Q. Who was the
first Hall of Famer to homer in his final career at-bat?
Hint: His nickname
is one that typically represents a certain ethnic heritage. In his case, it’s a bit misleading.
Hint: A Bump ended
his playing career.
Hint: He ran a
dude ranch in Montana following his baseball days.
- On 25-May-1937,
in a game in Yankee Stadium, Cochrane hit the 119th HR of his career
in the 3rd inning off starter Bump Hadley to tie the game at 1-1. It was, however, his last at-bat because when
he came up in the 5th, Hadley’s pitch hit him in the head. He went down and was in a coma for 10
days. HBP is, of course, only a plate
appearance. Cochrane never played again.
- Mickey was the
nickname given to many Irish players, but Gordon Stanley Cochrane had Scottish
ancestors.
- His ranch was
outside Billings and much of his family followed him west. There is still a car dealership there named
after his brother: Archie Cochrane Ford.
FCR - Sam Bogen,
Manhattan Beach, California
Incorrect guesses: Earl
Averill, Ted Williams, Hoyt Wilhelm, Harmon Killebrew, Babe Ruth
TUESDAY
Q. Which
short-term Expo caught Bill Stoneman's no-hitter at the end of the 1972 season?
Hint: The Memphis
Chicks' home field was re-named for him.
Hint: He is the
only catcher to steal home in a World Series game.
- Tim McCarver Stadium 1978-97. The Memphis Blues (1968-76) and Memphis Redbirds (1998-99) also played
there
FCR - Jerry Mora, Prescott, Arizona
Incorrect guesses: Ron Fairly, John Boccabella, Gary Carter
WEDNESDAY
Q. What major league starter, just off his
team’s World Series championship, won the world pocket billiard championship?
Hint: He chose to leave baseball to pursue a
career in the world of pool.
Hint: In his first, full major league season, he
led his National League team in doubles and RBI.
Hint: In just his second major league game, he knocked
out an opposing player in a collision at the plate.
Hint: Successful in business after leaving
baseball, he purchased a baseball team managed by Tris Speaker.
- He left CHC and the city of Chicago on a high
with big plans in billiards, but had signed a contract that allowed him to
return to the Cubs, which he did in 1909.
- Pitcher Win Mercer collided with Kling on 12-Sep-1900
FCR - Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Incorrect
guesses: Denny McLain
THURSDAY
Q. Whose National League record for career
games played at catcher was broken by Al Lopez?
Hint: He’s is the only catcher in modern major
league history with seasons of more than 10 triples in two separate seasons.
Hint: He went 4-for-4 against future Hall of
Famer Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown in Brown’s last game in the majors.
Hint: Only Red Dooin has more career errors by a
catcher in the modern era (1901- ).
- His 17 seasons were all in the NL; 1,233 of
his 1,533 G were played @ C. NOTE: Further research confirms that Wingo never
held the record and it was Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett’s 1,793 NL G @ C that Lopez passed in 1945.
- 11 3b in each of 1916 & 1917
- Brown’s last game 04-Sep-1916. Brown went the distance and
took the loss. Christy Mathewson was the winning
pitcher for CIN.
FCR - Rick Tharp, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Incorrect
guesses: Sparky Adams, Clint Courtney,
Bob O’Farrell, Roger Bresnahan, Gabby Hartnett, Ray Schalk, Roy Campanella,
Chief Myers, Bob Boone, Gus Mancuso
FRIDAY
Q. Although he didn’t qualify for the
batting title, who batted over .400 for the Senators the last time they were in
the World Series?
Hint: When he was finally allowed to play a full
season, he hit a respectable .304.
Hint: He was born in a small North Carolina town
8 days after a famous Hall of Famer was born in the same place.
Hint: He traded catching duties with baseball’s
most notorious spy.
- Hit .304 in 110 G in 1935. Also slugged .427 that season.
FCR - Steve Murfin, Olney, Maryland
Incorrect
guesses: Muddy Ruel, Luke Sewell, Moe
Berg, Ric Ferrell, Bill Dickey, Bennie Tate
SATURDAY
Q. Which catcher, in his only pitching
appearance in the majors, relieved Walter Johnson, allowing 2 inherited runners
to score, raising Johnson's season ERA from 1.09 to 1.14?
Hint: Once, in the 9th inning of an
11-2 loss, stole 2B, 3B and home on a Hall of Famer pitcher.
Hint: He acted as the referee in a fight between
Ty Cobb and Buck Herzog.
Hint: He was born in tsarist Russia.
- The source for this story is
baseballlibrary.com, but baseball-reference’s box score for this game 26-Jun-1913, only credits Ainsmith
with a hit and a run. Maybe his
accomplishments have been downgraded to defensive indifference?
- B. 04-Feb-1890
FCR - Chaunce Venuto, Tooele, Utah
Incorrect
guesses: Al Schacht, Muddy Ruel, Gabby Street, Ozzie Bluege,
Germany Schaeffer, Benito Santiago, Darin Erstad,
SUNDAY
Q. Who is the only 20th century
rookie catcher to hit 10 triples in a season?
Hint: Although regularly in the top 10 in
offensive categories in the majors, the only time he led the league was the
year he had 11 pinch hits.
Hint: In one of his best seasons, he led the
Angels in batting average.
Hint: A native Nebraskan, he spent most of his
life in California.
- 10 3b in 1909.
Only had 75 H overall that season in 287 ABs.
- 11 PH in 1912.
- Played for the Los Angeles Angels of the
Pacific Coast League in 1917.
- Born in Omaha, he passed away at age 66 in
what is now charred wine country.
FCR - Daniel Wilson, St. Paul
Incorrect
guesses: Brian Downing, Mike Scioscia, Yogi Berra, Bobo Boone,
Buck Rodgers, Gene Tenace, Lance Parrish, Darrell Porter
WEEKLY THEME – Catchers
who hit more than 10 triples in a season
Ainsmith........ 12........ 1919
Bolton........... 11........ 1935
Cochrane...... 12........ 1928
Easterly......... 12........ 1914
Kling.............. 13........ 1903
McCarver...... 13........ 1966
Wingo........... 11........ 1916
".............. 11........ 1917
First
Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Chaunce
Venuto, Tooele, Utah
Incorrect theme
guesses:
Wed - Catchers
who played in the World Series
Thur - Catchers
who caught 300 game winners.
- Each
C debuted in Brooklyn
Fri - Catchers
who hit 10+ triples in a season
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