Sunday, February 2, 2014

January 27-February 2, 2014 Gold Glove Goldpanners

MONDAY
Q.         Who won the BBWAA Most Valuable Player Award while playing for two different National League teams?
Hint:     He is the only player in major league history with more than 170 bases-on-balls in a season.
Hint:     He is also the only player to have a single season with a ratio of fewer than seven at-bats per home run.
Twint:    His father, god-father and grandfather all played for the Giants before he did.
Twint:    OK, just kidding about the grandfather, but his Hall of Fame cousin did play in the majors.
A.         Barry Bonds (BBWAA MVPs began in 1931, MVP PIT 1990, 92/SFG 1993, 2001-04; 177 BB in 2001, 198 in 2002, 232 BB in 2004; 6.52 AB/HR 2001; Father Bobby Bonds, God-father Willie Mays, Cousin: Reggie Jackson)
FCR -    Joseph Dell, Indiana, PA
Incorrect answers:  Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire

MONDAY MORE
Q.         Which Hall of Fame player was born on the day of the "Shot Heard ‘Round the World"?
Hint:     He was the first team captain in the history of the San Diego Padres.
Hint:     He is the only Yankee player to wear #31 and make the All-Star Game while a Yankee.
Twint:    As a college student, he was convicted of felony theft of two snowblowers, and sentenced to three years in the St. Cloud Penitentiary.
A.         Dave Winfield (Born 03-Oct-1951; Team Captain SDP; List of #31 NYY; the sentence was suspended, and later expunged based on his “public service and good works”)
FCR -    Neil Cohen, Brooklyn, NY
Incorrect answers:  Steve Garvey, Graig Nettles, Rickey Henderson

MONDAY MUCH MORE
Q.         Who is the Texas Ranger’s career leader in runs scored, hits, singles, doubles, triples, total bases, sacrifice flies, games played, at bats and plate appearances?
Hint:     He also leads in strikeouts and double plays grounded into.
Hint:     He was moved to short stop from second base to make room for Alfonso Soriano when the Rangers traded Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees.
Twint:    After winning a Gold Glove at short, he was moved the next year to third to make room for Elvis Andrus.
A.         Michael Young (TEX batting leaders; Infield move history)
FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX
Incorrect answers:  Rusty Greer, Ian Kinsler, Julio Franco, Toby Harrah, Craig Biggio

TUESDAY
Q.         Who was the first Yankee to lead his league in homers since Roger Maris did it with 61?
Hint:     As a Twin, he couldn’t dislodge Harmon Killebrew from third base, but after being traded to Cleveland, played third base for the next 19 years.
Hint:     Billy Martin was his manager in the Pacific Coast League, and with two of his first three major league teams.
Twint:    He once said: "When I was a little boy, I wanted to be a baseball player and join the circus. With the Yankees I have accomplished both." 
A.         Graig Nettles (32 HR 1976; Played OF for MIN; Martin managed him 1968 Denver Bears of the PCL, 1969 Twins and Yankees 1975-79, 83)
FCR -    Nick Batselos, Bethesda, MD
Incorrect answers: Greg Nettles, Craig Nettles, Toby Harrah, Thurman Munson, Clete Boyer, Reggie Jackson, Mike Pagliarulo, Alex Rodriguez, Don Mattingly, Michael Young, Rocky Colavito

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Whose record of 2,225 career games at catcher was broken by Carlton Fisk?
Hint:     He caught Mike Witt’s perfect game.
Hint:     He played more years in the majors than any other player who attended Stanford.
Twint:    While there, he won the team’s Most Valuable Player award, the Come Through Award (twice) and the Bruce R. Cameron Memorial Award.
A.         Bob Boone (Later broken by the other "Pudge", I-Rod with 2,427 GP; Perfecto 30‑Sep‑1984; 19 y in the Bigs, Mussina spent 18; List of Stanford baseball award winners.
FCR -    Frank Workman, Lake Forest Park, WA
Incorrect answers: Jim Sundberg, Johnny Bench, Mike Scioscia, Ivan Rodriguez, Yogi Berra

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         Which Los Angeles Dodger was instrumental in helping eliminate the reserve clause?
Hint:     In order to fight the clause, he played two years without a signed contract.
Hint:     During the first year he led the league in wins and WHIP, and the next year in complete games, shutouts, and hits/9 innings pitched.
Twint:    Ted Turner wanted him to wear the name "Channel".
A.         Andy Messersmith (Sietz Decision led to terms that defined free agency; STATS 1974 -20W/WHIP 1.098, 1975 – 19CG, 7SO, 6.8 H/9; Andy’s number was 17, which was also the number of Ted Turner’s channel that carried the Brave’s games.
FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX
Incorrect answers:  Mike Marshall, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Curt Flood, Claude Osteen

THURSDAY
Q.         Who is the only second baseman to take a season crown in the American League for runs batted in during the post-dead ball era?
Hint:     Only Rogers Hornsby had more RBIs by a second baseman in a single season.
Hint:     He once finished third to teammate Ichiro Suzuki in MVP balloting.
Twint:    He is the first ever third-generation big-leaguer.
A.         Bret Boone (141 RBI 2001 at least 50% games at 2B, Del Pratt 103 RBI 1916; Hornsby 152/1922, 149/1929, and 143/1925; 2001 MVP voting; 1992 debut, son of Bob Boone, grandson of Ray Boone)
FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX
Incorrect answers:  Alfonzo Soriano, Bob Meusel, Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Baerga, Richie Sexson, Robinson Cano, Nap Lajoie, Joe Gordon

THUR-THIR BONUS
Q.         Who was the first Seattle Mariner to lead his league in stolen bases?
Hint:     He is the only Mariner ever to lead his league in triples.
Hint:     He won three consecutive Gold Gloves at second base despite leading the league in errors for his position each year he won the award.
Twint:    This prompted him to say he was shocked to win the award and he asked "What am I supposed to do?  Give it back? "
A.         Harold Reynolds (1987, 60SB; 1988 11 3B tied with Robin Yount and Willie Wilson; GG 1988-90, led E 1987-90; quote BR bullpen)
FCR -    Rich Klein, Plano, TX
Incorrect answers:  Jose Cruz, Ichiro Suzuki, Julio Cruz

FRIDAY
Q.         Who was the first American League catcher to have 100 assists in a season since WWII?
Hint:     His attempted sacrifice bunt in the World Series resulted in the only out in the inning where Umpire Don Denkinger badly blew a call.
Hint:     He scored the come-from-behind winning run of that series-tying game by artfully avoiding a tag at home plate.
Twint:    He was once traded to the Brewers for a player who would later manage the Brewers from 2003 until mid September of the 2008 season.
A.         Jim Sundberg (Assist leaders 1975 101 A, Mike Tresh 1945 had102 A; WS Game 6 26‑Oct‑S1985, "The Call"; play-by-play; Traded for Ned Yost 08-Dec-1983)
FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX
Incorrect answers:  Yogi Berra, Darrell Porter, Dan Wilson, John Wathan, Frank White, Tony Pena, Don Slaught, Carlton Fisk, Bob Boone

SATURDAY
Q.         Which rookie pitched two complete postseason games giving up only one unearned run in his only two starts?
Hint:     He was named ALCS MVP that year.
Hint:     That same season, he got his chance to become a regular in his team’s starting rotation when a Hall of Famer went on the disabled list and another starter injured his knee.
Hint:     He finished that season 16-8, and then went on the following season to lead the league with twenty wins.
Twint:    Known for his command of "junk" pitches, he threw a "foshball".
Twint:    He once told kids at a baseball clinic about going to hear Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk speak in 1976: "OK, I'm a kid just out of high school.  After the program was over with, I went over to Carlton Fisk and I said to him, I said, 'Mr. Fisk, could I please have your autograph?'  And he said, 'Yeah, sure kid,' and he signed it.  And I said, 'Someday I hope to be able to pitch against you in the big leagues.'  Carlton Fisk looked at me and he said, 'Yeah, right, kid.'  And that hurt me.  He didn't believe I could do it.  So, I got to pitch against Carlton Fisk.  Carlton Fisk, I think, has one hit, lifetime, off of me. I betcha I've struck him out 25 to 30 times."
A.         Mike Boddicker (1983 ALCS MVP; Called up to the Orioles to replace Jim Palmer, and injury to Mike Flanagan in the first inning 17-May-1983 opened the spot; He is credited with throwing the first "Foshball" - a cross between a split-fingered pitch and a change up; Quoted in The Des Moines Register 10‑Aug‑1994, Boddicker K’d Fisk 13 times, behind Ryan (24), Palmer (21), Perry (16), Clemens (14) and Morris (14).  Fisk batted .125 against Mike with 5 H in 40 AB, the lowest BA versus any pitcher he faced 40 times.)
FCR -    Chaunce Venuto, Tooele, UT
Incorrect answers:  Ralph Terry, Ron Guidry, David Cone, Jaret Wright, Orel Hershiser

WEEKEND BONUS
Q.         Who was honored with the second ever USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award?
Hint:     Bill James called him a poor man’s Brooks Robinson.
Hint:     He was the first player in his franchise’s history to hit a homer in his first official major league at bat.
Twint:    He was also the first player to do this who also played for California State University, Fullerton.
Twint:    In 1979, he helped lead the Titans to their first Division I title.
A.         Tim Wallach (GSA [He walked in his first PA.]; HR 06-Sept-1980; Bill James from 2001 The new Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract; CSUF; NCAA baseball champs)
FCR-     Micki Maynard, Phoenix, AZ
Incorrect answers:  Phil Nevin, Robin Ventura, Bob Horner, Manny Machado, Clete Boyer, Evan Longoria Graig Nettles, Ron Santo

SUNDAY
Q.         Who broke the team record for outfield assists in a season, a record held by Willie Mays at the time?
Hint:     It was his only season with the team.
Hint:     His 11th inning dropped ball in Game 3 of the NLDS that year helped propel the Marlins to the series victory.
Twint:    His nickname is "Cheito" because his father, also a major leaguer, is "Cheo".
A.         Jose Cruz, Jr. (San Francisco Giants, 18 A in 2003, Mays had 17 in 1959 w/SFG and holds the franchise record at 23 w/NYG in 1955; 03-Oct-2003, but note the Giants left 18 men on base and were 2 for 16 RISP; Cheo is his father Jose Cruz and Cheito is "little Cheo")
FCR -    John Michael Pierobon, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Incorrect answers:  Moises Alou, Alex Gonzales, Kevin Mitchell, Marquis Grissom, Chris Brown


WEEKLY THEME – Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks players who won a Gold Glove in the majors.

Panner             GP Yr         GG pos   GG yrs
Boddicker*        1977                P        1990
Bonds              1983               OF       1990-1994 & 1996-1998
Bo. Boone*       1966, 67, 68     C        1978-9, 82, 86-89
Br. Boone*        1988               2B       1998, 2002-04
Cruz                  1993               OF       2003
Messersmith     1965                P        1974-75
Nettles*             1964, 65          3B       1977-78
Reynolds*         1980               2B       1988-90
Sundberg*        1971                C        1976-81
Wallach             1978               3B       1985, 88, 90
Winfield*           1971, 72         OF       1979-80, 82-85, 87
Young*             1996               SS       2008

*Au-AL-Au

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – John Michael Pierobon, Fort Lauderdale, FL (after the Nettles Q.)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday
               -  Folks who led their leagues in HRs, walks and strikeouts
               -  Arizona State players who either started in MLB all-star games, or won significant awards (MVP; Cy Young; rookie of the year; play-off MVP).
               -  Athletes who played 3 sports in college
               -  People who won three consecutive Gold Gloves and three consecutive Silver Slugger Awards in the same years
               -  Draftees in several sports
               -  Members of the Alaska Goldpanners
               -  Players who won a NCAA baseball championship and an Alaskan Summer Baseball League championship
               -  All-Star Game MVPs
               -  Played on championship teams for the Goldpanners
               -  All-Stars who played for the Goldpanners
               -  All won the Alaska Summer League Championships in the Alaska Goldpanners

Tuesday   -  Players who switched infield positions in their career
               -  MLB players who played other sports in college
               -  MLB players also drafted in sports other than baseball
               -  Players who won HR titles and gold gloves
               -  Players in the Hudson Valley Collegiate Baseball League

Wednesday
               -  Players who went straight to MLB after being drafted


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




No comments:

Post a Comment