Horsehide-Trivia

[Old Sweater]

WEEK’S THEME – Top-rated non-Hall of Fame Double Uniques: players who last name has never been duplicated in MLB history AND whose first name has likewise never been matched by any other player on any major league roster… ever.

Full list here. Columns C & D on Tab #2 are still a work in progress. (Edits gladly accepted.)


D-U Player WAR
Choo.............................................. 34.6

Clift................................................ 42.1

Cravath.......................................... 33.0

Ellsbury......................................... 31.2

Hartsel........................................... 31.3

Hershiser....................................... 56.0

Luque............................................. 48.1

Marberry........................................ 30.6

Pinson........................................... 54.2

Shocker......................................... 58.6


First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Andrew Milner, Philadelphia (After Shocker)


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~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

Which player had a candy bar bearing his nickname sold during the 2006 season?









Hint: #1 He tied an icon’s iconic record then signed on with that icon’s former team.




Hint: #2 His nickname was “Pronk”, really.





~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

Who was the first batter to drive in more than one hundred and forty runs in his rookie season?









Hint: #1 He was the first player to steal a base after the fifteenth inning of a game in the American League.




Hint: #2 Don’t be tricked into thinking of him as a native Scandinavian.








Monday's question answered:

Q. Which player had a candy bar bearing his nickname sold during the 2006 season?

Hint: #1 He tied an icon’s iconic record then signed on with that icon’s former team.

Hint: #2 His nickname was “Pronk”, really.

A. TRAVIS HAFNER [SABR Bio]

- Ans. The bar was sold primarily in and around Cleveland during Hafner’s career year.

- #1 In 1987 the Yankees’ Don Mattingly hit 6 grand slams to break the record tie that Ernie Banks (1955) and Jim Gentile (1961) held. Hafner hit 6 of ‘em in 2006 and played for NYY at the end of his career. Richie Sexson (2006) & Albert Pujols (2009) have pulled up into a tie with Banks and Gentile.

- #2 “Pronk” is a combination of the words "project" and "donkey" given to him by a teammate inspired by Hafner’s running style.



FCR - Jason Winston, Riverside, California





~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

Which one-time Texas Ranger ended four consecutive seasons with the identical batting average?









Hint: #1 He played on a powerhouse college baseball team.




Hint: #2 He hit a home run on Opening Day in three consecutive seasons.








Tuesday's question answered:

Q. Who was the first batter to drive in more than one hundred and forty runs in his rookie season?

Hint: #1 He was the first player to steal a base after the fifteenth inning of a game in the American League.

Hint: #2 Don’t be tricked into thinking of him as a native Scandinavian.

A. HAL TROSKY [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Trosky had 142 RBI in 1934.

- #1 SB on 11-May-1944 in the 16th inning. HOWEVER… a fine team of researchers recently discovered that this was done much earlier by Hall of Famer Harry Hooper. He stole 3rd base then scored the winning run in the 16th inning on 16-Aug-1916(1). We thank them for the update.

- #2 Trosky was born in Norway, Iowa.



FCR - Tom Hablitzel, Hudson, Ohio





~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

Which paragon of “Three True Outcomes” grew up playing baseball with ROY/MVP/batting champ Kris Bryant?









Hint: #1 This Gold Glover can claim the eighth-longest home run in the Statcast era.




Hint: #2 In High School, he threw a no-hitter in the afternoon then took a certain Hall of Famer's daughter to the prom the same night.








Wednesday's question answered:

Q. Which one-time Texas Ranger ended four consecutive seasons with the identical batting average?

Hint: #1 He played on a powerhouse college baseball team.

Hint: #2 He hit a home run on Opening Day in three consecutive seasons.

A. KHRIS DAVIS [B-R Bio]

- Ans.
TEAM MIL OAK OAK OAK
YEAR: 2015 2016 2017 2018
H: 97 137 140 142
AB: 392 555 566 576
AVG: .247 .247 .247 .247

He barely missed in 2014 when he hit .244 for MIL in his first full MLB year. He played for TEX in his last season, 2021.

- #1 Played for Cal State Fullerton, NCAA D-1 champs in 1979, 1984, 1995, 2004 and were runners-up in 1992. Davis missed those years with them but knew what a strong program they had.

- #2 He hit 3 OD HRs = 2017, 2018, 2019.



FCR - Mary Hums, Louisville





~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

Which right fielder once threw out Hall of Fame base runners Warren Spahn and Hank Aaron in the same game? Hint: #1 He hit the Budweiser sign on top of the Busch Stadium scoreboard with a line drive that some estimate could have traveled as much as 600 feet. Hint: #2 He hit the first home run ever hit in Dodger Stadium. Thursday's question answered: Q. Which paragon of “Three True Outcomes” grew up playing baseball with ROY/MVP/batting champ Kris Bryant? Hint: #1 This Gold Glover can claim the eighth-longest home run in the Statcast era. Hint: #2 In High School, he threw a no-hitter in the afternoon then took a certain Hall of Famer's daughter to the prom the same night. A. JOEY GALLO [B-R Bio] - Ans. Bryant & Gallo grew up playing with and against each other in Las Vegas. The remain friends to this day. 3 True Outcomes (TTO) are the results of a plate appearance that do not involve the defense, i.e., a Home Run, a Base on Balls or a Strikeout - #1 Gallo’s 2nd HR on 20-Jul-2018 in his home ball park in Arlington, travelled a nifty 495’. Watch both here. Gallo won AL OF gold Gloves in 2020 & 2021. - #2 On 14-Apr-2012, Gallo, then 17 & a senior at Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas, pitched a no-hitter against Gloucester Catholic. That evening, he attended prom with Paige Maddux, daughter of pitcher Greg Maddux. (Maddux calls it one of Gallo’s earliest strikeouts.) FCR - Evan Thompson, Mesa​

~ D. Bruce Brown​

 

[obxyankeefan]

I would guess Frank Howard.

 

[Old Sweater]

Who is the only batter to lead the majors in strikeouts in three straight seasons with a total each year exceeding two hundred? Hint: #1 A seven-strikeout game and a ten runs-batted-in game are notable stops on his baseball résumé. Hint: #2 In high school, he was a four-year letterman in baseball, basketball and golf. Friday's question answered: Q. Which right fielder once threw out Hall of Fame base runners Warren Spahn and Hank Aaron in the same game? Hint: #1 He hit the Budweiser sign on top of the Busch Stadium scoreboard with a line drive that some estimate could have traveled as much as 600 feet. Hint: #2 He hit the first home run ever hit in Dodger Stadium. A. WALLY POST [SABR Bio] - Ans. In a game on 11-Aug-1956, Post threw out Warren Spahn in the 2nd inning & Hank Aaron in the 7th. - #1 Long HR on 14-Apr-1961. - #2 1st HR in Dodger Stadium = 10-Apr-1962, the only 1 hit in that G. FCR - Jim Casey, Savannah​

~ D. Bruce Brown​