chase, Gil Hodges, Herman Long, Dick Stuart, Harmon Killebrew

WEEKLY THEME – Batters with 20 or more homers and 20 or fewer strikeouts in the same season

Player          Year          HR        SO

Anson          1884          21         13

Berra            1950          28         12

                    1951*        27         20

                    1955*        27         20

Dickey         1936          22         16

DiMaggio     1939*        30         20

                    1941*        30         13

Holmes        1945          28         9

Lombardi      1939          20         19

McCormick   1944          20         17

Meusel         1925          21         19

O'Doul         1929          32         19

                    1932          21         20

Williams       1925          25         14

*League MVP

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

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday   -  Former Yankees who managed the team

               -  Yankees managers who didn't win the World Series

               -  Yankee catchers

Wed.       -  Multiple selection All-Star catchers who were selected but didn't play in their first All-Star game

               -  HOF catchers whose first or last name has the "EE" sound at the end.

Thursday  -  Played for the San Francisco Seals of the PCL

Sunday    -  More walks than strikeouts when they led the league in hitting

We archive our questions here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia

October 6-12, 2014 Hall of Famers who played under Hall of Famer GM Pat Gillick

MONDAY

Q.         What Hall of Fame second baseman had three more career hits than Lou Gehrig, playing the same number of seasons as did the Iron Horse?

Hint:     He is one of only two full-time second basemen to win the All-Star game Most Valuable Player Award.

Hint:     His career batting average is exactly .300.

Twint:    Among American Leaguers, only Alex Rodriguez has topped his runs in a season since he led the league with 138 in 1999.

A.         ROBERTO ALOMAR (2,724 to Gehrig’s 2,721; AS MVP 1998 [J. Morgan 1972])

FCR -    Walt Cherniak, Dayton, MD

Incorrect answers:  Charlie Gehringer, Ryne Sandberg, Joe Morgan, Nellie Fox, Joe Gordon

TUESDAY

Q.         Who is currently Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association?

Hint:     Not many people can rock brown and yellow.  He did.

Hint:     Did OK in gold too (gopher version).

Hint:     Joe Garagiola called him “… the stretch limo of baseball players.”

Twint:    He compiled a record seven doubles in All-Star competition.

A.         DAVE WINFIELD (San Diego Padres’ uniforms had that combination of colors during his 8 years there [1973-80]; Attended and competed for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers)

FCR -    Michael William Newman, Fairfield, CT

Incorrect answers:  Sandy Alomar, Joe Garagiola Jr., Javier Vasquez, Tony Clark

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What Rookie of the Year Award winner received Most Valuable Player Award votes for each of the next eight seasons, never, however, winning the award?

Hint:     Five of the players who won in those years, are now in the Hall of Fame.

Hint:     Five times he finished in the top five MVP voting, twice garnering second place.

Hint:     Possibly because he earned more total MVP votes during that period than any of these other players, he was also elected to the Hall.

Twint:    He played high school baseball with a teammate who is also now in the Hall.

A.         EDDIE MURRAY (ROY 1978; MVP votes 1979-85; HOFers Jim Rice [1978] : George Brett [1980], Rollie Fingers [1981], Robin Yount [1982], Cal Ripken [1983]; HOF 2003;  Played with Ozzie Smith @ Locke High School in the Los Angeles area)

FCR -    Dave Pugh, Baltimore, MD

Incorrect answers:  Jackie Robinson, Paul Molitor, Cal Ripken, Ryne Sandberg, Billy Williams, Ralph Kiner, Andre Dawson, Tony Oliva, Ozzie Smith

THURSDAY

Q.         Since the onset of World War One, only one pitcher has thrice uncorked four or more wild pitches in a game.  Can you guess who?

Hint:     His enshrinement in Cooperstown helps to demonstrate that this is not his only claim to fame.

Hint:     For example, he has won both the Lou Gehrig Award and the Roberto Clemente Award.

Twint:    He was charismatic and accommodating at SABR 40.

Twint:    One of his close boyhood friends was basketball Hall of Famer John Havlicek.

A.         PHIL NIEKRO (>= 4 WP/G:  30-Jun-1969 [4], 14-Aug-1969 [4] & 04-Aug-1979 [6]; HOF 1997;  1979 Lou Gehrig Award, 1980 Roberto Clemente Award, SABR 40 was the 40^th international convention of the Society of American Baseball Research, held in Atlanta 4-8 Aug-2010)

FCR -    Geehoon Hong, Bayside, NY

Incorrect answers:  Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Dave Stewart, Sandy Koufax, Bert Blyleven, Ryne Duren, Hoyt Wilhelm

FRIDAY

Q.         Who was the first player to score one hundred runs in consecutive seasons for the Oakland A's?

Hint:     He tacked on a third to make it three in a row, a mark later tied by Jason Giambi.

Hint:     He holds one of baseball’s most revered, most unbreakable records.

Hint:     Another of his career records is one that only Alex Rodriguez has a shot at.

Twint:    In W.A.R., as measured by baseball-reference.com, for the A’s franchise, his number are ahead of such notables as Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove and Eddie Collins.

Twint:    His style in the outfield led some to make snap judgments about him.

A.         RICKEY HENDERSON (100+ R 1982-84 [He led the AL the next two seasons w/146, 130, but w/NYY.]; 1,406 career SB; Career record for R @ 2,295—A-Rod on hold @1,919; A’s WAR in photos:  http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/; Snap catches that Little League coaches hate:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uYnMbkhec [and related tics])

FCR -    Jake Hopper, Houston, TX

Incorrect answers:  Bert Campaneris, Reggie Jackson, Jimmie Foxx

SATURDAY

Q.         Who is the only player to be granted first base on catcher’s interference in an All-Star game?

Hint:     He scored the run that clinched a famous World Series.

Twint:    He is the only player to collect 200 hits during the season he joined the 3,000 hit club.

Twint:    His batting average one season was the best by any designated hitter for a whole decade.

A.         PAUL MOLITOR (1991 ASG; G 6 in 1993 WS on Joe Carter’s HR; 225 H in 1996; .339 in 1994)

FCR -    Mark Hayne, Dumfries, VA

Incorrect answers:  Mark Grace, Mookie Wilson, Enos Slaughter, Bobby Bonilla , Ed Aarmbrister, Ray Knight

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first American League player to be name MVP while playing for a team with a losing record?

Hint:     In major league history, no one else has hit into more double plays.

Hint:     There’s only one player, a Hall of Famer, who has won more Silver Slugger Awards at their position.

Twint:    He was the first shortstop to play ninety consecutive games without making an error.

Twint:    He was also the first shortstop in American League history to hit 30 home runs, .300 and have 100 RBI in a season.

Twint:    For fourteen consecutive seasons, he played in every one of his team’s games.

A.         CAL RIPKEN (MVP 1991 BAL [67-95, 6^th of 7 in div.]; 350 GIDP; 8 SS, Barry Larkin has 9; Ø E in 1990; 30/.300/100 yr. 1991; Streak 1983-98)

FCR -    Jim Lovelace, Kent, OH

Incorrect answers:  Ernie Banks, Harmon Killebrew, Walter Johnson, Andre Dawson, Frank Thomas, Brooks Robinson

WEEKLY THEME – Hall of Famers who played under Hall of Famer GM Pat Gillick

1977-94 Toronto Blue Jays (Alomar, Henderson, Molitor, Niekro, Winfield)

1995-98 Baltimore Orioles (Alomar, Murray, Ripken)

2000-03 Seattle Mariners (Henderson)

2006-08 Philadelphia Phillies (none yet)

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday   -  Players whose name rhymes with a type of cookie

Tuesday   -  Players who played for 6 or more teams & won only World Series ring(s) with the Blue Jays

               -  Members of the Toronto Blue Jays who hit game-winners in the World Series

Sunday    -  Hall of famers who made 3 errors in one game

We archive our questions here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia

September 29-October 6, 2014 Players who wore uniform #00 for more than one season

MONDAY

Q.         Who, on the last day of regular-season play in 2010, saved the game for his team that guaranteed them the division title?

Hint:     In so doing, he earned his league’s saves title.

Hint:     Had their opponents won that day, it is they who would have won the division.

Hint:     His counterpart that day, Heath Bell, with a save, could have walked away with the saves title.

Hint:     He is one of only seven players from his home state of New Hampshire to be named to an All-Star team.

Twint:    He may have the strangest facial hair in major league history.

A.         BRIAN WILSON (03-Oct-2014; 48^th S [also led MLB]; SDP; NH AS; Beard pix)

FCR -    Dean Kloner, New York, NY

Incorrect answers:  Huston Street

OFF-TO-A-GOOD-START BONUS

Q.         Who was the first player to hit a home run in four consecutive League Championship Series games?

Hint:     He was named MVP of that series even though his team didn’t win it.

Hint:     Aeronautic trot.

Twint:    A tremendous athlete in high school, he received sixty scholarship offers to play football in college plus five for basketball but none for baseball.

A.         JEFFREY LEONARD (NLCS HRs 1987; On HRs, would circle the bases as if an airplane.)

FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD

Incorrect answers:  Carlos Beltran, Hank Aaron, Nelson Cruz, Scott Brosius

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who was the first National League pinch hitter to hit a World Series home run?

Hint:     To assuage the concern that Jackie Robinson would not get the usual handshake after hitting his first home run after signing with the Dodgers, he stepped up and did it, making it baseball's first black-white handshake.

Hint:     A native of Youngstown, Ohio where it was commonplace for athletes of all races and creeds to play with each other, he explained the handshake that helped break baseball’s color barrier by simply saying, "Our teammate hit a home run so I shook his hand."

Hint:     He was one of the colorful players interviewed for Roger Kahn’s seminal book "Boys of Summer".

Twint:    "Shotgun"

A.         GEORGE SHUBA – passed away 29-Sep-2014 (Yogi hit the first in the AL; Handshake’s role in history; Link to photo of the handshake ; Nicknamed for his spraying hits into all parts of the outfield; "Boys of Summer".)

FCR -    Mark Kanter, Portsmouth, RI

Incorrect answers:  Carl Furillo, Dusty Rhodes, Pee Wee Reese, Ralph Branca, Duke Snider, Andy Pafko

TUESDAY

Q.         Who is the only pitcher other than Walter Johnson to win an American League strikeout title for the Senators?

Hint:     His father died the morning after watching him win Game One of the 1940 World Series.

Hint:     No pitcher threw for more innings in a season in the 1930s than he did.

Twint:    With strange symmetry, he won Opening Day games for the St. Louis Browns in 1938-39, then lost Opening Day games AGAINST the Browns in 1940-41.

A.         BOBO NEWSOM (113 K in 1942; WS W 02-Oct-1940; 392.2 IP in 1939; Wins for Browns:  19‑Apr‑1938 & 22-Apr-1939 then Losses to Browns: 16-Apr-1940 & 16‑Apr‑1941)

FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD

Incorrect answers:  Camilio Pascual, Schoolboy Rowe

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who broke Jerry Lynch’s record for career pinch-hit home runs?

Hint:     His own record was recently surpassed by a Canadian.

Hint:     Excellent at drawing walks, his career on-base percentage of .355 dwarfed his lifetime .258 batting average.

Twint:    Before Alex Rodriguez, he was the last New York Yankee to hit two home runs in a single inning.

A.         CLIFF JOHNSON (20 PH HR; Passed in 2010 by Matt Stairs; 2 HR 30-Jun-1977 7^th inning)

FCR -   

Incorrect answers: 

THURSDAY

Q.         What pitcher led the National League in appearances in the strike-shortened season of 1995?

Hint:     He would appear in at least fifty games for that and each of the following eight consecutive seasons that he played in the majors.

Hint:     He received a World Series share from his team in his last season in the majors despite not playing in that Series.

Twint:    He would not play in the majors again.

A.         CURT LESKANIC (ALCS G#7 W 17‑Oct‑2004; 50+ G 1995-2004 [Did not play in 2002.] 2004 WS)

FCR -    Scott Matteson, Shawnee, KS

Incorrect answers:  Brandon Puffer, Dennis Eckersley, Mike Timlin, Rob Murphy, Eric Gagne, Mike Myers

FRIDAY

Q.         The Seattle Mariners franchise had been in the majors for over twenty years before one of their pitchers got an RBI.  Who was he?

Hint:     The odyssey that was his major league career saw him play for eight different major league teams in a twelve-year period.

Hint:     He was handed the ball to start the game 229 times, demonstrating the trust his managers had in him (at least until he was traded or released).

Twint:    His father had also played in the majors.

A.         OMAR OLIVARES (RBI: 28-Aug-1997; First Mariner game 06-Apr-1977; Father Ed Olivares)

FCR -    Jim Berardinucci, Sewell, NJ

Incorrect answers:  Mike Moore, Jaime Moyer, Eric Bedard, Freddy Garcia, Mike Morgan

SATURDAY

Q.         What speedster collected at least two hits in ten of the first eleven games he started in the majors.

Hint:     Two of his cousins are much more famous athletes, but in different professional sports.

Hint:     A major league contemporary of his with nearly identical skills and the same last name, is not, however, related.

Twint:    In the minors, he stole fifty bases in each of three consecutive seasons.

A.         CURTIS GOODWIN (MLB debut 02-Jun-1995; Cousins NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton and NBA star Gary Payton; Not related to Tom Goodwin)

FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX

Incorrect answers:  Billy Hamilton, Lonnie Smith, Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, Mookie Wilson, Willie Wilson

PLAYOFF BONUS

Q.         Who, in 2007, broke the International League’s 95-year-old record for the longest consecutive-games hitting streak?

Hint:     His 43 games is still the standard.

Hint:     Jack Leliveldt was the previous record holder.

Twint:    His last name could be said to describe his origins.

A.         BRANDON WATSON ("Watts son" [We don’t actually know what area of Los Angeles he was born in.])

FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX

Incorrect answers:  Jimmy Rollins, Rick Short

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first third baseman to be a first-round draft pick of the 1970s?

Hint:     He led the PCL in batting the year after his major league debut.

Hint:     His only National League home run was off Rookie of the Year Award winner Rick Sutcliffe.

Hint:     He was the first ever Padre to take Sutcliffe deep.

Twint:    He played for the Hanshin Tigers after his major league career.

A.         PAUL DADE (1976 PCL batting title: .363 for the 1976 Salt Lake City Gulls; HR off Sutcliffe 25‑Jun‑1979)

FCR -    Geehoon Hong, Bayside, NY

Incorrect answers:  Bob Horner, Graig Nettles, Dave Roberts, Rick Schu, Phil Nevin, Kurt Bevacqua

WRAP-UP BONUS

Q.         What middle reliever pitched for eleven major league teams during his twelve-year major league career?

Hint:     A true baseball nomad, he also toiled for ten minor league teams during that same period.

Hint:     This doesn’t even count the seven minor league team he pitched for prior to making the big time.

Hint:     He was born in Ohio, attended high school in Michigan then went to college in Kentucky.

Twint:    Perhaps all this was his destiny since he was born in the Year of the Pitcher.

A.         RICK WHITE

FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX

Incorrect answers:  Brett Tomko, Mike Morgan

WEEKLY THEME – Players who wore uniform #00 for more than one season

Player        Teams/Years

Dade          CLE (1977, 78, 79)

Goodwin     CIN (1996, 97)

Johnson     TOR (1985, 86)

Leonard      SFG (1987, 88), MIL (88), SEA (89, 90)

Leskanic     MIL (2000, 01)

Newsom     WSH (1943, 46, 47)

Olivares      STL (1993), PHI (95)

Watson       WSN (2005, 06, 07), CIN (06)

White          CLE (2004), PIT (05), CIN (06), PHI (06)

Wilson        LAD (2013, 14)

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – FCR -Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday   -  2010 playoff teams who are in the playoffs this year

               -  Players with awesome beards

Tuesday   -  MVPs of past championship series who are playing in this year’s series

               -  Players who played on playoff teams for both the Giants and the Dodgers

We archive our questions here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia