2023-08-14 Pitchers who hit home runs in World Series their team won.

14-Aug-2023

 

MONDAY  — 14-Aug

Q.  Which one-time Bluejay was the first pitcher to win the National League Cy Young Award by unanimous vote?

Hint: #1  In nine of his seventeen seasons pitching in the majors, he struck out batters at least 200 times in each of them.

Hint: #2  He was the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Three Rivers Stadium.

A.  BOB GIBSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Attended Creighton University (Bluejays) in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.  CYA in 1968.  He won again in 1970 &. missed repeating a unanimously by a single vote.

-  #1  Had 200+ K: 1962-66; 1968-70; 1972.  All 3 of Sandy Koufax' Cy Young Awards were won unanimously, but they were all MLB, not NL.

-  #2  No-hitter 14-Aug-1971.

FCR -  David Bodemer, Talmadge, Ohio

Incorrect guesses:  Steve Carlton, Sandy Koufax, Roy Halladay, John Candelaria, Dave Stieb, Curt Schilling, Roger Clemens, Tom Seaver

 

TUESDAY  — 15-Aug

Q.  Who holds the record for hitting the most career doubles among pitchers?

Hint: #1  He was the star of the team that ended the Yankees’ string of straight World Series championship wins at four.

Hint: #2  He played professional basketball in Philadelphia.

A.  BUCKY WALTERS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  He hit 99 career doubles.  It turns out, however, that 34 of Walters’ doubles were hit while he was playing 3B & another 2 when pinch-hitting.  Red Ruffing is the career leader for doubles while pitching.  Ruffing hit 87 as a P, 7 as a PH and 1 as a RF.

-  #1  NYY won WS in 1936, 1937, 1938 & 1939, but the 1940 crown went to CIN who defeated DET* in 7 G.  Walter’s contribution on that team was significant.  The reigning NL MVP, he led his team in WAR, pitching victories, tied for the lead in Ks.  He led the  NL in wins, ERA, WHIP, innings pitched & finished 3^rd in MVP voting.

-  #2  Basketball career with the Philadelphia Moose, et al.

FCR -  Kyle Sammin, Cheltenham, Pennsylvania

*It could be argued that DET really ended the NYY WS string in 1940 by winning the AL pennant.

Incorrect guesses:  Johnny Vander Meer, Schoolboy Rowe, Hal Newhouser, Don Newcombe, Mort Cooper, Gene Conley, Carl Hubbell

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 16-Aug

Q.  Whose records for most career strikeouts by an American League lefty did CC Sabathia break?

Hint: #1  According to the late David Vincent, he was the first person in his franchise’s history to homer in his first World Series at‑bat.

Hint: #2  His team’s spring training workouts often involved badminton racquets.

A.  MICKEY LOLICH  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Lolich’s AL Ks totaled 2,679.  Fellow lefty Sabathia passed him in 2016, finishing with 2,965 AL career K.

-  #1  Lolich’s HR on 03-Oct-1968, in the 2^nd G of the WS, was the only one in his 16-year MLB career.  David Vincent was a tireless researcher and gave this gem to me personally at a SABR meeting in Arlington, Virginia.

-  #2  Detroit Tigers playing badminton during spring training, Tampa, FL, 19-Mar-1969.  Photo by Walter Iooss Jr.-Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

FCR -  John Rickert Terre Haute, Indiana

Incorrect guesses:  Eddie Plank, Lefty Grove, Nolan Ryan, Rube Wadell, Randy Johnson, Lefty Gomez

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  — 16-Aug

Q.  Who was the first pitcher to hit a home run and pitch a shutout in the same World Series game?

Hint: #1  He was portrayed in a popular baseball movie by someone who is also in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Hint: #2  In spite of nineteen solid seasons, he only received MVP consideration the year he led the majors in shutouts.

A.  JESSE HAINES  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  HR + Shutout:  1926 WS, G 3.  It was the only HR hit that day.

-  #1  He was portrayed by Bob Lemon in the movie "The Winning Team".  Haines (1970) & Lemon (1976) are both now in the HOF.

-  #2  With 6 SHO in 1927, Haines finished 8^th in NL MVP voting.

FCR -  Mark Hayne, Dumfries, Virginia

Incorrect guesses:  G.C. Alexander, Whitey Ford, Jim Bagby (Sr.), Red Ruffing, Dave McNally, Walter Johnson, Babe Ruth

 

 

THURSDAY  — 17-Aug

Q.  Who was the first pitcher to hit a grand slam in the World Series?

Hint: #1  He surrendered a Hall of Famer’s 3,000^th hit while pitching for the team from that batter’s hometown.

Hint: #2  No other pitcher born in his home state, had more career strikeouts or shutouts than he did.

A.  DAVE McNALLY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  On 13-Oct-1970, in the 6^th inning of G 2 of the WS, McNally homered for BAL with the bases loaded off CIN’s Wayne Granger.

-  #1  Future Hall of Famer Baltimore-born Al Kaline, was there on 24-Sep-1974 to face the Orioles with his Detroit Tigers.  Batting as DH that night, his double off McNally was the 3,000^th hit hit of his career.  He added a single later, also off McNally.

-  #2  McNally finished his MLB career with the most wins, All-Star appearances, G started or Ks of any pitcher born in the state of Montana.

FCR -  David Ramsden, Barcelona

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Bagby, Sr.

 

 

FRIDAY  — 18-Aug

Q.  Who is the only player to get two doubles in the World Series after having exactly zero hits of any description during that season?

Hint: #1  The next year he never even came to the plate before October.  Then he proceeded to add a third double to his postseason résumé.

Hint: #2  He once threw a no-hitter without striking out a single batter against a team headed for postseason play and with three future Hall of Famers in the lineup.

A.  KEN HOLTZMAN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In the 1973 regular season, starting pitcher Holtzman had but 1 PA , his team taking full advantage of the new DH rule.  He drew a walk in that trip to the plate.  However, in G1 & G7 of the 1973 WS, he hit doubles, both off the Mets’ John Matlack.

-  #1  In the 1974 WS, Holtzman doubled off the Dodgers’ Andy Messersmith in G1.

-  #2  On 19-Aug-1969, Holtzman managed to get 27 Braves out, not one of them, however, on a strikeout.  Henry Aaron, Orlando Cepeda & Phil Niekro accounted for 8 of those outs.  ATL won the NL West* in 1969.

FCR -  Rich Lerner, Silver Spring, Maryland

*Yup, West.  Atlanta.  Georgia!  Signaling the decline of geography studies throughout the country.

Incorrect guesses:  Sad Sam Jones, Mike Moore

 

 

SATURDAY  — 19-Aug

Q.  Who was the first Cleveland pitcher to win thirty games in a single season?

Hint: #1  No pitcher over the past century has had more wins in a single season.

Hint: #2  His nickname of Sarge came from a Broadway show.

A.  JIM BAGBY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Bagby’s career year of 1920 saw him lead the AL with 31 victories.  He is the only CLE hurler to ever win 30 G in one year. 

-  #1  Bagby’s 31 wins in 1920 was only matched (by Lefty Grove in 1931 and Denny McLain in 1968), but never surpassed

- #2  Bagby’s career spanned the years of World War I and most thought his nickname was a reference to time in the military, but he actually received the moniker from one of his teammates after they attended a Broadway play called Boys Will Be Boys (by humorist Irvin S. Cobb).  The play had a random character named Sergeant Jimmy Bagby.

FCR -  Richard Tourangeau, Boston

Incorrect guesses:  Jim McCormick, Early Wynn, Bob Feller, Stanley Coveleski, Addie Joss

 

 

SUNDAY  — 20-Aug

Q.  Which pitcher claimed the penultimate World Series game victory the last time the Phillies went all the way?

Hint: #1  He once surrendered a grand slam on the very first major league pitch seen by the rookie batter.

Hint: #2  His unlikely homer run in the fifth inning of the contest referenced in the Q. above qualifies him for inclusion in this week’s theme.

A.  JOE BLANTON  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  PHI beat TDR in the 2008 WS & Blanton was the winning pitcher in G4.

-  #1  Blanton threw a fastball over the heart of the plate with the bases loaded in the 2^nd inning on 12‑June-2010.  BOS Rookie Daniel Nava blasted it into the bullpen at Fenway.

-  #2  See week’s answers & theme.  (He now lives in Montana. I wonder if he ever runs into McNally?)

FCR -  Ben Blotner, Columbus, Ohio

Incorrect guesses:  Cole Hamels

 

 

 

WEEKLY THEME – Pitchers who hit home runs in World Series their team won.*

 

Pitcher            Team     WS           G# / Date           Opp/Team                        WAR

 

Bagby......... CLE....... 1920........... 5/10-Oct....... Burleigh Grimes/BRO             30.9

 

Blanton....... PHI........ 2008................. 4............. Edwin Jackson/TBR.................... 11.8

 

Gibson**...... STL........ 1967............ 7/12-Oct....... Jim Lonborg/BOS.................... 89.1

.................... STL........ 1968............ 4/06-Oct....... Joe Sparma/DET

 

Walters........ CIN........ 1940............ 6/07-Oct....... Fred Hutchinson/DET......... 53.5

 

Lolich.......... DET....... 1968............ 2/03-Oct....... Nelson Briles/STL.................... 48.0

 

Haines**...... STL........ 1926............ 3/05-Oct....... Dutch Ruether/NYY.................... 32.6

 

Holtzman..... OAK...... 1974............ 4/16-Oct....... Andy Messersmith/LAD...... 27.3

 

McNally....... BAL....... 1970 (gs) .... 3/13-Oct....... Wayne Granger/CIN.................... 25.5

 

 

* NL/AL WS (1903- ).

**Hall of Famer

 

 

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Cohen, Holden, Massachusetts

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Monday  -  Three or more complete games in a single World Series

 

 

Tues       -  Games or victories (played in a WS)

               -  Victories (in a WS)

               -  Most shutouts on the ROAD in a career

               -  Pitchers whose team lost in the world series the year they were regular-season MVP

 

 

Thu         -  Pitchers who hit a HR and pitched a shutout in same WS game

               -  Pitchers with HR in games they won in a 7 game WS where they won the WS

               -  Pitchers who hit WS home runs

               -  Pitchers that hit a HR and won 2 or more games in same WS

               -  Pitcher who hit HR in WS in the same game that they pitched a complete-game win

               -  Pitchers who have hit World Series home runs

 

FRI          -  Pitchers whose only home run came in the World Series

               -  Pitchers who hit a grand slam in the World Series with a double and walk

 

Sun         -  Pitchers who rake

               -  Pitchers who have hit home runs in the playoffs/World Series.

               -  Pitchers who won WS games that they homered in

 

 

 

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