2026-09-28 HOF CYA-winning Pitchers who never led their leaques in Ks

MONDAY  — 28-Sep-2026

Q.  What New York Yankee broke Babe Ruth’s most cherished record in 1961?

Hint: #1  He is the only left-handed batter in major league history with a thousand career at-bats who never hit even one triple.

Hint: #2  He once settled a $400 wager with Giants owner Horace Stoneham on an issue involving Willie Mays.

A.  WHITEY FORD  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In 1918, Ruth set an impressive career record of 29⅔ consecutive scoreless World Series innings.  Following a 1^st-inning ITP HR run in a 14-inning complete G in the 1916 WS, then a 9-inning shutout in the 2^nd G & 7⅔ scoreless innings in G 4 of the of the 1918 WS, Ruth had amassed 29⅔ scoreless WS innings.  However, Ford fashioned a 33⅔ scoreless innings skein during the 1960, 1961 & 1962 WS, but Ruth’s record fell G 4 in ’61 vs. CIN.

-  #1  Had 1,023 AB w/NYY from 1950 through 1967, but nary a triple.

-  #2  See complete story in Ford’s SABR Bio.

Incorrect guesses:  Roger Maris, Norm Cash

 

 

TUESDAY  — 29-Sep-2026

Q.  Which major leaguer has won the most Gold Glove Awards?

Hint: #1  He is the only pitcher to start seven hundred games in the National League.

Hint: #2  He was the first pitcher to surrender a home run in the All-Star game to a player who started the game as the designated hitter.

A.  GREG MADDUX  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Maddux won NL GGs in 1990-2002, 2004-2006, 2007-2008 for a total of 18.

-  #1  Between 1986 & 2008, Maddux was the starting pitcher in 740 MLB games.

-  #2  In the 2^nd inning of the 1997 ASG, HOF* Edgar Martinez homered off HOF* Maddux.

FCR -  Shaun Montana, Medway, Massachusetts

*Eventual Hall of Famers, of course.

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Kaat, Phil Niekro, Brooks Robinson, Keith Hernandez, Rick Reushal, Don Sutton

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 30-Sep-2026

Q.  Who was the winning pitcher of Sandy Koufax’ last game?

Hint: #1  Since his major-league-leading total nearly fifty years ago, only five pitchers have had more complete games in a season than he had that year.

Hint: #2  He is the only pitcher to win a World Series game in each of three different decades.

A.  JIM PALMER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In Dodger Stadium in game #2 of the 1966 World Series in front of a crowd of some 56,000, Palmer threw a 6-0 shutout.  Dodger starter Koufax was pulled after the 6^th inning, having given up 4 runs (one 1 earned).

-  #1  Tied with Nolan Ryan in 1977 Palmer pitched 22 CG.  Only Mike Caldwell (23 in 1978), Phil Niekro (23 in 1979), Rick Langford & Mike Norris (28, 24 in 1980) & Bert Blyleven (24 in 1985) have exceeded his total.

-  #2  Palmer won 1969 WS G 2; 1971 WS G 2; & 1983 WS G 3.

FCR -  Leonard Epstein, Dallas

Incorrect guesses:  Sandy Koufax, Jim Kaat, Dave McNally, Johnny Podres, Hoyt Wilhelm

 

 

THURSDAY  — 01-Oct-2026

Q.  Whose no-hitter was one of Bob Gibson’s few losses by in 1968?

Hint: #1  He (not Gibson) became the oldest pitcher to win the National League Cy Young Award.

Hint: #2  He began his pro baseball career with the Rox.

A.  GAYLORD PERRY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  On Tuesday evening, 17-Sep, Perry handed Gibson a 1-0 loss, a 1 hour 40 minute, 1-0 loss to SFG in Candlestick.

-  #1  Perry’s 2^nd CYA was with San Diego following the 1978 season.  Perry had just turned 40 on 15-Sep, toiling for a 4^th-place team.  He held that doyen distinction until Roger Clemens’ 7^th CYA, won for the Astros in 2004 at age 42.

-  #2  C-level minor league St. Cloud Rox was Perry’s first professional team.  He was signed as an amateur free agent by the recently-relocated San Francisco Giants in July 1958.  He pitched in 17 games & his 2.39 was 3^rd-best ERA in the league (min. 10 decisions).  HOF Lou Brock is also a Rox alum.

FCR -  Kyle Sammin, Cheltenham, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Bunning, Don Wilson, Mike McCormick, Tommy John

 

 

FRIDAY  — 02-Oct-2026

Q.  Which reliever led his league in saves in consecutive seasons, then two seasons later became the career leader in saves?

Hint: #1  He joined a clubhouse rebellion that backfired when his team owner embraced the cause, leaving him (the player) with an iconic lifelong trademark.

Hint: #2  He won the MVP the year his franchise reached the postseason for the first time.

A.  ROLLIE FINGERS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Fingers led the NL with 35 saves in 1977 then 37 in 1978.  He surpassed Hoyt Wilhelm’s career saves record finishing 1980 with 244.

-  #1  The hirsute handlebar became a life-long identity for Fingers.  (See details in the SABR bio.)

-  #2  He won the AL MVP pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1981 when they won the second half AL East Division Championship.

FCR -  Tom Cleary, Macungie, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Dennis Eckersley, Trevor Hoffman

 

 

SATURDAY  — 03-Oct-2026

Q.  Which reigning Most Valuable Player surrendered a three-thousandth major league career hit in that batter’s hometown?

Hint: #1  He is the only pitcher to appear in MLB All-Star games in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Hint: #2  He is not the only player with his nickname to win a postseason MVP award.

A.  DENNIS ECKERSLEY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In the bottom of the 9^th, on 16-Sep-1993 in Minneapolis, relief pitcher Eckersley surrendered an RBI single to Dave Winfield as part of a game-winning comeback.  Eckersley had won the AL MVP in 1992 by a considerable margin over the player that Winfield knocked in that day, Kirby Puckett.  (Winfield was actually born in adjacent St. Paul.)

-  #1  Eckersley was on AL All-Star teams w/CLE in 1997; w/Bos in 1982; and w/OAK 1988, 1990, 1991 & 1992.

-  #2  Eckersley (“Eck”) was MVP of the 1988 ALCS.  David Eckstein (“Eck”) was the MVP of be 2006 World Series.

FCR -  Tom Byrne, Old Greenwich, Connecticut

Incorrect guesses:  Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan, Dave Winfield, Steve Carlton, Gaylord Perry, Vida Blue

 

 

SUNDAY  — 04-Oct-2026

Q.  Who has surrendered more All-Star Game hits in his career than any other pitcher in the Divisional Era?

Hint: #1  He received Cy Young Award votes in six different seasons, never finishing lower than third.

Hint: #2  He bore some responsibility for the last lengthy hiatus in major league games played.

A.  TOM GLAVINE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Glavine gave up 16 career hits to AL All-Stars over a total of 8 innings, including 9 hits in a single game, still the All-Star Game record.  The only pitchers with more Whitey Ford (19), Warren Spahn (17) & Robin Roberts (17) had careers that ended before 1969.

-  #1  Glavine won the NL CYA in 1991 & 1998.  He finished 2^nd in 1992 & 2000.  He finished 3^rd in 1993 & 1995.

-  #2  He was the NL player representative during the 1994-95 players’ strike.

FCR -  Adam Balutis, Arlington, Virginia

Incorrect guesses:  John Smoltz

 

 

THEME:  Hall of Fame, Cy Young Award-winning pitchers who never led a major league in strikeouts for a season

 

Pitcher                   HOF          CYA(s)                                Career WAR

Eckersley............ 2004......... AL 1992............................... 62.1

Fingers................ 1992......... AL 1981............................... 25.6

Ford..................... 1974......... AL 1961............................... 57.1

Glavine................ 2014......... NL 1991, 1998..................... 80.7

Maddux................ 2014......... NL 1992, 1993, 1994*, 1995*............................. 106.6

Palmer................. 1990......... AL 1973, 1975, 1976........... 68.5

Perry.................... 1991......... AL 1972, NL 1978................ 90.0

 

Also qualifying…

Roy Halladay....... 2019......... AL 2003, NL 2010*.............. 64.2

Catfish Hunter...... 1987......... AL 1974............................... 40.9

CC Sabathia........ 2025......... AL 2007............................... 62.3

Bruce Sutter......... 2006......... NL 1979............................... 24.0

 

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme –

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Tues    -  Hall of Fame Pitchers who are 6 feet (or less) tall

 

Wed     -  Cy Young winners with the most All-star selections

 

Thu      -  HOF pitchers who won Cy Young

 

Sat       -  Pickers who played for Charley Finleys A's

 

 

 

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