Sunday, September 1, 2024

2024-08-26 Finishing in Kansas City

MONDAY  — 26-Aug

Q.  Whom did Alex Rodriguez pass for most career home runs by a right-handed American League batter?

Hint: #1  He hit more home runs during the administration of U.S. President John F. Kennedy than any other batter.He hit more home runs during the administration of U.S. President John F. Kennedy than any other batter.

Hint: #2  For more than a decade, annual awards named after him have been granted to minor league baseball players who excel in various categories.

A.  HARMON KILLEBREW  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Killebrew retired with 573, having passed Jimmie Foxx’s 524 on 28-Jun-1972.  Current title holder is Alex Rodriguez with 696, having passed Killebrew with his 574th on 02-Aug-2009.

-  #1  Killebrew hit HRs totaling 139 in 1961 (46), 1962 (48) & 1963 (45).  Click for the others who were right behind him.

-  #2  The Harmon Killebrew Awards for Community Service are handed out by each of the Minnesota Twins four full-season affiliates to a player who represents the affiliate, the Twins & the work of legendary Harmon Killebrew & his kindness in the community.

FCR -  Waker Arnold, Jay. Vermont

Incorrect guesses:  Frank Robinson, Willie Mays

 

 

TUESDAY  — 27-Aug

Q.  Who was the first National League player to be voted league Most Valuable Player in his first full season with his new team, right after being traded?

Hint: #1  He was the first designated hitter who had won an MVP.

Hint: #2  He and some teammates hitchhiked home from the airport after a victorious flight home from winning the franchise’s first pennant in their new under-cabbed city.  It was a particularly poorly-timed set of circumstances since the World Series opened the very next day.

A.  ORLANDO CEPEDA  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Cepeda was traded from SFG to STL for P Ray Sadecki in 1966.  He was the unanimous NL MVP in 1967.

-  #1  Six years later, playing for BOS on the 1st G of the DH Era, Cepeda came to bat as DH on 06‑Apr‑1973 the leadoff batter in the bottom of the 2nd.  However, the opponent NYY’s Ron Blomberg had come to bat in the top of the 1st & is history’s 1st regular season DH.

-  #2   Cepeda along with Willie McCovey & Billy Pierce thumbed home from the San Francisco International Airport into the city because of the lack of alternate transportation choices.  History is silent on how long they had to wait before being picked up.  Of the 3, only Cepeda played in WS G1.  He was 0 for 4 with a K.

FCR -  John Gottko, Corvallis, Oregon

Incorrect guesses:  Frank Robinson, Don Baylor, Kirk Gibson, Christian Yelich, Shohei Ohtani

 

 

WEDNESDAY — 28-Aug

Q.  Which Gold Glove All-Star, who once played for the Toronto Blue Jays, was named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player?

Hint: #1  In the majors, he helped his team reach the World Series as he was named the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player.

Hint: #2  He earned Baseball America All-Star honors at High Class A and Triple-A and was drafted into the majors in the first round.

A.  JACKIE BRADLEY JR.   [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  He was the College WS MOP in 2010, playing for the national D-1 champion Gamecocks of the University of South Carolina.  He won a GG in 2018, was an AS in 2016 & played for TOR in 2022.

-  #1  Was the ALCS MVP in 2018 when BOS went on to win its 4th WS championship this century.

-  #2  Was Baseball America AS at High Class A (2013) and Triple-A (2015).  BOS selected him in the supplemental 1st round, with the 40th overall selection, of the 2011 MLB draft.

FCR -  Brett Moore, Studio City, California

Incorrect guesses:  Troy Tulowitzki, John Olerud, Dave Winfield

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  — 28-Aug

Q.  Who was the first pitcher to face Jackie Robinson in a regular season National League game?

Hint: #1  He later faced him in the World Series.

Hint: #2  He was the coach of the player who broke Babe Ruth’s most cherished record.

A.  JOHNNY SAIN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Sain, the Braves’ starting pitcher on 15-Apr-1947, got Robinson to ground out, fly out, reach on an E & GIDP.

-  #1  Pitching for NYY, Sain faced Robinson again in the 1952 & 1953 WS, going hitless, but walking 4 X, 2 X intentionally.

-  #2  Sain was the pitching coach for NYY 1961-63, the period when Whitey Ford finished stringing together his 33⅔ consecutive scoreless WS innings, breaking the record of 29⅔ Ruth had held since 1918.

FCR -  Glenn Vasey, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Whitlow Wyatt, Art Fowler, Hugh Casey

 

 

THURSDAY  — 29-Aug

Q.  Whose last name translates to ”the deaf one”?

Hint: #1  He coached for four years in the majors after his playing days.

Hint: #2  He was Hoyt Wilhelm’s last minor league manager.

A.  TOMMY LASORDA  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Source:  Collins Dictionary online

-  #1  Coached LAD 1973-76.

-  #2  Wilhelm pitched 37 innings for Lasorda on the 1971 Spokane Indians.

FCR -  Bill Deane, Cooperstown

Incorrect guesses:  Tommy Heath, Frank Genovese

 

 

FRIDAY  — 30-Aug

Q.  Which Yankee left fielder won a Gold Glove at a different position and on a different team?

Hint: #1  He was the first designated hitter to bat leadoff for an American League team in the World Series.

Hint: #2  He was celebrated one night by the fans in his original city, but it wasn’t because he had helped them win a World Series, or been Rookie of the Year, or was a four-time All-Star and twice Silver Slugger, nor was it because he had led the league in triples and had lead the majors in doubles.

A.  CHUCK KNOBLAUCH   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Knoblauch finished with career totals of 1,381 G at 2B, 183 G in the OF & 51 at DH.  Some of the DH appearances were when he played most 2B.  He won his GG at 2B for MIN in1997 when all but 2 of  his G that year were at 2B.

-  #1  WS 2000 G 1, 21-Oct in the Bronx.  Knoblauch lined out against Al Leiter to lead the bottom of the first.

-  #2  On 02-May-2001, Minnesota fans took advantage of the abundant ammo that the Twins’ $1 “Dome Dogs” provided, to pelt the Yankees’ new left fielder with their affordable comestibles.  A torrent of the wurst kind filled the air so relentlessly that the G was stopped until a ceasefire had been brokered.  What offense had Knoblauch committed to warrant such vigilante retributive justice?  He hadn’t followed Kirby Puckett’s example by staying in the Twin Cities for less money.

FCR -  Richard Klee, North Hollywood, California

Incorrect guesses:  Tim Raines, Lou Piniella, Johnny Damon, Rickey Henderson, Jacoby Elsbury, Dave Winfield, Bobby Murcer, Ken Griffey Jr.,

 

T.G.I.F. SPECIAL  — 30-Aug

Q.  Which pitcher’s complete-game victory saw his team tie the 1927 Yankees for most wins in an American League season?

Hint: #1  It was the last appearance of his rookie season.  He got a hit and scored the first run of the game.

Hint: #2  He never received a Rookie of the Year vote, but did received Most Valuable Player consideration the following season and finally became an All-Star two seasons after that.

A.  DON MOSSI    [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Mossi, a starter that day, got the1954 Cleveland Indians’ 110th W on 22-Sep-1954 3-1 over CHW.  They would win again on the 25th to break the tie.  Their record lasted until 1998 when a powerful NYY team reclaimed it with a 114-win season.

-  #1  (See above)

-  #2  Got a single MVP vote in 1955 (tied for 24th) & was an All-Star in 1957 where recorded a key out by striking out Eddie Mathews.

FCR -  Terry Walters, Wabasha, Minnesota

Incorrect guesses:  Wilcy Moore, Jim Palmer, Aaron Sele, Bob Feller, Orlando Hernandez, Carl Hubbell, Herb Score, Felix Fernandez

 

 

SATURDAY  — 31-Aug

Q.  Which one-time Chicago Cub is the only Pittsburgh Pirate to be hit-by-pitch more than thirty times in a season.

Hint: #1  He holds the major league record for most career stolen bases by a catcher since the Dead‑Ball Era.

Hint: #2  At the time of his retirement, he led all National League catchers with 95% of at least 1,000 games played at catcher, in career runs, hits, doubles, batting average, bases-on-balls and WAR.

A.  JASON KENDALL    [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Kendall was HBP 31 X in 1997 & 31 X in 1998.  He played for the Cubs in 2007.

-  #1  He finished with 189 SB with a high of 26 in 1998.

-  #2  With 2010 his final season NL season, Kendall finished with 821 R; 1,92 H; 315 2B; a .294 BA; 569 BB; a WAR of 33.4.

FCR -  Nate Quigley, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Manny Sanguillen

 

 

WEEKEND BONUS  — 01-Sep

Q.  Which infielder set a record handling the most fielding chances in a double-header?

Hint: #1  He was the first Chicago White Sox shortstop to hit twenty home runs in a season in a season.

Hint: #2  He is the only American League Rookie of the Year to turn an unassisted triple play.

A.  RON HANSEN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  SS Hansen had a record 28 chances on 25-Aug1965(1) & 25-Aug1965(2).  He did not make an error.  His White Sox team beat the Red Sox by a score of 3-2 in both G.

-  #1  Hansen hit 20 HR in 1964.  No SS on CHW had hit more than 12 HR since their franchise launch in 1901.  It would be another 36 years before it was done again.

-  #2  Hansen was ROY in 1960 w/BAL.  UTP took place in the bottom of the 1st on 30-Jul-1968 while playing for WSA.  The UTP wasn’t during his rookie season, but that title is forever.

FCR -  Tom Keckeisen, Columbia, South Carolina

Incorrect guesses:  Luke Appling, Tim Anderson, Luis Aparicio, Mike Piazza

 

 

SUNDAY  — 01-Sep

Q.  Which major leaguer grew up in rough circumstances at the turn of the 20th century, was committed to a reform school where he found an outlet for his aggression playing baseball, mostly at catcher?

Hint: #1  He was schooled in some of the finer points of the game at his position by Deacon.

Hint: #2  His first starting assignment in the majors was a game where he was the catcher for Cy Young.  The result was Young’s 480th career victory.

A.  TED EASTERLY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Though born in Nebraska, Easterly was raised in Southern California & was according to parents, friends & relatives, a youth out of control.

-  #1  Highly respected catcher Deacon McGuire liked the potential of young Easterly, notwithstanding the differences in personality.

-  #2  He was Cy Young’s favorite catcher during the time they were teammates on CLE in 1909, 1910 & part of 1911.  Not only did Easterly catch Young’s 480th win on 20-Apr-1909, he was Young’s catcher for 14 of Young’s 19 W’s that season.

FCR -  Rich Lerner, Silver Spring, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Babe Ruth, Roger Bresnahan

 

 

 

 

 

WEEK’S THEME – Players of note who final major league season was playing for a Kansas City team

 

Name                 KC Yr           MLB Yrs            Career WAR

Bradley................. 2023 KCR.............. 11......................... 17.0

CEPEDA.............. 1974 KCR.............. 17......................... 50.1

Easterly................ 1915 KCP.............. 13......................... 12.0

Hansen................. 1972 KCR.............. 15......................... 24.1

Kendall................. 2010 KCR.............. 15......................... 40.9

KILLEBREW...... 1975 KCR.............. 22......................... 60.3

Knoblauch............ 2002 KCR.............. 12......................... 44.6

LASORDA........... 1956 KCA................ 3.......................... -1.3

Mossi.................... 1965 KCA.............. 12......................... 23.5

Sain...................... 1955 KCA............... 11......................... 29.4

ALL CAPS = HOF

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Jesse Asbury, Norman, Oklahoma (After Sain)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Original Washington Senators

            -  MLB players from Idaho

            -  Players with six or more 40-home-run seasons

 

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