Sunday, May 12, 2019

2019-05-06 Select Hall of Famers who finished their careers in the same city where they started, but with another team


Q.        What Maryland native was known as “The Beast”?
Hint:     He was traded from a perennial winner to a team that would never win during his career.
Hint:     He won two MVPs for his first team and one for the second.
A.         JIMMIE FOXX  [SABR Bio]
-  B. 22-Oct-1908, Sudlersville, Maryland
-  Went to the World Series w/PHA in 1929, 1930 & 1931.  The next pennant for BOS was the year after he retired, 1946.
-  MVP in 1932, 1933 & 1938, the first one unanimously.
FCR -  Thomas Howell, Reno
Incorrect guesses: 

TUESDAY
Q.        Whom does Bill James deem the best catcher of all time?
Hint:     Only he (not Mr. James) and Mike Trout have finished in the top four in league MVP voting for seven consecutive seasons.
Hint:     In his first professional postseason action, his team was beat by a team starring Jackie Robinson.
A.         YOGI BERRA  [SABR Bio]

-  James so stated 04-May-2019 in a public interview at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
-  MVP top 4 1950-1956, winning in 1951, 54 & 55; finished 2nd in 1953 & 56; finished 3rd in 1950; and 4th in 1952.  He received AL MVP votes every season from 1947 through 1962, i.e., 17 straight years!
   -  In 1946, Berra’s Newark Bears lost to Robinson’s Montreal Royals.  Click here for an excellent article about the series.
FCR -  Steve Newton, Newcastle, Delaware
Incorrect guesses:  Josh Gibson, Roy Campanella, Jim Sundberg

WEDNESDAY
Q.        Whose all-time record of career RBI-per-game leads the field?
Hint:     SABR estimates that it “…probably will never be broken.”
Hint:     He played for teams in both the American League and National League in the same city.
Hint:     He played with or for eleven Hall of Famers.
Hint:     He was born before the war.
A.         SAM THOMPSON  [SABR Bio]
-  He racked up .923 RBI over the 1,410 G of his 15-season MLB career.
-  Played for the NL’s Detroit Wolverines from 1885-1888 and for the AL’s Detroit Tigers in 1906.
-  Was a teammate of Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, Ned Hanlon, Ed Delahanty, Tim Keefe, Roger Connor, Billy Hamilton, Nap Lajoie, Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford and was managed by Harry Wright.
-  B. 05-Mar-1860.  The Civil War began in 1861.
FCR -  Sarah Grynpas, Toronto
Incorrect guesses:  Babe Ruth, Johnny Mize, Hank Aaron, Hank Greenberg, Hack Wilson, Jimmie Foxx, Yogi Berra, Eddie Murray, Jim Bottomley, Willie Mays

THURSDAY
Q.        What one-time Cubs coach was the first player to hit a natural cycle, culminating with a grand slam?
Hint:     He broke Babe Ruth’s home run record.
Hint:     He grew up in Cow Hollow, loved boxing and dreamt of becoming a prize fighter.
A.         TONY LAZZERI  [SABR Bio]
-  Cycle 03-Jun-1932.  Three Hall of Fame teammates homered in that game as did two Hall of Famers on the opposing team.  HRs that day by Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Earle Combs on NYY as well as Mickey Cochrane and Jimmie Foxx on PHA.  He coached CHC in 1938.
-  When he hit 60 home runs in the Pacific Coast League in 1925, he bested the 59 that Ruth had hit in 1921 for the record home runs by a professional baseball player in a single season.
-  Cow Hollow was a rough San Francisco neighborhood in the early 20th century.  It has significantly gentrified since then.
FCR -  Nels Johnston. St. Thomas, Ontario
Incorrect guesses:  Cy Williams, Bill Collins, Jack Williams, Roger Maris

FRIDAY
Q.        Who was the first player to rack up, in one season, 157 singles, 48 doubles, 9 triples but 0 home runs?
Hint:     He didn’t lead his league in triples or singles that year but led the majors in hits.
Hint:     He once cost himself weeks on the DL during a season after wounding himself in fisticuffs with a Hall of Fame teammate.
Hint:     His team won their franchise’s first pennant their first year without him.
A.         NAPOLEON LAJOIE  [SABR Bio]
-  Had 214 hits in 1906, mais pas un seul coup de circuit !
-  Sparred with Phillies teammate Elmer Flick in 1900.  He spent 5 weeks out of action.
-  Philadelphia A’s released him 21-Apr-1902, two days before Opening Day.  He signed on with Cleveland (AL) 31-May-1902.  PHA then won the AL’s second ever pennant, 14 games ahead of 5th place CLE.
FCR -  Nels Johnston, St. Thomas, Ontario
Incorrect guesses:  Ichiro Suzuki, Lloyd Waner, Tommy Leach

SATURDAY
Q.        Who is the only player to hit 40 doubles, 20 triples and 30 home runs in a single season?
Hint:     He reached the doubles total in two other seasons as well but could never duplicate his highs in triples nor homers.
Hint:     For six seasons did he receive MVP vote, but only once did he land in the Top 5.
Hint:     He had a fascination with astrology that some found quirky.
A.         JIM BOTTOMLEY  [SABR Bio]
-  In 1925, in addition to his 42 doubles, Bottomley led the NL with 20 3b, 31 HR, 136 RBI and 362 total bases.  It was not enough to win him the, but he did so 3 years later NL MVP.
-  His 40 2b in 1926 led the NL.  His 44 in 1925 led the majors.
-  Also received MVP votes in 1924, 25, 27, 31 and 32.
FCR -  Larry Hayes, San Francisco
Incorrect guesses:  Jimmy Rollins, Chuck Klein, Charlie Gehringer, Curtis Granderson, Jimmy Piersall, Willie Mays, Jeff Heath, Kiki Cuyler

SUNDAY
Q.        Who has the 2nd all-time in career WAR on a franchise that debuted with the National League in 1876?
Hint:     His team won a double header sweep against the eventual World Series champs in his first two games in the majors, halting a nine-game losing streak.  His contribution was significant, overcoming early jitters.
Hint:     He was a regular speaker with civic groups during and following his playing career.
A.         RON SANTO  [SABR Bio]
-  Career WAR of 72.1 trails only that of Cap Anson (84.7)
-  Suffered diabetes and often gave talks on its prevention and management.
FCR -  David Gordon, Chevy Chase, Maryland
Incorrect guesses:  Walter Johnson, Al Simmons, Albert Spalding, Cap Anson

WEEK’S FINALE
Q.        Who is the only member of the 40–400 club?
Hint:     In the spring of 1962, he uttered one of his lesser-known quotes is, “I’ve posed with some real major leaguers, not bush leaguers like he is (Roger Maris). He couldn’t carry my bat. He didn’t hit in two years what I hit in one."
Hint:     His nickname made him sound like an Indian chief.
A.         ROGERS HORNSBY  [SABR Bio]
-  In 1922 w/STL, he hit .401 and had 42 HRs.
-  Quote source: NY Mets Spring Training Press Conference (22-Mar-1962)
-  “Rajah” is an Indian king or prince and a title extended to petty dignitaries and nobles in India during the British Raj.
FCR -  Sarah Grynpas, Toronto
Incorrect guesses:  Yogi Berra, Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx


WEEKLY THEME – Select Hall of Fame players who began their career in one city and ended it in the same city by with a different team in a different league.  Thanks to Jeffrey Yeo of Antelope, California for this suggestion.  (We’ve purposely excluded Ruth and Aaron even though they qualify here because of the imminent danger of possible baseball trivia over-exposure.  Even Willie Mays might qualify, but both his stints were in the Senior Circuit.)

Player               Debut Team                     Final Team                          HOF
Berra................ 1946 NY Yankees............ 1965 NY Mets......................... 1972
Bottomley........ 1922 St. L Cardinals........ 1937 St. L Browns.................... 1974
Foxx................. 1925 Phila A’s................. 1945 Phila Phillies (Blue Jays)1951
Hornsby......... 1915 St. L Cardinals...... 1937 St. L Browns............. 1942
Lajoie............... 1896 Phila Phillies........... 1916 Phila A’s......................... 1937
Lazzeri............. 1926 NY Yankees............ 1939 NY Giants....................... 1991
Santo............... 1960 Chi Cubs................. 1974 Chi White Sox................. 2012
Thompson........ 1885 Det Wolverines....... 1906 Det Tigers.........................1974

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Patrick Ray, Paradise Valley, Arizona (after Thompson)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday -  Three-time MVPs
               -  Back-to-back MVP winners
               -  Top MVP vote-getters by decade
               -  Leading hitters of the 1950s

Wed        -  Leading hitters of the 1950s












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