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