MONDAY — 03-Mar-2025
Q. Which
Cy Young Award winner holds the record for most consecutive scoreless innings
pitched?
Hint: #1
He dropped out of college after failing to make the baseball team as a
freshman, but later hitchhiked back to school to resume his studies.
Hint: #2
He was named the Most Valuable Player for the League Championship Series
for a team in the National League and seven years later, for a team in the
American League.
- Ans. On 28-Sep-1988, Hershiser broke the record set by Don Drysdale 30
years earlier. Hershiser’s 59 straight
scoreless innings bested Drysdale’s mark of 58⅔.
-
#1 Hershiser is an alum of Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
-
#2 He was the 1988 NLCS MVP for LAD & the 1995 ALCS MVP for CLE.
FCR - Amar
Rehal, Chicago
Incorrect guesses: Bob Gibson
TUESDAY — 04-Mar-2025
Q. After
receiving zero votes for Rookie of the Year, who then led the majors in doubles
in each if the next two seasons?
Hint: #1
In each of the next thirteen consecutive seasons, he never hit fewer
than twenty doubles.
Hint: #2 He was
talked out of a music career by his high school baseball coach.
Hint: #3 Only Brooks
Robinson and Maury Wills had more at-bats in the 1960s.
A. VADA PINSON [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Rookie in 1958, Pinson had 47
2B in 1959 and 37 in 1960.
-
#1 From 1961 through 1973, Pinson
was a trusted doubles supplier. In 5 of
those seasons, he had more than 30.
-
#2 Pinson attended McClymonds High
School in Oakland, California, the Alma Mater of Frank Robinson & Curt
Flood, among others. Baseball Coach George Powles was actively involved in youth baseball programs,
including the American Legion & Connie Mack leagues, further influencing
the careers of young athletes in the Oakland area.
- #3 MLB AB 1960-69 = Brooks Robinson (6,093),
Maury Wills (6,091), Vada Pinson (6,086).
FCR - Jack
Woodiel, Goshen, Indiana
Incorrect guesses: Pete Rose, Billy Williams, Hank Aaron, Roberto
Clemente, Carl Yastrzemski
WEDNESDAY — 05-Mar-2025
Q. Which
Californian was the first batter to lead any major league in home runs more
than five times?
Hint: #1
The first season when he hit more than ten home runs, he was already thirty-one
years old.
Hint: #2
One year he hit fewer than twenty-five home runs yet led the runner-up
in his league by more than ten.
A. GAVY CRAVATH [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Cravath led the NL in HR 6
X: 1913, 14, 15, 17, 18 & 1919 w/19,
19, 24, 12, 8 & 12 respectively. He was born (Poway) & raised (Escondido)
in SoCal.
-
#1 He was born 23-Mar-1881 and
hit 11 HR in 1912.
-
#2 Cravath led the NL in 1915 w/24
HR for the pennant-winning Phillies. Next was the Cubs’
Cy Williams who hit 13. The AL leader that season, with an anemic 7,
was Braggo Roth (3 for CHW & 4 for
CLE). The closest contender was Hal Chase who hit 17 for the Buffalo Blues of the Federal League.
FCR - Gave
Kinstlinger, Reisterstown, Maryland
Incorrect guesses: George Davis, Harry Stovey, Ken Williams, Cy
Williams
MIDWEEK BONUS — 05-Mar-2025
Q. Which
St. Louis Browns pitcher tied for the major league lead in pitching wins the
same year he led the majors in home runs surrendered?
Hint: #1
He surrendered the first of Jimmie Foxx’s 534 career home runs.
Hint: #2
Pitching for Toronto, he threw an eleven-inning no-hitter.
Hint: #3
This performance was part of a remarkable AA season, when he also set an
International League record for consecutive scoreless innings.
A. URBAN SHOCKER [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. In 1921, Shocker shared top
honors in wins with NYY’s Carl Mays w/27. That same season, Shocker also tied the A’s
Eddie Rommel w/21 HR given up.
-
#1 On 31-May-1927(2), in the 8th
inning, Shocker, who started and won the game, suffered a fate that would
become very familiar to AL pitchers.
-
#2 On 22-Jul-1916, pitching for the
Maple Leafs, Shocker held the Rochester Hustlers hitless in 11 innings at the
Bay Street Ball Grounds.
-
#3 In 1916, Shocker pitched 54
consecutive scoreless innings & finished with a 15–3 win-loss record &
a 1.31 ERA.
FCR - Tony
Monti, Whitestone, New York
Incorrect guesses: Bobo Holloman, Joe Bush, Bob Groom
THURSDAY — 06-Mar-2025
Q. Who
was the first third baseman to hit thirty home runs in a season in the majors?
Hint: #1
In his twelve years in the majors, he never played for a pennant winner.
Hint: #2
Once, fielding a grounder, he stepped on his own glove, pitched forward
and broke his clavicle.
A. HARLOND CLIFT [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. In 1938, Clift hit 34 HR for SLB. He played 149 G at
3rd that season & nowhere else.
Mel Ott hit 36 HR that same year, but only 28 of his were hit in games
when he played 3rd. That was
the only season Ott could have been called a third baseman.
-
#1 Played w/SLB 1934-43 then 1943-45
w/WSH.
-
#2 This accident happened during
a 1931 tryout for SLB. They signed him
anyway.
FCR - Bob
Wells, Chantilly, Virginia
Incorrect guesses: Pie Traynor, Al Rosen, Ken Williams, Hack
Wilson, Bobby Thomson
FRIDAY — 07-Mar-2025
Q. Who
was the first Asian player in MLB history to hit for the cycle?
Hint: #1
Just this past season, a certain Dodge designated hitter passed him for
most career home runs by an Asian player.
Hint: #2
He became a generous philanthropist in 2020 during the COVID-19
pandemic.
A. SHIN-SOO CHOO [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Playing for TEX 21-Jul-2015 Choo went 4 for 5, getting all 4 flavors of hits available.
-
#1 Choo ended his MLB career w/218
HR. Shohei Ohtani hit his 219th
career (& 48th of the year) HR on 17-Sep-2024.
-
#2 He donated $1,000 to each of
the 190 players in the Texas Rangers’ minor league system who were unable to
work due to MLB's shutdown. He also
donated $200,000 to the nonprofit Community Chest of
Korea to help the city of Daegu, which was the hardest
hit city in Korea during the pandemic.
FCR - Gregory
Koch, Falls Church, Virginia
Incorrect guesses: Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, Dave Roberts, Shohei
Ohtani
T.G.I.F.SPECIAL
— 07-Mar-2025
Q. Who
was the first native of Cuba to receive a Hall of Fame vote?
Hint: #1
He led the league (and the majors) in losses the very season before he
led in pitching victories (27 in 1923).
Hint: #2
Only the excellent strikeout totals of Dazzy Vance kept him from
achieving a pitching Triple Crown.
A. DOLF LUQUE [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Born in Havana (La Habana),
Cuba in 1890, Luque received HOF votes 9 X, only once exceeding 5% of the total
votes cast that year (1958).
-
#1 Had 22 L for CIN
in 1922 then 27 W for them in 1923.
-
#2 In 1923, Luque led the majors
in wins (27) & ERA (1.93) but fellow NLer Vance
K’ed 197 to Luque’s 151.
FCR - Andrew
Jett, Waxahachie, Texas
Incorrect guesses: Luis Tiant
SATURDAY — 08-Mar-2025
Q. Which
pitcher once had more than one season with double-digit wins and double-digit
saves?
Hint: #1
He was the first pitcher to log twenty saves in a season.
Hint: #2
Thirteen years after his playing career, he lost his non-throwing arm
yet continued to participate in old-timers’ games.
A. FIRPO MARBERRY [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. In 1924, Marberry had 11 W
& 15 SV. On 1926, his
record shows 12 W & 22 SV.
It’s important to note that Saves were not an official stat until 1969.
-
#1 See Ans. above
-
#2 Lost his left arm 02-Oct-1949
in a car crash.
FCR - Jesse
Asbury, Norman, Oklahoma
Incorrect guesses: Roy Face, Jim Konstanty
WEEKEND EXTRA
— 08-Mar-2025
Q. Who
was the first regular short player among of the Tall Tactician’s charges?
Hint: #1
In his breakout year, he led his new league in bases on ball, but also
led the major in runs, stolen bases and plate appearances.
Hint: #2
Playing for the Chicago Orphans (Cubs today), he established the record
for putouts by a left fielder in a nine-inning game.
A. TOPSY HARTSEL [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Hartsel was generously
listed at 5'5". Connie Mack stood
at 6'1", keeping in mind that the average U.S. male in 1900 measured 5'7"
-
#1 In 1902, Hartsel’s first year
with Connie Mack’s PHA, the diminutive speedster had 109 R, 47
SB, 643 PA in 137 G. He
also walked 87 times.
-
#2 On 10-Sep-1901, Brooklyn’s lefty Jay Hughes, was giving up a of balls hit
aloft. 11 went Hartsel’s way in LF for a
new record.
FCR - Gabe
Kinstlinger, Reisterstown, Maryland
Incorrect guesses: Max Flack, Wee Willie Keeler, Lave Cross, Bill
Shindle
SUNDAY —
09-Mar-2025
Q. Who
holds the Boston Red Sox record for stolen bases in a season?
Hint: #1
Two years later, this Gold Glove, Silver Slugger led the majors in WAR.
Hint: #2
New York Yankee fans and management alike, consider his acquisition the
most expensive miscalculation this century.
A. JACOBY ELLSBURY [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Ellsbury’s 70
SB in 2009 led the majors and is best SB season ever by a BOS player.
-
#1 Ellsbury edged Toronto slugger
Jose Bautista with his 8.3 WAR for 2011, highlighted by his
world-beating 364 Total Bases.
-
#2 After some stellar work with BOS, Ellsbury did well in free agency, getting,
with the professional assistance of the Boras Corporation, a 7-year contract
with more than $20,000,000 per year. He played
for 4 of those years, just not as well as anyone had expected.
FCR - Jim
Casey, Savannah
Incorrect guesses: Johnny Damon
WEEK’S THEME – Top-rated non-Hall
of Fame Double Uniques: players who last
name has never been duplicated in MLB history AND whose first name has likewise
never been matched by any other player on any major league roster… ever.
Full list here. Columns C & D on Tab #2 are still a work
in progress. (Edits gladly accepted.)
D-U
Player WAR
Choo.............................................. 34.6
Clift................................................ 42.1
Cravath.......................................... 33.0
Ellsbury......................................... 31.2
Hartsel........................................... 31.3
Hershiser....................................... 56.0
Luque............................................. 48.1
Marberry........................................ 30.6
Pinson........................................... 54.2
Shocker......................................... 58.6
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – Andrew Milner, Philadelphia
(After Shocker on Wed)
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Mon - Pitchers
who were Sports Illustrated’s Athlete of the Year
- Players who wore
glasses
Tues - Double
uniques to play for the Cleveland Indians
-
Players
whose only hits in the World Series were for extra bases
If you know
someone who would enjoy receiving daily Horsehide Trivia questions, they need
only drop an email request to horsehidetrivia@aol.com.
Click here
=> THIS WEEK’s quiz, compete with
questions, answers and even the incorrect guesses.
Scroll back
to see previous Horsehide Trivia posts as far back as 2010. Quizzes before that may also be available
upon request.
Horsehide
Trivia encourages independent research. ⚾️
No comments:
Post a Comment