MONDAY — 16-Dec
Q. Who
is the only player to play for the same franchise when domiciled in three
separate cities?
Hint: #1
He is the youngest player to lead the majors in home runs for a season
in the Live-Ball Era.
Hint: #2 An action shot of his swing during a night
game graces the cover of the debut issue of Sports Illustrated, a weekly magazine owned by Time, Inc..
Hint: #3 His minor league teams’ cities seemed to be
predicting the future
-
Ans. Mathews played for the Boston Braves—BSN (1952); the Milwaukee
Braves—MLN (1953-1965); & the Atlanta
Braves—ATL (1966).
-
#1 In his age 21 season, Mathews
hit 47 HR and led the majors.
-
#2 Issue #1 of SI 16-Aug-1954. SI is no longer issued weekly or even
monthly, but it is still around.
-
#3 : In 1951 alone, he played for squads in AA Atlanta & AAA Milwaukee.
FCR - Christian
Flaherty, Cincinnati
Incorrect guesses: Nelson Mathews, Hank Aaron
TUESDAY — 17-Dec
Q. Whose
record for home runs by an MLB rookie did Aaron Judge break?
Hint: #1
He and a teammate earned a well-known nickname based on how they greeted
each other at home plate, celebrating a home run.
Hint: #2
He was recruited to a major college baseball program as a pitcher.
A. MARK McGWIRE [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. McGwire’ 1987 HR total of 47
sped past the mark of 38 set by Wally Berger in 1930 & tied by Frank Robinson
in 1956. Judge hit 52 as a rookie
in 2017, but was passed 2 years later the Mets Pete Alonso w/53
to set the NL & MLB record.
-
#1 McGwire &
Jose Canseco greeted each other by bashing their massive forearms together. Initially meant as an exuberant expression of
recent success, it nonetheless proved disheartening for the opposition to witness.
- #2 USC‘s legendry baseball
coach Rod Dedeaux was responsible for
convincing McGwire that his future was as a position player.
FCR - Tony
Hughes, Woodbridge, Virginia
Incorrect guesses: Jose Canseco, Pete Alonso, Wally Berger, Dusty
Baker
WEDNESDAY — 18-Dec
Q. Which
Rookie of the Year who grew up in Northern California and won two MVPs in the
majors, winning the ROY and the 2nd MVP unanimously?
Hint: #1
Even with that success he considered changing teams and changing leagues
when the time came.
Hint: #2
His favorite pastime away from baseball is building things with Lego
bricks.
A. AARON JUDGE [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Judge was born & raised
in Linden, an exurb of Sacramento. He
was ROY in 2017, MVPs in 2022 & 2024.
-
#1 When his contract expired, he
gave consideration to signing w/SFG, the
team he had followed growing up.
-
#2 He has admitted that one
of his favorite off-field activities is building intricate LEGO sets. His creations include complex Star Wars-themed
sets & architectural designs.
FCR - Brian
Barris, Oneida, New York
Incorrect guesses: Frank Robinson, Jim Thome, Kris Bryant
MIDWEEK BONUS — 18-Dec
Q. Who
is the only Pittsburgh Pirate slugger to lead the National League in home runs
in consecutive seasons?
Hint: #1
Following the sixth season of his Hall of Fame career, he married a famous
tennis star.
Hint: #2
After his playing days he served as general manager of the San Diego
Padres.
A. RALPH KINER [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Kiner led the NL in HR for seven
(7!) consecutive seasons: 1946-1952,
with 1947-52 also leading the majors:
His yearly HR totals, in order: 23, 51, 40,
54, 47, 32, 47. They were the first 7 seasons of his career. Technically, he led in consecutive years 6 X.
-
#1 On 13-Oct-1951, he married California tennis star Nancy Chafee. They had three children, but the union ended
in divorce in 1968.
-
#2 Following his retirement,
Kiner served from 1956 through 1960 as general manager of the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres
FCR - Scott
Morissey, Hamilton, Ontario
Incorrect guesses: Willie Stargell
THURSDAY — 19-Dec
Q. Which
one-team major leaguer still leads his franchise in career home runs, with one
hundred more than the second-place player, also a one-team player and a Hall of
Famer?
Hint: #1
He was thrice in the top three Most Valuable Player vote-getters.
Hint: #2
His contract includes deferred payments of more than $1million annually
every July 1 through 2031, a structure which provided his team financial
flexibility during his playing years.
A. RYAN BRAUN [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Braun’s 352 HR is atop the
Brewers’ total, most in their 54-year-old franchise history. The HOF who leads MIL in all other career offensive
categories is Robin Yount.
-
#1 Braun was 3rd in 2008, 2nd in 2012 & 1st in 2011.
-
#2 Braun will be paid $1.8
million annually every July 1 through 2031.
FCR - Rich
Lerner, Silver Spring, Maryland
Incorrect guesses: Mike Trout, Mike Schmidt, Bobby Bonilla, Cal
Ripken, Jeff Bagwell, Willie Stargell, Todd Helton, Brooks Robinson, Barry
Bonds
FRIDAY — 20-Dec
Q. Who
broke Rogers Hornsby’s National League record for most extra-base hits in a
season?
Hint: #1
His record still stands. Barry
Bonds tied it the year he hit 73 home runs, but no National Leaguer has hit
more in one season.
Hint: #2
Four times he finished fourth place or better in annual MVP voting.
Hint: #3
He had consecutive game-hitting streaks of at least twenty games in his
career, but never took any of them to thirty.
A. CHUCK KLEIN [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Hornsby had 102
XBH in 1922 for STL, but Klein had 107 in 1930 for PHI, that
year’s last-place NL team.
- #1 Bonds had 107 in 2001 & only
5 additional NL batters have even reached 100.
- #2 Klein’s NL MVP vote in 1930 was 4th, 2nd
in 1931, 1st in 1932 & 2nd
in 1933.
- #3 Klein had 5 H streaks of 20+ G for PHI, but
never one of 30 G. Pete Rose and Ichiro Suzuki
both have 6 hitting streaks of 20 or more games. Joe DiMaggio and Nomar Garciaparra
also had 5 hitting streaks of 20 or more games. Suzuki and Klein were the
only ones who never had a streak of at least 30 games.
FCR - Glenn
Guzzo, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Incorrect guesses: Stan Musial, Joe Medwick, Hank Aaron, Willie
Mays, Sammy Sosa
SOLSTICE SPECIAL — 21-Dec
Q. Who
donated $50,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project right after he won the Home Run
Derby?
Hint: #1
He was named “Rookie of the Month” three (3) times during his first
year.
Hint: #2
His nickname would indicate that he might do well playing in the
off-season.
Hint: #3
He has twice as many hit-by-pitches as he does intentional bases on
balls.
A. PETE ALONSO [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. About his generosity as a rookie, Alonso
commented, “A bad day at work for me is getting booed off the field, going
0-for-4, making errors, but I can't even imagine what a bad day at work is for
people who put their lives on the line every single day. I just have the utmost respect for those
people.” He’s the only rookie to ever
win the HRD contest outright.
-
#1 Earned ROM status in 2019: 1st—Middle—Last: April, June & September. That’s domination, Holmes! Alonso easily won NL 2019 ROY.
- #2 He’s called the Polar Bear. The nickname was given to him by Mets
teammate Todd Frazier during spring training in 2019. Frazier called him a "big, strong, scary
dude" who reminded him of a polar bear & the name stuck.
- #3 In Alonso’s 6 years in The Bigs, he’s been
hit 85 X, but only walked on purpose 42 X.
(Reader Frank DiPrima from New Jersey suggests
that Alonso’s walk-up music should be “Amapola”.
FCR - Jeremy
Frank, New York City
Incorrect guesses: J.T. Snow
IN MEMORIAM — 21-Dec
Q. Who broke
up no-hitters with a home run a record eighty-one times?
Hint: #1
He claimed, without flinching, “…I am the greatest of all time!” [He was not wrong.]
Hint: #2 He is the only
player thrown out attempting to steal more than forty times in a season.
Hint: #3 He stole
100 bases in his first full season in the majors.
Hint: #4 He was the first
National League to hit a home run in a regular-season game from the designated
hitter position.
Hint: #5 He has more
career bases-on balls than Babe Ruth or Ted Williams.
Hint: #6 He scored
more career runs than Ty Cobb or Hank Aaron.
Hint: #7 He racked
up more plate appearances than Cal Ripken or Stan Musial.
Hint: #8 It is often
said that his career stolen base record is untouchable.
Hint: #9 He has an interesting,
unusual relationship with Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.
Hint: #10 Speaking
statistically, writer Bill James once said about him, “If you could split him
in two, you'd have two Hall of Famers.”
A. RICKEY HENDERSON [SABR
Bio]
-
Ans. Henderson hit a leadoff HR
81 X, effectively, immediately extinguishing any thoughts the opposing pitcher
might have had for a no-hitter that day.
-
#1 The full quote came after he
had stolen his 939th career base to pass Lou Brock on . “Lou Brock is the symbol of great base
stealing, but today I am the greatest of all time.”
-
#2 In his record setting season,
1982, Henderson, broke Lou Brock’s Modern Day record of 118 SB when he stole 130,
but he also go thrown out a record 42 X.
- #3 He stole 100 even, in 1980, playing 158 G for
OAK.
- #4 DH HR= 12-Jun-1997 for SDP.
- #5 He walked 2,190 in his career. Full List.
- #6 Henderson is the career R leader at 2,295. Ty Cobb is 2nd at 2,245. Full list.
- #7 He is 4th all-time at 13,346. Full list.
- #8 Henderson’s most daunting record, his 1,406 SB, is so far ahead of
the pack, he’s the only one in quadruple figures. The current active leader is Starling Marte
w/352.
- #9 Henderson was Ryan’s 5,000th
victim
- #10 Bill
James is not the only one singing Henderson’s praises.
FCR - Derek
Granger, Chandler, Arizona
Incorrect guesses:
SATURDAY — 21-Dec
Q. Who
has the most career most home runs ever for a player with a career batting
average under .200.
Hint: #1
The year he led his league in walks, he led the majors in
strikeouts and wo his second Gold Glove.
Hint: #2
In a state that has produced such talented athletes as Greg Maddux,
Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant and Barry Zito, he was named [State] Gatorade
Baseball Player of the Year.
A. JOEY GALLO [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Gallo ended 2024 w/208 HR
& a BA of .194.
-
#1 In 2021, splitting his time
between TEX (95 G) & NYY (58), Gallo had 111 BB & 213
K. He had earned the 1st of
his 2 GG the year before w/TEX.
-
#2 As a senior in 2012, he was
the Nevada Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year & a High School All-American by MaxPreps, ESPN HS & USA Today.
FCR - Daniel
O'Connor, Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania
Incorrect guesses: Jose Canseco, Dave Kingman, Rob Deer
SUNDAY — 22-Dec
Q. Which
former New York Mets player hit 100 home runs in fewer career major league
games than any other catcher?
Hint: #1
Before coming to the majors for good, he led the Arizona Fall League in
home runs and was named the Fall Stars Game Most Valuable Player.
Hint: #2
His votes kept Michael Fulmer from winning the American League Rookie of
the Year Award unanimously.
A. GARY SANCHEZ [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Sanchez reached 100 HR in 355
MLB G played. He played for NYM for 3 G
in 2023.
-
#1 In the ARI Fall League in 2015,
Sanchez came into his own with his performance in the Fall Stars G.
-
#2 In 2016, DET’s Michael Fulmer
had all of the AL ROY votes except the 4
that Sanchez got.
FCR - Tom
Hannon, Amesbury, Massachusetts
Incorrect guesses: Carlos Pena
WEEK’S FINALE — 22-Dec
Q. Who
holds the single season record for home runs by a Philadelphia Phillies player?
Hint: #1
He was walked intentionally that same season more times than any Phillie
has in a single year, before or since.
Hint: #2
He rang up 100 career home runs in fewer games than anyone else in
history.
A. RYAN HOWARD [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. In 2006, Ryan hit 58 HR to
lead the NL and set the team record. It
was 10 HR more than Mike Schmidt’s 1980 record.
-
#1 Howard received 37 IBB
in 2006.
-
#2 On 27-Jun-2007, in Howard’s 325th
career MLB G, he hit his 100th HR.
FCR - Richard
Vachet, Belchertown, Massachusetts
Incorrect guesses: Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Chuck Klein,
Jim Thome, Dale Murphy, Bryce Harper
WEEK’S THEME
– Batters who reached 100 career home runs in the fewest games.
Slugger G/100
HR WAR
Mathews........................... 413......................... 95.9
McGwire........................... 393......................... 62.1
Judge................................ 371......................... 52.2
Kiner................................. 376......................... 48.0
Braun................................ 400......................... 47.1
Klein................................. 390......................... 46.6
Alonso.............................. 347......................... 19.8
Gallo................................. 377......................... 15.4
Sanchez............................. 355......................... 15.0
Howard............................. 325......................... 14.7
First
Correct Respondent
identifying theme – Amar Rehal, Chicago
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Mon - Players
who twice finished 2nd in MVP voting without ever winning
Tues - Rookie
HR record holders
-
Members
of the 500-HR club who never won an MVP (X2)
-
Players
who hit 100+ HRs in their first 3 seasons
-
Most
career home runs by a player who never won an MVP award
-
Rookies
who led the league and/or majors in home run
Wed - Players
who hit 100 more HR than doubles
-
Fewest
games to hit 300 HR in a career
-
Hitters
who had 100+ strikeouts in their first full season
Thru - Players
with the most homers in their second seasons
-
Players
who hit at least 40 homers in their first or second year in the majors but
didn’t lead the league in RBIs
Sun - All
who played in the Arizona Fall League
-
They
all won ROTY and MVPs
-
Players
who hit the most sophomore season homeruns at each position
-
Unanimous
ROYs
-
MVP
votes in their sophomore season
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