Horsehide-Trivia

[nynasty]

Koufax

 

[Old Sweater]

Which Hall of Famer was the last twentieth century American League player to go an entire season (min 20 AB ) without collecting a hit? Hint: #1 He ranks in the Top Ten all-time in World Series career batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and OPS. Hint: #2 Only he and countryman Albert Pujols belong to a contrived but exclusive statistical “club”. Friday's question answered: Q. Who stands alone as the only pitcher to lead the major leagues in the pitching Triple Crown in consecutive seasons? Hint: #1 As a rookie in the majors, he bumped a future Hall of Fame manager down to the minors—never to rise again as a player on that team. Hint: #2 He was the first pitcher to win at least two World Series rings, win at least two Cy Young Awards and throw at least two no-hitters. A. SANDY KOUFAX [SABR Bio] - Ans. Koufax led the NL and AL in wins, strikeouts & ERA in 1965 & 1966 respectively, his last two seasons in the majors: 1965 - 26 W; 382 K; 2.04 ERA 1966 - 27 W; 317 K; 1.73 ERA - #1 The Dodgers sent down pitcher Tommy Lasorda to make room on the roster for Koufax who never played a game in the minors. Lasorda liked to say, “It took the greatest left-handed pitcher in baseball history to get me off that Brooklyn club – and I still think they made a mistake.” {Actually , Lasorda played 18 more major league games the following year, but it was for the A’s in Kansas City.} - #2 Koufax played on WS champs in 1959, 1963 & 1965. He won the MLB Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 & 1966. His no-hitters were: 30-Jun-1962 vs. NYM; 11-May-1963 vs. SFG; 04-Jun-1964 at PHI; & 09-Sep-1965 vs. CHC. Tim Lincecum, Justin Verlander & Max Scherzer have since matched his feat of 2+ WS rings, 2+ Cy Youngs, 2+ no-hitters. FCR - Art Mugalian, Minneapolis​

~ D. Bruce Brown​

 

[Old Sweater]

Taking a shot in the dark with Bernie

 

[obxyankeefan]

Bernie is not in the hall. Probably someone like Frank Thomas

 

[Old Sweater]

Sunday, May 25th

Which Hall of Famer is a former Cougar and Tiger?









Hint: #1 He also played for the Twins and Triplets.




Hint: #2 He was the first Toronto Blue Jays pitcher to win more than twenty games in a season.








Saturday's question answered:

Q. Which Hall of Famer was the last twentieth century American League player to go an entire season (min 20 AB ) without collecting a hit?

Hint: #1 He ranks in the Top Ten all-time in World Series career batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and OPS.

Hint: #2 Only he and countryman Albert Pujols belong to a contrived but exclusive statistical “club”.

A. DAVID ORTIZ [SABR Bio]

- Ans. Ortiz was 0 for 20 in 1999. He managed to hit 2,462 more during his career.

- #1 In career WS leader lists, he ranks:
5th in BA w/.455;
2nd in OBP w/.576;
7th in sugging w/.795 &
4th in OPS w/1.372. Details here.

- #2 Only he and fellow Dominican Pujols reached both 540+ HR & 630+ doubles.



FCR - Jesse Asbury, Norman, Oklahoma



~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

Monday, May 26

Which member of the Venezuelan baseball Hall of Fame is also on the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame? Hint: #1 Only he and Barry Bonds have career 1,400 bases-on-balls, 900 extra-base hits and 400 stolen bases. Hint: #2 He joined a team at such an age that the General Manager who signed him used to be his back-up on the same team.​

~ D. Bruce Brown​

 

[Cedrique]

Monday, May 26

Which member of the Venezuelan baseball Hall of Fame is also on the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame? Hint: #1 Only he and Barry Bonds have career 1,400 bases-on-balls, 900 extra-base hits and 400 stolen bases. Hint: #2 He joined a team at such an age that the General Manager who signed him used to be his back-up on the same team.​

~ D. Bruce Brown​

Gotta be Bobby Abreu

 

[Old Sweater]

Gotta be Bobby Abreu

^^^ correct
Tuesday, May 27

Which outfielder prevented a hit by throwing out the runner at first base thereby preserving the no-hitter his teammate was pitching? Hint: #1 The year he led the majors in batting average, he only finished ninth in league Most Valuable Player voting—behind two teammates! Hint: #2 His nickname reflected his outfield prowess. Hint: #3 After his playing career, he helped install the elevators in the north and the south towers of The World Trade Center. Monday's question answered: Q. Which member of the Venezuelan baseball Hall of Fame is also on the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame? Hint: #1 Only he and Barry Bonds have career 1,400 bases-on-balls, 900 extra-base hits and 400 stolen bases. Hint: #2 He joined a team at such an age that the General Manager who signed him used to be his back-up on the same team. A. BOBBY ABREU [B-R Bio] - Ans. Abreu made the PHI wall in 2019 & the VBHOF in 2021. - #1 Abreu has 1,476 BB, 921 XBH & 400 SB. Bonds’s corresponding totals are 2,558, 1,440 & 514. - #2 In 1998 on PHI, they were both outfielders, Abreu being the starter, Ruben Amaro Jr. his backup six times in right field. FCR - Andrew Jett, Waxahachie, Texas​

~ D. Bruce Brown​

 

[Cedrique]

^^^ correct
Tuesday, May 27

Which outfielder prevented a hit by throwing out the runner at first base thereby preserving the no-hitter his teammate was pitching? Hint: #1 The year he led the majors in batting average, he only finished ninth in league Most Valuable Player voting—behind two teammates! Hint: #2 His nickname reflected his outfield prowess. Hint: #3 After his playing career, he helped install the elevators in the north and the south towers of The World Trade Center. Monday's question answered: Q. Which member of the Venezuelan baseball Hall of Fame is also on the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame? Hint: #1 Only he and Barry Bonds have career 1,400 bases-on-balls, 900 extra-base hits and 400 stolen bases. Hint: #2 He joined a team at such an age that the General Manager who signed him used to be his back-up on the same team. A. BOBBY ABREU [B-R Bio] - Ans. Abreu made the PHI wall in 2019 & the VBHOF in 2021. - #1 Abreu has 1,476 BB, 921 XBH & 400 SB. Bonds’s corresponding totals are 2,558, 1,440 & 514. - #2 In 1998 on PHI, they were both outfielders, Abreu being the starter, Ruben Amaro Jr. his backup six times in right field. FCR - Andrew Jett, Waxahachie, Texas​

~ D. Bruce Brown​

I'm assuming it's a rightfielder, probably a Yankee or Met. I'll say Paul O'Neill.

 

[Old Sweater]

Tuesday, May

Who played for the Giants in two cities but became the first Gold Glove winner at first base for two other National League teams? Hint: #1 He was named to six major league All-Star teams in just three years. Hint: #2 He became the president of the National League after his playing days. Tuesday's question answered: Q. Which outfielder prevented a hit by throwing out the runner at first base thereby preserving the no-hitter his teammate was pitching? Hint: #1 The year he led the majors in batting average, he only finished ninth in league Most Valuable Player voting—behind two teammates! Hint: #2 His nickname reflected his outfield prowess. Hint: #3 After his playing career, he helped install the elevators in the north and the south towers of The World Trade Center. A. CARL FURILLO [SABR Bio] - Ans. On 27-Aug-1951(1), Ralph Branca had held the Pirates hitless at Ebbets Field when, in the 3rd inning, Ralph Branca’s no-hitter seemed broken by a one-hop shot to RF by P Mel Queen, but Carl Furillo gunned him out at first by 2 feet. Branca lost the no-no in the 9th, but won a full-game shutout. - #1 In 1953, teammate Roy Campanella was again voted NL MVP; fellow outfielder Duke Snider finished 3rd. Brooklyn P Carl Erskine finished along side Furillo at 9th. - #2 During his career, he recorded 151 outfield assists with a high of 24 in 1951 & 9 seasons with 10 or more assists each. He was known as the “Reading Rifle” for his hometown & rifle-like throwing arm. [Roger Kahn in “The Boys of Summer” writes that fans came to Ebbets Field early to watch Carl Furillo warm-up: “Others came out, thousands of others, long before the formal competition started, to watch the warm-up throws. You could hear gasps at Ebbets Field and sometimes, an hour before game time, bursts of applause.”] - #3 Furillo worked for the Otis Elevator Company who had won the contract. FCR - John Burbridge, Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania​ ~ D. Bruce Brown​

 

[nynasty]

Bill White

 

[Old Sweater]

Bill White

Correct

Thursday, May 29

Which Yankee holds the record for the smallest home run total to lead the American League in a full season since the end of the Dead Ball Era?









Hint: #1 That same year, he led the league in walks, both intentional and otherwise.




Hint: #2 The year before, he had a streak of seventeen straight games when he didn’t hit a single single. He had hits—just no singles—for more than two weeks.




Hint: #3 As was the practice at the time, he left his glove on the field while his team was on offense. One day in a minor league game, a candy wrapper flew into his glove—an event noted by the media.








Wednesday's question answered:

Q. Who played for the Giants in two cities but became the first Gold Glove winner at first base for two other National League teams?

Hint: #1 He was named to six major league All-Star teams in just three years.

Hint: #2 He became the president of the National League after his playing days.

A. BILL WHITE [SABR Bio]

- Ans. White played w/NYG & SFG 1956 & ’58. He was the NL 1st base GG winner for STL 1960-65 then for PHI in 1966.

- #1 White was an NL AS in 19591, 19592, 19601 , 19602, 19611 & 19612 during MLB’s brief 2-All-Star Games-per-year era.

- #2 In 1989, White was unanimously elected to succeed Bart Giamatti as president of the National League, becoming the first Black executive to hold such a high position in professional sports. He served until 1994.



FCR - Barry Lipinski, Somerset, New Jersey



~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

What? No one could guess Nick Etten?! I don’t even recall reading about him!

Friday, May 30

Who is the oldest player in major league history to hit twenty home runs before the All-Star break?









Hint: #1 He was the first player in his team’s history to hit safely six times in one game.




Hint: #2 He once homered and stole home in the same game.




Hint: #3 A Sports Illustrated poll voted him the second nicest major league player—after Jim Thome.








Thursday's question answered:

Q. Which Yankee holds the record for the smallest home run total to lead the American League in a full season since the end of the Dead Ball Era?

Hint: #1 That same year, he led the league in walks, both intentional and otherwise.

Hint: #2 The year before, he had a streak of seventeen straight games when he didn’t hit a single single. He had hits—just no singles—for more than two weeks.

Hint: #3 As was the practice at the time, he left his glove on the field while his team was on offense. One day in a minor league game, a candy wrapper flew into his glove—an event noted by the media.

A. NICK ETTEN [reddit Bio]

- Ans. Etten hit 22 HR in 1944 in 154 games.

- #1 He led the AL w/97 BB & 18 IBB in 1945.

- #2 In 1943, from 30-Jul to 15-Aug(2), Etten had 14 hits—9 doubles & 5 HR in 66 AB.

- #3 “Etten's glove fields better without Etten,” quipped Sportswriter Dan Taylor, quoting Etten teammate Joe Trimble, who saw it happen.




FCR - Terry Sloope, Cartersville, Georgia



~ D. Bruce Brown

 

[Old Sweater]

^^^ did David Ortiz ever steal home? lol

 

[obxyankeefan]

I would guess Bonds, but that would make the SI poll Sarcasm.

 

[nynasty]

I'll guess Kirby Puckett

 

[Old Sweater]

I'll guess Kirby Puckett

If so, that SI poll was conducted while the players were active.

 

[nynasty]

If so, that SI poll was conducted while the players were active.

I looked it up. I was way off, and the answer is someone I should definitely have known!

 

[Old Sweater]

Which talented prospect drew such large bonus offers to sign that major league baseball decided to institute a draft? Hint: #1 Ironically, he was soon to be drafted. Hint: #2 In 2015, he was elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame. Friday's question answered: Q. Who is the oldest player in major league history to hit twenty home runs before the All-Star break? Hint: #1 He was the first player in his team’s history to hit safely six times in one game. Hint: #2 He once homered and stole home in the same game. Hint: #3 A Sports Illustrated poll voted him the second nicest major league player—after Jim Thome. A. RAUL IBANEZ [B-R Bio] - Ans. In 2013, during his third stint with the Mariners, Ibanez his 20th HR on 02-Jul, two full weeks before that year’s All-Star Game in New York City. He had turned 41 the previous month, making him the oldest player to hit 20 HR before the break. (He even hit 4 more before the break.) - #1 On 22-Sep-2004, Ibanez had 6 singles for SEA as they dominated LAA 16-6. - #2 HR + SB/H = 12-Sep-2005. [Aren’t those the 2 hardest ways to score a run?] - #3 SI polled 290 major leaguers in 2017 for these results. FCR - Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, Maryland​

~ D. Bruce Brown​

 

[Old Sweater]

I looked it up. I was way off, and the answer is someone I should definitely have known!

Not me. I forgot about Raul.