MONDAY — 28-Oct
Q. Besides
Cal Ripken, Jr., who has won an American League MVP more than once and been elected
for All-Star Game MVP more than once?
Hint: #1
He owns the highest career WAR rating for any player active in the
majors in 2024.
Hint: #2
He was the first to achieve a statistical combination that has since been
attained only by Ronald Acuna and Shohei Ohtani.
-
Ans. Trout’s MVPs = 2014, 2016, 2019. ASG MVPs = 2014, 2015. Ripken’s MVPs = 1983, 1991. ASG MVPs = 1991, 2001.
-
#1 Current WAR = 86.2
-
#2 The statis a season with 30 HR, 45 SB, 125 R. In 2012, Trout had 30 HR, 49 SB & 129 R.
FCR - Matt
C]Dicker, Chicago
Incorrect guesses: Aaron Judge, Cal Ripken, Bryce Harper, Juan
Soto, Corey Seager, Alex Rodriguez
TUESDAY — 29-Oct
Q. Who
was the first black player elected to the Hall of Fame?
Hint: #1
His middle name is an homage to a political leader.
Hint: #2
He made the U.S. Olympic team in the broad jump (long jump) but did not
participate in the International Olympic Games.
A. JACKIE ROBINSON [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. HOF 1962
-
#1 Jack Roosevelt Robinson was
born 31-Jan-1919. President Theodore Roosevelt
had passed away 06-Jan-1919.
-
#2 Robinson qualified in the broad
jump after winning that event in the NCAA finals. However, the games of 1940 were canceled due
to the outbreak of WWII.
FCR - Phil
Hertz, Kamuela, Hawaii
Incorrect guesses: Satchel Paige, Roy Campanella
WEDNESDAY — 30-Oct
Q. Who
was the first catcher to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award?
Hint: #1
He was the first post-expansion player in the American League to hit at
least .300 with at least one hundred runs batted in three seasons in a row.
Hint: #2
He fits between numbers ten and sixteen.
-
Ans. Monson’s AL ROY = 1970
-
#1 Munson hit both milestones in
1975 (.318,102); 1976 (.302, 105); 1977 (.308,100).
-
#2 Munson’s retired uniforms
number 15 is between Yankee retired uniform #10 Phi Rizzuto & #16 Whitey
Ford.
FCR - Adam
Foldes, New York City
Incorrect guesses: Carlton Fisk, Ivan Rodriguez, Joe Mauer, Johnny
Bench
THURSDAY — 31-Oct
Q. Which
catcher was a league Rookie of the Year in the majors before Thurman Munson?
Hint: #1
He was the first player in the long history of his franchise to have his
uniform number permanently retired.
Hint: #2
He worked in the cotton fields during school vacations to help his
family survive.
A. JOHNNY BENCH [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. NL ROY 1968
-
#1 Bench’s #5 was retired by the
Reds on121-Aug-1984. The Reds franchise
began in 1882. {Bill Deane sent us this: “On 03-Aug1940, Reds’ backup catcher Willard
Hershberger took his own life. In the
wake of this tragedy, the Reds announced that Hershberger’s number would be
taken out of commission indefinitely (presumably following the example of
the Yankees, who had started the tradition of retiring numbers with Gehrig’s
seven months earlier). However, by
1942, Reds #5 had reappeared on the roster, remaining there until Bench’s
retirement in 1983.”}
The
players who wore # 5 with the Reds after Hershberger, all catchers, were:
Dick West (1941-43);
Joe Just (44-45);
Al Unser (45);
Ray Lamanno (46-48);
Dixie Howell (51);
Frank Baldwin (53);
Howie Landrith (53-55)
… then Ed
Bailey was the Reds catcher from 1956-61, but he wore number six, the number he
was already wearing and didn’t switch … Darrell Johnson became the Reds catcher
in 1962 &, following the tradition, was issued #5. The next Reds player to wear it was Johnny
Bench. No other Reds player ever wore it.
-
#2 Bench often states that
working in the cotton field to help his family taught him the value of hard
work and perseverance and
directly influenced his approach to baseball.
FCR - Richard
Masson, Lexington, Kentucky
Incorrect guesses: Roy Campanella, Carlton Fisk, Mickey Cochrane,
Elston Howard Ted Simmons
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL — 31-Octe
Q. Which
Hall of Fame player’s favorite manager had neither played nor managed before in
the majors?
Hint: #1
He was the first American League shortstop to have a season with a .300
batting average with thirty home runs and one hundred runs batted in?
Hint: #2
He was the last American League player in the twentieth century to hit
safely six times in one game.
A. CAL RIPKEN, Jr. [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Cal’s father, Cal Ripken,
Sr. came to manage BAL in 1987 after having managed & won a single game
for them in 1985.
-
#1 In 1991, the year of Cal’s 2nd
AL MVP, he hit .323, had 34 HR & 114 RBI.
Only Ernie Banks had achieved these levels prior to that.
-
#2 On 13-Jun-1999
in Atlanta, 38-year-old Cal embarrassed the vaunted pitching of the NL East
champion Braves with 2 HR, a double & 3 singles off 5 different pitchers as
BAL prevailed 22-1. A very good day.
FCR - Tal
Smith, Montgomery, Texas
Incorrect guesses: Robin Yount, Lou Boudreau, Marty Marion, Nomar
Garciaparra, Alex Rodriguez, Vern Stephens, Luke Appling
FRIDAY — 01-Nov
Q. Who
was the last player in the twentieth century to hit four doubles in a National
League game?
Hint: #1
He was also the first National League player to receive six bases on
balls in one game. (Not the same
game. That would be a record!)
Hint: #2
He was the first player to appear as a DH in the World Series for the Houston
Astros.
A. JEFF BAGWELL [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. 2B 4 = 14-Jun-1996
-
#1 BB X6 = 20-Aug-1999v (16
innings)
FCR - Doug
Greenwald, San Francisco
Incorrect guesses:
SATURDAY — 02-Nov
Q. Which
former Bulldog followed a teammate’s home run with one of his own, his first and
on his first at-bat in the majors no less?
Hint: #1
He regularly shared Bible verses and faith-based reflections, crediting
his values and faith for his approach to life and baseball.
Hint: #2
He wore a GOAT’s uniform number.
A. AARON JUDGE [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Aaron had played for his
alma mater’s Fresno State Bulldogs in college. The HR in his 1st AB was on 13-Aug-2016. The previous batter, Tyler Austin,
had also homered.
-
#1 As he will no doubt do again
next season, Judge used his faith to stay positive without ever being
overbearing to hiss interlocutors.
-
#2 As he will no doubt do again
next season, Judge wore uniform #99, the number worn by hockey great, Wayne Gretzky,
eh?
FCR - Doug
Greenwald, San Francisco
Incorrect guesses: Bill Virdon, Gary Gaetti, Clark, Dale Murphy,
Will Clark, Ryan Braun, JD Drew, -Tyler Austin
WEEKEND BONUS — 10-Aug
Q. Who
was the last catcher to lead the majors in batting average?
Hint: #1
In high school, he pitched a ten-inning, fourteen-strikeout game and set
a state record for career ERA and was his high school valedictorian.
Hint: #2
A Gold Glove winner, he also was a Silver Slugger winner five times.
A. BUSTER POSEY [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Posey hit .336
in 2012.
- #1 Records for the state of Georgia. Alumnus of Lee County HS (Leesburg, GA)
- #2 GG in 2016; SS in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017
& 2021
FCR - Franklin
Billingslea, Tallassee
Incorrect guesses: Joe Mauer, Ivan Rodriguez, Jason Kendall,
Mike Piazza
SUNDAY — 11-Aug
Q. Which
student-athlete turned down offers from both Cal and Stanford?
Hint: #1
The year he made the major league All-Star game for the fifth time, he led
the league in home runs, runs, OPS and total bases but was not voted the
league’s more valuable player.
Hint: #2
He leads his franchise in career home runs by such a wide margin that
second on that list is a Hall of Famer who won two MVPs and trails the leader
by more than 100 home runs.
A. RYAN BRAUN [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Braun attended the
University of Miami on a baseball scholarship.
-
#1 In 2012, Braun hit 41
HR, had 108 R, had an OPS of .987 & racked up 356 TB. His MVP was the year before.
-
#2 Braun retired w/352 HR, all
for MIL. 2nd is Robin Yount with 251.
FCR - Christian
Trudeau, Windsor, Ontario
Incorrect guesses: Barry Bonds
WEEK’S FINALE — 11-Aug
Q. Since
Maury Wills did it more than sixty years ago, who is the only Most Valuable
Player to steal more than seventy bases in his season?
Hint: #1
The team that drafted him won the World Series in his fourth season.
Hint: #2
He was not, however, able to
participate.
A. RONALD ACUNA [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Acuna had 73
SB in 2023 & was NL MVP. Maury Wills stole 104 bases in
1962 & was voted NL MVP.
-
#1 The Braves won the 2021 WS. Acuna had joined the team in 2018.
-
#2 In 2021, Ronald Acuna tore the
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, & so missed the 2nd
half of the season, including the playoffs.
FCR - Thomas
Howell, Reno
WEEK’S THEME
– Rookie of the Year winners who also won a league MVP and never played
for another team in the majors
Player Team ROY MVP Years WAR
Acuna......... ATL....... 2018....... 2023*............................ 7.. 79.9
Bagwell...... HOU...... 1991....... 1994*.......................... 15.. 79.9
Bench.......... CIN....... 1968....... 1970, 1972................. 17.. 75.1
Braun.......... MIL....... 2007....... 2011........................... 14.. 47.1
Judge......... NYY....... 2017*..... 2022, 2024................... 9.. 52.2
Munson...... NYY....... 1970....... 1976........................... 11.. 46.1
Posey......... SFO....... 2010....... 2012........................... 12.. 44.8
Ripken........ BAL....... 1982....... 1983, 1991................. 21.. 95.9
Robinson.... BRO....... 1947....... 1949........................... 11.. 63.9
Trout........... LAA....... 2012*..... 2014*, 2016, 2019...... 14.. 86.2
*Unanimous
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – Sarah Grynpas, Philadelphia
(after Munson)
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Tues - Rookies
of the year who led league in stolen bases
Thur - ROY
and MVP winners whose number was retired
-
Team
leaders in WAR for players who only played for one franchise
-
ROY
from each decade that also won MVP
-
Rookies
of the Year who spent their entire careers with one team
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