2022-06-06 Middle infielders voted the All-Star Game MVP

MONDAY  —06-Jun

Q.  Who played more games in any major league season than anyone else?

Hint: #1  He didn’t get the chance to play in the postseason that year.

Hint: #2  In one home game toward the end of that season, he stole four bases in one game.

A.  MAURY WILLS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Wills played in 165 regular season games that year.

-  #1  Wills’s Dodgers lost a 3-G playoff at the end of the year.

-  #2  And was thrown out in a 5^th attempt to boot.  07-Sep-1962.

FCR -  Thomas Howell, Reno

Incorrect guesses:  Cal Ripken, Jackie Robinson, Cesar Tovar, Rod Carew, Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, Rickey Henderson, Omar Moreno

 

TUESDAY  —07-Jun

Q.  Who was the first player to win the Baseball Digest “Player of the Year Award” twice?

Hint: #1  He had a hit in seven consecutive All-Star games.

Hint: #2  Among National Leaguers, only Barry Bonds has more career bases on balls.

A.  JOE MORGAN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  POY = 1975, 76

-  #1  ASG H = 1970-77 (Did not play in 1971)

-  #2  NL BB = 1,865

FCR -  Rob Visconti, Milford, Michigan

Incorrect guesses:  Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Rickey Henderson, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Willie McCovey, Mike Schmidt

 

TOOZDAY  —07-Jun

Q.  Who hit the first ever major league home run in the month of November?

Hint: #1  He was the first shortstop to have two-hundred-hit seasons in consecutive years.

Hint: #2  In his first year in the majors, he listened to Mariah Carey CDs as part of his pre-game routine. During his second year, he was dating Mariah.

A.  DEREK JETER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Nicknamed “Mr. November” for his shot with 2 out in the bottom of the 10^th of G 4 of the 2001 WS.  The G began at 8:23 P.M. on 31-Oct-2001, but the clock struck midnight while Jeter was in the batter’s box.

-  #1  In 2006 & 2007 he had 216 & 204 H respectively.

-  #2  Jeter has also been linked to Scarlett Johansson, former Miss Universe Lara Dutta, Jordana Brewster, Vanessa Minnillo, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel and Minka Kelly.

FCR -  Evan Wologodzew, New Milford, Connecticut

Incorrect guesses:  Alex Rodriguez, Cal Ripken, Tino Martinez, Steve Finley

 

WEDNESDAY  —08-Jun

Q.  Which BLTR Padre once signed a very large, very long contract with a new team, only to have a knowledgeable baseball person opine, “He got him a big raise, but he got him an extra 30-day vacation—and it’s called October.”?

Hint: #1  It is very likely that he will soon become the all-time leader for doubles hit by a player with 90% of his games played at that position, IF he gets picked up.  He may be too expen$ive.

Hint: #2  His single broke up a no-hit bid in the ninth inning by a six-foot-seven-inch fellow countryman.

A.  ROBINSON CANO  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Pete Rose said that. Cano left the Yankees for a 10-year, $240 Million contract.  Cano bats left & throws right and now plays for SDP.

-  #1  His 571 career doubles trails only Charlie Gehringer’s 574.

-  #2  On 28-Sep-2006 Cano’s single spoiled the no-hit bid by fellow Dominican Daniel Cabrera with 1 out in the 9^th inning.  The next batter hit into a double play to end the game.

FCR -  Terry Sloope, Cartersville, Georgia

Incorrect guesses:  Manny Machado, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  —08-Jun

Q.  Whose streak of what would have been eleven consecutive years winning a Gold Glove at his position was broken after the sixth season by a player who developed throwing problem?

Hint: #1  He was a key player in an historic major league trade.

Hint: #2  He is a member of an elite “club” comprised only of Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Ichiro Suzuki and himself.

A.  ROBERTO ALOMAR  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Alomar won GG 1991-96 & 1998-2000, ten in all.  In 1998, however the GG for 2^nd basemen went a certain Yankee, Chuck Knoblauch, when his mental blauch when throwing was soon to be in evidence.  In fairness, he could throw, just not like a major leaguer.

-  #1  In 1991

-  #2  These 4 have GGs in double figures & lifetime BAs over .300.  Alomar is the only infielder.

FCR -  Tom Cleary, Macungie, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Frank Robinson, Andruw Jones, Willie Randolph, Don Mattingly, Al Kaline, Keith Hernandez

 

THURSDAY  —09-Jun

Q.  Excepting Alex Rodriguez, who was the last American League player to bat in at least one hundred and fifty teammates in one season?

Hint: #1  The year he won his Most Valuable Player Award, this one-time Kansas City Royal, didn’t lead his league in any offensive category.  In fact was not even in the MLB’s Top Ten in two of the three Triple Crown categories.

Hint: #2  He once completed a cycle with a grand slam.

A.  MIGUEL TEJADA  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Had 150 ERBI in 2004, setting a new high in the history of his team, BAL.  (A-Rod had 156 RBI in 2007.)  He played for KCR for 53 G in 2013 to end his career in the majors.  [NOTE:  The question didn’t say his teammates and he is certainly one of the teammates on that team.  Why write an awkward sentence like “… team members” when there’s not one of my 4,700 readers who didn’t understand what the question was asking on the first reading?]

-  #1  AL MVP in 2002 for OAK.  Finished 3^rd in the AL (& MLB) in RBI w/131.

-  #2  On 29-Sep-2001 Tejada came to bat needing only a HR to complete a cycle.  He hit Jose Paniagua’s 1^st pitch over the LF fence in Seattle’s Safeco Field.  All 3 previous H were off SEA starter Jamie Moyer.

FCR -  Joe Cohen, Holden, Massachusetts

Incorrect guesses:  Miguel Cabrera, Juan Gonzalez, Jim Thome, Eric Hosmer, Manny Ramirez, Hack Wilson

 

FRIDAY  —10-Jun

Q.  Which former Phillie did Vladimir Guerrero pass to become the all-time Dominican hits leader?

Hint: #1  He has managed professional baseball in Japan, Mexico, the U.S. and Venezuela.

Hint: #2  He became a U.S. citizen shortly after winning his only batting title in the majors.

A.  JULIO FRANCO  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Franco ended w/2,513 H in 2007; Vlad Sr. passed him ij 2011 and ended w/2,590.  Robinson Cano, Adrian Beltre & Albert Pujols  have left them both behind.

-  #1     - In 2009 he managed the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Mets.

            - In 2010 he managed the Caribes de Anzoategui in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.

            - He was the manager of the Pericos de Puebla for the 2012 Mexican League.

            - He was the player/manager of the Ishikawa Million Stars of Japan's Independent Baseball Challenge League.

-  #2  Led MLB in 1991 w/.334.

FCR -  Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Juan Samuel, Manny Ramirez, Felipe Alou, Bobby Abreu, Ruben Amaro, Manny Trillo

 

SATURDAY  —10-Jun

Q.  Who replaced Willie Stargell as captain of the Pirates?

Hint: #1  He is the only Chicago Cub to win National League batting titles in consecutive seasons.

Hint: #2  He was once ejected when he handed the umpire his bat & told him, "You take this & try to hit that pitch."?

A.  BILL MADLOCK  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Stargell retired from the Pirates (and baseball) on 03-Oct-1982.

-  #1  BA titles = .354 in 1975 & .339 in 1975-76 for CHC.

-  #2  Facing Charlie Hough’s knuckleball on 03-Jul-1977, Madlock was tossed by home plate umpire Art Williams

FCR -  Tom McLaughlin, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses: 

 

WEEKEND BONUS  —11-Jun

Q.  Who was the first player to compile four thirty/thirty seasons in a five-year span?

Hint: #1  He holds the record for the most American League leadoff home runs in a season.

Hint: #2  He once hit a game-winning, first-inning, leadoff home run in a game whose final score was 1-0.

A.  ALFONSO SORIANO   [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Had 30/30 seasons 2002-2006, but fell short to 28/18 in 2004.  In 2002-03 played for NYY; in 2005 played for TEX; in 2006 played for WSN.

-  #1  His 13 leadoff HR in 2003 for NYY.  He also holds the NL record w/12 in 2007 for CHC.

-  #2  HR = 09-May-2007

FCR -  Joe O’Neill, London, Ontario

Incorrect guesses:  Mike Trout, Bobby Bonds, Ricky Henderson

 

SUNDAY  —12-Jun

Q.  Which nine-time All-Star player came to the defense of sports writer Steve Rushin after umpire Dave Pallone spit in the writer’s face?

Hint: #1  His number one in career defensive WAR ranking in the most in the history of his very long-time franchise.

Hint: #2  He is called "Mague" by his close friends.

A.  DAVE CONCEPCION  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Article by Rushin.

-  #1  Concepcion’s 21.4nnings

-  #2  Probably a corruption of “mago” which means magician.

FCR -  Joseph Cohen

Incorrect guesses:  Ryne Sandberg, Cal Ripken

 

WEEK’S FINAL QUESTION  —12-Jun

Q.  Which member of the 3,000-hit club has the lowest career batting average?

Hint: #1 Who was the first shortstop in American League history to hit 30 HR, bat .300 and have 100 RBI in a season?

Hint: #2  Among shortstops, only he and Honus Wagner ever posted a season’s WAR score of at least 11.0.

A.  CAL RIPKEN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  3,184 H; .276 career BA; Hit .305 or better.  He hit .300 or better 5 X; Had 100> RBI 5 times; A batting average5 X & A betting average 5 X.

-  #1  In 1991 Cal hit 34 HR, 114 BI and hit .323 and won the AL MVP.  Ernie Banks was the first to do it in MLB in 1958.

-  #2  Wager = 11.5 in 1908; Ripken = 11.5 in 1991.  No one SS did it at 80% of G at SS.  They each played 100% of their G at SS in those years.

FCR -  Michael Schneider,

Incorrect guesses:  Bobby Smith

 

 

 

WEEKLY THEME – Middle infielders voted the All-Star Game MVP

 

1962a - Wills.............. DC Stadium................................... 39.6

1972 - Morgan........... Atlanta Stadium........................... 100.4

1975 - Madlock......... Milwaukee County Stadium........... 38.2

1982 - Concepcion... Olympic Stadium........................... 40.2

1990 - Franco............ Wrigley Field.................................. 43.6

1991 - Ripken............ SkyDome....................................... 95.9

1998 - Alomar........... Coors Field.................................... 67.0

2000 - Jeter............... Turner Field................................... 71.3

2004 - Soriano.......... Minute Maid Park........................... 28.6

2005 - Tejada............ Comerica Park............................... 47.1

2017 - Cano............... Marlins Park................................... 68.5

 

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Steve Berman, Bergenfield, New Jersey (after Jeter)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Players who had 200 or more hits while batting under .300

            -  Players with the most times leading the league in caught stealing

            -  MVP's whose sons have played in the majors

 

Tue      -  Most stolen bases in a career in the NL

-   Best stolen base percentage of players with 500 or more stolen bases in the NL

-   Position players who have won league MVP, world series, and gold glove

-   Most times leading off an inning

 

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2022-05-30 Player's nickname same as hometown

MONDAY  —30-May

Q.  Who never played for a New York team but hit 86 MLB career home runs in that city?

Hint: #1  He once lost an apocryphal fortieth home run on account of rain.

Hint: #2  There is a stadium named for him in Europe.

Hint: #3  He pitched to exactly one batter in his MLB career.

A.  STAN MUSIAL  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  He played 22 years with STL.  Among the 475 career HR Musial hit, were found 49 at the Polo Grounds & 37 at Ebbets Field.

-  #1  In 1948, he finished with 39 home runs; however, no verification of this can be found.  Read more here.  Retrosheet verifies a HR he lost in 1951 as explained here.

-  #2  The field in Kutno, Poland is Stan Musial Stadium.  It was dedicated in 2000.

-  #3  Musial's only big league pitching appearance took place on 28‑Sep‑1952, the final regular season G of 1952.  With his .336 safely in 1^st in the MLB batting race, he was called in to pitch to a single batter in the 1^st inning, the Cubs’ Frank Baumholtz, runner-up in the NL batting race, who batted from the right.  Starter Harvey Haddix moved to RF & Hal Rice covered CF while Musial pitched.  After Baumholtz reached on an E5, Haddix returned to the mound, Rice to LF & Musial to CG for the duration.  Later in retirement, Baumholtz recalled that the play was a hot smash to 3^rd base that should have been a H.

FCR -  Richard Zamoff, Washington, DC

Incorrect guesses:  Barry Bonds, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson 

 

TUESDAY  —31-May

Q.  Who is the only player to lead both leagues in home runs and triples in a season (not necessarily the same season)?

Hint: #1  He was the head baseball coach for a D-1 west coast university for six years.

Hint: #2  He began his career in Cincinnati and finished it in Detroit only to be replaced by a player who began his career in Detroit and finished it in Cincinnati.

A.  SAM   AWFORD  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.       He led the AL in home runs (7) in 1908 with DET and the NL in home runs (16) in 1901 w/CIN.  He led the AL in triples 5 X w/DET & the NL in triples in 1902 w/CIN.

-  #1  Crawford led USC from 1924 to 1929.  The Trojans were 59-46-3 under him.

-  #2  Crawford spent 1899-1902 w/CIN before finishing his career w/DET from 1903-17 when he was replaced by Harry Heilmann, who played w/DET (1914, 1916-1929) before ending his career in CIN (1930, 1932)

FCR -  Richard Giovanoni, Morton Grove, Illinois

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Rice

 

WEDNESDAY  —01-Jun

Q. Who was the only outfielder selected to the first six All-Star Games?

Hint: #1  He was the first Cleveland Indian to homer in his first MLB at bat.

Hint: #2  His son was his school’s first All-American baseball player.

A.  EAR   AVERILL  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.      First 6 ASG = 1933-38

-  #1  Earl Douglas Averill (Not junior.  Dad was Howard Earl Averill) was an All-American at the University of Oregon as a sophomore.

-  #2  Averill of the Indians on 16-Apr-1929 vs. DET’s Earl Whitehill.  Since then, Jay Bell (29‑Sep‑1986) & Kevin Kouzmanoff (02-Sep- 2009) have homered in their 1^st at-bat as Cleveland Indians.

FCR -  Michael Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware

Incorrect guesses:  Tris Speaker, Larry Doby

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  —01-Jun

Q.  Which one-time Oakland A’s player was the first National Leaguer to play in more than a thousand consecutive games?

Hint: #1    He was MVP runner-up to the same Hall of Fame catcher twice.

Hint: #2    He was the first batter in his franchise’s long history to have four doubles in a game.

A.  BILLY WILLIAMS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  CHC’s Billy Williams played 1,117 straight games, an NL record until Steve Garvey’s 1,207 consecutive games.  Williams played for OAK at the end of his career, 1975 & 1976.

-  #1  CIN’s Johnny Bench won the NL MVP in 1970 & 1972 w/Williams 2^nd both times.

-  #2  Williams accomplished the feat 09-Apr-1969.  The only other Cub to hit four doubles in a game is Matt Murton on 03-Aug-2006.  The Cubs franchise dates from 1876.

FCR -  Dave Williams, Glastonbury, Connecticut

Incorrect guesses:  George Hendrick, Miguel Tejada, Mark McGwire, Frankie Hayes

 

THURSDAY  —02-Jun

Q.  Who holds the major league record for career walk-off home runs?

Hint: #1    Of the sluggers with more than 600 career home runs, he is the only one who never won an MVP award.

Hint: #2  He homered in 38 ballparks – Coors Field was not one of them.

A.  JIM THOME  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Had 13 career walk-off HR, the MLB record.

-  #1  His highest MVP finish was 4^th place playing for the 2003 Phillies.

-  #2  Most of his HR were at Jacobs Field with 190.  He only had 33 PA at Coors.

FCR -  Lincoln Mitchell, New York City

Incorrect guesses:  Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Bob Watson, Alex Rodriguez, Eddie Murray

 

FRIDAY  —03-Jun

Q.  Which twentieth-century hurler holds the all-time record for most complete games in a career by a left-handed pitcher?

Hint: #1  His World Series record is two wins ad five losses, but in four of those losses, he teammates failed to score a single run.

Hint: #2  In his lone season in the Federal League, his record was 21-11.

A.  EDDIE PLANK  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Has 410 CG, 16^th on the all-time list.  No other lefty has 400.  MLB career began in 1901.

-  #1  Four of his WS losses were by scores of 3-0, 1-0, 3‑0 & 1‑0.  Plank pitched in 4 WS for PHA, posting a 1.32 ERA.

-  #2  Plank pitched for the St. Louis Terriers in 1915 before returning to the major leagues for two seasons with the St. Louis Browns to finish his career.

FCR - David Skelton, Woodway, Texas

Incorrect guesses:  Lefty Grove, Walter Johnson, Pete Alexander, Warren Spahn, Cy Young, Mordecai Brown

 

SATURDAY  —04-Jun

Q.  Who was the first pitcher to win major league games in his teens and in his forties?

Hint: #1  He holds the record for most innings in a World Series career for an undefeated pitcher.

Hint: #2  He surrendered the first of Babe Ruth’s 659 Yankee home runs.

A.  HERB PENNOCK  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Pennock was a lad of 18 when he won a G for PHA in 1912 & was 2‑0 for BOS at age 40 in 1934.  Mike Morgan & Bert Blyleven have since joined this elite club.

-  #1  Pennock, who was 5-0 for the A’s and Yankees over five World Series, pitched 55⅓ innings.  All 5 of his Ws were with NYY.

-  #2  The HR on 01-May-1920 was the 1^st Ruth hit as a Yankee.

FCR -  Sue Keiser, Philadelphia

Incorrect guesses:  Sad Sam Jones, Smoky Joe Wood, Early Wynn, Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Babe Adams

 

WEEKEND BONUS  —04-Jun

Q.  Who pitched the most one-hitters in American League history?

Hint: #1  He was the first president of the MLBPA.

Hint: #2  He started a total of twenty-two games on a single day's rest.

A. BOB FELLER  [SABR Bio]

-   Ans.  Pitched 12 one-hitters.  He only played for CLE.  Nolan Ryan also had 12, spread over both circuits.

-   #1  In December of 1956, Feller was elected the 1^st president of the Players’ Organization, a precursor to the MLBPA which was recognized as a union in 1966.

-   #2  His record in those G was 14-5 with a 3.47 ERA +12 CG.

FCR -  Bill Henry, East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Bunning, Nolan Ryan, Wilbur Wood, Rube Waddell

 

SUNDAY  —05-Jun

Q.  Who hit the most triples in the National League 1950-59?

Hint: #1  He also had the most MLB hits.

Hint: #2  Of the eight times an outfielder totaled more than 500 putouts in a season, four of them are his.

Hint: #3  Although with fewer than 500, places nine and ten are also his.

A.  RICHIE ASHBURN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Ashburn tied Nellie Fox w/82 triples each.

-  #1  Ashburn hit all 1,875 w/PHI 1950-59.

-  #2  Ashburn had putout seasons of 538 (1951), 514 (1949), 503 (1956) & 502 (1957), representing 2^nd, 3^rd, 6^th & 8^th on the career list.

-  #3  …and also 496 (1953), 495 (1958) as well as 483 (1954), 428 (1952) & 405 (1950) representing 9^th, 10^th, 19^th, 123^rd & 250^th on the career list.

FCR -  Tom Cleary, Macungie, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle

 

 

WEEKLY THEME – Hall of Famers with nicknames associated with their birthplace

 

 

Theme: Hall of Famers with nicknames associated with their birthplaces

 

Ashburn.......... The Tilden Flash................................ Born in Tilden, Nebraska

Averill............. Earl of Snohomish............................. Born in Snohomish, Washington

Crawford........ Wahoo Sam....................................... Born in Wahoo, Nebraska

Feller.............. The Heater from Van Meter............... Born in Van Meter, Iowa

Musial............. The Donora Greyhound..................... Born in Donora, Pennsylvania

Pennock......... The Knight of Kennett Square........... Born in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Plank.............. Gettysburg Eddie............................... Born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Thome............ Pride of Peoria................................... Born in Peoria, Illinois

Williams.......... Sweet Swingin’ Billy from Whistler.... Born in Whistler, Alabama

 

Additional notables, not all Hall of Famers, nicknamed for places:

Ty Cobb..................... Georgia Peach (born in Georgia)

Bill Terry..................... Memphis Bill (not sure why; he was born in Atlanta)

Ron Guidry................. Louisiana Lightning (born in Louisiana)

Charlie Maxwell......... Paw Paw (born in Lawton, Mich., his hometown is Paw Paw)

Mickey Mantle............ Commerce Comet (attended HS in Commerce, OK)

Mike Trout.................. Millville Meteor (attended Millville High School in Millville, NJ), Frankie Frisch............ Fordham Flash (attended Fordham University)

Shane Victorino......... Flyin’ Hawaiian (born in Hawaii)

Earl Combs................ The Kentucky Colonel (born in Kentucky)

Danny Darwin............ Bonham Bullet (born in Bonham, Texas)

Rocco Baldelli............ Woonsocket Rocket (born in Woonsocket, RI)

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Jeff Fink, Howell, New Jersey (Wed after Averill)

This week’s submission is from Warren Kent III of Whitehall, Michigan.

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Tuesday -  Hall of Fame players commonly known by a nickname added to their first and last name.

 

Wed        -  Team career leaders in triples

 

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