Monday, November 10, 2025

2025-11-03 - Hall of Famers who once played for the Toronto Blue Jays

MONDAY  — 03-Nov-2025

Q.  Who holds the record for most wild pitches by a National League pitcher in the twentieth century?

Hint: #1  He ended his pitching days in the majors with more wins that Gaylord Perry, Tom Seaver or Randy Johnson, but on his thirtieth birthday, his win total was an unpromising thirty-one.

Hint: #2  A childhood friend of his is in the Hall of Fame in another major sport.

A.  PHIL NIEKRO  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Niekro had exactly 200 WP in the NL 1965-1987, likely all on knuckleballs.  His brother Joe added 142 himself 1967-1985.

-  #1  His career record was 318-278.  His 31 wins was the same number Denny McLain had that same year.  His total when he turned 40 was only 197.

-  #2  Phil (and his brother Joe) & Boston Celtics great John Havlicek were boyhood friends, growing across the street from each other in Lansing, Ohio.  Havlicek is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.  Niekro’s likeness is on display in Cooperstown.

FCR -  Dave Holtz, Northridge, California

Incorrect guesses:  Jamie Moyer, Mickey Welch, Nolan Ryan, Early Wynn, Dazzy Vance, Steve Carlton, Warren Spahn, Denny McLain, Don Sutton, Clayton Kershaw

 

 

TUESDAY  — 04-Nov-2025

Q.  Whose college pitching career includes being honored as Most Outstanding Player in the College World Series?

Hint: #1  Although in his best WAR year, he led the league with 8.3, he only finished third in league MVP voting behind a couple of first basemen who tied for the top spot.

Hint: #2  His three thousandth hit came at the expense of another future Hall of Famer.

A.  DAVE WINFIELD  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Playing for his hometown University of Minnesota in the1973 College WS, he was MOP w/17⅓ IP, 29 K, 1 ER over 2 starts including a 14-K, 1–0 shutout vs. Oklahoma then 15 K through 8 innings vs. USC.

-  #1  In 1979, Keith Hernandez & Willie Stargell tied for the NL MVP although in the 3rd position, Winfield tied Hernandez with 4.0 1st-place votes.

-  #2  Winfield’s hit #3,000 was a single off Dennis Eckersley 16-Sep-1993.

FCR -  ¯\_()_/¯

Incorrect guesses: 

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 05-Nov-2025

Q.  Which Hall of Famer wore the uniforms of nine different major league franchises?

Hint: #1  He was once acquired by a major league team in exchange for some baseball equipment.

Hint: #2  He first learned to play baseball in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

A.  RICKEY HENDERSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Henderson played, and played well, from for OAK, NYY, SDP, NYM, SEA, BOS, TOR, ANA & LAD.  Won rings w/OAK in ’89 & TOR in ’93.  HOF in 2009.

-  #1  While playing for the Independent League Newark Bears, Henderson was acquired on 14-Jul-2003, by LAD for a shipment of 72 baseballs?

-  #2  He lived for a period (ages 2–7) with his grandmother in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, before moving to Oakland with his family.

FCR -  Madison McEntire, Bryant, Arkansas

Incorrect guesses:  Casey Stengel, Jim Thome, Torii Hunter, Deacon White, Hoyt Wilhelm

 

 

THURSDAY  — 06-Nov-2025

Q.  Which Hall of Famer, originally drafted 233rd by the New York Yankees, was the first San Diego Padre to lead the National League in home runs one season?

Hint: #1  He was the first in his franchise to hit a grand slam on Opening Day.

Hint: #2  He became the first player to hit thirty home runs in a season with five different teams.

A.  FRED McGRIFF  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Playing for SDP 1992, McGriff led the NL in HR w/35.  Was drafted out of Thomas Jefferson HS in Tampa, Florida in 1981, the last player chosen in 9th round.

-  #1  Playing for TBD , he knocked in 3 plus himself with a HR off Brad Radke in the 5th on 03-Apr-2000.

-  #2  McGriff hit:

36, 35 w/TOR in 1989, ’90;

31, 35 w/SDP in 1991, 92;

34 w/ATL in 1994;

32 w/TBD in 1999; &

30 w/CHC in 2002.

          Gary Sheffield is the only other player to hit 30 for five different franchises (Padres, Marlins, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees).

FCR -  Jake Bell, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Incorrect guesses:  Dave Winfield, Nate Colbert

 

 

FRIDAY  — 07-Nov-2025

Q.  Which unanimously-elected Rookie of the Year finished ahead in that ROY vote, of a.) a Hall of Famer, b.) a World Series MVP, c.) an All-Star with three consecutive stolen-base titles and d.) a TSN Major League Player of the Year with ten Gold Gloves?

Hint: #1  In his seventeen-year, two-thousand-plus game major league career, he only played for National League teams except for the eighty-eight game dalliance that qualified him for this week’s theme.

Hint: #2  Although he and Don Mattingly didn’t play at the same time in the majors, they were born in the same home town on the banks of the Ohio River.

A.  SCOTT ROLEN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Rolen was the unanimous 1997 NL ROY, taking the title over, among others, Vladimir Guerrero (Sr.), Livan Hernandez, Tony Womack & Andruw Jones.  [A solid class, right?]

-  #1  Rolen played for PHI, STL & CIN, but in 2009, played 88 G at 3B for TOR.

-  #2  Evansville is in the toe of Indiana’s boot.

FCR -  Doug Greenwald, San Francisco

Incorrect guesses:  Paul Splitorff, Fred Lynn

 

 

SATURDAY  — 08-Nov-2025

Q.  Which National League batting champ was nicknamed The Cobra?

Hint: #1  He won a World Series championship with a franchise in each league.

Hint: #2  He won the inaugural modern Home Run Derby.

A.  DAVE PARKER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Cobra snakes are fast, strong and often terrify before they strike.  An apt comparison.

-  #1  He was w/PIT in 1979 when they overcame BAL & was w/OAK in 1989 when they swept SFG.

-  #2  The Home Run Derby, as now staged in association with the All-Star Game, was played for the first time in 1985.  Parker took first place.

FCR -  Andrew Jett Waxahachie, Texas

Incorrect guesses: 

 

 

SUNDAY  — 09-Nov-2025

Q.  Which Hall of Fame pitcher put up an ERA of 10.64 in his third season in the majors?

Hint: #1  With the exception of Bartolo Colon’s 3.48 ERA in 2005 with the Angels, he was the last pitcher to win a Cy Young Award with an ERA above 3.20.

Hint: #2  There was no question, however, that the honor was rightfully his as he led the majors in pitching WAR, wins, games started, innings pitched and batters faced.  He won 97% of the first-place CYA votes.

A.  ROY HALLADAY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  With only 13 starts in 2000, his record was 4-7.

-  #1  Halladay’s 1st CYA was in 2003 with TOR.  His ERA that season was 3.25.

-  #2  His Halladay’s 1st CYA was in 2003 with TOR.  His ERA that season was 3.25.record in 2003 was 22-7; his MLB-leading WAR for pitchers was 8.1; GS = 36; IP=266.0 & BF=1,071.

FCR -  Brian Barris, Oneida, New York

Incorrect guesses:  Whitey Ford, CC Sabathia

 

 

 

WEEK’S THEME – Hall of Famers who once played for the Toronto Blue Jays:

 

Player                             TOR Years.................. HOF

Halladay....................... 1999-2009.................. 2019

Henderson........................ 1993....................... 2009

McGriff.......................... 1986-1990.................. 2023

Niekro................................ 1987....................... 1997

Parker................................ 1991....................... 2025

Rolen............................ 2008-2009.................. 2023

Winfield............................. 1992....................... 2001

 

Also qualified for this week’s theme:

Roberto Alomar............. 1991-1995.................. 2011

Fred McGriff.................. 1986-1990.................. 2023

Jack Morris.................... 1992-1993.................. 2018

Paul Molitor................... 1993-1995.................. 2004

Frank Thomas............... 2007-2008.................. 2014

 

Bobby Cox..................... 1982-1985

Pat Gillick...................... 1978-1994

 

 First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Randall Chandler, Germantown, Tennessee (after McGriff)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 Fri        -  Hall-of-famers who played for at least four teams

 

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