Sunday, July 1, 2018

2018-06-24 Pittsburgh Pirate MVPs


25-Jun-2018

Q.        What future major leaguer carried Monte Irvin’s bags into the stadium in the Puerto Rican League in order to see the games for free?
Hint:     Many people believe that his (not Irvin’s) strong throwing arm got its greatest development from the fact that he was a champion javelin thrower.
Hint:     He gave more credit, however, to the throwing genes he got from his mother.
Hint:     Jackie Robinson was instrumental in his not coming to the majors with the Dodgers.
Hint:     He played his entire eighteen-year major league career with the same team.
A.         ROBERTO CLEMENTE  [SABR Bio]
-  Clemente’s favorite player was Irvin and he modeled much of his playing style on Irvin’s.
-  Clemente often bragged about his mother’s throwing skills.
-  Robinson was asked by Dodger management to help make a decision on which players to keep and which to risk losing in the minors.  (See bio.)
-  Played with PIT 1955-72.
FCR -  Naftali Greenwood, Kiryat, Arba, ISRAEL
Incorrect guesses:  Don Newcombe, Bob Gibson, Larry Doby, Willie Mays

TUESDAY

Q.        What future former Yankee Hall of Famer, who twice led the majors in hits and won three batting titles, got his nickname from a mispronunciation by a rival fan base?
Hint:     Based on how he performed against their team, the mispronunciation was not entirely inaccurate.
Hint:     He and his Hall of Fame brother were born outside the United States, but grew up in the U.S. without moving.
Hint:     He owns his 130 plus-year-old franchise’s record for career doubles.
A.         PAUL WANER  [SABR Bio]
-  When he was with PIT, he was called the Big Person (“poysson” morphed into “poison”) by Brooklyn fans apparently to distinguish him from his younger brother, obviously the Little Person (“Poison”).  Ironically, Lloyd was taller 5’9” to 5’8”.  Led MLB in H w/237 in 1927 & 217 in 1934.  Led the NL in batting 1927, 34 & 36 w/.380, .362 & .373 respectively.  Ended his career with NYY 1944-45.
-  Both born before in Harrah, Oklahoma Territory on 16-Apr-1903 and 16‑Mar‑1906.  Statehood came on 16-Nov-1907.
-  Hit 558 doubles as a Pirate.  Honus Wagner had 551.
FCR -  Cappy Gagnon, South Bend
Incorrect guesses:  Derek Jeter

WEDNESDAY
Q.        What standout slugger of American Indian ancestry homered in the debut game of three different major league stadiums?
Hint:     Although not thought of as a bigamist, he had two separate families he cared for.
Hint:     He was a star whose additional star production surpassed that of the Milky Way.
Hint:     He leads his franchise in career bases-on-balls, almost a fourth of which were intentional.
A.         WILLIE STARGELL  [SABR Bio]
-  HR 17-Apr-1964 @ Shea Stadium; 12-Apr-1966 @ Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium; then 16-Jul-1970 @ Three Rivers Stadium.  Born in Oklahoma on 06-Mar-1940, of African-American and Seminole Indian descent.
-  His teammate Pirates were famously one family and he was the patriarch of a close, loving family.
-  First, “star” is part of his name.  Second, he was a star of the first water.  Third, he distributed stars to teammates for outstanding performances.  They proudly wore the stars on their pillbox caps.  Astronomers believe that the Milky Way galaxy produces about 3 new stars every year.
-  937 BB; 227 IBB = 24%
FCR -  Scott Matteson, Shawnee, Kansas
Incorrect guesses:  Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Ralph Kiner, Rudy York, Hack Wilson

THURSDAY
Q.        Who is tied with Hank Aaron, Harmon Killebrew and Alex Rodriguez for the second-most 40-home-run seasons?
Hint:     He is also tied for second for the most seasons with 30 home runs.
Hint:     Believe it or not, he holds down second place for number of seasons with 20.
Hint:     In his 20+ year career, only once did he strike out 100 times in a season—and that was as a rookie.
A.         BARRY BONDS  [SABR Bio]
-  Those 4 guys each did it 8 times.  Ruth did it 11 times.
-  Tied with A-Rod w/14.  Aaron had 15.
-  102 K in 1986 w/PIT
FCR -  Andrew Distler, New York City
Incorrect guesses:  Ralph Kiner, Jim Thome, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Jimmie Foxx, Mike Schmidt, Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey, Jr.

FRIDAY
Q.        Who was the last National League MVP before expansion to win the award with fewer than 60 RBI?
Hint:     The year he won the MVP in his league, four additional teammates finished in the top 12 of the voting.
Hint:     He was the first player at his college to have his uniform number retired.
A.         DICK GROAT  [SABR Bio]
-  NL MVP in 1960 w/50 RBI; NL expansion began in 1962
-  In the 1960 NL MVP voting were 2nd Don Hoak, 6th Vern Law, 7th Roberto Clemente & 12th Roy Face.
-  As a Duke Blue Devil basketball player, he was twice named Player of the Year and on 01-May-1952, Duke retired his basketball jersey #10.
FCR -  Mike Sparks, Sarasota
Incorrect guesses:  Ozzie Smith, Maury Wills, Kirk Gibson, Marty Marion, Don Newcombe, Sandy Koufax

SATURDAY
Q.        Who is the last Pittsburgh Pirate to lead the league in base hits?
Hint:     He’s also the last to lead the majors in on-base percentage.
Hint:     His road home runs outnumber his home homers by over 20%.
Hint:     He proposed to his wife on national television.
Hint:     He has arguably the most infectious smile in the majors.
A.         ANDREW McCUTCHEN
-  194 H in 2012
-  .410 OBP in 2014
-  116 road HRs/94 @ home
-  She said yes.
FCR -  Mark Hayne, Dumfries, Virginia
Incorrect guesses:  Matty Alou, Freddy Sanchez, Dave Cash, Ralph Kiner, Barry Bonds, Al Oliver, Willie Stargell

SUNDAY
Q.        What future Blue Jay worked as a vendor at Crosley Field?
Hint:     He once boasted an OPS of almost .980, yet it was the season before when he had his career high in hits.
Hint:     Although only drafted in the 14th round, his career included an MVP, an All-Star Game MVP, multiple Gold Gloves, multiple Silver Sluggers, twice leading the league in batting, thrice stealing double-digits triples and two seasons as a major league coach.
Hint:     It’s an easy claim to say he was the greatest player ever from his native state.
A.         DAVE PARKER  [SABR Bio]
-  Played for AL East division champ TOR in 1991, his last team in the majors.
-  Taken at #332 in the 1970 June Draft.
-  Born in Grenada, Mississippi.
FCR -  R.D. Lerner, Silver Spring, Maryland
Incorrect guesses:   George Bell



WEEKLY THEME – Pittsburgh Pirates who were voted National League Most Valuable Player.

Name             MPV Yr
Bonds............. 1990, 1992
Clemente........ 1966
Groat.............. 1960
Parker............ 1978
Stargell........... 1979
Waner............ 1927

First Correct Respondent to Identify ThemeDave Mason, Ottawa (After Bonds)


Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday -  Number retired by the Pirates
               -  Pirate batting champions
               -  Pittsburgh Pirates players who won the National League batting title

Thursday-  Top 7 in WAR for the Pirates
-   Hall of Famers that played their entire career for the same team and have statues outside their ballparks
-   Members of the Pirates Hall of Fame and Cooperstown Hall of Fame
-   Pirates career WAR leaders
-   WAR for position players
-        Pirates who have had their number retired by a MLB team as of August 11th this year (and have been league MVPs)

Friday  -  Pirates who did stuff
-                 Pirates who won batting titles



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