Horsehide-Trivia

[Old Sweater]

WEEKEND EXTRA — 12-Apr-2025
Q. Who was the first Chicago National League player to have more than 207 hits in a season?
Hint: #1 He was a Crusader for two years under a future Hall of Fame baseball coach.
Hint: #2 He is known as “The Grandest Angel of Them All”, but a former President of The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) calls him, “…the best center fielder. Ever. Period.”
A. ARNOLD “JIGGER” STATZ [SABR Bio]
- Ans. In 1923, he had 209 H.
- #1 Jesse Burkett was the Holy Cross coach while Statz played there.
- #2 The Corona Del Mar Historical Society calls Statz “The Grandest Angel”. The “best” assessment comes from the late Dick Beverage, respected researcher and historian of the PCL, in an obituary in the Los Angeles Times.
FCR - Roger Lipsett, Brookline, Massachusetts


SUNDAY — 12-Apr-2025
Q. Who is the first player whose qualifying batting average led the majors while playing for the Texas Rangers franchise?
Hint: #1 When was named the Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game one year, he became the first of his countrymen ever to achieve that honor.
Hint: #2 He was the first Cleveland Indians player since Hall of Famer Earl Averill in 1929-34 to collect one hundred eighty hits in each of three consecutive seasons.
A. JULIO FRANCO [SABR Bio]
- Ans. Franco hit .341 in 1991 for TEX. Rangers Michael Young (.331 in 2005) & Josh Hamilton (.359 in 2010) have joined him.
- #1 Franco was MVP of the 1990 ASG at Wrigley Field. Dominicans Pedro Martinez (1999), Alfonso Soriano (2004), Miguel Tejada (2005), Melky Cabrera (2012) & Robinson Cano (2017) have since been the ASG MVP.
- #2 Franco had 188, 183 & 183 H in 1984-86. Averill did it for the first 6 seasons to start his career.
FCR - Eric Stone, Los Gatos, California

 

[Old Sweater]

I think all of us know this one. They did not care that much for each other.

Which former Blue Jay was the only teammate of Barry Bonds to win an MVP?









Hint: #1 He was the first and second National League second baseman with a one hundred runs-batted-in seasons this century.




Hint: #2 He hit for the cycle in the same game where a batter on the opposing team had five hits in five at-bats without a single run-batted-in.





~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[wood20ks]

I think all of us know this one. They did not care that much for each other.

Which former Blue Jay was the only teammate of Barry Bonds to win an MVP?

Hint: #1 He was the first and second National League second baseman with a one hundred runs-batted-in seasons this century.

Hint: #2 He hit for the cycle in the same game where a batter on the opposing team had five hits in five at-bats without a single run-batted-in.

Well thought I knew,but looked up my answer but I was wrong......I thought Robbie Alomar,but he was a Padre as a rookie,not a Giant.....

 

[YourFriendGannon]

The "they did not care that much for each other" was a giveaway for me. I never knew Kent was a Blue Jay.

 

[Old Sweater]

The "they did not care that much for each other" was a giveaway for me. I never knew Kent was a Blue Jay.

I don’t remember Kent as a Blue Jay either.

 

[Old Sweater]

Who had the major leagues' single-season highest qualifying batting average in the 1960s?









Hint: #1 He is the only left-handed batter to hit more than forty home runs in a season in the history of his now 125-year-old franchise.




Hint: #2 He was driving a tractor on his family’s farm by the age of ten.









Monday's question answered:
Q. Which former Blue Jay was the only teammate of Barry Bonds to win an MVP?

Hint: #1 He was the first and second National League second baseman with a one hundred runs-batted-in seasons this century.

Hint: #2 He hit for the cycle in the same game where a batter on the opposing team had five hits in five at-bats without a single run-batted-in.

A. JEFF KENT [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Kent was the NL MVP in 2000. Teammate Bonds was 2nd that year behind Kent & had also finished 2nd in 1991. He had been the NL MVP in 1990, 1992 & 1993 then would go on to win that accolade in 2001, 2002*, 2003 & 2004.

- #1 Had 108 RBI in 2002 for SFG then 107 in 2004 for HOU.

- #2 On 03-May-1999, PIT’s C, Jason Kendall went 5 for 5 and neither scored nor did he cause anyone to score. Meanwhile, SFG’s Kent was 5 for five, scored twice & drove in 5 while hitting for the cycle. Ironically, PIT won 9-8.
*Unanimous



FCR - Jake Rinloan, Chico, California





~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[obxyankeefan]

Norm Cash

 

[Old Sweater]

Who is the only player to hit exactly twenty-three home runs per season for each of four consecutive seasons?









Hint: #1 He was the first player to be the Most Valuable Player of a League Championship Series playing for a team that didn’t win that series.




Hint: #2 He tied Ted Williams for the most career home runs hit in major league All-Star competition by an American Leaguer.








Tuesday's question answered:

Q. Who had the major leagues' single-season highest qualifying batting average in the 1960s?

Hint: #1 He is the only left-handed batter to hit more than forty home runs in a season in the history of his now 125-year-old franchise.

Hint: #2 He was driving a tractor on his family’s farm by the age of ten.

A. NORM CASH [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Cash hit .361 for DET in 1961, a season that focused more on a different stat.

- #1 His 41 homers in 1961 remain the most by a left-handed batter in Tigers history.

- #2 Cash was born in the nadir of the Great Depression, 10-Nov-1934. His family owned 250 acres near Justiceburg, Texas, growing mostly cotton.



FCR - Eric Lundegaard, Seattle





~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[nynasty]

That famous California Angel Fred Lynn!

 

[Old Sweater]

That famous California Angel Fred Lynn!

The famous Angel Lynn is correct

Which one-time Kansas City Royals player is the only non-Yankee switch-hitter ever voted Most Valuable Player in the American League?









Hint: #1 He helped take down the Big Red Machine.




Hint: #2 He is the only player at his position to start the All-Star Game for both leagues.








Wednesday's question answered:

Q. Who is the only player to hit exactly twenty-three home runs per season for each of four consecutive seasons?

Hint: #1 He was the first player to be the Most Valuable Player of a League Championship Series playing for a team that didn’t win that series.

Hint: #2 He tied Ted Williams for the most career home runs hit in major league All-Star competition by an American Leaguer.

A. FRED LYNN [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Hit 23 HR, no more, no fewer every year, first as an Angel in 1984, then 1985-87 as a Baltimore Oriole. With remarkable consistency, he hit 21 & 22 in the 2 years before the streak and 25 in 1988, the year after it ended, for BAL (18) & DET (7).

- #1 The Angels lost to BOS in 1982, but the voters recognized his contribution. Mike Scott (1986 HOU & Jeffrey Leonard (1987 SFG) were the next to do so.

- #2 Lynn & Williams each hit 4 ASG HR, 2 behind Musial’s MLB-leading 6.



FCR - Lee Dembart, Hollywood, California





~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

Who is still the youngest player to reach seven hundred career bases-on-balls?









Hint: #1 He is the only player to finish second in Rookie of the Year voting then second in Most Valuable Player voting within three seasons.




Hint: #2 He remains the only player in major league history to accumulate one hundred home runs and four hundred walks before his twenty-fifth birthday.








Thursday's question answered:

Q. Which one-time Kansas City Royals player is the only non-Yankee switch-hitter ever voted Most Valuable Player in the American League?

Hint: #1 He helped take down the Big Red Machine.

Hint: #2 He is the first player at his position to start the All-Star Game for both leagues.

A. VIDA BLUE [SABR Bio]

- Ans. BBTL Blue was AL MVP in 1971. Played for KCR in 1982-83.

- #1 Blue & his OAK teammates won the WS in 1972, 4-3 over CIN. The CIN team dominance in the 1970s earned them the “Big Red Machine” nickname.

- #2 He was the starting pitcher for the AL in 1971 & 1975 pitching for OAK. Playing for SFG, he started for the NL in 1978. The NL won all 3 of his ASG starts.



FCR - Tom Hannon, Amesbury Massachusetts





~ D. Bruce Brown

I’m guessing Mantle ^^^^^

 

[Old Sweater]

Which player retired by removing himself from the roster of the Cibao team in the Dominican League just after collecting the game-winning bases-loaded hit off of former Major league teammate Jose Mesa in the penultimate game of the Dominican League championship?









Hint: #1 He was the first player to win the Jackie Jensen Spirit award.




Hint: #2 He was known for his low, one-leg-out crouch.








Friday's question answered:

Q. Who is still the youngest player to reach seven hundred career bases-on-balls?

Hint: #1 He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting then second in Most Valuable Player voting just three seasons later.

Hint: #2 He remains the only player in major league history to accumulate one hundred home runs and four hundred walks before his twenty-fifth birthday.

A. JUAN SOTO [B-R Bio]

- Ans. On 21-Aug-2024, Soto drew his 700th career walk—at age 25.

- #1 Soto was runner-up to Ronald Acuna in the 2018 NL ROY vote, then 2nd to former teammate Bryce Harper in the 2021 NL MVP race. (Those 2nd-place finished didn’t seem to deter Mets negotiators in December of 2024.)

- #2 Soto hit his 100th HR on 12-Apr-2022 at age 23. He had already drawn over 400 BB. Also drawn? Comparisons to Ted Williams for his extraordinary batting eye & discipline.



FCR - Michael Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware





~ D. Bruce Brown

Hint #2 = Manny Sanguillén<that one leg out fascinated me!

 

[obxyankeefan]

The one leg crouch tells me Tony Pena

 

[Old Sweater]

The one leg crouch tells me Tony Pena

You’re probably right. Manny Sanguillén is much older than Jose Mesa.

 

[Old Sweater]

Which curly-haired ginger hit forty home runs—no fewer, no more—in each of four consecutive seasons? Hint: #1 He then missed by only two home runs in each of the following two seasons. Hint: #2 He finished with more career home runs than Carl Yastrzemski, Jeff Bagwell or Vladimir Guerrero. Saturday's question answered: Q. Which player retired by removing himself from the roster of the Cibao team in the Dominican League just after collecting the game-winning bases-loaded hit off of former Major league teammate Jose Mesa in the penultimate game of the Dominican League championship? Hint: #1 He was the first player to win the Jackie Jensen Spirit award. Hint: #2 He was known for his low, one-leg-out crouch. A. TONY PENA [Wiki Bio] - Ans. Mesa and Pena had an interesting relationship. On 16-May-1995, veteran Pena slapped batterymate Jose Mesa in the face w/his mitt during a 9th-inning mound visit, telling the younger Mesa to pay attention after a wild pitch with NYY batter Luis Polonia at bat. Mesa was not in line for the save & may not have taken this appearance as seriously as Pena thought he should. - #1 Begun in 1990, the Jackie JensenSpirit Award was discontinued after the 2019 season. - #2 This famous crouch is known to have been imitated by toddlers world-wide: 1, 2 FCR - Ross Retterer, Fredericksburg, Virginia​ ~ D. Bruce Brown​

 

[obxyankeefan]

Had to look that one up.

 

[Old Sweater]

Had to look that one up.

I’d guess Rusty Nope not enough homers

 

[obxyankeefan]

I’d guess Rusty Nope not enough homers

Rusty is always my first guess when hearing red hair

 

[Old Sweater]

Rusty is always my first guess when hearing red hair

Him and Boog

 

[Cedrique]

​ Which curly-haired ginger hit forty home runs—no fewer, no more—in each of four consecutive seasons? Hint: #1 He then missed by only two home runs in each of the following two seasons. Hint: #2 He finished with more career home runs than Carl Yastrzemski, Jeff Bagwell or Vladimir Guerrero. Saturday's question answered: Q. Which player retired by removing himself from the roster of the Cibao team in the Dominican League just after collecting the game-winning bases-loaded hit off of former Major league teammate Jose Mesa in the penultimate game of the Dominican League championship? Hint: #1 He was the first player to win the Jackie Jensen Spirit award. Hint: #2 He was known for his low, one-leg-out crouch. A. TONY PENA [Wiki Bio] - Ans. Mesa and Pena had an interesting relationship. On 16-May-1995, veteran Pena slapped batterymate Jose Mesa in the face w/his mitt during a 9th-inning mound visit, telling the younger Mesa to pay attention after a wild pitch with NYY batter Luis Polonia at bat. Mesa was not in line for the save & may not have taken this appearance as seriously as Pena thought he should. - #1 Begun in 1990, the Jackie JensenSpirit Award was discontinued after the 2019 season. - #2 This famous crouch is known to have been imitated by toddlers world-wide: 1, 2 FCR - Ross Retterer, Fredericksburg, Virginia​ ~ D. Bruce Brown​

Was Stan Musial a curly headed ginger?