Horsehide Trivia: 2018-04-09 Hall of Famers who played in the Federal League

MONDAY (Not related to this week’s theme.)

Q. Five major leaguers have career totals of 400 home runs, 3,000 hits and 600 doubles. Who is the only switch-hitter on that list?

A. None of the above. Trick question. [Beltran is the switch-hitter, not Beltre.]

Player HR H 2b

1 Hank Aaron 755 3,771 624

2 Stan Musial 475 3,630 725

3 Adrian Beltre 462 3,059 618

4 Carl Yastrzemski 452 3,419 646

5 Cal Ripken 431 3,184 603

FCR - Ken Auerbach, Bonita Springs, Florida

Incorrect guesses: Eddie Murray, Pete Rose, Mickey Mantle, Chipper Jones

TUESDAY

Q. Who is the only 300 game winner who never played minor league ball?

Hint: Until his total was passed by Warren Spahn, he was the winningest lefty of all time, a span of 62 years.

Hint: He was a decent docent.

A. EDDIE PLANK [SABR Bio]

- He was recruited directly out of college by Connie Mack.

- With his 198^th victory on 28-Jul-1909, Plank passed Jesse Tannehill. On 29‑Sep‑1962, Plank was passed by Warren Spahn, when Spahn won his 327^th. Spahn has more win than any other left-handed pitcher in history and is not likely to lose that status any time soon.

- Plank often took teammates and visiting team members on tours of the Gettysburg battlefield, very close to where he grew up. He has descendants who still live in the area.

FCR - Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses: Lefty Grove, Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller, Hoss Radbourn, Herb Pennock

WEDNESDAY

Q. History’s winningest manager said he would use which pitcher he had just one game to win?

Hint: He was often asked to be the 3^rd-base coach between starts because he was so adept as stealing the other team’s signs.

Hint: For almost a half century, he was the only player born in his home state elected to the Hall of Fame.

A. CHIEF BENDER [SABR Bio]

- Connie Mack is the source of the quote. Won 3,371 game in his 53 years as a manager.

- Born in Minnesota. Elected to the Hall in 1953. Next was Dave Winfield in 2001.

FCR - Matt Dicker, Chicago

Incorrect guesses: Connie Mack, Christy Mathewson, Dazzy Vance, Walter Johnson, Pete Alexander, Lefty Grove, Sandy Koufax, George Earnshaw

THURSDAY

Q. Who did “Baseball” magazine consider the 2^nd-best shortstop of the Deadball Era, behind only Honus Wagner?

Hint: He once threatened to kill a teammate with a pair of the trainer's shears during a clubhouse argument.

Hint: His twin sister passed away when they were quite young.

Hint: The Indians sold him to the Senators for $200.

A. JOE TINKER [SABR Bio]

- Magazine quote, “Admit that he (Wagner) is in a class by himself, a most obvious statement, and then state what is equally obvious, that the head of the shortstop department outside the Flying Dutchman clearly belongs to the Chicago star.” By writer F.C. Lane

- Third-baseman Harry Steinfeldt was the object of Tinker’s aggression.

- The Great Falls Indians sold Tinker to the Helena Senators, also in the Montana State League, later in the 1900 season because of their dire financial position.

FCR - Andrew Distler, New York city

Incorrect guesses: Roger Peckinpaugh, Bobby Wallace, Georges McBride, Ray Chapman, Johnny Evers

FRIDAY

Q. Which Hall of Famer was left-handed, but learned how to throw with his right due to the scarcity of mitts for left-hand throwers?

Hint: A chronic complainer, there is only one know picture of him smiling.

Hint: He a short, thick-handled bat that weighed 48 ounces, one of the heaviest ever in baseball. For comparison, Tony Gwynn used a bat that weighed 32 ounces.

Hint: He is the only player in the Hall of Fame who had a twin brother.

A. EDD ROUSH [SABR Bio]

- Smiling in Spring Training with the Reds. See how overjoyed he is to become a Hall of Famer

FCR - Bill Deane, Cooperstown

Incorrect guesses: Earl Averill, Luke Appling, Ty Cobb, Rick Ferrell, Paul Waner, Johnny Evers, Ping Bodie

SATURDAY

Q. What Hall of Famer’s name is due to not where he was born, but when.

Hint: He always gave 60%.

Hint: He and a mound opponent once each threw 1-hitters in the same memorable game.

Hint: The last player he ever hit with a pitch was yesterday’s answer.

A. MORDECAI BROWN [SABR Bio]

- Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown, born 19-Oct-1876

- Brown & Lefty Leifield both tossed 1-hitters 4Jul-1906.

- HBP Edd Roush in a highly-touted game on 04-Sep-1916 in a loss to Christy Mathewson and the Reds at Weeghman Park, Chicago.

FCR - Walter Cherniak, Woodbine, Maryland

Incorrect guesses: Pete Alexander, Smoky Joe Wood, Early Wynn, Dazzy Vance

SUNDAY

Q. Who is the only manager to lead two different National League teams to World Series titles?

Hint: His daughter says he was very self-conscious about his bald head and cleverly hid it like this: When catching and going after a pop‑up, he always managed to flip off his mask without removing his cap.

Hint: In is best offensive season, he had 9 more stolen bases than RBI.

Hint: And only 2 fewer sacrifice hits.

A. BILL McKECHNIE [SABR Bio]

- Won WS w/1925 PIT (3 Hall of Famers) and the 1940 WS w/CIN (1 Hall of Famer), but lost the 1928 WS w/STL (6 Hall of Famers + 3 more who appeared 9 or more times on the HOF ballot in addition to 5 more with at least one appearance—that team was loaded!)

- From “The Deacon’s Daughter” by Carol McKechnie Montgomery.

- In 1914, he stole 47 bases, had 38 RBI and led the FL w/36 SH.

FCR - Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses: Nap Lajoie, Leo Durocher, Wilbert Robinson

WEEKLY THEME – Hall of Famers who played in the Federal League

Bender 1915 Baltimore Terrapins

Brown 1914 St. Louis Terriers;

1914 Brooklyn Tip-Tops; &

1915 Chicago Whales

McKechnie 1914 Indianapolis Hoosiers; &

1915 Newark Peppers

Plank 1915 St. Louis Terriers