Horsehide Trivia: June 2025

- Ans. Won NL MVPs in 1975, 1976 . That stretch, and he, were the heart of the Big Red Machine. The only thing—both years—that kept him from being a unanimous choice was vote-splitting with his own teammates.

- #1 Morgan’s career walk total stood at 1,865 when he retired in 1984, then most in NL history (since dwarfed by Barry Bonds’s 2,558).

- #2 Neither outlet was kind. Sports Illustrated called his stance “reactionary” & “simplistic”. On 21-Nov-2017, as vice chairman of the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors, Morgan had sent a HOF-sanctioned email to every BBWAA voter, urging them not to support any players linked to steroid use.

FCR - Derek Rose, Saint Charles, Missouri

Incorrect guesses: Rogers Hornsby

WEDNESDAY — 18-Jun-2025

Q. Who was the first National League pitcher to strike out three thousand batters?

Hint: #1 He was the first Black player inducted into the Hall of Fame who had never played in the Negro Leagues.

Hint: #2 He went professional in another popular sport.

A. BOB GIBSON [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Gibson’s 3,000^th K victim was CIN’s Cesar Geronimo in the 4^th inning on 17-Jul-1974. Gibson career number trailed only Walter Johnson’s 3,509 which appeared, at the time, unapproachable. Gibson retired with 3,117, 16^th on the career K list.

- #1 His preparation for the majors came largely from playing for Creighton University in his hometown of Omaha.

- #2 Gibson played with the Harlem Globetrotters briefly in 1957.

FCR - Scott Morissey, Hamilton, Ontario

Incorrect guesses: Fergie Jenkins

MIDWEEK BONUS — 18-Jun-2025

Q. Which former teammate of Pete Rose, Dave Parker and Adam Dunn said his goal was “… to win the National League Gold Glove at shortstop while Ozzie is still playing.”?

Hint: #1 He once had a game where he homered thrice and added a stolen base to the day’s stats.

Hint: #2 He is, for now, the only person in the Hall of Fame known by his not-particularly-unusual first name.

A. BARRY LARKIN [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Smith won the last of his 13 GG in 1992 & retired after 1996. Larking was the NL GG at SS for the 1994, 1995 & 1996 seasons. Did he get his wish? You be the judge. The Pirates’ Jay Bell was the 1993 winner. Larkin was teammates w/ Rose & Parker on “CIN in 1986. He & Dunn were Reds together in 2001-2004.

- #1 One 28-Jun-1991, Larkin hit home runs in the 1^st, 3^rd & 5^th innings off Astros starter Jim Deshaies. Dwayne Henry replaced Deshaies in the 6^th & Larkin stole 2^nd base after collecting his 6^th RBI of the game when he hit into a fielder’s choice.

- #2 No other “Barry” graces the halls of the Hall.

FCR - Chandler Vinson, Knoxville

Incorrect guesses: Dave Concepcion, Larry Walker, Nomar Garciaparra, Gary Templeton

THURSDAY — 19-Jun-2025

Q. Which player had the longest consecutive games-played streak within Cal Ripken's record 2,632-game streak?

Hint: #1 His games-played streak is still the longest in the history of the major league baseball's oldest continually-operating franchise?

Hint: #2 He was once named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People”.

A. DALE MURPHY [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Murphy cobbled together 686 straight games during Ripken’s streak, although his real total was 740 because his streak started with a game on 26-Sep-1981. Cal’s began later, 30-May-1982. Murphy’s ended 08-Jul-1986.

- #1 The Atlanta Braves are the oldest continually-operating franchise in Major League Baseball history, born as the Boston Red Stockings in 1871. Since then, they have been the Boston Reds, the Boston Nationals, the Boston Doves, Boston (just “Boston”), the Boston Bees, the Boston Braves, the Milwaukee Braves & since 1966, the Atlanta Braves.

- #2 His “beautiful: status was granted in 1987.

FCR - Terry Sloope, Cartersville, Georgia

Incorrect guesses: Pete Rose, Chipper Jones, Steve Garvey, Billy Williams, Ken Griffey Jr., Joey Votto

FRIDAY — 20-Jun-2025

Q. Who remains the youngest player ever to homer in a major league All-Star Game?

Hint: #1 In a period of five seasons, he led the majors in runs batted in three times, averaging one hundred thirty-four for those years.

Hint: #2 He explained his infrequent smiles by saying, “The reason I don't smile very much is that I chipped two front teeth when I was growing up. I thought it made me look funny.”

A. JOHNNY BENCH [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Bench was 21 years and 228 days old when he hit a home run off Mel Stottlemyre in the 2^nd inning on 23-Jul-1969 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The game was originally scheduled to be played on 22-Jul, but inclement weather was the cause for the new date.

- #1 In 1970, 1972 & 1974, Bench had 148, 125 & 129 RBI.

- #2 Bench said orthodontic dentistry was beyond his family’s means at the time.

FCR - Amar Rehal, Chicago

Incorrect guesses: Andruw Jones, Ted Williams, Lee Mazzilli, Mel Ott, Vern Stephens, Jim Rice

SATURDAY — 21-Jun-2025

Q. Which player started a major league season with a twenty-one game hitting streak then ended the same year with a twenty-game hitting streak on the penultimate day of the season?

Hint: #1 He moved from third base to first base on defense due to a shoulder separation suffered while playing defensive back for his college football team.

Hint: #2 In his first college at-bat, he hit a grand slam.

A. STEVE GARVEY [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Garvey began 1978 w/ a 21-G streak for LAD 07-Apr- thru 02-May- & ended the season w/a 20-G streak 09-Sep- thru the next-to-last G on the schedule, 30-Sep-1978.

- #1 Garvey was a football as well as baseball player for Michigan State University.

- #2 The grand slam in his 1^st AB at MSU was hit so far that it landed in the adjacent Red Cedar River.

FCR - Dan Greder, Ames, Iowa

Incorrect guesses: Kirk Gibson, Scott Rolen, Joe DiMaggio, Jim Thome, Brian Jordan, Ryan Zimmerman

SUNDAY — 22-Jun-2025

Q. Who hit the most career home runs by a player who spent his entire major league career with a single team?

Hint: #1 The New York Times posits that he was the most successful draft pick in the history of the major league draft.

Hint: #2 He received MVP votes in twelve different seasons during his career.

A. MIKE SCHMIDT [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Schmidt’ 548 HR were all hit for PHI in his 18-year MLB career.

- #1 The NYT writer Tyler Kepner* lays out the case that Schmidt’s career performance for the team that drafted him (PHI) out of Ohio U. in 1971, shows their choice to be the best one that any team has ever made.

- #2 Schmidt’s NL MVP votes

1. 1974 (6^th)

2. 1975 (16^th)

3. 1976 (3^rd)

4. 1977 (10^th)

5. 1979 (13^th)

6. 1980 (1^st)*

7. 1981 (1^st)

8. 1982 (6^th)

9. 1983 (3^rd)

10. 1984 (7^th)

11. 1986 (1^st)

12. 1987 (14^th)

*Longtime Horsehide Trivia subscriber

FCR - William Middleton, Salt Lake City

Incorrect guesses: Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews, Mickey Mantle, Todd Helton, Harmon Killebrew, Cal Ripken

WEEK’S FINALE — 23-Jun-2025

Q. Which batter holds the record for striking out the most times in a single major league All-Star game?

Hint: #1 Not many people know that he hit home runs in double figures for thirteen consecutive seasons.

Hint: #2 He holds the league record for most times leading the league in outfield assists.

A. ROBERTO CLEMENTE [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Clemente K’ed 4 X in the extra-inning 1967 ASG at the hands of Dean Chance, Gary Peters, Al Downing & Catfish Hunter. Clemente went 1 for 6 in that 15-inning game.

- #1 From 1960 thru the end of his career in 1972, Clemente never had fewer than 10 HR in a season.

- #2 Clemente led the NL in OF assists 5 X, in 1958 (22), 1960 (19), 1961 (27), 1966 (17) & 1967 (17t)

FCR - Brian Barris, Oneida, New York

Incorrect guesses: Reggie Jackson, Chuck Klein,

WEEK’S THEME – First players to win National League Gold Gloves in MVP years, by position

Pos. Player Team MVP/GG Year

P............ Gibson................ STL..................... 1968

C........... Bench.................. CIN..................... 1970

1^st.......... Garvey................ LAD.................... 1974

2^nd......... Morgan............... CIN..................... 1975

3^rd.......... Schmidt............... PHI..................... 1980

SS......... Larkin................ CIN..................... 1995

LF.......... Murphy............... ATL..................... 1982

CF......... Mays................... SFG.................... 1965

RF......... Clemente............. PIT...................... 1966

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Many were close but few were chosen (actually, nobody)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Wed - The all-time, position by position, team of black players that played in the National League

- NL starters in the 1972 all star game

Thu - Highest career WAR among African American AL/NL players

- NL MVP, All-Star and Gold Glove all in same season

Fri - Players who won MVPs and Gold Gloves in the same season

- NL players who won MVPs and Gold Gloves in the same season

Sat - NL MVP, All-Star and Gold Glove all in same season—plus they have their number retired

Sun - All-Star 7 or more times.

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Horsehide Trivia

Monday, June 23, 2025

2025-06-26 First players to win National League Gold Gloves in MVP years, by position