Sunday, July 31, 2011

July 25-31, 2011 Top Ten Career Inside-The-Park Home Run Totals


MONDAY
Q.         Who retired with major league career records for games played, at bats, runs, hits, total bases, and batting average?
Hint:     That last one is still his and is likely to be his for some time to come.
SABR Hint:       He was the highest-paid player during his career but became a millionaire from his investments.
Twint:    He was peachy.
A.         Ty Cobb (G 3,035, AB 11,434, R 2,246, H 4,189, TB 5,854, AVG .366; Coca-Cola was the investment that paid the biggest dividends early for him; “Georgia Peach” was his nickname.)
First Correct Respondent - David Krassin, New York

TUESDAY
Q.         Who is the career leader in outfield assists?
Hint:     He twice had 35 in a season.
SABR Hint:       He got a World Series championship as a player/manager after winning two as a player.
Twint:    His career record of 792 career doubles seems safe.
A.         Tris Speaker (A 449; 35 A in 1909 & 1912; WS 1920, 1912, 1915)
FCR -    Charlie Brown, Washington, DC

TUESDAY 2’SDAY
Q.         Who was the first native of Pennsylvania in the Hall of Fame?
Hint:     He had, according to Lee Sinins' Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia, the greatest single offensive National League season in the 20th century.
SABR Hint:       Jack Dunn, the same Jack Dunn who signed Babe Ruth to his first professional contract, gave up his first homer in the majors.
Twint:    His ERA of 0.00 is the lowest of any player in the Hall of Fame.
A.         Honus Wagner (HOF 1936; 1908 season; Dunn HR 27-Aug-1997 [N.B.  It cleared the fence.])
FCR -    Dave Williams, Glastonbury, CT

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who is the only player/manager to win the National League Most Valuable Player award?
Hint:     The last major league uniform he wore was that of an expansion team.
SABR Hint:       His career major league average was over 100 points higher than he hit in 857 at-bats in the minors.
Twint:    Born in Winters, he hated winters.
A.         Rogers Hornsby (NL MVP 1925; Coach NY Mets 1962; b. Winters, TX)
FCR -    Kenny Fink, Ocala, FL

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         Who was the first native of Brooklyn to make the Hall of Fame?
Hint:     His actual size is disputed by researchers.
SABR Hint:       His record of 206 singles in a season stood for over 100 years.
Twint:    Apparently the opposing defenses often positioned themselves poorly against him.
A.         Willie Keeler (HOF 1939; listed variously at 5'4" to 5'7"; 206 singles in 1898 broken by Ichiro Suzuki in 2004)
FCR -    Al Hurley, Columbia, MD

THURSDAY
Q.         Who was the first native of West Virginia elected to the Hall of Fame?
Hint:     He played for ten seasons in the minors after a sixteen-season career in the majors.
SABR Hint:       He was once on a St. Louis Cardinals team that featured four additional Hall of Famers, but finished in fifth place.
Twint:    He was once ejected from both ends of a double header.
Twint:    He was so disliked by a major league team he coached for that the players did not vote him a World Series share.  The team's Hall of Fame manager then made it up out of his own pocket.
A.         Jesse Burkett (Minors; 1900 St. Louis Cardinals had John McGraw, Cy Young, Bobby Wallace and Wilbert Robinson; Ejections 1897; Coach 1921 NY Giants managed by John McGraw)
FCR -    Michael Miller, Dublin, OH

IN MEMORIAM
Q.         Who was hailed as the "Japanese Nolan Ryan"?
Hint:     He was sold to the Padres by his Japanese team, but stated he’d only play for the Yankees.
Hint:     In the history of Nippon Professional Baseball, he had thrown the fastest pitch ever in a game until his record was eclipsed in 2005.
Hint:     …registering 158 on the radar gun.
SABR Hint:       He played for the Tigers after his major league career.
Twint:    He won two World Series rings, but he never played in either Series.
Twint:    His father’s given name was Ichiro.
A.         Hideiki Irabu (Chiba Lotte Marines; KPH, not MPH; Hansin Tigers; Marc Kroon was the speedier pitcher, WS 1998, 99)
FCR -    Prisco Panza, Milford, CT

FRIDAY
Q.         What Hall of Famer leads all first basemen in putouts and total chances?
Hint:     Only Eddie Murray played more games at first.
Hint:     He never played on a pennant winner, and only one team he played for finished as high as second place.
SABR Hint:       He was the umpire in the first Federal League game in Kansas City.
Twint:    His umpiring career lasted exactly one game.
A.         Jake Beckley (1b putouts; G @ 1b; 2nd place team: the 1893 Pirates; Ump on 16-Apr-1914 )
FCR -    Tim Phares, Laurel, MD

SATURDAY
Q.         Who was the president of the Baseball Players’ Fraternity which sued for improved playing conditions?
Hint:     Even though he trails him by a lot, he trails only Eddie Collins in career sacrifice hits.
Hint:     Gil Hodges broke his record for games at first base by a Dodger.
SABR Hint:       The new, livelier ball didn’t mean the same results for everyone.  This guy’s career season for triples and home runs came two years into the live ball era.
Twint:    He played his final game against his doctor’s advice and died less than a week later.
A.         Jake Daubert (“Union” rep in 1913; 1,026 G @ 1b; Sac Hits; 3b/HR 1922; d. 09-Oct-1924)
FCR -    Kenny Fink, Ocala

SUNDAY
Q.         Which 20th century home run leader led the league with the fewest homers?
Hint:     He had the first modern World Series base hit and run scored.
Hint:     He was driven in on that run by Honus Wagner.
SABR Hint:       He was the oldest player interviewed for “The Glory of their Times”.
Twint:    He roomed with Dummy Hoy on the road.
A.         Tommy Leach (6 HR in 1902; WS 01-Oct-1903; 86 at the time of the interview; TGOTT)
FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA


WEEKLY THEME – Top ten career inside-the-park home run totals.  Thanks go to David Vincent for this data.

Beckley   39      Bio
Burkett     55      Bio
Cobb       47      Bio
Daubert   30      Bio
Hornsby   32
Keeler      30      Bio
Leach      48      Bio
Roush      31      Bio
Speaker   38      Bio
Wagner    47      Bio


First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one

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