September 26-October 2, 2011 The American League’s first black All-Stars

MONDAY

Q.         What Hall of Famer began his professional career as an Eagle and ended it as a Dragon?

Hint:     He played college basketball for Claire Bee.

Hint:     He played his first minor league game twelve years after his major league debut.

SABR:  He was Major League Baseball's first black shortstop.

Twint:    He originally played as "Larry Walker".

A.         Larry Doby (Newark Eagles 1942, 43, 46, Chunichi Dragons1962; Played basketball at the University of Kansas; 1968 Gulf Coast League Indians; Only game playing SS in the majors 17‑Jul‑1947)

First Correct Respondent – Bob Kimball, Washington, DC

TUESDAY

Q.         Who garnered six Hall of Fame votes while still an active player?

Hint:     He lost the Rookie of the Year Award despite finishing fourth in MVP voting his rookie year (finished 2^nd for ROY).

Hint:     His major league career spanned 31 seasons.

SABR:  He led the league in getting hit by pitches a record 10 times.

Twint:    He was the last Negro League veteran to play in the majors.

A.         Minnie Minoso (1951 ROY voting; Debut 19-Apr-1949, final game 05-Oct-1980)

FCR -    Paul Vastola, Fanwood, NJ

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who won or saved more than 34% of his team's victories at the age of 46?

Hint:     In a big league career that spanned 17 years, the only major league team owners he played for were Bill Veeck and Charlie Finley.

Hint:     Carl Yastrzemski was the last player to get a hit against him.

SABR:  He was the first former Negro Leaguer to pitch in the American League.

SABR:  He was also the last former Negro Leaguer to pitch in the majors.

Twint:    He was nicknamed for a piece of luggage.

A.         Satchel Paige (12 W 10 S for the 1952 Browns [64-90]; Debut 09-Jul-1948, final game 25-Sep-1965)

FCR -    Tim Phares, Laurel, MD

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who never played for the MLB team that signed him despite winning team MVP awards at the AAA level in their system?

Hint:     He was once traded for Roger Maris.

Hint:     He was selected to the first seven American League Gold Glove teams.

SABR:  He stole home twice in one game.

SABR:  He was actually four years older than his baseball age throughout his career.

Twint:    He was the first native of Puerto Rica to play in the American League.

A.         Vic Power (MVPs 1952-53 for the Kansas City Blues; Maris trade [with others] 16-Dec-1953; GG 1958-64; 2 SB 14-Aug-1958)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

THURSDAY

Q.         Who hit into two double plays and dropped a fly ball on the night in his honor?

Hint:     He played on the American League's only two non-Yankee pennant winners in the 1950s.

SABR:  He is one of only three players to homer on the first pitch of a World Series game.

SABR:  He was never a candidate for President of the United States.

Twint:    In his best season he was the only top five MVP vote-getters who isn't in the Hall of Fame.

Twint:    He is probably most remembered for a World Series beer incident.

Twint:    His nickname was Fuzzy.

A.         Al Smith (Al Smith Night 26-Aug-1959; 1954 Indians & 1959 White Sox; WS HR G 1 1954; Best season 1955; Beer)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

FRIDAY

Q.         Who was traded for sluggers Ray Boone and Ted Kluszewski the same year?

Hint:     He was also traded for Billy Martin.

Hint:     He was traded on the deadline two years in a row.

SABR:  He tied for the league lead in triples two years in a row.

Twint:    He was also nicknamed for a piece of luggage.

Twint:    His other nickname was Goody.

A.         Harry Simpson (Trades 1959; Martin trade {w/ others] 15-Jun-1957; Trades 1957-58; Triples leads 1956-57; “Suitcase”)

FCR -    Mike Miller, Dublin, OH

SATURDAY

Q.         Who was a Major League All-Star three times before becoming a regular?

Hint:     He won his only MVP award by 100 votes over a trio of future Hall of Famers.

Hint:     He recorded the highest single season batting mark by catcher since his mentor 25 years earlier.

SABR:  Bill James listed him as the 15th best catcher despite the fact he was over 30 before he caught regularly.

Twint:    He played for six World Series losers.

A.         Elston Howard (MVP in 1963, ahead of Al Kaline, Whitey Ford & Harmon Killebrew)

FCR -    David Letizia, Washington, DC

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who was the Minnesota Twins’ first .300 hitter?

Hint:     He won a Gold Glove Award in his first three years as regular.

Hint:     The two pennant winners he played for sandwiched the Yankees' last 5-year pennant streak.

SABR:  He was traded for a squirrel.

Twint:    He was the top vote-getter on the 1965 AL All-Star team.

A.         Earl Battey (.302 in 1961; GG 1960-62; Pennants 1959 White Sox, 1965 Twins; Traded [w/ Don Mincher] for Roy “Squirrel” Sievers 04-Apr-1960)

FCR -    Bradley Curtis, Roseville, CA

SUNDAY

Q.         Who held his franchise's single season home run record for the first sixteen years of its existence?

Hint:     It was eventually tied by Bobby Bonds, then broken by Reggie Jackson five years after that.

Hint:     He was one of four teammates selected to the Rookie All-star team his freshman year.

SABR:  One year, he led the Carolina League with 51 home runs.

Twint:    He ended his career with the same team he started with after a 10-year absence.

Twint:    His nickname was Daddy Wags.

A.         Leon Wagner (51 HR for 1956 Danville Leafs of the Carolina League)

FCR -    Prisco Panza, Milford, CT

WEEKLY THEME – The American League’s first black All-Stars.

Player        All-Star year     SABR Biography

Doby                1949                Bio

Minoso             1951                Bio

Paige                1952                Bio

Power               1955

Smith                1954                Bio

Simpson           1956                Bio

Howard             1957                Bio

Battey               1962                Bio

Wagner             1962                Bio

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one

We thank Rick Swaine for this week’s theme and questions.  Check out his baseball crossword puzzles at: www.rickswaine.com.

September 19-25, 2011 Batters with grand slams for different teams in the same season

MONDAY

Q.         Who is the only catcher to hit .300 or better with 30 home runs in a season five times in his career?

Hint:     He was runner-up in the MVP balloting in consecutive seasons.

SABR:  He was the first catcher to have 200 hits in a season.

Twint:    He was the Dodgers’ first regular-season designated hitter.

A.         Mike Piazza (1993, 95-99; 1996-97; 201 H in 1997, but only 187 came while he was playing C; DH 12-Jun-1997)

First Correct Respondent - J.J. McCoy, Washington, DC

MONDAY A SECOND TIME

Q.         Who, in his first major league at-bat, hit a home run off Nolan Ryan?

Hint:     His 1.335 OPS in three National League Championship Series is the highest on record.

SABR:  His answering machine at home says, “The Thrill is gone.  Leave a message.”

Twint:    No, he’s not THAT guy; not the movie star!

A.         Will Clark (HR 08-Apr-1986; NLCS 1987, 89, 2000; Other famous Will Clark)

First Correct Respondent - Alan Miller, Oakland

TUESDAY

Q.         Which player's sixth career leadoff home run was the one that put him in the 300/300 club?

Hint:     He was the first Arizona Diamondback to win a Gold Glove.

SABR:  He won the major league Player of the Week Award with three different teams a total of five times.

Twint:    He is a member of the Saluki Baseball Hall of Fame and the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame.

Twint:    He once hit two home runs in a game when he was suffering from a bugling vertebral disk.

A.         Steve Finley (300^th HR 14-Jun-2006; GG 1999, 2000; 2 HR 28-Sep-1999)

FCR -    Michael Bender, Derwood, MD

TUESDAY DOUBLE

Q.         Who had the quietest fifty-home run season ever?

Hint:     He was the first player to hit forty home runs in a season while playing for two teams.

Hint:     They were also in different leagues.

SABR:  His cousin won an American League Most Valuable Player Award.

SABR:  Another cousin of his played sixteen years in the majors.

Twint:    He was the last player in the 20^th century to hit two home runs in a World Series game.

A.         Greg Vaughn (50 HR in 1998; 41 HR in 1996 playing for San Diego and Milwaukee; Mo Vaughn AL MVP, cousin Jerry Royster; 2 WS HRs G1 17-Oct-1998)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who hit grand slams off Hall of Famers in the same season while playing for different teams?

Hint:     He hit four additional home runs that year off Hall of Fame pitchers.

SABR:  He was the first Yankee infielder to win a Gold Glove.

Twint:    Six years before his regular season slams, he’d hit one in the World Series.

A.         Joe Pepitone (GS HRs off Nolan Ryan on 10-Jun-1970 & Don Sutton 14-Aug-1970; 2 HR each off Phil Niekro and Gaylord Perry; GG 1965, 66, 69; WS GS 14-Oct-1964)

FCR -    No one (partially, it would appear, because he was the SECOND Yankee IF GG, after Bobby Richardson in 1961)

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who earned his major league debut as a replacement for his injured Hall of Fame player manager?

Hint:     Even though his debut was in September, he played well enough to earn a World Series share with the team.

Hint:     He watched his grandsons face each other in the 2003 All-Star game.

SABR:  As a scout, he signed Curt Schilling.

SABR:  He tied for the RBI lead in the American League one season.

Twint:    Like his son, he started his professional career as a catcher.

Twint:    He was the leader of the San Diego chapter of the National Lumber Jacks Association.

A.         Ray Boone (Lou Boudreau 1948; 2003 ASG sons Bret and Aaron; RBI lead 1955 w/116)

FCR -    Frank DiPrima, Morristown, NJ

THURSDAY

Q.         Who was the Browns’ batting leader their last year in St. Louis?

Hint:     He was a Red Sox scout for forty years, interrupted by a four-year stint as first base couch for them.

SABR:  He was the only first base coach that manager Eddie Kasko ever had.

Twint:    He got his nickname because it was difficult for him to find shoes narrow enough.

Twint:    His playing career was ended in 1954 by a broken leg.

A.         Don Lenhardt (.317 in 1953; 1957-91 as a scout, first base coach 1970-73

FCR -    Peter Beagle, Oakland

FRIDAY

Q.         Who was announced as the successor to Mike Schmidt when Schmidt retired in 1989?

Hint:     He was traded in early June that same season.

SABR:  He had nine runs batted in a single game two years later.

Twint:    His brother is well-known football player and broadcaster.

A.         Chris James (Traded for John Kruk and Randy Ready 02-Jun-1898; Brother Craig James)

FCR -    Matt Gibson, Barboursville , WV

SATURDAY

Q.         Who is the first post-expansion player to play 40 games at each of the three outfield positions in the same season?

Hint:     That year, he led his team in batting, hits, doubles and at-bats.

Hint:     A certain value-savvy general manager probably knew he was going to do that.

SABR:  At Zanesville High School, graduated 4^th in his class while starring in baseball, soccer and basketball.

Twint:    He had two “Tommy John” surgeries while still a minor leaguer.

A.         Jay Payton (Oakland A’s 2006 LF 51, 44, CF, 41 RF)

FCR -    Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who was the penultimate player to reach the 600 level at Veterans Stadium with a home run?

Hint:     He made his major league debut on the losing end of a no-hitter.

Hint:     He won the 1995 International League MVP award.

SABR:  He won the Doubleday Award in his first season as a professional.

SABR:  He won the award three more times.

Twint:    He was one of the few players allowed to continue wearing #42 after 1997.

A.         Butch Huskey (HR 15-Sep-1997; Debut 08-Sep-1993 [Tanana]; Doubleday Award 1989, 91, 93 & 95)

FCR -    Prisco Panza, Milford, CT

SUNDAY

Q.         Which All-Star second baseman is the third baseman and captain of his Dominican Winter League team?

Hint:     He was the first Washington National to hit a walk-off home run in the 12^th inning or later.

SABR:  After Jim Northrup in 1973, he was the next leadoff batter to have eight RBIs in a game.)

Twint:    In 2005, he started in every spot in the batting order except clean-up.

Twint:    He was the first non-roster invitee to start for the Rockies on Opening Day of 2003.

A.         Ronnie Belliard (Northrup’s 8-RBI game 11-Jul-1973, Belliard’s 23-Sep-2003)

FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

WEEKLY THEME – Batters with grand slams for different teams in the same season.  Thanks to David Vincent for this theme and the data to back it up.

Belliard       2009     WAS   (22-Aug)                LAN   (19-Sep)

Boone        1953     CLE    (10 & 24-May)        DET   (19-Jul & 12-Aug)

Clark           2000     BAL    (20-Jul)                  SLN   (24-Sep)

Finley         2004     ARI     (11-May)                LAN   (02-Oct)

Huskey       1999     SEA    (17-May)                BOS  (28-Jul)

James        1989     PHI     (29-Apr)                 SDN  (18-Jul)

Lenhardt     1952     BOS    (19-Apr & 02-Jun)   DET   (09-Jun)

Payton        2005     BOS    (24-Apr)                 OAK  (30-Jul)

Pepitone     1970     HOU    (10-Jun)                 CHN  (14-Aug)

Piazza         1998     LAN    (09, 10 & 24-Apr)    NYN  (22-Aug)

Vaughn       1996     MIL     (16-Jul)                  SDN  (16-Aug)

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one

September 12-18, 2011 Players representing the most common nicknames in baseball history.

MONDAY

Q.         Which Hall of Famer's hold the record for World Series losses at eight?

Hint:     His 2.74 career ERA, however, is the best since the end of the deadball era.

SABR:  His .690 winning percentage is the best in the 20^th century.

Twint:    He played his whole 18-year career for a team in the city of his birth.

A.         Whitey Ford ([The Hint is incorrect.  Mariano Rivera and Hoyt Wilhelm both rank ahead of Ford.] WS record 10-8; New York Yankees, b. 21-Oct-1928 in New York)

First Correct Respondent – John Shiffert, Morrow, GA

TUESDAY

Q.         Which Hall of Fame pitcher holds the career record for seasons with 300 innings?

Hint:     His first five seasons were over 400 innings each.

SABR:  He notched his 300^th career win when he was still 30 years old.

Twint:    He was elected to the Hall of Fame thirteen years after he was first on the ballot.

A.         Kid Nichols (12 seasons; 1890-94; 300^th W 07-Sep-1900, b. 14-Sep-1869; HOF 1949)

FCR -    Matt Gibson, Barboursville, WV

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What Hall Famer and former Yellow Jacket managed a Chicago team to 110 wins one season?

Hint:     Many of those who saw both play rated him a better pitcher than Satchel Paige.

Hint:     Legend has it that he taught Christy Mathewson how to throw a screw ball.

SABR:  He spent his last days in and died in a mental asylum in Kankakee, Illinois.

Twint:    He is often referred to as the "Father of Negro Baseball".

A.         Rube Foster (Waco Yellow Jackets, 1907 Chicago Leland Giants; d. 09-Dec-1930)

FCR -    Kevin Johnson, Broken Arrow, OK

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who is the only person to be in uniform for the Mets in their first nineteen World Series games?

Hint:     Though a National Leaguer, he batted ninth 01‑Jun‑1979.

Hint:     To add to the insult, his manager pinch hit for him with a batter who finished at .204 for the year.

SABR:  He was the first switch-hitter in New York Mets history to collect 1,000 hits.

Twint:    He appeared as himself on Everybody Loves Raymond.

A.         Bud Harrelson (12 WS G as a player in 1969 & 73, 7 G as coach in 1986; hits; Steve Carlton batted 8^th that day; Dave Rader; ; ELR 01‑Mar‑1999)

FCR -    Frank DiPrima, Morristown, NJ

THURSDAY

Q.         Who is the only starting pitcher to lose three games in a single World Series?

Hint:     Pitching in the minors one season in Salt Lake City, he pitched 418.2 innings, struck out 294 and had 33 wins—all league-leading marks.

SABR:  He married a manicurist he met that year in Salt Lake City.

Twint:    He personally delivered $5,000 of ill-gotten gains to Shoeless Joe Jackson.

A.         Lefty Williams (1919 WS; 1915 Salt Lake City Bees; wife nee Lyria Wilson)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

THURSDAY BONUS

Q.         Which Hall of Famer holds the major league record with six extra-base hits in a doubleheader?

Hint:     He was one of the first major leaguers to wear eyeglasses regularly.

SABR:  He hit over .300 for seven consecutive seasons.

Twint:    His eyesight varied so much on a daily basis that he carried glasses with three different prescriptions with him wherever he went.

A.         Chick Hafey (28-Jul-1928, bis)

FCR -    Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA

FRIDAY

Q.         Who holds the record for fewest pitches in a complete-game victory with 58?

Hint:     Within a nine-month period, he twice came within a single toss of a perfect game.

SABR:  Only fantastic offensive seasons by Phil Cavarretta and Tommy Holmes kept him from winning the Most Valuable Player Award in 1945.

Twint:    In a season where he was traded, he led the league in wins, complete games, innings pitched and batters faced.

Twint:    After the next season, he was purchased back to the team that had traded him.

A.         Red Barrett (58-pitch G 10-Aug-1944; Almosts 02-Sep-1945 & 08-Jun-1946; 1945 MVP voting; 23-May-1945 Traded from the Braves w/ $60,000 to the Cards for Mort Cooper; 09‑Dec‑1946 bought back by the Braves)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

END-OF-THE-WEEK BONUS

Q.         What Hall of Famer was Monte Irvin referring to when he called him: “… the equal of any first baseman who ever lived.”?

Hint:     He turned down a chance to play in the majors because it came after his skills were in decline.

SABR:  He played eight games against major league competition until the commissioner ordered the games to stop.

Twint:    In The New Bill James Historical Abstract, Bill James ranked him as the best first baseman in the Negro leagues and as the 65^th greatest baseball player of all time.

A.         Buck Leonard (After age 40, he was offered a contract by Bill Veeck)

FCR -    Skip Nipper, Nashville

SATURDAY

Q.         With whom did Ted Williams collide in the outfield, knocking both players out, fracturing Williams' jaw?

Hint:     He led the league seven times in at-bats, but only once in plate appearances.

Hint:     He is still the only player to lead the league in at-bats more than five times.

SABR:  Spot-pitching in the Blue Ridge League, on the last day of the 1929 season, he walked Joe Vosmik four times to preserve his own slim lead in the batting race.

Twint:    He was nicknamed "Flit" after the insecticide of the same name because he was "death on flies".

A.         Doc Cramer (Collision 23-Jun-1940)

FCR -    Steve Van Wagener, Bethesda

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who is the only rookie to pitch three complete-game victories in a single World Series?

Hint:     Still on the same team, he helped them win the World Series again sixteen years later.

SABR:  In the modern era (1901 forward) he ranks second in career bases-on-balls allowed.

Twint:    Two of the four pitchers he is most closely matched with by Similarity Scores, are Hall of Famers.  The other two probably should be.

A.         Babe Adams (1909 WS; 1.292 BB/9 Innings behind only his old teammate Deacon Phillippe; Similarity:  Jack Chesbro [921], Stan Coveleski [906], Jesse Tannehill [922], Guy Hecker [907])

FCR -    Peter Beagle, Oakland

SUNDAY

Q.         Who played for three major league teams with a total of four team names in three different major leagues all in the same city?

Hint:     He led the league in home runs one season and led in runs batted in the next.

SABR:  He is the polar opposite of David Aardsma.

Twint:    He is the Federal League career leader in home runs, a lead he is not likely to relinquish soon.

A.         Dutch Zwilling (Chicago White Sox AL, Chi-Feds FL, Whales FL, Cubs NL; HR 16 in 1914, 94 RBI in 1915; Listed last in player registers.  Aardsma is first; 29 FL HR)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

WEEK-ENDING BONUS

Q.         What former Bulldog was the first Red Sox player to lead the league in stolen bases?

Hint:     He was the first native of Mississippi to receive a Hall of Fame vote.

SABR:  Bill James has speculated that he might be in the Hall of Fame had he stayed on to coach after his playing career.

Twint:    He won his only major league batting title by going four-for-five on the last day of the season.

A.         Buddy Myer (30 SB 1928; HOF vote 1949 [a single vote]; 29-Sep-1935)

FCR -    Kenny Fink, Ocala

WEEKLY THEME – Players representing the most common nicknames in baseball history.

Babe (30)             Adams           Bio

Red (160)             Barrett           Bio

Doc (83)              Cramer           Bio

Whitey (35)           Ford

Rube (38)             Foster            Bio

Chick (36)            Hafey            Bio

Bud (43)               Harrelson       Bio

Buck (60)             Leonard         Bio

Buddy (31)           Myer              Bio

Kid (30)                Nichols

Lefty (181)           Williams         Bio

Dutch (70)            Zwilling

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

September 5-11, 2011 Position players whose batting average led all offensive players in a World Series despite being on the losing side.

This week’s theme and questions were submitted by Rev. Gerry Beirne of Narragansett, Rhode Island.

MONDAY

Q.         Who clouted .408 in his first full season and .382 in his last?

Hint:     Babe Ruth called his swing "the perfectest."

SABR:  He married Katie but loved Black Betsy.

Twint:    Ray Liotta (backwards) and D. B. Sweeney portrayed him in the movies.

A.         Joe Jackson (Katie was his wife for over 40 years.  Black Betsy was his bat; Liotta in Field of Dreams” and Sweeney in Eight Men Out)

First Correct Respondent – Ron Henry, Minneapolis, MN

TUESDAY

Q.         Who is the only league Most Valuable Player who also led his league in sacrifice bunts?

Hint:     It was also his only season to bat .300.

Hint:     Ty Cobb (with typical hyperbole) said that "Only this man and Stan Musial could have handled their own in the old days."

SABR:  He was the very first mystery guest on the popular TV show What's My Line?

Twint:    His voice is featured in Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Light.

A.         Phil Rizzuto (1950; WML 28-Jul-1957; Song)

FCR -    Ken Auerbach, New York

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was the first man to steal 50 bases and hit 20 home runs in a season?

Hint:     He was the first man to come to bat in a major league game in Canada.

SABR:  He is the only major leaguer to have an award named after him while still an active player.

Twint:    He is one of only three men to homer into the Polo Grounds center field bleachers in a major league game.

A.         Lou Brock (50/20 1967, his only year with 20 HRs; 14-Apr-1969; Lou Brock Award, awarded for the NL SB leader, est. 1978; PG HR 17-Jun-1962 Other two were Joe Adcock & Hank Aaron.  Luke Easter did it in a Negro League game in 1948.)

FCR -    Ron Kaufman, Pickering, ON

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Whose name was deliberately misspelled on the back of his uniform?

Hint:     In three separate, consecutive seasons, he hit 40 home runs but never struck out more than 40 times.

SABR:  He was a late season pickup by a contending team (only 32 games remained) in the opposite league.

SABR:  He shone by helping them win the pennant and by clouting two home runs with five RBIs in his first World Series game.

Twint:    Despite "holding the bat like a fly swatter," he smashed 279 career round trippers.

Twint:    He hit two of those career home runs in the Los Angeles Angels’ very first game.

A.         Ted Kluszewski (“Kluzuski”; HR/K seasons 1953-55; ChiSox 1959, G #1; Angels G1 11‑Apr‑1961)

FCR -    Michael Frank, Horsehead, NY

THURSDAY

Q.         Who co-authored "Few and Chosen?"

Hint:     He was a high school All-State in four sports where he was a classmate of Chub Feeney.

SABR:  He had four hits and stole home off Allie Reynolds in his first World Series game.

Twint:    He spent seventeen years as a public relations specialist for the commissioner's office.

A.         Monte Irvin (Book; Orange HS; WS G 04-Oct-1951; PR 1968-84)

FCR -    Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

FRIDAY

Q.         What former Met threw the ball from the outfield on the play in which Pete Rose collided with Ray Fosse in an All-Star Game?

Hint:     He and Steve Hovley had a famous mid-air collision which resulted in a Paul Blair inside-the-park home run.

SABR:  The Red Sox drafted him in the as short stop in the first-ever major league draft.

Twint:    They might name a cookie after him.

A.         Amos Otis (ASG 14-Jul-1970; Collision 26-Aug-1973; 1965 MLB Amateur Draft)

FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

SATURDAY

Q.         Who scored the winning run in baseball's Longest Game?

Hint:     He successfully pulled the hidden ball trick three times, twice in two weeks against the Angels.

SABR:  His brother played for the Phillies.

Twint:    He set a record for base hits in a post season that he himself ended by striking out for the final out of the World Series.

A.         Marty Barrett (Game Rochester/Pawtucket 33 innings 18-Apr… 23-Jun-1981; Brother Tom; 24 H 1986)

FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who played and managed in his home city for 22 straight seasons?

Hint:     He set an All-Star Game record by reaching base five straight times.

SABR:  He was a war-time MVP.

Twint:    When his team of 21 years thought he was no longer productive, he took his services across town.

A.         Phil Cavarretta (Chicago; ASG 11-Jul 1944; MVP in 1945; Cubs to White Sox 1954)

FCR -    No one

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first modern player to tie for the league home run title in consecutive seasons?

Hint:     After Honus Wagner in 1912 he was the next Pirate to hit for the cycle.

SABR:  The New York Times falsely reported that he (and others) had been traded for Zack Wheat at the outset of the 1915 season.

Twint:    He refused the Giants' $7,500 offer in 1918, opting instead to remain in "government service".

A.         Dave Robertson (tied Cy Williams 1916, Gavvy Cravath 1917 for NL HR title [Mike Tiernan tied in 1890-91]; cycle 30-Aug-1921; NYT false scoop 28-Apr-1915; left Giants after 1917 season for gov't svc in Norfolk, rejoined team in 1919)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

WEEKLY THEME – Position players whose batting average led all offensive players in a World Series despite being on the losing side.

Barrett              1986           .433

Brock               1968           .464

Cavarretta         1945           .423

Irvin                  1951           .458

Jackson            1919           .375

Kluszewski        1959           .391

Otis                  1980           .478

Rizzuto             1942           .381

Robertson         1917           .500

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one