Sunday, July 6, 2014

June 30-July 6, 2014 Leadoff and walk-off home runs by the same player in the same game

MONDAY
Q.         What speed merchant is the all-time leader in runs scored in a season and career runs scored per game played?
Hint:     He is the first Hall of Famer born in New Jersey.
Hint:     He has a namesake in the majors this year with some similar skills.
Twint:    He was the first Philadelphia Phillies player to win the National League batting title.
Twint:    He ranks fourth in on-base percentage in major league history.
A.         BILLY HAMILTON (198 R in1894; B. Newark, NJ; Modern Billy Hamilton; Batting title .340 in 1891; Career OBP .455 [trailing on Williams, Ruth & McGraw)
FCR -    Nick Batselos, Rockville, MD
Incorrect answers:  Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines

TUESDAY
Q.         Who was the first native of Puerto Rico to be selected to the American League All-Star team?
Hint:     He twice Gold Glove Awards at first base playing for two different teams each season.
Hint:     He won five additional Gold Gloves.
Twint:    He was the last active player in the majors to have played for the Philadelphia A’s.
A.         VIC POWER (AS 1955; GG 1958 [KCA & CLE], 1964 [MIN & LAA]; GGs Also in 1959-63; 1954 A’s, ret. 1965, a few weeks after Nellie Fox did)
FCR -    Larry Creeden, Boulder City, NV
Incorrect answers:  Carlos Delgado, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Alomar

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Which player holds the record for most hits in the month of April?
Hint:     He leads in every conceivable offensive career category for players born in his native state.
Twint:    He was a punter for the 1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers national championship football team.
A.         DARIN ERSTAD (48 H Apr 2000; B. ND; Kicking for Neb.)
FCR -    Brad Fox, Erie, PA
Incorrect answers:  Vern Stephens, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Pete Rose, Ichiro Suzuki, Derek Jeter, Jose Altuve

THURSDAY
Q.         Whom did the Tigers acquire in exchange for Prince Fielder?
Hint:     This is second time he has been a Tiger.
Hint:     He has twice been a member of the 30/30 club.
Twint:    Led his high school team to two state championships in baseball.
A.         IAN KINSLER (Trade for Fielder 20-Nov-2013; Attended University of Missouri; 31 HR/31 SB in 2009 & 32/30 in 2011; Attended Canyon del Oro HS in Tucson)
FCR -    Alex Griffel, Great Neck, NY
Incorrect answers:  Howard Johnson

FRIDAY
Q.         Who was the first player in major league history to steal 25 bases and hit thirty home runs in his rookie season?
Hint:     That only garnered him fourth place in Rookie of the Year voting.
Hint:     Although a regular starter, he has only once hit above .250 in his nine-year career in the Bigs.
Twint:    He is active in community affairs and an active user of Twitter.
A.         CHRIS YOUNG (2007:  32 HR, 27 SB; 4th place ROY voting; Twitter account)
FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD
Incorrect answers:  George Case, Jose Canseco, Brandon Phillips, Dan Uggla

IN MEMORIAM
Q.         What pitcher's widely-read autobiographical account of a year of his career, The Long Season, was written entirely by him?
Hint:     It is still considered a pioneering effort contributing to the success of subsequent books such as Ball Four and The Bullpen Gospels.
Hint:     Jimmy Cannon, a respected sportswriter, called it "the greatest baseball book ever written."
Hint:     The Saturday Evening Post declared him, "... quite possibly the most intellectual creature ever to put on major-league uniform."
Hint:     He played for an American Legion team with teammates Don Zimmer and Jim Frey that made it to the national finals.
Hint:     His contribution during that championship run included two shutouts in the regional and sectional finals, one a two-hitter and the other a three-hitter.
Hint:     In his nine-year career in the majors, he was a journeyman starter then finished as a reliable closer.
Hint:     "I don't mind catching your fastball at all.  Naturally, I'd want to have a glove on in case you might be having an especially good day." -Batterymate Gene Green, joking with him about his lack of velocity.
Twint:    He was teammates with Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Ralph Kiner, Monte Irvin, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson and Nellie Fox.
Twint:    His last manager was Hall of Famer Al Lopez.
A.         JIM BROSNAN (SABR Bio; NY Times Obit; The Long Season; Cincinnati’s Bentley Post American Legion team made the national finals in 1946)
FCR -    Dave Johnson, Swarthmore, PA
Incorrect answers:  Jim Bouton, Stu Miller

WEEKEND FINALE
Q.         Who passed Tim Wallach for the Cal State Fullerton school record for runs scored in a season?
Hint:     This twelve-year major league veteran has thrice been plunked by a pitch three times in a game.
Hint:     He once drove in the walk-off, 11th-inning game-winning run by being hit by a pitch.
Hint:     He once went over the wall to catch a Prince Fielder drive that, if not caught, would have resulted in a game-tying grand slam.
Twint:    He was an Academic All-American in college.
Twint:    His soul-patch facial hair, while not unique in baseball, has been his trademark for many years.
A.         REED JOHNSON (101 R in 1999 for Cal State Fullerton; 3HBP 29-Apr-2006, 07-Apr-2006 and 16-Apr-2005; Walk-off HBP 12-Jun-2008 vs. ATL; Robbed Fielder 12-Apr-2009 with Cubs leading 6-2; Soul-patch)
FCR -    Alex Poterack, Providence, RI
Incorrect answers:  Aaron Rowand, Mark Kotsay, Phil Nevin, Torii Hunter


WEEKLY THEME – Batters who have hit a lead-off home run and a walk-off home run in the same game.  Thanks to David Vincent for verification of this information.

Player            Date                Innings
Hamilton     17-May-1893     1st & 10th
Power         07-May-1957*    1st & 10th
Erstad        25-Jun-2000      1st & 11th
Johnson     15-Jun-2003      1st & 10th
Kinsler        19-Jul-2009       1st & 12th
Young        07-Aug-2010     1st &   9th
            *His first 2 HRs of the season

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Paul Sekula, Arlington, VA (after Power)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday   -  Players with 4 stolen bases in their first ML game
               -  Former U.S. Secretaries of the Treasury
               -  Former and current players with the same name
               -  Players with Dead-Ball Era Run Scoring Records
               -  Players with more than 2000 hits and 500 Stolen Bases.


We archive our questions here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/





Sunday, June 29, 2014

June 23-29, 2014 Three HBP in a row

MONDAY
Q.         Who was the last pitcher to start both ends of a double-header?
Hint:     He lost both games, but only pitched part of the first frame in the opener.
Hint:     He had five consecutive seasons with 40 games started.  No one else has had even one such since 1987.
Hint:     He is also the last pitcher to amass more than 375 innings of service in a season in the majors.
Twint:    He is arguably the greatest leftie to master the knuckleball, having learned his trade from Hoyt Wilhelm.
A.         WILBUR WOOD (20-Jul-1973 [1] & [2], lost both to NYY; 5 seasons 40 GS 1971-75, Charlie Hough 40 GS 1987; 376.2 IP 1972)
FCR -    Mark Bricker, Cincinnati, OH
Incorrect answers:  Don Newcombe, Phil Niekro, Robin Roberts, Jim Kaat, Lew Burdette, Hal Newhouser, Tom Seaver, Iron Man McGinnity, Nolan Ryan, Fergie Jenkins, Mickey Lolich, Warren Spahn

TUESDAY
Q.         Who won the final game of the 2006 World Series against the team with which he debuted?
Hint:     Earlier that same series-winning year, he was designated for assignment by the Angels in order to make room for his brother.
Hint:     He twice led the American League in shutouts – once with the Tigers and later with the Mariners.  
Twint:    He gave up a 12th inning walk-off home run to Alex Gonzalez in the 2003 World Series allowing the Marlins to even the series at 2-2.
Twint:    The Marlins would go on to win the next two games and win the series.
A.         JEFF WEAVER (Game 5 2006 WS vs DET; Jered Weaver debuted 2006 LAA; 3SHO 2002 and 2 in 2007; 2003 WS)
FCR -    Dave Serota, Kalamazoo, MI
Incorrect answers:  Jered Weaver, J.C. Romero

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who was named American League Comeback Player of the Year when the Yankees lost the World Series to the Big Red Machine?
Hint:     He also led the Pirates in wins and win-loss percentage the year Roberto Clemente got his second ring.
Twint:    That same season he won thirteen consecutive games as a starter, tying the 61-year-old franchise record set by Deacon Phillippe.
A.         DOCK ELLIS (Sporting News COPY 1976; 19-9 W/L% .679 in 1971; 13 consec. W 1910 Phillippe and 1971 Ellis)
FCR -    Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, MD
Incorrect answers:  Steve Blass, Virgil Trucks, Jim Bibby, Doc Medich, Bert Blyleven, Chris Chambliss, John Candelaria, Paul O'Neill

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         Which Yankee pitcher gave up the Game 7 grand slam homer to Johnny Damon that cemented the 2004 Red Sox ALCS comeback from a 0-3 deficit?
Hint:     Ironically, his Game 3 win in that series would be the only post-season win of his career.
Hint:     He was then promptly traded to Arizona in the deal that brought Randy Johnson to the Yankees.
Hint:     When he achieved his 2,500th career strike out, he was the active leader in career strike outs.
Twint:    He was the "Silent Assassin".
A.         JAVIER VAZQUEZ (G 7 ALCS 2004; 1-1 post-season record; Trade of 11-Jan-2005 for Johnson included Brad Halsey & Dionner Navarro and $8.5 million; Career 2,536 Ks finishing with 162 his final season with FLA)
FCR -    David Ramsden, Barcelona, SPAIN
Incorrect answers:  Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, Esteban Loiza

THURSDAY
Q.         Which former Cincinnati Reds first-round draft pick played Dutch Leonard in the movie "42"?
Hint:     Much of the action footage was filmed in Engle Stadium, Chattanooga, Tennessee - the stadium where he first broke into the majors.
Hint:     He also pitched in Japan and in 2007 became the first pitcher to throw only one pitch in a game and get a double play in both the majors and in Nippon Pro Baseball.
Hint:     Though he had ten seasons in the majors, he is perhaps best known for his career in the media as a writer, radio host and color analyst including hosting "Eye on Baseball" in 2013 for CBS Sports Radio.
Twint:    At the end of his playing career, he was a LOOGY.
A.         C.J. Nitkowski (Cast and crew "42"; 1994 Chattanooga Lookouts; DP reference; Media career highlights; LOOGYLeft-Handed One Out GuY)
FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY
Incorrect answers:  Dirk Hayhurst

FRIDAY
Q.         Who was the last National League pitcher to log 440 innings in a season?
Hint:     He led the league with 27 losses one season, but the next year won 31.
Hint:     Because of his success and well-dressed appearance, he was given the moniker "Duke of Pittsburgh".
Twint:    Like his twin brother "Blue", he was referred to as a color reportedly because his mother gave the boys different colored ribbons in order to distinguish the two look-alikes.
Twint:    He still holds the National League career record for hit batters with 195.
Twint:    He once lost a game 1-0 to future Hall of Fame pitcher Joe McGinnity despite striking out 21 opponents and not allowing a hit.
A.         PINK HAWLEY (440.1 innings pitched STATS 1894 19-27 STL, 1895 31-22 PIT; Born 5-Dec-1872; Though stories differ as to who placed the ribbons, he wore a "Pink" ribbon to differentiate him from his twin brother who had the blue one; Semi-pro game 1891 or 1891 with Fort Smith, AR losing to Joe McGinnity then with the Krebs, Indian Territory, reported in the "Utica Globe")
FCR -    Richard Letarte, Lunenberg, MA
Incorrect answers:  Vic Willis, Joe McGinnity, Elroy Face, Steve Carlton, Jack Chesbro, Mickey Welch
           
SATURDAY
Q.         Who is the only knuckleballer to lead the majors in complete games in a season since Charlie Hough did it in 1984?
Hint:     His nickname "Phone Book" was earned when he dislocated his shoulder trying to rip a telephone directory in half.
Hint:     In another incident, he incurred elbow ligament damage when he stopped his motion mid-throw trying to gun down a runner.
Twint:    In spite of making appearances in 51 games in 2003, his record between the A's and Tigers in 2003 was only 0-6 with two saves.
A.         STEVE SPARKS (8 CG in 2001; Thwarted by the Phoenix Yellow Pages in 1994 spring training)
FCR -    Josh Murphy, Cedar Rapids, IA
Incorrect answers: Tom Candiotti, Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey, Phil Niekro

WEEKEND BONUS
Q.         Who threw the first no-hitter for the St. Louis Browns?
Hint:     He won the game 5-1 with the only run scored against his team coming from a Hall of Famer who walked and advance on an error.
Hint:     In 1918, he went 6-0 with 6 complete games and one shutout for the Pirates before enlisting in the Navy.
Twint:    He once accepted $5,000 to jump to Kansas City of the Federal League.  Ban Johnson told the Brown’s President Robert Hedges that the American League would spend every dollar in the league treasury to stop him.
Twint:    Eventually, he stuck with the Browns after Hedges met with the player's father who "…was much distressed that his boy should show such scant regard for his signed contract…".
A.         EARL HAMILTON (No-no 30-Aug-1912, Ty Cobb scored the sole run; Kansas City Federal League purchase of Hamilton "The Nerviest Proposition I Ever Saw" saga)
FCR -    Rich Klein, Plano, TX
Incorrect answers:  Ernie Koob

SUNDAY
Q.         Who hurled the Chicago National League franchise’s last no hitter before they became the Cubs?
Hint:     In his brief four seasons in the majors, he was teammates with Hall of Famers Frank Chance, Cap Anson and Clark Griffith.
Hint:     His playing days in the Bigs ended in a cloud of mystery, with several versions extant.
Twint:    He later assembled a semi-pro team that won its first 27 games, playing (and shutting out) professional teams.
.           WALTER THORNTON (No-no: 21-Aug-1898 Chicago Orphans 2-1 over Brooklyn Bridegrooms [The Chicago NL team first played as the Cubs in 1904.]; Some reports say that Thornton’s beaning the previous season caused him to lose his ability to think clearly. [Read Thornton’s SABR bio by Will Anderson]; Thornton’s team from Everett, WAS enjoyed beating the pros from Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane.)
FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD
Incorrect answers:  Three-Finger Brown  

WEEKLY THEME – Pitchers with three consecutive hit batsmen.

Pitcher         Date                   Inning      Offended parties
Ellis             01-May-1974       1st *          Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Dan Driessen
Hawley         07-Apr-1894        1st            ~
                    09-May-1896       7th **        ~
Hamilton       10-Sep-1912       6th            New York Hilltoppers (Yankees)
Nitkowski     03-Aug-1998       8th            Derek Lee, Ryan Jackson, Kevin Orie
Sparks         22-May-1999       3rd            Paul Sorrento, Miguel Cairo, Kevin Stocker
Thornton       18-May-1898       4th            Chicago Orphans (Cubs)
Vazquez       23-Sep-2010       7th            Desmond Jennings, Willy Aybar, Kelly Shoppach
Weaver         21-Aug-2004       1st            J.D. Drew, Chipper Jones, Johnny Estrada
Wood           10-Sep-1977       1st            Dave Kingman, Don Baylor, Dave Chalk

*First three batters of the game
**Hit two additional batters during game

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Makoto Ozawa, Scarsdale, NY (after Weaver)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday
               -  Pittsburgh Pirate draftees
               -  Lefty knuckleballers
               -  Knuckleballers with repeating initials
               -  Players with consecutive 10 WAR seasons
               -  Players with 10 WAR seasons not to win MVP

Tuesday   -  Notable pitchers with last names beginning with "W"

Wednesday
               -  Pitchers who won 2 of the 3 Triple crown pitching categories but didn't win the Cy Young award



Horsehide Trivia blog has the questions and answers from this week as well as from previous weeks:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/



Monday, June 23, 2014

June 16-22, 2014 Tony Gwynn and the 8 batters he beat out for a batting title

IN MEMORIAM
Q.         Who was drafted in the third round of the MLB draft and tenth round of the NBA draft on the same day?
Hint:     His draft position placed him six spots behind John Elway.
Hint:     His statue at Petco Park has an inscription reading, "If you work hard, good things will happen," the motto of his father.
Hint:     The baseball field at San Diego State University is named in his honor at the insistence of the Padres owner who donated the money for its renovation.
Hint:     He had the highest single-season batting average after Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941.
Hint:     No player in the history of the National League won more batting titles.
Hint:     His son's first major league hit came 24 years to the day after his own first.
Hint:     His career batting average is the highest of any player debuting after World War II.
Hint:     His nineteen consecutive seasons batting over .300 is bested only by Ty Cobb.
Hint:     He had "5 . 5 Hole" written on the tongue of his spikes, indicating the place on the field where he most liked to slap the ball.
Twint:    He earned the nickname "Captain Video" for his pioneering use of the medium to improve his performance.
Twint:    He once sneaked into the Angels Spring Training camp to spy on a Rod Carew bunting clinic.
Twint:    He called his bat "Seven grains of pain."
A.         TONY GWYNN Obit: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2099120-hall-of-famer-tony-gwynn-passes-and-there-is-a-55-hole-in-baseball-universe (Padres owner John Moores; .394 in 1994; 19-Jul-1982 and 19-Jul-2006; Round 3 of 1981 draft 09-Jun-1981, Elway chosen last in Round 2 ; 8 BA titles, tied with Honus Wagner; Tony Gwynn, Jr.; Career BA .338; Shoes; Video work; Seven grains)
FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX
Incorrect answers:  Dave Winfield, Ken Griffey, Jr.

TUESDAY
Q.         Who holds the Los Angeles Dodgers record for highest batting average in a season (minimum 500 AB)?
Hint:     His OPS+ of 185 led the majors that year.
Hint:     His time with the Marlins was even shorter that his time with the Padres or A’s.
Twint:    He was the first catcher to collect 200 hits in a season.
A.         MIKE PIAZZA (.362 in 1997; 5 G w/MIA, 126 w/SDP, 83 w/OAK; 201 H 1997)
FCR -    Josh Sullivan, Tomball, TX
Incorrect answers:  Gary Sheffield, Tommy Davis, Steve Garvey, Hanley Ramirez, Zach Wheat

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who was the last 20th century player to receive six bases-on-balls in a game?
Hint:     This former Falcon and Hawk had a leg kick that actually thrust him back as he struck the ball.  (And he struck the ball often and well.)
Hint:     He changed his primary fielding position because of a player who went on to win the MVP with a different team.
Twint:    He won the Middlesex County Role Model of the Year Award.
A.         JEFF BAGWELL (6 BB 20-Aug-1999; Xavier High Falcons [Middletown, CT], University of Hartford Hawks, Swing; Moved from 3rd to 1st because of 3rd baseman Ken Caminiti; Middlesex, CT RMAA)
FCR -    Makoto Ozawa, Scarsdale, NY
Incorrect answers:  Brian Jordan, Gary Sheffield, Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott, Deion Sanders, Juan Gonzalez, Cal Ripken

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         What Canadian native played the most games in the majors?
Hint:     A Most Valuable Award, seven Gold Gloves, three Silver Slugger Awards and 28 postseason games were not enough to keep him on the Hall of Fame ballot.*
Twint:    He was the first National League player to collect an extra-base hits in each of six consecutive plate appearances.
Twint:    Few people remember his finish with the Cardinals.
A.         LARRY WALKER (1,988 G; 6 EBH:  HR, 3B, 2B, 2B, 3B, 3B on 21, 22-May-1996 [He slugged a ridiculous 2.833 over that indomitable span.]; St. Louis 2004-05)
FCR -    Gregg Bernstein, Oakland, CA
Incorrect answers:  Dave Winfield, Gary Carter, Terry Puhl, Rusty Staub
*As of this writing, Walker is still on the Hall of Fame ballot.

THURSDAY
Q.         Who broke Terry Puhl's National League Championship Series batting average record, set at .526 in 1980 when he hit .650 years later?
Hint:     He’s one of the few to hit a grand slam in each league in the same season.
Twint:    Nuschler?  Really?!
A.         WILL CLARK (NLCS batting avg. record set in 1989 against the Cubs; 2 GS 20-Jul-2000 for BAL, 24-Sep-2000 for STL, last year of his career)
FCR -    Victor Piacentile, Yorktown Heights, NY
Incorrect answers:  Carlos Beltran, Manny Ramirez, Lloyd Mclendon, Billy Hatcher, David Ortiz, Mark McGwire, Kevin Bass, Davie Justice, Willie McGee

FRIDAY
Q.         Who was the next Red Sox batter, after Bill Regan in 1928, to hit two home runs in the same inning?
Hint:     He said of his retirement plans, "I'm just gonna get big and fat when I get out of baseball"?
Hint:     He went to college in Paris.
Twint:    His numbers at his peak would have won the Triple Crown five times during his career!
Twint:    He never won a single leg of the Triple Crown in any year of his 18-year major league career.
A.         ELLIS BURKS (HR X2 in 1 inning:  27-Aug-1990, Regan's HRs:  16-Jun-1928; Paris Junior College, Paris, TX; Triple-Crown-adjacent year:  1996, 40 HR, 124 RBI & .344 avg)
FCR -    Walt Cherniak, Dayton, MD
Incorrect answers:  Rudy York, George Scott, Moe Berg, Bill Mueller, Gene Stephens, Mo Vaughn, Vern Stephens

SATURDAY
Q.         Who was the last native of Cuba to appear in an All-Star game in the 20th century?
Hint:     He played in more major league games than any other player in the 1990s.
Hint:     On Friday, 10-Jun-2005, he and two other 500-Home-Run-Club members played in the same game.
Twint:    He is the only designated hitter to win a Gold Glove
A.         RAFAEL PALMEIRO (ASG 1999; 500 HRC X3: 10-Jun-2005 Sammy Sosa & Ken Griffey, Jr.; GG 1b 1999)
FCR -    Rich Klein, Plano, TX
Incorrect answers:  Sammy Sosa, Minnie Minoso, Tony Perez, Alex Rodriguez, Jose Canseco

WEEKEND BONUS
Q.         Whom did writer Bill James call "the best hitter God has made in a long time"?
Hint:     He famously grounded into a double play to end a former teammate’s no-hitter.
Hint:     He now coaches in the Mexican minor leagues.
Twint:    In 1999 he was acquitted of a drug offense when his attorney used a rather humiliating defense.
FCR -    Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, AR
Incorrect answers:  Carlos Delgado, Manny Ramirez, Edgar Martinez, Wade Boggs, Craig Biggio

SUNDAY
Q.         Who was the first Dodger to play designated hitter in a game?
Hint:     He was the first to homer in three consecutive pinch-hit plate appearances.
Twint:    He is an alum of the same high school that produced three Hall of Fame inductees.
A.         Lee Lacy (G 1 1978 WS 10-Oct-1978; HRs 2-, 6- & 17-May-1978, also received a BB during the string; HOFers from McClymonds High School in Oakland, California:  Ernie Lombardi, Frank Robinson & Bill Russell of the NBA)
FCR -    Richard Tharp, Gaithersburg, MD
Incorrect answers:  Mike Piazza, Frank Howard, Eric Karros, Reggie Smith, Rick Monday, Dave Hansen, Dave Anderson, Manny Mota


WEEKLY THEME – Tony Gwynn and the eight batters who finished in 2nd place the years he won the National League batting title.

Year     2nd Place        Team    Avg.     Gwynn’s
1984     Lacy              PIT       .321      .352
1987     Guerrero        LAD      .338      .370
1988     Palmeiro        CHC     .307      .313
1989     Clark              SFG     .333      .336
1994     Bagwell          HOU     .368      .394
1995     Piazza            LAD      .347      .368
1996     Burks             COL      .344      .353
1997     Walker           COL      .366      .372

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one

We archive our questions here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/