April 4-10, 2011 Hall of Famers who hit three triples in one game.

MONDAY

N.B.  This week’s theme, questions and hints come to us from Gregg Gaylord of Chicago.

Q.         Who won 12 consecutive gold glove awards his final 12 seasons?

Hint:     His first five years in the major leagues, he batted over .300 only once and averaged .282.

Hint:     The next 13 years, he averaged .329, batting under .300 only once.

SABR Hint:       He batted .310 and .414 in the World Series in the only two World Series he played in.

Twint:    In 14 World Series Games, he walked only twice, in 60 plate appearances.

A.         Roberto Clemente (WS 1960, 1971)

First Correct Respondent - Christopher Bell, New York

TUESDAY

Q.         Who was the first Cubs player to have his uniform number retired?

Hint:     One season, he led the National League in errors at shortstop.

Hint:     The next year, he set a new league record for fewest errors at shortstop.

SABR Hint:       Leo Durocher tried to replace him several times, but failed.

Twint:    How many shall we play?

A.         Ernie Banks (#14 retired 22-Aug-1982; Most SS errors: 32 in 1958; Fewest: 12 in 1959; Let’s play two.)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was considered by many to be the most graceful center fielder ever to play the game?

Hint:     Even so, he called his brother, who toiled for his team’s biggest rival, “…the best defensive outfielder I’ve ever seen.”

SABR Hint:       They both played for their respective same teams their entire careers.

Twint:    His brother led the league once in stolen bases, a feat he never achieved.

A.         Joe DiMaggio (Brother Dom)

FCR -    Ron Kaufman, Pickering, ON

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who once missed over a month of the season when broke his hand after throwing a punch at a future Hall of Famer?

Hint:     Whether he hit the wall or the other player’s jaw is a matter of some dispute.

Hint:     At 35 years old he won the batting title by one point over another Hall of Famer to be.

Hint:     He accomplished it in a season-ending doubleheader, racking up eight hits, six of which were bunts.

SABR Hint:       He played at least 20 each at five different positions (and over 2,000 at one of them).

Twint:    He was one of the few active players to have a current team named after him.

Twint:    His top ten Similarity Score players are all Hall of Famers.

A.         Napoleon Lajoie (Batting title 1910; 09-Oct-1910; 21G 3b, 26G OF, 73G SS, 286G 1b & 2,035G @ 2b; Cleveland Naps 1903-14; Similarity Scores)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

THURSDAY

Q.         Who, in first four career at-bats, struck out looking, grounded out, flied out and lined out and ended the inning with each one?

Hint:     His fifth at bat resulted in his first career “on base” as a result of an error.

Hint:     If not for the error, it would have been an inning-ending out.

SABR Hint:       Despite this debut, he won the Rookie of the Year Award.

Twint:    The next year he only played in 34 games.

Twint:    In his next full season, he won the batting title and Most Valuable Award.

Twint:    His year after THAT one was even better.

A.         Willie Mays (25-May-1951; 1951 ROY; 1954 MVP; 1955 led in HR and others.)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

FRIDAY

Q.         Who played in six All-Star games, had a cumulative batting average of .500 and played every inning?

Hint:     At a banquet in his honor he said he had a reputation of being a man of few words, and wasn’t going to spoil that reputation.

Hint:     … then he sat down.

SABR Hint:       He once tersely told an opposing catcher who talked to him in the batter’s box, “I’m working.”

Twint:    He missed his own Hall of Fame induction although he was still alive and well.

A.         Charlie Gehringer

FCR -    Phil Oppenheim, Sacramento

END-OF-THE-WEEK BONUS

Q.         Who was the first MVP to emerge from a team's own farm system?

Hint:     He once placed third in a major league batting title race to a teammate, but was less than 1/3 of a basis point behind him.

SABR Hint:       He was injured much of that season.

Twint:    He once drove in twelve (12!) runs in a game.

A.         Jim Bottomley (St. Louis Cardinal’s farm system; 1931 batting race Chick Hafey hit .34889, Bill Terry hit .34861 to Bottomley’s .34817; 12 RBI 16-Sep-1924)

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

SATURDAY

Q.         Who was his team’s leadoff hitter for the final eleven seasons of his career?

Hint:     His career only last twelve seasons.

Hint:     His team won the World Series in three of those years and the pennant in another.

SABR Hint:       He was once traded for Elmer Smith.

Twint:    He had 43 put-outs and never made an error in 16 World Series games.

Twint:    After suffering a near fatal collision in center field, he returned to play the next year.

Twint:    That year, he had another serious collision and he ended his career saying “I’m getting out of this game before it kills me.”

A.         Earle Combs (Smith trade 07-Jan-1924 by Louisville [American Association] to the Yankees with additional considerations)

FCR -    Phil Oppenheim, Sacramento

SATURDAY BONUS

Q.         Who won a batting title and a slugging title in a year in which he only hit four home runs?

Hint:     He also led in Games, Plate Appearances, At Bats, Runs, Triples and Stolen Bases, yet still didn’t win the MVP.

SABR Hint:       One of his Mud Hen teammates also became a Hall of Famer.

Twint:    He was the object of Lajoie’s affection, mentioned in the Midweek Bonus.

A.         Elmer Flick (4HR 1905; The Most Valuable Player Award didn’t yet exist; Joe McCarthy)

FCR -    Leonard Skonecki, Fostoria, OH

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who was the first person honored with a plaque in Monument Park in Yankee Stadium?

Hint:     He decided on baseball over the practice of law because he could make more money.

Hint:     It was one of his law professors (who later became chief justice of the Supreme Court) who counseled him in this decision.

SABR Hint:       He led the National League in bases-on-balls four times.

Twint:    He died so suddenly from an infection that he had been in uniform less than a week before.

Twint:    The league canceled all games for his services and scheduled double-headers for the following day.

Twint:    He had managed his team to six pennants in the prior eight seasons.

A.         Miller Huggins (William Howard Taft; died 25-Sep-1929; No game 27-Sep-1929)

FCR -    David Letizia, Washington, DC

SUNDAY

Q.         Which Hall of Famer died at the youngest age?

Hint:     He played his entire career for one manager.

Hint:     A Hall of Fame manager.

SABR Hint:       He hit a base- loaded single in the 12^th inning to beat Walter Johnson who was pitching his first World Series game.

SABR Hint:       The Senators ultimately won the series, but Johnson intentionally walked this player twice in the final game.

Twint:    His family name seems oddly appropriate.

A.         Ross Youngs (Died 22-Oct-1927 at age 30; Mgr. John McGraw; 04-Oct-1924)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

WEEKLY THEME – Hall of Famers who hit three triples in one game.

Banks               11-Jun-1966

Bottomley         15-May-1923

Clemente          08-Sep-1958

Combs             22-Sep-1927

DiMaggio          27-Aug-1938

Flick                 06-Jul-1902

Gehringer          05-Aug-1929

Huggins            08-Oct-1904

Lajoie               13-Jul-1904

Mays                15-Sep-1960

Youngs             11-May-1920

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Bill Deane, Cooperstown (after the Lajoie question)

March 28-April 3, 2011 Pitchers who combined to shutout the American League in the 1987 All Star Game.

MONDAY

Q.         What Cy Young Award winner also was the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player and World Series Most Valuable Player all in the same year?

Hint:     He’s now very comfortable behind the microphone.

SABR Hint:       Once a Falcon, he became a Bulldog.

Twint:    He is a professional poker player.

A.         Orel Hershiser (1988 for all three awards; Bowling Green University Falcons; His first major league manager, Tommy Lasorda gave him the nickname of “Bulldog”.)

First Correct Respondent – Mark Jones, Birmingham

TUESDAY

Q.         What New York Yankee was the first pitcher to reach 400 saves?

Hint:     Before Heath Bell in 2009-10, he was the last National Leaguer to win the Rolaids Relief Man Award in consecutive seasons.  [ERRATUM:  This was actually Eric Gagne 2003‑04.  Smith was the previous such.)

SABR Hint:       He was scouted by Buck O’Neil.

Twint:    He led each league in saves at least once.

A.         Lee Smith (400^th S 17-Sep-1903; RRMA; Led the league in S for the Cubs, Cards and Orioles.)

FCR -    Elijah Kaplan, New York

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who is the only pitcher to win a Cy Young Award in a season when he played for two teams?

Hint:     They were in separate leagues too.

Hint:     He had won a Rookie of the Year Award for a third team.

SABR Hint:       His nickname derives from his abundance of pheomelanin.

Twint:    His home run in LCS play couldn’t save his team from elimination.

A.         Rick Sutcliffe (CYA 1984 Indians and Cubs; ROY 1979 Dodgers; Red hair; HR NLCS 02‑Oct‑1984)

FCR -    Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who clinched a division title for his team with a no-hitter?

Hint:     In his next game, against the same team, he notched his 300^th strikeout for the season.

SABR Hint:       He capped that off by winning the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award two weeks later.

Twint:    His team didn’t even win that series.

A.         Mike Scott (No-hitter 25-Sep-1986 vs. the Giants; 300^th K 02-Oct-1986; NLCS MVP 15‑Oct‑1986, series won by the Mets)

FCR -    Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

THURSDAY

Q.         Who was the first pitcher to earn forty saves in the year he won the Cy Young Award?

Hint:     It was the only time in his fourteen year major league career that he reached that level and the only time he received even one Cy Young Award vote.

Hint:     It was also his only All-Star year.

SABR Hint:       His team had a losing record that year.

Twint:    He was a Charger.

Twint:    His contribution in that All-Star game is a key to this week’s theme.

A.         Steve Bedrosian (40 in 1987; ASG, University of New Haven)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

FRIDAY

Q.         What pitcher has more career saves than any other lefty in history?

Hint:     It’s also the National League record.

SABR Hint:       His 1,119 career pitching appearances are a National League record, third overall.

Twint:    He once wore a bright orange sanitation department t-shirt under his jersey in honor of his late father, a NYC-based sanitation engineer.

A.         John Franco (422 S)

FCR -    Bob Kimball, Washington, DC

SATURDAY

Q.         Whose stat of 5.71 hits allowed per nine innings pitched at age 22 ranks eighth all time?

Hint:     His 1.35 ERA in three World Series games helped his team to a championship.

SABR Hint:       Although a mainstay of the rotation, he only won 14 games in that championship year.  No teammate won more.  [ERRATUM – This was true for the 1989 Mets, not the ’86 team.  Sorry about that.]

SABR Hint:       He pitched a no-hitter in his first start in high school.

Twint:    His last name is not a good clue for knowing where he was born.  His uniform number, however, is.

Twint:    One of his rotation mates was born there too.

A.         Sid Fernandez (1986 Mets; #50 for the 50^th state; Ron Darling)

FCR -    Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

SUNDAY

Q.         What pitcher once entered the game in the 13^th inning and had the game-winning-RBI in the bottom of the inning to earn the win?

Hint:     His bother also pitched in the majors.

SABR Hint:       He’s one of the few pitchers to surrender a home run to each of Bonds & fils.

Twint:    His four career triples belied his nickname.

A.         Rick Reuschel (28-Jul-1977; Brother Paul; Nickname “Big Daddy” for his ovate appearance, but it appears that he carried most of his weight in his jowls.)

FCR -    Bob Muse, San Diego

WEEKLY THEME – Pitchers who combined to shutout the American League in the 1987 All‑Star Game.

Pitcher              IP

Scott                2.0

Sutcliffe            2.0

Hershiser          2.0

Reuschel           1.1

Franco              0.2

Bedrosian         1.0

Smith                3.0

Fernandez         1.0

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Gregg Gaylord, Chicago (after the Sutcliffe question)

March 21-27, 2011 Second basemen with two seasons with 30 home runs each

21-Mar-2011

MONDAY

Q.         What Hall of Famer was named for pitching legend Ryne Duren?

Hint:     He was recently beaten out by Mike Quade and displayed his displeasure publicly.

Hint:     He was a Parade Magazine All-American as a high school quarterback.

SABR Hint:       He was the first player to hit two home runs off of Bruce Sutter in one game.

Twint:    He was throw-in in a trade where star shortstops were exchanged.

A.         Ryne Sandberg (Quade is the new Cubs manager; All-America list in 1977; Sutter HRs 23‑Jun‑1984; Traded with Larry Bowa for Ivan DeJesus 27-Jan-1982.)

First Correct Respondent – David Matchett, Toronto

TUESDAY

Q.         What obsessed Hall of Famer refused to attend motion pictures lest they damage his legendary eyesight?

Hint:     Although his name and his stats might indicate that he’s plural, he’s really just one person.

SABR Hint:       For six consecutive years, he led his league in Batting Average, On-Base-Percentage, Slugging Percentage, OPS and OPS+.

Twint:    He hit teammate Art Fletcher in the face because, "It was the only way I could think of to stop him talking.  I couldn't get a word in edgewise."

A.         Rogers Hornsby (Stat years 1920-25)

FCR -    John Shiffert, Morrow, GA

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who holds the Washington Nationals’ single-season home run record?

Hint:     Only Rickey Henderson has hit more leadoff home runs.

SABR Hint:       He was once traded for the current (career) major league home run leader.

Twint:    He was born in the same city as the Cub’s career home run leader.

A.         Alfonso Soriano (46 HR in 2006; Leadoff HRs; Traded for Alex Rodriguez; Sammy Sosa also born in San Pedro de Marcoris in the Dominican Republic.)

FCR -    Peter Beagle, Oakland

THURSDAY

Q.         Who, according the Baseball Digest, is the only second baseman to regularly bat cleanup for his team?

Hint:     Even though he played for the Indians and Blue Jays, all nine of his postseason home runs came as a National Leaguer.

SABR Hint:       He was a key piece in helping the Blue Jays win their first championship.

Twint:    He has hit more home runs than any second baseman in history.

A.         Jeff Kent (Helped the Blue Jays by being traded for David Cone 27-Aug-1992; Edison High School, Huntington Beach, California)

FCR -    Jim Casey, Savannah, GA

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who was the last manager of an American League team in St. Louis?

Hint:     He had earlier managed the other team in town.

Hint:     He also played for both teams.

Hint:     He was the first shortstop to win the BBWAA MVP award.

Hint:     He once boasted, “I did everything in baseball.  I played, managed, coached and even owned a team.”

Hint:     As a player, he won a Most Valuable Player Award without leading the league in any offensive category.

SABR Hint:       He was Luis Aparicio’s major league first manager.  [I only went to one source and I can't document that this is true.  My apologies.]

Twint:    He was the quintessential member of the “Gashouse Gang”.

A.         Marty Marion, who passed away recently:  http://bill37mccurdy.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/marty-marion-dead-at-93/ (1953 St. Louis Browns; 1951 Cardinals; Owned the Houston Buffs 1959-61)

FCR -    Bob Kimball, Washington, DC

FRIDAY

Q.         Who recorded the final at-bat at Veterans Stadium by grounding into a game-ending double play?

Hint:     His high school has had more alumni in the National Football league than any other school.

Hint:     It also has an alumnus in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

SABR Hint:       His first game as a member of the U.S. team was on a field seemingly named in his honor.

Twint:    He will likely begin the 2011 season on the disabled list.

A.         Chase Utley (28-Sep-2003; Long Beach Polytechnic High School; Tony Gwynn; Chase Field 07‑Mar‑2006)

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

SATURDAY

Q.         Who hit the last home run at Shea Stadium?

Hint:     His first major league stolen base was a steal of home.

SABR Hint:       His own teammate beat him out for Rookie of the Year, though he finished a strong third in the voting.

Twint:    His last name means “owl” in Swedish.

A.         Dan Uggla (HR 28-Sep-2008; SB 21-Apr-2006; ROY voting 2006)

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who is the only man to manage two different American League teams in the same city?

Hint:     Only he, Jimmie Foxx and Lou Gehrig hit two home runs against Bob Feller in 1938.

SABR Hint:       He played the violin in the Duck orchestra.

Twint:    Pete Ward attended the same high school.

A.         Joe Gordon (1961 Kansas City A's, 1969 Kansas City Royals; ’38 HRs 12-Jun & 05-Aug; University of Oregon orchestra; Jefferson High School, Portland, OR)

FCR -    Fred Brillhart, Mechanicsburg, PA

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first post-expansion player to hit three doubles in a World Series game?

Hint:     He became the first American League player to homer twice in the first inning of a game.

SABR Hint:       The next player up became the second such.

Twint:    In 1992, he became the first-ever third-generation big leaguer in baseball history.

A.         Bret Boone (WS 2Bs 26-Oct-1999, all off Andy Pettitte; Same inning HRs w/Mike Cameron 02-May-2002; Grandfather Ray and father Bob were major leaguers.)

FCR -    Steven Elsberry, Windsor Heights, IA

WEEKLY THEME – Second basemen with two seasons with 30 home runs each.

Boone          2001, 03

Gordon        1940, 48

Hornsby       1922, 25, 29

Kent             1998, 2000, 02

Sandberg     1989, 90

Soriano        2002, 03, 05

Uggla           2007-2010

Utley            2006, 08, 09

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

March 14-20, 2011 Highest season OPS+ performances by players not in Hall of Fame, but eligible to be

14-Mar-2011

MONDAY

Q.         Who is the only player to hit more than 40 home runs in his rookie season?

Hint:     It is not recorded whether he shed tears over the achievement.

SABR Hint:       He averaged one home run per 10.61 at bats, the lowest at bats per home run ratio in baseball history.

SABR Hint:       Babe Ruth is second at 11.80.

Twint:    A portion of an interstate highway was named for him in Missouri.

Twint:    Today it is named Mark Twain Highway.

A.         Mark McGwire (49 HR in 1987; Famously wept at a congressional inquiry 17‑Mar‑2005)

First Correct Respondent – Ken White, Charlotte, NC

TUESDAY

Q.         Which slugger admitted after retiring that he’d used a corked bat throughout his career?

Hint:     He once played an entire major league game at first base without handling a ball in play.

SABR Hint:       After winning the batting title, his 118 point drop-off the next year, is a record.

Twint:    He was All-Lone Star Conference as a running back at Sul Ross Teachers College.

Twint:    He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 13^th round after graduating.

A.         Norm Cash (02-Jun-1963)

FCR -    David Serota, Kalamazoo

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What three-time batting champion hit for the cycle twice?

Hint:     He was born where the most famous baseball bats are born.

Hint:     The bats (and the company) have the same nickname he did.

SABR Hint:       In his best season, although hitting 31 points higher than his next best season, he did not win the title.

Twint:    When he was thirteen years old, his father was killed by a cyclone.

Twint:    He stayed with his mother after that, growing up, living and dying in the house where he was raised.

A.         Pete Browning (Won batting titles in 1878, 1885 & 1890; Cycles 08‑Aug‑1886 & 07‑Jun‑1889; His best season .402 in 1887; Born in Louisville and called the “Louisville Slugger”; 7; House in Louisville, Kentucky)

FCR -    Bradley Curtis, Roseville, CA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who hit the first National League home run?

Hint:     Although he was born in New York and died in Chicago, he began and ended his major career in Boston, but in different leagues.

SABR Hint:       He was the first player to lead two different leagues in batting average.

Twint:    He was called a “seceder”, a huge epithet at the time.

A.         Ross Barnes (02-May-1876 off Cherokee Fisher)

FCR -    Bradley Curtis, Roseville, CA

THURSDAY

Q.         Who was the manager of the only Union Association league champions?

Hint:     As a player, he was famous as an ambidextrous infielder who could catch and throw with either hand.

SABR Hint:       He set a major league record by scoring 160 runs in a 113-game season.

SABR Hint:       He only played in 101 of those games.

Twint:    He died of a distended tubercular rectum.

Twint:    He succeeded Forrest Phillips as manager of Pittsburgh when Phillips was “given a vacation” and entered an asylum.

A.         Fred Dunlap (1884 St. Louis Maroons)

FCR -    Timothy Randolph, Hebron, OH

FRIDAY

Q.         What slugger’s playing career was abruptly ended by a stroke at age 31? [He lived to a ripe old 55.]

Hint:     Baseball historians place him as the greatest first baseman in the ten-year run of the major league American Association.

Hint:     He once fell two home runs shy of winning the Triple Crown.

SABR Hint:       He was the first player to collect 300 total bases in a season.

SABR Hint:       He was the first and only captain of a team named Ward’s Wonders.

Twint:    His last job in baseball was as a Federal League press box attendant.

A.         Dave Orr (Near TC 1884 w/9 HR; 301 TB in 1886 in 131 G)

FCR -    John Michael Pierobon, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

SATURDAY

Q.         What pitcher was dealt to Brooklyn because of his gambling habits?

Hint:     Only he and Al Spalding won 200 games with fewer than 100 losses.

SABR Hint:       Friday’s answer hit for the cycle against him.

Twint:    As a starting pitcher, he once hit two home runs in a game, but the game ended when he was tagged out at the plate trying for a third.

A.         Bob Caruthers (Brooklyn deal 27-Nov-1887; Cycle 12-Jun-1885; 218 W – 99 L)

FCR -    Al Blumkin, Brooklyn

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Whose outfield assist total of 50 still stands as the all-time record for a single season?

Hint:     Setting a standard that even Norm Cash would struggle with, his batting average fell 165 after finishing 2^nd in the batting race the year before.

SABR Hint:       His brother also played in the majors.

Twint:    He didn’t play the blues when he played for the Blues.

A.         Orator Shafer (50 A in 1879 in 72 G; .369 in 1884 to .195; Taylor Shafer)

FCR -    Barry Nelson, Guilderland, NY

SUNDAY

Q.         Who conspired with Jim Devlin to throw a late-season game to Cincinnati for $25?

Hint:     After the game he was seen around Cincinnati wearing fancy new jewelry.

Hint:     He was black-listed at the end of the season by Hall of Famer William Hulbert.

SABR Hint:       He played for four top Brooklyn teams before the first Major League was formed.

Twint:    He was a substitute umpire during three years of his major league career.

A.         George Hall (06-Sep-1877; 1866 Brooklyn Enterprise, 1867 Excelsiors, 1868-69 Brooklyn Star, 1870 Brooklyn Atlantics)

FCR -    John Michael Pierobon, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

WEEKLY THEME – Eligible non-Hall of Famers with OPS+ seasons of 200.  OPS+ is a statistic designed to measure offensive performances against those one’s peers.  An OPS+ of 100 represents the average for all players in a given period.

Barnes         231    1876

Browning      222    1882

Caruthers      200    1886

Cash            201    1961

Dunlap         258    1884 (4^th all-time!  Only Barry Bonds ranks higher.)

Hall              200    1876

McGwire       216    1998

Orr               203    1885

Shafer          202    1884

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one.