2019-06-10 Former infielders who are currently broadcasters for MLB games

10-Jun-2019

MONDAY

Q.        What AL ROY SS won the SS the same year?

Hint:     A slugger with a perfect eye-sight home run stat line bumped him off the Double Unique list.

Hint:     He is part owner of a business in his wife’s profession.

A.         NOMAR GARCIAPARRA

-  Shortstop Garciaparra, known to adjust and re-adjust his batting gloves several times per at-bat, won the Silver Slugger Award in his rookie season when he also won the American League Rookie of the Year Award, 1997.

-  When Nomar Mazara came to bat in the 1^st inning of 10-Apr-2018, Garciaparra was no longer MLB’s only Nomar and was relegated to the 2^nd tab.  Mazara has hit exactly 20 HR in each of his previous three seasons in the majors.  He’ll have to slow down a bit to repeat a fourth time this year.

-  He is married to famous soccer star Mia Hamm and in November 2014, he became a minority investor in MLS franchise Los Angeles F.C.

FCR -  Steven Harmon, Sacramento

Incorrect guesses:  Alex Rodriguez

TUESDAY

Q.        Who was the last American League second baseman to win a home run title?

Hint:     He as the first player at any position to win one for his franchise.

Hint:     He also led the league that season in slugging, OPS+ and won his only Silver Slugger Award, but couldn’t break the Top Ten in MVP voting.

Hint:     He signed a letter of intent to play football at a major D-1 football university when their Hall of Fame football coach “…practically guaranteed him a clean shot at the Heisman Trophy his senior year.”

A.         BOBBY GRICH  [SABR Bio]

-  22 HR in the labor-strife-shortened season of 1981, tied with Eddie Murray, Tony Armas, Dwight Evans to lead the AL.

-  1^st Angel to be a league HR leader.

-  .543 SLG 15 OPS+ and 14^th in MVP voting.

-  Guarantee quote is from a newspaper account citing UCLA coach Tommy Prothro.

FCR -  Paul Nielsen, Bowie Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Rogers Hornsby, Cal Ripken, Robinson Cano, Napoleon Lajoie, Bret Boone, Aaron Hill, Vern Stephens

WEDNESDAY

Q.        Whose record for doubles in a season by a switch-hitter did Jose Ramirez tie in 2017?

Hint:     The second year he made the All-Star team, he led the league in stolen bases.

Hint:     He attended the north and south version of same-named schools.

Hint:     He is second all-time in career stolen bases for his team; third for his franchise.

A.         BRIAN ROBERTS

-  56 2b by Roberts in 2009.

-  50 SB in 2007

-  Alumnus of University of North Carolina and the University of South Carolina.

-  His 278 SB trails Brady Anderson’s 307, but also George Sisler’s 351 done with the Browns before they became the Orioles.

FCR -  Mike Anderson, Maumelle, Arkansas

Incorrect guesses:  Smokey Burgess, Mickey Mantle, Lance Berkman

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.        Who is the only player in the expansion era to hit two bases-loaded triples in one game?

Hint:     He was the only player in the 20^th century who produced but a single home run in a career where he came to the plate at least 3,500 times.

Hint:     He was drafted by the Yankees, the Pilots, the Pilots again, the White Sox, the Reds, the Red Sox and the Indians.

A.         DUANE KUIPER  [SABR Bio]

-  2 3b in 1 G = 27-Jul-1978 in Yankee Stadium, both off Bob Kammeyer.

-  HR = 29-Aug-1977 off Steve Stone.  It came in his 1,382^nd at-bat and afterwards he joked about having broken his “homerless streak”.  He would never hit another.

-  Drafted by NYY in the 12^th round of the 1968 MLB June Amateur Draft;

Drafted by SEP in the 9^th round of the 1969 MLB Jan. Draft-Secondary Phase;

Drafted by SEP in the 9^th round of the 1969 MLB June Amateur Draft;

Drafted by CHW in the 1^st round of the 1970 MLB Jan. Draft-Regular Phase;

Drafted by CIN in the 3^rd round of the 1970 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase;

Drafted by BOS in the 4^th round of the 1971 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase; and

Drafted by CLE in the 1^st round of the 1972 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase.

FCR -  Alex Poterack, Providence

Incorrect guesses:  Denard Span, Rafael Belliard

THURSDAY

Q.        Who was the only Yankee shortstop to hit more than 15 home runs in a season between 1962 and 1996? (Min 90 G @ SS)

Hint:     Some people believe that his aunt’s brother is the greatest major league manager not in the Hall of Fame.

Hint:     He went two-for-four to help his franchise to their first championship ever.

Hint:     He was recently inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

A.         ROY SMALLEY III

-  1983 = 19 HR for NYY

-  Son of Roy Smalley, Jr. whose sister married Gene Mauch (Managed 3,942 MLB G., 8^th all-time.  Every manager who managed more than that is in the Hall.)

-  Played (again) for MIN in 1965-87 and went 2/4 in their 1^st WS win.  He had previously played for MIN 1986-82.

-  CBHOF 2013.

FCR -  Maxwell Kates, Toronto

Incorrect guesses:  Bucky Dent, Tom Tresh, Tony Kubek, Dick Howser 

FRIDAY

Q.        Who was the first player to come to bat in umpire Ken Kaiser’s first MLB game?

Hint:     His accent proudly announces his native region. (Not Kaiser’s)

Hint:     He was the first player in the history of his eighty-year-old franchise to hit six singles in a game.

A.         JERRY REMY

-  Lead-off batter for visitors @ Seattle’s Kingdome on 06-Apr-1977.  He became the first player w/BB, SB & R in that new venue.  Kaiser worked behind 3b.

-  Speaks with a distinctive Boston accent.

-  6 X 1b = 03-Sep-1981.  He did it in 10 AB.  Garciaparra did it 22 years later in an interleague G in 6 AB.

FCR -  Rich Ottone, Sykesville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Cesar Tovar

SATURDAY

Q.        Who did the Yankees take in the same draft where the Tigers chose Kirk Gibson?

Hint:     He was a high school teammate of Dick Ellsworth’s son.

Hint:     It has been said that his enthusiasm for baseball makes Sean Casey look like John Olerud.

A.         REX HUDLER

-  1^st Round of the 1978 MLB June Amateur Draft

-  Hudler and Steve Ellsworth are alumni of Bullard High School in Fresno.

-  Casey is so well-known for his friendly, garrulous approach to teammates, opponents, coaches, media that his nickname is “The Mayor”.  Olerud is classically taciturn.  Hudler’s approach to the game (and to life) is practically manic.

FCR -  Christopher LoVergine, White Plains, New York

Incorrect guesses:  Don Mattingly

SUNDAY

Q.        What New York City area-born second baseman went to high school, college and the majors on the other coast?

Hint:     He debuted with a team that itself had only recently debuted.

Hint:     The only season he got MVP votes is the same season he was traded mid-year.

Hint:     In high school, he was a teammate of a Baltimore Ravens Super-Bowl-winning coach.

A.         JULIO CRUZ  [SABR Bio]

-  Born 02-Dec-1954 in Brooklyn, NY; went to Redlands High School in Redlands, California; went to the majors w/SEA.

-  His 1^st G was only 89 days after SEA ‘s 1^st G.

-  Traded 15-Jun-1983 by SEA to CHC for Tony Bernazard.

-  Played basketball with Brian Billick.

FCR -  Nels Johnston, St. Thomas, Ontario

Incorrect guesses:  Rich Aurilia

WEEKLY THEME – A collection of former MLB infielders who are currently broadcasters for MLB games, some with bigger roles than others.

Cruz

Garciaparra

Grich

Hudler

Kuiper

Remy

Roberts

Smalley

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Incorrect theme guesses:

Wed        -  Orioles who hold MLB records

               -  1^st round picks who had 700+ plate appearances in a season and are now (occasional) broadcasters

               -  Middle infielders drafted in the first round

Sat          -  AL middle infielders who played against Cal Ripken, but were drafted higher than Ripken

               -  Former players who went behind the mic

Sun         -  A.L. TV broadcasters

               -  2nd basemen who either played or were raised in New York

Questions archived here:  http://horsehidetriviA.       blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia

2019-06-03 Notable players who whose last career at-bats were home runs

MONDAY

Q.        Who was the first player to have a two-home-run game twice in the same World Series?

Hint:     He replaced Rod Carew at first base when Carew injured his thumb.

Hint:     Less than a week into taking Carew’s place, he hit grand slams on consecutive days.

Hint:     He hit only one additional grand slam in the other 772 games of his major league career.

A.         WILLIE AIKENS

-  2 HR X 2 =  G 1 & G 4 in the 1980 WS.

-  Replaced Carew beginning 02-Jun-1979

-  GS = 13-Jun-1979 (2) & 14-Jun-1979 both against TOR

-  Other GS = 30-Sep-1982

FCR -  Duncan Crowl, San Juan Capistrano, California

Incorrect guesses:  Gene Tenace, ,Kent Hrbek, Wally Joyner

TUESDAY

Q.        Of the first 28 winners of the American League Rookie of the Year Award, who was the youngest?

Hint:     He retired before his tenth season when it was discovered that he had crushed vertebrae as a result of a childhood football injury.

Hint:     Even before he joined the majors, he planned to replace a player at his position whose Hall of Fame career was winding down.

A.         TONY KUBEK  [SABR Bio]

-  Won the award a few days shy of his 22^nd birthday.  It took until Eddie Murray in 1977 to find a younger AL ROY.

-  Retired before the 1966 season when 3 crushed vertebrae were found.

-  He had interest from many MLB teams, but really wanted to be a Yankee and figured that SS Rizzuto was on the downside of his career.

FCR -  Mike Rainey, South Jordan, Utah

Incorrect guesses:  Fred Lynn, Gene Tenace, Roy Smalley, Bill Skowron, Gil McDougald, Curt Blefary, Tom Tresh, John Castino, Jackie Jensen, Lou Whittaker, Mark Fidrych, Bob Grim, Tony Conigliaro,

WEDNESDAY

Q.        Who was the first Oakland A’s player to win a Gold Glove Award?

Hint:     He once tied a Hall of Fame catcher for the league lead in triples.  By a considerable margin, it was the career high for each of them in that category.

Hint:     He hit the first home run ever in Seattle’s King Dome.

A.         JOE RUDI  [SABR Bio]

-  GG 1974-76

-  Both he & Carlton Fisk hit 9 triples in 1972.  Rudi had as many as 6 one other season.  Fisk topped out at 5 in his next-best triples season.

-  King Dome HR = 06-Apr-1977

FCR -  Tom Galligan, Baton Rouge

Incorrect guesses:  Bob Stinson, Bert Campaneris, Rick Monday, Bill North, Mike Heath, Catfish Hunter, Alfred Griffin

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.        Who was namesake to a comet?

Hint:     He was their manager when a franchise won its first World Series title.

Hint:     He hit a home run in each of his first two World Series games… of his 2^nd World Series.

Hint:     He played only 164 in the minor leagues and was the league MVP by the end of his 4^th year in the majors.  It was not the only MVP he would win.

Hint:     Of his 1,452 games in the in the field majors, he played 1,451 at catcher.

A.         MICKEY COCHRANE  [SABR Bio]

-  Mickey Mantle, “The Commerce Comet” was named for Cochrane.

-  Won the 1935 WS w/DET.

-  Played for PHA 1925-33, MVP in ’35.  Played for DET 1934-37, MVP in ‘34*.  [Cochrane was 1^st in the voting, but teammates finished 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th, 9^th & 14^th.]

FCR -  Mike Anderson, Maumelle, Arkansas

Incorrect guesses:  Roy Campanella, Mike Scioscia, Yogi Berra

THURSDAY

Q.        Whose three triples in the first-ever modern World Series put him only tied for second?

Hint:     He worked both sides of Boston during his career.

Hint:     He claimed to have 23 siblings.

Hint:     In spite of being a devout churchgoer, he was known for womanizing and was once threatened by a jilted lover intent on shooting him.

Hint:     He ended his career as player/manager after just 40 games.

A.         CHICK STAHL  [SABR Bio]

-  He tied teammates Buck Freeman ad Freddy Parent, but Tommy Leach had 4 3b’s for the Pirates.  Boston, however, prevailed.

-  Played 4 years for BSN and 6 years for BOS.  Now the Braves and Red Sox, both team had different names during his day.

-  He was reported to have paramours in cities around both leagues.

-  Committed suicide by drinking acid during spring training of 1907.

FCR -  Paul Nielsen, Bowie, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Buck Freeman, Jimmy Collins, Tommy Leach

FRIDAY

Q.        Who holds the record for most career runs-batted-in in All-Star competition?

Hint:     He became a spokesman for the U.S.’s largest retailer after his retirement as an outfielder?

Hint:     He maintains a presence at an airport in Arizona.

Hint:     He made big impressions at All-Star games a half century apart.

A.         TED WILLIAMS  [SABR Bio]

-  12 AS RBI

-  Sear & Roebuck took advantage of his fame and his love of fishing to sell its fishing gear and other sporting goods.

-  He has been partially cryonically preserved at a private company adjacent to the Scottsdale Airport.

-  He famously homered off Rip Sewell high-arc eephus pitch in the 1946 mid-summer classic and was brought onto the field in Boston before the 1999 ASG and was surrounded by adoring major leaguers.  Both game in Fenway Park.

FCR -  Robert Reuther, Pittsburgh

Incorrect guesses:  Willie Mays

SATURDAY

Q.        What future Milwaukee infielder labored for three years as a backup for the Dodgers before winning a starting position?

Hint:     As a starter he was first or second on his team in WAR four out of the next five seasons.

Hint:     On his next team, he placed second and third in WAR in his three seasons there, after the last one garnering him the only MVP votes of his career.

Hint:     He once homered in the 20^th inning of a game to put his team ahead for good.

A.         KEN McMULLEN

-  Backup for LAD 1962-64.  Was a starter for the Senators 1965-69. Their record was not as good as the Dodgers’.

-  For WAS he led in WAR in 1967-69 and was 2^nd in 1965, topping such notable teammates as Frank Howard, Mike McCormick and Camilo Pascual.

-  2^nd in WAR on the 1971 CAL and 3^rd there in 1972, landing a humble 26^th of the AL players receiving MVP votes that year.

-  20^th-inning HR 09-Aug-1967

FCR -  Kevin Mix, Chicago

Incorrect guesses:  Joe Adcock, Eric Young, Sr.

SUNDAY

Q.        Who received the first baseball scholarship at the university now reigning as basketball champions?

Hint:     He replaced the man who was the first National Leaguer to hit a grand slam in the World Series.

Hint:     His career as Red Sox manager was scandalously brief.  (Maybe HE would have taken Pedro out?)

Hint:     He was the first player to collect four hits in a game in the Kingdome.

A.         MIKE CUBBAGE

-  Received the first scholarship at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, his hometown.  UVA won the NCAA basketball crown in April this year.

-  Replace Chuck Hiller as 3^rd-base coach of NYM in 1991.

-  He was hired and replaced as BOS manager during spring training 2002.  He was replaced as manager by Grady Little.

-  4 H = 13-Apr-1977, on the 8^th major league game ever played there.

FCR -  Mike Sparks Sarasota

Incorrect guesses:  Don Zimmer, Joe Kerrigan, Dave Wallace, Butch Hobson, Bobby Valentine, Grady Little

WEEKLY THEME – Notable players who whose last career at-bats were home runs.

Name                            HR Date         Career HRs                 Off

Willie Aikens.............. 27-Apr-1985.......... 110.......... Tommy Boggs

Mickey Cochrane....... 25-May-1937......... 119.......... Bump Hadley

Mike Cubbage............ 03-Oct-1981............ 34.......... Jeff Reardon

Joe Rudi..................... 03-Oct-1982.......... 179.......... Larry Gura

Tony Kubek................ 03-Oct-1965............ 57.......... Dick Radatz

Ken McMullen............ 14-Sep-1977......... 156.......... Tom House

Chick Stahl................. 06-Oct-1906............ 36.......... Tom Hughes

Ted Williams.............. 28-Sep-1960......... 521.......... Jack Fisher

The complete list was compiled by Bill Deane with assistance from Bob McConnell, Dave Smith and David Vincent.

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Patrick Ray, Paradise Valley, Arizona (after Kubek!)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday -  Players with four or more home runs in a single World Series in a losing effort.

               -  Ballplayers named after famous people.

Questions archived here:  http://horsehidetriviA.       blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia