Q. Who is the only player to win ten Gold Glove Awards playing first base?
Hint: When “game-winning-RBI” was an official statistic, he set the record for the most in a single season.
Hint: He was Tom Seaver’s 3,000th career strikeout victim.
- GG 1978-88 11 in all
- 24 GWRBI in 1985
FCR - Creg Stephenson, Theodore, Alabama
Incorrect guesses: Steve Garvey, Don Mattingly, Eddie Murray, Gil Hodges, John Olerud, Wes Parker
TUESDAY
Q. Who is the only reliever with more saves than Mariano River from 2004 through 2009?
Hint: He became the all-time saves leader for the second major league team he pitched for, now a 119-year-old franchise.
Hint: No pitcher in MLB history with at least 350 career saves, has a higher save percentage.
- 2004-09 = 246 S (Rivera had 243)
- Save pct. = .89125 (Rivera’s = .89071)
FCR - Kellen Nielson, Blanding, Utah
Incorrect guesses: Mariano Rivera, Billy Wagner, Jonathan Papelbon, Francisco Rodriquez, Craig Kimbrel, Trevor Hoffman, Lee Smith, Dennis Eckersley, Todd Jones
WEDNESDAY
Q. Who was the first pitcher to hit a home run in a League Championship Series?
Hint: He was the first native of his home country to be selected by each league for All‑Star competition.
Hint: Three of his teammate moundsmen all racked up 20 pitching victories one season.
FCR - Joe Liss, Metairie, Louisiana
Incorrect guesses: Bert Blyleven, Don Gullett, Dennis Martinez, Don Robinson, Dave McNally, Frank Robinson
THURSDAY
Q. What six-time avian All-Star never played for the Cardinals, the Orioles or Blue Jays?
Hint: Yet he did play for the Cougars.
Hint: He played on the team where, for the first time, four different players each topped thirty home runs the year they won the pennant.
Hint: It took Columbo two times to recognize him.
- According to Wikipedia, he was nicknamed “The Penguin” for his slow, waddling running gait by his college coach, Chuck ‘Bobo’ Brayton. However, one look at him walking and you knewhe had borne that sobriquet his entire life.
- In 1977 LAD won the NL flag w/Steve Garvey, Reggie Smith, Dusty Baker and Cey hitting 33, 32, 30 & 30 HR respectively.
- In episode #5 of Season 9 of the “Columbo” series, the wry, sly detective brilliantly played by Peter Falk, interrupts a celebrity poker game in search of clues. It’s only when he comes back to the game later that he realizes that it’s a celebrity game. He says (ISTR) “Say! You’re Ron Cey!” For good measure, that episode was written by Stephen Bochco.
FCR - Jerry Miller, Liberty Hill, Texas
Incorrect guesses: Steve Garvey, Reggie Smith, Davy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Steve Yeager, Burt Hooton, Alex Rodriguez
FRIDAY
Q. Who surrendered Reggie Jackson’s first World Series home run?
Hint: Before the White Sox did it, his team was the only one that had three pitchers string together three complete games in a League Championship Series. (Yes. He was one of said stringers.)
Hint: In his third full season, he led the league with seven shutouts and posted a sub‑2.50 ERA but got not a single Cy Young Award vote.
Hint: He once pitched nine days after having his skull fractured by a line drive that hit him in the forehead.
- Tom Seaver, Matlack & Jerry Koosman pitched CGs 1, 2 & 3 of the 1973 NLC. CHW did it in G 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the 2005 ALCS (cleverly saving the Big Guy for the WS).
- Led MLB* w/7 ShO in 1974 & had a 2.41 ERA (3rd-best in the majors) but posted a 13-15 won-loss record. (BK would lovethat one!)
FCR - Timothy Brownlee, Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Incorrect guesses: Jerry Koosman, Burt Hooton, Andy Messersmith, Don Gullett, Tug McGraw
SATURDAY
Q. What pitcher set a major league expansion era record by winning his first twelve career decisions?
Hint: He was the first rookie to lead his league in games finished (60 min.).
Hint: Craig Kimbrel broke his record for the most pitching appearances in a rookie year.
- 1-0 in 1974; 1-0 in 1975; 10-0 in 1976 before his first loss 28-Aug. Hooks Wiltse had a similar record in 1904
- Finished 62 G for SDP in 1976.
- Pitched in 77 G in 1976 which led the NL for rookies. Kimbrel had 79 in 2011.
FCR - Jeff Fink, Howell, New Jersey
Incorrect guesses: Fernando Valenzuela, Mark Fidrych, Todd Worrell, Phil Regan, Dick Radatz, Bo Belinsky, Neftali Feliz, Ron Davis, John Smoltz, Mike Marshall, Mark Eichorn
SUNDAY
Q. What former Tar led his league in triples in (appropriately) his third year?
Hint: His fielding was compared favorably to that of Brooks Robinson and Billy Cox by legendary manager Gene Mauch.
Hint: He was a holdout following a quality rookie season but got what he wanted when his manager interceded with the famously stingy French-Canadian owner.
Hint: His congenital spondylosis eventually signaled the end of his major league career. He is now the proud veteran of eight (8!) back surgeries.
- Tars (sailors) are the sports mascot of Rollins College in Orlando where Castino was playing when he was drafted. Led the AL w/9 3b in 1981.
- From SABR: Shortly after his successful rookie season, Castino received a contract from Calvin Griffith for the 1980 season. “I received $21,000 during my rookie season and Griffith was offering just $27,500,” said Castino, who mailed an unsigned contract to his boss with a request for $50,000. That didn’t please the Twins owner, who was known for keeping payroll down. “I was at a banquet in Florida where I was being honored as co-Rookie of the Year. Griffith made a loud entrance and bellowed, “Hey Castino! I got you by the balls. If you don’t sign the contract you’ll be out of baseball.” When spring training began, the Twins third baseman was still unsigned. Hoping to get what he wanted, he sat down with his skipper in the manager’s office. “How can I help you, Rook?” asked Mauch. Castino explained the situation. Mauch then picked up the phone and called Griffith. “Give the kid his $50,000,” he said. Griffith agreed, and the deal was done.
- Spondylosis didn’t show up until he reached for a ball hit by Dave Winfield. The put a hairline fracture in his back and the condition he’d had all his life was revealed.
FCR - Ken Kirk, Corning, New York
Incorrect guesses: Mike Schmidt, David Wright, Coco Laboy, Tim Wallach, Max Alvis, Dale Long, Rodney Scott, Doug DeCinces
WEEKLY THEME – Select players who tied with another player for a major award.
First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Bob Charkovsky, Ashton, Maryland (After Hernandez!)
Incorrect theme guesses:
Monday - Players who cameo’d on SEINFELD
- Players with the most consecutive games hitting Home Runs
Tuesday - Hall of Famers born in California in October.
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Wed - Hall of Famers born in California in October.
- The worst trades in MLB history (or best, depending on the end of the telescope through which we are peering)
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