Sunday, September 12, 2021

2021-09-06 New York Yankee American League MVPs who never played for another team in the majors

 MONDAY  —06-Sep

Q.  Which lefty holds the American League single-season record for runs batted in?

Hint: #1    He set the record the very next season after the National League record was set.

Hint: #2    He explained his decision to leave his Ivy League school to turn pro saying, “When I left school to play baseball it was a case of necessity.”

A. LOU GEHRIG  [SABR Bio]

-   Ans.   Gehrig knocked in 185 Yankees in 1931.

-   #1   The Cubs’ Hack Wilson had 191 RBI in 1930.  Both records still stand and haven’t been seriously challenged since 1937 when Hanke Greenberg had 184.

-   #2   He went on to explain, “There were hospital & doctor bills to pay.  My family needed the money.”  Gehrig had attended Columbia University in his native New York City.

FCR -  Mike Kositch, Portland, Oregon

Incorrect guesses:  Babe Ruth

 

TUESDAY  —07-Sep

Q.  Who is the only switch-hitter to win his league’s Most Valuable Player Award in consecutive seasons?

Hint: #1    He’s also the first switch-hitter to finish second in MVP voting in consecutive seasons.

Hint: #2    He once made it all the way to second base on a mishandled third strike.

A. MICKEY MANTLE  [SABR Bio]

-   Ans.      AL MVP in 1956 & 57

-   #1   2nd in AL MVP voting in 1960 & 61.  In both those years the winner was his teammate, Roger Maris.  [Switch-hitter Eddie Murray finished 2nd behind Robin Yount in 1982 than teammate Cal Ripken in 1983.]

-   #2   As the 1st batter in the bottom of the 6th inning on 24-May-1951, he faced DET pitcher Bob Cain.  Cain’s 3rd strike was mishandled and by the time catcher Joe Ginsberg located the ball, rookie Mantle stood on 2nd base.

FCR -  Quentin Wittrock, Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Incorrect guesses:  Ernie Banks

 

WEDNESDAY  —08-Sep

Q. Who was the first outfielder to win the Most Valuable Player award three times?

Hint: #1    He was the first American League rookie to lead the majors in triples since the end of the Dead Ball era.

Hint: #2    He is the youngest player ever with a 400-total bases season.

Hint: #3    Seven times in his thirteen-season career, his home run total exceeded his strikeout total.

A. JOE DiMAGGIO  [SABR Bio]

-   Ans.     MVPs in 1939, 1941 & 1947.

-   #1   Had 15 3B in 1936.

-   #2   In his sophomore season at age 22, he led the majors with a remarkable, career high 418 total bases.

-   #3   HR exceeded Ks in 1937 (46/37), 1938 (32/21), 1939 (30/20), 1940 (31/30), 1941 (30/13), 1946 (25/24) & 1948 (39/30).

FCR -  David Krassin, New York City

Incorrect guesses:  Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx, Mike Trout, Stan Musial, Ken Griffey, Jr., Jim Rice

 

THURSDAY  —09 Sep

Q.  Who opted for a baseball scholarship from Kent State University over football scholarship offers from powerhouses Ohio State, Michigan and Syracuse Universities?

Hint: #1    He won several handball championships as a college student.

Hint: #2    He was the principal catcher for two Cy Young Award winners, the first his franchise had received in more than fifteen years.

A. THURMAN MUNSON  [SABR Bio]

-   Ans.     Munson attended Kent State, less than an hour from where he grew up in Canton, Ohio.  hen NYY drafted him 4th overall in the 1968 amateur draft, Munson agreed to forgo his senior year at KSU, where he would later be honored by having his #15 being retired (the only number to be retired in school history) and was named to the school's Hall of Fame in 1979.

-   #1   He was active in, and usually dominant in, multiple sports throughout his life.

-   #2   In 1977, reliever Sparky Lyle was the AL CYA winner and Munson caught 84% of the team’s G that year.  In 1978, Ron Guidry was the honoree by a unanimous vote and Munson was behind the plate 77% of the time.

FCR -  J.P. Wanamaker, Binghamton, New York

Incorrect guesses: 

 

FRIDAY  —10-Sep

Q.  Who still holds the major league record for most plate appearances in a season without making a single attempt at a stolen base?

Hint: #1    He led the majors in doubles for three consecutive seasons.

Hint: #2    His longest hitting streak was halted by a future Hall of Famer who threw a ten-inning shutout.

A. DON MATTINGLY  [SABR Bio]

-   Ans.     In 1986 Mattingly had 742 PS and 0 SB & 0 attempts.

-   #1   Led MLB in 2B in 1984 (44), 1985 (48) & 1986 (53).

-   #2   Coming into the G on 27-Sep-1986, Mattingly had hit safely in 24 straight G.  That day, DET’s Jack Morris won his 20th G of the season.  Of the 4 H Morris gave up, 0 were Mattingly’s, but the IBB Morris issued in the 6th inning does give one pause.

FCR -  Doug Christy, Sarasota

Incorrect guesses:  Ernie Lombardi, Wade Boggs, Stan Musial, Pete Rose, Elston Howard, Roger Maris, Rusty Staub

 

SATURDAY  —11-Sep

Q.  Who was the mystery guest on the first episode of the "What's My Line" on television?

Hint: #1    Only two players played on more World Series Championship teams than he did.

Hint: #2    Some of his most important statistics were 1.68, 68 and 10.

Hint: #3    He only hit a few homers, but had a reputation as a “homer”.

A. PHIL RIZZUTO  [SABR Bio]

-   Ans.     The show aired 02-Feb-1950 [Start at 23:05], just before spring training of his MVP year (and incidentally the day I was born!)

-   #1   Scooter has 8 WS rings helping NYY win in 1941, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 & 1956, trailing only DiMaggio (9) and Berra (10).  He is tied with Crosetti, Dickey & Gehrig.

-   #2   Rizzuto was famous for his diminutive physical dimensions:  He stood 5'6" (1.75 meters) and weighed around 150 lbs. (68 kilos).  The only uniform number he wore in the majors was 10.

-   #3   He had a reputation for favoring the Yankees in any situation, a bias that served him well and contributed to his tremendous popularity as an announcer

FCR -  Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Whitey Ford, Joe Dimaggii (sic), Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, Bob Gibson, Eddie Lopat, Joe DiMaggio, Pete Rose

 

SUNDAY  —12-Sep

Q.    Whose record for the American League best career winning percentage did Pedro Martinez break? (Min 100W)

Hint: #1    He was the first player over the age of 35 to win a league MVP award in the current system.

Hint: #2    The next home run he hit after his grand slam was an inside-the-park home run.

A. SPUD CHANDLER  [SABR Bio]

-   Ans.     Chandler’s mark of .717 was the AL
standard until Pedro left the AL for good at the end of the 2004 season with an
impressive record of 117-37 (.760)

-   #1   Won the AL MVP in 1943 at the age of 36.

-   #2   GS = 26-Jul-1940; IPHR = 09-May-1943(1)

FCR -  Elliott Frankfother, Rock Falls Illinois

Incorrect guesses:  Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, Lefty Grove, Walter Johnson

 

 

WEEKLY THEME – New York Yankee American League MVPs who never played for another team in the majors.

 

Yankee                       MVP(s)                         NYY years                  (Career) WAR

Chandler.................... 1943........................... 1937-47.............................. 22.9

DiMaggio.................... 1939, 41, 47............... 1936-42; 1946-51.............. 79.2

Gehrig........................ 1927*, 36................... 1923-39............................ 113.7

Mantle........................ 1956*, 57, 62............. 1951-68............................ 110.2

Mattingly..................... 1985........................... 1982-95.............................. 42.4

Munson...................... 1976........................... 1969-79.............................. 46.1

Rizzuto....................... 1950........................... 1942-42; 1946-56.............. 42.2

*Unanimous vote

 

First Correct Respondent identifying themeWarren Kent, Whitehall, Michigan (after Munson)

 

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Monday  -  MLB players with movies made about them

 

Tuesday -  Retired Yankee single digit numbers

               -  Yankee MVPs

               -  The second most home runs on the team the year a home run record was set

               -  Hall of Fame Yankees

               -  NY Yankees who have multiple [MVP] awards. As Yankees

               -  Batters who batted behind players who hit 60 or more homers in a season

               -  Most home run in the World Series, career

               -  Switch hitters whose uniform numbers correspond with the September dates on which the questions are being asked

 

Wed        -  Enshrinees in Monument Park in Yankee Stadium

               -  Yankees’ players retired numbers that only played for NY

               -  Players whose legends are greater than they should be because they played for the Yankees

               -  Consecutive numbers retired by Yankees

               -  Yankees with 45 or more HRs in a season

               -  Yankees who batted better than .400 with runners in scoring position

               -  Monuments in Yankee Stadium Monument Park

               -  Yankee career WAR leaders

               -  Career Yankees with multiple MVP awards

               -  Career WS Ring leaders

               -  Yankees with retired Numbers

               -  Yankees whose odd-numbered jersey numbers have been retired.

               -  Most Yankee home runs

               -  Most World Series home runs

 

Thurs      -  Yankees who have won WS MVP

               -  Yankees honored in Monument Park

               -  Yankee Captains

               -  NY Yankee MVPs

 

Sat          -  Recognized in monument park at Yankee Stadium

               -  Yankee MVPs who attended college

 

 

 

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