MONDAY — 10-Aug-2026
Q. Which
Hall of Famer is the only man to pitch over one thousand career innings and
have a lifetime batting average over .300?
{N.B Bullet Rogan also qualifies
here.}
Hint: #1
He was the first player to hit three home runs in a game for teams in the
American League and the National League.
Hint: #2
He is the only player with 200 hits and 140 walks in the same season.
-
Ans. Ruth pitched 1,221⅓ innings
and finished his career with a batting average of .342.
-
#1 Amazingly, Ruth only hit 3 HR in each league one
time: With NYY on 21-May-1930(1) off Lefty Grove & George Earnshaw; with BSN on 25-May-1935 off Guy Bush & Red Lucas, 5 days before he left
professional baseball for good. He did,
however, twice hit 3 HR in a World Series game, both times against the
Cardinals: 06-Oct-1926 off Herman Bell & Flint Rhem; 09-Oct-1928 off Bill Sherdel & Grover Alexander.
-
#2 Ruth did three (3!)
times: In 1921 – 204/145; in 1923 –
205/170; in 1924 – 200/142. BTW, he hit
59, 41 & 46 in those same seasons.
FCR - Mike Kositch, Portland, Oregon
TUESDAY — 11-Aug-2026
Q. Which Hall of Fame pitcher won league strikeout
crowns a record eight consecutive seasons?
Hint:
#1 He won an additional four outside of
that run.
Hint:
#2 He won 38 games by a score of 1–0.
A. WALTER J0HNSON [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Johnson
won the AL K title 1912-1919.
- #1 The
other years he won it were 1910, 1921,1923 & 1924.
- #2 He
also lost 26 games by that same score.
FCR - Tony Hughes, Woodbridge, Virginia
Incorrect
guesses: Nolan Ryan, Lefty Grove
TUESDAY TWICE
— 11-Aug-2026
Q. Which Maryland native Hall of Famer won twenty
or more games for four consecutive seasons for the Pirates in the Modern Era?
Hint:
#1 Among Hall of Fame pitchers, only he
and Red Ruffing ever lost twenty games in consecutive seasons.
Hint:
#2 According to the Baseball Hall of
Fame, he completed 388 of the 471 games he started and occasionally rocked a
popped collar.
A. VIC WILLIS [SABR Bio]
- Ans. From
1906-1909, Willis’ only years with PIT, his records were 23-13, 21-11, 23-11
& 22-11. Willis was born in Cecil County, Maryland, but grew up and spent
most of his life in Delaware. He was inducted
in 1995. (Voted by Veteran’s Committee)
- #1 Willis’
records in 1904 & 1905 w/BSN were 18-25 & 12-29.
- #2 Click
here.
FCR - David Kaiser, Watertown, Massachusetts
Incorrect
guesses: Burleigh Grimes, Pud Galvin, Bob
Friend, Wilbur Cooper, Deacon Phillippe
WEDNESDAY — 12-Aug-2026
Q. Which pitcher started the most games in any
single World Series?
Hint:
#1 The number of innings he pitched in
that single World Series is still a record.
Hint:
#2 SABR says he got his nickname because
of his reticent demeanor, his humility and the way he lived his life.
A. DEACON PHILLIPPE [SABR Bio]
- Ans. In
the 1903 WS, Phillippe started 5
games. He completed all 5, winning 3.
- #1 He
totaled 44 IP in that same WS.
- #2 Although
he led a church choir in the off-season, he was never part of the clergy.
FCR - Bob Wells, Chantilly, Virginia
Incorrect
guesses: Christy Mathewson, Preacher Roe,
Bob Feller, Babe Ruth, Bob Gibson, Mickey Lolich
MIDWEEK
BONUS 12-Aug-2026
Q. Who was the first left-handed pitcher for the
Boston American League franchise to throw a no-hitter?
Hint:
#1 He retired for good after an Opening
Day appearance where he gave up six hits, three walk and seven runs in just
four innings of work.
Hint:
#2 He was the first pitcher to lead the National
League in Earned Run Average after the advent of the American League.
A. JESSE TANNEHILL [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Tannehill’s
no-no was on 17-Aug 1904 in his 1st
year with the team.. They were called
the Pilgrims at the time, at least
when they weren’t being called the Boston Americans. Three months earlier, Tannehill’s teammate,
right-handed Cy Young threw a no-hitter—a perfect game!
- #1 His
tough O.D. appearance was 12-Apr-1911 pitching for CIN at
home vs. PIT. After the game Tannehill asked
manager Clark Griffith for his release. He
never played again in the majors.
- #2 He
led the NL in ERA with 2.18 in 1901.
FCR - Mike Sparks, Sarasota
Incorrect
guesses: Cy Young
THURSDAY — 13-Aug-2026
Q. Which one-time Tiger pitched more
complete-game shutouts in one season than any other American Leaguer?
Hint:
#1 He reversed those digits to lead the majors
in pitching wins the same season.
Hint:
#2 He was the first pitcher in the
Modern Era to strike out eighteen batters in a game twice.
A. JACK COOMBS [SABR Bio]
- Ans. He
had 13 shutouts in 1910 for Connie Mack’s PHA. Coombs’s last team was DET, where he played
in 1920.
- #1 Coombs
won 31 games in 1910
- #2 A.)
On 01-Sep in his rookie season,
1906, Coombs pitched all 24* innings & struck out 18 batters in the win against Boston’s beleaguered
Joe Harris. (This game was the 18th of Harris’
league-leading 21 losses that year.)
B.) Playing for the A’s
in the contest on 04-Aug-1910, both he and his
legendary opposite number, Ed Walsh of the White Sox, pitched all 16 innings of
a scoreless tie. Coombs finished with 18
Ks to Walsh’s 10, the very apotheosis of the Dead Ball Era.
*Not a typo!
FCR - Steve Riach, Southlake, Texas
Incorrect
guesses: Mark Fidrych, Schoolboy Rowe,
Jim Bunning, Max Scherzer, Denny McLain, Sandy Koufax. Mickey Lolich, Dazzy
Vance, Bob Feller, Hal Newhouser
FRIDAY — 14-Aug-2026
Q. Who was the first pitcher in the majors to
participate in double-digit double plays in a single season?
Hint:
#1 He did not foresee the day when his name
would become a music genre enjoyed by millions.
Hint:
#2 Attempting to predict the pennant
winners one year, he said, "I go by the arc lights, the traffic signals
and Casey Stengel's neckties.”
Hint: #3
Quoth he, “My manager got so mad that he told me to take off my uniform. All he lets me wear now is a baseball cap
& he swears that that is empty too.”
A. NICK ALTROCK [SABR Bio]
- Ans. In
1904, Altrock was involved in DPs from the mound 10 times. The previous high was 8, done 6 times since 1879.
- #1 Alt
rock, [Alternative rock] is a broad style of rock music that emerged from the
1980s underground. It acts as an
alternative to mainstream corporate rock. It mixes standard guitar melodies with punk,
indie & experimental influences, focusing on raw emotion, mood & a DIY
attitude. Bands like Nirvana, R.E.M.,
Radiohead, Weezer & the Red Hot Chili Peppers are better-known performers
of alt rock.
- #2 Not
sure if he got it right, but he was referring to the 1926 season. That was when the St. Louis Cardinals won their
first NL pennant & World Series. Not
sure why he was concerned with Stengel.
Casey had finished his playing days the previous year.
- #3 Nick
Altrock was once a front-line pitcher with the White Sox. He became, however, the legendary "Clown
Prince of Baseball" & longtime Washington Senators coach. He was famous for his sharp wit &
humorous quips. One of his better-known
quips involves an umpire asking if a batted ball hit a spectator: "No. You
called that one right and she passed out from shock." Additional Altrock wisdom is easily found on
the Internet.
FCR - Barry Nelson, Guilderland, New York
Incorrect
guesses: Jim Kaat, Van Lingle Mungo,
Vern Rapp, Bob Lemon
SATURDAY — 15-Aug-2026
Q. Who did the Cubs trade away to obtain the
player who rounded out their famous, poetic infield?
Hint: #1 In just his second season in the majors, he nearly
doubled other teammate pitchers in WAR.
Hint:
#2 His nickname compared him to a weather
event.
A. JAKE WEIMER [SABR Bio]
- Ans. On
24-Oct-1905 CHC traded Weimer to CIN for Jimmy Sebring & Harry Steinfeldt. Steinfeldt became the Cubs’ regular 3rd
baseman, completing the infield whose better-known players were SS Joe Tinker, 2B
Johnny Evers & 1B Frank Chance.
- #1 On
the 1904 Cubs, Weimer complied a 6.1
WAR. Teammates Mordecai Brown &
Button Briggs posted WAR ratings of 3.2 & 3.3 respectively.
- #2 Weimer
was called Tornado Jake largely due to his fiery temperament.
FCR - Dave Williams, Glastonbury, Connecticut
Incorrect
guesses:
SUNDAY — 16-Aug-2026
Q. Who was the team leader in pitching wins and
WAR for Cleveland in its first year as an American League franchise?
Hint: #1 The year he led
the majors in ERA, his competition for that distinction included Cy Young,
Addie Joss and Christy Mathewson whose numbers were all below 2.30.
Hint: #2 After
pitching fourteen seasons in three different major leagues, he retired with an
under-appreciated career ERA of 2.78.
A. EARL MOORE
[SABR Bio]
- Ans. Moore’s
pitching record was 16-14 in 1901. His team-leading WAR for Cleveland in 1901 was 4.4. It was also the first year of the American League as a major league.
- #1 Moore’s
1903 ERA of 1.74 outpaced those of, among others, Young (2.08), teammate
Joss (2.19) & Mathewson (2.26).
- #2
Moore played in:
1.) The AL for CLE 1901-1907 &
NYY 1907;
2.) The NL for PHI 1908-1913 &
CHC 1913; & finally
3.) The Federal League for the Buffalo
Buffeds in 1914.
FCR - Ed Yoder, Port Matilda, Pennsylvania
Incorrect
guesses:
IN
MEMORIAM —
16-Aug-2026 [Not part of this week’s
theme.]
Q. Which Hoosier, amid considerable fanfare, was
named the National League 1976 Comeback Player of the Year?
Hint:
#1 He once admitted, tongue-in-cheek, “I
threw 4 basic pitches – a fastball, a curve, a slider, and a change-up – plus eight
illegal ones.”
Hint:
#2 He is the oldest starting pitcher to
win an opening day game in the majors.
Hint:
#3 Only Nolan Ryan & Cap Anson had longer
major league careers.
Hint: #4 He won more career games than Hall of Fame pitchers Bob Feller, Robin Roberts, Jim Palmer, Carl Hu
Hint:
#5 His career WAR also clearly identifies
him as worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.
Hint:
#6 He faced Don Zimmer and Joe Carter.
Hint: #7 No other pitcher from his home state had more
wins, more All- appearances,
more strikeouts, more games started or more innings pitched than he did and
that includes four Hall of Famer who pitched in the majors.
A. TOMMY JOHN [SABR Bio]
- Ans. John
returned from a hiatus & had a procedure known as ulnar collateral ligament
reconstruction, that became so prominent in the healing process of pitchers’
arms that we now refer to that procedure with his name.He would only
win one more in the majors. This was The Sporting News NL Comeback Player of
the Year Award.
John returned after missing the entire
1975 season, went 10–10 with a 3.09 ERA in 207 innings & also received the 1976 Fred Hutchinson Award. He became a Hoosier the day he was born in
Terre H
- #1 He
was a favorite with reporters, always willing to engage.
- #2 On 04-Apr-1989 in Minnesota, only 7
weeks shy of his 46th birthday, John scattered 10 Twins hits over 7
innings for a 4-2 NYY win. In his final
season, he won this game & another later in the month, but also dropped 7
bringing his career mark to 288-231.
- #3 Anson
& Ryan each logged 27 years. Tommy
John & Deacon McGuire each played 26 seasons.
- #4 See
#2 above
- #5 John’s
career WAR is 61.6 which tops those of Hall of Fame pitchers Early Wynn, Dazzy
Vance, Albert Spalding & others.
- #6 His
career was from 1983 to 1989, but his reach could be said to be from 1954 to
1998.
- #7 Indiana players
FCR
- Ken Edwards, Ferrisburgh, Vermont
Incorrect
guesses: Gaylord Perry
WEEK’S
FINALE — 16-Aug-2026
Q. Who is the only person to pitch a thousand
consecutive major league innings without surrendering a home run?
Hint:
#1 In his signature season, he tied Christy
Mathewson for the major league lead in shutouts.
Hint:
#2 A flashy fielder, he was particularly
enamored of the hidden ball trick, which he and a teammate succeeded with on
occasion.
A. ED
KILLIAN [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Between
the home runs by Freddy Parent on 18-Sep-1903
& Socks Seybold on 07-Aug
1907, Killian pitched 1,001 straight homerless innings. Parent’s was an inside-the-park walk-off;
Seybold’s was his career’s penultimate.
- #1 Matty
& Killian each had 8 shutouts in 1905. (Not counting Mathewson’s 3 in the postseason
that same year.)
- #2 SS Charley O’Leary was
Killian’s partner in pulling off the hidden ball trick..
FCR
- Steve Riach, Southlake, Texas
Incorrect
guesses: Ed Walsh, Addie Joss, Jack
Chesbro, Orval Overall
THEME: Pitchers with 20 wins and 0 home runs
surrendered in the same season in the Modern Era (1900- ).
Pitcher W L Season Team WAR
Altrock................. 20..... 13........ 1906........ CHW............... 9.2
Coombs............... 31....... 9........ 1910........ PHA............... 27.3
Johnson.............. 25..... 20........ 1916........ WSH............ 168.4
"...................... 20..... 14........ 1919........ WSH
Killian................... 23..... 14........ 1905........ DET............... 26.0
Moore.................. 20....... 8........ 1903........ CLE............... 26.6
Phillippe.............. 20..... 13........ 1905........ PIT................ 35.4
Ruth..................... 23..... 12........ 1916........ BOS............ 182.6
Tannehill............. 20....... 6........ 1902........ PIT................ 45.5
Weimer................ 20..... 14........ 1906........ CIN................ 26.9
Willis.................... 23..... 13........ 1906........ PIT................ 63.4
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – Steve Riach, Southlake, Texas
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Mon - Players
that played for both the Red Sox and the Yankees and had more than 100
career home runs.
-
Members
of the initial Hall of Fame class
-
Tues - Members
of the initial Hall of Fame class
-
Members
of the first two Hall of Fame classes
-
Players
with the most 10 WAR seasons
-
Something
about Maryland
-
Pitchers
who threw 300 or more innings in a season and allowed ZERO home runs
Wed - Pitchers
who threw the most innings in a season and allowed ZERO home runs
Thu - Most
complete games pitched in a season while allowing zero home runs
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