December 12-18, 2011 Managers with 400 wins over .500

MONDAY

Q.         Who was the first player to go five-for-five in his major league debut?

Hint:     He twice hit for the cycle.  (Not that day.  That would be a record.)

Hint:     He was on four pennant winners but only played in the two World Series.

Hint:     An outfielder, he once recorded four assists in a game and on another occasion made ten putouts in a single game.

Twint:    He was scouted by his local newspaper circulation editor.  That man later became a Hall of Fame manager.

A.         Fred Clarke (5/5 30-Jun-1894; 4 A/G in 1910, 10 PO/G in 1911; Ed Barrow at the Des Moines Register)

First Correct Respondent – Henry Hascup, Lodi, NJ

TUESDAY

Q.         What batter trails only Ted Williams and Babe Ruth in career on-base percentage?

Hint:     He began his career playing shortstop but moved over to play mostly third base.

Hint:     He scored 140 runs in a season three times.

Twint:    Tony LaRussa would have passed him in 2012.

A.         John McGraw (.466 OBP; Williams:  .482, Ruth:  .474; Career managerial wins 2,763 to LaRussa’s 2,728)

FCR -    Frank DiPeima, Morristown, NJ

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who hit the last bounce home run in major league history?

Hint:     He held for 42 years and 13 days, the big league record for games played at catcher.

Twint:    He was replaced by Ernie Lombardi in Lombardi’s debut.

A.         Al Lopez (BHR 12-Sep-1930 off Ray Kolp over Bob Meusel’s head and into the bleachers at Ebbets Field; Passed Gabby Hartnett’s, 1,792 G caught on 03-Sep-1945, passed by Bob Boone on 16-Sep-1987 w/ Boone’s 1,919^th.  Record is now held by Ivan Rodriguez at 2,427 and counting; Lombardi debut15-Apr-1931)

FCR -    Dick Adams, Ellicott City, MD

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who played third base for the Yankees in Mickey Mantle’s last game?

Hint:     That season he hit a home run against the Cy Young Award winner as well as an inside-the-park job against the American League’s WHIP leader.

Twint:    He was the first manager to guide the Blue Jays for as many as 500 games.

A.         Bobby Cox (Mantle’s finale 28-Sep-1968; HR against Denny McClain on 02-Jun, IPHR against Dave McNally on 05-Aug; 355-329 in 648 games managing Toronto 1982-85)

FCR -    Peter Mitchell, Mission Viejo, CA

THURSDAY

Q.         Who was the only baseball player in the inaugural induction class for the University of Miami Hall of Fame?

Hint:     He taught high school industrial arts and phys-ed in the off season.

Hint:     He only faced a total of three pitches at the major league level—all strikes.

Hint:     If possible, his fielding was even worse:  He had two chances in the field and made an error on half of them.

Twint:    His playing career ended when he injured his shoulder in a fight with Sal Yvars in a 1946 minor league game.

A.         Walter Alston (Didn’t not me to be more elusive than appropriate for a Thursday, but the question should have read “Miami University”; Sole MLB game 27-Sep-1936)

FCR -    Eddie Deezen, Hollywood, CA

FRIDAY

Q.         Whose plebian behavior on the field belied his patrician nickname?

Hint:     It’s not true that he wrote a book on classical art.

Twint:    He can tell you the difference between Horatio and Polonius.

Twint:    He popularized a now common baseball sartorial affectation.

A.         Earl Weaver (“The Earl of Baltimore”; Book he did write:  Weaver on Strategy; Hamlet reference; He turned his cap backwards in order to argue with umpires with, um… enhanced propinquity.)

FCR -    Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

SATURDAY

Q.         Who was the first native of New Hampshire to be inducted to the baseball Hall of Fame?

Hint:     He left a secure factory job in Waltham to play ball.

Hint:     He died in Denver and is buried in Wyoming.

Twint:    He led teams to championships in Oshkosh and Omaha.

A.         Frank Selee (b. 26-Oct-1859 in Amherst, NH,, HOF 1999; d. 05-Jul-1909 in Denver, CO, buried in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose, MA)

FCR -    Frank DiPrima, Morristown, NJ

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was offered a scholarship to Niagara University to play baseball in spite of never attending high school?

Hint:     He was portrayed by Hugh Sanders in the movie The Winning Team.

Twint:    He was the first manager to win a pennant in both the National League and the American League.

A.         Joe McCarthy (Sanders, The Winning Team; Pennants w/1929 Cubs and 1932 Yankees)

FCR -    Wayne McCombs, Claremore, OK

WEEKLY THEME – Managers with 400 wins over .500

Manager         Wins          Losses      Diff.

Alston          2,040       1,613      427      Bio

Clarke          1,602       1,181       421      Bio

Cox              2,504       2,001       503

Lopez           1,410       1,004       406      Bio

McCarthy      2,125       1,333       792      Bio

McGraw        2,763       1,948       815      Bio

Selee           1,284         862       422

Weaver         1,480       1,060       420

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Dave MacEntee, Beacon, NY

December 5-11, 2011 Hall of Fame Teammates of Hall of Fame Announcer Bob Uecker

MONDAY

Q.         Who is the only non-Dodger pitcher to win a Cy Young Award and National League Most Valuable Player Award in the same year?

Hint:     He was the first major league pitcher to strike out more than 200 batters in each of nine seasons.

Twint:    He was the first player to hit a home run in the World Series in two separate years after not having hit one during each of regular season.

A.         Bob Gibson (CYA MVP 1968 playing for the Cardinals; 200 K 1962-66, 68-70, 72; WS HRs 12-Oct-1967, 06-Oct-1968)

First Correct Respondent - Gene Rudzinski, Buffalo, NY

TUESDAY

Q.         What pitcher wrought the most victories in the 1950s?

Hint:     He once had a season record of 23-7.

Hint:     … for a 6^th place team….

Hint:     … at age 42!

Hint:     Only three of those wins were against the Mets.

Twint:    It was merely a tie for his best season ever.

Twint:    In 2011, Clayton Kershaw won the award named for him.

A.         Warren Spahn (202 W 1950-59; 23-7 in 1963 for the Milwaukee Braves; 23-7 also in 1953; Warren Spahn Award given to the best left-handed pitcher of the year)

FCR -    Alan Work, White Plains, NY

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was the first Atlanta Braves pitcher to throw a no-hitter?

Hint:     His jersey was retired three years before he played his last game for the team.

Hint:     He was the last-active player from the Milwaukee Braves.

Hint:     With his 300^th win, he broke Satchel Paige’s record for oldest pitcher to throw a shutout.

Twint:    He was the last player born in the 1930s to appear in a Major League game.

A.         Phil Niekro (no-hitter 05-Aug-1973; jersey retired by Braves in 1984, rejoined team in 1987 for one game; geriatric SHO 06-Oct-1985)

FCR -    Brian Wood, Pacific Grove, CA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         What pitcher holds the record for most career balks?

Hint:     He was the last National League pitcher to toss 300 innings in a season.

Hint:     During one memorable season, he accounted for 46% of his team’s wins.

Twint:    Among left-handed pitchers, he is second in career wins and strikeouts.

A.         Steve Carlton (90 career balks; 304 IP in 1980; 1972, 27 W)

FCR -    Chuck Durante, Dover, DE

THURSDAY

Q.         After Monte Ward did it in 1880, who was the next National League pitcher to throw a perfect game?

Hint:     At the time of his retirement, he was second on the career strikeouts list (he is now 17^th).

Twint:    He is the only Hall of Fame player to be elected to the U.S. Congress.

A.         Jim Bunning (perfect game 21-Jun-1964; US Representative 1987-99, US Senator 1999-2010)

FCR -    Tom Kennedy, Houston

FRIDAY

Q.         Who is the only player to hit his 500^th home run in an Astros uniform?

Hint:     Ty Cobb said of him, “I’ve only known four perfect swings in my time.  This lad has one of them.”

Hint:     He is the only Hall of Famer from Santa Barbara County (CA).

Hint:     The baseball field behind Santa Barbara High School bears his name.

Hint:     He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976, alongside Vince Lombardi.

Twint:    He played in both the majors and minors in two different cities.

A.         Eddie Mathews (500^th HR 14-Jul-1967; played for the 1950-51 Atlanta Crackers [1966 Braves] and 1951 Milwaukee Brewers [1953-65 Braves])

FCR -    Bob Dorrill, Kingwood, TX

SATURDAY

Q.         What Hall of Famer ate pork chops three times a day?

Hint:     The first professional team he played on won the World Series.

Twint:    At the time of his retirement, he was the last-active Major Leaguer to have appeared in the Negro Leagues.

Twint:    More than a few retired players still take credit for developing his batting stance.

A.         Hank Aaron (Indianapolis Clowns team owner Sid Pollock with the dietary claim; played for Indianapolis Clowns, last game 03-Oct-1977 [3 days after Minnie Minoso’s 1976 PH appearance], later surpassed by Minoso’s 1980 PH appearances; Aaron batted cross-handed when he came to the pros.)

FCR -    John Wanamaker, Binghamton, NY

SUNDAY

Q.         Who, matching the theme of this week, led his league in batting with a .361 average in 1961?

Hint:     His record for leadoff home runs in the National League was broken by Bobby Bonds.

Hint:     He went one-for-ten in the Pan Am games, playing for the U.S.

Twint:    He passed Mickey Mantle to set a new career strikeout record.

Twint:    He hit .189 in his first collegiate season—.500 in his second.

A.         Lou Brock (Played for St. Cloud Rox in 1961 in the Northern League; Bonds broke it with his 22^nd on 20-Jun-1973; 1959 Pan Am Games; Played for Southern University)

FCR -    Rick Zucker, Chesterfield, MO

WEEKLY THEME – Hall of Fame Teammates of Hall of Fame announcer Bob Uecker

Aaron      1962, 63, 67 Braves       Bio

Brock      1964, 65 Cardinals

Bunning   1967 Phillies

Carlton     1965 Cardinals

Gibson    1964, 65 Cardinals

Mathews  1962, 63 Braves            Bio

Niekro      1967 Braves

Spahn      1962, 63 Braves            Bio

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Henry Hascup, Lodi, NJ

November 28 through December 4, 2011 Major leaguers who played in the World Series and managed a World Series team but never won either way.

[This week’s theme, questions and hints are from Gregg Gaylord of Chicago.]

MONDAY

Q.         Who was the starting shortstop for the American League in the first All-Star game?

Hint:     He batted .300 or higher and had 100 or more RBI eight times.

Twint:    He was inducted in the Hall of Fame with Hank Greenberg.

A.         Joe Cronin (1933 ASG; BA 1930-33, 37-39, 41; RBI 1930-34; 37, 39, 40; HOF 1956)

First Correct Respondent – Walt Cherniak, Woodbine, MD

TUESDAY

Q.         Who called the pitches as Carl Hubbell consecutively struck out five future Hall of Famers in the 1934 All Star game?

Hint:     He wasn’t “roamin”, (… or Roman, or even crepuscular for that matter) but he did hit a famous walk off home run as dusk set in.

Twint:    He was the catcher when Babe Ruth “called his shot”.

Twint:    He and Nap Lajoie were born in the same small town.

A.         Gabby Hartnett (1934 ASG; Called shot G 3 top of the 5^th in the 1932 WS; Woonsocket, Rhode Island)

FCR -    Frank DiPrima, Morristown, NJ

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who played more years in the majors than any other former Badger?

Hint:     A former league batting champion, he was once traded for a league home run champion.

Hint:     He married a former Miss Wisconsin.

Twint:    He had the honor of being the final out twice in Sandy Koufax no-hitters.

Twint:    In high school, he once drop-kicked a 52-yard field goal.

A.         Harvey Kuenn (15 yrs. In MLB University of Wisconsin; Koufax NH 11-May-1963 and 09-Sep-1965; Colavito for Kuenn 17‑Apr‑1960; All-American Badger 1951, Dixie Sarchet, Miss WI/USA pageant 1954; October 1948 football Lutheran High)

FCR -    Gary Sarnoff, Arlington, VA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Whose uniform number was the first ever retired by the Cincinnati Reds?

Hint:     A seat at Fenway is painted red because of a pitch he threw to Ted Williams.

Hint:     That same year he gave up 32 home runs to lead the American League.

Twint:    A Cancer Center in Seattle is named in his honor.

Twint:    Mickey Mantle was the first player to with the award named for him.

A.         Fred Hutchinson (Reds Retired #1, 1965 N.B.  Williard Hershberger's number was retired by the Reds in 1940, but then it was reactivated in 1942.; 09-Jun-1946 Williams hit the longest home run ever hit into the Fenway bleachers; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; The Hutch Award)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

THURSDAY

Q.         Who, as a third base coach, slid into third base as the runner he directed also slid into third?

Hint:     He debuted in the majors at the age of seventeen with the team for whom he was a batboy as a child.

Hint:     He once swapped his managers job with a radio broadcaster.

Hint:     Another time, he stepped down as manager with his team in third place, then watched from the broadcast booth as his team came back to win the pennant.

Twint:    His surname hardly described his personality.  His nickname was considerably more descriptive.

A.         “Jolly” Charlie Grimm (Arthur Daley, in his Sports of the Times column 20-Jun-1956; Batboy and ML debut 1917 Phil A’s; 1960 swap with Lou Boudreau; mid-1938 when Gabby Hartnett took over the third place Cubs)

FCR -    Bill Lewers, McLean, VA

FRIDAY

Q:         What shortstop holds the record by participating in nine career triple plays?

Hint:     He also has the record for most put outs in a season by a shortstop with 425.

Hint:     He was named “King of Baseball” at the 1963 Winter Meetings.

Twint:    He was “Mr. Baseball” in his home State of Indiana.

Twint:    He died eating a hot dog while working as a scout in Florida at age 84.

A.         Donie Bush (9 TP tied with 2^nd baseman Bid McPhee; 1914, 425 PO, tied with Hughie Jennings 1895; King of Baseball; Mr. Baseball; d. 28-Mar-1972)

FCR -    J. R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

SATURDAY

Q.         What catcher tagged out Lou Gehrig and Dixie Walker at home plate with one swipe of the glove?

Hint:     The only time he was selected for All-Star competition, he rode the bench as a future Hall of Famer caught all nine innings.

Hint:     He was behind the plate for three no-hitters.

Twint:    He once demanded that umpires check Babe Ruth’s bat after Ruth had hit two home runs against Garland Buckeye.

Twint:    His brother is in the Hall of Fame.

A.         Luke Sewell (DP tag 29-Apr-1933; 1937 ASG, Bill Dickey; No-hitters:  Wes Ferrell on 29‑Apr‑1931, Vern Kennedy on 31-Aug-1935, Bill Dietrich on 01-Jun1937; Ruth/Buckeye HR flap 11-Jun-1927; Brother Joe)

FCR -    David Letizia, Washington, DC

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who made the cover of Sports Illustrated prior to the 1978 season as “This Year’s Phenom”?

Hint:     He did little to thwart the cover jinx.

Hint:     He played for a team that owned a record of 24 wins to one loss in one stretch.

Twint:    Thirty years later, a team that he was managing had an also very impressive fourteen to one run.

Twint     Denied a meal by his manager between games of a doubleheader, he said about his double that hit the top of the wall in the second game “If I’d have had a sandwich, I’d have hit a home run.”

A.         Clint Hurdle (SI cover 20-Mar-1978; 24-1 run 1977 Royals, 31-Aug to 25-Sep [Hurdle only played in 3 of those G]; 14-1 run 2007 Rockies, 16-Sep to 01-Oct; Double-header fast with the 1984 Tidewater Tides, Mgr. Bob Schaefer)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

SUNDAY

Q.         Who replaced Don Zimmer thirteen years after Zimmer replaced him?

Hint:     He and Don Larsen were traded to the Yankees in a thirteen-player deal with the Orioles.

Hint:     He debuted on a team with Satchel Paige the year Satchel led his league in GAMES FINISHED—not complete games, as previously stated.

Twint:    Rogers Hornsby was his first manager.

Twint:    He managed Juan Marichal, Bucky Dent and Fergie Jenkins in the majors.

A.         Derrell Johnson (Mid-1982 he replaced Zimmer as Rangers Mgr. then replaced by him on the 1976 Red Sox; Part of 13 player deal transacted from 17-Nov- and 01-Dec-1954;  Debuted 20-Apr-1952, Paige had 35 GF; Hornsby was Browns manager for the first 51 games of 1952; Juan Marichal, Fergie Jenkins, Bucky Dent)

FCR -    Brian Engelhardt, Reading, PA

WEEKLY THEME – Major leaguers who played in the World Series and managed a World Series team but never won either way.

                     Played on                       Managed

Hurdle            1980 Royals                     2007 Rockies

Kuenn            1962 Giants                      1982 Brewers

Johnson        1961 Reds                       1975 Red Sox

Hutchinson     1940 Tigers                      1961 Reds

Cronin            1933 Senators                  1933 Senators & 1946 Red Sox

Grimm           1929 & 1932 32 Cubs        1932, 35 & 45 Cubs

Sewell            1933 Senators                  1944 Browns

Hartnett          1929, 32, 35 & 38 Cubs     1938 Cubs

Bush              1909 Tigers                      1927 Pirates

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Dave MacEntee, Beacon, NY (after the midweek bonus)

November 21-27, 2011 Major leaguers who appeared on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" in 1955, its first full year of publication.

MONDAY

Q.         Who said, “I think I was the best ballplayer I ever saw.”

Hint:     Willie McCovey said, “He was the finest player I ever saw, make no mistake about it.”

Twint:    Leo Durocher said, “He’s Joe Louis, Jascha Heifetz, Sammy Davis and Nashua rolled into one.”

A.         Willie Mays

First Correct Respondent - Alan Work, White Plains, NY

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who is the career home run leader among players born in Netherlands?

Hint:     His 35 minor league home runs in 2010 led the entire Mariners franchise (including the Major and minor league teams).

Hint:     He was part of the European Big League Tour in Netherlands earlier this month.

Hint:     He played for the Gold Medal-winning Dutch team in the 2007 European Championship and also for the Dutch team in the 2009 WBC.

Twint:    His sister is a professional basketball player in Europe.

Twint:    His father won a silver medal with the Dutch national baseball team in the 1979 European Championship.

A.         Greg Halman (2 HR, Robert Eenhoorn is the only other Netherlands native to hit a ML HR; sister Naomi Halman plays for Canary Islands)

FCR -    Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA

TUESDAY

Q.         Who said, “Slump?  I ain’t in no slump.  I just ain’t hitting!”

Hint:     Mel Ott said, “He stopped everything behind the plate, and hit everything in front of it.”

Twint:    Paul Richards said, “He’s the toughest man in the league in the last three innings.”

A.         Yogi Berra

FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who said, “If there ever has been a man born to be a hitter, it was me.”

Hint:     Stan Musial said, “He was the greatest hitter of our era.”

Twint:    Carl Yastrzemski said, “He studied hitting the way a broker studies the stock market.”

A.         Ted Williams

FCR -    Peter Mitchell, Mission Viejo, CA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who said, “I’m a great BP pitcher.  Now I realize I was throwing BP the last few years of my career.”

Hint:     Ted Williams said, “He had the best fastball of any left-hander I ever faced.”

Twint:    Tris Speaker said, “If nothing happens to this kid, he’s going to be one of the best who ever pitched.”

A.         Herb Score

FCR -    Russ Lake, Champaign, IL

THURSDAY

Q.         Who said, “I don’t care much for Halloween because its colors remind me of the Giants.”

Hint:     About him future Giants manager Roger Craig said, “He was a great defensive player.  He could jump higher than any outfielder I ever saw.”

Twint:    Gene Mauch opined, “He looked better striking out than any of us did hitting a triple.”

A.         Duke Snider

FCR -    Christopher Bell, New York

THANKFULLY:  A DOUBLE-HARBAUGH BONUS

Q.         Who said, “As long as I have a chance to beat you, I’m going to take it.”

Hint:     Tommy Lasorda said, “He was my idol.  He had an electrifying personality, and he was the most aggressive manager I’ve ever seen.”

Twint:    Branch Rickey said, “He had the ability to take a bad situation and make it immediately worse.”

A.         Leo Durocher

FCR -    Russ Lake, Champaign, IL

FRIDAY

Q.         Who pointed out, “There was anti-Semitism throughout my playing days, and it came from the stands, it came from the managers, the coaches and players.”?

Hint:     Cleveland columnist Hal Lebovitz said, “He was like Albert Belle in that he was a perfectionist and very emotional.”

Twint:    Casey Stengel said, “He’ll give you the works every time:  Gets all the hits, gives you the hard tag in the field.  That feller’s a real competitor.”

A.         Al Rosen

FCR -    Henry Hascup, Lodi, NJ

SATURDAY

Q.         Who said, “I throw the ball as hard as ever, it just takes longer to get to the plate.”

Hint:     Kansas City columnist Bill Vaughn said, “He’s a pretty good pitcher for a hitter.”

Twint:    Maury Wills (recovered from alcohol and cocaine addictions) said, “I’m standing here with the man who saved my life. He was a channel for God’s love for me because he chased me all over Los Angeles trying to help me.”

A.         Don Newcombe

FCR -    Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

SUNDAY

Q.         Who said, “Perhaps the truest axiom in baseball is that the toughest thing to do is repeat.”?

Hint:     Vin Scully said, “I always imagined him as the type of guy who would ride shotgun on a stagecoach through Indian country.”

Twint:    Sparky Anderson said, “He’s my hero.  He’s inconspicuous and the players do the job.”

A.         Walter Alston

FCR -    Henry Hascup, Lodi, NJ

WEEKLY THEME – Major leaguers who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1955, its first full year of publication.

Alston            26-Sep

Berra             11-Jul

Durocher        11-Apr

Mays             11-Apr

Newcombe     22-Aug

Rosen            18-Apr

Score            30-May

Snider            27-Jun

Williams         01-Aug

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Gregg Gaylord, Chicago (after the Durocher question)

November 14-20, 2011 Active players with 4,000 career total bases

MONDAY

Q.         Who is the career home run leader among active players?

Hint:     He also leads in runs scored, runs batted in, total bases and extra base hits.

Twint:    He’s a distant second in strikeouts.

A.         Alex Rodriguez (629 HR; 1,824 R, 1,893 RBI, 5,215 TB, 1,153 XBH; Jim Thome has the K lead with 2,487 to A-Rod’s 1,916 and only trails all-time leader Reggie Jackson by 110.

First Correct Respondent – Gary Glasser, Fort Lee, NJ

TUESDAY

Q.         Whose tag of J. T. Snow at home plate ended the Giants season in 2003?

Hint:     He held the ball aloft for the cameras, in a defiant, exuberant pose.

Hint:     Many claim he’s the best catcher of all time.

Twint:    In the history of the majors, no one has played more games at catcher.

A.         Ivan Rodriguez (NLDS G 4; 2,427 G at C)

FCR -    Jim Satterly, DeLand, FL

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What speedster outfielder plays himself in the movie Moneyball?

Hint:     He was a player Billy Beane admitted he couldn’t afford to keep.

Hint:     He has hit more triples that all but five other Kansas City Royals.

Twint:    Per Wikipedia, his first concussion was from a hit he took from Warren Sapp in a high school football game.

Twint:    His mother was born in Thailand.

A.         Johnny Damon (Moneyball uses archival footage of him; 47 3b as a Royal)

FCR -    Jeff Freedman, Los Angeles, CA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         What New Jersey native played the most games in a New York Yankees uniform?

Hint:     He played for four years in the minor leagues and was MVP of the Class-A Florida State League.

Twint:    I’ve heard certain members of the tender gender assert that he’s the awesomest, handsomest, humblest, greatest baseball player ever to live.

Twint:    Only he and Wade Boggs hit a home run for their 3,000^th hit.

A.         Derek Jeter (2,426 G; Minors 1992-95, FLS MVP 1994; 3,000^th H 09-Jul-2011)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

THURSDAY

Q.         Who leads all current major league first basemen in games, putouts and assists?

Hint:     He has never played for the Yankees.

Twint:    He is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, four-time National League Player of the Month, and three-time Gold Glove winner.

A.         Todd Helton (2,001 G, 17,382 PO, 1,577 A)

FCR -    Rod Nelson, Detroit

FRIDAY

Q.         Who is the only switch-hitter in MLB history to have a .300 career batting average and 400 or home runs?

Hint:     He was the first third baseman to have 100 RBI in eight consecutive seasons.

Hint:     He barely missed the mark with his totals on each end of that streak.

Twint:    He is the career NLDS career home run leader.

A.         Chipper Jones (.304, 454 HR; 100 RBI 1996-2003; 9 NLDS HR)

FCR -    J.J. McCoy, Washington, DC

SATURDAY

Q.         Who once averaged 100 runs batted in and 100 walks and 100 strike outs over a fourteen-year period?

Hint:     His lowest season strikeout total over that span was 113.

Hint:     He hit only .235 during his time with the Dodgers, but the fans hated to see him go.

Hint:     He was released from major league teams four times during his career.

Twint:    He is putting all ten of his nieces and nephews through college.

A.         Jim Thome (1995-2008 100 RBI, 104 BB, 144 K)

FCR -    Matt Dicker, Arlington, VA

SUNDAY

Q.         What free swinger had more major league hits than any other player born in his country?

Hint:     He played with his brother for three years on a National League team.

Hint:     He played for fourteen years in the majors before it was discovered that he had lied about his age.

Twint:    Few players in major league history can challenge his prowess as a “bad ball” hitter.

A.         Vladimir Guerrero (Dominican Republic; 2,590 H; Brother Wilton, Montreal Expos 1998-2000)

FCR -    J.J. McCoy, Washington, DC

WEEKLY THEME – Active players with 4,000 career total bases

A-Rod         5,215

Damon       4,146

Guerrero     4,506

Helton         4,028

I-Rod          4,451

Jones         4,579

Jeter           4,430

Thome        4,595

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Merrill, Brunswick, ME