MONDAY —07-Feb
Q. Who
was the first major leaguer to earn $10,000,000 in a season?
Hint: #1
He is the only player in major league history to bang out fifty home
runs and fifty doubles in the same season.
Hint: #2
Didn’t care for that baby kangaroo stuff.
A. ALBERT BELLE [SABR Bio]
- Ans. CHW
paid Bell $10m in 1997.
- #1 In
1995, playing for CLE, Belle hit 50 HR and 52 2B, which goes a long way to
explaining his compensation bump 2 years hence.
- #2 Joey, the name Bell had
been known by when he entered the majors, is the proper name for an adolescent kangaroo. Not to be confused with Napoleon LaJoey.
FCR - Fernando
Piñeres, Cartagena, Colombia
Incorrect guesses: Mookie Betts, Ken Griffey, Jr., Babe Ruth,
Mickey Mantle, Joey Votto, Prince Fielder
TUESDAY —08-Feb
Q. Which batter got
the National League’s first ever base hit?
Hint: #1 He had
teammate brothers born in different countries from each other.
Hint: #2 His team
paid his tuition to an Ivy League law school.
Hint: #3 They probably
saw it as a natural fit. His tombstone
contained the following passage: “Words
of great length and thunderous sound simply flowed out of his mouth.”
A. JIM
O’ROURKE [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Playing for the Boston Red
Stockings, O’Rourke’s hit off the Philadelphia
Athletics’ Lon Knight on 22-Apr-1876 is accepted as the
NL’s first ever.
- #1 HOFers Harry Wright (UK) & George Wright (USA) were teammates
of O’Rourke on BSN in ’76.
- #2 The NY Giants paid O’Rourke’s way to attend Yale’s Law School.
- #3 His verbosity was so renown even before law
school that his nickname was “Orator”, a full level above “Doc” which was the
moniker preferred to be given to players who attended university in those days.
FCR - Paul Nielsen, Bowie,
Maryland
Incorrect guesses: George
Wright, Harry Wright, John Montgomery Ward, Ed Delahanty, Al Spalding, Hugh
Jennings, George Hall
TUESDAY TWICE —08-Feb
Q. Who
is the only American League non-knuckleballer to pitch more than 350 innings in
a season in the playoff era?
Hint: #1
Among lefties, only CC Sabathia struck out more American League batters
in his career.
Hint: #2
He struck out his cousin three times in major league games.
A. MICKEY LOLICH [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Since 1969, only Lolich
passed 350 when he was on the mound for 376 innings in the 1971 campaign. Knuckleballer Wilbur Wood did it in each of
the subsequent 2 seasons.
-
#1 Sabathia finished w/2,965 career
AL Ks. Lolich’s total is 2,679, ahead of
Randy Johnson’s 2,545.
-
#2 Ron Lolich, playing for CLE totaled 2 for 6
including a double in the Gs of 05-Jul- & 31-Aug-1973.
FCR - John
Burbridge, Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania
Incorrect guesses: Wilbur Wood, James Shields, Steve Carlton,
Warren Spahn, Vida Blue, Frank Tanana, Randy Johnson, Doc Gooden, Sam McDowell
WEDNESDAY —09-Feb
Q. Since
Sandy Koufax did it in 1966, which Hall of Famer is the only pitcher to finish
his career with a twenty-win season?
Hint: #1
The year he led the league in innings pitched was his last with his original
team in the majors.
Hint: #2
He coaches the high school basketball team in the town where he grew up.
A. MIKE MUSSINA [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. In his 18th and
final MLB campaign, Mussina’s record was 20-9.
He was also an All-Star and won a Gold Glove that year, 2008. It should be
noted that Hank O’Day, Hall of Fame umpire, pitched 7 years in the majors and
ended with his best year 22-13.
-
#1 Pitched 237⅔ innings in 2000
w/BAL then signed w/NYY as a
free agent 07-Dec-2000.
-
#2 Montoursville, Pennsylvania is
his home (though he was born in nearby Williamsport). He had been offered a basketball scholarship
by Vanderbilt University before he decided on baseball.
FCR - Adam
Balutis, Arlington, Virginia
Incorrect guesses: Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Mike Boddicker,
Brandon Webb
MIDWEEK BONUS —09-Feb
Q. Who
was the first player to homer from both sides of the plate in a game in both
leagues?
Hint: #1
He got the lone hit in J.R. Richard's one-hitter.
Hint: #2
He now runs an eponymous academy for strengthening baseball skills.
A. REGGIE SMITH [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. HR from each side of the
plate in 1 G = 4 X for BOS & 2 X for STL.
-
#1 Richard’s 1-H = 19-Apr-1980.
-
#2 The Reggie Smith Academy is in Encino,
California.
FCR - Joe
Haardt, McLean, Virginia
Incorrect guesses: Ken Singleton, Edwin Encarnacion, Bill
Mueller, Denny Doyle, Vince Coleman, Ken Henderson
THURSDAY —10-Jan
Q. Which
All-Star, Silver Slugger outfielder was the first player to win the Most Improved
Player Award twice for his expansion franchise?
Hint: #1
His nickname derives from his exploits as a basketball player.
Hint: #2
He and “Black Sox” scandal ringleader Chick Gandil are alumni of the
same high school.
A. LLOYD MOSEBY [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Won MIPA for TOR in 1983
& 1987
-
#1 “Shaker” Moseby was adept at
shaking off defenders.
-
#2 Both attended Oakland High School in Oakland, California
FCR - Frank
Ittner, Atlanta
Incorrect guesses: Dmitri Young, Andres Galarraga, Jaret Wright
THURSDAY THUSLY —10-Jan
Q. Who
was the first freshman to be the Opening Day starting pitcher for Stanford
University since Mike Mussina did it in 1988?
Hint: #1
He turned twenty-seven today.
Hint: #2
His father led the American League twice in pitching appearances and
twice led the majors in games pitching for a National League team.
A. CAL QUANTRILL [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Started for Stanford U. in 2013.
-
#1 Born 10-Feb-1995.
-
#2 His father, Paul
Quantrill, Led the AL in G w/80 for TOR in 2001 & for NYY w/86 G
in 2004. In 2002 & 2003 he led MLB
for LAD w/86 & 89 respectively.
FCR - Chris
Betsch, New Albany, Indiana
Incorrect guesses: Dansby Swanson, Lee Smith, Lance McCullers,
Jr.
FRIDAY —11-Feb
Q. Who
was the first player to appear in a major league exhibition game as a designated
hitter?
Hint: #1
Harmon Killebrew’s last at-bat for Minnesota was pinch-hitting for this
guy.
Hint: #2
He was in uniform for two World Series-winning teams.
A. LARRY HISLE [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Was a DH in an exhibition
game 06-Mar-1973, a full month
ahead of Ron Blomberg’s famous AB.
-
#1 Killebrew pinch hit for Hisle 02-Oct-1974.
-
#2 Hisle was the hitting coach for TOR in 1992 & 1993.
FCR - Sarah
Grynpas, Toronto
Incorrect guesses: Ron Blomberg, Hal McRae, Tony Oliva, Steve Braun
T.G.I.F. SPECIAL —11-Feb
Q. Who
managed his team to the first World Series Championship in the ninety-seven
years of that franchise’s existence?
Hint: #1
He surrendered Jimmy Piersall’s one hundredth home run.
Hint: #2
He was once fired for mocking his team’s owner.
A. DALLAS GREEN [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Mgr. of PHI in 1980. Team had existed since 1883. They are now 128 years old.
-
#1 Piersall’s 100th = 23-Jun-1963
-
#2 Green, as manager of NYY, once referred to
George Steinbrenner as “Manager George” because of his meddling with the baseball
operations of the team. Steinbrenner
took decisive action and replaced Green with Bucky Dent.
FCR - Elliott
Frankfother, Rock Falls, Illinois
Incorrect guesses: Tom Kelly
SATURDAY —12-Feb
Q. Which
BLTR catcher once caught a major league game when the home plate umpire was his
brother?
Hint: #1
After Jackie Robinson nullified his trade to the Giants from the Dodgers
by retiring, he was the next player SFG traded to LAD.
Hint: #2
He was an All-Star player for two MLB teams.
A. TOM HALLER [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. On 14-Jul-1972, for the first time in
major league history, an umpire officiated a game where his sibling was a
participant, Bill Haller called balls &
strikes w/Tom catching. Nothing
untoward occurred. A version of this had
happened with them once in the minors, years earlier. On 05‑Aug‑1960 in a game between the AAA Spokane Indians and Tacoma Giants in the PCL, Tom came
in as a Giants’ pinch-hitter to Bill’s 1st G at the AAA level. Tom batted L & threw R.
-
#1 On 13-Feb-1968, SFG traded Haller w/minor
leaguer Francis Kasheta to LAD for Ron Hunt & Nate Oliver.
-
#2 Was an NL AS 1966, ‘67 for SFG & in 1968 for LAD.
FCR - Michael
Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware
Incorrect guesses: Hobie Landrith
SATURDAY BONUS —12-Feb
Q. Who was the first
player to win the batting Triple Crown twice in the Puerto Rican Winter League?
Hint: #1 Before
playing for eleven seasons for the Kansas City Monarchs, he served as their bat
boy.
Hint: #2 A nickname
for him that didn’t catch on came from none other than Josh Gibson.
- Ans. PRL TC = 1948 & 1950
- #1 The Monarchs were regularly in & around
Shreveport for spring training when Brown was young
- #2 Gibson referred to him as “Home Run Brown”. (It never caught on with me either!)
FCR - Ethan Aronoff,
L.A.
Incorrect guesses: Buck
O’Neill, Monte Irvin, Cool Papa Bell, Minnie Minoso, Buck Leonard
WEEKEND EXTRA —12-Feb
Q. Which
one-time Phillies utility player was the first Seattle Mariners to switch-hit home
runs in a single game?
Hint: #1
He also was the first Mariner to collect a hit in extra innings.
Hint: #2
Three innings later, he became the first to score a Seattle Mariner run
in extra innings.
A. LARRY MILBOURNE [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Milbourne homered from both
sides of the plate 15-Jul-1978 off RHP Mike Paxton in
the 2nd inning & off LHP Don Hood in the 4th.
-
#1 Had a hit in the 10th
on 13-Apr-1977, the 5th G
of the new franchise’s history.
-
#2 Scored in the 13th.
FCR - Warren
Kent, White Hall, Michigan
Incorrect guesses: Dave Cash, Steve Braun, Rupert Jones, Joe Lis,
Granny Hamner, Juan Bernhard
SUNDAY —13-Feb
Q. Who has appeared
in more Red Sox games than any other pitcher?
Hint: #1 No Red Sox pitcher
ever had a better winning percentage than the one he had the year the team
almost went to the World Series.
Hint: #2 His nickname
was based on an automobile popular at the turn of the twentieth century.
A. BOB STANLEY [SABR Bio]
- Ans. 637 G.
Tim Wakefield is a distant 2nd at 590.
- #1 In 1978 BOS finished 1 G behind Division-winning
NYY. Stanley was 15-2 (.882) on a ream
packed with future Hall of Famers. (Carl
Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, Dennis Eckersley, Carlton Fisk and 3 more who maybe
should be: Luis Tiant, Dwight Evans
& Fred Lynn)
- #2 He was called “Stanley Steamer” which was the
most successful of the steam-operated cars. The company operated from 1896 to 1924.
FCR - Len Levin, Providence
Incorrect guesses: Tim
Wakefield, Mike Torrez, Roger Moret, Roger Clemens, Mel Parnell
WEEK’S FINALE —13-Feb
Q. Which one-time
White Sox righty did the Cardinals acquire to replace Bob Gibson in their
rotation?
Hint: #1 He was
drafted in the third round, twenty-third overall.
Hint: #2 He was the winning
pitcher of the game where Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth on the career home run
list.
- Ans. On 28-May-1975, STL traded Ray Sadecki and
Elias Sosa to ATL for Reed and a player to be named later. ATL sent Wayne Nordhagen to STL to
complete the trade.
- #1 Was drafted by the NBA’s Detroit Pistons in 1965, but chose baseball after 2 NBA years.
- #2 W on 08-Apr-1974.
FCR - Mike Sparks,
Sarasota
Incorrect guesses: Nelson
Briles, Ron Schueler, Al Downing, Lynn McGlothen, Clay Carroll, Joe Hoerner,
Phil Niekro
WEEKLY THEME – The porters,
provenancially. “May I take your bags?”
Player Port City of birth DOB (Career) WAR
Belle.................. Shreveport, Louisiana........................ 25-Aug-1966.......... 40.1
Brown................ Shreveport, Louisiana........................ 26-Jun-1915........... 17.8
Green................. Newport, Delaware............................ 04-Aug-1934............ 2.2
Haller................. Lockport, Illinois................................. 23-Jun-1937........... 29.3
Hisle.................. Portsmouth, Ohio............................... 05-May-1947.......... 25.0
Lolich................ Portland, Oregon............................... 12-Sep-1940.......... 48.0
Milbourne.......... Port Norris, New Jersey..................... 14-Feb-1951........... -0.5
Moseby.............. Portland, Arkansas............................ 05-Nov-1959.......... 27.5
Mussina............. Williamsport, Pennsylvania................ 08-Dec-1968.......... 82.8
Quantrill............ Port Hope, Ontario............................. 010-Feb-1995........... 4.9
O’Rourke........... Bridgeport, Connecticut..................... 01-Sep-1850.......... 52.2
Reed................. La
Porte, Indiana............................... 12-Nov-1942.......... 24.9
Smith................. Shreveport, Louisiana........................ 02-Apr-1945........... 64.6
Stanley.............. Portland, Maine.................................. 10-Nov-1954.......... 23.9
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – Warren Kent, White Hall, Michigan (After Smith)
Incorrect theme
guesses:
Mon - Players
who should have won an MVP but didn’t
- Biggest WAR gap
between first and second place
- Players
who chased trick-or-treaters down the street in his SUV
- Most
home runs in a career by a player who hit a homer in his last at-bat
- Hitters
with at least eight straight seasons of 30 HRs and 100 RBIs
- Players
who finished runner-up in Home Run Derby to a Hall of Famer
Tues - Players
with the same first names as the top home run hitters
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