This is a two-week
theme.
MONDAY — 30-Jun-2025
Q. Who
holds the major league career All-Star Game record for most runs scored and for
runs batted in?
Hint: #1
He is the record holder for total bases in a single All-Star Game.
Hint: #2
Many believe those career numbers could easily have been much higher.
A. TED WILLIAMS [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. In his 19 ASG appearances,
Williams scored 10 times & had 12 RBI.
-
#1 In the 1946 game, he racked up
10 TB w/4 hits of which 2 were HR.
-
#2 Williams’ military service caused him to miss 5
ASG to which he almost certainly would have been selected. (Feel free to join me making hypothetical
calculations.)
FCR - Rev.
John Wilson, Mesa, Arizona
Incorrect guesses: Willie Mays, Fred Lynn, Barry Bonds, Stan
Musial
TUESDAY — 01-Jul-2025
Q. Who
is the only member of the three-thousand hit, five-hundred home run club with a
lifetime batting average higher than .305?
Hint: #1
He is the only native of his country to reach the three-thousand-career hit
plateau
Hint: #2
He hit a walk-off home run in his first major league game.
A. MIGUEL CABRERA [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Cabrera finished his 23-year
MLB career in 2023 with 3,174 H, 511 HR & a lifetime .306 batting average. Henry Aaron came close.
-
#1 He ranks 17th all-time
in MLB in hits and remains the only Venezuelan to reach the 3,000-hit plateau. Next closest player is Omar Vizquel with
2,877. Closes active is Jose Altuve w/2,313.
-
#2 On 20-Jun-2003, in just his 5th
career plate appearance, the 20-year-old rookie launched an 11th-inning
walk-off HR to beat cross-state rival Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
FCR - Brian
Barris, Oneida, New York
Incorrect guesses: Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols, Rod Carew,
Roberto Clemente
WEDNESDAY — 02-Jul-2025
Q. Who
was the first player to amass at least two hundred home runs in each league?
Hint: #1
He won the Manager of the Year Award managing a team that improved its
win total by thirty-three games over the previous year, just barely missing the
postseason.
Hint: #2
He is one of only two major leaguers to win a (league) Most Valuable
Player Award, a World Series Most Valuable Player Award and an All-Star
Game Most Valuable Player Award.
A. FRANK ROBINSON [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Robinson ended with 343 HR
in the NL & 243 in the AL.
-
#1 He was MOY in 1989 w/BAL.
-
#2 Won the NL MVP in 1961 & the AL MVP in 1966*; won the WS MVP in 1966; & the ASG MVP in 1971.
*Unanimous
FCR - Steve
Riach, Southlake, Texas
Incorrect guesses:
MIDWEEK BONUS — 03-Jul-2025
Q. Which
Hall of Famer was originally more interested in softball than baseball, but was
signed to his first professional contract by another Hall of Famer?
Hint: #1
In his career, he produced a game with three doubles, another game with
three triples and four additional games each with three home runs.
Hint: #2
He ran for city alderman during his playing days, but lost in a
landslide.
A. ERNIE BANKS [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Banks was signed by Cool Papa
Bell to play for the Kansas City Monarchs. After military service, he played for them in
1950 and then again briefly in 1953 before
joining the Cubs.
-
#1 Doubles X 3 = 29-Sep-1957;
Triples X
3 = 11-Jun-1966;
HR X 3 = 04-Aug-1955, 14-Sep-1957(2), 29-May-1962; & 09-Jun-1963.
-
#2 Banks ran for Eighth Ward
Alderman in Chicago in 1963. Reports at
the time describe the defeat as a "landslide," though exact vote
totals are not widely available. Banks
was a Republican in a ward that heavily leaned Democratic. His opponent was James A. Condon, the
entrenched incumbent & part of Chicago’s powerful Democratic machine led by
Mayor Richard J. Daley.
FCR
- Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Incorrect guesses: Johnny Mize, Albert Pujols, Lou Gehrig
THURSDAY — 03-Jul-2025
Q. Who
had the highest batting average ever in a qualified season by a teenager?
Hint: #1
He once said, “Every time I sign a ball, I am glad my name is not
Coveleski, Wambsganss or Peckinpaugh.”
Hint: #2
Although he never won a Most Valuable Player Award, he received MVP
votes in thirteen of his twenty-two years as a major league player.
A. MEL OTT [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Ott’s .322 in 1928 as a
19-year-old still stands as the highest qualified average by a teenager in MLB
history.
-
#1 Ott was apparently
appreciative of possessing one of the shortest names in major league
history. Among Hall of Famers, he is
equaled only by Ty Cobb. Among all major
leaguers, Ed Ott (no relation) appears to the fewest letters, first and
last name combined.
-
#2 Although never an MVP, Ott
finished in the top 10 of vote getters 6 times finishing, his best being 3rd
in 1942.
FCR - Jerry
Miller, Liberty Hill, Texas
Incorrect guesses: Al Kaline, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Tony
Conigliaro, Whitey Ford, Jimmie Foxx, Rogers Hornsby
FRIDAY — 04-Jul-2025
Q. Who
was the first player to homer twice in the same inning of a major league game
twice?
Hint: #1
The only season he hit more home runs than the number on his jersey, he
was rewarded with a Most Valuable Player Award.
Hint: #2
He once tied for the league lead in home runs with another Hall of Famer
who wore the same uniform number. The
number they shared was also the number of homers they each hit that season.
A. WILLIE McCOVEY [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. McCovey hit 2 HR in the 4th
inning on 12-Apr-1973 in Candlestick Park
off Astros Ken Forsch & Jim Crawford. His repeat
performance was as a 39-year-old in the 6th inning on 27-Jun-1977 in Riverfront Stadium
in Cincinnati off Reds pitchers Jack Billingham & Joe Hoerner. [Note that Andre Dawson, Jeff
King, Alex Rodriguez & Edwin Encarnacion each, also did it more than once.] No one has ever done it thrice.
-
#1 McCovey wore #44 & in 1969 he hit 45 HR & won the NL MVP.
-
#2 In 1963 Hank Aaron &
McCovey each hit 44 HR to lead the NL. They both wore #44 same uniform number each
wore.
FCR - Jim
Cochran, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Incorrect guesses: Hank Aaron, Carl Yastrzemski
FRIED DAY — 04-Jul-2025
Q. Who
is the only major leaguer to play for the same franchise in three different
cities in the Modern Era?
Hint: #1
He and a teammate hit more home runs as teammates than any other pair of
players.
Hint: #2
Not long after retiring, he later landed a job as a major league manager
and managed players who had recently been his teammates.
A. EDDIE MATHEWS [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Mathews was a Brave in Boston (1952), Milwaukee (1953-1965) & Atlanta (1966).
-
#1 Mathews and
Hank Aaron were teammates on the Braves from 1954 through 1966. In those years, they added a total of 860 MLB
HR to the Braves’ annals.
-
#2 Mathews managed his erstwhile
teammates on the Braves 1972-1974, When
he finally got the team’s record over .500, he was replaced and never again
tried the managing waters.
FCR - Patrick
Roth, Chicago
Incorrect guesses: Connie Mack, Robin Yount
SATURDAY — 04-Jul-2025
Q. Who
is the only American Leaguer to homer and receive four intentional bases-on-balls
in the same game?
Hint: #1
A nine-time Silver slugger, he also played a season of professional
baseball in Taiwan.
Hint: #2
Now retired, his RBI total is the twentieth all-time, achieved over his five-team
career in the majors.
A. MANNY RAMIREZ [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. On 05-Jun-2002 DET pitchers watched Boston’s
Ramirez homer in the 4th and then they hoped to limit his damage by
walking him on purpose in, the 8th, 10th, 14th
& 16th. (He had flied out
in the 2nd & 5th & got a single in the 12th.)
-
#1 In 2013, Ramirez played for the
EDA Rhinos of the 4-team Chinese
Professional Baseball League in Taipei, Formosa. “EDA” is an English rendering of the name of
the team’s previous owner.
-
#2 Manny drove in
1,831 runs in his MLB career, spanning 19 seasons.
FCR - David
Serota, Kalamazoo
Incorrect guesses: Albert Belle, Jim Thome
SUNDAY —
06-Jul-2025
Q. Who
holds the National League record for most RBI in a season by a rookie?
Hint: #1
He hit a home run at PetCo Park that minutes earlier would have been the
longest ever hit there.
Hint: #2
He is the first player to hit at least thirty home runs in each
of his first twelve seasons in the majors.
Hint: #3
It took him his whole career to build a record that no other player ever
wants to equal or break.
A. ALBERT PUJOLS [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Had 130 RBI in 2001.
-
#1 On 28-May-2006 the Padres’ Mark Bellhorn hit a HR measured at a
438' in the bottom of the 4th
inning. In the top of the 5th, the Cards’ Pujols hit one
measured at 436'. Kyle Schwarber is the
current record-holder for his 488' blast on 18-Oct-2022 in the NLCS.
-
#2 From 2001 through 2012, never
hit fewer than 30 HR every year.
-
#3 Pujols passed Cal Ripken in 2017 for the most times hitting
into a double play when he did it for the 351st time. He ended with a lofty 426.
FCR - John
Burbridge, Timonium, Maryland
Incorrect guesses: Nolan Arenado, Dave Winfield, Dave Kingman,
CARRY-OVER QUESTION— 07-Jul-2025
Q. Which
All-Star Silver Slugger finished three times in the top three of MVP voting
without ever winning the plaque?
Hint: #1
He is the only player to hit at least thirty-five home runs in a season for four separate teams.
Hint: #1a
He is the only player to hit at least twenty-five in a season for
six separate teams.
Hint: #1b
He is only one of two players to hit at least ten home runs in a
season for eight separate teams.
Hint: #2 His uncle
had preceded him to the majors even making an All-Star appearance.
A. GARY SHEFFIELD [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Sheffield finished 3rd,
2nd, 3rd for MVP in 1992, 2003, 2004.
-
#1 He hit 35+ HR for: 42 for FLA in 1996; 43 & 36 for LAD in 2000 & 2001; 39 for ATL in 2003; and
36 for NYY in 2004. He also hit 33 for(Stathead for 35)
- #1a He hit 25+ HR for: 33 for SDP in 1992; 42 for FLA in 1996; 43
& 36 for LAD in 2000 & 2001; 39
for ATL in 2003; 36 for NYY in 2004; and 25 for DET in 2007. (Stathead for 25)
- #1b He hit 10+ HR for: 33 for SDP in 1992; 42 for FLA in 1996; 43
& 36 for LAD in 2000 & 2001; 39
for ATL in 2003; 36 for NYY in 2004; and 25 for DET in 2007. (Stathead for 10)
-
#2 Sheffield’s uncle is Dwight Gooden (ASG in 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988.)
FCR - Jason
Winston, Riverside, California
Incorrect guesses: Nelson Cruz, Fred McGriff, Jim Thome, Bobby
Bonds
MONDAY — 07-Jul-2025
Q. Who was the first Hall of Famer to play in two
perfect major league games?
Hint:
#1 He is the only player to homer in four
consecutive World Series at-bats.
Hint:
#2 In spite of his postseason success,
he once said, “The only reason I don't like playing in the World Series is that
I can't watch myself play.”
A. REGGIE JACKSON [SABR Bio]
- Ans. First,
on 08-May-1968, A’s teammate Catfish Hunter—who had 3 more
hits than Jackson that day—set down the Twins & their 3 Hall of Fame
batters, in order. Second, Mike Witt brought
CAL up to .500 for the season on 30-Sep-1984 by preventing anyone on TEX from reaching
first base. Jackson again went hitless.
- #1 In game 5 of the 1977 WS in Los Angeles, Jackson homered
off Don Sutton in the 8th inning, his last at-bat of that game. Two days later in New York for game 6, Jackson went deep in his first 3
at-bats. (He had received a walk his
first time up—a plate appearance—not an at-bat.).
- #2 Jackson
did not lack confidence.
FCR - Craig Blackstone, San Francisco
Incorrect
guesses: Freddie Freeman, Ted Williams,
Albert Pujols
TUESDAY — 08-Jul-2025
Q. Who was the only player to win the National
League’s Most Valuable Player Award for the Milwaukee Braves?
Hint:
#1 He received MVP votes in nineteen of
his twenty plus seasons in the majors—nine times finishing in the top five.
Hint:
#2 He was the first player to win a Gold
Glove the same season he won a batting title.
A. HANK AARON [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Amazingly,
Aaron only won a single MVP and it was with MLN in 1957, the year they won the only World
Series championship
the city of Milwaukee has ever celebrated. Five of
his teammates also received MVP votes that year.
- #1 Aaron
played for 22 years in the majors and received MVP votes every year from 1955
to 1973.
- #2 He
led everyone with a .355 batting average in 1959 & won his 2nd
GG.
FCR - Robert Osman, Great Neck, New York
Incorrect
guesses: Andruw Jones, Ryan
Braun
WEDNESDAY — 09-Jul-2025
Q. Who played in the most major league games in
the 1990s?
Hint:
#1 He set a major league record by
hitting at least thirty-eight home runs for each of nine consecutive seasons.
Hint:
#2 He is in a unique offensive club of
only seven members who have a combination of stats either one of which was once
a guarantee to Hall of Fame enshrinement.
A. RAFAEL PALMEIRO [SABR Bio]
- Ans. From
1990 through 1999, Palmeiro’s 1,526 outpaced Craig Biggio’s 1,515.
- #1 From
1995 through 2003, he met or exceeded 38 HR each season. It was a record at the time.
- #2 Palmeiro
hit 569 career HR and had 3,020 hits:
Click for ”club”
members.
FCR - Erik Lundegaard, Seattle
Incorrect
guesses: Jim Thome, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Albert Belle, Eddie Murray, Mark
Grace, Gary Sheffield, Adam Dunn, Frank Thomas,
THURSDAY — 10-Jul-2025
Q. Which player leads his franchise in twenty-six
of the forty-six of documented offensive categories on Baseball-Reference.com?
Hint:
#1 Only Babe Ruth has more American
League season home run titles.
Hint:
#2 His grandfather was the heavyweight
wrestling champion of the Union Army during the Civil War.
Hint:
#3 His father played college football in
Illinois.
A. HARMON KILLEBREW [SABR Bio]
- Ans. For
a full picture of Senators/Twins statistical leadership, click here. In 7
additional categories, where he doesn’t have the top position, he is in the Top Ten.
- #1 Killebrew
led the AL in HR 6 X, in 1959 (42), 1962 (48), 1963 (45),
1964 (49), 1967 (44) & 1969 (49). Ruth led the AL in HR 12 X.
- #2 Grandfather
was Culver Killebrew.
Killebrew family lore has it that he could jump over a horse from a
flat-footed start.
- #3 His
father, Harmon Clayton “Larry”
Killebrew,
played at Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois.
FCR - Brian Barris, Oneida, New York
Incorrect
guesses: Jimmie Foxx, Roger Maris, Ralph
Kiner, Ted Williams
THURSDAY
REDUX — 10-Jul-2025
Q. Who was the first player to hit home runs in
eight Opening Day games?
Hint:
#1 During the season where he became
MVP, he was saved from drowning by a teammate.
Hint:
#2 He was the first Hall of Famer enshrined
in the Modern Era to be hit-by-pitch more than 175 times.
A. FRANK ROBINSON [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Hit
Opening Day home runs for 4 different teams across 3 decades. Robinson has been tied at 8 by Ken Griffey Jr
& Adam Dunn, but he remains he only righty in the top group. Babe Ruth, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays &
he were tied with 7 apiece when Robinson hit his 8th on April 8, 1975
off NYY’s Doc Medich, historic because he hit it in his 1st at-bat
as MLB’s 1st Black manager.
- #1 Robinson was thrown into a private pool at a party in
Baltimore by teammates who refused to
believe that he had never learned to swim. Only when it became obvious that he was in
peril did Andy Etchebarren dive in to pull Robinson to safety. Click here for the full story.
- #2 HBP
198 X from 1956–1976, later surpassed by Craig Biggio, though neither caught
Hall of Famer Hugh Jennings, whose HBP total (287) was compiled mostly
before the Modern Era began in 1900.
FCR - Andrew Jett, Waxahachie, Texas
Incorrect
guesses: Don Baylor, Ryne Sandburg
FRIDAY —11-Jul-2025
Q. Who is the only man to hit home runs in World
Series games in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s?
Hint:
#1 He finished in the top five in Most
Valuable Player voting five times ever winning the award. He finished behind only his teammate the year
they won the World Series.
Hint:
#2 Nobody in major league baseball’s
long history ever hit more career sacrifice flies.
A. EDDIE MURRAY [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Murray
homered for BAL off PIT’s Bert Blyleven in G #2 of the 1979 WS. He homered 2 X off PHI’s Charles Hudson
in the 5th & deciding G of the 1983 WS. Playing for CLE, he homered off ATL’s Tom
Glavine in G #2 of the 1995 WS.
- #1 Murray
received MVP votes 1978-1985, 1990 (8th, 11th, 6th,
5th, 2nd, 2nd, 4th, 5th
& 5th). He finished 2nd
to Cal Ripken in the Orioles’ championship season, 1983.
- #2 Murray
never led the league even once, but managed to amass 128 SF 1977-1997. Cal Ripken almost caught him, falling 1 shy. The active leader is Nolan Arenado with 78, so Murray’s record
looks safe for some time to come.
FCR - Scott Morissey, Hamilton, Ontario
Incorrect
guesses: Julio Franco, Dave Winfield
SATURDAY — 12-Jul-2025
Q. Which Hall of Famer’s middle name became as
well known to fans as his first name?
Hint:
#1 He is the last batter to lead the National
League in home runs for three consecutive seasons.
Hint:
#2 He once hit a home run off each of
two brothers in the same game.
A. MIKE SCHMIDT [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Upon
Schmidt’s introduction or on the occasion of a notable accomplishment,
Philadelphia announcer Harry Kalas would always give booming, “Michael Jack Schmidt !” to anyone within
earshot. Two legends were being made. Go here to listen. Click the black bar at the bottom of the
page.
- #1 Schmidt
led the NL in HR 1974 (36), 1975 (38), 1976 (38).
- #2 Two
of the 4 HR Schmidt hit in Chicago on 17-Apr-1976, were off the Cubs’ Rick Reuschel in the 5th & off older
brother Paul Reuschel in the 10th.
FCR - Brad Clark, Madison, Wisconsin
Incorrect
guesses: George Brett, Ralph Kiner
SUNDAY — 13-Jul-2025
Q. Who hit the first regular-season home run in
major league history in March?
Hint:
#1 He is the first to play at the designated-hitter
position for any games in back-to-back Most Valuable Players seasons.
Hint:
#2 He led the majors in bases-on-balls three
out of his first five full seasons and led his league in a fourth year.
A. FRANK
THOMAS [SABR Bio]
- Ans. In
the 1st inning on 31-Mar-1996, Thomas homered off Randy Johnson in
Seattle—the 1st regular-season homer ever hit in the calendar month
of March.
- #1 Thomas
was the AL MVP in 1993* & 1994, playing 4 & 13 games respectively at designated hitter in those seasons
- #2 Playing
for CHW in 1991, 1992, 1994 & 1995, Thomas drew 138,
122, 109 & 136 BB.
*Unanimous
FCR - Waker Arnold, Jay, Vermont
Incorrect
guesses: Mark McGwire, Shohei Ohtani,
Orlando Cepeda, Alex Rodriguez, Dale Murphy
TWO-WEEK
THEME –
500-HR Club Members who never had a 50+ HR season
Player Best
HR Year / # Career (Nth)
Aaron......................... 1971 / 47.......................... 755 (2nd)
Banks......................... 1958 / 47.......................... 512 (23rd)
Cabrera...................... 2012 / 44.......................... 512 (23rd)
Jackson...................... 1969 / 47.......................... 563 (14th)
Killebrew.................... 1964 / 49.......................... 573 (12th)
Mathews..................... 1953 / 47.......................... 512 (23rd)
McCovey.................... 1969 / 45.......................... 521 (20th)
Murray....................... 1983 / 33.......................... 504 (28th)
Ott.............................. 1929 / 42.......................... 511 (26th)
Palmeiro..................... 1999, 2001 / 47................ 569 (13th)
Pujols......................... 2006 / 49.......................... 703 (4th)
Ramirez...................... 1998, 2005 / 45................ 555 (15th)
Robinson.................... 1966 / 49.......................... 586 (10th)
Schmidt...................... 1980 / 48.......................... 548 (16th)
Sheffield..................... 2000 / 43.......................... 509 (27th)
Thomas...................... 2000 / 43.......................... 521 (20th)
Williams..................... 1949 / 43.......................... 521 (20th)
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme –
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Mon - Players
with the most career RBI
Wed - Members
of the 500+ home run club
Thu - Players
with 500+ home runs and 2,500+ hits in a career
Sun - Fewest
career strikeouts for players with 500 or more home runs
-
Lifetime
500+ HR hitters with at least one HR in the WS
Mon - ASG
and League in the same year
Wed - 500
HR Club
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