2022-03-21 Players who had six hits in one game, part of which was a cycle

MONDAY  —21-Mar

Q.  Which Hall of Famer is still the all-time career leader in runs batted in per game, now more than a century after his retirement?

Hint: #1  The RBI total he amassed   2in August of 1895 has also never been equaled for any calendar month.

Hint: #2  He was part of an outfield trio that is considered by many to be among the best ever.

Hint: #3  His great grandfather served in the American Revolution and his father was a Union soldier in the Civil War.

A.  SAM THOMPSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Career leaders of RBI/G are Thompson (.927), Gehrig (.921), DiMaggio (.885) and Ruth (.884)

-  #1  He had 61 RBI in Aug-1895.

-  #2  The Philadelphia Phillies outfield 1981-1895 on most days was Thompson, Ed Delahanty & “Slidin’ Billy Hamilton.  Best ever?  Arguably.  In 1894 they hit .415, .405 & .403 respectively.

-  #3  Thompson learned baseball from his father who picked up the game from other military men.

FCR -  Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Ed Delahanty, Willie Keeler, Cap Anson, Honus Wagner, Hugh Duffy, Harry Hooper

 

TUESDAY  —22-Mar

Q.  Who is the only American League infielder with two 30-30 seasons?

Hint: #1  He played for Israel in the 2020 Olympics.

Hint: #2  Even though he was first drafted in the 29^th round, he had a fourteen-year career in the majors, was four times an All-Star and twice a Gold Glove winner.

A.  IAN KINSLER  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  In 2009 Kinsler had 31 HR + 31 SB.  In 2011, he had 32 HR + 30 SB.  However, he was passed by Alfonso Soriano who had 3 30/30 seasons w/TEX & NYY in 2002, 2003, 2005.  His 4^th such in 2006 was in the NL as an outfielder w/WSN where he took it up a notch to a 40/40 year.

-  #1  His father is Jewish and Kinsler identifies as Jewish.

-  #2  He was drafted in the 29^th round by ARI in 2000, by ARI in the 26^th round in 2001 and by TEX in the 17^th round in 2001.

FCR -  Rob Emerson, Lowell, Massachusetts

Incorrect guesses:  Ryan Braun

 

TUESDAY Bis  —22-MR

Q.  Which BLTR leftfielder is the only payer born in the state of Kentucky who can claim both 2,000 hits and 1,000 RBI in the majors?

Hint: #1  He scored the run that stopped Babe Ruth's scoreless innings-pitched streak at twenty-five.

Hint: #2  In 1919 he led the majors in doubles and triples, outdistancing teammate Ty Cobb on both counts.

A.  BOBBY VEACH  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Has 2,063 H + 1,174 RBI.  B. 29-Jun-1888 in St. Charles, Kentucky.

-  #1  Beginning w/the 3^rd inning on 27-May & ending in the 2^nd inning on 09-Jun-1916, Ruth had strung together 25 innings with no one crossing the plate when he was on the mound.  In the 3^rd on the 9^th, however Detroit’s Veach doubled to lead off and George Burns doubled him in.

-  #2  Veach hit 45 2b & 17 3b to Cobb’s 36 & 13.  They tied for the majors’ lead in hits w/191.

FCR -  Philip Guiliano, Chester, New Jersey

Incorrect guesses:  Harry Heilmann, Earle Combs, Sam Crawford

 

WEDNESDAY  —23-Mar

Q.  Which BLTR Gold Glove-winning outfielder had a season where he led his league in batting average (for the second straight year), on-base percentage in addition to leading  the majors in slugging and OPS yet did not even win his league’s MVP?

Hint: #1  Four years ago, he was traded for four players, none of whom are any longer in the majors.

Hint: #2  After playing for the U.S. national team he was named to the All-World team.

A.  CHRISTIAN YELICH  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Yelich finished 2^nd behind Cody Bellinger in the 2019 NL MVP voting.

-  #1  On 25-Jan-2018, MIA traded Yelich to MIL for Lewis Brinson, Isan Diaz, Monte Harrison & Jordan Yamamoto.  Monte Harrison, Isan Diaz, and Lewis Brinson were recently DFA'ed by Miami, but Brinson was signed as a free agent by Houston

-  #2  Yelich played for the United States national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.  Following the conclusion of the tournament, he was named to the All-World Baseball Classic team.

FCR -  Morris Buenemann, Florissant, Missouri

Incorrect guesses:  Ted Williams, Larry Walker

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  —23-Mar

Q.  Which stocky first baseman came just two home runs shy of capturing his league’s Triple Crown in his first full season in the majors?

Hint: #1  That same year, he became the first player to knock in more runs in a season than the number of games he played that year (minimum 100 RBI).

Hint: #2  His career, with a clear Hall of Fame trajectory, was abruptly, tragically ended by a stroke.

A.  DAVE ORR  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Orr’s .354 in 1884 led the AA (American Association) and his 112 RBI led the majors.  2 more HR would have given him 11 and a tie with Cincinnati’s John Reilly.  Orr was listed at 5’11” 250 lbs.  (It’s possible both were slightly exaggerated.)

-  #1  112 RBI in only 110 G, 1884.

-  #2  Orr’s career ending stroke, was just a few weeks after the 1890 season, days after his 31^st birthday.  His left side was completely paralyzed.  The stroke came while he was playing in an exhibition game against a local team in tiny Renovo, Pennsylvania.  A few weeks after the stroke, Orr said he would return and play after some focused rehab. He never did. His brilliant career was finished.

FCR -  Robert Chan, Oakland

Incorrect guesses:  Hack Wilson, Wally Pipp, Prince Fielder, Hal Trosky

 

THURSDAY  —24-Mar

Q.  Which one-time KC Royal, during a minor league rehab assignment, gave the clubhouse attendant $2,000 telling him, "Take care of those kids.  I want them to have the best of everything until the money runs out."?

Hint: #1  He also purchased 200 tickets for each Sunday home Expos game from 1997-2000 to give to underprivileged children in Montreal.

Hint: #2  He was the only player to get an extra-base hit with an appropriate-colored bat for his team on Mothers' Day 2006.

A.  RONDELL WHITE  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  To make the deal even better, his donation was in U.S. currency.  Played for KCR in 2003.

-  #1  Those kids are now adults, campaigning to get an MLB team back in French-speaking Canada.

-  #2  Batting for MIN on 14-May-2006, his pink bat doubled off Mark Buehrle, scoring teammate Torii Hunter.

FCR -  Richard Vickroy, Pittsburgh

Incorrect guesses:  Gary Carter, Bill Hall, Bo Jackson, Mark Grudzielanek, Mark Loretta

 

FRIDAY  —25-Mar

Q.  Who did Tip O'Neil deprive of winning a Triple Crown in the American Association?

Hint: #1  He must have been really good.

Hint: #2  He was good enough that he impressed Ned Hanlon to offer him the first base job, when Hanlon took over management of the Baltimore Orioles.

Hint: #3  When the National League Cincinnati Reds were organized in 1880, he was signed as the eleventh player on the eleven-player team.

A.  JOHN REILLY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Finished 1^st in the AA in HR & RBI, 2^nd to O'Neil in BA in 1888.  Hit .321 to O’Neill’s .337.

-  #1  Middle name Good, his mother's maiden name.

-  #2  Hanlon took over in May 1892 & made offer to Reilly on his 1^st day with the team.

-  #3  1880 Reds

FCR -  Marcos Claudio, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Incorrect guesses:  Deacon White, Dan Brouthers

 

SATURDAY  —26-Mar

Q.  Who was the first player to hit four doubles in a game in the major league American Association?

Hint: #1  He was the only player to lead the AA in doubles twice, doing it in consecutive season

Hint: #2  He is the career RBI leader for the Cleveland Infants.

Hint: #3  Known as a slugger, he hit almost twice as many home runs on the road as he did at home.

A.  HENRY LARKIN  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  2b 29-Jul-1885, Jocko Milligan (02-May-1886) was the only other AA player to accomplish the feat.

-  #1  Led AA in 2b 1885-86.

-  #2  112 RBI for Cleveland Infants, the Cleveland entrant in the one-season Players League.

-  #3  53 career HR: 18 home, 35 road

FCR -  Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, Arkansas

Incorrect guesses:  Larry Twitchell, Cap Anson, Rocky Colavito, Pete Browning 

 

SUNDAY  —XX-Mmm

Q.  Who was the only pitcher to earn a save (retroactively-applied) for the 1887 National League’s pennant-winning Detroit Wolverines?

Hint: #1  He also had the highest W-L percentage on the team that year.

Hint: #2  He only won six more games after that year, and never had another save.

Hint: #3  After his major league career ended, he pitched for and managed the Milwaukee Brewers.

A.  LARRY TWITCHELL  [Bio]

-  Ans.  Save in 1887, no other pitchers on the team earned one.

-  #1  .917 (11-1) W-L%

-  #2  Retired after 1894 season, 17-11 record, 1 Save

-  #3  Managed Brewers 1895-96, pitched 3 games (7 IP) in 1895.

FCR -  Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Pretzels Getzien

 

WEEK’S FINALE  —27-Mar

Q.  Which BBTU outfielder was trusted enough to umpire a National League game his team was playing in when one of the umpire crew fell ill?

Hint: #1  He played for a team that set a major league record for consecutive losses and for total losses for a season.

Hint: #2  A minor league teammate of his became governor of Kansas.

A.  FARMER WEAVER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  On 09-Aug-1893(2), Weaver served as the 1^st-base umpire between his own Louisville Colonels and the Cleveland Spiders, after the assigned umpire (Thomas Lynch) had become ill; the catcher Jack O'Connor on the other team, worked the plate.  He was  switch-hitter, but it is not known with which are he threw (unknown).

-  #1  The 1889 Louisville Colonels’ record was 27-111-2, the 1^st major league team to have a 100-loss season.  They also managed a 26-G losing streak in the middle of it.

-  #2  Governor George Hodges, elected in 1912 was later helped Weaver who had serious legal issues to resolve.

FCR -  Ken Kirk, Corning, New York

Incorrect guesses:  Sport McAllister, Jocko Conlon, Pete Gray

 

WEEKLY THEME – MLB players with six hits in their cycle game

 

Player                  Date                        Team                            League

Kinsler............. 15-Apr-2009............ Texas Rangers...................... AL

Larkin............... 16-Jun1885............ Philadelphia Athletics............ AA

Orr................... 12-Jun-1885........... New York Metropolitans........ AA

Reilly............... 12-Sep-1883........... Cincinnati Red Stockings....... AA

Thompson...... 17-Aug1894............ Philadelphia Phillies............... NL

Twitchell.......... 15-Aug1889............ Cleveland Spiders................. NL

Veach.............. 17-Sep-1920........... Detroit Tigers......................... AL

Weaver............ 12-Aug-1890........... Louisville Colonels................. AA

White............... 11-Jun-1995........... Montreal Expos...................... NL

Yelich..............29-Aug-2018.......... Milwaukee Brewers............... NL

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Adam Foldes, New York City (after Kinsler)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

Mon     -  Oldest players to hit triples

Tues    -  Players who missed 2000 hits by a small amount, such as by fewer than 20 hits

  

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2022-03-14 Hall of Fame inductees who did not show up for their induction ceremony in 1947.

MONDAY  —14-Mar

Q.  Which Hall of Famer was the only pitcher to win 300 games between the two World Wars?

Hint: #1  He was the first pitcher to lead the American League in walks and strikeouts in the same season.

Hint: #2  He won more league ERA titles than anyone else in the history of that statistic.

A.  LEFTY GROVE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  All of Grove’s Ws came between 1925 & 1941

-  #1 In 1925, Grove’s rookie season, he led the majors in BB w/131 & led the AL in Ks w/116.

-  #2  Won 9 ERA titles in the AL between 1926 & 1939, once leading the majors.

FCR -  Ronn Tarter, Cary North Carolina

Incorrect guesses:  Walter Johnson, Early Wynn, Christie Mathewson, Pete Alexander

 

TUESDAY  —15-Mar

Q.  Which Hall of Famer's forty-five consecutive scoreless innings is a record for lefties?

Hint: #1  He holds a much more famous All-Star record, but he also once surrendered three runs in one All-Star inning.

Hint: #2  He is the only National League pitcher to win the BBWAA Most Valuable Player award twice.

A.  CARL HUBBELL  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  “The Meal Ticket” threw 45⅓ scoreless innings between the 7^th inning of 13-Jul- & the 6^th inning of 01-Aug-1933.

-  #1  Hubbell famously struck out 5 consecutive Hall of Fame batters in the 1^st & 2^nd innings of the 1934 ASG, but in the 1937 mid-summer Classic, Hubbell replaced Dizzy Dean to start the bottom of the 7^th then only got 2 outs before being replaced, 3 earned runs later.

-  #2  Hubbell was NL MVP in 1933, amazingly out-voting Chuck Klein’s Triple Crown year.  Hubbell won again in 1936, this time unanimously.

FCR  -  Stephen Krevisky, Middletown , Connecticut

Incorrect guesses:  Christy Mathewson, Sandy Koufax, Steve Carlton, Whitey Ford

 

WEDNESDAY  —16-Mar

Q.  Which Hall of Famer was the first pitcher to homer for the Hilltoppers?

Hint: #1  He persuaded two U.S. presidents to take actions that we are grateful for still today.

Hint: #2  Toward the end of his career as a player/manager, toward the end of a season, he saw fit to insert himself into a game to pitch to the only batter he would face all season.  That batter hit a home run.

A.  CLARK GRIFFITH  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  HR = 14-Jul-1903 at Hilltop Park.  The team, also then known as the Highlanders, became the Yankees a decade on.  Other early nicknames included “Invaders” & “Porchclimbers”.  It was the 8^th & final HR of Griffith’s 20-year career as a player in the majors.

-  #1  While he was managing the Washington Senators, Griffith persuaded President Taft to begin the custom of the Presidential First Pitch.  It was also Griffith who helped convince President Franklin Roosevelt to allow major league baseball to continue during World War II.

-  #2  On 05-Oct-1912, Griffith entered the G to relieve Nick Altrock in the 8^th inning to face the batter Yankee 1^st baseman Hal Chase who hit an inside-the-park HR.  Of note, Yankee RF Jack Lelivelt hit the only 2 home runs of his 6-year career in that same game.

FCR -  George Alfano, Redlands, California

Incorrect guesses:  Jack Chesbro

 

THURSDAY  —17-Mar

Q.  Who was the first Hall of Famer to homer in his final at-bat in the majors?

Hint: #1  In the history of his franchise, he is the only player to hit for the cycle twice.

Hint: #2  His first major league franchise purchased an entire AA minor league team to secure rights to him.

A.  MICKEY COCHRANE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  On 25-May-1937, Cochrane was at catcher for the Detroit Tigers, 2.5 G behind NYY in an AL pennant race they would eventually win, with Cochrane as their manager as well.  In his 2^nd AB in the 3^rd inning, Black Mike homered to deep RF off Yankee’s starter Bump Hadley with his 119^th & final career HR.  In his next plate appearance, Cochrane was hit in his right temple by a Hadley 3-1 inside fastball.  Cochrane did not finish the AB and would never play again.

-  #1  While playing for the A’s, then of Philadelphia, Cochrane managed cycles on 22-Jul-1932 & 02‑Aug-1933.  No other A’s player, based in Philly, KC or Oakland, has cycled more than once.

-  #2  The A’s purchased the Portland Beavers of the PCL in 1924.  They also received the services of 19 additional players who would eventually play in the majors.  Cochrane was in the starting lineup on Opening Day of the parent club the very next season.

FCR -  Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, George Sisler, Jimmie Foxx, Babe Herman, Pee Wee Reese

 

IN MEMORIAM  —18-Mar

Q.  Who was on the mound when the Yankees won their last World Series before beginning a drought of fourteen years, one of the longest such stretches since they changed their name to Yankees?

Hint: #1  Two season previous, he was also on the mound when the World Series ended, becoming the first American League pitcher to throw the final pitch in two World Series Game Sevens.

Hint: #2  His won/loss record was 23-12 for a pennant-winning team just 6 years after going 4-11 for a seventh place team.

Hint: #3  He was born just a half hour drive from the hometown of his most famous Hall of Fame teammate.

Hint: #4  He is a member of three regional sports Halls of Fame.

Hint: #5  He became a professional golfer after his days in the major leagues.

Hint: #6  Further exercising his athletic ability, he also won a state-wide bowling title.

A.  RALPH TERRY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Terry had just pitched a 1-0 complete 7^th G of the 1962 WS over SFG.

-  #1  In 1957 for KCA, his record was 4-11.  His record pitching for NYY was 23-12.  (It is, however, noteworthy that his ERA in ’57 for the A’s was 3.38 and in ’62 it was 3.19 in a year where he didn’t have to face the Yankees!)

-  #2  He was the pitcher who had surrendered the WS-winning HR to the Pirates’ Bill Mazeroski in the 7^th G of the 1960 Fall Classic.

-  #3  Terry was born in Big Cabin, Oklahoma and Mickey Mantle in Spavinaw.  It’s a quick drive between them.

-  #4  Is a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.

-  #5  After baseball, Terry became a professional golfer. He won the 1980 Midwest PGA Championship, then, based on his status as a PGA of America sectional champion, he qualified for and played in four PGA Tour events in 1981 and 1982. In 1986, he started playing on the Senior PGA Tour.  His best finish was a tie for 10^th at the 1989 Showdown Classic.

-  #6  Ralph teamed with Gary Meserve of Larned, KS to win the 1979 Kansas State Doubles Bowling title.

FCR -  Michael Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware

Incorrect guesses:  Mariano Rivera, Catfish Hunter, Rick Rhoden

 

FRIDAY  —18-Mar

Q.  Which Hall of Famer played in eight World Series without hitting a home run but homered from both sides of the plate in All-Star competition?

Hint: #1  No one has come close to equaling the record he set for most chance and assist in a single season.

Hint: #2  As a manager, he was a legendary umpire baiter.

A.  FRANKIE FRISCH  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Frisch batted in WS play in 1921, 22, 23, 24 for NYG & in 28, 30, 31, 34 for STL w/58 hits not one of which was a HR..  Then he hit HRs off righty General Crowder in 1933 ASG and off Lefty Gomez in the 1934 game.

-  #1  In 1927, his 1^st year w/STL he accepted 1,059 chances and was in on 641 assists .

-  #2  Here’s one example:  Manager Frisch was once confronted by Bill Klem, the authoritarian dean of umpires, who often drew a line in the dirt with his spikes and said, “Don't you dare cross that line.”  Frisch kept circling Klem while the umpire kept drawing lines until Frisch chortled: “Hey, Bill, you're all fenced in.”

FCR -  Mark Kanter, Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Incorrect guesses:  Roy Smalley, Billy Martin, Larry Bowa

 

SATURDAY  —19-Mar

Q.  Whose major league record for the most hits in one season did Ty Cobb break?

Hint: #1  His nickname was Crab.

Hint: #2  He began his major league career as a starting pitcher.

A.  JESSE BURKETT  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Burkett had broken the record held by Hugh Duffy (237) since 1894 when he banged out a remarkable 240 H in the 1896 season, playing for the NL Spiders of Cleveland.  That mark lasted until Cobb’s MVP year of 1911.  The record today stands at 262, set by Ichiro Suzuki in 2004.

-  #1  He acquired the sobriquet Crab due to his serious disposition no to mention is willingness to argue, fight & insult sportswriters, umpires, opposing players, rookies et al.

-  #2  Only 11 of his 2,000+ G were on the mound.

FCR -  Kyle Sammin, Cheltenham, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Wee Willie Keeler, Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker, Nap Lajoie, Jesse Haines

 

SUNDAY  —20-Mar

Q.  Who hit an inside-the-park home run off Christy Mathewson that is barely talked about today?

Hint: #1  He is one of a few major leaguers with a twin.

Hint: #2  He went across town after more than a decade.

Hint:  #3  An enormous metal baseball has been erected in his honor in his hometown.

A.  JOE TINKER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In the game with the mental error that’s come to be known as Merkle's Boner, Tinker hit a game-tying HR against NYG’s Mathewson just prior to Fred Merkle's baserunning gaff.

-  #1  Tinker’s twin sister died at a very young age.  Famous major leaguers with twins:  Jose Canseco, Richie Ashburn.

-  #2  After 12 very successful seasons with the Cubs, (1902-1913), Tinker joined the Federal League as a player/manager with the Chicago Chi-Feds.  They changed their name to the Whales for the 1916 season & won the league’s pennant.  He returned briefly (very) to CHC after the Federal League folded.

-  #3  Muscotah, Kansas now houses this giant curiosity.

FCR -  Warren Kent, Whitehall, Michigan

Incorrect guesses:  Home Run Baker, Johnny Evers, Jesse Tannehill, Tommy Leach

 

WEEKLY THEME – Hall of Fame inductees who did not show up for their induction ceremony in 1947.  Some were elected earlier, but 1947 was the time for their induction.

 

Our thanks goes out to reader Peter Henrici of Cooperstown, NY for suggesting this week’s theme and supplying the names.

 

HOFer             Lived until        (career)WAR

Burkett.................. 1953.................. 59.7

Cochrane............... 1962.................. 49.9

Frisch.................... 1973.................. 71.8

Griffith................... 1955.................. 63.7

Grove.................... 1975................ 106.8

Hubbell.................. 1988.................. 68.5

Tinker.................... 1948.................. 53.2

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – A few people came close, but…

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Pitchers who tossed more than one immaculate inning

 

Tues    -  Lefties from Missouri

            -  Pitchers with the most consecutive wins in a season

 

Wed     -  Winningest lefties in modern era

 

Thur     -  Top vote-getters for the 1946 HoF election

 

Fri        -  Players in top 10 from 1946 HoF election who were inducted in 1947

 

Sat       -  Top vote getters in the 1946 HOF nominations

            -  Players who were multi-sports stars in college

            -  Players present for their induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction on July 21, 1947.

            -  Players inducted into the hall of fame in 1947 who were still alive at the time of their election

 

Sun      -  Players that were still alive when inducted into the hall of fame in 1947

 

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This week’s quiz archived here:  http://horsehidetriviA.         blogspot.com/

 

Horsehide Trivia encourages independent research.