19-Jun-2017
MONDAY
Q. What manager set such a good example for his players that no fewer than 28 of them became major league managers?
Hint: They in turn managed dozens of players who became managers.
Hint: He is credited with pioneering the use of the hit-and-run.
Hint: He is also credited with popularizing platooning right- and left-handed hitters.
A. NED HANLON
- Played for Hanlon in the majors and later managed in the majors:
*Deacon White and
Also, Jack Dunn the legendary minor league manager who discovered the young Babe Ruth.
*Hall of Fame
FCR - David Ramsden, Barcelona
Incorrect answers: Casey Stengel, Connie Mack, John McGraw, Rube Foster, Walter Alston, Tony LaRussa, Earl Weaver, Wilbert Robinson, Miller Huggins, Cap Anson, Al Spalding
TUESDAY
Q. Which Hall of Fame manager said, “If you don’t win, you’re going to be fired. If you do win, you’ve only put off the day you’re going to be fired.”?
Hint: He had 5 seasons as a player/manager yet managed late enough to guide one of the first expansion teams.
Hint: He was nicknamed after one of his most active body parts.
A. LEO DUROCHER
- “Leo the lip” for his propensity of mouth off to just about anyone.
FCR - Will McCracken, Bradenton, Florida
Incorrect answers: Bucky Harris, Mickey Vernon, Bill Rigney, Lou Boudreau, Casey Stengel, Dick Howser, Pete Rose
WEDNESDAY
Q. Which manager stripped Carl Yastrzemski of his captaincy?
Hint: He was later fired by the owner, partly on the recommendation of Yastrzemski.
Hint: His conversion of a Hall of Fame pitcher from starter to a reliever led to a string of championships.
- Soon after becoming the manager of the Red Sox in 1967, he decided that there was no need for a player to hold any position, nominal or otherwise and is reported to have told the players, “There’s only one chief, and the rest of you are Indians.’’
- He was let go by Boston owner Tom Yawkey with 9 games to go in the 1969 season. Yastrzemski stayed with the team another 14 seasons.
- Rollie Fingers became the closer for the 1971-75 Oakland A’s with 5 straight division titles and 3 consecutive World Series Championships, with Williams the manager for the first two, 1972-73.
FCR - Scott Matteson, Shawnee, Kansas
Incorrect answers: Don Zimmer, Ralph Houk, Dallas Green, Joe Morgan, Bobby Cox, Joe Morgan
MIDWEEK BONUS
Q. What American League batting champ didn’t see postseason action in his 15 year MLB career until he was traded to a National League team?
Hint: He received MPV votes and was an All-Star in each of his first 8 seasons in the majors.
Hint: Six years before his batting title, he was voted the American League Rookie of the Year, missing unanimity by a single vote.
Hint: He managed hitters so powerful that they were called “Wall Bangers”.
A. HARVEY KUENN
- After 8 seasons w/DET and 1 in CLE, he joined SFG and went to the WS with them in 1962.
- MVP votes and AS 1953-59. (Also received MVP votes in ’62 w/SFG.)
- ROY in 1953, with Tom Umphlett get that single vote.
- Managed the Milwaukee Brewers 1975, then 1982-83, the teams of the latter stint were known as Harvey’s Wallbangers, recognizing the powerful hitters on the team as well as a play on a popular drink. The ’82 team went to the World Series, losing to STL in 7 games.
FCR - Bob Dorrill, Kingwood, Texas
Incorrect answers: George Bamberger, Paul Molitor, Wade Boggs
THURSDAY
Q. Who is the only Toronto Blue Jay to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game more than once?
Hint: His dramatic home run off the pitcher who was voted that season’s MVP marked a turning point in the history of his franchise.
Hint: He and a prominent European professional tennis player were once an item.
- Games with HR from each side: 10-May-1991 & 03-May-1995
- Homered off Dennis Eckersley in the 9th inning of the 4th G of the 1992 ALCS, tied the G which the Jays won in the 11th and then the series 2 games later, putting Toronto into its first World Series.
- For a time dated French tennis pro Mary Pierce.
FCR - Bob Flynn Gilbert, Arizona
Incorrect answers: Tony Fernandez, Gary Carter
FRIDAY
Q. Who is credited with creating the bat weight donut?
Hint: He was the first black coach in the American League.
Hint: He is tied with Pee Wee Reese for playing on the losing side in a World Series the most times.
- Coach w/NYY 1969-79
FCR - Larry Creeden, Boulder City, Nevada
Incorrect answers: Jackie Robinson, Frank Robinson, Junior Gilliam, Larry Doby, Manny Sanguillen
WEEK-ENDER
Q. Which player did the Yankees obtain from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Jay Buhner?
Hint: He joins Mark McGwire and Dave Kingman and a handful of others as players who retired with more than 25% of their career hits being home runs.
Hint: He once broke up a pitcher’s perfect game with a two-out, 9th-inning home run.
A. KEN PHELPS
- Trade took place 21-Jul-1988 with other players on both sides.
- McGwire (35.9%), Kingman (28.1), Phelps (27.8), Harmon Killebrew (27.5), Ron Kittle (27.2), Rob Deer (27.0), Gorman Thomas (25.5), Ralph Kiner (25.4), Steve Balboni (25.4)
- Spoiled Brian Holman’s no-hit bid 20-Apr-1990.
FCR - Jeff Kallman, Las Vegas
Incorrect answers: Richie Sexson, Tino Martinez, Dave Kingman, Henry Cotto
SATURDAY
Q. Which Oklahoma-born starter did Casey Stengel attempt to replace with Minnie Minoso after the American League had batted in the top of the 3rd inning of the 1952 All-Star game, before Commissioner Frick ordered him to keep the starter in for the required 3 innings?
Hint: Since 1926, no one has had more triples in a season than he did in his best year.
Hint: In that seminal season, he struck out only 11 times in 685 plate appearances.
Hint: In spite of those dominant stats, he didn’t even finish in the top 20 among those receiving MVP votes that year.
- 1952 ASG
- 23 3b in 1949 (Kiki Cuyler hit 26 3b in 1925)
- Ted Williams won the AL MVP in 1949. Mitchell was tied with Allie Reynolds for last (26th) among those receiving votes.
FCR - Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Incorrect answers: Allie Reynolds, Mickey Mantle
WEEKEND BONUS
Q. Who was the first post-expansion Detroit Tiger to hit for the cycle?
Hint: He was the first American League player to score five runs in a game in the decade of the 1990's.
Hint: He was once the scrappiest Scrapper?
Hint: Is currently a hitting instructor for the Cleveland Indians farm system.
- Cycle 28-Jul-1993
- 5-R G 17-Apr-1993
- Managed the Mahoning Valley Scrappers 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015
FCR - Neil Cohen, Brooklyn
Incorrect answers: Phil Garner, Danny Bautista, Kirk Gibson
WEEKEND BONUS #2
Q. Who won MVP awards in 2 minor leagues, was a minor league Player of the Year, won a World Series championship in his rookie season in the majors and then was traded away for next-to-nothing after that season was over?
Hint: He is one of only eleven players to play in both the Little League World Series and the Major League World Series.
Hint: After playing a very sub-par year for the Pirates, he left baseball in what much be called a unique way.
A. DEREK BELL
- Won the 1991 International League Most Valuable Player award, and Baseball America magazine named him the Minor League Player of the Year. Traded with Stoney Briggs for Darrin Jackson at the end of the 1992 season.
- Played in the 1980 and 1981 Little League World Series. Had 2 plate appearances in the 1992 World Series.
- Was told at spring training in 2002 that he would be competing for a job, petulantly stated that that was something he just didn’t do. Walked away but collected that year’s $5,000,000 salary anyway.
FCR - Gary Hoffman, Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Incorrect answers:
WEEKEND BONUS #3
Q. What player was drafted ahead of (in the same draft) MVP’s Ryan Braun and Andrew McCutchen?
Hint: …also ahead of all-Stars Ryan Zimmerman, Alex Gordon, Ricky Romero, Troy Tulowitzky, Jay Bruce, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner and Travis Wood.
Hint: …and ALCS MVP Matt Garza, ROY Jeremy Hellickson and others. It was a very strong draft.
Hint: His relative was also drafted high, but in a different year.
Hint: He’s twice and All-Star and three times a Silver Slugger.
A. JUSTIN UPTON
- 2005 MLB June Amateur Draft. 38 of the 1st round’s 48 picks have spent time in the majors.
- Brother B.J. Upton (now goes by his given name, Melvin) was drafted #2 in the 2002 MLB June Amateur Draft, ahead, in his own right, of many MLB luminaries.
FCR - Benjamin Chase, Huron, South Dakota
Incorrect answers:
SUNDAY
Q. Who puts on what some have called the “greatest show in baseball” in nearly every MLB game he plays?
Hint: He once stole two bases on a single pitch.
Hint: A major league veteran, he played a heavy negotiating hand and finally ended up playing for his hometown team.
Hint: His honors include thrice being an NL All-Star, 4 times a Gold Glove Award winner and a Silver Slugger bat adorns his den.
- His acrobatic, inventive plays at second base wowed the fans in Cincinnati in more than 1,800 games over 11 seasons.
- On 01-Aug-2007, stole second and third base on the same pitch, while the infield shifted for Adam Dunn.
- Brandon grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta and now plays for the Braves.
FCR - Benjamin Chase, Huron, South Dakota
Incorrect answers: Bret Boone, Rickey Henderson, Giancarlo Stanton, Willie Mays
SUNDAY FINALE
Q. What Yankee outfielder once played an entire season of over 300 chances without a single error?
Hint: His defensive stats led the outfielders, but his WAR led the whole team that year.
Hint: The next season he led the American League in bases-on-balls.
Hint: He grew up in Compton, California playing sock ball.
A. ROY WHITE
- 1971 – 306 chances, 0 errors
- 6.7 Wins Against Replacement
- 99 BB in 1972
- "We'd take an ankle leg sock and stuff it with rags, and then we'd wrap it with tape or maybe sew it. The pitcher would stand about twenty-five feet away because the ball was so light. But you could curve it, throw a screwball," White would later explain when asked about how he developed his batting eye and hitting style.
FCR - Ron Kaufman, Thornhill, Ontario
Incorrect answers: Jackie Jensen, Dave Winfield
WEEKLY THEME – Famous final outs
Alomar 01-May-1991 Ryan’s 7th no-hitter
Bell 06-May-1998 Wood’s 20th strikeout victim
Durocher 15-Jun-1938 Vander Meer’s 2nd no-hitter
Fryman 18-Sep-1996 Clemens’ 2nd 20th strikeout victim
Hanlon 12-Jun-1880 Richmond’s perfect game
Howard 04-Oct-1955 Brooklyn’s only WS championship
Kuenn 09-Sep-1965 Koufax’ perfect game & 4th no-no
Mitchell 08-Oct-1956 Larsen’s perfect World Series game
Phelps 29-May-1986 Clemens 1st 20th strikeout victim
Phillips 06-Oct-2010 Halladay’s NLDS no-hitter (28th batter)
Upton 11-May-2016 Scherzer 20th strikeout victim
White 21-Oct-1976 Big Red Machine postseason sweep completed
Williams 21-Sep-1962 Cheney’s 21st strikeout victim
First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Many were close, but none were chosen
Incorrect theme guesses:
Monday - Managers who have either been to or won the World Series the most times.
- 19th century player/managers
- Managers with most wins by decade
Tue - Brooklyn managers who won titles elsewhere, but not in Brooklyn.
Wed - Managers who were associated with Brooklyn but won championships elsewhere
- Lowest career batting averages of (non-pitcher) players in HOF
- Ned Hanlon managerial tree -- all "descendants" of Hanlon, having played for him, or played for someone who played for him, etc.
- HOF managers on the Hanlon tree.
Thurs - R-O-Y who later won lg batting titles, were player reps & mgrs, but not voted into H-O-Fs
Sat - Guys who made last out in a perfect game
- Last out in World Series
Questions archived here: http://horsehidetriviA. blogspot.com/
Horsehide Trivia home page: https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia
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