February 16-22, 2015 MLB Hall of Fame Players who also played in the Negro Leagues.

MONDAY

Q.         Which player had the most total home runs for the 1950s and 1960s combined?

Hint:     Beginning with the first year the Gold Glove was awarded, he won twelve straight.

Hint:     He played in 24 All-Star games, all consecutive.

Twint:    Only Stan Musial matches that career All-Star record.

Twint:    In 99 postseason plate appearances, he hit but a single home run.

A.         WILLIE MAYS (600 HR 1951-69; 1957-1968 GG winner; AS 1954-73 including the two/year games 1959-62;  HR G 2 1971 NLCS)

FCR -    Tommy Garber, Austin, TX

Incorrect answers:  Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Stan Musial, Mike Schmidt

TUESDAY

Q.         Who holds the career records for most runs batted in and total bases?

Hint:     He once said “I never worried about the fastball. They couldn’t throw it past me. None of them.”

Hint:     He has more 30-home run seasons than any other player.

Twint:    Once he corrected his childhood batting grip, he began to hit home runs and became (ahem!) quite proficient at it.

A.         HENRY AARON (2,297 RBI career leader, 6,856 TB; Full quote "I looked for the same pitch my whole career, a breaking ball. All of the time. I never worried about the fastball. They couldn't throw it past me, none of them.”; 15 seasons with at least 30 HR; A Braves scout corrected his cross-handed position after observing him in batting practice, and he hit two HR that very day)

FCR -    Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, AR

Incorrect answers:  Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Barry Bonds

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What Hall-of-Famer-to-be player chose retirement rather than accept a trade to his team’s decades-old rival?

Hint:     He led the National League in stolen bases and sacrifice hits as a rookie.

Hint:     Of fielding his position, he once said "Pop flies, in a sense, are just a diversion for a second baseman.  Grounders are his stock trade."

Twint:    A Hall of Fame teammate described him this way. "He was the greatest competitor I've ever seen.  I've seen him beat a team with his bat, his ball, his glove, his feet and, in a game in Chicago one time, with his mouth."

A.         JACKIE ROBINSON (Was traded to the Giants after the 1956 season for Dick Littlefield and $30,000; Quote by Duke Snider; 29 SB, 28 SH)

FCR -    Blake Sherry, Dublin, OH

Incorrect answers:  Craig Biggio

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who holds the record for home runs in a season by a National League shortstop?

Hint:     An unfortunate set of circumstances surround his last will and testament.

Hint:     He switched positions two years after winning the NL Gold Glove Award at shortstop.

Twint:    He skipped the minors and started in the majors 9 days after an early September signing.

Twint:    His roommate was the player originally slated to start at short, but due to an injury the roomie became the second baseman two days later – forming the first African-American double play combo in the majors.

A.         ERNIE BANKS (47 HR in 1958, played all 154 G @ SS;  GG in 1960, 1B in ‘62; Will controversy:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-ernie-banks-will-met-20150217-story.html; Signed 09‑Sep‑1953, started at short 18-Sep-1953; Banks was brought up to room with Gene Baker who was supposed to be the first black player or the Cubs.  Baker suffered an injury, and Banks took over @ SS.  Banks was moved to 2^nd.)

FCR -    Jake Hopper, Houston, TX

Incorrect answers:  Cal Ripken

THURSDAY

Q.         Who is the only Dodger to win the National League MVP Award more than once?

Hint:     He once replaced his ejected manager in the middle of a minor league game with his team down by three runs.

Hint:     His team won a come-from-behind victory in no small part due to his decision to use a pitcher as a pinch hitter.

Hint:     The result was a game-tying two-run homer.

Twint:    Some say if not for his injury, the Giants may not have gone on to “win the pennant”.

A.         ROY CAMPANELLA (Won three MVPs 1951, ’53 and ‘55; He took over for manager Walt Alston in a Nashua Dodgers game in 1946 making him the first African-American to manage an integrated team in “organized baseball”.  His choice of pitcher Don Newcombe to pinch-hit was clever.  Newk homered; Campy was out of the “shot heard around the world” game and there is speculation that if he had played, Branca would not have thrown that second weak fastball to Bobby Thompson [Seriously—who speculates more than Brooklyn Dodger fans?])

FCR -    Dave Johnson, Swarthmore, PA

Incorrect answers:  Gil Hodges, Sandy Koufax, Steve Garvey, Duke Snider, Maury Wills, Pee Wee Reese

FRIDAY

Q.         Of all the Major League managers born in South Carolina, who had the lowest winning percentage?

Hint:     He is, however, the only one in the Hall of Fame.

Hint:     Trying to place things into perspective, he once said, "Part of history?  I have no notions about that.  I just want to play baseball."?

Twint:    The last time the Indians won the World Series, he had the highest series batting average (minimum 20 AB).

A.         LARRY DOBY (CWS manager 1978 2^nd of 2 went 37-50, the others being Willie Randolph and Marty Marion; HOF 1998; Frist black player in the AL; .318, 7 H/22 AB 1948 WS)

FCR -    Richard Marston, Newport Beach, CA

            Incorrect answers:  Lou Brisse, Frank Robinson, Jim Rice, Early Wynn, Willie Randolph

SATURDAY

Q.         Which 32-year-old player stole home in the first inning of his first World Series game?

Hint:     He had two steals for the Series.  No other member of his team had any.

Hint:     In addition, he compiled the highest batting average in that Series.

Hint:     In spite of that performance, he was not named the World Series MVP.

Twint:    His batting average dropped by more than 250 points for his next World Series, but this time, his team won.

Twint:    In addition to his well-deserved place in Cooperstown, he has been inducted into halls of fame in both Cuba and Mexico.

Twint:    He is the oldest living African American major league veteran.

Twint:    Hall of Famer Effa Manley lent him the down payment on his first house.

A.         MONTE IRVIN (SB G 1 1951 WS; BA .458, 1954 WS NYG topped CLE, Went 2/9 BA .222; WS MVP first awarded 4 yrs. later, in 1955; B. 25-Feb-1919, 95 years old)

FCR -    Mike McCroskey, Sugar Land, TX

Incorrect answers:  Jackie Robinson, Brad Fullmer, Enos Slaughter, Maury Wills, Sandy Amoros, Frankie Frisch, Rickey Henderson, Rod Carew

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         In Bob Feller’s final World Series appearance, which pitcher came in and “stopped the bleeding” facing only two batters to get the final two outs, ending a six-run rally?

Hint:     The first of those two batters had a Hall of Fame career.

Hint:     …as did he.

Twint:    He learned to pitch while “enrolled” in reform school at age 12, about which he said "You might say I traded five years of freedom to learn how to pitch."

A.         SATCHEL PAIGE (Game 5, 1948 WS, he was the 4^th pitcher of the 7th inning and the only one not charged with a run; Batter Warren Spahn hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly; Taught mechanics by Edward Byrd while serving time for petty theft at the Industrial School for Negro Children in Mount Meigs, AL)

FCR -    Tom Hablitzel, Hudson, OH

Incorrect answers:  Hal Newhouser, Early Wynn, Bob Lemon

SUNDAY

Q.         Who hit the only inside-the-park home run ever given up by Hal Newhouser?

Hint:     It was the only home run of his Major League career.

Hint:     Yet he was nicknamed “Home Run”.

Hint:     He was released from that team after 21 days of service.

Hint:     He claimed, probably correctly, that his MLB team could beat the Negro League he then joined “ …only if we was all asleep.”

Hint:     He would later hit 27 homers one year in the Puerto Rican Winter League – a record that stands today.

Twint:    He twice won the Puerto Rican League Triple Crown.

A.         WILLARD BROWN (HR hit pinch hitting, b 8 13-Aug-1947 to secure a 6-5 win, Newhouser allowed 136 career HR; Brown only played in 21 games but his homer was the first by an African-American in the American League; A powerful hitter, he was given the nickname by Josh Gibson after out-slugging Josh Gibson in several HR hitting events; He rejoined the Kansas City Monarchs after being released from the St. Louis Browns, with the full quote “The Browns couldn’t beat the Monarchs no kind of way, only if we was all asleep. That’s the truth. They didn’t have nothing. I said, ‘Major league team?’ They got to be kidding.”; PRWL HR records Brown1947-48 season 27, two years later 23 – Reggie Jackson and Jose Hernandez tied for 3^rd with 20 each; PRL TC 1947-48 & 1949-50)

FCR -    Bill Deane, Cooperstown, NY

Incorrect answers:  Frank Baker, Grant Johnson

WEEKLY THEME –  MLB Hall of Fame Players who also played in the Negro Leagues.

Player            HOF        Career, Negro Leagues included

Aaron            1982        1952 – 1976

Banks            1977        1950 – 1971

Brown            2006        1933 – 1956

Campanella    1969        1937 – 1957

Doby             1998        1942 – 1962

Irvin               1973        1937 – 1957

Mays             1979        1948 – 1973

Paige             1971        1927 – 1966

Robinson       1962        1945 – 1956

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Ken Bell, Miami, FL

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday   -  Hall-of-Famers born in the 1930s

               -  600 HR club

               -  All time [HR | RBI | Total base] leaders

               -  Hall of Famers born in Alabama

               -  Guys from Alabama

               -  Black outfielders born in Alabama

               -  Total bases leaders

Wed.       -  Black Hall of Famers

               -  Negro Leaguers who made the HOF based on their play, at least mostly, in MLB

               -  Players with 3,000 hits, 300 HR's and 300 SB's

               -  First black HOFamer elected for each team

               -  Players who played in the Negro Leagues before they came to the Majors

               -  Hall of Famers who played in the Negro Leagues

               -  Last active Major league players that also played in the Negro Leagues that are in the Hall of Fame

               -  January 31 birthdays

               -  Greatest African American players of all time

               -  Players who were all-stars in both the Negro and major leagues

               -  Negro League alumni who were NL MVP's

               -  Major League MVPs who played in the Negro Leagues

               -  MLB Hall of Famers who began their pro careers in the Negro Leagues

Thursday  -  NL MVP's of the 50's

               -  MLB Hall of Famers who won MVP awards and began their pro careers in the Negro Leagues

               -  Black MVPs in the 1940-1950s

               -  Black hall of famers who won MVP awards

               -  First black players elected to the hall of fame based on their accomplishments in the Major Leagues.

Friday      -  Players who were on Negro League championship teams and World Series winners

Saturday  -  Former Negro League players who eventually played in a the World Series

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

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

February 9-15, 2015 Pitchers with 10 strikeouts and 10 walks in the same game

MONDAY

Q.         Who struck out seventeen batters in a major league game at the tender age of seventeen?

Hint:     He had a game of fifteen Ks just three weeks prior.

Hint:     He graced the cover of Time magazine and THEN graduated from high school.

Twint:    His rise to fame was as rapid as his fastball.

A.         BOB FELLER (17 K G 13-Sep-1936; 15 K G 23-Aug-1936; Time cover 19-Apr-1937, Graduation in May)

FCR -    Timothy Kearns, Washington, DC

Incorrect answers:  Dwight Gooden, Stephen Strasburg, David Clyde, Joe Nuxhall, Mark Fidrych, Herb Score, Lindy McDaniel

MONDAY ALSO

Q.         What fireballer ranks in the Top 5 for career strikeouts for three different franchises?

Hint:     He won a World Series ring with the only other team he played with.

Hint:     All four of the franchises he played for didn’t exist when Ted Williams played.

Twint:    By a whopping margin of 50, he holds the modern career record for wild pitches.

A.         NOLAN RYAN (Angels: #1 w/2,416 K, Astros: #1 w/1,866 K, Rangers #4 w/939 K [With the Mets, he only [ONLY!} ranks 23^rd w/493 K.]; WS ring with the 1969 Mets; WP record 277, runner-up is Phil Niekro @ 226)

FCR -    Eugene Schwartz, Weston, CT

Incorrect answers:  Randy Johnson, Bert Blyleven, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling

TUESDAY

Q.         What Hall of Famer was the only pitcher to hit a walk-off grand slam for the Yankees?

Hint:     He is the only Yankee pitcher to throw over 200 complete games for them.

Hint:     No Yankee pitcher hit more career home runs and that doesn’t even take into account the ones he hit for the Red Sox and White Sox.

Twint:    He holds the all-time record for losses in a season by a Red Sox pitcher.

Twint:    He’s also in second place on the same list.

A.         RED RUFFING (GS 14-Apr-1933; 162 CG [Next is Lefty Gomez w/173]; 30 HR for NYY [6 for BOS, 0 for CHW; 25 L in 1928, 22 L in 1929)

FCR -    Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, AR

Incorrect answers:  Babe Ruth, Vic Raschi, Jack Chesbro, Bob Grim, Ed Lopat

TUESDAY ALSO

Q.         What pitcher with 109 career losses did the Indians trade to the Giants for another pitcher with 109 career losses?

Hint:     Their years of major league service, salaries and career WAR were also nearly identical.

Hint:     He retired #8 on the all-time strikeout list in the liveball era.  The player he was traded for now occupies that very spot.

Hint:     When he joined the Indians as a rookie, he was five years younger than any other pitcher on the team.     

Twint:    Teammate All-Star pitcher Dick Radatz once said of him, "We thought he was just stupid.  It turned out he was never sober."

Twint:    He (Not Radatz) later became the Pirates' drug and alcohol counselor.

A.         SAM McDOWELL (Traded for Gaylord Perry: 9 yrs. Each, 1971 salaries $72K/$75K, WAR 42.3/42.3.; 18 Yrs old in 1961, next were Joe Shaffernoth and Bob Allen @ 23)

FCR -    Mark Jones, Birmingham, AL

Incorrect answers:  Gaylord Perry, Jack McDowell, Jim Perry

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was the only pitcher in American League history to clinch a pennant with a no-hitter?

Hint:     He was with the Indians, but not chiefly.

Hint:     He was drafted by the Giants but never played for them.

Twint:    In the only trade of his thirteen-year career, he was traded straight-up for a future Hall of Famer.

Twint:    No other players were involved on either side.

Twint:    He was on the winning side in the World Series every time he played in the postseason.  

A.         ALLIE REYNOLDS (29-Sep-1951; Nicknamed “Superchief”, he is a Creek Indian; Drafted by the NFL New York Giants; Traded 11-Oct-1946 by CLE to NYY for Joe Gordon; 6 WS rings:  1947, 1949-53)

FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD

Incorrect answers:  Chief Bender, Kerry Wood, Roy Halladay, Mike Scott, Mike Garcia, Tommy John, Early Wynn

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who was the first left-handed pitcher to win a Rookie of the Year Award?

Hint:     Led his league in wild pitches in both his first two seasons.

Twint:    The Red Sox once offered Hank Greenberg’s Indians $1,000,000 to purchase his contract – and Greenberg turned it down.

A.         HERB SCORE (ROY 1955; 12 WP in 1955, 11 in 1956; Joe Cronin offered the money [worth over $8million today] to which Greenberg said, “Joe, I could not let you have Score.”)

FCR -    Larry Lamb, Oakwood, OH

Incorrect answers:  Sandy Koufax, Sam McDowell, Warren Spahn, Roy Halladay, Fernando Valenzuela, Whitey Ford, Gary Peters, Jon Matlack, Vida Blue, Bobby Shantz

THURSDAY

Q.         Which pitcher holds the record for most bases on balls issued by a rookie in the post-expansion era?

Hint:     His only World Series appearance was the last game of his career.

Hint:     He was the first American League pitcher to homer since the adoption of the designated hitter.

Hint:     He pitched one inning and his team won by the largest World Series run differential since 1960.

Twint:    And in that game he took the win by a single run.

A.         BOBBY WITT (143BB led the league in 1986, Sam Jones issued 185 his rookie season in 1955; Game 6 2001 WS ARI 15-2 (13 run victory) over NYY with the record of 14 set in 1936; solo shot 6^th inning 30-Jun-1997 3-2 victory TEX over LAD)

FCR -    Richard Marston, Newport Beach, CA

Incorrect answers:  Mike Morgan, Ken Holtzman

FRIDAY

Q.         Which pitcher holds the Cincinnati Reds’ franchise record for career strikeouts?

Hint:     He once threw a no-hitter only to watch his team suffer a no-hit defeat the very next day.

Hint:     He attended the same high school from which Frank Chance and Tom Seaver are alumni.

Twint:    He pitched another “no-hitter” four years prior but he gave up two 11^th inning hits, and when the rules defining a no-hitter were officially changed he lost his no-no.

Twint:    Incidentally, the first hit was a homer and he lost the game 1-0.

A.         JIM MALONEY (1,592 Ks; 30-Apr-1969 no hitter won 10-0 over HOU, Then the Astros’ Don Wilson threw a tidy 4-0 no-no thrown at CIN the next day 01-May-1969; Previous no-no: 14-Jun-1965, he pitched 10 hitless [prior to 1991 rule change, this was a no-hitter], then gave up an 11^th inning dinger to NYM Johnny Lewis)

FCR -    Dave Gross, Wind Gap, PA

Incorrect answers:  Bucky Walters, Jim O’Toole, Tom Browning, Mario Soto, Johnny Vander Meer

SATURDAY

Q:         Who was the first modern Baltimore Orioles pitcher to have a 20-win season?

Hint:     He was also the first Baltimore Orioles pitcher to lead the American League in shutouts.

Hint:     Just one season prior – his rookie year - he led his league in bases on balls and wild pitches.

Twint:    He once went 8.2 innings without giving up a hit, and his reliever closed the ninth completing the no-hitter – and yet they lost 2-1.

Twint:    Two games prior, his first start of the same season, he gave up a 9^th-inning one-out hit that was the only one in his complete-game shut-out victory.

A.         STEVE BARBER (20-13 in 1963, 8 ShO 1961 tied Camilo Pascual; 1960 113 BB and 10 WP; Combined no hitter with Stu Miller 30-Apr-1967, the two runs were the result of three walks, a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice; 16-Apr-1967, Jim Fregosi broke up the no-no with a double)

FCR -    Dave Pugh, Baltimore, MD

Incorrect answers:  Jim Palmer, Hoyt Wilhelm, Dave McNally, Chuck Estrada, Stu Miller, Wally Bunker, Milt Pappas

SUNDAY

Q:         Who surrendered the last triple at the Los Angeles Coliseum?

Hint:     It was to a future Hall of Famer.

Twint:    Who finished the last few innings of Sandy Koufax’s first World Series start?

Twint:    He didn’t give up a hit, but Koufax still lost the game 1-0.

Twint:    He got a ring with that team, but a few years later he was on the losing end when the Los Angeles Dodgers took their second Fall Classic since moving west.

Twint:    He was a Yankee because the Dodgers wanted a “Moose” on first, beating out a certain “Horse” that failed to make the squad despite hitting a try-out homer off Koufax.

A.         STAN WILLIAMS (1959 WS Game 5, LAD v CWS, Koufax went 7i, but lost 1-0 with Williams pitching no hit ball the last two innings; He was a NYY in 1963 when the LAD swept them; 26-Nov-1962 he was traded to the NYY for Bill Skowron; Mr Ed tried out for the Dodgers; Surrendered a 3b to Ernie Banks 19-Sep-1961)

FCR -    Douglas Sher, Charleston, SC

Incorrect answers:  Dean Chance, Warren Spahn, Roger Craig, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Ron Perranoski, Early Wynn

WEEKLY THEME – Pitchers who had 10 strikeouts and 10 bases-on-balls in the same game.

Pitcher              Date         BB       K     Dec.

Barber        13-Aug-1961      11       11      W

Feller           7-Aug-1941       11       13      L

                   6-Aug-1937       10       12      T

Maloney     19-Aug-1965      10       12      W

McDowell     4-Jul-1964        11       12      L

                   2-May-1970       10       10      L

Reynolds    14-Jun-1946      10       10      L

Ruffing        5-Sep-1927       11       12      W

Ryan           14-Jun-1974      10       19      W

Score          16-Apr-1957      11       10      L

Williams      17-May-1961      12       11      W

Witt             1-Sep-1990       10       10      W

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Douglas Sher, Charleston, SC

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday   -  Pitchers who led their leagues in strikeouts and walks

               -  Pitchers who had their careers interrupted due to military service

               -  Pitchers clocked at over 100 mph

               -  Top 10 MLB strikeout leaders

               -  Pitchers with multiple 300 Strikeout seasons

Tuesday   -  Season strikeout leaders who made their first career starts as teenagers

Wed        -  Pitchers who led their leagues in strikeouts and wild pitches in the same season

               -  Pitchers who led their leagues in Ks and WP at some point in careers

               -  Pitchers who led their leagues in Ks in years when they walked at least 100 batters

               -  Pitchers considered to be the fastest in the league

Thursday  -  Cleveland Indian pitchers who led the league in strikeouts

               -  Pitchers to walk 10 or more batters in a game

Friday      -  Pitchers to have more than one game with double digit walks

               -  Pitchers who have led their league in strikeouts and walks allowed

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

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

February 2-8, 2015 Player who filed for Bankruptcy

MONDAY

Q.         What major leaguer homered the most in the 1960s?

Hint:     Only Hank Aaron had more RBI over that same time span.

Hint:     He had nearly 1,000 fewer at bats than Aaron during that ten-year period.

Twint:    If you go to the Mall of America, you can find the chair he hit with the longest home run hit at Metropolitan Stadium.

Twint:    He is a double unique.

A.            HARMON KILLEBREW (393 HR 1960-69 [List]; 1,013 RBI to Aaron’s 1,107; 4,994 AB to Aaron’s 5,912; HR is said to have traveled 522 ft, it hit a chair that was later moved to MOA when Met was torn down in 2014; No other player in the annals of major league history has had a first name of Harmon nor a last name of Killebrew.)

FCR -    Chuck Durante, Dover, DE

Incorrect answers:  Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Eddie Mathews, Dave Kingman, Willie Stargell

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         What former Redbird was traded in spring training with another equally undistinguished player, but which player would be the MVP that season with their new team?

Hint:     All four players involved in the trade had long (10+ years) if unremarkable major league career with the one exceptional year noted above.

Hint:     He had an historic walk-off home run on a 13-pitch at-bat to give his eventual World Series winning team a key victory.

Hint:     With his last home run of that season, he victimized the same team with another three run extra-inning shot.

Hint:     He was a backup first baseman for the same team for nine seasons, which may not be a record, but is interesting in its own quiet way.

Twint:    After retirement he was a trustee for Sparky Anderson's C.A.T.C.H charity and helped manage the assets for the Detroit Tigers Clubhouse Scholarship Fund.

A.         DAVE BERGMAN (Attended Illinois State University, traded by the Philadelphia Phillies 24-Mar-1984 with Willie Hernandez to the Detroit Tigers for Glenn Wilson and John Wockenfuss; W-O HR 04-Jun-1984; 3-R W-O HR 07-Sep-1984)

FCR -    Doug Greenwald, San Francisco, CA

Incorrect answers:  Mike Matheny, Dick Groat, Ron Fairly, Dick Nen, Joe Carter

TUESDAY

Q.         Who was the last player to hit over .390 in a season while qualifying for the batting title?

Hint:     He has the fourth highest career batting average for players with a minimum of 10,000 plate appearances.

Hint:     The man he faced the most in the majors, with over 100 PA, a first-ballot Hall of Fame pitcher, never struck him out even once.

Twint:    On the other hand, he struck out 5 times in 18 plate appearances against an even more recent Hall of Fame inductee.

A.         TONY GWYNN (BA .394 1994; BA .338 behind only Cobb .366, Speaker .345 and Ruth .342; He faced Greg Maddux 107 times without a K, hitting .415, while he hit only .111 against Randy Johnson)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY

Incorrect answers:  George Brett, Rod Carew, Joe Jackson, Ted Williams

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was the first relief pitcher to reach 300 saves?

Hint:     That same year he was replaced in September by a rookie—a move that eliminated him from appearing in his team’s only World Series appearance.

Hint:     As if to prove the adage that “you can’t succeed if you don’t fail”, he is second all-time on the list of career blown saves.

Twint:    His father, an Ohio steel worker, was in the minors on the same team with Stan Musial.

A.         ROLLIE FINGERS (He created the 300 save club 21-Aug-1982; 02-Sep-1982 forearm injury sidelined him the rest of the season and rookie Pete Ladd took his spot as closer for the Milwaukee Brewers 1982 AL-pennant winning team; Career .491 W-L percent going 114-118; 109 BS to Goose Gossage’s 112; 1938 Williamson Colts roster shows Fingers and Musial, though no playing information for Fingers)

FCR -    Douglas Sher, Charleston, SC

Incorrect answers:  Dan Quisenberry, Troy Percival, Jeff Reardon, Rich Gossage, Lee Smith, Elroy Face, Trevor Hoffman, Dennis Eckersley

THURSDAY

Q.         Which San Francisco Giants pitcher was awarded a 2010 World Series ring at the official ring ceremony though he hadn’t played for the team in over 10 years?

Hint:     He achieved only one post-season win in his long career, but was able to strike out Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Al Oliver  in that game.

Hint:     Alas, he lost the last game of that series though he did manage to again strike out Clemente (twice), Stargell and Oliver.

Hint:     As young boys, he and brother Jim had plowed the family fields with a mule.

Twint:    Just out of high school, in an exhibition game arrange by major league scouts, he not only won the game, he struck out 17 consecutive batters at one point.

Twint:    The opposing pitcher was ex-major leaguer Tommy Byrne.

Twint:    He claims to be the world’s second most famous peanut farmer.

A.         GAYLORD PERRY (1971 last year as a SFG, while Mays, McCovey and Cepeda also were present 09-Apr-2011 - Marichal and Monte Irvin weren’t present, but got their ring at a later date; G1 1971 NLCS 5-4 over PIT; G 4 1971 NLCS lost 9-5, he gave up 7 ER; U.S. President Jimmy Carter was no doubt the world’s most famous peanut farmer.)

FCR -    Jeff Hare, Honolulu, HI

Incorrect answers:  Dave Dravecky, Mike Krukow, Barry Zito

FRIDAY

Q.         Who hit the most home runs in the 1993 World Series that ended with a Joe Carter walk-off home run?

Hint:     His performance matched those of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Barry Bonds for a single World Series.

Hint:     After that series, he never played 100 games in a season again.

Twint:    His son is engaged to a “Soprano”.

A.         LENNY DYKSTRA (4 HR 1993 WS, Carter and Molitor had 2 each; Reggie Jackson and Chase Utley hold the record of 5; 1994-96 GP 84/62/40 his final 3 years in the Bigs; His son Cutter Dykstra is engaged to Jamie-Lynn Sigler who played Meadow Soprano)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY

Incorrect answers:  Paul Molitor

END-OF-WEEK BONUS

Q.         What pitcher struck out more batters in a season that any other National League right-hander in the 20^th century?

Hint:     His four World Series victories are shared among three different teams.

Twint:    His general manager once opined, "Every fif^th day [he] has the opportunity to go out and be a horse on the mound.  Unfortunately on the other four days he tends to say things which are detrimental to the club and clearly self-serving."

Twint:    Many have theorized that his continued public pugnacity has kept him from election to the Hall of Fame.

Twint:    It’s unlikely that any player has had his in-game hosiery more closely examined.

A.         CURT SCHILLING (319 Ks for the 1997 Phillies; WS W’s for 1993 Phillies—G 5, 2001 Diamondbacks—G 1, 2004 & 2007 Red Sox—G 2 & G 2; GM Ed Wade [Wade traded Schilling to ARI in July 2000.]; Blood was visible through his sanitary sock on the mound of G 6 of the 2004 ALCS as New England held its collective breath.  He sold that very sock at auction for over $90,000.)

FCR -    Ray Palen, Selden, NY

Incorrect answers:  Nolan Ryan, Warren Spahn, Randy Johnson, Tom Seaver, Roger Clemens, Kevin Brown, Robin Roberts, Bob Gibson

SATURDAY

Q.         Who led all third basemen in homers during the 1970s?

Hint:     He is the only player all-time to top Brooks Robinson for most assists in a season by a third baseman.

Hint:     He also holds the record for most double plays turned in a year from the hot corner.

Twint:    After catching a crucial famous Carl Yastrzemski foul pop-up, he admitted, “The toughest part of the play was not fainting.”

A.         GRAIG NETTLES (252 HR 1970-79 [Mike Schmidt had 235 1972-79.]; 412 assists 1971; 54 DP 1971; Various Yankee quotes; Quote after making the final out in the famous 1978 NYY/BOS playoff game)

FCR -    Eric Stone, Los Gatos, CA

Incorrect answers:  Mike Schmidt, Darrell Evans, Ron Santo, Buddy Bell, Ron Cey, Richie Hebner, Sal Bando

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         What Red Sox slugger got his 1,000^th RBI in the fewest games since Ted Williams?

Hint:     After hitting .385 one season in the minors, but dropped to .256 as a player/manager the next year.

Hint:     He played one game in the Mexican League, but left for personal reasons.

Twint:    He played for seven minor league teams before his major league debut, four minor league team during his career in The Bigs and seven teams afterward.

Twint:    He was his brother’s manager in the minors.

Twint:    He has been a commercially successful author multiple times.

A.         JOSE CANSECO (1,000^th RBI with his 320^th career HR off Bobby Witt on Flag Day 1996, his 1,296^th G; Hit .385 with the 2010 Laredo Broncos then managed and played with the 2011 Yuma Scorpions; Was 2/5 in a preseason G with the 2012 Quintana Roo Tigers of the Mexican League, but the league suspended him when he refused to undergo a drug test; Managed twin brother Ozzie in Yuma; “Strength Training for Baseball”, “”Juiced” & “Vindicated”, these last two being best-sellers)

FCR -    No one

Incorrect answers:  Fred Lynn, Bobby Doerr, Vern Stephens, Manny Ramirez, Boomer Scott, Jackie Jensen, David Ortiz, Dwight Evans

SUNDAY

Q.         Who is the only Chicago Cubs player to lead the National League in doubles more than once in the 20^th century?

Hint:     Despite this, he doesn’t even appear in the Cubs’s Top 10 for most doubles in a season.

Hint:     He held the major league single-season assists record at first base until Albert Pujols topped it by a single assist.

Twint:    He was the last Cub to win a batting title in the 20^th century.

A.         BILL BUCKNER (2B leader 1981,’83 with 35/382B; Led NL w/.324 in 1980; Pujols topped him with 185 1b A in 2009 and still holds the record.)

FCR -    Barry Nelson, Guilderland, NY

Incorrect answers:  Mark Grace, Billy Herman, Phil Cavarretta, Frank Chance, Derrek Lee

SUNDAY BONUS

Q.         Who is the only pitcher to win the American League MVP unanimously?

Hint:     Ironically, his first Major League appearance was a complete game win over the team that originally signed him.

Twint:    The last batter he ever faced in a major league game was Pete Rose.

Twint:    Though not in the Hall of Fame himself, his father-in-law is a member.

A.         DENNY McLAIN (Debut 21-Sep-1963 CG win 4-3 over CHW; Father-in-law Lou Boudreau, Married Sherry Boudreau [twice]; Faced Rose 12-Sep-1972, Rose singled.)

FCR -    Mark Kanter, Portsmouth, RI

Incorrect answers:  Nolan Ryan, Justin Verlander, Roger Clemens, Vida Blue, Dennis Eckersley, Hal Newhouser

BIG FINALE

Q.         Who tossed the famous ball to first for what should have been the first out in the 9^th inning of the 1985 World Series?

Hint:     He holds the Giants modern era record for the longest consecutive game hitting streak.

Hint:     For a while, he was the latest recipient of the coveted Willie Mac Award

Hint:     After a stint in the American League, he said, “I hate that damn league!  Every game lasts 3½ to 4 hours.  No wonder the fans are bored over there."

Twint:    His mouth proved to be his biggest enemy, costing him his job as a St. Louis local sports talk host.

A.         JACK CLARK (Clark fielded the ball and his toss was called late, though replay showed he made the throw in time; 1978 he hit safely in 26 consecutive, though George Davis hit 33 in 1893 to hold the franchise all-time record; In fact, he was the first ever to get the award in 1980 named after Willie McCovey.  He was only the latest one to get it until it was awarded to Larry Herndon in 1981; AL quote after he was traded by the NYY (where he spent one season) to the NL SDP; After seven shows he was fired for accusing Albert Pujols and Justin Verlander of using PED’s without proof)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY

Incorrect answers:  Todd Worrell, Will Clark

WEEKLY THEME – Eleven players who have declared bankruptcy (There are surely others.)  http://www.drescherlaw.com/reports/bankruptcy-baseball-hall-of-fame.cfm

Buckner

Canseco

Clark       

Dykstra

Fingers

Gwynn

Killebrew

McLain

Nettles

Perry      

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Dave Washburn, Marietta, GA (after the Fingers Q.)

Incorrect theme guesses:   Saturday  - Players who struggled with cancer

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

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