MONDAY — 23-Oct
Q. Which
former Orioles player is third on the all-time career on-base percentage list, trailing only Ted Williams and Babe Ruth?
Hint: #1
He made eight errors in ten chances in his first professional game.
Hint: #2
The two seasons he led the majors in walks, he also led in runs.
- Ans. McGraw’s
OB % = .466 (Williams’ is .482, Ruth’s .474).
He played and managed the NL Orioles in 1899 & the AL Orioles
in 1901 & 1902.
- #1 8 E
= playing for the 1890 Olean Miners.
- #2 In 1898,
McGraw’s 143 R & 112 BB were tops in the NL,
the only league then extant.
FCR - Terry
Walters, Wabash, Minnesota
Incorrect guesses: Willie Keeler, Cal Ripken, Tim Raines, Frank
Robinson, Eddie Murray, Jose Batista
TUESDAY —— 24-Oct
Q. Who was the first
batter to hit a grand slam off Roger Clemens?
Hint: #1 He (not
Clemens) homered in his firs major league at bat.
Hint: #2 A Gold
Glove winner, All-Star and Silver Slugger, he surprised his teammates with his
sudden religious conversion.
A. GARY GAETTI [SABR Bio]
- Ans. In Clemens’ 10th season, on 05-Sep-1993, Gaetti homered in the
6th inning, batting in Brian McRae, Wally Joyner & Brent
Mayne ahead of him.
- #1 In his debut MLB G, Gaetti homered off Charlie
Hough in the 2nd inning on 20-Sep-1981.
- #2 After a sudden conversion in the middle of
the 1988 season, Gaetti’s teammates were amazed that he had so suddenly abandoned his previous
near-libertine lifestyle.
FCR - Art Mugalian,
Minneapolis
Incorrect guesses: Shawn
Green, Will Clark, Carlos Baerga, Mike Piazza
WEDNESDAY —— 25-Oct
Q. Who managed the championship
team of the league that only existed in 1890?
Hint: #1 He was the first
player to hit a home run on Opening Day.
Hint: #2 His base
running prowess was so admired that a song was composed honoring him for it.
Hint: #3 When he was asked if he drank during games,
responded, “It depends on the length of the game.”
A. KING KELLY [SABR Bio]
- Ans. As
an active player/manager (.325 BA with 51 SB), Kelly led the champion Boston Reds of the Players League to a
81-48-4 record, 6.5 G ahead of the 2nd-place team which had the
league’s founder on its roster.
- #1 OD HR = 01-May-1880. Source:
Baseball-Almanac’s HR log for Kelly.
- #2 The
song, "Slide, Kelly,
Slide" was America's first
"pop hit" record. Here it is
in a 1900 version. In 1927, it inspired a film version of Slide, Kelly, Slide. The tune was originally
recorded on a cylinder for play on the phonograph Thomas Edison invented in 1877. It
was also sung by famous Vaudeville and dance hall star Maggie Cline.
- #3 Source:
“1001 Fascinating Baseball Facts”
FCR - Art Mugalian,
Minneapolis
Incorrect guesses: John
Montgomery Ward, Billy Hamilton, Bill McGunnigle
MIDWEEK BONUS — 25-Oct
Q. Which
All-Star moundsman is the only pitcher ever to lose a World Series game to the
San Diego Padres?
Hint: #1
He was picked ahead of his Hall of Fame teammate in the same draft.
Hint: #2
He played for that franchise in parts of three decades.
Hint: #3
His son was drafted in the 2nd round by Montreal 30 years
after he was drafted.
-
Ans. SDP has been to the WS 2 X:
1984 & were swept 1998. They won G #2 in 1984 & lost the
WS 4 G to 1.
-
#1 Petry was chosen 2nd
in the 4th
round of the 1976 draft.
Fellow Tiger Jack Morris was taken 2nd in the following round.
-
#2 Petry played for DET 1979-80;
1981-1987; & 1991.
-
#3 Son Jeff Petry was selected by the Edmonton
Oilers in the National Hockey League’s 2006 draft and credits
father Dan for much of his success on the ice.
FCR - Tom
Cleary, Macungie, Pennsylvania
Incorrect guesses: Jack Morris, Lee Smith, Frank Tanana, Tim
Lollar, Milt Wilcox
THURSDAY — 26-Oct
Q. Who
is the Giants’ career leader in triples and stolen bases?
Hint: #1
At a very young age, he pitched in a game against the team that would later
that year, win the very first major league World Series.
Hint: #2
His nickname was related to how
much he talked.
A. MIKE TIERNAN [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. He finished with 162 3B and 428 SB.
-
#1 In 1884, Tiernan played town
ball in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. At age 17, he once struck out 15 Providence Grays in an exhibition game. 19th-century post season play-off
were called World Series in 1894, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90 & 92.
-
#2 Because he generally avoided
the press and did not protest when umpires made questionable calls, he was
known as “Silent Mike”.
FCR - Barry
Nelson, Guilderland, New York
Incorrect guesses: Dummy Hoy, Willie Mays, George Burns, Gavvy
Cravath, George Davis
FRIDAY —
27-Oct
Q. Which
one-time Tigers player had a hit in ten consecutive at bats for the Cincinnati
Reds?
Hint: #1
He was the team MVP with a team in the first year after he was traded to
them.
Hint: #2
He was the foil of a clever MLB television promotion commercial
co-starring Tony Gwynn.
A. BIP ROBERTS [Wiki Bio]
-
Ans. After the 10th
AB, Roberts streak was broken when he was walked in the 3rd inning
on 23‑Sep‑1992 by LAD rookie pitcher Pedro Astacio. Astacio had given up Roberts’ 10th
H, a single, in the 1st inning. Roberts’ previous 9 for 9 were accumulated on 19-, 20- & 22-Sep-1992. Roberts had played in 34 G for DET in 1998 before
finishing his career with OAK later that same year. The record for all-time longest consecutive
AB hit streak is a 3-way tie: CHC's Johnny Kling (1902), BOS's Pinky Higgins
(1938) & DET's Walt Dropo (1952), who all had H in 12 straight AB.
-
#1 Roberts became an All-Star and
received league MVP votes only after the Padres, for whom he had played for
five full seasons, traded him. CIN voted
him team MVP in 1992.
-
#2 See TV spot here.
FCR - Michael
Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware
Incorrect guesses: Dmitri Young, Sean Casey, Eric Davis
T.G.I.F. EXTRA — 27-Oct
Q. Which
BLTR future member of the 1986 World Series champion New York Mets was the MVP
of the 1981 American Legion World Series?
Hint: #1
A former Texas Rangers hitting coach, he had starred for his university
before going professional.
Hint: #2
He is the cousin and godson of his former manager.
A. DAVE MAGADAN [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Played for WS champs NYM as a rookie in 1986.
-
#1 Coached for TEX 2013-15. He played for the
University of Alabama & they remember him
fondly. Magadan had a stellar three-year career
with the Crimson Tide, capped by a phenomenal junior season that saw him set
the SEC single-season record with a .525 batting average.
-
#2 Magadan played a half season
w/SEA in1993, managed by Lou Piniella, his cousin &
godfather. Both are from the Tampa Bay
area.
FCR - Robert
Osman, Great Neck, New York
Incorrect guesses: Graig Nettles
SATURDAY — 28-Oct
Q. Which
one-time BBTR Boston first baseman was assaulted by Philadelphia fans because
he led his team's stalling tactics in hope of having the umpire declare the
game suspended?
Hint: #1
In his third year in the majors, playing for the Baltimore Orioles, he
led the league in hits, batting average and hit by pitch, yet did not manage
any votes for Most Valuable Player.
Hint: #2
Known for making flashy, one-handed scoops with his small glove, he was
nicknamed "Foghorn" for his loud-mouthed style as a base coach.
A. TOMMY TUCKER [Wiki bio]
-
Ans. Tucker played for the Boston
Beaneaters of the NL for 7 seasons, thrice when they were NL champs 1891, 1892 & 1893. (See
11th paragraph of the SABR Bio for details of the suspended
game attempt.)
-
#1 In 1889, his 3rd year
for BAL of the AA, Tucker had the best
year of his 13-year career. He played in
134 of their 139 G, led the AA in H (196), BA (.372), OBP (.450),
OPS (.934), OPS+ (169) & HBP (33). He did it all in an era before the concept of
MVP was known.
-
#2 Tucker, possibly the most
colorful first baseman of his era, presaged the 1st-base fielding
styles of players such as Joe Judge, George Burns & Vic Power. Tucker, making one-handed scoops of wild throws from his infielders,
with his small glove, was novel for his era.
FCR - Ken
Kirk, Corning, New York
Incorrect guesses: Candy LaChance, John McGraw, Hughie Jennings,
George Myatt
SATURDAY
BONUS
— 28-Oct
Q. Which former Salt Lake Bees player “stole” a
foul ball from famous Boston Red Sox fan Ben Affleck?
Hint:
#1 His timely home run helped lock in
his franchise’s first World Series championship.
Hint:
#2 He is now works in the front office of
a different World Series participant.
A. HOWIE
KENDRICK [Wiki Bio]
- Ans. In
Kendrick’s rookie year, playing 1B for LAA, on 30-Jul-2006, he caught
a pop foul headed
directly for the eager, waiting hands of Ben Affleck. Fans
sitting nearby booed Affleck for not taking the ball away from Kendrick. The
event landed Kendrick's picture in People magazine. In an edition of the syndicated Access Hollywood, Kendrick presented Affleck an autographed baseball for his
birthday. Kendrick played for SLcB for parts of 2006-09.
- #1 HR = Inning 7, G 7 in the 2019 WS
- #2 Since
16-Nov-2021, Kendrick has been a special assistant to PHI's GM Sam Fuld.
PHI played HOU in the 2022 WS.
FCR - Tom Veal, Spanaway, Washington
Incorrect
guesses: Ed Spiezio, Tim Naehring, Doug
Mientkiewicz, Sam Fuld, David Freese
SUNDAY — 29-Oct
Q. Which umpire worked exclusively behind home
plate for the first sixteen years he umpired?
Hint:
#1 During his 37 years on the diamond,
he was the first umpire to wear a chest protector and one of the first to use
visible arm signals to coincide with his calls.
Hint:
#2 An early ballplayer and bartender, he
never reached the majors as a player.
- Ans. The
Hall of Fame tells us, Klem spent the 1st 16 years of his career
behind the plate because of his superior ability to call balls & strikes. For the best view, Klem taught his fellow
umpires to stand slightly to the side & work the “slot” between the catcher
and the batter.
- #1 Klem
was the "Old Arbitrator" & the "father of baseball
umpires". He umped in the NL from 1905 to 1941. He worked a record 18 World Series.
- #2 His
admiration for AL ump Silk
O’Loughlin led Klem to umpiring as a career.
FCR - Obrey Brown, Tallahassee
Incorrect
guesses: Beans Reardon, Jocko Conlan,
Jocko Conlon
SUNDAY
BONUS
— 28-Oct
Q. Which World Series champion gave at least two
meanings to the word “strut”?
Hint:
#1 Highly-respected SABR researchers
call him, “one of the greatest baseball players ever.”
Hint:
#2 He was one of the first “bad boys”
among sports stars, with a violent streak compounded by his alcoholism. His interest in Broadway eventually led to a
prominent role away from baseball.
A. MIKE
DONLIN
[SABR
Bio]
- Ans. Teammates
& the public in general instantly recognized Donlin’s self-confidence. His distinctive walk, while done in obvious
composure reminded onlookers of the gait of a turkey. He was called “Turkey Mike” during much of
his both of his careers. He was part of manager
John McGraw’s powerful, early twentieth-century New York Giants & played
in the watershed 1905 World
Series.
- #1 Authors
Steve Steinberg
& Lyle Spatz,
whose book
on the life of Donlin will be published by the University of Nebraska Press in
spring 2024, also call him, “a larger-than-life athlete who flirted with sports
greatness and a rare figure who achieved success in different entertainment
realms.”
- #2 Donlin
was fascinated by the New York Broadway scene and married a Broadway
actress. He was also famous for ignoring
team curfews, often returning late & drunk.
FCR - Bill Deane, Cooperstown
Incorrect
guesses: Ross Youngs, King Kelly
WEEK’S FINALE — 29-Oct
Q. Who leads the Angels’ franchise in career games,
hits, RBI, doubles & total bases, among many others.
Hint:
#1 He played for four major league teams
in Southern California.
Hint:
#2 Between 1936 and 2023, only Carlos
Delgado hit more doubles in an American League season.
A. GARRET
ANDERSON [Wiki Bio]
- Ans. The Angels’ leaders page shows the frequency of Anderson’s
statistical leadership.
- #1 Anderson
played for the California / Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim & Los Angeles Dodgers 1994-2010. He also played for ATL in his penultimate
season, 2009.
- #2 With
HOF Charlie Gehringer’s 60 2B for DET in 1936 as a starting point, only Delgado’s
57 in 2000 exceeds Garret’s 56 of 2002 in that time span. George Kell (1950), Nomar Garciaparra (2002),
Brian Roberts (2009) & Jose Ramirez also hit 56 2B in a season.
FCR - Jeremy Frank
Incorrect
guesses: Tim Salmon, Vladimir Guerrero
WEEK’S THEME – A cross-section
of players & others whose middle name is Joseph.
Player Career WAR
Garret Joseph Anderson............................ 25.7
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – Warren Kent, Whitehall, Michigan
(after Kelly)
Incorrect theme
guesses:
Wed - Players with gangster/criminal nicknames
- MLB
third basemen with the middle name Joseph
- Players
who sons became professionals in other major sports
If you know
someone who would enjoy receiving daily Horsehide Trivia questions, Have them
start by clicking here.
Click here to see this
week’s quiz (and all previous weeks’ quizzes):
http://horsehidetriviA. blogspot.com/
Horsehide Trivia encourages
independent research. ⚾️
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53471715/usa_today_9899216.0.jpg){kind=link}
:format(jpeg)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6169300/20120324_pjc_su8_011.jpg){kind=link}
