2022-08-15 Non-Hall of Famers who hit at least four career home runs off Hall of Famer Jim Palmer

MONDAY  —15-Aug

Q.  Which former Braves infielder is the only Yankee captain to lead the American League in home runs since Lou Gehrig?

Hint: #1  He lost his position to Harmon Killebrew.

Hint: #2  In his twenty-plus career seasons, he never batted above .276.

A.  GRAIG NETTLES  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  NYY Cpt 1982-84.  Led AL in HR w/32 in 1976.  Gehrig led MLB thrice in HR.  Nettles was with ATL in 1987 in his penultimate campaign.

-  #1  He only played 26 G at 3B for MIN in 1968-69.

-  #2  His best avg in a year was .276 in 1978 for NYY.

FCR -  Dave Huners, Herndon Virginia

Incorrect guesses:  Ken Boyer

 

TUESDAY  —16-Aug

Q.  Who is the only middle infielder with ten or more letters in his last name to hit at least forty home runs in a season?

Hint: #1  His decade plus in the majors was only spent with one team.

Hint: #2  He was the first player to receive the “Man of he Year Award” from his franchise.

A.  RICO PETROCELLI  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  40 HR for BOS in 1969.  1^st AL SS w/40 HR/yr.

-  #1  Played 13 seasons w/BOS.

-  #2  BOS MOTY in 1967.  (I seem to recall a teammate who performed pretty well that season.)

FCR -  Eric Morrison, Myerstown, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Nomar Garciaparra, Davey Johnson, Edwin Concepcion, Ted Kluszewski, Dave Concepcion, Eugenio Suarez, Troy Tulowitzki

 

WEDNESDAY  —17-Aug

Q.  Who was the first player to hit a double and a home run in the same inning twice during his career?

Hint: #1  He is the only player from his franchise ever to lead the majors in home runs in a season.

Hint: #2  He was signed to a major league contract by the same scout who also signed Frank Robinson, Curt Flood, Vada Pinson, Rusty Staub, Darrell Porter, Don Baylor, Tommy Harper, Bobby Grich & Dave Stieb.

A.  GORMAN THOMAS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  2B + HR = 19-Sep-1982, 8^th inning & 03-Sep-1983, 9^th inning.

-  #1  Tie with Reggie Jackson to lead MLB w/39 HR in 1982 for MIL.

-  #2  Signed by scout and future MLB mgr. Bobby Mattick.

FCR -  Bob Elliott, Mississauga, Ontario

Incorrect guesses:  Nate Colbert, Bobby Mattick, Frank Howard, Mike Schmidt, Ted Kluszewski

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  —17-Aug

Q.  Which non-pitcher finished the highest in the American League MVP voting in the “Year of the Pitcher”?

Hint: #1  He is a native of the city whose major league team he played for every season of his fifteen-year career.

Hint: #2  He says his career highlight was catching the last out of a World Series.

A.  BILL FREEHAN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Freehan finished 2^nd behind battery mate Denny McClain in the AL MVP vote in ’68.  Also finished just ahead of teammate Willie Horton.

-  #1  Born 29-Nov1941, Detroit, MI.  Played only for DET.

-  #2  Caught Tim McCarver’s foul popup of a pitch thrown by Mickey Lolich to end the 1968 Fall Classic (Indeed, it was a classic!)

FCR -  Rob Visconti, Milford, Michigan

Incorrect guesses:  Al Kaline, Brooks Robinson, Carl Yastrzemski, Willie Horton, Boog Powell

 

THURSDAY  —18-Aug

Q.  Which Virginia native, Northwestern alum and one-time Toronto Blue Jay, in only his second career at-bat, pinch-hitting for a future Hall of Famer pitcher, homered off the opponent’s future Hall of Fame pitcher?

Hint: #1  No Seattle Mariner ever played more games in a single season than he did.

Hint: #2  Following an outfield collision of two teammates during a game, his quick action likely saved his teammate’s life (another future Hall of Famer).

A.  WILLIE HORTON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Homered off BAL’s Robin Roberts pinch-hitting for Jim Bunning on 14-Sep-1963.  Born in tiny Arno, Virginia, Horton played 33 G for TOR in 1978.  He graduated from Northwestern HS in Detroit.

-  #1  Played in 162 G in 1979 for SEA, tying him with teammate Rupert Jones that year.  Raul Ibanez and Ichiro Suzuki later tied the mark.

-  #2  In the Tigers’ G on 30-May-1970, RF Al Kaline collided w/CF Jim Northrup chasing a fly ball.  Kaline lay motionless as help arrived from the benches, but it was Horton who had the strength to unblock Kaline’s air passage. Details here.

FCR -  Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Jay Buhner, Denny McClain

 

FRIDAY  —19-Aug

Q.  Who was the first post-expansion rookie first baseman to start an All-Star game?

Hint: #1  The year he won two thirds of a Triple Crown, he only received enough MVP votes for eighth place.

Hint: #2  He is one of the few to win a Gold Glove for a first base for two different teams.

A.     GEORGE SCOTT  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Started the 1966 ASG in his first year in the majors.

-  #1  In 1975, Scott hit 39 HR and had 109 RBI.  He also led the AL in total bases w/318.  Still… 8^th place, the highest of the 7 years he received MVP votes.

-  #2  Won GG for BOS 3 X & for MIL 5 X.

FCR -  John Salvino, Denver

Incorrect guesses:  Vic Power, John Olerud, Wally Joyner, Joe Pepitone, Keith Hernandez, Norm Cash, Jim Gentile, Will Clark, Steve Garvey, Mark Teixeira, Albert Pujols, Mark McGwire, Rusty Staub

 

SATURDAY  —20-Aug

Q.  Who successfully hit in a major league game with a ketchup-slathered hot dog stuffed inside his uniform?

Hint: #1  He later managed the Juice with a likely Hall of Famer on his team.

Hint: #2  He holds the American League record for the most pinch-hit at bats in a career.

A.  GATES BROWN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  PH on 07-Aug-1968, finishing a suspended game from the day before.  (Mustard may have also been involved.)

-  #1  Mange the Orlando Juice in the Senior Professional Baseball Association.  A catcher on that team was Bruce Bochy.

-  #2  Had 414 PH AB.

FCR -  Greg Gits, Glen Ellyn Illinois

Incorrect guesses:  Mike Hargrove, Smokey Burgess, Mickey Cochrane

 

SUNDAY  —21-Aug

Q.  Who is the only player besides Lou Gehrig to have an eight-RBI game twice in the same season?

Hint: #1 He won Gold Gloves for different teams.

Hint: #1 His grandfather was a teammate of history’s greatest pitcher in that pitcher’s greatest year

Hint: #2  He is the final person to qualify for inclusion in this week’s theme.

A.  JIM SPENCER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  8 RBI = 14-May-1977 & 02-Jul-1977.  Gehrig in 1930.

-  #1  Won GG for CAL in 1970 & for CHW in 1977.

-  #2  His grandfather, Ben Spencer, played with Walter Johnson on WSH in 1913 (Johnson was MVP w/a WAR of 15.1)

-  #3  Theme… see below.

FCR -  John Salvino, Denver

Incorrect guesses:  Bret Boone

 

 

 

WEEKLY THEME – Non-Hall of Famers who hit at least four career home runs off Hall of Famer Jim Palmer.

 

 

Who                         HRs               WAR                    Best HOF vote

Brown...................... 4..................... 9.7.................. 0.2%      in 1981

Freehan................... 4................... 44.8.................. 0.5%      in 1982

Horton..................... 5................... 26.5.................. 0.9%      in 1986

Nettles..................... 9................... 68.0.................. 8.3%      in 1994

Petrocelli................. 4................... 39.1.................. 0.7%      in 1982

Scott........................ 4................... 36.6.................. 0.2%      in 1985

Spencer................... 4..................... 2.7.................. 0.0%      in 1988

Thomas................... 5................... 19.8.................. 0.0%      in 1992

 

 

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – [Didn’t have one!]

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Highest WAR with a career batting average below .250

 

Tues    -  Players ejected for fighting in Red Sox vs Yankees games

            -  AL players with most career strikeouts against Nolan Ryan

 

Wed     -  Players of note in the expansion era who were involved in the final out of a double elimination game

            - 

 

 

 

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2022-08-08 Pitchers who won 20 games for a last-place team

Theme and initial research for this week was submitted by New York City’s own Jerry Kahn.

 

MONDAY  —08-Aug

Q.  Which pitcher struck out more batters in a major league career than anyone else?

Hint: #1  He once struck out an All-Star player six times in one game on Flag Day.

Hint: #2  Don Sutton surrendered this person’s first and penultimate home run as a batter.

A.  NOLAN RYAN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Retired w/5,714 Ks.  No one else is close.

-  #1 K’d Cecil Cooper X 6 14-Jun-1974

-  #2  1s HR = 12-Apr-1980 .  Ryan homered once more, 8 years later.

FCR -  Lee Dembart, Hollywood, California

Incorrect guesses:  Cy Young

 

TUESDAY  —09-Aug

Q.  Who is the first player elected to the Hall of Fame who had once played for the Toronto Blue Jays?

Hint: #1  He pitched the first no-hitter for the Atlanta Braves.

Hint: #2  Four Hall of Fame pitchers are the only ones who have starred more games than he has.

A.  PHIL NIEKRO  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  HOF 1997; Played for TOR in 1987.

-  #1  ATL no-no = 05-Aug-1973.  SDP were his victims.

-  #2  Niekro started 716 G.  The top 4 are Young (815), Ryan (773), Sutton (756) & Maddux (740).

FCR -  Jim Easton, London, Ontario

Incorrect guesses:  Dave Winfield, Roberto Alomar, John Smoltz

 

WEDNESDAY  —10-Aug

Q.  Sandy Koufax broke Carl Erskine’s ten-year-old record for most strikeouts by a pitcher in a

World Series game, but who did Erskine take the record from?

Hint: #1  He owns an autographed photo of the legendary Connie Mack which reads in part, ”To _____, whom I consider the greatest pitching artist of his day…”

Hint: #2  He no-hit the team he is best remembered playing for.

A.  HOWARD EHMKE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Ehmke stuck out 13 Cubs in G 1 of the 1929 World Series, bearing Charlie Root in the process.  CHC never recovered losing the Series 4-1.  Ehmke had personally scouted CHC in advance of the Series.  Ehmke’s record stood for 14 years.

-  #1  After Mack’s passing in 1953, Ehmke showed the photo to a reporter, adding, ““It was given to me by Mr. Mack on his 70^th birthday and it’s worth more than all the treasures in an art museum.  It’s Mr. Mack’s personal ‘thanks’ for my victory over the Cubs in the first game of the 1929 World Series.”…followed by the quote above.

-  #2  Threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia A’s Friday, 07-Sep-1923 in an hour and a half.  It was one of the rare years with no Hall of Famers on the Philly squad.  Ehmke played for PHA 1926‑1930, including his record-setting WS appearance in ’29.

FCR -  Dave Williams, Glastonbury, Connecticut

Incorrect guesses:  Lefty Grove, Bob Feller, Babe Ruth, Carl Hubbell, Dizzy Dean, Eldon Auker

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  —10-Aug

Q.  Which former Chicago White Sox pitcher, who finished with more than 3,000 strikeouts, lost eleven of his final twelve career decisions?

Hint: 1#  In his finest season he led the majors in wins, complete games and ERA+ and although his ERA was under 2.00 and led his league, his was only third-best in the majors.

Hint: #2  He surrendered a hit to Joel Youngblood on Youngblood’s most famous day in baseball.

A.  STEVE CARLTON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Final losses in 1987-88 for MIN.  Had 3,031 Ks.  Played for CHW in 1986.

-  #1  Carlton’s ERA of 1.97 in 1972 was the best of his career but American Leaguers Luis Tiant and Gaylord Perry posted 1.91 & 1.92 respectively.

-  #2  In an afternoon start in Chicago on 04-Aug-1982, as a New York Met, Youngblood singled off CHC’s Fergie Jenkins in the 3^rd inning.  He was then traded to the Expos, rushed to Philadelphia, put into the lineup and singled off Carlton in the 7^th inning of that night game.  If someone ever duplicates this feat, it remains unlikely that both hits would come off Hall of Fame pitchers.

FCR -  Patrick Roth, Chicago

Incorrect guesses:  Ed Walsh, Wilbur Wood, Tom Seaver, Fergie Jenkins, Early Wynn, Allie Reynolds, Chris Sale

 

THURSDAY  —11-Aug

Q.  Who struck out one hundred batters in each of twenty-one consecutive seasons?

Hint: #1  Except for his first year in the majors and his retirement season, he started more than 700 games without a relief appearance.

Hint: #2  He was drafted behind Mike Moore, Ron Darling, Mark Gubicza, Neal Heaton and several other journeyman pitchers.

A.  ROGER CLEMENS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  100+ K = 1986-2006.  He also had 100 in 22 seasons of his 24-year career.

-  #1  In total for his career, 705 GS, 707 G.

-  #2  Originally drafted in the 12^th round kin 1981 by NYM while attending a community college.  Many pitchers were rafted ahead of him that time.  He decided to attend the University of Texas and was drafted in the 1^st round by BOS 2 years later.

FCR -  Terry Sloope, Cartersville, Georgia

Incorrect guesses:  Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Don Sutton, Bert Blyleven, Jamie Moyer, David Cone, Mike Mussina

 

FRIDAY  —12-Aug

Q.  Who led the American League in complete games twice in the early 1950s with the St. Louis Browns, but never moved to Baltimore with the team?

Hint: #1  He took the loss in the last ever Opening Day game for the Browns.

Hint: #2  In his best season, he had teammates who went by Stubby, Bow Wow, Footsie, Gulliver, Hot Rod, Kid, Mule, Muscles, Peanuts, Squirrel and Tito among others.

A.  NED GARVER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Led in CG w/22 in 1950 & 24 in 1951.  Was traded to DET in August 1952

-  #1  On 14-Apr-1953, the Browns’ Virgil Trucks beat DET 10-0, w/Garver taking the loss.

-  #2  Names were of players on the 1951 Browns.

FCR -  Chris Betsch, New Albany, Indiana

Incorrect guesses:  Bobo Newsom, Ned Garvey, Virgil Trucks, Ned Garber, Satchel Paige, Nels Potter, Tommy Byrne

 

 

SATURDAY  —13-Aug

Q.  Who was the first twentieth century pitcher to win as much as forty percent of his team's games in a season?

Hint: #1  He was the first left-hander to suffer twenty losses in a season for his National League franchise in the twentieth century.

Hint: #2  He had a natural talent for playing the piano.

A.  NOODLES HAHN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  22 of 52 W + 42% for the 1901 CIN

-  #1  Hahn led 7^th-place CIN in 1900 with a WAR of 6.2 (6.4 for pitchers) and in fact, was 4^th highest in the majors that year.

-  #2  Played piano frequently in social situations.  Some teammates thought he ought to pursue it as a profession after his baseball career.  That thought never took hold.

FCR -  Joseph Cohen, Holden, Massachusetts

Incorrect guesses:  Steve Carlton, Joe McGinnity, Billy Pierce, Roger Craig, Eppa Rixey, Jerry Koosman

 

WEEKEND BONUS  —13-Aug

Q.  Which scout signed Ralph Kiner?

Hint: #1  Modern parlance might identify him (not Kiner) as a “metrosexual”.

Hint: #2  He threw the first immaculate extra inning.

A.  HOLLIS THURSTON  [DID Bio]

-  Ans.  Signed Kiner for a $2,500 bonus for Frankie Frisch’s PIT team early in 1941.

-  #1  Metrosexual definition.  It satisfies one of the theories of his nickname “Sloppy”.

-  #2  Immaculate inning in extra innings 22-Aug-1923, 12^th inning.

FCR -  Tom Pazzi, Germanton, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Hollis Perry, Charlie Metro

 

SUNDAY  —14-Aug

Q.  Who was the first American League pitcher to win at least twenty games while playing for a last‑place team?

Hint: #1  National League president John K. Tener resigned following a dispute over him.

Hint: #2  He lost sixty-eight games in his minor league career and lost sixty-eight games in his j=major league career.

A.  SCOTT PERRY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  See below

-  #1  Pres. Tenner

-  #2  Scott Perry Stats.

FCR -  Joseph Cohen, Holden, Massachusetts

Incorrect guesses: 

 

 

 

WEEKLY THEME – Pitchers who won twenty games for a team that finished last.

 

Jerry did the research years ago (before computers made it easier) but he just updated it as appropriate.

 

Name                    Year       Team  P’s #      Team’s W-L    WAR

Hahn.................... 1901......... CIN........ 22-19........ 52-87........ 44.6

Perry.................... 1918......... PHA....... 21-19........ 52-76........ 12.8

Ehmke................. 1923......... BOS...... 20-17........ 61-91........ 39.2

Thurston............. 1924......... CHW..... 20-14........ 66-87........ 15.8

Garver................. 1951......... STL....... 20-12........ 52-102...... 43.0

Carlton................ 1972......... PHI........ 27-10........ 59-97........ 90.2

Ryan.................... 1974......... CAL....... 22-16........ 68-94........ 81.3

Niekro.................. 1979......... ATL....... 21-20........ 66-94........ 95.9

Clemens.............. 1997......... TOR...... 21-07........ 76-86...... 139.2

Jerry adds:   Somehow, Walter Johnson missed the list.  In case you were wondering, there was only one 20 game loser for a first place team:

George Mullin...... 1907......... DET....... 20-20........ 92-58........ 47.6

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Sarah Grynpas, Toronto (After Ehmke)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Pitchers with 100 wins for two franchises

 

 

Tues    -  MLB All-Stars over the age of 40

-   Pitchers with 250+ career losses

-   HOFers with the fewest wins over losses

-   HOFers with at least 50 wins over losses

-   Hall of Fame starters who did not win the Cy Young Award and played entire career in the Cy Young Award era (1956-present)

-   Pitchers with more than 200 complete games in their career

 

Tues    -  Most pitching victories over age 40

 

Wed     -  Pitchers who led the league in losses while posting an ERA under 4.00.

 

Thurs   -  pitchers who had a stint in Chicago and threw no hitters

-   Pitchers since 1920 who posted a losing record in a season with 5.0 or more WAR

-   players/pitchers who have come to the SABR convention

 

Fri        -  Players/pitchers who have come to the SABR convention

 

 

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