Sunday, June 21, 2015

June 15-21, 2015 Batters with 6 strikeouts in a single game

MONDAY
Q.         Whose 219 are more hits than any other Milwaukee Brewer has ever hit in a season?
Hint:     Of those, 157 were singles, also a franchise record.
Hint:     That same season he had three hitting streaks of at least 15 games.
Twint:    He broke even as the Houston Astros manager.
Twint:    He is the only player to collect 200 hits in consecutive seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers.
A.         CECIL COOPER (Big year 1980; .501 in 3 yrs as Astros mgr; 200 H 1982-83)
FCR -    Douglas Sher, Charleston, SC
Incorrect answers:  Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, Craig Counsel, Ichiro Suzuki, Rickie Weeks, Ryan Braun, Carlos Gomez

TUESDAY
Q.         Who was the first visiting player to hit ten career home runs at Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark?
Hint:     Four Hall of Famers played at the same school where he played college ball.  (Not at the same time.  That would be a record.)
Hint:     He broke the 20-home-run barrier seven times in the majors and was named to the All‑Star team in the fourth of those seasons.
Hint:     He played for the same team for his first ten years in the majors, then joined another team for his last year and won a World Series ring.
Twint:    He was Team USA's top hitter in the 1994 Baseball World Cup.
A.         GEOFF JENKINS (Attended & played @ USC as did Ralph Kiner, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton & Randy Johnson; AS in 2003 [DNP]; 10 yrs with MIL, 2008 with PHI)
FCR -    Kevin Winstanley, Eatontown, NJ
Incorrect answers:  Lance Berkman, Sean Casey, Prince Fielder, Craig Biggio, Mark McGwire, Bob Horner

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who hit the first ever home run at Anaheim Stadium?
Hint:     He hit it off (pre-operation) Tommy John.
Hint:     John and the White Sox still won the game.
Hint:     It was the only year of the slugger’s eleven-year major league career when he received MVP votes.
Hint:     Maybe the voters were impressed by his league-leading 13 HBP, his only black ink.
Hint:     He played for the University of Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl for the NCAA football national championship.
Twint:    He was so fast afoot that he forewent baseball in high school so he could focus on track and field.
Twint:    He didn’t even play baseball in college until his junior year.
FCR -    Bob Muse, San Diego, CA
Incorrect answers:  Alex Johnson, Harvey Kuenn, Willie Mays, Leon Wagner, Don Money, Don Baylor, Don Mincher, Bobby Grich, Jim Fregosi, Ted Kluszewski

THURSDAY
Q.         Whose error in the 13th inning spoiled Harvey Haddix' perfect game?
Hint:     He was a pro boxer as a teenager, retiring from the ring after suffering seven straight knockouts.
Hint:     While he was a Pirates managerial candidate, he died of a heart attack chasing his brother-in-law's stolen car.
Twint:    He was one of the Cincinnati Redlegs “chosen” by the fans to start the 1957 All-Star Game.
Twint:    City slickers take his memory everywhere.
A.         DON HOAK (E:  26-May-1959 [It was still a no-hitter at that point.]; Death 09-Oct-1969; “City Slickers” clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYw7S_RJXGs)
FCR -    Ron Kaufman, Thornhill, ON
Incorrect answers:  Felix Mantilla, Hal Smith, Billy Cox, Joe Adcock, Rocky Bridges

FRIDAY
Q.         Who holds the record for most home runs in a season where he played fifty games or fewer?
Hint:     He hit his only career triple off Nolan Ryan.
Hint:     In 389 career times on base, he attempted to steal exactly once.  Ernie Whitt threw him out.
Twint:    His defense was considered so suspect that his entire career boasts of only twelve games in the field.
Twint:    And it wasn’t until his June of his third season in the majors that he even put on a glove and that was as an emergency, extra-inning replacement at first base.
A.         SAM HORN (14 HR, 1987 46 G, several tied at 13 including Ted Williams’ 1953 season interrupted by military duty; 3b 05-May-1992; CS 28-Jul-1987; Debut in the field 04‑Jun‑1989)
FCR -    Jim Turner, Tallahassee, FL
Incorrect answers:  Kevin Maas, Cliff Johnson, George Mitterwald, Steve Balboni, Don Drysdale

SATURDAY
Q.         Whose fielding miscue, if played properly, might have eliminated “Bartman” from baseball vernacular?
Hint:     His Venezuelan counterpart at shortstop that game had the exact same name.
Hint:     Unlike his namesake, he led his team in home runs, RBI and doubles for that series, with an OPS of 1.012.
Hint:     That was the only year of his 13 seasons in the majors when he was in postseason play.
Twint:    He is the only Toronto Blue Jay to ever lead the league in sacrifice hits.
A.         ALEX (…ander Scott) GONZALEZ (Had he turned Miggie’s grounder into a DP, the Bartman “incident” may have been forgotten or might never had occurred; Marlins SS Alex Gonzalez3 HR/7 RBI tied with Ramirez, two 2B tied with Randall Simon 2003 NLCS;16 SH 2000)
FCR -    Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, MO
Incorrect answers:  Moises Alou

SUNDAY
Q.         Which former Angel has a cult autograph-seeking following for his "angelic" 1972 Topps card (#19)?
Hint:     There is no indication he was aware of the photographers juxtaposition of a landmark symbol at Anaheim Stadium.  (There’s also no indication that he wasn’t.)
Hint:     The Sporting News called him “Clarence Darrow of the clubhouse”.
Hint:     He once confronted Dick Enberg saying “You cost me $200, you son of a bitch.  I ought to take $200 out of your voice.”
Twint:    He was bussed by The Bandit.
A.         BILLY COWAN (Topps Halo card image [Hardballtimes.com]—Link is source for other hints.)
FCR -    Rich Klein, Plano, TX
Incorrect answers:  Alex Johnson


WEEKLY THEME – Batters with six strikeouts in a game

Batter               Date                 Pitchers
Hoak*               02-May-1956     A. Worthington, D. Liddle, H. Wilhelm, S. Ridzik, M. Grissom
Reichardt          31-May-1966     S. Siebert, S. Hargan
Cowan              09-Jul-1971       V. Blue, R. Fingers
Cooper             14-Jun-1974      N. Ryan, B. Raziano
Horn**               17-Jul-1991       M. Gubicza, M. Magnante, S. Davis, J. Montgomery, L. Aquino
Gonzalez           09-Sep-1998      D. Gooden, P. Shuey, D. Jones, M. Jackson
Jenkins             08-Jun-2004      K. Escobar, F. Rodriguez, S. Shields, K. Gregg, R. Ortiz

*Also had a walk and a single
**Also had a walk

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX (after Reichardt Q.)



Questions archived here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/




Sunday, June 14, 2015

June 8-15, 2015 B. Colon over the Orioles in 7 Different Uniforms

MONDAY
Q.         Who is only pitcher to finish his career with a twenty-win season in the 21st century?
Hint:     It was the only twenty-win season of his eighteen-year career.
Hint:     He was the last Oriole to lead the American League in innings pitched.
Twint:    Perhaps he was called “Alces” by fellow scholars at his alma mater.
A.         MIKE MUSSINA (20 W 2008; Career 270-153 W/L; 237.2 IP the 2000 season; “Alces alces” is Latin for “Moose”, attendedStanford University)
FCR -    Barry Nelson, Guilderland, NY
Incorrect answers:  Jon Lieber, Mike Boddiker, Jim Palmer

OFF-TO-A-GOOD-START BONUS
Q.         Who was the Toronto Blue Jays’ first Cy Young Award winner?
Hint:     Team doctor and former major leaguer Ron Taylor, described him as the “…best physical player I’ve ever examined—easy choice.”
Hint:     He is the only major leaguer to complete the avian trifecta without playing for any other team.
Twint:    He is currently working for the Blue Jays and has twice been their major league pitching coach.
A.         PAT HENTGEN (1996 CYA; Taylor quote in personal conversation with Horsehide Trivia [in his office]; Trifecta: Blue Jays, Orioles, Cardinals)
FCR -    Steven Coleman, Belleville, IL
Incorrect answers:  Dave Stieb, Roger Clemens, Jimmy Key, Roy Halladay, Dave Stewart

TUESDAY
Q.         Who trails only Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins for strikeouts in a modern-day season by a Canadian-born pitcher?
Hint:     That season, he set his franchise’s single-season strikeouts-per-nine-innings per nine innings record at 10.93.
Hint:     His team responded by trading him in the off season and his career has been lackluster (34-57) since then, putting in time with five different teams.
Hint:     The players he was traded for, however, have accumulated 3 Gold Gloves, 6 All-Star appearances, 67 pitching wins, 56 saves, a Silver Slugger Award and an Opening Day pitching start.
Twint:   He grew seven inches and gained 30 pounds during the summer between graduating from high school and beginning college.
Twint:   While in college, he added 10 miles per hour to his fastball and gained ANOTHER 30 pounds.
A.         ERIK BEDARD (221 K in 2007 for BAL; February 8, 2008: Traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Seattle Mariners for Adam Jones, George Sherrill and Chris Tillman [et al]; attended Norwalk High School and Norwalk Community College.)
FCR -    Mike Massaroli, Staten Island, NY
Incorrect answers:  Ryan Dempster, Aaron Harang, Jake Peavey, Reggie Cleveland

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Which player was knighted by his queen but later ran afoul of the law there when he hit a judge in a Christmas-day altercation?
Hint:     Later the next season, his major league team then released him.
Hint:     The union then helped him recoup the amount remaining on his contract.
Twint:    He was the winning pitcher for the Netherlands in an upset game of the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
A.         SIDNEY PONSON (Released by the Orioles 2005; WBC win 07-Mar-2009)
FCR -    Gregg Bernstein, Oakland, CA
Incorrect answers:  Hensley Meulens, Armando Benitez, Bartolo Colon    

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         What pitcher is the only Tide alum to lead either league in winning percentage?
Hint:     His ERA of 16.36 in his first year was NOT indicative of the success he would have later.
Hint:     He has pitched in the postseason three different years for two different teams.
Twint:    He went to his first team when Mark DeRosa left to go to the Chicago Cubs via free agency.
A.         TOMMY HUNTER (13-4, .756 in 2010; High ERA was only for 2 G; Postseason for TEX and BAL; DeRosa went to CHI from HOU.)
FCR -    Jeff Epstein, Dallas, TX
Incorrect answers:  Roy Halladay, Frank Lary, Tim Hudson, Cliff Lee, Jake Peavy, Dwight Gooden

THURSDAY
Q.         Who was the Opening Day starting pitcher for last National League team based in Texas in its first year in the American League?
Hint:     He later led the AL in hitting batters the same year that he had his best season in victories.
Hint:     He shares an alma mater with Ozzie Smith.
Hint:     Twenty other players throughout major league history have shared his nickname.
Hint:     Yet none shares the same actual first name (or each other’s).
Twint:    He was the first pitcher in 2012 to strike out four batters in an inning.
A.         BUD NORRIS (31-Mar-2013 [Notice who got the save!]; 14 HBP in 2014, record of 15-8; Cal-Poly; “Bud”; 4 K 3rd inning 24-Apr-2012)
FCR -    Dave Raglin, McLean, VA
Incorrect answers:  Dallas Keuchel, Dick Bosman, Bob Bruce

FRIDAY
Q.         Whose breakout season with the Orioles was a pitching record of 16-7?
Hint:     His record at the break was 11-3 and he was chosen for the AL All-Star team.
Hint:     They put the ball in his hand so much the following year, he tied for most games started in the majors.
Hint:     True, it was a ten-way tie, but included in that group were four Cy Young Award winners.
Hint:     He has been the Orioles’ Opening Day starter ever since.
Twint:    He was a minor-league throw-in with the trade that brought Adam Jones to Baltimore from the Mariners in exchange for Erik Bedard.
A.         CHRIS TILLMAN (34 GS in 2014; AS in 2013; OD starter 2014-15; ASG 2013)
FCR -    Mike Massaroli, Staten Island, NY
Incorrect answers:  Wei-Yin Chen, Jim Palmer, Mike Timlin

SATURDAY
Q.         What pitcher made his major league debut for the Orioles with a start in Chicago on the 4th of July?
Hint:     He had played for the Anchorage Bucs in the Alaska Baseball League in 2004, going 7–0 with a 0.88 ERA.
Hint:     He was a Summer League First-Team All-American starting pitcher that year.
Hint:     He attended Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (two years ahead of Bud Norris), where in his last year he was 12–4 with a 2.71 ERA.
Hint:     In 2005 he was a Big West Conference All-Star starting pitcher.
Twint:    His last year as a professional was in the Korean Baseball Association.
A.         GARRETT OLSON (Debut 04-Jul-2007; Cal Poly; KBA)
FCR -    Jim Turner, Tallassee, FL
Incorrect answers:  Casey Fien, Scott Feldman

WEEKEND BONUS
Q:         Who was the last Oriole pitcher to give up a homer to the "Big Hurt"?
Hint:     It was the final homer of the slugger’s final full season.
Hint:     He also gave up the last home run Dan Uggla hit in Uggla's only Silver Slugger season.
Hint:     During the Yankees last World Series winning season, he gave up homers to Giambi, Damon, Abreu and A-Rod—all in one game.
Twint:    He married a Miami Dolphin cheerleader.
A:         BRIAN BURRES (Frank Thomas HR in 2007, a 3-run HR 25-Sep-2007; Uggla SS 2010;  27-May-2008 won by BAL 10-9; married to Lacie Randall)
FCR -    Rick Tharp, Rockville, MD
Incorrect answers:  Kevin Millwood, Jeremy Guthrie, Cole Hamels, George Sherrill

SUNDAY
Q.         Which California native shares his birth city with a Hall of Famer and a Rookie of the Year Award winner?
Hint:     During his one season with the Rangers, he led the whole staff in Win-Loss% (.750) and his ERA of 3.55 trailed only that of the team’s closer.
Hint:     Despite these stats, he was made a free agent and was signed by Cleveland.
Hint:     With the Indians, he went 0-0 in 4 appearances facing only 30 batters.
Twint:    It was the final year of his major league career.
Twint:    He pitched for a year for the LG Twins of the in Korean Baseball Association.
A.         RICK BAUER (B. Garden Grove, CA, other notable natives Bert Blyleven &, Bobby Crosby. [N.B. Scott Carpenter had been listed on Garden Grove’s Wikipedia page—now removed.]; 2006 TEX .750 W-L% & 3.55 ERA in 58 relief appearances; 2008 after playing in the minors in 2007)
FCR -    Jim Turner, Tallahassee, FL
Incorrect answers:  Scott Feldman


WEEKLY THEME – The 7 Baltimore Orioles pitchers that lost to Bartolo Colon, is the first pitcher in baseball history to beat one team playing for 7 different teams.  He beat the O’s pitching for LAA, CHW, CLE, NYY, BOS, OAK and NYM)  http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/orioles-bats-are-quiet-in-new-york/2015/05/05/2841ac3e-f36d-11e4-b2f3-af5479e6bbdd_story.html


First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Rich Klein, Plano, TX

Losing P.       Game           Colon’s team      Colon In Uniform for the…
Ponson       11-May-1999       CLE                   Indians
Ponson       15-Aug-1999       CLE                   Indians
Mussina      03-Apr-2000        CLE                   Indians           1
Hentgen      18-Apr-2001        CLE                   Indians
Bauer          15-May-2002       CLE                   Indians
Ponson       15-May-2003       CHW                  White Sox      2
Ponson       02-Aug-2005       LAA                    Angels           3
Bedard       24-Aug-2005       LAA                    Angels
Burres         01-Jun-2008        BOS                   Red Sox        4
Olson         11-Jun-2008        BOS                   Red Sox
Tillman        30-Jul-2011         NYY                   Yankees        5
Hunter         28-Jul-2012         OAK                   A’s                6
Norris         05-May-2015       NYM                   Mets              7

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday   -  Orioles opening day starters in the 2000s

Wed        -  Highest paid pitchers each season for the Orioles in the 2000s
               -  Pitchers who pitched for the Baltimore orioles who lost the first game they pitched in the postseason against an expansion team? (And it wasn't for the orioles).

Friday      -  Orioles Opening Day starters at Camden Yards


Horsehide Trivia blog has the questions and answers from this week as well as from previous weeks:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/




Sunday, June 7, 2015

June 1-7, 2015 Hall of Famers with exactly ONE Gold Glove Award

MONDAY
Q.         Who was the first Rookie of the Year to receive the honor with a unanimous vote?
Hint:     He became the first manager to guide the same franchise in two different countries.
Hint:     Jim Palmer described him as “the best player I ever saw.”
Hint:     Duane Kuiper, he was “the best manager I ever played for.”
Twint:    He was a high school teammate of his future major league teammate Vada Pinson.
A.         FRANK ROBINSON (ROY 1956; Montreal Expos [2002-04]/Washington Nationals [2005‑06]; Attended McClymonds HS, Oakland, CA and later played with Pinson on the Reds 1958-65)
FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD
Incorrect answers:  Bobby Valentine, Felipe Alou, Jim Fregosi, Pete Rose

TUESDAY
Q.         What Texan was the first shortstop to hit 45 home runs in a season?
Hint:     He was the first National Leaguer to win the MVP in back-to-back seasons.
Twint:    He finished above Hank Aaron in Rookie of the Year voting.
A.         ERNIE BANKS (B. Dallas, TX; 47 HR 1958; MVP 1958-59; #2 behind Wally Moon for 1954 NL ROY, Aaron was 4th)
FCR -    Jim Casey, Savannah, GA
Incorrect answers:  Alex Rodriguez

EARLY WEDNESDAY EXTRA
Q.         Who was the first Yankee to make ten Opening Day starts in center field?
Hint:     He was the only Yankee to collect 1,000 career hits by age 26.
Hint:     He was the youngest Yankee player to win three World Series championships.
Twint:    He became an honorary Colonel in the Oklahoma state militia.
A.         MICKEY MANTLE (CF starts 1952-61)
FCR -    David Ramsden, Barcelona, SPAIN
Incorrect answers:  Joe DiMaggio, Earle Combs, Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who was the only third baseman* to win the MVP and then win Manager of the Year?
Hint:     He took a managerial interregnum to recover from prostate cancer.
Hint:     He won a batting championship his first year in pro baseball.
Hint:     He made the All-Star team after just two and a half years in the majors.
Twint:    Jack Kerouac, of all people, called him "the best catcher since Campanella."
A.         JOE TORRE (MVP 1971 for STL, MOY 1996 & 98 for NYY; Took a medical break and Don Zimmer stepped in to manage the Yanks to a 21-5 record to begin the 1999 season; Won the 1960 Northern League batting title @ .344 for Class A Eau Claire Braves; Kerouac quote in an article for the St. Petersburg Independent.)
FCR -    Dan Silverberg, Aventura, FL
*Not the original, incorrect question.  Frank Robinson was the correct answer there.
Incorrect answers:  Don Baylor, Rogers Hornsby, Lou Boudreau, Yogi Berra, Bill Terry

THURSDAY
Q.         Who was the last catcher to lead the league in triples?
Hint:     He completed the major league hosiery tour.
Hint:     It’s unlikely other Hall of Famer has better dimples.
Twint:    He is the only Hall of Famer born in the state of Vermont.
Twint:    He played for the same organizations in the minors that he did in the majors.
A.         CARLTON FISK (Led in 3b W/9 IN 1972; Red SOX [1969, 71‑80] & White SOX [1981‑93]; B. Bellow Falls, VT [Family and upbringing in NH]; Minors: http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=fisk--001car)
FCR -    Patrick Roth, Chicago, IL
Incorrect answers:  Tim McCarver, Ted Simmons, Bill Terry, Gary Carter

FRIDAY
Q.         Who was the first to pass Babe Ruth for the all-time lead in bases-on-balls?
Hint      He lost the lead the year after he retired.
Hint:     His retirement was not exactly voluntary.
Hint:     He attended the same high school that gave us Cookie Lavagetto, Clint Eastwood, The Pointer Sisters and running back Marshawn Lynch.
Twint:    He is one of six major league players with uniform number 24 retired by a team.
A.         RICKEY HENDERSON (Passed Ruth in 2001 while with the Padres; He played until age 46 in the minors, trying to get called up; Oakland Tech High School)
FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY
Incorrect answers:  Barry Bonds, Pete Rose, Manny Ramirez, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron

SATURDAY
Q.         Who had the most hits in the 1980s?
Hint:     He had double digit home runs nine of those ten seasons.
Hint:     That same decade, he thrice hit over forty doubles in a season.
Twint:    He was drafted one pick above Dave Winfield.
Twint:    He was the first American League player to take two MVP awards since Mickey Mantle took his last (3rd) such honor.
A.         ROBIN YOUNT (1,731 H 1980-89; Years of 40+ 2b: 42/46/49 1983/82/80; 3rd pick 1973 draft, Winfield 4th; ; Mantle’s final; MVP in 1962, having also won in 1956, 57; Yount MVP in 1982, 89)
FCR -    Vince Granieri, Cincinnati, OH

FYI, #H 1980-89:
1
Robin Yount
1,731
2
Eddie Murray
1,642
3
Willie Wilson
1,639
4
Wade Boggs
1,597
5
Dale Murphy
1,553
6
Harold Baines
1,547
7
Andre Dawson
1,539
8
R. Henderson
1,507
9
Alan Trammell
1,504
10
Dwight Evans
1,497
11
Carney Lansford
1,486
12
Keith Hernandez
1,480
13
Jim Rice
1,476
14
Tim Raines
1,467
15
Lou Whitaker
1,452
16
George Brett
1,446
17
Dave Winfield
1,441
18
Bill Buckner
1,437
19
Steve Sax
1,423
20
Paul Molitor
1,421
21
Cal Ripken
1,402
22
Ryne Sandberg
1,395
23
Ozzie Smith
1,392
24
Johnny Ray
1,390
25
Dave Parker
1,372

Incorrect answers:  George Brett, Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Mark Grace, Ken Griffey, Tony Gwynn

SUNDAY
Q.         Who is the only American League expansion-team player with a walk-off stolen base?
Hint:     His career W.A.R. is the highest in the history of his franchise by over 100%.
Hint:     He had a cycle where he hit two homers—the 2nd a 16th inning walk-off.
Twint     He had the highest season batting average for the first AL expansion team to make the World Series.
A.         GEORGE BRETT (Game-ending steal of home plate: 17‑Aug‑1976; WAR=88 [Kevin Appier is next w/47]; 28-May-1979 5-4 over BAL; Brett’s .390 season KCR 1980)
FCR -    Douglas Sher, Charleston, SC
Incorrect answers:  Rod Carew, Tommy Harper, Tony Gwynn


WEEKLY THEME – Hall of Famers with exactly one Gold Glove Award

1958    NL   Robinson
1960    NL   Banks
1962    AL   Mantle
1965    NL   Torre
1972    AL   Fisk
1981    NL   Carlton
1981    AL   Henderson
1982    AL   Yount
1985    AL   Brett

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one (Where have you gone Joe Ullian?)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Wed        -  Multiple MVP winners
               -  MVP winners with most MVPs by position
               -  Players who won back to back MVP's
               -  Players with 250+ homers in the 1960s
               -  HOF's debuting in the 50's
               -  Former MVPs with more than 500 HRs but fewer than 3,000 hits
               -  Single-digit Yankees retired numbers
               -  1950 who have won the MVP and led their league in at least two out of three triple crown categories during that season

Saturday  -  HOFers with ten plus ASG appearances
               -  MVPs who led the league in RBIs that same year.

Sunday    -  Career BA leaders by position



Questions archived here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/