Sunday, January 26, 2025

2025-01-20 All-Star catchers native to California (Min. of at least one season of 3.0+ WAR)

MONDAY  — 20-Jan

Q.  Who has stolen more career bases than any other catcher since The Dead Ball Era?

Hint: #1  He once had five hits in a single game but didn’t score once.

Hint: #2  His father’s twelve-season major league career never produced one All-Star appearance whereas this son was thrice a National League All-Star, collecting a pinch-hit single in the ninth inning in the Game in Colorado.

A.  JASON KENDALL  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Kendall safely stole 189 career bags & was caught only 89 X.

-  #1  On 03-May-1999 in Pittsburgh, Kendall had a doubles off Joe Nathan in the 1st & 3rd; a single off Nathan in the 6th ; a single off John Johnstone in the 8th; & a single off Robb Nen in the 9th.  He was stranded every time.  PIT only won by 1 R because Jeff Kent on SFG hit for the cycle that evening.

-  #2  1998 ASG in Coors Field, Denver.  His single didn’t help enough.  The NL lost for  the 2nd year in a row.

FCR -  David Girdany, Somerset, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Bob Boone, Damion Easley, Bo Bichette, Tony Pena, Sandy Alomar, Jr.

 

 

TUESDAY  — 21-Jan

Q.  Who is the only catcher to win a Gold Glove for the same franchise in two cities?

Hint: #1  In all, he won three Gold Gloves, five All-Star appearances and was three times in the Top Ten in MVP voting.

Hint: #2  The only player he was ever traded for was a former Rookie of the Year.

A.  EARL BATTEY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Battey was the AL GG winner at C for WSN in 1960 then for MIN in 1961 & 1962.

-  #1  Full career.

-  #2  On 04-Apr-1960, he was traded by CHW w/Don Mincher & $150,000 to WSN for Roy Sievers.

FCR -  Bruce Duncan, Niceville,. Florida

Incorrect guesses:  Del Crandall, Roy Campanella, Joe Torre, Buck Rodgers

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 22-Jan

Q.  Who caught Jim Bunning‘s perfect game?

Hint: #1  He (Not Bunning) led his team in home runs for five consecutive seasons.

Hint: #2  He was the catcher for Hoyt Wilhelm’s no-hitter and his home run was not only the sole run in the entire game, it set a team record.

A.  GUS TRIANDOS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Bunning’s perfecto:  21-Jun-1964(1), Fathers’ Day.  Triandos contributed 2 H to the cause.

-  #1  Triandos was the O’s HR leader 1955-1959.

-  #2  Wilhelm no-hit NYY on 20-Sep-1958.  Triandos’ HR was his 30th that season, more, at that point, than any other Oriole had ever hit in a year.  He also tied Yogi Berra for most homers in a year by any catcher.

FCR -  Andrew Jett, Waxahachie, Texas

Incorrect guesses:  Clay Dalrymple, Tim McCarver, Bill Freehan

 

 

THURSDAY  — 23-Jan

Q.  Which catcher threw out Rickey Henderson trying to steal second, just after Henderson broke Babe Ruth's major league career record for bases on balls?

Hint: #1  His father was a scout for two orange and black major league teams, signing, among others, Gabe Kapler.

Hint: #2  His name translates roughly from the German as “love valley”.

A.  MIKE LIEBERTHAL  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Henderson walked for the 2,063rd time on 25-Apr-2001, but didn’t make it safely past 1st base.

-  #1  Lieberthal’s father is Dennis Lieberthal, a scout for DET and a former SFG scout.

-  #2  Could also be “lover valley” or “lover dale”.

FCR -  Leonard Epstein, Dallas

Incorrect guesses:  Dave Valle, Mike LaValliere, Alex Avila, Bob Boone

 

 

THURSDAY FURTHER  — 15-Nov

Q.  Which one-time San Francisco Giant is the most recent player to hit two home runs in a single major league All-Star Game?

Hint: #1  It was not the only time he was the All-Star game Most Valuable Player.

Hint: #2  He was the first National League player to homer in four consecutive Opening Day games.

A.  GARY CARTER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Carter homered 2 X in the 1981 ASG.  Played for SFG in 1990.

-  #1  Also ASG MVP in 1984.

-  #2  OD HRs in 1977-1980

FCR -  Vince Guerrieri, Elyria, Ohio

Incorrect guesses:  Willie McCovey, Buster Posey, Terry Steinbach, Pablo Sandoval, Al Rosen

 

 

FRIDAY  — 16-Nov

Q.  Which Ontario back-catcher caught no-hitters from three of his teammates?

Hint: #1  He was awarded a Gold Glove at catcher four times, all the more impressive since the award didn’t even exist until eight years after his first year in the majors.

Hint: #2  Two Hall of Famers attended the same high school he did.

A.  DEL CRANDALL  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Crandall was behind the plate for the no-hitters of fellow Milwaukee Braves:

Jim Wilson (12-Jun-1954),  Lew Burdette (18-Aug-1960)  &  Warren Spahn (16-Sep-1960).

Amazingly, all 3 were against PHI!  Crandall was born in the city of Ontario, California.

A “Back-catcher” is a term for catcher used in the other Ontario.

-  #1  Crandall debuted on 17-Jun-1949.  Gold Gloves were first awarded in 1957.  Crandall won his in 1958, 1959,1960, 1962.

-  #2  Both Walter Johnson and Arky Vaughan also attended Fullerton Union High School

FCR -  Bill Deane, Cooperstown

Incorrect guesses:  Russ Martin, Jeff Torborg, Sherman Lollar, Mike Matheny 

 

 

SATURDAY  — 25-Jan

Q.  Which one-time Brooklyn Dodger and Boston Brave batter once hit a double in each four consecutive innings, off four different pitchers in one game?

Hint: #1  He is the only National League player to ground into thirty double plays the year he won the Most Valuable Player Award.

Hint: #2  Three additional Hall of Famers attended his famous high school.

A.  ERNIE LOMBARDI  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  On 08-May-1935, Lombardi doubled off PHI’s Syl Johnson, Orville Jorgens, Euel Moore & Frank Pearce in the 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th innings respectively.  Played for BRO in 1931 (Robins).  Played for BSN in 1932.

-  #1  GIDP 30 X & NL MVP in 1938.  Lombardi was the first ever with 30+ GIDP.

-  #2  The high school originally named for educator John William McClymonds is the alma mater of Lombardi, Frank Robinson, Bill Russell of the Celtics (NBA HOF), the NBA’s Paul Silas, (College Basketball HOF), not to mention All-Star regulars Curt Flood and Vada Pinson.

FCR -  Scott Morissey, Hamilton, Ontario

Incorrect guesses:  Andy Pafko, Frank Torre, Wally Berger, Tommy Holmes, Joe Medwick

 

 

WEEKEND BONUS  — 26-Jan

Q.  Which former Indian moved from third base to catcher to allow Mike Schmidt to remain at third base for the AA Reading Phillies?

Hint: #1  He was the first catcher to wear a flapless helmet while catching.

Hint: #2  He is descended from a great American frontiersman.

A.  BOB BOONE  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  In 1971 in Reading, Pennsylvania, Boone became a catcher.  Boone had played for Stanford University before they dropped the Indian mascot in 1972.

-  #1  Boone opted for a flapless batting helmet behind the plate in the early part of his career because it helped his vision.

-  #2  Daniel Boone is one of his forebears.

FCR -  Jim Casey, Savannah

Incorrect guesses:  Aaron Boone, Ray Boone, Jim Essian, Clay Dalrymple

 

 

SUNDAY  — 17-Nov

Q.  Who was behind the plate, catching when Lou Gehrig hit his last World Series home run; when Joe DiMaggio hit his first World Series home run; and when Ted Williams hit the home run to win the 1941 All-Star Game?

Hint: #1  He played 99.99875% of his major league games as a catcher.  An even 100%, however, were played with the same team.

Hint: #2  His brother enjoyed a latte espresso with the Browns.

A.  HARRY DANNING  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  DiMaggio’s 1st WS HR = G 5 1937; Gehrig’s last WS HR = G 4 1937; 1941 ASG.

-  #1  Of Danning’s 802 G played in MLB, only one was at first base.  NYG was his only team for all ten season he played.  He was under contract for more years, but spent all 3 in the military.

-  #2  Ike Danning only played 2 games in the majors.

FCR -  Bill Deane, Cooperstown

Incorrect guesses:  Gus Mancuso, Gabby Hartnett, Bill Dickey, Mickey Owen

 

WEEK’S THEME – All-Star catchers native to California (Min. of at least one season of 3.0+ WAR)

 

Catcher            Born in                      Best Year           Career WAR

Battey............ Los Angeles............... 4.2 in 1963............... 18.8

Boone............ San Diego.................. 3.6 in 1978............... 27.4

Carter............ Culver City................. 8.6 in 1982............... 70.2

Crandall......... Ontario....................... 4.7 in 1958............... 28.0

Danning......... Los Angeles............... 4.3 in 1939............... 14.7

Kendall.......... San Diego.................. 5.6 in 1998............... 41.7

Lieberthal...... St. Louis..................... 3.4 in 1999............... 15.3

Lombardi....... Oakland...................... 4.8 in 1938............... 37.7

Triandos........ San Francisco............ 3.1 in 1956............... 14.0

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Rich Lerner, Silver Spring, Maryland (After Lombardi)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Tues    -  Top 10 catchers to run against

            -  Catchers who played at least 10 seasons with more SB than CS

 

Thu      -  Catchers who played at least 10 seasons with more SB than CS

 

Un       -  All catchers

 

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