Sunday, March 31, 2024

2024-03-25 The 9 batters whose lone hit defined each of Nolan Ryan’s American League one hitters

MONDAY  — 25-Mar

Q.  Who is the first former Little League player to be elected to the Hall of Fame?

Hint: #1  He was the tenth baseball player to win the prestigious Hickok Belt.

Hint: #2  He hit ten or more home runs in every full season of his twenty-three year career.

A.  CARL YASTRZEMSKI   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  20 others have made it since, but Yaz was the first—a Hall of Famer on the first vote in 1989.  Yaz was the 10th baseball player to win, but it had been won 10 times before he did.  Sandy Koufax won twice.

-  #1  The Hickok Belt is award annually to an outstanding professional athlete.

-  #2  From 1961 through 1983, Yaz racked up 452 HR, only once with a season of HR in single digits, his first one, when hit 7 in 91 G.

FCR – Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, Arkansas

Incorrect guesses:  Stan Musial, Rusty Staub, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Mike Schmidt, Cal Ripken,

 

 

TUESDAY  — 26-Mar

Q.  Who was the first American League catcher to win the Rookie of the Year Award?

Hint: #1  He was the third catcher in his franchise to be voted Most Valuable Player.

Hint: #2  He was a handball champion in college.

A.  THURMAN MUNSON   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  AL ROY in 1970.  The 1968 NL ROY winner, Johnny Bench, was the only C who did it prior.

-  #1  NYY MVP C = Yogi Berra (1951, 54, 55); Elston Howard (1963); Munson (1976).

-  #2  He won several handball titles while attending Kent State University.

FCR -  George Alfano, Redlands, California

Incorrect guesses:  Bill Freehan, Elston Howard, Carlton

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 27Mar

Q.  Which former Baltimore Oriole was the first Hall of Famer to play in two perfect games?

Hint: #1  He didn’t win his first Silver Slugger Award until he was thirty-four years old.

Hint: #2  He attended college on a football scholarship.

A.  REGGIE JACKSON   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  When OAK teammate Catfish Hunter threw a perfect G on 08-May-1968, Jackson played RF.  In 1984, playing for CAL on the last day of the season, Jackson DH’ed while teammate Mike Witt throw a perfecto at TEX.  Jackson played for BAL in 1976.

-  #1  Won SS in 1980 & 1982.

-  #2  His football coach at ASU relented & allowed Jackson to play baseball as well.

FCR -  Barry Lipinski, Somerset, New Jersey

Incorrect guesses:  Doug DeCinces, Jim Thome, Don Baylor, Eddie Murray, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Nick Markakis

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS — 27-Mar

Q.  Which one-time Baltimore Oriole won every American League stolen base title in the 1980s except those won by Rickey Henderson?

Hint: #1  He was on teams that won championships in the state of Oregon in multiple sports.

Hint: #2  He attended the same university as Tony Gwynn and Steven Strasburg.

Hint: #3  He is a winner of the Roberto Clemente Award.

A.  HAROLD REYNOLDS   [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Reynolds led the AL in SB w/60 in 1987.  Henderson won all the rest.

-  #1  He starred in football & basketball as well as baseball at Corvallis High School.  He was a member of the state championship (AAA) football team in 1978, graduated in 1979, and was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.  He was also a member of the Corvallis' American Legion Baseball team that won state & regional titles in 1978.

-  #2  Reynolds went to San Diego State University.

-  #3  The Clemente Award is perhaps the most prestigious in baseball.

FCR -  Michael Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware

Incorrect guesses:  Al Bumby, Brady Anderson, Willie Wilson, Tim Raines

 

 

THURSDAY  — 28-Mar

Q.  Who is the only player to win a batting title in the majors as a California Angel?

Hint: #1  He didn’t win by much.

Hint: #2  Thanksgiving dinner at his house included an All-Pro running back.

A.  ALEX JOHNSON   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Johnson hit .329, his career best, in 1970.

-  #1  His .32899 was just a skosh ahead of Carl Yastrzemski’s .32862.

-  #2  Ron Johnson, his brother, younger by 5 years, was an All-American football halfback for Michigan & All-Pro for the New York Giants, the first Giants player to rack up 1,000 rushing yards in one season.

FCR -  Michael Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware

Incorrect guesses:  Mike Trout, Rod Carew, Lyman Bostock, Brian Downing

 

 

FRIDAY — 29-Mar

Q.  Which one-time Baltimore Oriole was the first post-expansion player to hit thirty home runs in each of his first two seasons?

Hint: #1  He was a regular golfing partner of Billy Pierce.

Hint: #2  His neck was broken in the first professional game he ever played.

A.  RON KITTLE   [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Kittle hit 35 in 1983 & 32 in 1984.  Played for BAL in 1990.

-  #1  Pierce and his wife socialized with many ex-White Sox players.  Kittle was among the most frequent guests.

-  #2  In Kittle’s own words, “I made it out of spring training and went to the Midwest League with the Clinton Dodgers.  In my first official game and my first at bat, I hit a double.  I scored on a single by Mike Scioscia.  As I was sliding across home plate, a late and high throw came in.  The catcher jumped to catch the ball and landed on me.  What I would later learn, he broke my neck.

FCR -  Steve Berman, Bergenfield, New Jersey

Incorrect guesses:  Leon Wagner, Jim Gentile, Eddie Mathews, Frank Robinson

 

SATURDAY — 30-Mar

Q.  Which  BBTR catcher played for six different major league franchises between 1969 and 1980?

Hint: #1  He was the first major leaguer to attend the university that has since produced an additional thirty major leaguers plus more than one hundred sixty players who have played baseball at the professional level.

Hint: #2  Not that he would brag about it now, but he went to work for Boeing after his playing days.

A.  BOB STINSON   [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Stinson caught for LAD, STL, HOU, MON, KCR & SEA.

-  #1  Miami Dade College has also produced 21 All-American baseball players since 1971.

-  #2  He also played on the Boeing team & volunteers coaching baseball teams of several leagues in the greater Seattle area.

FCR -  John Salvino, Denver

Incorrect guesses:  Ted Simmons, Ray Fosse, Ron Karkovice, Alan Ashby

 

 

WEEKEND EXTRA — 30-Mar

Q.  Who is the only player in the Expansion Era to hit two bases-loaded, bases-clearing triples in one game?

Hint: #1  He has a particular fondness for a certain Cy Young Award winner and fellow broadcaster.

Hint: #2  He is half of one of the most respected baseball announcer teams in the game.

A.  DUANE KUIPER   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In the 1st & 5th innings of the G on 27-Jul-1978(2), Kuiper cleared the bases with triples as CLE beat NYY 17-5 in Yankee Stadium.

-  #1  In a 1-0 count, on 29-Aug-1977, Kuiper hit the only home run of his 12-year & 3,379-AB major league career off Cy-Young-Award-winner-to-be Steve Stone.

-  #2  Paired with former Giants’ pitcher, Mike Krukow, they make the SFG TV broadcasts come alive.  [They were both part of the Giants’ team that lost 100 games in a season, the only such season in that franchise’s 130 years of operation.]

FCR -  Susan Nelson, Moscow, Tennessee

Incorrect guesses:  Rick Dempsey, Randy Hundley, Bob Uecker, Tim McCarver

 

SUNDAY  — 31-Mar

Q.  Who spoiled no-hitters in the ninth inning twice in a calendar week?

Hint: #1  In his ten-year career in the majors, he played for six teams and played alongside nine men who are now in the Hall of Fame.

Hint: #2  He played exactly one game for the Dragons, going oh-for-four.

A.  NELSON LIRIANO   [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  On 23-Apr-1989 as  the 1st batter in the 9th inning, Liriano tripled off TEX’s Nolan Ryan for TOR’s only H of the G.  Then 5 days later, Liriano hit a double as the 1st batter of the 9th inning, again TOR’s only H, this time victimizing CAL’s Kirk McKaskill.

-  #1  Hall of Famers on the same team as Liriano:  Fred McGriff, Phil Niekro, Kirby Pucket, George Brett, Jim Leyland, Eddie Murray, Mike Piazza, Todd Helton & Larry Walker not to mention Jim Thome in the minors

-  #2  Liriano, in 1999, played in a single G for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

FCR -  Jim Casey, Savannah

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Qualls, Horace Clarke, Cesar Tovar

 

WEEK’S THEME – The 9 batters whose lone hit defined each of Nolan Ryan’s American League onehitters.  He had three more in the NL, tying Bob Feller’s MLB mark.

 

Yastrzemski................ 09-Jul-1972.............. (1st inning, 1 out single)............................................ 96.5

Jackson....................... 13-Jul-1979.............. (9th inning, 1 out single)............................................ 74.0

Munson....................... 29-Aug-1973............. (1st inning, 1 out single)............................................ 46.1

Reynolds..................... 03-Jun-1989............. (1st inning, 0 out single)............................................ 15.9

Johnson...................... 27-Jun-1974............. (1st inning, 2 out single)............................................ 10.0

Kittle............................ 26-Apr-1990............. (2nd inning, 0 out single)............................................. 4.7

Stinson........................ 15-Apr-1977............. (5th inning, 1 out single)............................................. 4.3

Kuiper......................... 05-May-1978............ (6th inning, 0 out single)............................................. 4.0

Liriano......................... 23-Apr-1989............. (9th inning, 1 out triple)............................................. 3.0

 

First Correct Respondent identifying themeSteve Berman, Bergenfield, New Jersey (After Kittle)

 

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Tues    -  Red Sox players whose names begin with C

 

Thur     -  They all played in 1978 American League East tie breaker game

-   MLB all stars who also starred in football in college

 

Fri        -  On-time category winners

 

If you know someone who would enjoy receiving daily Horsehide Trivia questions, they need only drop an email message to horsehidetrivi@aol.com.

 

This site has this week’s quiz compete with incorrect guesses as well.  Scroll back and you’ll find has this week’s quiz complete with incorrect guesses as well.  Scroll back and you’ll find Horsehide Trivia quizzes posted back to 2010. Quizzes before that may also be available upon request.

 

Horsehide Trivia encourages independent research.  ⚾️

 

 

Sunday, March 24, 2024

2024-03-18 Certain players who skipped the minors when they first played in the majors

MONDAY  — 18-Mar

Q.  Who holds the record for the most doubles hit in All-Star games?

Hint: #1  He was the first outfielder to win multiple Gold Glove awards in each league.

Hint: #2  He was not drafted by the NHL in spite of attending a school very strong in hockey.

A.  DAVE WINFIELD   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Winfield hit 7 2B in ASG.

-  #1  His 1st 2 GG were won w/SDP of the NL.  His next 5 GG were as a member of NYY.  Mookie Betts (BOS 2016-2018) & (LAD 2020, 2022) has now matched Winfield’s GG feat.

-  #2  A graduate of the University of Minnesota, the multi-talented Winfield was drafted by the NFL, ABA & the NBA as well as MLB.  Being a gentleman of proper upbringing, he chose baseball.

FCR -  Phil Hertz, Kamuela, Hawaii

Incorrect guesses:  Larry Walker, Frank Robinson, Mookie Betts

 

 

TUESDAY  — 19-Mar

Q.  Who threw a no-hitter in his first start of the season after just having been chosen in the major league draft the year before?

Hint: #1  He was the best-known purveyor of the knuckle-curve pitch.

Hint: #2  He hit his first career home run, a grand slam, off Tom Seaver after Seaver had walked the bases full.

A.  BURT HOOTON   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  No-no on 16-Apr-1972, for CHC, blanking PHI 4-0; Drafted in the 1st Round of the 1971 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase.

-  #1  As opposed to finger nails for a knuckleball, Hooton used his actual knuckles.

-  #2  In the 3rd inning on 16-Sep-1972, with Hooton starting for the Cubs that day, NYM’s Seaver walked Ron Santo, Rick Monday then intentionally walked Elrod Hendricks to get to Hooton.  When Hooton homered, Yogi pulled Seaver.  It was the 1st GS Seaver had ever surrendered.  He would only give up 2 more in his entire career.

FCR -  Steve Hild, Oswego, Illinois

Incorrect guesses:  Bobo Holloman, Mike Mussina

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 20-Mar

Q.  Who is still the NCAA Division I all-time leader in home runs in a career and home runs in a season?

Hint: #1  He was elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame the same year as Christy Mathewson and Lou Gehrig.

Hint: #2  He led both leagues in strikeouts as a major league rookie.

A.  PETE INCAVIGLIA  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans. Incaviglia homered 48 X for Oklahoma State University in 1985 & 100 X 1983-85.

-  #1  He was elected to the CBHOF in Lubbock, Texas in 2007, as were 14 other college immortals.

-  #2  His 185 K w/TEX in 1986 were the then most ever by an MLB rookie.

FCR -  Matt Dicker, Chicago

Incorrect guesses:  Robin Ventura

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  — 20-Mar

Q.  Which BLTLFL moundsman gained international acclaim when he threw a no-hitter against a team whose lineup contained six All-Stars, one of whom became a Hall of Famer?

Hint: #1  He finished third in Cy Young Award voting one season when his team that year did not even have a winning record.

Hint: #2  He once said, “People will tell you that I overcame obstacles… maybe.  But the truth is I was incredibly blessed in my life.  More was given than was ever taken away.”

A.  JIM ABBOTT   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Abbott no-hit CLE on 03-Sep-1993 in Yankee Stadium.  Among those not getting a hit against him that day were Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome & Sandy Alomar.  Bats Left; Throws Left; Fields Left.

-  #1  Abbott finished behind only Roger Clemens & Scott Erickson in 1991 AL CYA voting. CAL finished 81-81 that year.

-  #2  Born without a right hand, Abbott was known to comfort and encourage more fortunate teammates.

FCR -  John Fahey, Oak Forest, Illinois

Incorrect guesses:  Curt Simmons

 

 

THURSDAY  — 21-Mar

Q.  Which one-time St. Louis Cardinal was a corner infielder who was never actually seen sitting in the corner?

Hint: #1  He is the only Modern Era player to hit four home runs in a game his team lost.

Hint: #2  He was the first player to top twenty-five home runs in a college season at the same school where Reggie Jackson and Barry Bonds played.

A.  BOB HORNER   [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  In his MLB career, Horner played 330 G at 1st & 684 G at 3rd.  His namesake, Jack Horner, was a fruit tart afficionado made famous by his self-congratulatory announcement.  Baseball player Horner finished his career in the majors with 1 season w/STL after 9 seasons w/ATL.

-  #1  On 06-Jul-1986 in Atlanta, Horner homered 4X vs. MON, but the Expos homered thrice themselves and won the G, 11-8.  Montreal journeyman Al Newman hit his only career home run in that same G.

-  #2  One of the best NCAA schools in the country for producing baseball talent, Arizona State University (ASU) is the alma mater of all three of those sluggers.

FCR -  Carter Doney, Provo, Utah

Incorrect guesses:  Glen Allen Hill, Mark Whiten, Sal Bando, Albert Pujols

 

 

FRIDAY — 22-Mar

Q.  Who was the last twentieth-century pitcher to have an ERA lower than 1.50 at home for a season?

Hint: #1  He surrendered home runs to Bobby Bonds and his son.  (Not in the same game.  That’s a Griffey thing.)

Hint: #2  He was once on the wrong end of a perfect game.

A.  MIKE MORGAN   [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  1.38 ERA at Wrigley Field in 1992

-  #1  Morgan gave up a HR to Bobby Bonds on 25-Aug-1979.  Son Barry took him deep on 13‑Jun‑1993 & 15-Aug-1993.

-  #2  On 28-Jul-1991, Montreal’s Dennis Martinez completely shut down LAD whose starter was Mike Morgan.  Morgan went the distance, though, & didn’t give up a single earned run.

FCR -  Adam Foldes, New York City, Charlie Hough

Incorrect guesses:  Bob Gibson, Bob Hendley

 

 

T.G.I.F. SPECIAL — 22-Mar

Q.  Whose franchise record for doubles in a season did Carlos Delgado break?

Hint: #1  He played for five teams in the majors and his cousin played for seven teams and they were in the majors for ten years at the same time, yet they were never teammates.

Hint: #2  He is the all-time leader in the same offensive category for two separate expansion franchises.

Hint: #3  The year before he first played in the majors, he had a pitching record of 15-0 for a D-1 NCAA school.

A.  JOHN OLERUD   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Olerud doubled 54 X in 1993, leading the majors.  He was the 1st Blue Jay with more than 50 in a year.  Delgado had a great year in 2000, including 57 doubles which led the AL.

-  #1  Olerud’s teams were TOR, SEA, NYM, NYY & BOS, 1989-2005.  Cousin Dale Sveum played 1986-1999 for MIL, PHI, CHW, OAK, SEA, PIT & NYY.

-  #2  Olerud’s .363 in 1993 is the best ever for 1 season for TOR & his .354 in 1998 is the best season average for any qualifying player for NYM.  Both marks would have been MLB bests, but for 2 COL players, Andres Galarraga in ’93 & Larry Walker in ’98.

-  #3  For the 1988 season, Olerud was named collegiate Player of the Year nationally after batting .464 to go with his 15-0 record on the mound as a Washington State Cougar.

FCR -  Joe Haardt, Bethany Beach, Delaware

Incorrect guesses:  Dave Winfield, Gary Sheffield, Shawn Green, Jose Canseco, Dave Winfield, Tony Fernandez

 

 

SATURDAY — 23-Mar

Q.  Which rookie pitcher received a surprise set of weights from a future Hall of Famer teammate?

Hint: #1  One season pitching in college, his win total of thirteen games, led the nation with a 1.50 ERA and was named the school’s “Athlete of the Year”.  The following season, an opposing team’s coach called him “… the best college pitcher in America.”

Hint: #2  His drafting team traded him after three seasons; he then led the league pitching losses the first year with his new team.

Hint:  #3  He chose college after being 473rd and 8th by major league teams.

A.  DICK RUTHVEN   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  On 28-Apr-1973, in his 3rd start in the majors, Ruthven held the Big Red Machine to a single hit and no score, but developed soreness during the course of the outing.  Steve Carlton knew certain weight-lifting exercises that might help the rookie and so arranged for delivery to Ruthven a complete weight-lifting set a his house the next day.

-  #1  His amazing college ERA was in 1971.  In 1972, after throwing a one-hit shutout at Long Beach State, the 49ers coach, John Gonsalves, called Ruthven “the best college pitcher in America.”

-  #2  He had a 3-season record of 17-24 w/PHI 1973-75; his record in 1976 w/ATL was 14-17.

-  #3  Ruthven was selected in the 20th round by BAL in 1969.  His jump to the 1st round in 1972didn’t quite do the trick either.  When he was drafted first overall by PHI in the 1973 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase, he became a major leaguer and immediately joined the big club.

FCR -  Frank Ittner, Atlanta

Incorrect guesses:  Carson Fulmer

 

 

WEEKEND BONUS — 23-Mar

Q.  Which starting pitcher wore uniform no. 8?

Hint: #1  He was the first person to win the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year Award in consecutive seasons.

Hint: #2  He was convicted of stealing $60 worth of t-shirts in a Cincinnati department store.

A.  MIKE LEAKE   [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  The #8 uniform was Leake’s number at ASU.  STL, SEA & ARI allowed him that number when he asked.

-  #1  Pitching for Arizona State, Leake won myriad awards including the Academic All-American of the Year, the only student-athlete from the Pac-10 to earn Academic All-American honors.

-  #2  .  His plausible explanation eventually led to dismissal of the case.

FCR – Obrey Brown, Tallahassee

Incorrect guesses:  Tom Seaver

 

 

SUNDAY  — 24-Mar

Q.  Which BLTR utility player needed eighteen whole or partial seasons in the majors to accumulate a career WAR of 12.0?

Hint: #1  He played for the Tigers after attending Brookdale Community College.

Hint: #2  After turning down an opportunity to play for the Giants when they took him in the eight round at number 187, he waited one year and was selected by Oakland the first overall.

A.  DENNY WALLING   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In 15 of those seasons, he played more than half of the regular season games. 

-  #1  Walling played for the Clemson Tigers after Brookdale.

-  #2  The draft where the A’s took him was the 1975 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase.

FCR -  John Salvino, Denver

Incorrect guesses:  Rick Monday, Matt Chavez, Eric Chavez, Brad Ausmus

 

WEEK’S THEME –  A sampling of major leaguers who, since the amateur draft was instituted, skipped the minors & accumulated a WAR in double figures in the majors

 

 

Player                 Debut         Team      Yrs      Sch                            WAR

Abbott............... 08-Apr-1989.......... CAL...... 10.... Michigan......... 19.6

Hooton.............. 17-Jun-1971.......... CHC...... 15...... Texas........... 35.5

Horner.............. 16-Jun-1978.......... ATL....... 10....... ASU............ 21.8

Incaviglia.......... 08-Apr-1986.......... TEX...... 12....... OSU............ 10.3

Leake................ 11-Apr-2010.......... CIN....... 10....... ASU............ 16.2

Morgan............. 11-Jun-1978.......... OAK...... 22... Valley HS........ 26.2

Olerud.............. 03-Sep-1989.......... TOR...... 17....... WSU............ 58.2

Ruthven............ 17-Apr-1973.......... PHI....... 14... Fresno St......... 18.4

Walling............. 07-Sep-1975.......... OAK...... 18.... Clemson......... 12.1

Winfield............ 19-Jun-1973.......... SDP....... 22....... Minn............ 64.2

 

 

First Correct Respondent identifying themeWarren Kent, Whitehall, Illinois (after Horner)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Tues    -  Players who went from the draft directly to MLB who have won a World Series title.

            -  Players who went straight to the majors and never played in the minors

 

Wed     -  Players who made it to the majors in their first year of professional ball & never went back.  Or, more specifically college players

-   Played in the college World Series and then debuted in the majors later that year

-   College players to go straight to the majors

-   Top 10 picks who played in the college World Series who went straight to the majors

-   First round picks who went straight to the majors after the draft

 

Thur     -  Players who reached the majors without playing in the minor leagues

-   Golden Spikes winners

-   Post-expansion players who began their MLB careers with fewer than 15 games in the Minors

-   Players who were all Americans in college who went straight to the majors without playing a game in the minors

-   Players who went straight from college to MLB since the amateur draft was instituted

 

Fri        -  Players Alma maters have gone to at least one elite eight [NCAA basketball]

-   College hall of famers to go straight to the majors

-   Never played MiLB

-   College All Americans who were first round picks who bypassed the minors altogether

-   First round picks, who bypassed the minors

-   First round picks, who bypassed the minors & were All-Stars

 

 

If you know someone who would enjoy receiving daily Horsehide Trivia questions, they need only drop an email message to horsehidetrivi@aol.com.

 

This site has this week’s quiz compete with incorrect guesses as well.  Scroll back and you’ll find has this week’s quiz complete with incorrect guesses as well.  Scroll back and you’ll find Horsehide Trivia quizzes posted back to 2010. Quizzes before that may also be available upon request.

 

Horsehide Trivia encourages independent research.  ⚾️