MONDAY
Q. Who, when he played his first game in the majors, took away the unique status that Vic Janowicz had enjoyed?
Hint: He was the first player to play in the majors with an artificial hip.
Hint: He filed a defamation of character lawsuit against a newspaper for publishing a story that stated he had taken steroids.
- They are the only major leaguers who have won college football’s Heisman Trophy. Janowicz won as a halfback/punter for Ohio State in 1950. Jackson won as a running back from Auburn in 1985.
FCR - Bob Charkovsky, Washington, DC
Incorrect answers: Dick Groat, John Olerud, Jackie Jensen
TUESDAY
Q. What former Atlanta Brave enjoyed an MVP-level first half, then sat out the rest of the season as his team went on to win the World Series?
Hint: His reason for sitting out was not an injury, but he still received a full postseason share of $377,003.
Hint: Three teams later, he signed for a second time with Kansas City.
Hint: His nickname is a fast-fading profession.
- On 15-Aug-2012, when he was leading the NL in hits and batting average with 159 and .346 respectively, he was issued a 50-game suspension for testing positive for testosterone. His outstanding year was with SFG.
- Is called “the Milkman”.
FCR - Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Incorrect answers: Deion Sanders, Fred McGriff, Brian Jordan, Carlos Beltran, Darrell May, Jeff Francoeur
WEDNESDAY
Q. Who followed Fergie Jenkins, Vida Blue and Denny McLain down an unwise path?
Hint: He was born in the path of totality (but not during it).
Hint: Once, as the last year’s Cy Young Award winner, he was well along the path to a no-hitter when it was spoiled by the next year’s MVP.
Hint: He was traded by the Padres for someone who would be voted Manager of the Year. That manager worked for an owner who was described by a SABR member in Sports Illustrated as “pathological”.
- Hoyt, December of 1986 became the 4th Cy Young Award winner to be convicted of a felony. Dwight Gooden became the 5th.
- In Hoyt’s one-hitter on 02-May-1984, Don Mattingly singled in the 7th and was the Yankees’ only man to reach base that day.
- On 13-Mar-2013, S.L Price wrote “Art of the Deal gone Wrong” about Marlins’ owner Jeff Loria in S.I. The article also discussed the firing of popular manager Ozzie Guillen, who had been Manager of the Year in 2005 with CHW. In 1984, Guillen was traded to CHW for Hoyt. Other players were also involved in that trade.
FCR - Rich Klein, Plano, Texas
Incorrect answers: Dwight Gooden, Randy Jones, Steve Howe
THURSDAY
Q. What multiple-Gold-Glove winner, after 7+ years and 4,000+ plate appearances in the majors, hit his first walk-off home run last night, 23-Aug-2017?
Hint: The pitcher who surrendered it is a close personal friend of his.
Hint: He hit it against a team with bona fide credentials for making the playoffs this year.
Hint: He finished high in Rookie-of-the-Year voting the year that Craig Kimbrel won the award.
Hint: He has two league pennants on his résumé.
Hint: The only player in MLB history with more RBI in his first 28 postseason games is Lou Gehrig.
- Holland has had a major positive impact on his new team, COL. Despite Wednesday’s loss, they began play on Thursday with a 3-game cushion as a Wild Card playoff team.
- Finished behind Jeremy Hellickson and Mark Trumbo for AL ROY honors. Kimbrell was the unanimous ROY selection in the NL that same year, 2011.
- According to Heavy.com, Hosmer has amassed 27 postseason RBI in his first 28 postseason games. Lou Gehrig has 33 over an equal span.
FCR - Scott Matteson, Shawnee, Kansas
Incorrect answers: Josh Harrison, Miguel Cabrera, Manny Machado, Adrian Beltre, Freddy Freeman
FRIDAY
Q. Which St. Louis Cardinal was pelted with batteries when the Cardinals visited the Phillies in 1999?
Hint: His name could be a complete sentence.
Hint: He was the first 21st century right fielder to start a triple play.
Hint: He and his brother were taken in the same round of the same draft.
- No direct object required. [According to Mrs. Henderson @ OHS 19xx.)
- TP 01-Aug-2002. In MLB history, according to SABR, only 23 TP’s have been recorded, with records going back to 1876. Last year, Adam Eaton turned the trick, only the 2nd such this millennium, perhaps not quite so aesthetically pleasing as Drew’s, but 3 outs none the less.
- Drew was actually drafted 3 times: by SFG in 1994 in the 20th round; by PHI in the 1st round in 1997; by STL in 1998 in the 1st round. His brother Tim was taken 28th overall by CLE in the 1997 draft. Their brother Stephen was drafted twice.
FCR - Kellen Nielson, Blanding, Utah
Incorrect answers: Justin Upton, Joe Medwick
WEEKENDER #1
Q. Who are the 3 Hall of Famers born in Baltimore?
Hint: One has a museum to him built in the house he was born in.
Hint: One only played for a single team in the majors and never played in the minors and he’s definitely not acidic.
Hint: One is the most recent inductee of the three.
A. BABE RUTH 1936
AL KALINE 1980
JOHN SCHEURHOLZ 2017
FCR - David Reed, San Francisco
Incorrect answers: Cal Ripken, John McGraw, Jimmie Foxx, Mark Teixeira, Frank “Home Run” Baker, Cool Papa Bell, Brooks Robinson
WEEKENDER #2
Q. The man who was the first to win both the Rookie of the Year Award unanimously AND a league MVP unanimously, but was unique in that regard for only one season. Who was he and who joined him in that very unique club?
Hint: They are both Hall of Famers.
Hint: They both their each award playing on a different team.
- Robinson 1956 (Reds),1966 (Orioles)
- Cepeda 1958 (Giants), 1967(Cardinals)
FCR - John Rickert, Terre Haute
Incorrect answers: Fred Lynn, Jim Rice, Mickey Mantle, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, Rod Carew, Ken Griffey, Jr.
WEEKENDER #3
Q. For whom has Topps created a card available for only the next 24 hours.
Hint: Actually, a little less by now.
Hint: He today set an impressive all-time record.
Hint: He never starred alongside Roger Rabbit.
- Watch the countdown clock.
- Hoskins has hit 11 home runs in his first 19 in the majors.
- No relation to Bob Hoskins.
FCR - Doug Greenwald, San Francisco
Incorrect answers: Chad Bettis, Cody Bellinger
WEEKENDER #4
Q. What unites this lineup?
Hint: The guys in the lineup ARE the hints!
1b - WILL CLARK
2b - Jerry Adair
3b - MATT WILLIAMS
SS - CAL RIPKEN
C - JOHNNY BENCH*
LF - BARRY BONDS
CF - KIRBY PUCKETT*
RF - JAY BUHNER
DH - HARMON KILLEBREW*
RH - Dave Heaverlo
LH - WARREN SPAHN*
RP - JOHN SMOLTZ
PH - Jake Beckley*
Coach - DON ZIMMER
Very Honorable Mention - ROGER MARIS
ALL CAPS = All-Star
*Hall of Famer
A. The All-Follicly-challenged team, i.e., Baldies, and they were bald during their playing days AND before it was the cool thing to do.
FCR - Vlae Kershner, Centerville, Ohio
Incorrect answers: Home Run leaders by position
WEEKLY THEME – Players who won the game MVP of the only All-Star Game they have ever played in:
ASG MVP Representing
First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Stephen Katsoulis, Matthews, North Carolina (After Cabrera)
Incorrect theme guesses:
Monday - NCAA football players who played baseball
- Kansas City Royals who have hit 30 home runs in a season
- All Stars in two major sports.
- NFL and MLB players
- MLB All-stars from Auburn
- Two-sport players
- Heisman Trophy winner to play in the Big Leagues
Tues. - players who played professionally in 2 different sports
- All star game MVPs
