Monday, November 3, 2025

2025-11-02 Players who hit a home runs to start World Series games in the top of the 1st inning

MONDAY  — 17-Oct-2025

Q.  Who is the only player to hit a double, triple and home run in one World Series game?

Hint: #1  He was named National League Comeback Player of the Year for his last season in the majors.

Hint: #2  He broke Max Carey’s stolen base record.

A.  LOU BROCK  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Brock hit all 3 off Tiger pitchers in the WS on 06-Oct-1968.  His double was off John Hiller, his triple was off Joe Sparma and his HR was off Denny McLain.  No one has yet hit for the cycle in a WS game.

-  #1  Brock was NL CPY in 1979.  He was an All-Star & hit .304.

-  #2  Carey retired w/738 SB in the NL.  Brock set the Modern Era standard at 938 which is still the career record in the NL.

FCR -  Lincoln Mitchell, New York City

Incorrect guesses:  Willie Stargell, Paul Molitor, Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines

 

 

TUESDAY  — 28-Oct-2025

Q.  Which Hall of Famer played for his hometown team for four separate tours of duty?

Hint: #1  He was the first designated hitter playing for a National League team to homer in a regular-season game.

Hint: #2  He is number one on an important career statistical list where Ty Cobb, Barry Bonds, Henry Aaron, Babe Ruth, Pete Rose, Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez, Cap Anson, Stan Musial and Derek Jeter are numbers 2-10.

A.  RICKEY HENDERSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Henderson played for OAK 1979-84; 1989-93; 1994-95; & 1998.

-  #1  NL DH HR = 12-Jun-1997, playing for SDP vs. ANA.  He homered in the 3rd inning off Matt Perisho.

-  #2  Henderson crossed home plate 2,295 times—50 more times than any other player.

FCR -  Abbey Garber, Dallas

Incorrect guesses:  Hideki Matsui, Stan Javier, Fred McGriff

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 29-Oct-2025

Q.  Whose all-time record for most plate appearances in a season did Jimmy Rollins break in his MVP season?

Hint: #1  He (not Rollins) broke Albert Hall's Carolina League (once thought unreachable) record of 100 stolen bases in a season.

Hint: #2  He feels special kinship with Bruce Hurst and Barry Bonds.

A.  LENNY DYKSTRA  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Rollins had 778 PA in 2007, passing Dykstra who had 773 in 1993.

-  #1  Playing for Lynchburg, Virginia in 1983, in the Carolina League, he led the league in at-bats, runs, hits, triples, batting average & stolen bases—effectively sweeping the major offensive categories & earning the league MVP

-  #2  Hurst (1986), Dykstra (1993) & Bonds (2002) were the obvious choices for World Series MVP until their team was upset late in the series.  The awards went instead to Ray Knight, Paul Molitor & Troy Glaus.

FCR -  Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Vince Coleman, Jose Reyes, Maury Wills, Vince Coleman, Rennie Stennett, Willie Wilson, Lou Brock

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS — 30-Oct-2025

Q.  Whose all-time record for most plate appearances in a season did Lenny Dykstra break?

Hint: #1  He (not Dykstra) does, however hold the record for most career plate appearances.

Hint: #2  No switch-hitter has more career base hits in the majors.

A.  PETE ROSE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Rose had 771 P in 1974.  Dykstra passed him 19 years later with 773.

-  #1  Rose finished with 15,890 PA, almost 14% ahead of 2nd-place Karl Yastrzemski’s 13,992.

-  #2  His hit total, well-known for being the most MLB all-time, is 4,256.

FCR  Jason Winston, Riverside, California

Incorrect guesses: 

 

 

THURSDAY  — 30-Oct-2025

Q.  Which former All-Star and one-time Tiger appeared recently as a Banana?

Hint: #1  In seven games in his career, he had five hits apiece, including a game where he added a 6th.

Hint: #2  In one of his five-hit games, three of his hits came in a single inning.

A.  JOHNN DAMON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  He came to bat with the Savannah Bananas on 23-Feb-2023, but grounded out in his only PA.  He played for DET in 2010.

-  #1  His 5-hit games were 18-Jul-2000 & 11-Sep-2000 for KCR; 27-Jun-2003, 07-Apr-2004, 06-Jul-2004 for BOS; & 25-Sep-2007 & 07-Jun-2008 (6h) for NYY.

-  #2  In the bottom of the 1st inning of the game on 27-Jun-2003, Damon was the 1st, 10th & final batter.  He tripled, doubled & singled.

FCR -  Steve Riach, Southlake, Texas

Incorrect guesses:  Brett Phillips, Pete Rose, Gary Sheffield, Adam Jones, Bill Madlock, Josh Donaldson 

 

 

FRIDAY  — 31-Oct-2025

Q.  Which teammate hit a home run in both of Allie Reynolds' no-hitters?

Hint: #1  He was in a World Series in each of five consecutive seasons.

Hint: #2  He starred in swimming in high school and came from a family of champion swimmers.

A.  GENE WOODLING  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  HRs on 12-Jul-1951 off Bob Feller & 28-Sep-1951(1) off Harry Taylor.

-  #1  Woodling’s only postseason play was with NYY in the WS in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952 & 1953, all Yankee victories.  Playing in 26 of the 29 games, Woodling hit .318 with 5 doubles, 3 HR & 19 BB.

-  #2  Woodling’s older brother “Red” won a national title swimming for Ohio State University.

FCR -  Jim Cochran, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Incorrect guesses:  Tommy Heinrich, Johnny Blanchard, Bobby Brown, Joe Collins

 

 

FRIDAY II — 31-Oct-2025

Q.  Whose scouting report resulted in the angry resignation of a Hall of Famer?

Hint: #1  His name (not the scout’s), appropriately enough, means “to throw” in French.

Hint: #2  As a ‘kid’, he had a Dave Winfield poster on his wall.

A.  DEREK JETER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Retired pitcher Hal Newhouser, working as a scout for the Astros, emphatically recommend that the Houston franchise select Jeter #1 overall in the 1992 draft.  They took Phil Nevin instead & Newhouser quit in protest, leaving baseball behind for good.  Newhouser wad elected to the Hall that same year.  Read more here.

-  #1  The French verb infinitive word jeter is pronounced zheh-tay.

-  #2  This is one of the first things we learn about Jeter in his “Letter to My Younger Self”.

FCR -  Chris Betsch, Albany, Indiana

Incorrect guesses:  Ken Griffey Jr, Rogers Hornsby

 

 

FRIDAY THRICE — 31-Oct-2025

Q.  Which batter, chosen in the 28th round of his draft (849th overall) hit a home run in his first at-bat in the majors?

Hint: #1  He became the first player in baseball history to have nine hits and two home runs in his first three games.

Hint: #2  His facial hair reminds some of a bygone era.

A.  DAVIS SCHNEIDER  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Playing 2B for Toronto on 04-Aug-2023, Schneider made his major league debut & took a pitch by BOS starter James Paxton over the Green Monster.  No one else taken in that round has yet played in the majors.

-  #1  His 1st 3 = 04-Aug-2023, 05-Aug-2023 & 06-Aug-2023.

-  #2  YOU be the judge!  Schneider

FCR -  Jonathon Symons, Winnipeg

Incorrect guesses:  Daniel Nava, Mike Piazza, Charlie Blackmon, Brandon Marsh, Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon

 

 

SATURDAY  — 01-Nov-2025

Q.  Which one-time Miami Marlin All-Star led the league one season in home runs and games played yet could only attract enough Most Valuable Player votes to finish tied for twenty-first (last) place?

Hint: #1  Two years later he would be the World Series MVP.

Hint: #2  This Cuban Cub homered in his first at-bat in the majors.

A.  JORGE SOLER  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Soler played 162 games for KCR in 2019 and hit a career-high 48 HR, yet the AL MVP vote looked like this.  He played for MIA 2022-2024 & was an All-Star for them in 2023.

-  #1  With ATL in 2021, Soler hit 3 HR & batted .300 to help the Braves beat the Astros in the WS.

-  #2  First AB as a solo HR off Matt Latos in Cincinnati on 27-Aug-2014.  Soler was born in Havana and defected to the U.S. in 2011.

FCR -  Andrew Jett, Waxahachie, Texas

Incorrect guesses:  Giancarlo Stanton

 

 

SUNDAY  — 02-Nov-2025

Q.  Which one-time Baltimore Oriole had a fan's beer dumped on his head while watching a home run sail over the fence in a World Series game?

Hint: #1  In his first All-Star season, he led the American League in four categories:  Games played, plate appearances, times on base and runs scored.

Hint: #2  His versatility is evidenced by the number of positions he played during his fifteen seasons in the majors.

A.  AL SMITH  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In the top of the 5th inning in game 2 of the 1959 WS in Comiskey Park I, the Dodgers’ 2B Charlie Neal hit a HR over the left field wall.  A fan, attempting to catch the ball in flight, paid no attention to his full beer and the entire wet contents poured down on unsuspecting Smith.  Smith played for BAL in 1963.

-  #1  In 1955, playing for CLE, Smith batted .306 and led in 154 games played, 725 plate appearances, 294 times on base & 123 runs scored.

-  #2  Smith played all 3 OF positions a total of 1,118 times & the infield 413.

FCR -  Gabe Kinstlinger, Reisterstown, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Tony Tarasco, Melvin Mora, BJ Surhoff, Tito Landrum

 

 

VESPERS  — 08-Mar-2025

Q.  Which one-time Houston Astro speedster led the majors in triples the same season a Canadian-born player was MVP?

Hint: #1  In fact, he hit more triples that any other major leaguer that same decade.

Hint: #2  He made the All-Star team the same year his team won the World Series.

Hint: #3  He’s known for having one of the warmest smiles in all of baseball.

A.  DEXTER FOWLER  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  In 2010, Fowler led MLB with 14 3B.  Toronto’s own Joey Votto was NL MVP in 2010 for CIN.

-  #1  From 2010-2019, Fowler had 72 triples.  Only one other player, Brett Gardner, had many as 60.

-  #2  AS in 2016 when CHC were WS champions.

-  #3  Fowler’s beam:  COL, HOU, CHC, STL, LAA, mufti

FCR -  Dan Joslyn, Las Vegas

Incorrect guesses:  Curtis Granderson, Jose Reyes, Kenny Lofton, Jose Altuve

 

 

SUNDAY EXTENDED  — 02-Nov-2025

Q.  Whose diving catch saved a teammate’s perfect game when Astro Jordan Schafer sent a line drive to the center field warning track?

Hint: #1  He played in the Venezuelan Winter League one year where his teammates called him the White Shark.  He lived up to the sobriquet and was named MVP of the league.

Hint: #2  He was, according to the team, a key member” of the team’s two championships.

A.  GREGOR BLANCO  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  On 13-Jun-2012, the Giants’ Matt Cain pitched a perfect game with 26 outs being relatively routine.  However, in the 7th inning, leadoff hitter Schafer hit a ball that looked uncatchable.  Knowing what was at stake, RF Blanco did what had to be done.

-  #1  His team was The Sharks (Los Tiburones) & playing on his last name, “el tiburon blanco” was a natural.

-  #2  The reference is to his participation for SFO in their WS wins in 2012 & 2014.

FCR -  Jesse Asbury,  Norman, Oklahoma

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Edmonds

 

 

AND FINALLY  — 02-Nov-2025

Q.  Who was the first twentieth-century player to have more than two hundred at-bats without a home run in a season, then hit a home run in the World Series that same year?

Hint: #1  A USC alum, he was considered the defensive equal to the two Hall of Famers he shared the outfield with.

Hint: #2  During a game, he caught in his arms a collapsing rookie umpire who had just had his skull broken by a bottle thrown by fan.

A.  DAVY JONES  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Jones had 209 AB in 1909 then homered for DET against PIT in the WS.

-  #1  From 1906 to 1912, Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford & he formed what has been called “…one of the greatest outfields in baseball history”.  [quote is from Jones’s epitaph.]

-  #2  Eventual Hall of Fame umpire, Billy Evans, while conversing w/ Tigers manager Hughie Jennings & LF Davy Jones, had his skull fractured by a bottle tossed by angry fan Hugo Dusenberg.  Evans immediately collapsed in Jones's arms.

FCR -  Alan Makovsky, Washington, DC

Incorrect guesses:  Scott Podsednik, Tom Lawless, Matt Cain, Whitey Witt

 

WEEK’S THEME  Visiting players who hit a home runs to start World Series games in the top of the 1st inning.  [Theme suggested by Tom Cuggino of Wheaton, Illinois]    There are 11 other players who led off at home in the bottom of the 1st with a homer.

 

Jones.............. DET at PIT.......... 13-Oct-1909...... G 5 off Babe Adams

Woodling....... NYY at BRO........ 04-Oct-1953...... G 5 off Johnny Podres

Smith.............. CLE at NYGs....... 30-Sep-1954...... G 2 off Johnny Antonelli

Brock.............. STL at DET......... 06-Oct-1968...... G 4 off Denny McLain

Rose............... CIN at OAK........ 20-Oct-1972...... G 5 off Catfish Hunter

Dykstra.......... NYM at BOS....... 21-Oct-1986...... G 3 off Oil Can Boyd

Henderson..... OAK at SFO........ 28-Oak-1989..... G 4 off Don Robinson

Jeter............... NYY at NYM....... 25-Oct-2000...... G4 off Bobby Jones

Damon........... BOS at STL......... 27-Oct-2004...... G 4 off Jason Marquis

Blanco............ SFO at KCR........ 22-Oct-2014...... off Yordano Ventura

Fowler............ CHC at CLE......... 02-Nov-2016..... G 7off Corey Kluber

Soler............... ATL at HOU........ 26-Oct-2021...... G 1 off Framber Valdez

Schneider....... TOR at LAD........ 05-Oct-2025...... G 5 off Blake Snell

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Matt Monitto, Bristol , Connecticut

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Tues    -  Speedsters this week

-   Players who have homered and stolen a base in a World Series game

-   Top 10 all-time stolen base leaders

 

Wed     -  All-time stolen base leaders

 

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