The Daily Diamond Archive--Barry's Celebration of Baseball Cerebration!
| Date | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2012 | Finally,"Momem" gets his Diamond moment!Like yesterday's Sandy,he started in '55 but found All Star status in the '60's.In 1966,his 1st of 2 straight .400AA/200H/100R/100RBI years(last NL'er to do it!)earned an MVP,as '65 MVP(and fellow Series MVP!)Koufax(off whom he had a career .401 AA!)won a last Cy Young.40 years of his absence tonight call us to call this great player(only inside-the-park walk-off grand slammer!)and greater man's name! | Roberto Clemente |
| 12/30/2012 | We recall yesterday's Rube Walker both catching this teenage(yet 77 years young today!)bonus baby's 1st pitch for Brooklyn and pinch-hitting for him his 1st game as an LA Dodger!Born a Jewish Braun like fellow MVP Ryan,he still has the greatest 5 year W-L Differential of any lively-ball pitcher!Being bested by 1 K for seasonal sovereignty by Rube's Met pupil Ryan(Nolan!) couldn't faze this laconic lefty legend.Proclaim once more his obvious(from age 9)name! | Sandy Koufax |
| 12/29/2012 | "Joey"(short for middle name Jojuan)was yesterday's Albert Belle's much preferred rookie 1st name.Today find an Albert called by a nickname,Campy's backup(Branca's fateful pitch never reached him!)at Ebbets Field(Its' song?"There Used To Be a Ballpark Right Here" sung by "Pal Joey" Francis Albert Sinatra!).Can you name that future great pitching coach with a younger brother(from the disastrous Cubs' College of Coaches!)nicknamed after him? | Rube Walker |
| 12/28/2012 | Still BAMming,note yesterday's Joe D. never(despite 3 AL MVP award)won a league MVH(Most Valuable Hitter for best BAM)!Today name the Joe(y)who raised his Grand Total BAM through post-season skill,winning 3 AL MVH's(to Joe's none)and 3 BABA(Batting Bases)crowns(to Joe's none)!Not ringing a bell?Eye this hitter's hint:Our 200H/150 RBI 1998 non-All Star's the only man ending his career with 10 straight years>20 HR's, let alone 9 straight>100 RBI! | Albert Belle |
| 12/27/2012 | Yesterday's Grand Total topic expands today to the Code's Batters' Hall of Fame,with a telling twist:of its 30 members,only 6 had a career post-season Batting Mean(BAM)greater than their regular-season total BAM!Name the 2 worst Grand Total culprits:our 1st(twice with much lower BAM's edged our 2nd for MVP!)dropped the most of all BHOF'ers due to post-season BAM,the 2nd's post-season BAM was more than 1.000 below his regular-season career! | Joe Dimaggio and Ted Williams |
| 12/26/2012 | Yesterday's 19th century workhorse Pud Galvin was amazingly matched in consecutive 600 IP(!) years by another HOF'er who went a step further!Today's answer is the "Young Hoss"(then 29)who won over 60 games pitching over 700 IP in 1884(using the Code's Grand Total method)!Name this divine Providence righty sidearmer who couldn't overtake Pud's career win total his last NL season,the year he opposed all-time winner Cy Young in his 1st full season! | Charley Radbourn |
| 12/25/2012 | Still commemorating the Nellie Fox birthday(also called Christmas!),we in Chicago not only salute MLB's only 8-straight-years AB/SO king but his fellow HOF'er born here this date in '58:the 3000H/2000BB/2000R/1000SB Club's only(none have even reached 3 categories!)member,Rickey Henderson!But who's the 3rd HOF'er born on this date?Holy hint:baseball's 1st 300 game winner,who made the hitters(so goes the legend!)look like Christmas Pudding! | Pud Galvin |
| 12/24/2012 | Before we "Don" our gay('90's?)apparel as St. Nicholas and Christmas eve approach,Sox searchers recall not only yesterday's Koosman but "Miracle Met" mate Seaver who landed here in '84(Steve Carlton in '86!).That year a catcher pinch-hit in his 10 IP start,but never caught HOF Tom!Name him and a same-situation '50's Sox SS,never getting to play alongside HOF'er and fellow 150 pounder Nellie Fox,whose birthday holiday we so anticipate tomorrow! | Steve Christmas and Don Nicholas |
| 12/23/2012 | Yesterday's Belliards bring to mind another pair of Series-starting,same-last-name cousin infielders named Uribe(yes,Jose and Juan!)who made major marks with the Giants.But today name 2 same-first-namers taking birthday bows:our 1st a 200-win nifty lefty winning the 1st and last of a magical Series 4 game streak,our 2nd the .150 career hitter managing the 21st century's highest-scoring team,same last name of a current ring-winning manager! | Jerry Koosman and Jerry Manuel |
| 12/22/2012 | Yesterday's Lindell bring today's themes:droughts(11 years between W's),pitcher-OF'ers,Series rings and a Johnny!Name this one with 2 career HR's(like brother Jimmy!)who went 15 years till his 1st HR(2nd the next day!)and had a 200 IP year and a .300 OF year!Then name same-last-name cousin IF'ers,each hitless Series-winning regulars:the 1st(also 2 career HR's)10 years(and record PA's)between HR's,the 2nd a 2004 All Star from the Bronx! | Johnny Cooney and Rafael Belliard and Ron Belliard |
| 12/21/2012 | Today brings us a '42 Yank rookie hurler like yesterday's Borowy who,as an All Star OF'er the next year,aided Hank's 1st Series win with his 1st Series hit!Our answer would win 3 rings with the Yankees,becoming a 100 RBI league TB king,dominating the Bombers' winning '47 Series with a 2.000 D-BOP!Name our main man who,back to pitching his last season,matched "Henry Ludwig" in his unusual '45 combo of reaching 15 CG's and a >20 BB-SO differential! | Johnny Lindell |
| 12/20/2012 | An "over-20 games winner" like yesterday's George Mullin and an AL "successive All Star" like yesterday's Pat Mullin,today's pitcher ended his career with a 2-2 Detroit year and is the only with a 2-2 mark in a Series!Name again(see Archive)this last Cub to win a Series game,last to lose one(giving the Tigers a title!),last hurler with a year >20 wins and >20 BB-SO,the ring-winning,ex-Yank NL pitcher of the Year in less than a half-season in the NL! | Hank Borowy |
| 12/19/2012 | Right after celebrating top "Tyger" Cobb comes the birthday(78th!)of a man who comes right after Georgia's Peach in Detroit divinities' Essential Bases,Al Kaline!Batteries were befuddled by the 64 point BA rise for the 20 year old MLB batting king in '55,but today mull in a different direction!Name the same-last-name teammates of Ty and Al respectively,the workhorse 1st twice with 2 straight >20 win seasons,the BL OF'er 2nd with 2 straight All Star selections! | George Mullin and Pat Mullin |
| 12/18/2012 | Yesterday's Babe leads to today's man who caught his last pitched game!In his last game(Bobby Doerr and Joe Cronin also played),he caught(replacing Jimmie Foxx)Ted Williams!He hit his only Yank HR(off future mate Lefty Grove)on a day Lou Gehrig homered(Joe D. tripled),substituting for Bill Dickey(catching vs. Bill's bro George)!Say or learn the name of this "HOF(not by "birthday peach" Ty Cobb!)-surrounded sub" on 4 World Series winners! | Joe Glenn |
| 12/17/2012 | Yesterday's Terry was not baseball's only Zebulon!Reveal another's last name found in today's text:a pitcher PH-ing for his sole Series action with the '45 Tigers,like another(name too!)doing likewise 30 years before for the Red Sox!Our retiring 1st had the same last name as both a 2012 rookie SS and a 2009 lefty retiree who had the same full names(!),our "hot-dogging" 2nd paid dearly in '25 for his"eat on and on" habit!Note:each failed as Series PH'ers! | Zeb Eaton and Babe Ruth |
| 12/16/2012 | Thinking yesterday of HOF SS Hans Wagner as a Pirate coach beckons his last year playing in 1917 as a 1st baseman alongside a rookie who would be a 1st base coach for the '55 Brooklyn Dodger champs!Name this Jewish Jacob leading NL 2nd sackers in FA who would play but 2 last games in '18,then name the 1919 starting Pirate SS with the 1st name of Biblical Jacob's last son with 1st wife Leah and the last of a Giant 1st sacker,with Honus in the Hall! | Jake Pitler and Zeb Terry |
| 12/15/2012 | Our dots connecting yesterday's Chets begin and end(no need to go hysterical!)with 2 historical Sox coaches!Our 1st,Laab's '44 Brownie Series teammate,himself was coached his last games by none other than old Honus Wagner!Who's this ex-Gashouse Gang White Sox manager in those very dark Comiskey Park 1969-70 seasons,and who's the All Star Sox CF'er coached by him in '55 who coached '76 rookie Lemon(like him,an MLB putout king!)? | Don Gutteridge and Jim Busby |
| 12/14/2012 | Yesterday's "Trials of O'Brien" lead evokes Peter Falk's favorite role and the actor's very name fuels us further!Sox CF star Bibb Falk reappears(see Archive)continuing our "lesser brother" thread,re-calling the name of Bibb's bro Chester for today's answers!Name 2 All Star pennant-winning Chesters:our ex-Tiger RF 1st's 2 HR's helped the upstart Browns clinch over the Yanks in '44,our ex-Sox CF star 2nd scored the clinching run for the '84 Tigers! | Chet Laabs and Chet Lemon |
| 12/13/2012 | Our "Trials of O'Brien" end with Syd,but today consider teammates of the 2 others named Syd hidden well by history:Smith and Cohen!Which 2 same-last-name HOF IF'ers for Mack's men of 1908(older a ring winner with another team before,younger after!)played that year with Syd Smith?Syd Cohen,brother of McGraw's "Messiah" Andy,played with the HOF "Heinie" among the 3 hit kings of that name,much older brother of Smith's teammate Frank!Name him too! | Jimmy Collins and Eddie Collins and Heinie Manush |
| 12/12/2012 | One more error-prone O'Brien,from the team record 106 loss '70(only the Comiskey clown's nose shined!)White Sox who,on their best day(22-13 over the Red Sox!),went 1 for 1 subbing for HOF SS Luis.Identify him while also deducing the pitcher(with our clown's 1st name!)allowing 1 for 1 Keith McDonald's solo 1st PA HR(his next game,his 2nd PA solo shot added to 8 RC at that point in his career!),with the last name of his HOF SS Barry that game! | Syd OBrien and Andy Larkin |
| 12/11/2012 | Yesterday's question begs today's:who was the winningest twin combo ever,with each bro winning at least 1 game(in this case,only 1!)?These Seattle B-ballers had mirror careers(by the luck of the Irish!),each with an 89 game 1st year,each at SS and 2B during 5 Pirate years,each with a 1-0 season pitching for them!Both Clemente teammates,only our 1st(with an earlier debut and later finale)went on to join Musial and Aaron!Name mound history's unique pair! | Johnny OBrien and Eddie OBrien |
| 12/10/2012 | This rare no-stat day of one All Star(2001)birth(last name of HOF and All Star legend!),although birthdays of HOF-last-namers Jack Feller,Ed Kelly and Troy Puckett,calls for his name and those of 2 more Polish pitching brothers like yesterday's Coveleskis!So name too MLB's winningest siblings(but not twins!),the Twin(like our birthday boy with same 1st name!)with the MLB son before the HOF'er(don't knuckle under!)who allowed his brother's only homer! | Joe Mays and Joe Niekro and Phil Niekro |
| 12/9/2012 | Yesterday's Harry ended his Cooperstown trip changing Sox right in our city,beginning 5 final Chicago years in 1921.That year "I'm Just Wild About Harry" was the big hit when Hooper faced baseball's most-used starter,brother of another Harry!Name these polished Polish sibling slingers,1st the younger HOF righty with 4 straight 20 win years,then the older no-Hall-votes lefty with 3 straight 20 win years,better in 14 of 20 Player Compare career categories! | Stan Coveleski and Harry Coveleski |
| 12/8/2012 | Did you not know that in 1952,yesterday's Baumholtz was 2nd to Musial in BA and,on the 1st lox Sunday after brother Neil's birth,batted against one-time pitcher "Stash" in the 1st inning of the season's final game?Shades of Hank Greenberg singling off Ted Williams,one of 5 HOF'ers to pitch and play OF for the Bosox:Tris,Babe,Jimmie,Ted and who?Here lies our harrying hint:4 times with the Red Sox winning a Series ring,he's their all-time career SB king! | Harry Hooper |
| 12/7/2012 | See more each Diamond look,including this Pearl Harbor memorial:Codell father Seymour played YMCA basketball on a pass that day,just missing the attack and,in effect,bringing us today's answer!Name the Cleveland Cavaliers(!) B-ball star(4 years of Navy Pacific service!)who broke into the bigs Jackie's 1947 debut day(711 PA's to Robinson's 701 that year!))and who won an MLB Hitting Percentage(H/PA)crown,later managed by yesterday's Stanley Hack! | Frank Baumholtz |
| 12/6/2012 | Both Jacksons recalled yesterday played post-season games for Chicago's Sox,but today focus on 2 post-season Cubs who were both Series opponents and teammates born on this date!Our 1st hit 2 HR's in the '32 clincher vs. the Cubs,our 2nd hit .471 for the losing '38 Cubs!More?The 1st(selected for the '33 All Star game but didn't play)had 7 years of 100 RBI,the 2nd(selected for the '45 game that wasn't played!)had 7 years of 100 R!Name both our infielders. | Tony Lazzeri and Stan Hack |
| 12/5/2012 | Yesterday's 3 All Star OF'ers(Rivers,Mantle,Simpson)each had a year with exactly 11 AL leading triples!Today seek another K.C. All Star OF'er like Harry "Suitcase" who exactly matched his 105 RBI of 1956!Who(ESPN says you don't know him!)had 2 straight 25HR/25SB years averaging a>1.000 B-TOP(before his White Sox heroism!),with a name rhyming that of a fallen Chisox hero(died on this date) whose lifetime ban assured a bevy of Codell last-year records? | Bo Jackson |
| 12/4/2012 | Slipping a Mickey(or two!):yesterday's Klutts was no All Star Rivers or HOF'er Mantle,the only to lead a league in Codell's Bases category 6 straight years!(Ty Cobb led the AL 12 straight years in Base-Out Percentage!)Klutts did have his moments in '81 part-time play,playing again for his Yank manager Billy Martin in Oakland,leading the A's in BA and all players in the A's-Yanks ALCS!Name both the former and future All Stars in the A's '57 trade for Billy! | Harry Simpson and Ryne Duren |
| 12/3/2012 | Once more go back 24 hours,then another 24,for 3(use Yiddish!)who hit a bit clumsily!Start with another catcher on a pennant winner missing a winning Series!Name 1)this '46 Card backup and Yankee scouting director who signed 2)the same-sounding last-name Bomber(on 3 straight pennant winners,never played in Series!)with an immortal Yank 1st name,and 3)his graceful rival SS Mendoza(not Minnie!)who,bottom line,is the worst HA hitter in the last century! | Clyde Kluttz and Mickey Klutts and Mario Mendoza |
| 12/2/2012 | Today comes more from yesterday(not Angel Rojas,but boxing's "Bull")and the day before("Halls of Fame"Healy)!Fran wasn't the only catcher on a Yank pennant winner missing the Series:it happened the previous year!Name that backstop(matching ringless HOF catcher Fisk's 4 decades,24 seasons and .988 FA)who'd play in winning Series with 2 other teams,with(hint hopefully half-helpful!)the last name of Luis Angel Firpo's ring conqueror and restauranteur! | Rick Dempsey |
| 12/1/2012 | Yesterday's 20's sensation Firpo(not '20's near-heavyweight champ Luis!)was the Mr. Marberry pitching in the '34 Series(like,sorry,Mr. Dazzy Vance!)who's still the only to win 3 straight undisputed MLB Rolaids "relief points"(W+Saves)titles!Now name the MLB relief points titlist who's the only Minnie beside "multi-year Negro League All Star with four .300/.400/.500 MLB years" Minoso to play a full year!(3rd Cuban Minnie had a mini-year in Minny!) | Minnie Rojas |
| 11/30/2012 | In deference to Barry's preference for one last Dazzy reference,maybe more mini-Minnie morsels manana!A '34 Dazzler backstop watched from the bench as the Cards won it all,a scenario strangely repeated 43 years later by his same-christened,same-birthplace catching(caught twixt feuding Reggie and Billy)nephew!Encouraging brother-father baseball saint Bernard made it all possible!Reeling this seriously silly Firpo birthday,relate today's names! | Francis Healy and Fran Healy |
| 11/29/2012 | That '41 Mickey Owens' "dropped passed ball(it wasn't!)"year saw a pre-rookie named Musial hit .426!Just 21 years later,"The Man" shared outfielding with 2 "should-be HOF'ers" in the coolest Opening Day(each had hits and RBI!)OF trio ever!Name the leadoff CF'er(only Card since Stan with 3 straight .300 years averaging >200 H)and our birthday(if 90,born in Dazzy V.'s rookie year!)LF'er,only Chicago player with a league-leading year in RB,TB,and RT! | Curt Flood and Minnie Minoso |
| 11/28/2012 | Still bedazzled from Dazzy's days,dazedly we ask:who,though holding history's lowest(50 PA min.)Series OPS and GOD,hit safely in his one Series PA vs. Vance?This 100 RBI 3rd sacker's 7th game fisticuffs are more recalled than his ring!Name too the "same 1st initial,same last name' catcher with his own one-play Series infamy(though a 4 straight year All Star with the 1st PH homer!).Happily,our hint:each in his last year played with Ted Williams! | Marv Owen and Mickey Owen |
| 11/27/2012 | Yesterday's mention of Dodger Dazzy advances us to new thoughts of the old righty!Joining Dizzy,Daffy,and Ducky,he won the only ring of his late-blooming(31 year old rookie!)career at age 43!Name 2 more later successes,recent ex-Mariner ex-big leaguers:1)the 20 year career,penultimate year 1st time All Star past 40 with a final year 1st ring and 2)the Cubs' final (and 1st full!)year(at age 29!)All Star whose walk-off hit ended their dismal season! | Arthur Rhodes and Bryan LaHair |
| 11/26/2012 | Thank yesterday's Mails for today's inspirations!Duster's 1st 1920 win(and strange scoring!)led to history's only 8 inning save!Name that "Alabama Blossom" saver who was runnerup to HOF'er Dazzy Vance for MLB's 1922 K/H crown,dying at 41 before his 1-game Jr. played!Name too baseball's other Dazzy(1st name of All Star played by Jimmy Stewart,last name of youngest Jewish player!),with a 12 inning 1920 CG and 1.000 OPS his only MLB game! | Guy Morton and Monty Swartz |
| 11/25/2012 | The 2-man list of self-styled "Greats" ended with the "Art Show" that yesterday's boxing,arrested,twice-nicknamed "Whatta Man" Shires so publicly displayed,but began with another '20's rookie splasher also known by a 2nd nickname!Name the San Quentin(!)-born,1st ring-winning Walter(before HOF'er "Big Train" Johnson in '24!)!)who capped his 7 win(September starts all!)pitch-perfect year with a Series shutout vs. his pre-rookie team and manager! | Duster Mails |
| 11/24/2012 | Although 0 for 4 with 3 Opening Day K's in '81,"The Bull"(yesterday's answer)made his hometown mark his 1st Sox year,more than doubling any teammate in homers!A better Sox debut came from another swell(headed!)-nicknamed("The Great")batter,only big leaguer both to be born and to die in Italy(Texas!).Who's this 1st AL player with 4 hits his 1st MLB game(against losing HOF'er Red Ruffing,for winning HOF'er Red Faber in their CG duel!)? | Art Shires |
| 11/23/2012 | Belated birthday wishes to a weighty man celebrating yesterday while we zeroed in on teammate "Little Joe" Morgan,with whom he won a World Series ring!Who's this Chicago native edging Joe for an NL Runs Tallied Crown while winning MLB Averaged Bases,Total Bases and RBI titles?Hint to the Codell hinterland:he was the 1st with 3 Comiskey Park rooftop homers!Bonus without onus:name too his Sox HOF teammate,the only pitcher to allow 4 rooftop jobs! | Greg Luzinski and Tom Seaver |
| 11/22/2012 | Babe Ruth dubbed yesterday's Lyn Lary "Broadway" for his theatre love!Give thanks today for the Babe,that Code "Efficiency Expert" who beat RBI/AB season champ Hack Wilson in Driven In Efficiency(DIE,RBI/AB-H)and career HR/AB king Mark McGwire in Homer Efficiency(HE,HR/AB-H)!Which tiny HOF'er joined "Babe's boy" Lyn as the only infielders with 100R/100RBI and 100BB/30SB seasons,surprisingly with a >.300 HE in an MLB leading DIE year! | Joe Morgan |
| 11/21/2012 | On Donora's "Man" and "Kid" birthdays(!),"careers passing in the night" continue this bittersweet date,marking the passing(30 years apart in auto accidents!)of Giant HOF'ers(and roommates!)"Master Melvin" and "King Carl".D-BOP champ Ott played 1 game vs. the only Pirate(a HOF'er!)with a 100R/100RBI season his 1st MLB year!PSPP king Hubbell played 1 vs. the only Yank SS(an MLB SB ruler!)till Derek Jeter with a 100R/100RBI year!Name today's two. | Ralph Kiner and Lyn Lary |
| 11/20/2012 | Yesterday's 1935 "same game" played by "Rabbit"(debuting in !912!)and "Philabuck" brings today's epiphany!Cavarretta's '54 Sox mate Minnie played with Harold Baines(in '80!),who ended in 2001,meaning our 4 players combined to play in 10 decades!The Minoso-Baines last game(Minnie's finale)was won by the only pitcher with 3 winning years for both Cubs and Sox!Name him and his MVP runnerup pop,whose Wrigley Series win helped beat the '45 Cubs! | Steve Trout and Dizzy Trout |
| 11/19/2012 | Yesterday's Rowe won a Series game and ring vs. the Cubs and teenage star Phil Cavarretta(NL MVP on last Cub Series club!)who was the last living player(at 94!)to have played vs. Babe Ruth!He also was the last alive to play vs. Ruth's HOF teammate,a .308 BA Series sweep winner who,like 20 year Cub Cavarretta,continued playing after being fired as Cub manager!Who's the quite light hitter who also hit .308(vs. Ruth's .625!)while enduring a Series sweep? | Rabbit Maranville |
| 11/18/2012 | On a Chicago(where played both yesterday's Monk Meyer and preacher Billy Sunday!)Sunday in the old 'hood,schoolboy memories emerge of an old spitballer!Name him and 2 connected hurlers(all 3 NL All Stars pitched in losing 7th games!).Our 1st(league K king and all-time Dodger W/L pitcher!)was traded for our 2nd(an MLB BB king!)and shared a same-sounding last name with our 3rd who like him was a Code APP champ!Identify today's trio! | Preacher Roe and Hal Gregg and Schoolboy Rowe |
| 11/17/2012 | After yesterday's Cy Young and PSPP award(Cy won the 1st!)talk,let's first talk hitting today on this birthdate of the late,not-great Red Sox 1955(his only qualifying year!) rookie 1st sacker(led MLB in K's!),quickest ever to a 10 RBI game!Name baseball's only Norbert and also the "Mad Monk"(Dodger's top W/L career righty who passed on this date)from Peru(Illinois!)who in 1955 won his only ring with Jackie Robinson,after befriending his former fierce foe! | Norm Zauchin and Russ Meyer |
| 11/16/2012 | The best news for non-MVP Mike Trout comes later in today's question,but let's first continue the pitching revelations!Non-Cy Young winner Gio Gonzalez wins the "Prize Prize" for pitching's best PSPP,becoming 1 of just 12 men to undisputedly lead MLB in PSPP and wins while fanning over 200!Trout's solid solace?Winning the "Diamond Diamond"(top D-BOP)and a BOP crown,thereby tying another CF'er named Mays!Guess 2012's PSPP and D-BOP runnerups! | Clayton Kershaw and Ryan Braun |
| 11/15/2012 | "What Price Glory?" asked the movie,then David gets knocked(but not by yesterday's non-award winning Schilling!)after his "True Cy Young" year?It takes the Code's RIP(Runs per Innings Pitched)to let the debate RIP!Price was right:his 20 wins,.800 W/L Pct.,200 K's,and (only 2012 hurler to do it!)<.300 RIP forged a rare(14 have done it,none twice!)4-fold feat 7-time Cy Young winner Clemens never attained!Which non-HOF Yank(if not Roger!)was 1st to do it? | Russ Ford |
| 11/14/2012 | Happy birthdays to 3 multi-year All Stars,ages 83,58,and 48 years old,respectively!Our 1st played CF at age 20 like current MVP hopeful Trout(but unlike Mike,owns that elusive Gold Glove!)and was portrayed on film by an Oscar nominee!Our lefty,screwballing 2nd won a Series ring,Cy Young,and MVP the season after leaving the Cubs!Our 3rd's the only >3000 SO,<1000 BB pitcher with 2 rings(and needs some birthday bucks!).Name our celebrants. | Jim Piersall and Willie Hernandez and Curt Schilling |
| 11/13/2012 | The unique Score(breaking teammate Feller's K-H mark his 1st year,1st over 100 K-H his 2nd!)still inspires!Now specify 3 more strikeout stars,the 1st two 2012 teammates(leaving during season!),formerly All Stars starting and relieving(each with a 200 K and 30 save year),one baseball's all-time K/H hurler,the other a 15 year,2000 IP man.Our 3rd?A 200 K Astro with an astronomical K/H rookie ratio,leading MLB like Herbie did!Name our righty trio! | Kerry Wood and Ryan Dempster and Tom Griffin |
| 11/12/2012 | Work that Decoder!Yesterday's heroic Herb Score soldiered on after his near-fatal '57 eye injury,ending with the '62 Sox(far from his early Indian brilliance)holding the top HERO of any 100 start pitcher ever!Today identify his fellow '55 All Star selectee,a HOF'er whose 149 game non-All Star Giant stint produced his best career OPH!Name too the current Silver Slugger(also an All Star for 2 other teams)hitting his season-high DIE in 131 Giant games! | Red Schoendienst and A.J. Pierzynski |
| 11/11/2012 | Armistice Day brings us 2 more vets who saved their best for last and a "what might have been" lefty!Our All Star 1st hero played his last games with a Yank Series-high .364 BA,and his brave service in two wars endures!Our righty "Bum" 2nd set the last-year RIPER(see formulae!)record(edging Sandy!)and served at Normandy and Okinawa!Our tragic 3rd,only 1st 2 years(Sandy's 1st 2!)>200 K,<.200 Opp. BA pitcher,died on this date 4 years ago.Salute all! | Jerry Coleman and Larry French and Herb Score |
| 11/10/2012 | Our Veterans' Day weekend tribute continues with a "corking good" hitter born on this date who worked for Uncle Sam in 1957,but would become the only hitter from '57 thru '96 with a season surpassing both a .500 Average Average(averaging BA,OBP,and SLG)and 500 Barry Code Bases!But he never led his league(AL)in Total Bases,as did today's 50 year old Shabbos birthday boy with the greatest game in hitting history!Name both our larruping lefties. | Norm Cash and Shawn Green |
| 11/9/2012 | Yesterday's Bichette was the last to lead a league in H,HR,RBI,TB,and SLG Pct.!Dante Jr.'s dad,from West Palm Beach(home of the "BAR Concentrating" Codell twins!),was the 2nd multi-year All Star from there.So name the 1st,a Giant 2nd base MLB Barry Code FE champ(whose full name echoes that of a "Coogan's Bluff" miracle man!),and another(born this date!)"priddy good" 2nd sacker(2-time game and FE king!)who militarily served his great generation! | Robby Thompson and Jerry Priddy |
| 11/8/2012 | That Jefferson alluded to yesterday was that Jesse who,like Chisox mate Hamilton,won exactly 39 games in 9 years!Today deduce another Jefferson,but not 30 SB man Stan!This Boston bomber's(.305 career BA) ahead of 5 not-above .300 HOF'ers(Cronin,Rice,Fisk,Yaz,Doerr)exceeding 1.000 OPH during Red Sox careers!He even beat Reggie J. in overall OPH,but not his Bosox .299 career BA DH successor(and Rockie season hit king!).Who are our two? | Reggie Jefferson and Dante Bichette |
| 11/7/2012 | We've just scratched the surface!On this post-election morning come 3 more Hamilton hurlers,each from an itchy 7 year Comiskey span!Name 1st our ring-winning lefty rookie from the Hamilton-Jefferson combo(one electoral nod:not the fateful duo 200 years before!)of the 'sad '76 Sox,then the righty only recalled beaning T. Conigliaro,and finally the lanky lefty who played(and lost!)in championship finales vs. HOF lefties Bill Russell and Sandy Koufax! | Dave Hamilton and Jack Hamilton and Steve Hamilton |
| 11/6/2012 | Just who did yesterday's hint hint at?The best of many unrelated pitching Abbotts,one-of-a kind left(and only!)handed Jim!Despite his 18 win Angel year and Yankee no-no,Jim's Sox stint was the winning one!His 5-0 mark in 5 starts in '98 is trumped by but one in history.How to revive our perfect(6-0 in 6 CG 1917 starts,after 0-9 the year before!)lefty's name?Recall the 1st("Snohomish's Finest")and last("Sliding Billy's")of one-of a-kind OF'ers(and HOF'ers!). | Earl Hamilton |
| 11/5/2012 | Carry on with 3 more double-figure homerers for more BR,TL Show!Who's on 1st(apologies,Abbott and Costello!)?A 2000 Sox ALCS CF'er,overshadowed by his same-last named noble no-hit '98 Sox mate!Also name today's 2nd,1st baseman born in Chicago during a summer his dad caught there,making his MLB debut days after his dad's death!Our 3rd name's the rookie homering twice vs. the Sox in his team's 1st game ever!Who's our tenacious trio? | Jeff Abbott and Mark Carreon and Doug Ault |
| 11/4/2012 | Continuing yesterday's theme,let's identify 1st another '66 Cub pitcher throwing left and batting right whose 2-1 Wrigley CG win over Sandy the September before(after a 1 hit loss in Koufax' perfecto the previous week!)was duplicated by Kenny at Wrigley!Then name 2 current(>20 HR's in 2012)BR,TL OFer's who like our late-lauded Carl Warwick(and Holtzman!)each possess a >1.000 post-season OPS,the former All-Star before the ex-Series winner! | Bob Hendley and Ryan Ludwick and Cody Ross |
| 11/3/2012 | While yesterday's Darling(1.53 ERA)and "El Sid"(1.35)sparkled winning rings,they bow to today's Series Star/Birthday Boy!Who alone started Game One wins 3 straight years over 3 winning Series?This lefty Jewish "next Koufax" topped Sandy with his .800 Classic W/L Pct. and,batting right,had a lifetime Series 1.218 OPS!Also name his rookie year "BR,TL rarity" teammate who won a ring uniquely reaching 4 straight games as a 1.550 OPS Series PH! | Ken Holtzman and Carl Warwick |
| 11/2/2012 | Yesterday's Fielder fuels today's search for Codell's seminal conception,so we go to Hawaii to find a 2nd Prince!Who's the "lady's darling" OF-P(.600 W/L Pct.,1.061 OPS his rookie year!)who,like our current royalty(dad Cecil's still family HR King!),played on a Tiger pennant winner?Name too the two '83-debut,Honolulu-born All Star pitching teammates winning rings in NY,2-time Opponents BA MLB leader lefty before 2 straight >.700 W/L Pct. years righty! | Prince Oana and Sid Fernandez and Ron Darling |
| 11/1/2012 | Our long process of elimination is over!Yesterday's Walker in 1998-99 was the last 20th century player averaging 30 HR's and .300 BA over 2 straight All Star years,with more batting bases than batting outs(B-BOP >1.000)and more walks than strikeouts in each!In '98 there were 23 B-BOPs >1.000 and 33 in '99,but only 10 and 7 the past 2 years!So name MLB's most recent to match Larry's feat,the only 2012 >1.000 B-BOPper with more BB's than SO's! | Prince Fielder |
| 10/31/2012 | On this Halloween,we see the stats of yesterday's HOF'er Terry are a tricky treat!Only Ruth,Gehrig,and Thomas had more than his 6 straight .300 BA/100 R/100 RBI years,and "Memphis Bill" stands alone adding 4 straight 200 H years during his skein!But the fancy fielder never led the league in any Codell stats save one APO(BA+OBP)MLB crown(beating NY 1st Base rival Lou by a point!).Which 7-time Gold Glover's the last with 3 straight MLB APO titles? | Larry Walker |
| 10/30/2012 | Giant celebrations continue:Series-clinching RBI hero Marco Scutaro is also feted for a birthday today,as are 3 Giant All Stars!Name our 3 past presents:1)the franchises's only 3rd baseman surpassing 20 homers 5 straight years(had a cycle with a HR/3B inning!),2)a Game 1 Series starter leading the NL in W/L Pct.,ERA,and the Code's critical PSPP in a non-All Star year(!)and 3)the only Giant player-manager ring winner,their season and career BA king! | Jim Ray Hart and Scott Garrelts and Bill Terry |
| 10/29/2012 | In 1909,yesterday's answer Donie Bush led all World Series hitters in OBP(.483),like yesterday's Series MVP Sandoval.Pablo(.517 in this last Classic)reminded of Giant 3rd sacker Hank Thompson(.611)from their last sweep(Codell's 1st-seen Series)!Donie won no rings,Hank one,Panda two.Name the Yankee OF'er who won 3 playing in consecutive years,the team's career Series OBP leader(1st name of an NL win king,last of an AL slugging champ!). | Jake Powell |
| 10/28/2012 | Speaking of Triple Crown(big Series!)Mickey,a short stop with slumping Miggy:not only was Cabrera's "Triple Triumph" the only in the last 45 years,but the only in the last 75 that included 200 hits!Yet his +54 BOD was the 2nd lowest next to the +41 of fellow Tiger Ty Cobb among Triple Crowners.Who was Cobb's rookie shortsop teammate(a stadium was named for him!)whose Grand Total of runs scored tied Ty(small Series!)as MLB's 1909 pacesetter? | Donie Bush |
| 10/27/2012 | Always looking forward to looking backward,again the past is our present!Yesterday's Ditmar provides today's stunner,as his 1st MLB win was the last Philadelphia Athletics game!(The A's next year moved to K.C.,where he had 2 tours with the Yanks' "farm club")Fittingly,it was the Yankees their future win leader beat that day!Name the errorless 3rd baseman and SS(both 3 MVP HOF'ers!)in Casey's lineup whom Art artfully held hitless in his pre-rookie win! | Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle |
| 10/26/2012 | Series starters Verlander and Bumgarner just brought deadballers to life:Justin(at least he tried!)matched Lefty Williams' 3 straight losing Series starts,Madison joined Mathewson with consecutive Giant scoreless Series starts!Now name the '59 MLB TIPS(the Code's runs and runners allowed combo)king,whose '60 consecutive Series starts averaged <1 IP!(Hint?A non-All Star who impressed Casey into a Game 1 start ahead of HOF'er Whitey!) | Art Ditmar |
| 10/25/2012 | The morning after Panda's feat(3 HR's his 1st 3 PA's in a WS game!)brings this post-mortem:ex-infielders Ozzie G. and Bobby V.(who had managed ex-teams to pennants!)fired after 1st year 69-93 last place managing!The year of last night's winner Barry Zito's birth saw which ex-infielder(tied teammate Mantle with 9 IBB's 10 years before!)not fired after one year helming a last place 69-93 team, winning 5 pennants for them after they later fired him? | Bobby Cox |
| 10/24/2012 | Roger(Cedeno)and out!Our Venezuelan star trek ends saying adios to ousted Ozzie and retired Omar,with congrats to NLCS MVP Marco Scutaro!Can his fellow Giant Matt Cain match super Sandy's "perfect game-All Star win-pennant and Series clinchers" year?Belated birthday tributes today,too,to which 2 Hall of Fame James?(Each pitched in a 2nd Philly tour his last year,the 1st a "Beast" starting as a catcher,the 2nd the only Senator with a perfecto!) | Jimmie Foxx and Jim Bunning |
| 10/23/2012 | Yesterday's Luis Aparicio begins today's turn in baseball eternity!The Code is the game's only source to give him his 1956 "true 22" steals.Similarly,our 457 AB's in 1920 for Babe Ruth corrects all others,giving that season the true B-TOP high!Name another NY RF'er today who,by the wandering way,is the man who set the Venezuelan season SB mark(Looie's the career leader with his corrected 507)and has the same last name of a 500 SB club member! | Roger Cedeno |
| 10/22/2012 | Yesterday's Carlos Guillen is part of the rich tradition of Venezuelan SS's,the first 2 the Sox' Chico Carrasquel and his successor Luis Aparicio,only Venezuelan HOF'er!Can you name the last 2 in this All Star line,our 1st the 1st since Gold Glove Silver Slugger Dave Concepcion to play on successive pennant winners,the 2nd the group's most recent Silver Slugger,even as ROY/GG/All Star/Series-winning skipper Ozzie Guillen awaits his fate? | Elvis Andrus and Asdrubal Cabrera |
| 10/21/2012 | Wait!Yesterday's answer and birthday re-resonate!Of the 10 Venezuelan 100 RBI men,all were All Star Silver Sluggers but Hidalgo,who never won an award or led a league!Another CF'er(born October 20,1931)by the name of Mantle won a bushel of trophies and titles(in '62:a Gold Glove,Series ring,MVP,and coveted Diamond Diamond!),though no non-existent Silver Slugger Award.Today name the Silver Slugger with the best RBI year of all the Venezuelan shortstops! | Carlos Guillen |
| 10/20/2012 | Our recent "Miggy" and "Maggy" shout-outs can now extend to 3 other Venezuelan sluggers:the 1st two were HR,RBI and TB champs,the 3rd holds the highest season slugging average of any player from Chavez'(not Yank Eric!)baseball hotbed!Clueless,Joe?No need to be:our 1st had a 131 K year and a pitching son with a 131 K year(!),our 2nd shares his last name with the nearest-perfect pitcher,and our CF 3rd is today's only non- All Star!Name all. | Tony Armas and Andres Galarraga and Richard Hidalgo |
| 10/19/2012 | Yesterday's Joseph Jefferson Jackson is still the only White(or Black)Sox to lead MLB in TB!(RF Joe was the 1st Chicago player to 600 EB,adding RB and TB,Hack Wilson becoming the next.With 617 Essential Bases,"Shoeless" still has history's best last year!)Today,in honor of yesterday's Tiger pennant clincher,name another Sox RF'er:the only Chicago player ever passing .300 BA and 300 TB 5 straight years,now remembered most for the last Detroit clincher! | Magglio Ordonez |
| 10/18/2012 | OMG(Oh my GOD)!Say it's so:Ted Williams finally has a new .400 partner?Yes,it's yesterday's Mike Trout,whose .403 GOD(Game Offensive Differential)is the 1st rookie .400 since Ted's .430 in '39!Today we honor the greatest rookie GOD of all(.707,with a .408 BA!)when we name the dishonored(Presidential middle name!)only man to hit a Series 8th game homer(the only one hit in that seriously saddening Series,and for the only Series loser to win a 7th game!). | Joe Jackson |
| 10/17/2012 | Before last night's debate,the returns came in!Miggy's the 1st "Triple Crowner" with both OPS<1.000 and ScAv<.300,the only ever not leading his league in D-BOP!Who wins 2012's "Diamond Diamond" for topping all in all-knowing D-BOP?Mike Trout(who led in yesterday's RHR),1st rookie to do so!Did "King Cabrera" walk the walk?2nd to a Prince in RB,he didn't match which Tiger 3rd sacker(the "Walking Man" we mourn)for a 2nd MLB RB title? | Eddie Yost |
| 10/16/2012 | Still homer-happy,here's our boost beyond Runs Produced:Runs Home Runs!Based on a most basic Code precept(100 R and 40 HR assures 280 Scoring Bases,100 R and 39 HR only 278!),we extoll(not excise!)again the homer!And now we can check out RHR on the Decoder!Our related question?Following in Willie Mays' footsteps(only Babe Ruth topped him in MLB-leading RHR years!),which 2 Giants had consecutive MLB-leading RHR seasons? | Bobby Bonds and Barry Bonds |
| 10/15/2012 | Analyzing yesterday's troubled Yankee trio,we find Tony first hit 2 homers his 3rd Series game,Derek his 4th,and Mickey his 22nd!Today name 2 more "2 HR Series game" guys,both ring-winning catchers:1)the 1st to hit 2 HR's his 1st 2 AB's his 1st Series game and 2)the only man with both a 2 homer Series game and All Star game!Too-helpful hint:in 1975 each played his 1st All Star game(on opposing squads),entering at a position other than catcher! | Gene Tenace and Gary Carter |
| 10/14/2012 | Following Mickey Mantle in '51 and Tony Kubek in '60,Derek Jeter last night became the 3rd All Star Yankee to be carried off the field incapacitated in post-season play!Respectively,name the hitters precipitating the fateful injuries:our 1st(2nd in '55 NL batting)is famous for many an "amaysing" thing,our 2nd(2nd in '56 NL batting)became a winning Yankee manager,and our 3rd(spell it right!)is the all-time Indian shortstop one-season homer king! | Willie Mays and Bill Virdon and Jhonny Peralta |
| 10/13/2012 | Yesterday's Bob Feller mention reminds us of 3 batterymates!Today name:1)the multi-year .300 hitter who caught Bob's record 18 K game with the same 1st name as 2)our multi-team All Star birthday backstop who K'd twice in that game,but whose 9th inning HR won Bob's 1-0 no hitter and 3)the catcher in both Feller's "15 K 1st start" and"17 K at age 17 game" whose name may be Greek to you but,by George,you'll soon always remember! | Frankie Pytlak and Frankie Hayes and Greek George |
| 10/12/2012 | Direct from yesterday,grand-slamming superstar Buster Posey vies with our "17 year olds" answer for today's Diamond time-space!Name 1st the Buster(MLB 2 year span OF putout king!)who had (unlike Posey!) a 100 Runs Tallied year(replacing military-serving Musial!).Next,we salute Bob Feller's 17 K's at age 17(as impressive as Kerry Wood's 20 K's at age 20!),while asking also for the NY pitcher good enough to match his 24 wins at age 20! | Buster Adams and Dwight Gooden |
| 10/11/2012 | Age 40 Raul Ibanez' 2 HR post-season game last night pushed him not only past Frank Thomas as the oldest with that feat,but past Babe Ruth as the oldest Yankee!Now go younger for more NY history,even younger than 20 year old Stadium homerer Manny Machado or 19 year old Andruw Jones,who hit 2 Series HR's in a New York game!Name our two age 17 New York players who would find fame,the 1st a future HOF'er,the 2nd a future Cy Young winner! | Mel Ott and Mike McCormick |
| 10/10/2012 | Speaking of Stan the Man,Musial stands with career-long rival Ted Williams as the only in the .300 BA,400 HR,900 BB-SO club(Ted's alone in passing .300/500/1000!).Only 5 batters accomplished the likely lost art of passing both 500 HR's and 300 BB-SO:lefty sluggers Ruth,Williams,Ott,and Bonds and today's right-handed hitting mystery man!Who(for once not Frank Thomas,but he has a Jewish son too!)is the last to retire showing such statistical skills? | Gary Sheffield |
| 10/9/2012 | With a nod to today's Jewish Celebration of the Law,we mention Mormon father-son All Stars Vern and Vance Law and Vance's Sox teammate Rudy Law(like yesterday's Wills a franchise SB season king and a 2 straight >30 SB year Dodger!).But continue with the most similar name to yesterday's Eddie Kasko:who also was a rookie 3rd sacker(not Kurowski or Boyer!)on a "Musial Cardinal" team before a Cincy trade with a career 1.000 All Star Game BA? | Eddie Kazak |
| 10/8/2012 | Steal away(following George Washington Case's lead!)to the NL today.Born on this date,late great skipper Danny Murtaugh(see 12/4/11 answer)managed last week's birthday(80th!)celebrant and fellow NL SB king Maury Wills in both '61 All Star games.Name Maury's sub who hit safely in the 2nd game(then replaced by Ernie Banks!)and in all Series games that fall,who later as a manager(.539 W/L Pct. to Danny's .540!)lost a division title by one-half game! | Eddie Kasko |
| 10/7/2012 | Keep looking for Runs per Game stars,veering away from the Yankees(who also sported CF'ers Williams,Rivers,and Murcer as AL leaders!)and the Red Sox(with future Yank CF'er Damon an AL champ,not HOF'er Speaker!),down to Washington to make our case for the top OF'er named for a President!Which 4 time All Star barely lost a race to Jesse Owens,but won 5 straight SB crowns with his high of 61 the same year he was AL Runs and Runs per Game king? | George Case |
| 10/6/2012 | Today he who re-combs the Diamond Archive reaches our surprising prize answer!Yesterday's "Dom D."(not "Tuffy"R.)was the 1st Red Sox CF'er to lead MLB in R/G and the last Dimaggio to do it!Joe's with Curtis,Rickey,Mickey and one more Yankee CF'er as an MLB R/G ruler!Who's the 1st Yank to score more than anyone per game,a HOF'er behind only Lou and Babe and ahead of Joe(4th)and Dom(10th,just ahead of Barry Bonds!)in Career Runs per Game? | Earle Combs |
| 10/5/2012 | The 3(his 1st 3 for Chicago!)2012 finale HR's by yesterday's Dan Johnson hearken to the man who hit 3(his 1st 3 for Chicago!)HR's on an opening day.The answer's no toughie,but for the "hidden-by-nickname" 1st name!He ended his career as a Boston CF'er.as did the 1st Red Sox CF'er to lead MLB in runs per game,that truest team barometer(along with pitcher W/L!)for simply recounting the winning team of every game ever played!Name both bafflers. | Karl Rhodes and Dom Dimaggio |
| 10/4/2012 | On the "Bobby Thomson Shot" anniversary,yesterday's last games(2011 finale million to one heroes Longoria and Johnson each with 3 HR's?!)and answerman Curtis(2 more HR's!)amazed!Granderson evokes Yank CF'ers Dimaggio(only man reaching 300th HR with<300 K's)and Henderson(only with two 20/80 years)who beckon Joe's HOF mate,starring like Rickey in 2 NY parks!Who had seasons with HR>SO for both the Yankees and Giants? | Johnny Mize |
| 10/3/2012 | From the oblivion of yesterday's Grover Cleveland Lowdermilk comes the name obvious:Grover Cleveland Alexander,whose Game 7 K of HOF'er Lazzeri in Yankee Stadium follows!On this day in mystery,easily name the grand man who in Yankee Stadium just made history!Who now's not only the 1st Yank CF'er(topping Joe and Mickey!)with two 40 HR/100 RBI years,but has joined only Babe and Lou with consecutive 40 HR/100 RBI/100 R Yankee seasons? | Curtis Granderson |
| 10/2/2012 | What are the odds?Ask the baseball gods!Last night's White Sox 11-0 win(with "Tank's" 5 RBI)became as moot as another October 1st 11-0 win(with "Klu's" 5 RBI)in Game 1 of the Sox' futile '59 Series try!Back to our "What's Not in a Name" game,who's the October 1,1919 Game 1 Black Sox Series pitcher,who'd been a same-year rookie hurler with his brother(like yesterday's Zimmermans!),with the 1st name of a Prez and a HOF'er,also a 1911 rookie? | Grover Lowdermilk |
| 10/1/2012 | Whew!Review!Not Nat All Star Ryan nor All Star Jeff and his brother Jordan(!),but yesterday we needed a Zimmerman as much as Irish Chris needed gas from a glimmerman!Back in Panama in time to wish Happy Birthdays to All Stars R.Carew and R.Kelly(!),we wake to name the same-strange-1st-namers each pinch-hitting 9th inning,game-tying road HR's off 2012 NL All Star closers in his 1st place team's 9th inning victory yesterday! | Xavier Nady and Xavier Paul |
| 9/30/2012 | Mix yesterday's theme with today's headlines to share both Cabrera's Triple Crown dream and Sale's final start nightmare!Say,a la Merman,"You're the Top" to Miguel but no to a Triple Hat joining HP(H/PA),HE(HR/AB-H),and DIE(RBI/AB-H)!Only 7 have led a league in all 3!Name both the 1st NL "Triple Hatter"(same last name as Ethel's original!)and the homonymic pitcher now ahead of Chris(who became the 1st ever Sox one K per inning man!)in ERA. | Heinie Zimmerman and Jordan Zimmermann |
| 9/29/2012 | "Another Old Fashioned,Please" sang Ethel Merman the October,1940 opening night of "Panama Hattie"that Panama's Bruce Chen and his array of hats(see yesterday)bring to mind!1940 and the fine,old fashioned way of deciding October World Series foes(best league record!)further remind of an even more travelled pitcher than Chen.Who lost a 2-1 7th game that year after winning 2 Series starts,the only 20th century 200 game winner under .500? | Bobo Newsom |
| 9/28/2012 | Pitching Success Percentage Pinpointed(down to that 4th decimal!)is the Code's tell-all flinging figure today telling even more by counting post-season play,as we are awakened by yesterday's Sandman!The dominant dozen overall PSPP dazzlers consist purely of HOF'ers,save for save king Mariano,topping all at .8891!Now name the leading lefty on Panama's all-time PSPP list,the 10 team junk-balling nemesis greasing the current gut-wrenching White Sox skids! | Bruce Chen |
| 9/27/2012 | Yesterday's Tucker and Munson beckon the diamond mind to a lost,last-name Thurman,a late-debuting ex-Negro League pitcher-slugger,and again to an All Star tandem singularly sharing a 1st name!So please identify the 1st-ever to homer on his 40th birthday(in '57 while pacing NL>15 homerers in HR/AB!),then our ring-winning Yankee teammates(one the only ever with a 400 AB,.300 BA,.500 SA,<10 BB year,the other currently a future HOF shoo-in!). | Bob Thurman and Mariano Duncan and Mariano Rivera |
| 9/26/2012 | Remember yet 2 more AL All Star CF selections,each leading off in an AL loss,each later playing a Series finale(our 1st with a loser,our 2nd with a winner),each a Sox '40's league putout king!Our 1st(four 1.000 OPH's)edged HOF CF'er Joe D.(only All Star for every year played!)for a 3B crown,our "Joe E. Brown look-alike birthday today 2nd"(no 1.000 OPH's)was the only other with the 1st name of another retired-number Yank!Name our bygone boys. | Mike Kreevich and Thurman Tucker |
| 9/25/2012 | Following the lead of yesterday's Ben Chapman,seek 2 more unique,3-time AL CF All Star selectees admirably adept both at the plate and on the bases!Our 1st(1st year with Indians)is the only man ever surpassing 50 2B,10 3B,25 HR,and 20 SB's in a year,our 2nd(last year with Indians)the only man having both a 50 HR/20 SB and a 20 HR/50 SB season.Name our AL Bases champs,batting and throwing left,with rhyming(think TV comedy!)1st names. | Grady Sizemore and Brady Anderson |
| 9/24/2012 | No harping on Harper,though yesterday's All Star Tommy(like .300 career George!)deserves props for offensive skills.After all,the likely 3 of Rickey,Eric and Jacoby couldn't match him!Name 2 more OF "running-hitters" not to be forgotten:1)ex-Sox and Cub star,1st man to win a ring(with Giants)stealing 50 bases and driving in 100 runs and 2)ex-Yank All Star CF'er,only man with a 60 homer bases(15 HR),60 SB's,120 R,120 RBI,and .300 season spectacular! | Sam Mertes and Ben Chapman |
| 9/23/2012 | "Harper-talk" may dominate the next 2 decades,but speaking of youth today(paraphrasing a prophet!),be a fisher of "Fish"(Trout's preferred handle)!The Angel is poised to pass Ted Williams with the youngest 100 Runs Tallied year,thereby leading(for the 3rd straight day!)to another answer out of left field!Who's another Red Sox LF'er(creating a career-long lure for Bryce and Mike!),the only man ever to pass lofty levels of 30 HR's,125 R's,and 70 SB's? | Tommy Harper |
| 9/22/2012 | Yesterday's HOF LF'er Ducky Medwick presents 2 other NL LF'ers for birthday bows today!Our "Sweet" 1st,a ring-winning Series homerer like Joe(without the 7th game tossed garbage!)is the only man to have the only hit in a game!(Hitting hint?Dodger '65 slugging and '66 RT leader!)Name him and our 2nd,like Medwick an All Star(1st to be as selected for both Giants and Mariners),last losing post-season MVP,the "Hackman" known for his HR trot! | Lou Johnson and Jeffrey Leonard |
| 9/21/2012 | Continuing that unlikely 2012 Cabrera vs. 1936 Bonura comparison,look closer at the 11 modern Triple Crown winners Miguel yearns to join!Only 5 led MLB in all 3 facets,and most recents Yaz and F. Robby each finished but 5th among MLB BA leaders while under 100 BOD!Less rare(50 have attained it!),100 BOD seems more valuable than that Triple Crown bauble!Which HOF'er wore the redoubtable crown with <100 BOD the year following Zeke's peak? | Joe Medwick |
| 9/20/2012 | The benefactors of yesterday's Moore were,of course,Ruth(tied last night in hits by Omar Vizquel!)and Gehrig!Babe's 12 >100 BOD years and Lou's 10 remind of their hitting heights when realizing white-hot Miguel Cabrera,seeking his 1st 100 BOD year,stands at a 59 BOD after 146 games!"Miggy" currently compares to a Sox birthday bomber we salute today(known for his fielding "salute"),who in 1936 had a 56 BOD over 148 games!Who's our missed man? | Zeke Bonura |
| 9/19/2012 | Our pitching answers the past 2 days pitch 2 more today!Yank Bump Hadley(2 straight years AL H/IP leader)and Buc Bob Veale(2 straight years NL HR/IP leader)reached Series and won rings late in their careers.Some others won early,some never won!Name another Yankee H/IP king,a rookie ring-winner,and another Pirate reliever like Big Bob he beat in the last '27 Series game who's remembered,like Bump,for one pitch(and a wild one,at that!). | Wilcy Moore and Johnny Miljus |
| 9/18/2012 | Both yesterday's answer and game help query today!Coming from the answer:another father-son,our 1st player(like Maury an All Star league leader)a 50 SB man like the Wills,our 2nd ending with the Cubs as a better career slugger than pop,like Bump!Coming from the game:Sox lefty Donnie Veal's 12th K of his hitless 24 lefties faced(!)and his name remind of our 3rd,the All Star K-king lefty who retired in relief our 1st in the '71 Series!Name our three. | Don Buford and Damon Buford and Bob Veale |
| 9/17/2012 | Coming so far since our last shofar,we greet all a 5773 good morning seeking a great Morning(middle name)!Continuing our dream thru our father-son theme,we face unusual bumps in our Daily battle of wills,considering our aforementioned HOF-considered dad and his neglected boy(with a better BAM!),the only daddy-sonny 50 SB duo!Add,too,one with the son's sobriquet ending High Holiday hero Greenberg's HOF teammate Cochrane's career! | Maury Wills and Bump Wills and Bump Hadley |
| 9/16/2012 | Let's let yesterday's vaudevillians Catfish and Schacht help us entertain today's right answers!Like laughable Al,our 1st had pre-rookie success pitching with Walter Johnson.His legacy lies,however,with his sons,the only brother MLB batting title tandem!Name dad and his boys,one who carried his name,the other with the forgotten 8th inning,7th game,Series winning double yet more memorable that the one by Metkovich that led to the tying run! | Dixie Walker and Dixie Walker and Harry Walker |
| 9/15/2012 | Yesterday's HOF'er Catfish Hunter(only multi-ring hurler for 2 teams,last man to led MLB consecutive years in W's and WHIP!)evokes Catfish Row and that missing "Porgy and Bess" film,which in turn leads to another called Catfish(OF'er outhitting teammate Ted in '46 Series!),in many a motion picture!Seriously,he played Washington's pitcher-clown(in the musical "Three Little Words")with a perfect W/L as a pre-rookie!Who are our 2 showmen? | Catfish Metkovich and Al Schacht |
| 9/14/2012 | Dazzle,Diamond hunter,with more no-no knowledge to add to the Wise answering of yesterday,anniversary of a no-hitter thrown by MLB's 1st 5-straight-years SOAR(Strikeouts-Allowed Runners)hurler!"Surely as daylight follows dawn he will some day turn in a perfect performance" said the NY Times,but it ain't that easy!Use their famous nicknames to identify both this Dodger HOF'er and an "A's plus" hurler with 3 hits in his perfect no-hitter! | Dazzy Vance and Catfish Hunter |
| 9/13/2012 | Relax!It may be wise to take a sip of wine,without worrying who will have this year's inevitable,ill-fated collapse!Let's recall the NL shortstop Gold Glover the season yesterday's "Zorro" won his 1st,a man who played on the mother of all self-destructing finishers in '64!Name him and his rookie righthander teammate(a better career slugger!)that year,our birthday celebrant today,who went on to become an All Star and the only no-hit hurler with a 2 HR game! | Bobby Wine and Rick Wise |
| 9/12/2012 | Still singing in Cuba with 3 more native multi-year All Stars who stayed south of that telling 40 BOD level(unlike yesterday's Tony,Minnie,and Raffi)their entire careers!Our MVP 1st,despite his historic,steroidal 40/40 year,fell just short.Our MLB hit and TB leading,2 straight batting champ 2nd never even reached 0 BOD in a season!His '65 MVP teammate,despite leading in RR and TB,was always under a -100 BOD!Name our previously well-noted Cuban trio. | Jose Canseco and Tony Oliva and Zoilo Versalles |
| 9/11/2012 | They of yesterday will carry our clue today!Rightly restricted using this motto,go to Cuba with Roger,Klu and Votto!We find born there 3 more multi-year,consecutive year All Stars with one >40 BOD year:1)another Cincy 1st sacker,"RBI Machine" and debated HOF'er,2)only Chicago same-year RB and TB league leader,debated non-HOF'er and 3)HOF non grata despite surpassing 500 homers and 3000 hits.Name our 3 from whom we'll borrow tomorrow! | Tony Perez and Minnie Minoso and Rafael Palmeiro |
| 9/10/2012 | Yesterday's Luis Castillo shares MLB's top hitting streak for 2nd basemen at 35 games with Chase Utley.The "5 HR's in a Series Philly Flash" in turn shares with 3 other lefty-swingers,born on this day(!),one key stat:one >40 BOD(Base-Out Differential)season!The chase to name them is on:1)an All Star Redleg HR champ with 3 White Sox Series HR's,2)an All Star Yank HR king with a Redbird Series ring,and 3)a Red superstar now seeking his 1st Series! | Ted Kluszewski and Roger Maris and Joey Votto |
| 9/9/2012 | More about Eddie Roush?When his 1919 Reds(with more regular season wins!)topped those shameful White Sox(his original team!),another ex-Sox joined in joy!Who's this 1st 2nd baseman to lead MLB in Net Chances per Game while winning a ring,1st player with a >100 R,<20 RBI year?Name too the other to have a >100 R,<20 RBI year,co-holder of the 2nd sacker hitting streak mark and,like our Red mates,helping burst October hopes in Chicago! | Morrie Rath and Luis Castillo |
| 9/8/2012 | What besides yesterday's Vada Pinson 1B,2B,and 3B MLB crowns make him stand out?How about being the only with 3 years of .300 BA,200 H,20 HR,and 20 SB!We seek but the unique,being 1st to note Bryce Harper's recent singular feat:only teenager with 2 games hitting 2 HR's in 2 straight AB's the same year!Name a 3rd NL "bats left" CF'er(a Red star like Vada,as feisty as Bryce!),the 1st to lead a league in 1B's,2B's,and 3B's and win a ring! | Edd Roush |
| 9/7/2012 | More KP,more HP!Kirby Puckett's walk-off 6th game HR(see yesterday)led not only to his 2nd ring,but heartbreak for a man whose 7th game blunder prevented an unprecedented ring for a 4th team!In his career,he was an NL leader in Runs,OBP,and Hitting Percentage(HP,H/PA)at .289.Name him and his fellow 300 SB clubber(Gold Glove CF'er like Kirby!),MLB king in Runs,Hits,1B's,2B's,and 3B's whose .316 HP is the top Red year in the last 75! | Lonnie Smith and Vada Pinson |
| 9/6/2012 | Yesterday's rulers remain our measure!Napoleon became baseball's emperor from the outset of two-league play with his still standing .426 BA in 1901,with the underlying record of a .399 HP(H/PA)!Maz,while ending the maze of that craziest of Series in 1960,stands alone winning a 7th game with a walkoff HR!Which HOF'er(200 H man like Nap,GG'er like Bill!)is the last man with 3 straight HP league crowns,homering at home to end a Series game? | Kirby Puckett |
| 9/5/2012 | Let's find out more,using answers from yesterday and the day before!Hank Greenberg's 170 RBI in 1935 beat Wally Berger's 130 for a record MLB RBI leadership margin.Stick(if stuck!)with the Code's magical "margin button" to find two HOF 2nd basemen,known for a hitting feat(1st for a year,2nd for a game!),who hold history's top 2 spots(in 1908 and 1967,respectively)in Total Chances leadership margin.Name our boffo(in field or at bat!)birthday boys! | Nap Lajoie and Bill Mazeroski |
| 9/4/2012 | More with names from yesterday(and yesteryear!):Frank Robinson's 38 HR's tied the 1st year N.L. record,set in '30 by a consecutive year All Star CF'er not selected his 1st(and best BAM!)season.Ted Williams' 1st year 31 HR's set the AL mark till the 33 hit in '63 by another consecutive year All Star CF not selected in his 1st (and best BAM!)season!Name our .300 career hitter(3 HOF votes)and our lefty-plagued slender slugger needing no Hall mention till now! | Wally Berger and Jimmie Hall |
| 9/3/2012 | Eddie Stanky's birthday today,after last week's fellow MLB runs leaders Frank Robinson's and Ted Williams',reminds Dodger Eddie made the '47 All Star team ahead of historic rookie Jackie Robinson!Name 2 more snubbed(not counting '39 rookie MLB RBI king Williams!):Jackie's supportive,'47 retiree rejected in '35 while setting the MLB RBI margin-leading mark and that man's '47 teammate whose MLB-tops TB's were dumbly deemed All Star unworthy! | Hank Greenberg and Ralph Kiner |
| 9/2/2012 | Thanks to Theodore Roosevelt Lilly,still thinking presidentially(realizing '35 Sox OF'er George Washington was not the man of Mt. Vernon!),recall the teammate of yesterday's unlikely rookie All Star Game star Dean Stone who,by his walk-off HR in the '54 opener,became Dwight Eisenhower's favorite player!Who's this "bats left" 2 time >200 H batting champ whose career span mirrored his fellow .300 BA Red Sox All Star teammate Theodore Williams? | Mickey Vernon |
| 9/1/2012 | Happy 82nd birthday to southpaw Dean Stone,only pitcher to win an All Star game without retiring a batter!First,linger a bit longer with yesterday's historically named William Jennings Bryan Herman,10-straight-years All Star,to lead to an All Star named after the prez W.J.Bryan tried to succeed,Teddy Roosevelt!Who's this disabled lefty who,like Stone,was unscored upon in an AL All Star win but on this,Dean's day,will not be activated after all! | Ted Lilly |
| 8/31/2012 | On this birthday of 1st black manager(and only 2-time B-TOP leader in each league!)Frank Robinson and through yesterday's Ted Williams and Bucky Harris,recall GM Bucky's role in ending Red Sox segregation by promoting Pumpsie Green to Ted's side in '59!Name another HOF 2nd sacker with Bucky's initials,seen best in the mind's eye(like F.Robby!),applauding as 3rd base coach(Pumpsie led off!) Williams' last career PA homer the next year! | Billy Herman |
| 8/30/2012 | "Wonder Boy" Bryce Harper must have seen yesterday's prescient Daily Diamond before entering history with his 2 homers last night!Today's birthday legend Ted Williams also made quite the mark in his 1st Washington year,albeit as a manager,improving the Senators by 20.5 games via his hitting hints!Which "Boy Wonder" rookie manager(Ted's HOF mate with Bryce's initials!),improved Washington by 16.5 games on the way to a world title while playing 2nd base? | Bucky Harris |
| 8/29/2012 | Yesterday's long-ago Chicago September teenage call-ups Murphy and McCall,with their 2 HR games,so far have outdone 19 year old ballyhooed All Star rookie Bryce Harper(without one)!Who's the only HOF pitcher with his franchise's only teenage HR(at 19 vs. the Yanks!)?Easy clues?He had the most MLB wins for a decade,Series wins in 3 decades(and crucial Codell league PSPP titles in each!),and never allowed grand slam or back-to-back homers! | Jim Palmer |
| 8/28/2012 | Skill of the Irish!Under manager McGillicuddy(Connie Mack!),our 1st OF answer went 4 for 4 in a Fall Classic clincher,winning a 2nd ring with yesterday's Harry Davis!Our 2nd Daniel Francis(same last name too,future pitcher!)hit 2 HR's one autumn game 50 years later as a 19 year old Cub RF'er.The next fall,our 3rd Irishman(nicknamed "Bam")hit 2 HR's in the '62 Sox finale as a 19 year old CF'er,for a '62 BAM of 1.900!Name our great-gamers! | Danny Murphy and Danny Murphy and Brian McCall |
| 8/27/2012 | The Davis Boys are at it again!Chris Davis' 3 HR game and June 3-homerer Ike Davis' Sunday walk-off remind of MLB 1901-10 homer king Davis,teammate of yesterday's Waddell and Plank.Name not only this 1st base great but also the over-100 R White Sox rookie Davis who never played again(same name as a weekend Davis Boy!)and name as well the Davis " two 3-straight homer games,'80's 4 year NL RBI champ" not All Stars Eric,Chili,Jody or Alvin! | Harry Davis and Ike Davis and Glenn Davis |
| 8/26/2012 | Why so confident Wilbur Wood's '72 season differential of 724 more recorded outs than allowed baserunners would withstand time's test?To surpass a 700 ROAR,a pitcher would need a 350 IP year allowing less than one baserunner per inning!Over a 5 year span on the all-time lefty list,Wilbur's 3019 ROAR falls just behind a dead-ball HOF'er but just ahead of that ex-Cub's HOF Athletic teammate(future Federal Leaguer).Name our super- southpaws! | Rube Waddell and Eddie Plank |
| 8/25/2012 | One more Yaz mention today!When Carl supplanted Ted Williams as the Bosox future LF(who knew?)HOF'er,who'd know in his last year he'd pass The Kid in Runs Tallied(Codell hadn't thought of it!)?Now name the 19 year old pre-knuckler lefty who also began with the '61 Red Sox,who joined(beat!)Sandy K. as the 2 lively ballers with a >700 year in Codell's Recorded Outs-Allowed Runners(ROAR)differential,a record that will last(no knocking wood!)forever! | Wilbur Wood |
| 8/24/2012 | Still thinking Essential Bases(see yesterday),happy birthday to MLB 2-time EB leader Cal Ripken and 3 others with birthdays the past 3 days who,like Cal,each surpassed 400 hits in 2 year spans!Unlike Cal(or 200 hit year ageless celebrant Julio Franco or no-200-hit-year,3-time AL EB champ and same-year MLB EBOD and DIE king and belated birthday boy Yaz!),all 3 had >.300 BA careers!Name our multi-year AL All Star at-bat leaders and call it a (birth)day! | George Kell and Dale Mitchell and Paul Molitor |
| 8/23/2012 | EBOD to DIE!Codell stats connect 3 1st-Series ring-winners today!Yesterday's accused insider trader Murray led the AL in both Essential Base-Out Differential and Driven-In Efficiency,but instead go inside a trade that brought a same-year EBOD and DIE AL king to Chicago,where Tuesday he became the 1st Chicago Jewish player to hit a grand slam in the Windy City!Name him and the other AL Jewish 3rd sacker leading in both EBOD and DIE the same year! | Kevin Youkilis and Al Rosen |
| 8/22/2012 | Melky Cabrera's murky 2012 season may well end with the disgraced OF'er as MLB batting champ!Today recall the only MLB batting champ to win that crown without leading his league,the man just ahead of yesterday's Dale Murphy in those Essential Bases during Dales's 14 year HR rule!Actually,this HOF member of the exclusive 10-man 10,000 career EB club had a "not nearly as costly yet as unethical" week as Melky!Who's our diminished defendant? | Eddie Murray |
| 8/21/2012 | Yesterday's names still resound!Chipper Jones is not the only recent historic blaster:last night Derek Jeter crashed answer Robin Yount's "Over 3000H/250HR/250SB AL One-Man Club" with HR #251!Robin's 2-position MVP play reminds of the rookie catcher who became a 2 time MVP CF'er and led MLB in HR's over 14 years(but no Hall!),whose retired Brave jersey's #3 had been worn by the Babe while hitting 3 HR's his penultimate game!Name him. | Dale Murphy |
| 8/20/2012 | A 2nd day for a "2 Past Days" question today,after the 6 HOF RF'ers noted this weekend!With Chipper Jones hitting 2 HR's Thursday,2 more RF immortals reappear:Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron!The true homer kings are the 1st 2 of now 5 Brave 40 year olds(including Da.Evans,Ju.Franco) with 2-HR games!Name 1st the HOF CF'er 3rd in R/G behind mates Babe and Lou,then Hank's Milwaukee HOF teammate and MVP CF'er,the 1st AL 3000 H/250 HR/250 SB man! | Earle Combs and Robin Yount |
| 8/19/2012 | "Idle Wheels" not fully named the past 2 days(in order of their "Daily" disappearance!):T.Cuccinello,J.Brewer,B.Martin,M.Haas,and D.Wise!Today name 2(career .127 BA's!)fully named for fathers totalling one win,our 1st(as a rookie breaking in the one year of our 2nd's dad!)the last Boston Brave ERA champ,our 2nd(played with HOF RF'ers Reggie and Andre,but our 1st's dad played with HOF RF'ers Waner,Klein and Ott!)with his franchise's top W year! | Chet Nichols and Ross Grimsley |
| 8/18/2012 | On Roberto Clemente's birthday(that last-AB 3000th hit!),and with Barry's looming next week,we symmetrize still with last-AB homers and listing lists!Who(no Mule,use Player Compare!)homered to be the only ex-All Star ending his career with a last-AB blast for a Chicago team?Hiding hint?In so-called Codell life(1947-2012),44 had 2 Sox tours,but not our man:11 All Stars with Sox,11 All Stars not,and 22 non-All Stars(with this week's Wise move!). | Bert Haas |
| 8/17/2012 | Yesterday's Nap Rucker(1911 NL RIP King!)spent his 10 year career with the Brooklyn Superbas(Dodgers),his one homer leading today to another one homer(L.A.)Dodger with his last-at-bat HR completing his only 2-hit game!Now figure his name:1st's the same as the 1st Dodger and 1st Italian to play in an All Star Game(at Comiskey),2nd's that of a future All Star Dodger lefty who successfully sued an ex-All Star Italian who sucker-punched him(at Wrigley)! | Tony Brewer |
| 8/16/2012 | A 21-gun salute today for "King" Felix,who evidently checked the Daily Diamond yesterday and,noting the two 21-men lists,became the modern era's 21st pitcher to throw a perfect game!We celebrated but now do not nap,for here's another lucky ruckus:beyond perfection(due to error!),one long-ago lefty officially allowed no baserunners while opposing hitters went 0 for 29,opposed to the "usual" 0 for 27(like Hernandez')perfectos!Name this superb Superba. | Nap Rucker |
| 8/15/2012 | Yesterday's reified referents John and Miller lead us to today's teaser!This 20 year vet played in Series for both the Yankees and the Dodgers vs. the other(!),like Tommy(Sox teammate in '71))who although beating each for each(!),never won a ring!Like Huggins,the only man on both the "21 man 300 SB/1000 BB" and "21 man 2 Series rings managing" lists,he won multiple rings(each against the other!).Name our 1.545 post-season B-BOP jokester! | Jay Johnstone |
| 8/14/2012 | Noting the passing of ageless '46 Red Sox All Star SS Johnny Pesky,today we must continue with '60's career-ending HR's less renown than that of Johnny's buddy Ted Williams!Name the only man to homer in both his last AL and NL at-bats,the only to homer in both his 1st and last MLB at-bats,1st name the last of the 1st pitcher(lefty not rightly left out of HOF!)with baseball's most successful surgery,last name the 1st of the 1st Yankee HOF manager! | John Miller |
| 8/13/2012 | On this sad date of The Mick's passing,we've just seen a 10 Gold Glove RF'er(Ichiro)as a 9th inning sub for a 10 Gold Glove CF'er(Andruw) in LF,and a 9th inning walk-off,1st career homerer(Danks)sent down!But stick with yesterday's Minnie(matched Banks with 4 top 5 MVP finishes!)to learn the name of his 9th inning pinch-homerer(during Minoso's PA,his only career hit,1st name of The Man,last name of The Big Train!)who passed this season. | Stan Johnson |
| 8/12/2012 | Succeeding Pete Reiser as wall-crasher is the much concussed Minnie Minoso,who fractured his wrist in '62 against the Busch Stadium wall.5 years earlier,All Star manager Casey Stengel replaced Ted Williams with Minnie at Busch!Was Casey wise?Minnie's catch saved the game!Speaking of(not like!)Stengel,which "Casey at the Bat " struck out(unlike Yank homerer McGehee yesterday!)in the 9th in the 1st win of Casey's last winning Series? | Casey Wise |
| 8/11/2012 | Wall-crashing,pinch-hit walking,yesterday's Valo was known for both,from his "Wall Crasher" nickname to his PH career BB mark!An oft-injured "Diamonded" OF'er(don't see Archive,3-10-12!),also known for both,drew an historic 9th inning 2 out pinch-hit IBB of a Series no-hit bid.Name him and his fellow '41 All Star mate who followed as a PH with the GW last hit of his career, who in his last year managing('61)would manage Elmer in his last year playing! | Pete Reiser and Cookie Lavagetto |
| 8/10/2012 | Yesterday's Billy Shantz played one game for the '60 Yanks,going hitless following Mantle and Maris in the lineup!But another hitless '60 Yank(Billy's Philly mate) showed valor without our attention!Who's this 20 year vet(baseball and military)with 7 straight .400 OBP years(same career OBP as Joe D.,same career BAM as HOF'er Sam Rice!),the only man with a "2 bases loaded-triples" game,a 3 HR game,and a cycle?(Hunting hint?Check out the game's Czechs!) | Elmer Valo |
| 8/9/2012 | Yesterday's career-long Cub Cap Anson is notoriously revered as their all-time hit and run leader,but today we start another imbroglio,starting with Ernie Broglio!The ex-All Star more notoriously became a Cub when Chicago quickly discarded a proudly pilfering future HOF'er,who more quickly seized '64 Series joy!Name him(it gets more difficult!)and that year's Gold Glover who became a Cubbie in that terrible trade and that ex-MVP's bigger,batterymate brother! | Lou Brock and Bobby Shantz and Billy Shantz |
| 8/8/2012 | Today's question beckons boxing acumen for help!Yesterday's Sam Langford referred to the '20's Indian OF'er,not the HOF heavyweight(denied a title shot by racism)for whom the world was no oyster!With Gay '90's pride,name the 1890 NL RBI king(called "Oyster"),1st Brooklyn player(Gil Hodges the last!)to hit for the cycle,with the same name as the champ dethroned by Jack Johnson!Name too the racist HOF'er 2nd in that RBI race! | Tommy Burns and Cap Anson |
| 8/7/2012 | Before yesterday's 2nd John Farrell managed,he was a winning Indian pitcher,throwing harder than today's 2 more winning Tribe hurlers!Our sinkerballing 1st was the Yankee-killer allowing Ruth's 500th HR(better moment than Bonds' record HR on this date!).His curveballing teammate(longest Cleveland tenure,teammate of both Sam Langford and Larry Doby!)remains the game's top All Star Game moundsman!Name our nonpareil nonagenarians! | Willis Hudlin and Mel Harder |
| 8/6/2012 | Let yesterday's 2 "John Wesleys" begin the games leading to today's names!Our rhyming last name 1st,like Johnny,went on to 3 All Star years of his 10 with his 2nd city!This last Washington ROY started the All Star game sub Callison ended with a walk-off HR!Our 2nd,1st Washington 100 run scorer(as rookie from Covington,KY!),has the name of the manager of 4 teams-in one-year(like Wes,but in his 1st year!)superstar Jose Bautista!Name both. | Bob Allison and John Farrell |
| 8/5/2012 | Yesterday's Del Ennis survived the deluge of Philly boos as a 3 year All Star selection.briefly playing for the '59 pennant White Sox,one of 25 on that year's roster who made an All Star squad!Name another '59 Sox part-time OF'er,traded after the season to the Phils,becoming a 3 time All Star for them also,and his fellow BL,TR 5 year Phillie OF mate(only Series champ to also play with 4 teams in a year!)with the same given first and middle names! | Johnny Callison and Wes Covington |
| 8/4/2012 | Yesterday's Philly fave McNair evokes the unpopular Phillie who had six 100 RBI years!On our wayward way to his name, recall Sandberg's historic 2 HR game 6-23-84,day of Codell nephew Peter's Bar Mitzvah,beating Herzog's Cards!Quotable("Baseball's been very good to me since I stopped playing it!")Whitey(brother named Codell!)called Ryno the greatest ever!Ryne,named for Ryne Duren,had a brother named for the slugger we'll finally name! | Del Ennis |
| 8/3/2012 | Yesterday's "Boo" Ferriss,recent "Rube" Award winner,reminds of his fellow Mississippian "Boob" who was nicknamed after a Rube Goldberg character!He was a 2-tour,Connie Mack A's favorite with a pre-rookie Series ring and a AL 2B crown as a rookie SS.But his supreme GOD(Game Offensive Differential!)suddenly appeared playing 3B with the surprising(like this year!)'39 White Sox,leading their four .300 hitters with a .329 mark.Recall him! | Eric McNair |
| 8/2/2012 | The brother of yesterday's Walker Cooper was,of course,long-forgotten Mort Cooper.How good was his shortened career?How about Mort joining Mathewson,Alexander and Koufax as the only to lead the NL 3 straight years in the Code's WLD?!Now name the only pitcher with a WLD over 30 his 1st two years(with a Series shutout thrown in!),the man nicknamed "Boo" cheered by Boston fans,still going strong past age 90,who left the majors before age 30! | Dave Ferriss |
| 8/1/2012 | Clear clue?Yesterday's Bob Bailey has half his name in common with the 2nd of our catchers!Be a history walker:both played for Braves and Cubs(4 teams last 4 years),were All Stars(multi-year for 2 teams)for Giants and Reds(before Bench's Red backstop benchmarks,each had his 3 homer game!),batterymates for brothers,one -year 1.000 B-TOP clubbers,and mainstay mashers for teams tied through 1960 with a record 221 HR's!Name them. | Walker Cooper and Ed Bailey |
| 7/31/2012 | Don't wash out Washington!Continue combining Codell categories,creating a concoction comparable to a confection sweet as Comiskey's cotton candy!All alliterative,how to treat this treat?Name the nondescript 13th man(all other 12 HOF'ers,the Babe 1st!)through 1970 to lead MLB in HE,BTOP,and ScAv the same season,a bonus baby pirated from Pirates by disappointed Dodgers,who swapped him to the Expos,who became today's Nationals! | Bob Bailey |
| 7/30/2012 | Washington overtaking the Yankees(like the Nats this weekend for best MLB W/L!)is rare(forget 8th place '66 Senators over 10th place Yanks!),evoking "Damn Yankees" on Broadway!(You've Gotta Have)"Heart" was that show's hit song.Code combo today?HEART,or Homer Efficiency And Runs Tallied same-year MLB leaders!Who's the disgraced(not Joe Hardy!),non-HOF,1988 HRRBI champ joining HOF'ers Ruth,Foxx,and Schmidt as a 2-time king of HEART? | Jose Canseco |
| 7/29/2012 | This is it!As promised,here's the HR BIT(Home Run and Batted In Total),that original addition till now unopened to tradition!No need countering the counter-intuitive:40 HR's,100 RBI's are 70 Runs Tallied and 20 HR's,118 RBI are 69!No longer too obvious to be noticed,HRRBI creates a Decoder list that answers today's question:who's the only player to never lead his league in HR's or RBI's to lead his league in HRRBI(and he did it 3 times!)? | Frank Thomas |
| 7/28/2012 | Today we're "Goin' Back to Indiana" with yesterday's Don Leppert(history's 2nd!)to his native Indianapolis,then back to Don Mattingly's Evansville with a new number endorsed by Kenosha Code champion Gary Velich!Add HR + RBI(rationale tomorrow!)to find the top Philly HRRBI one-season slugger(beating Ryan Howard)and the 2nd-best Philly one-season HRRBI 3rd sacker(behind Mike Schmidt).Name Indy's HOF'er and Evansville's Gold Glover! | Chuck Klein and Scott Rolen |
| 7/27/2012 | Last night's dazzling debuts of Starling Marte(1st career pitch homerer!)and Matt Harvey(11 K's pitching,2 H's batting!)bring to mind names of an unlikely Series hero and 2 surprising All Stars.Our 1st's the only post-season pitcher with 2 rings,10 games,1.000 W/L Pct. and 0.00 ERA,our 2nd's the previous Pirate 1st career pitch homerer(a catcher with a 3 straight HR game to boot!),our 3rd's the '04 Royal example for dubious All Star picks!Name them. | Damaso Marte and Don Leppert and Ken Harvey |
| 7/26/2012 | Yesterday's Pete Fox and Sunday's Don Mattingly,their hometown's 1st 2 All Stars,invite us to Evansville for today's answers!In '94,our All Star 1st(in the great line of St.Louis brothers)had the lowest W/L Pct. ever of any league strikeout king!Royal voice resounding,our league W-L Pct. king 2nd won(like Card Bob Forsch,more career wins than 2 time All Star bro Ken!)20 games in the '70's without All Star status.Name our Indiana righty -lefty one-two punch! | Andy Benes and Paul Splittorff |
| 7/25/2012 | As a rookie,yesterday's Wilson played with a final year RF'er in the long line of Red Sox All Star OF'ers.Jim(not Horatio!)Alger also played one game with Ted Williams(who played one against Lou Gehrig!).Our RF'er had 2 things Ted never got:Series ring and 200 hit year!Name him(Greenberg's fellow Tiger rookie!),1st name of a ten year 200 H man(not new Yank Ichiro!),last name of Wilson's White Sox HOF(Sorry,Reggie!)fellow All Star with one 200 H year! | Pete Fox |
| 7/24/2012 | Hold(see yesterday)the Mayo!Hungrily,we move on to All Star tandems with the 1st's last name the same as the 2nd's first and see Hank Aaron and Aaron Hill,Royce Clayton and Clayton Kershaw,Jackie Robinson and Robinson Cano,among others!Name two All Star Game(each throwing an inning)White Sox pitchers with our name connection,each with a best season 15-8 won-lost year for the Sox,each with a no-hitter,AL shutout king before Latino lefty! | Jim Wilson and Wilson Alvarez |
| 7/23/2012 | Our weekend award-winning questions and the Jays' trade of Francisco Cordero and Ben Francisco pave our way today!Seek 2 men from the same franchise,one whose 1st name's the same as the other's last!Our duo,unlike Cubs' pennant winners Stan Hack and Hack Wilson,won Series rings.Name our MVP 1st and Manager of the Year 2nd,each playing one '40's <.250 BA,<.250 SA year for the A's during the "unlikely ever to be honored" time of his career! | Eddie Mayo and Mayo Smith |
| 7/22/2012 | Viewing yesterday's Hank Aaron Award retroactively,only one man ever led MLB 3 straight years in its H+HR+RBI addition.This non-HOF Yankee great,a Lou Gehrig Award winner,is also the only to lead MLB 6 straight years in HR to SO ratio.Name him and the non-HOF Red who not only also won a Gehrig award,like today's HOF honorees Santo and Larkin(his teammate),but Roberto Clemente and Fred Hutchinson awards for special character as well! | Don Mattingly and Pete Rose |
| 7/21/2012 | Continuing our shortstop search,look back again to 1903 and the original formulae(before writer voting)for the Hank Aaron Award,signifying hitting excellence,and the Code's FE,for fielding superiority,to find a winner in each!Using H+HR+RBI for hitting and PO+A+E/G for fielding,who's the only SS to top MLB in each formula in the same year?Note:Cal Ripken,winner of Gehrig and Clemente awards,lost the FE portion to HOF inductee Barry Larkin in 1991! | Honus Wagner |
| 7/20/2012 | Yesterday's 40 error years barely get dishonorable mention today as we exploit the exploits of 2 early 20th century shortstops erring into the stratosphere!Our 1st held the E-6 mark of 97 only 2 years,broken by our 2nd's 98(take solace from the latter's better Code FE!).Bigger difference:the 1st(with 5 franchises!)hit .300 or better each of his last 5 years,our 2nd .185 his last 2!Name just one '03 "fareweller" and knock the Daily Diamond on its keister! | Bill Keister and John Gochnauer |
| 7/19/2012 | Yesterday's Alan Bannister,from those "Southside Hitmen" of 1977,was not a fielder(or Fielder!)of note.His 40 errors led all MLB SS's,evoking a man with a 40 E year whose nickname paid tribute to his birth-state and whose .305 led all MLB 1940 rookies.In fact,that BA surpassed the .300 mark of another monickered for his birth-state,a HOF 9-time All Star shortstop and MLB OPS(and all-time SS OPH!)king.Name both of these Southern gentlemen! | Bama Rowell and Arky Vaughan |
| 7/18/2012 | Yesterday's Don(preceded as playing-manager by today's birthday Joe Torre!)leads to the Sox SS he succeeded who reminds(unlike Roger Bannister's<4 minute mile,matched by many!)some feats are unmatched:he's the only MLB SF leader with<5 HR's!Who,vs. a same last name,unrelated "cousin" lefty,reached his high(min. 25 AB's).500 SA?Name too that All Star(two 16 W years for Sox)allowing light-hitting Kessinger a 2.000 SA! | Alan Bannister and Floyd Bannister |
| 7/17/2012 | Today's birthdays of 2 more <.500 Chicago managers(and super-shortstops!),Lou Boudreau and Don Kessinger,are hailed for today's answers!Pass Lou's shady son-in-law Denny McLain to Don's "bats both(like Dad!),cup of cappuccino SS son with the 1st name of today's All Stars.Name 1)the Seinfeld-starring batting champ,2)the reliever-saviour of Red Sox nation,and 3)"Zonk"who followed Santo(who followed Boudreau!)on Cub radio. | Keith Hernandez and Keith Foulke and Keith Moreland |
| 7/16/2012 | Like yesterday's Ryan and Hatton,our 2 today are not best known for their limited White Sox playing days.Each,however,is legendary for his Cub managerial woes!The 1st was Chicago's only Greek manager,immortalized by his anti-Cub fan rant(see You Tube!),surviving to manage the Phils,celebrating a birthday today!The 2nd(broke in with Phils,only MLB Armenian manager!)won his 1st 5 with the Cubs,later managing the Greek National team!Name both. | Lee Elia and Jim Essian |
| 7/15/2012 | Yesterday's "Caramba" Ciriaco brings our "past-future" present today,as we recall 2 more Boston 2nd basemen and surprise All Stars!The 1st,a '44 NL starter in an 88 game year,is credited with discovering Cy Young winner Vida Blue!Our 2nd,an NL pick in a .212 year,was credited by upcoming HOF'er and teammate Ron Santo for inspiration!Name these ex-White Sox,12 year vets(1st ending in Cincy,2nd starting there),each managing in Texas! | Connie Ryan and Grady Hatton |
| 7/14/2012 | One more Joe Morgan connection?One more Joe Morgan!The other Joe was a rookie teammate of Aaron and Mathews,all-time HR teammates(edging Ruth and Gehrig!)who each hit HR #500 on this very date!"Other Joe" holds his own mark:winning his 1st 12 games as manager of the Red Sox,who last night saw their 1st player ever with 3 hits and a SB in 3 straight games(in his 1st 3 games with them!).Caramba!Who's this 2nd sacker(like both Joe Morgans!)? | Pedro Ciriaco |
| 7/13/2012 | Wednesday's OPH combines with yesterday's Joe Morgan to breed entirely today's satori of 3 unforgettables and a forgotten!HOF Joe stands with one other HOF'er as the only men with an MLB-leading OPH season with 25 HR's and 50 SB's!Name this unique "bats right,throws left" superstar and our newly-recalled BR,TL sub who(his due overdue,played with bro!)on this date in '73 pinch-HR'ed(like HOF player-manager Joe Cronin)in both games of a twin-bill! | Rickey Henderson and Hal Breeden |
| 7/12/2012 | To fairly give top billing for our All Star trio today(shades of the '36 Hope,Merman,Durante dilemma!),let's 1st go to the 3 Series rings,2 Canadian teams All Star 1st baseman,our birthday boy!Then name his 2 ring,1973 All Star teammate,the only MLB BOP >1.300 king to be followed by a runner-up(one ring,Code Batting HOF'er hitting .196 for his full '73 season!)with a BOP <1.000!Pecking order for our 3?Fewest All Star games 1st,most last! | Ron Fairly and Joe Morgan and Mike Schmidt |
| 7/11/2012 | Yesterday's "hidden hint" Bryce Harper became at 19 the youngest ever to reach base in an All Star game during the NL's ho-hum 11-pitcher 8-0 shutout!On this date,19 year old pitcher Babe Ruth debuted,beating Cleveland(holding HOF'er Nap Lajoie hitless!)4-3.Babe would become the only man with 6 years pacing MLB in both OPH(the Code's OPS corrective!)and HR's.Which All Star starter last night is the last OPH king with 30 homers? | Mike Napoli |
| 7/10/2012 | Before tonight's All Star classic,a name game!Yesterday's Dave Kingman brings to mind an unrelated non-All Star who,after a winning rookie year with his 108 loss team,became with the next year's winning team the last righty to lose 20 games!Name him and a man sharing his 1st name(a ring-winning,non-All Star Twin catcher with 3 straight .300 years like current All Star Joe Mauer),with the last name of 2012's youngest All Star position player ever! | Brian Kingman and Brian Harper |
| 7/9/2012 | Yesterday's "3 HR explosion" Jim Pendleton reminds of a fellow '53 rookie who in his '54 final season had a rare 3 HR,8 RBI game!Name 1)this super-sub,2)the 5 time 100 RBI 1st sacker he spelled in the Series that fall (each hit .500!),a man known for being robbed by Willie Mays in Game One,a 2 team All Star like 3)the rookie teammate of Willie,an MLB HR champ,the man who's the king of 3 HR,8 RBI games with 3,the only with a 30 HR final year! | Bill Glynn and Vic Wertz and Dave Kingman |
| 7/8/2012 | Yesterday's Bobby Abreu is followed on that NL East GOD list by a still-active Barry Code Batting HOF'er!Name not only 1)this switch-hitting,MVP and ring-winning Brave 3rd sacker,but 2)his MVP, 2 straight year hit-leading, switch-hitting predecessor(whose teams were 0-5 in Series play!)and 3)that man's same-last name Brave rookie hitting 3 homers in a game,becoming the 3rd ex-Negro Leaguer(after HOF'ers Campy andDoby)to do so! | Chipper Jones and Terry Pendleton and Jim Pendleton |
| 7/7/2012 | Still looking White-Sox wise,let's try 3D today:Division Differential Differential!This morning's standings show the Pale Hose with a Run Differential(runs scored-runs allowed)at +63,with the rest of their division outscored,giving them MLB's top DDD at +64!The Barry Code pays unique divisional attention,so check out your Decoder lists by division!For instant instance,who's(no Sox connection!)the NL East's all-time GOD god? | Bobby Abreu |
| 7/6/2012 | Dick Kokos,equally forgotten mate of yesterday's Jack Graham,also exceeded 20 HR's his 1st qualifying year in '49.Those 53 win Browns had 3 players who'd be All Stars before trades to the White Sox!Our 3 straight years SB king 1st was the Brownie '49 All Star.Name too the others(ex-answers,1st year qualifiers!),Sox '60's teammates and All Stars,each with 2 straight 20 homer Sox seasons,the Gold Glover in the '50's,the homer king in the '60's! | Bob Dillinger and Sherm Lollar and Roy Sievers |
| 7/5/2012 | Yesterday's Will Clark closed out his career surpassing 20 HR's in 2000.In 2001 another "BL,TL" slugger became at 38 the only final year >20 HR,>20 SB player in history!Name both Will's NL and AL All Star teammate whose book credited his minor league father "Chick" for success,and the only player(son of major league catcher "Peaches")with a >20 HR final year as his 1st qualifying season,while his career's end was met,like Clark's,in St. Louis? | Paul ONeill and Jack Graham |
| 7/4/2012 | Yeasterday's Darrell Evans combined with the 1st of(once more!)2 same last name(in honor today of Declaration signer Abraham and Revolutionary War hero George,both so last-named!)multi-year All Star sluggers to go 1-2 in '77 Giant Batting Bases!Name this NL E-BOP leader and his E-BOP king All Star starting 1st base successor,both with most games with S.F. but best career E-BOPs with the Cards,each playing on one ringless pennant winner! | Jack Clark and Will Clark |
| 7/3/2012 | Celebrating a Series triumph with yesterday's Lance Parrish is the 1st of two more same 1st initial,same last name,multi-year All Star sluggers!Our 2nd won 8 Gold Gloves,sadly missing a Series ring,with career numbers(except for HR's!)exceeding our 1st,an MLB homer king.Name both California-born, 20 year veteran MLB bases on balls and Averaged Bases champs(with MLB '75 FE crowns!),easily surpassing 300 HR's,2000 H,1000 R,1000 RBI,and 1000 BB's! | Darrell Evans and Dwight Evans |
| 7/2/2012 | Today's answer ensures the names of two same-last-name(same 1st initial,same career BOP!)teammates of yesterday's Frank Tanana shall not perish(thanks,Mr.Lincoln!)from the Code!Never teammates,both were All Stars in each league:the 1st became an NL All Star a year before the 2nd became an AL All Star,and became an AL All Star a year before the 2nd became an NL All Star!Name the Gold Glove,300 HR clubber before the better career OPS'er! | Lance Parrish and Larry Parrish |
| 7/1/2012 | Yesterday's Garret Anderson holds the Angel Runs Tallied record with 1158 RT.White Sox career RT leader?Frank Thomas,of course,with 1396!So let's take Frank's initials to find another F.T.,the Angels' career pitching leader in the Code's crucial Pitching Success Percentage,the last 3 straight MLB leader in the revealing Non-Contact Differential Average!Who's this fastballing Angel who became a devilish slowballer,easily surpassing 200 W's and 2000 K's? | Frank Tanana |
| 6/30/2012 | After yesterday's delicious Washington Strawberry connection,could there be yet another lanky,L.A. born,bats left,throws left,17 year career,3 HR game,ring-winning,multi-year All Star OF'er?Yes,and we celebrate his birthday today!Who's this lone 21st century player(a Brave like Claudell,a Dodger like Darryl)exceeding 2500 hits with less than 500 walks,last man to win both Home Run Derby and All Star MVP,with two AL Hitting Percentage(H/PA)crowns? | Garret Anderson |
| 6/29/2012 | J.R. Richard's NL All Star finale year(see yesterday)was the 1st NL year for the 1st of our 2 lanky L.A. born "bats left,throws left" '80's Mets OF'ers who ended 17 year careers with '90's Yankee teams!Name 1st the only man with a 3 HR game in each league(1st with the Sox),All Star games in each,and 300 SB's,then the only man(Met walk mark tied by David Wright last night!)with a 3 HR game in each league(2nd vs. the Sox),Series rings in each,and 300 HR's! | Claudell Washington and Darryl Strawberry |
| 6/28/2012 | The 1974 season of yesterday's Don Wilson was his final one,due to his tragic death before age 30.Don's 4 shutouts that year were his high,the same shutout peak of his teammate(reached also in his last year),another star-crossed pitcher replacing Don in the '75 Astro rotation.Who was the 1975-79 NL HERO champ(check Decoder!),leading all pitchers in everything(!)when his career ended less than a week after his scoreless 1980 All Star start? | J.R. Richard |
| 6/27/2012 | Yesterday brought not only the Belinsky-Koufax question,but the 50th anniversary of the no-hitter between their gems!Who threw it while beating(and homering off!)Bo,later tying the two '67 Cy Young winners in wins?He had the same last name as the pitcher with 2 no-hitters who edged a 3 time Cy Young winner for lowest '71 NL opponents' BA!Name our two '60's black pitching pioneers(each with a 200 K year),the 1st a ring winner,the 2nd an All Star. | Earl Wilson and Don Wilson |
| 6/26/2012 | "Filbert's"(see yesterday)last Cub games came in 1916,Wrigley Field's 1st year(no championships yet!).His Cub debut was in 1912,the last year of the 1st great Jewish pitcher,who in 1906 led the AL in opponents BA,and whose career ERA beats Koufax!Name him and the 1st Jewish no-hit pitcher(2 months before Sandy,both lefties on their shared mound!)and the Jewish southpaw(2 no-hitters!)later that decade throwing a Wrigley no-no. | Barney Pelty and Bo Belinsky and Ken Holtzman |
| 6/25/2012 | Yesterday's Podsednik bears no relation to Podsednik pecans,though baseball's had it's share of nuts!Filbert(yet another kind!)is the nickname to help reconstruct our lefty's name today:1st name's the same as the immortal lefty who shut out the Cubs at Comiskey(!) in the 1918 Series opener,birth last name's that of Sox lefty legend pitching scorelessly in the Comiskey Series finale!Now name our 1913 rookie leading Cub NEWS! | George Pearce |
| 6/24/2012 | The Code's always at home(y) with Jim Thome,who last night broke a tie with 5 HOF'ers to become the walk-off homer king!Of those 5 only Mickey Mantle hit a walk-off in a Series game.None of the 1st 10 Series "walk-offers" had had a 35 SB year. Name the man with both a 70 SB season and a Series game walk-off,an All Star like teammate Thome,currently leading Big Jim .893 to .886 in OPS,the 21st century Chicago player with a .300 BA,30 SB year! | Scott Podsednik |
| 6/23/2012 | Yesterday's answer Ray Berres reminds of 2 more catchers(not HOF'er Lombardi!)of yesterday's birthday Carl Hubbell,each playing in 2 All Star games as a Giant,each with a catching brother!The 1st,with 2 Series rings,was succeeded by the dominant 2nd(see Player Compare!),who lost his 2 Series chances.Can you name the Italian Hall of Fame brother of Frank and the Jewish Hall of Fame brother of Ike,each receiving one '60's Cooperstown vote? | Gus Mancuso and Harry Danning |
| 6/22/2012 | No telescope needed to find this star,born on this date:"King" Carl Hubbell,HOF'er known for his 5 straight K's of HOF'ers in the '34 All Star Game!Who's another lefty,pitching 3 perfect innings(unlike Carl!),in the '67 classic,retiring 5 straight MVP's(4 K's)among his victims(5 HOF'ers!)?Like Carl,he was the top pitcher for the league's top team over 5 years.Name him and his wondrous 20 year pitching coach,a not-great Hubbell batterymate! | Gary Peters and Ray Berres |
| 6/21/2012 | Still perusing the Barry Code prism through slugging spectacles,let's add what Aristotle(not baseball's Agganis!)called an "addible" to yesterday's diamond delineation:EBAT(Essentialized Batting Total),adding Essential and Tallied Bases,while tracking outs batting.We see Babe's 1506 EB+TaBa total in 1921 as tops,as is his career 3.539 EBAT!With immortals Ruth-Gehrig as the 1st 1-2 MLB leading EBAT teammates,which giant '80's stars were the last? | Kevin Mitchell and Will Clark |
| 6/20/2012 | Remembrance yesterday of died-too-soon Lou Gehrig and his .90 Runs Tallied per game brings 2 reminders:his also topping history in Essential Bases per game and 2)his special teammate born on this date!Lou's bare besting of Babe in both RT/G and EB/G begs 2 questions:who's #1 in NL history in both and who's #2 in NL RT/G?And,by the way,who's that birthday boy of yore,the only MLB consecutive year SB king who lived to be 100? | Albert Pujols and Sammy Sosa and Billy Werber |
| 6/19/2012 | Two HOF nice guys play "The BAM is Right!" as we salute yesterday's birthday Lou Brock while honoring today's Lou Gehrig for our lulu of a question!The Batting Mean(BAM) says it all for batters for all counts and RT/G king Lou G. lands at a 1.362 BAM,3000 hit clubber Lou B. at .689.Name that "not nice" guy(a teammate of Gehrig)famously and ironically declaring "Nice guys finish last!" who finished last with a .545 BAM among all HOF'ers! | Leo Durocher |
| 6/18/2012 | Yesterday's Myril Hoag was an All Star for those sainted St. Loius Browns,leading us today first to the 1st Brownie to start an All Star Game,then the 1st(and so far the last)with that same 1st name to enter the Hall of Fame!Our duo is battery-powered,the catcher an All Star with 3 teams,like the pitcher,each in New York Series games.Name our Ohio-born,3-decade rollickers,an Alcoholics Anonymous hero and a handlebar moustache closer! | Rollie Hemsley and Rollie Fingers |
| 6/17/2012 | The Decoder always finds something new about those great old-timers(our Codell Father Day's song Hoagy's "Stardust"):yesterday's Doby was the only "bats left" 20th century Chicago player with a 100 RBI/100 BB year!Like Larry,today's 4 ring winner did not reach his All Star status with the Sox,though he set his SB high(as Larry set his BB high)with them!Who's this only 20th century Yankee to go 6 for 6,favorite of the grandfather of the BOP? | Myril Hoag |
| 6/16/2012 | Yesterday's Kuenn is remembered being traded by the Tigers after his '59 batting crown for HR champ Colavito of Cleveland.His '60 Indian teammate's our 1st answer,the only to win ROY,MVP and Cy Young awards in addition to(sorry,Tiger Verlander!)a Series ring!In '62 he played on the same Japanese team with our 2nd answer who,like our 3rd(who also played in Japan!),was a HOF'er with 2 Chicago tours and a ring!Name our 3 highly historic heroes. | Don Newcombe and Larry Doby and Rich Gossage |
| 6/15/2012 | Still flying from yesterday's Wright brothers,we need no longer bar concentration on Matt Cain's 14 K perfecto!K's being the perfect perfect game tiebreaker,Matt matched Sandy at the top!Yet Koufax breaks that tie,striking out 3 HOF'ers 6 times among his 27 outs(ending with an unmatched 6 straight K's!),remindful of Series hero Don Larsen's 3 HOF'er's 3 times.Name the ex-HP(H/PA)kings striking out to end the Larsen and Koufax classics. | Dale Mitchell and Harvey Kuenn |
| 6/14/2012 | Yesterday's "500 HR Clubber" Gary Sheffield brings us not only to Hall of Fame talk(don't raise Cain yet!)but to Sheffield,England,from where its one native "baseballer" went on to a Cooperstown career!Star OF'er for the Brave franchise like Gary,he founded and managed the team,playing all its games!Name him,his HOF brother(leading 4 years in games)and that brother's OF namesake playing 162 Ranger games over 100 years later! | Harry Wright and George Wright and George Wright |
| 6/13/2012 | Yesterday's "1-0 HR Magic" of yesteryear's Pepitone evokes another forgotten feat today.This Dodger All Star outfielder(like Joe,a consecutive-year Yankee All Star),set the MLB season record of homering in three 1-0 games within the 1st 2 months of '91!Name him and a 2nd Dodger All Star OF selection(song hint:"Goody Goody")with(like our 1st)a 126 runs scored high,who(like our 1st)most importantly(see Talmud!)produced a Jewish son! | Gary Sheffield and Goody Rosen |
| 6/12/2012 | Yesterday's Pipgras beckons another "300 IP Year" Yankee workhorse righty,likewise pitching 11 years!Like George he won a World Series game his rookie year and was a 20 game winner the next.Name this man,the last player hitting an inside-the-park grand slam while throwing a complete game win!Then name his All Star teammate who hit a grand slam that same Series,the 1st player to win 1-0 games in each league with walk-off homers! | Mel Stottlemyre and Joe Pepitone |
| 6/11/2012 | See more history today on the birthday of Seymour Codell,father of the BOP's father!Sy loved those Philly A's and a favorite pitcher continues our weekend talk of long relief stints.He won his last game throwing 14 relief innings allowing 17 runs(!),but in his heyday was a 2 time win leader and 2 time ring winner!Name him(think Americus!)and his Yankee rival win leader and 3 time ring winner,and (like him)an All Star Game and World Series ump! | Eddie Rommel and George Pipgras |
| 6/10/2012 | Adam Dunn's 12th career "grand salami" in the 1st place White Sox' win(while the last place Cubs' loss made them 19-40,MLB's worst record!)joined yesterday's mention of Vern Stephen's grand slam total to bring forth other double-digit slammers.Who's the only ever surpassing 15 grand slams and 5 Gold Gloves(Griffey Jr. just missed!),for whom Dunn predicted greatness this year,a man always travelling(think America!)the High Way? | Robin Ventura |
| 6/9/2012 | Yesterday's Tommy Byrne was a true hitter-pitcher!No other hurler ever hit a ninth-inning,game-winning grand slam pinch-hitting for a 10-time grand-slammer(Vern Stephens)!That came for the White Sox against the Yanks,but he also won for the Yanks in relief vs. the Sox,throwing 9 one-hit shutout innings!Name the 2 Cub relievers(think ZZ Top,Ozzy!)pitching a record 18.1 innings and a record 14 shutout innings,respectively! | Zip Zabel and Bob Osborn |
| 6/8/2012 | Legend says those 1906 Cub fanatics bragged the likely Series opponent White Sox couldn't beat their heroes in a hundred years!Adding to the Chisox upset,the "100 Year War"(1906 thru 2005)saw the Sox clinch out the Cubs on the last 2005 day,despite being 410.5 GB thru 1950!Needing each win and all troops,which pitcher(ex-All Star,last name of Chicago mayor!)pitched in with a 2-0 W-L,despite a 10.13 ERA and .506 Opponents' OBP? | Tommy Byrne |
| 6/7/2012 | More "M and M Boys" today!The June 7,1947 birthdays of Don Money and Thurman Munson(4 times '70's All Star teammates!)are duly honored,but salute most fervently that glorious day Mrs. Code was born!Coolest(that's Betty!)June 7th game?Recall(pre-birth!)the 1906 Cubs,history's winningest team,scoring 11 runs in the 1st inning vs. that year's winningest tandem en route to a 19-0 rout!Name our 2 HOF'ers victimized on this blessed date. | Christy Mathewson and joe McGinnity |
| 6/6/2012 | To continue,baseball's 1st 1st name Darwin was that Venezuelan with Cuba in his name:4 teams,4 years Darwin Cubillan!(History:21st century tributes to Charles Darwin and Albert Schweitzer were held in London's Albert Hall.)More 1st name name fun:the only two 21st century Alberts,Belle and Pujols,combined for 20 straight > .250 DIE(RBI/AB-H)years!Can you name two 20th century Alberts,OF'ers each with 25 SB years,not forgotten thanks to this question? | Al Schweitzer and Albert Hall |
| 6/5/2012 | Can the Pirates do it?Can they avoid a 20th straight season with more losses than wins?As of today,the Bucs are 27-26,thanks to Sunday's win by James McDonald.Who scouted him?Know his origins and evolution!A 19 year old pitcher(he pitched for LA,like James),he morphed into a 29 year old 22 HR CF'er.Name him and,staying current,a Cubbie(!) with a 1st name(the 2nd to have it as a 1st!)the same as our scout-pitcher-slugger's last! | Bobby Darwin and Darwin Barney |
| 6/4/2012 | Yesterday's record-setting feat of National rookies leading off a game with consecutive homers brings to mind other unique back-to-back bombers!How about 2 slap-hitting fellows who hit their only HR's of the year off a Hall of Famer,namely Nolan Ryan.Our 1st "G-Man" is remembered as the "Little Hurt" and the 2nd is remembered as the man who finally brought Series manna to a city's starving fans!Name our surprising small sluggers. | Craig Grebeck and Ozzie Guillen |
| 6/3/2012 | Yesterday's Carl Everett's a baseball birthday today,but let's honor another born on this date rather than that "Anti-Dinosaur"(Joseph's son?)and infamous Daily Diamond answer(see Milton Bradley)!Our man,like Everett,was a White Sox All Star who hit his career-high the year before joining the Red Sox!Sadly,this catcher's career and life was curtailed by an illness,as was that of Lou Gehrig,who hit 4 HR's this day in baseball history!Name him. | Duane Josephson |
| 6/2/2012 | The Gospel of(Frank)Thomas reminds Santana's no-no last night was the Mets' 1st from their '62 debut and the "other" Frank Thomas' 34 HR's that year set the Met mark!"Big Hurt" loved to bat vs. Johan(.500 BA!),even more vs. Mussina(9 HR's!).He was replaced as '05 Sox Series DH by Carl Everett,who had ended Mike's "no-no-perfecto" with 1 strike to go and led Series batters(.444).Which unrelated SS had the worst '05 Series BA(.087)? | Adam Everett |
| 6/1/2012 | Today we switch to non-pitchers,still thinking of All Stars,brothers,and namesakes!This All Star Pirate did what no other great Pittsburgh hitter could do,exceeding both 1.000 B-BOP and 1.000 B-TOP(meaning more bases than outs as individual accomplishment and team contribution)five straight years,with a BA over .300 during that span!Name this invisible man(last name of NL prez)and his All Star bro(1st name of Roman emperor)and a same-named Sox sub! | Brian Giles and Marcus Giles and Brian Giles |
| 5/31/2012 | Twins they weren't,but here's two more '60's righties so similar,they could be!Both pitched 9 years purely in relief(including Yankee,Astro,and White Sox stints),never All Stars,though in '69 had career game-high seasons with .600 W-L Pct.'s and 27 red-hatted saves!Each pitched 3 post-season games,and had 70 lifetime decisions.Name 1st the winner of 35 of them with a 3.14 ERA and .319 Opp.BA,then the man who won 34 with a 3.13 ERA and .320 Opp.BA! | Wayne Granger and Cecil Upshaw |
| 5/30/2012 | Unduplicable?Yesterday's Larry Sherry's brother-catcher Norm gave him a '60 win with a walk-off HR!Norm's high school batterymate,like Larry,played for 4 teams(last 2 Angels and Astros for whom,like Larry,he had a .333 W-L Pct.,>2.0 SO/BB),Jewish,born in LA,11 seasons,traded for All Star,best ERA as rookie,worst as pre-rookie,1st name rhymes with Larry's(same as LA-born Codell)!Don't be late,man!Who's this All Star(unlike Larry!)already? | Barry Latman |
| 5/29/2012 | Shavous,Pentecost over,Goy Kadosh(thru the Code!)honors today's Eric Davis(the "35/80 Man")birthday.Ruth(Compassion,Moabitess,Babe) remains in all its forms!Yesterday's Frank produced 300 HR's and 3 Jews during his career(Hank's 3rd child came after his!).Jewish immortal Koufax(last leg of legacy,no offspring)was preceded by which Dodger Jew(can't be Podres!)Series MVP,scored upon(unlike Sandy)in '59 Comiskey Park? | Larry Sherry |
| 5/28/2012 | Awaking from that boffo "Big Hurt Birthday Bash"(Frank's singular 10 for 10 during 15 straight reaches was the surprise gift!),we recall another Batting HOF'er(also with 3 Jewish children!)on this Memorial Day,Sgt. Hank Greenberg!Matching the top 4 Franks vs. the top 4 Hanks in career HR's(all multi-year All Stars with 4 or more 25 HR years),we find Franks 1775,Hanks 1529.Now name the only of our 8 with an All Star game winning homer! | Hank Blalock |
| 5/27/2012 | Yesterday's Hubbs' 8 for 8 day brings us a king or two for a day or two!Our history-makers both outdid HOF teammates to make lasting marks.The 1st,on the day Jimmie "The Beast" Foxx became the 1st modern man with a 6 hit/3 homer game,had a record 9 hits in one game!The 2nd had a record 14 hits over 2 days,while Stan "The Man" Musial(starting both days)had but one!Name our 2 with last names of winning NL starters this past week! | Johnny Burnett and Bill White |
| 5/26/2012 | More infielders in Chicago in mind today!Second sacker Rennie Stennett came to Wrigley in '75 for his historic 7 for 7 game,but which Cub 2nd baseman had an 8 for 8 day(doubleheader,no EXBH's!)50 years ago this week?This star-crossed ROY was better known for his Gold Glove fielding.Name him and the current White Sox super-sub who quietly(until now!)amassed an unsurpassed 5 extra-base hits over consecutive pinch-hit PA's! | Ken Hubbs and Brent Lillibridge |
| 5/25/2012 | Linger longer,overcoming demiurges for more(don't work blue!)Woodies like 20 HR Held or 200 H Jensen or 2 team All Star(not Travis)Fryman or even FA leader Woodward!Let's stick with English and Woody's Comiskey Park All Star SS stint the year he had no SS starts!Name:1)'83 All Star RF'er(at Comiskey)with no RF games that year,2)'02 All Star C stealing a base with no SB's that year,and 3)'03 All Star reliever blowing a save with no BS that year! | Ron Kittle and Robert Fick and Eric Gagne |
| 5/24/2012 | Strain(not Joe)of Chicago infielders continues!Orlando Hudson's Darlington hometown brings our 1st answer,a Sox '30's .300 sub with the 1st name of their 1st perfect gamer and the last of another Chicago SS,our 2nd answer.This Cub captain's '30 RB total(still a Chicago record,as is his 2 year span of runs!)placed him 3rd behind HOF'ers Ruth and Gehrig,ahead of HOF'ers Wilson and Terry,but he never got a HOF vote!In English,name our Chi guys. | Charlie English and Woody English |
| 5/23/2012 | Yesterday's Harry(no All Star like Jeff or Marlon!)Byrd(winner on 103 W Yankees,not with Alfred Martin!)came from that darling town Darlington,S.C.This fact brings us to a game last night!Not game-winning(and big-league sons!)hitters De Jesus and Tolleson,but another infielder catches our eye,an ex-Gold Glover making his White Sox debut,also born in Darlington!Name him and his new teammate,also an ex-NL All Star in his 1st Sox season! | Orlando Hudson and Kosuke Fukudome |
| 5/22/2012 | More Sporting News salutes and snubs!First seek a teammate of yesterday's Jethroe in Boston and Sam's successor Bruton in Milwaukee,an 8 time All Star catcher winning the TSN's 1st 3 NL Gold Gloves.Next name the man who,like Jethroe,won the ROY award(not TSN version!)for that other 3 city team of the 50's and '60's,leading AL pitchers in starts the next year.Mystery hint:our 1st played against an Alfred,our 2nd with a Hitchcock! | Del Crandall and Harry Byrd |
| 5/21/2012 | We go from the Holy Bible to the "Baseball Bible" as The Sporting News surprises and historicizes!Creating the Gold Glove Fielding Team in '57,TSN should get some props for an Atlanta centerfielder's 10 GG's!But don't forget the homes of the Braves recalling 2 more of their CF'ers.Both led MLB in SB's as rookies(neither a Sporting News ROY),one a Negro League All Star,one a World Series .400 hitter like Atlanta's GG'er as a pre-rookie!Name today's three. | Andruw Jones and Sam Jethroe and Bill Bruton |
| 5/20/2012 | Mention yesterday of retired Wood and unretired(!)Prior leads to our baseball Jobs' heartbreaking last games of 2003,losing Series chances after All Star 200 K years.Who's another "game of destiny child" who's a birthday boy today(first and last name of Bible stars),catching one Wood game that year,priorly playing one White Sox playoff game,later erring in his playoff game against them,helping the Sox end Chicago's Series drought? | Josh Paul |
| 5/19/2012 | Yesterday's Walker won't point us to past Rockie sluggers today.Topical we'll stay this tropical day,recalling newly retired Kerry Wood's finale(in which Konerko has his 2nd game with HR's and HBP's in the face over 2 straight PA's!)of his rocky career!Forget '03's NLCS finale,Kerry's 20 K game's the only SOARI 2.0 CG ever!Who's next in Chicago SOARI behind Wood's rookie year of leading MLB in lowest BA (while Larry led in highest!)? | Mark Prior |
| 5/18/2012 | More Ted(but not "No Neck")Williams inspiration!The heavenly hitter(always chasing Ruth!)and equally immortal Rogers Hornsby(always chasing Cobb!)find themselves as greats chasing a not-as-great batsman in one area today.Both just missed matching this only man to lead MLB 2 straight seasons in BA,while including a 150 RBI year!Who's this non-HOF'er,and who's another most recently with consecutive MLB batting Crowns? | Tommy Davis and Larry Walker |
| 5/17/2012 | Forget sublimity!Yesterday's Williams-Gwynn is a pairing today passe as we note the similarity of 2 hitters hitting rock bottom!In '74 these 2 ex-White Sox teammates each played in 43 games with only 5 Runs Tallied and BA's(only singles!)of .113 and .117,respectively,before returning(!)for a 10th,final year.Name the 2nd of 3 Sox .300 #3 RF'ers(after Robinson,before Baines),then the Comiskey rooftop homerer who caught Ryan's '74 no -hitter. | Walt Williams and Tom Egan |
| 5/16/2012 | Yesterday's "4 HR's over 4 games" feat of Ted Williams was set during his 1957(at age 39!)record 16 straight reached bases!Williams amazes in Codell stats too,the "Differential King" of his own 2000 BOD,1000 BB-K club!Still revered as the last .400 hitter,his .406 BA of 1941 is but part of a 162 game .408 run!Which other "Pride of San Diego"(Ted's last student,and better Series hitter!)is the last man hitting over .400(.402!)over 162 games played? | Tony Gwynn |
| 5/15/2012 | Yesterday's Dale Long is best recalled for homering 8 straight games,a HR feat evoking Ted Williams' 4 straight AB homers over 4 games or Dale's Series teammate with 4 straight over 3!Like Babe Ruth,this "Super Sub" homered playing RF(batting cleanup like Lou Gehrig!)in a Series-winning finale for the Yankees!He ended(like Babe)below .200 with the Braves but,in his 1st game for them,did pinch hit for Hank Aaron!Without fame,what's his name? | Johnny Blanchard |
| 5/14/2012 | Yesterday's Dick Ellsworth made his teenage Cub debut in 1958.Another Cub lefty thrower made some history that summer as the 1st in the lively ball era to catch throwing left!We mention this ring-winning All Star(who,as a Pirate,tied Willie Mays for the MLB "triple crown" in 1957!)because on this day in 1989 a perennial Pirate prospect became the last to be caught catching throwing left!Name both our "batted left,too" boys. | Dale Long and Benny Distefano |
| 5/13/2012 | '68 pitchers once more today!In 1963 our 1st's 14-11,3.29 season won an All Star selection over the 22-10,2.11 year of our 2nd,a '64 All Star at 14-15!For '67 they were traded for each other,each producing losing years.Traded to the same AL team for '68,they each won 16 games as that team's terrific tandem!Name the '68 righty All Star 1st,2nd in AL W-L Pct. behind Denny McLain,and the top MLB W-L Pct. lefty 2nd,ahead of Dave McNally! | Ray Culp and Dick Ellsworth |
| 5/12/2012 | Yesterday's 1968 "Year of the Pitcher" didn't help this Cub's 5.52 ERA,but '69 showed success with the 1st(his 1st CG,like recently perfect Phil Humber)of his 2 no-hitters!Who's this All Star pitcher becoming a ring-winning GM,last night retaining his 1972 record 37 straight games striking out when Adam Dunn didn't fan!Hint?Last name contains the last of a Cy Young winner(Cub pitcher,too)with,exactly like him,a career best 2.98 ERA in '72! | Bill Stoneman |
| 5/11/2012 | Let's finally bring up the WORLD(Yiddish proverb:"The whole world isn't crazy!"),for the WORLD(W-L/G,see Decoder)brings us today's answer-man!Yesterday's Blass led,with the losing Pirates,the NL in W/L Pct. in '68's "Year of the Pitcher" over HOF'ers Marichal and Gibson!But who was Steve's HOF teammate with(see Voltaire!) the worst of all possible WORLDs?Huge hint?He was a Senator never a Senator with his best WORLD vs. the Senators! | Jim Bunning |
| 5/10/2012 | We catch two more 8 RBI gamers from 2 catching for the Cubs,but let's search for 2 historic pitchers from those games!In 1974,George Mitterwald's 3 HR's decorated his RBI onslaught;in 1980 Barry Foote's grand slam walk-off drove another small Weeghman Park(or Wrigley Field!) crowd delirious!George homered off the wild Pirate finisher finishing his careening career that day,Barry made a winner of a "splitball" HOF'er.Name both Series heroes. | Steve Blass and Bruce Sutter |
| 5/9/2012 | "4 HR Gamer" Josh Hamilton must have been inspired last night by yesterday's "Daily Diamonder" Jim Spencer and the ex-Ranger's two 8 RBI games!Our challenge:can Hamilton drive in 8 a 2nd time,in a shorter span of time?With his homers in consecutive innings,he did equal our mystery Josh(not Fields,the only to grand slam in a perfect game!),who hit grand slams in consecutive innings in an 8 RBI game!Name him(2 for 3 last night!). | Josh Willingham |
| 5/8/2012 | Yesterday's John Wetteland not only re-directs to this spring's finding of a new wetland frog species in Yankee Stadium(!),but the unending list of Yankee ring-winners!Name 2 same-last-namers:the 1st an All Star Gold Glover who had two 2 HR,1 grand slam,8 RBI games within 2 months(not with Yanks but had a 1.000 BAM year with them)and the 2nd(first a champ 20 years after the 1st),whose late 10 HR's in 67 AB's earned his 1st of 3 Series spots! | Jim Spencer and Shane Spencer |
| 5/7/2012 | More former All Star relievers leaving with a bang,retiring in successive years!Name our 3(all Ranger closers during careers)with over 30 saves their final seasons.Our 1st ended as an All Star passing 300 saves with career bests in SV Pct. and ERA!Our 2nd(like yesterday's "Goose" and "Sandman")was unscored upon his last 8 games,bringing his ERA down to 5.79 with his high 31 saves!Our 3rd's the single Series save king!So nu,who's who? | Tom Henke and Mike Henneman and John Wetteland |
| 5/6/2012 | Where to think today?Giant M-Boys(Mays and Masanori!)birthdays?Kerry Wood's May 6th 20 K rookie game?Newly injured Mariano?Let's go there thru yesterday's Allen and his most dramatic '72 HR,a 3 run,pinch hit,walk-off vs, Yank relief great Sparky Lyle!Name Richie's rookie mate with 3 relief IP that day,(future All Star starting and relieving pick,like Wood!)who threw 3 his last game,finishing(like Rivera?)with a save in his 8th straight scoreless game! | Rich Gossage |
| 5/5/2012 | HE can turn the tide!Homer Efficency(HE),also derivable from those old Sunday paper lists,combines with yesterday's SUST to help show but one Chicago player ever leading MLB in both the same season.Name him and the AL SUST leader(min. 300 AB)the year before who's the only Jewish "bats left" Yankee career .300 hitter!What's in common for our MVP 1st and MLB's 1st DH?Each hit a dramatic '70's Opening Day 9th inning HR for the White Sox! | Dick Allen and Ron Blomberg |
| 5/4/2012 | "Always on Sunday" Charlie Maxwell,known for his special Sundays beyond his 4 straight HR day vs. the Yanks,evokes those '50's Sunday papers with their long lists of 6 stats(AB,R,H,HR,RBI,BA)!In tribute(from their dust!)comes the original SUST(Sunday Stat),combining 5 by averaging BA and the Codell ScAv of .5(R+RBI)/(AB-H).Name those 2 rare rookies who led their league in SUST and in the '70's became EBOP kings of MLB,NL star 1st! | Rico Carty and Fred Lynn |
| 5/3/2012 | '50's All Star Al Kaline was joined twice by a LF teammate teeming with history!Starting(Red)and ending(White)with the Sox,he not only hit his only 3 HR's during his 4 Boston years(which ended being replaced by Ted Williams as starting LF'er!)as a pre-rookie pinch-hitter off HOF'ers Feller,Lemon and Paige,but on this day 53 years ago hit 4 straight homers(like Ted 2 years before)!Who's this "Sunday Slugger" whose best career BAM was in Chicago? | Charlie Maxwell |
| 5/2/2012 | Today's Bryce Harper "19 year old phenom" mantle reminds that yesterday's Mantle was 19 in'51,soon to be a 50's All Star mate of a future HOF RF'er(regular at 19,youngest to win an MLB batting crown!).Name him and 1st sacker(!)Mickey's '67(year Codell married at 19!)All Star RF mate,who at 19 set the teenage HR mark and faced our 3rd 19 year old,whose 19-5 W-L and .483 WORLD(see Decoder!)matched Mr. Koufax,who broke in at 19.Name away! | Al Kaline and Tony Conigliaro and Wally Bunker |
| 5/1/2012 | On this 1st May 1st 2012 ever,recall 2 more All Stars(starting alongside each other in '50's and '60's Classics)who made Comiskey Park a Disneyland on a May Day 61 years ago!These regal rookies(with Disney 1st names!)hit their 1st career and White Sox homers,respectively,fueling a Yankee-Sox 2-decade rivalry!Name both the NY LF'er and Chicago 3rd sacker that day with the same initials,same career .298 BA,and four 100 RBI years! | Mickey Mantle and Minnie Minoso |
| 4/30/2012 | Take your chance naming 2 more '60's All Star starters,'64 mound opponents leading their leagues in IP from '63 thru '66!Each had two 20 win years,each won an MLB(before '67)Cy Young Award,one a HOF'er and the other,despite a lower career ERA,only with the last name of one!Our 1st was the don of shutouts(a record 6 straight!),our 2nd the dean(unsurpassed season high for over 50 years!).Name these 2 pitching on the same home field! | Don Drysdale and Dean Chance |
| 4/29/2012 | Still recalling Biil Skowron,we must recall his '59 starting All Star mate Luis Aparicio(and happy 78th to Little Looie!)."Moose" also started as a '60 All Star with another SS who would be traded for Luis,later his teammate.Who's this man with two 20 HR seasons and two MLB assist crowns plus an unassisted triple play and the middle name Lavern,with a 1.333 BAM mano a mano vs. Vida Rochelle Blue,who started the '71 All Star game with Aparicio?(!) | Ron Hansen |
| 4/28/2012 | Yesterday's Wallace leads to more meaningful meanderings!He managed HOF'ers Cuyler and Lombardi,as well as Burt Shotton,Jackie Robinson's 1st manager,and Paul Krichell,who found Lou Gehrig!Another Yankee 1B Batters' HOF'er,Johnny Mize( top Bomber #36,happy birthday number today of Code creator Don Sevcik!),passed Lou with 5 straight Series rings!Sadly,which 5 ring,6 time All Star Yankee 1B great do we mourn this morning? | Bill Skowron |
| 4/27/2012 | Yesterday's Eddie Plank played for the 2 St.Louis teams that never were champs(those '15 Terriers lost the Federal crown by .001 to Chicago's Whales!).In 1916,his 1st Browns year saw Eddie join a HOF shortstop in his last.Who's this man who played the most career years without Series play and who,as Plank's fellow starter,had a 0.00 ERA?Hint?Rhoderick("rharest" 1st name!))stands as the Code's 1st AL,as well as AL career,FE king at SS! | Bobby Wallace |
| 4/26/2012 | Yesterday's Hartman and Haney each played,respectively,one season behind HOF hurlers Clark Griffith and Grover Alexander.Today we recall the "forgotten" 300 win HOF'er with a better opponents' BA than Griffith during Clark's 1901 MLB leading W/L Pct. year and a better W/L Pct. than MLB win leader Alexander(oldest pitcher on pennant winners 10 years apart!)10 years later!Name our lefty(no Pirate like Hartman)or walk the plank! | Eddie Plank |
| 4/25/2012 | Yesterday's Jim Perry and Joe Niekro each pitched in a Series(each with the Twins!),something 300 W,HOF brothers Gaylord and Phil never did!Today's 2 birthday boys of yore also missed the Fall Classic,but therein lie their tales!Our 1st starred(.300 BA,30 SB's)for a flag-winner in a Series-less season,our 2nd managed Yankee-killing World Champs.Name our same 1st name,same last initial 3rd sackers with last 2 stops in Chicago and St.Louis. | Fred Hartman and Fred Haney |
| 4/24/2012 | There are no comparisons(even yesterday's Coveleskis!)to the brotherly feat of the Deans in '34,when Daffy's grand total(regular and post-seasons)of over 20 wins joined HOF teammate and bro Dizzy's grand total surpassing 30!Dare to compare beyond the Deans?Perhaps it's not difficult to name the 3 All Star,20 game winning brothers and teammates of 3000 K,200 game winners,but name in order of best career ERA,most wins and top W/L Pct.! | Jim Perry and Joe Niekro and Ramon Martinez |
| 4/23/2012 | (Player)Compare away,noting 2 birthdays today!Our 1st,like yesterday's Seaver,pitched for the Mets but threw a no-no elsewhere.This lefty ended with the Giants,and is celebrated with a "Giant Killer" southpaw overshadowed by a HOF brother,but with 3 straight years over 20 wins and under 2.50 ERA!Name both.(Hints of heroism beyond baseball:1st fought in Battle of the Bulge,2nd's brother died in Spanish-American War.) | Warren Spahn and Harry Coveleski |
| 4/22/2012 | Breaking(ball)news!Philip Humber's do-or-die last pitch strikeout ensuring yesterday's perfect game evokes such great names,like 200 game winners Billy Pierce and Milt Pappas,Chicago pitchers losing their perfect bids with one out to go!(Compare them on Don Sevcik's newest Code creation,the perfectly incomparable "Player Compare" link!)Who's another #41 Sox hurler who also pitched like Phil for the "never a no-hitter" Mets,later throwing one? | Tom Seaver |
| 4/21/2012 | More in-season pitching transitions highlighting history!Together our two moveable one-time All Stars have played in 5 decades but never together,each winning his only ring after age 40 the same decade!20 years after debuting,our 1st's 2nd 2-team season led to his 1st playoffs.Our 2nd's one 2-team year led to his (and MLB's!)best W-L Pct.Name the game's only 12 team,4 decade man,then the oldest(as of this week!)to win a game. | Mike Morgan and Jamie Moyer |
| 4/20/2012 | Today be a hunter for two who,like yesterday's Borowy and Sutcliffe,pitched teams to the post-season after their in-year acquisitions!Each had a 10 loss,losing record before igniting his new team in August,going 9 games over .500 with an ERA under 2!Their roller-coasting continued with 0-2 playoff marks and next July All Star picks!Name them(ring-less 1st)and our birthday boy traded last July,soon after his All Star appearance. | Doyle Alexander and Randy Johnson and Hunter Pence |
| 4/19/2012 | Yesterday's Tony Taylor became an All Star during '59 after being traded by the Cubs,and Lou Brock starred as a Series champ after being traded by them during '64!But the Cubs have received:who are the 2 who won their 20th after mid-year swaps,each leading the NL in W/L Pct. while leading the Cubs to the NL best W/L Pct.?Name 1st their last to win a Series game and then the man with their longest winning streak,both with post-season-ending losses! | Hank Borowy and Rick Sutcliffe |
| 4/18/2012 | Yesterday's Art Mahaffey was one win shy of 20 in '62,his "fading Phils" one shy of '64's pennant!Two '64 teammates(born in Cuba,now in Miami)have similar tales:as '60's Philly 2nd basemen,each was once an All Star,once a .300 hitter,and in the '70's played in the AL post-season.Defensively,our 1st led the league in the Code's FE before joining the Phillies,and our 2nd led the league in traditional FA after.Name Billy Williams' teammate,then Lou Brock's! | Tony Taylor and Cookie Rojas |
| 4/17/2012 | Yesterday's Schumacher and mate Hubbell were joined by another Giant winner from '33 to 35 who was NL HERO king in 1934.His 1st name's the same as our 2nd pitcher(with better career W/L Pct. despite 5.01 ERA)who pitched 6 years in Philly with a last in St. Louis like our 3rd,with this 2nd's last name!This 3rd's the only of our 3(best ERA)who was an All Star(2 straight years!),despite his losing lifetime mark!Name all three righthanders. | Roy Parmelee and Roy Mahaffey and Art Mahaffey |
| 4/16/2012 | Another Hal,another NY "Prince of the City" today!Youngest man selected for the 1st All Star Game,he was a hero that year(leading MLB in Hits Entailed per Recorded Outs,or HERO!)and later for the Navy in World War Two.Who's our prince with a better W/L Pct. than HOF teammate "King Carl" Hubbell from '33 thru '35 and,like Carl,reaching 5 K in an All Star Game and 10 K in a Series win?Hint?Still in school,struck out the Babe in their only confrontation! | Hal Schumacher |
| 4/15/2012 | Yesterday's "shoeless" Jackson retains renown not only for his banning,but for his .408 rookie year and sadly fantastic .382 finale!Ty Cobb(topping the .408 with .420!)greatly admired Joe and another banned star,a hit leader and Code TB/PA MLB titlist like Jackson and Cobb,a fielding "Prince" who still holds the Yankee record with 8 straight 20 or more SB years.Who'll find him 1st,at 1st?The chase is on:he bats right,throws left! | Hal Chase |
| 4/14/2012 | The 1922 Cub season of yesterday's Ray Grimes was obscured by the 4 players of the '29 Cubs who had 1.000 OPS/.300 ScAv years('27 Yanks had 3!).HOF'ers Wilson,Cuyler,and Hornsby were joined by a non-HOF'er.Who's this man with the highest Chicago lifetime BA(over 1,000 hits),known by his middle name?Hint:1st name's the same as the last of the 1st Chicago player with a 1.000 OPS/.300 ScAv year!Okay,name that guy too! | Riggs Stephenson and Joe Jackson |
| 4/13/2012 | Our last 2 days' 2 dads Brickell and Barnhart played with HOF'er Burleigh Grimes during his career high 25 win 1928 Pirate season.Grimes later wore #13 as a manager,like Ozzie G.!Paraskevidekatriaphobia?Never!On this Friday the 13th,name the only MLB twin(1st Cub with 1.000 OPS/.300 ScAv year)to have an MLB son and that son(birthday today!)selected for a cancelled Classic,with their recently familiar last name. | Ray Grimes and Oscar Grimes |
| 4/12/2012 | Yesterday's Brickells bring to mind another lost father-son duo,the dad playing OF during the '27 Pirate pennant run with the Waners,Cuyler(taking over injured Kiki's Series spot)and Fred Brickell!Our "forgotten" starred for the '25 World Champs alongside HOF'er Max Carey,whom he out-BAMmed career-wise as he did Lloyd Waner!Name him and his Pirate son(managed by HOF'er Frankie Frisch!),playing with and out-hitting Waner 20 years later! | Clyde Barnhart and Vic Barnhart |
| 4/11/2012 | One more Fritz!To tell the truth(the CBS show he guested),he was sadly close to greatness:before his death at 30,ex-teammate Mantle raised funds for him.Who's the SS prospect beaten out by future All Stars Kubek and Fregosi,playing but 2 games for the '58 Yank champs,then losing his starting job for the new '61 Angels.Name him and his dad,playing behind future HOF'ers Waner,Waner and Cuyler for the '27 Pirates swept by the Yanks! | Fritz Brickell and Fred Brickell |
| 4/10/2012 | Yesterday's Esposito's short '63 Sox season reminds of the late '63 potential-filled Sox pitcher Fritz Ackley,born on this day,whose career went "on the fritz" after 1 win!Two cool cats named Fritz fared better.These Illinois-born lefties pitched over 2000 innings,each having 7 winning years,surrounded by sluggers!Our 1st's last over-.500 season was shared with Greenberg and Kiner,our 2nd's first with Mantle and Maris!Name both. | Fritz Ostermueller and Fritz Peterson |
| 4/9/2012 | Yesterday's "Jungle Jim" Rivera yields to a teammate's twin story:in 10th and last Sox season,he plays 1 game before going to K.C. to finish year and career!He's the only Chicago-born White Sox Series player(fewest hits of any Chicago non-pitching 10 year vet!),also the only attacked after an error!Who has the 1st name of one of three ex-Sox 600 HR clubbers and the last of a HOF Chicago goalie also playing in the "60's? | Sammy Esposito |
| 4/8/2012 | Let's steal through the jungle of politics today!Like yesterday's Triandos,Luis Aparicio was a consecutive year Oriole All Star(and the 1st player to be an All Star consecutive years for 3 teams!).Upon a '71 slump,he received self-serving encouragement from President Nixon!Who's the teammate he supplanted as AL SB king in '56 who asked double-life President JFK(Nixon's conqueror!)to redo his autograph before the '61 opener? | Jim Rivera |
| 4/7/2012 | Let's catch 2 more All Star catchers(but not HOF,2 votes between them!)catchers in our sights today.Our 1st was an All Star 10 straight years,11 overall(nearly 12 straight,but unselected his best OPH year!),a starter over HOF'er Fisk.This Tiger backstop succeeded our 2nd who like him had three 20 HR years and was himself a 3 straight year All Star,starting over HOF'er Berra,years after playing behind him on a Yankee champion!Name both. | Bill Freehan and Gus Triandos |
| 4/6/2012 | Diamond doubled!Since its start,MLB had never had a player named Diamond until 2010,when today's birthday Tom Diamond debuted.Last year,Scott Diamond did likewise!Not big leaguers now,could these one-game winners use our 2 birthday HOF catchers?Redouble our naming with both the 2 team ring-winner(career ended by beanball,inspiring name of immortal)and the slow,2 team batting champ,sadly named to the Hall after his death. | Mickey Cochrane and Ernie Lombardi |
| 4/5/2012 | RA!(Not the Egyptian sun god!)Reaching Average(RA,see Batting 3)does not produce the same lists as OBP,due to the latter's inconsistent history of sacrifice fly inclusion.Though Reached Bases is the common numerator,RA's use of the AB-H numerator rings truer!Adding RA and HA rocks,yet RAHA is E-BOP!(Most blood-curdling realization since Charlton Heston's "Soylent Green is People!")Which Oriole leads the franchise in career RA,but not OBP? | Frank Robinson |
| 4/4/2012 | HA!Yesterday,Hitting Average(HA)turned Average Average(AA)to Above Average Average(AAA)!Today,with a new season comes a new stat:OPH(OBP+HA),which puts OPS to shame!And,of course,it took "Code Wizard" Don Sevcik(only man deserving to don "The Don" title!)to bring us a new "Batting 3"bonanza,featuring OPH and 17 more stats for all players ever,in time for Opening Day!Who will have 2012's best OPH?Who led in 2011? | Mike Napoli |
| 4/3/2012 | Back to the Babe,and his Triple-A rating!AAA(Above Average Average)artfully augments the Code's popular(with stat-maven Tom Tango!)Average Average(AA,averaging BA,OBP,andSLG).How? By supplanting SLG with the Code's ace Hitting Average(HA)!Who's best?Still George Herman leads career all-time at .823,though 8th place Barry Bonds' 5 year span of 1.009 AAA is unsurpassed!Who's the only Cub ever to lead MLB in AAA? | Derrek Lee |
| 4/2/2012 | Yesterday's Delahanty preceded 3 deadball sluggers while history awaited the Babe!Our 1st,who'd win in the 1st Series and lead MLB in HR's the next year,was 1902 runner-up to "Big Ed" in AL BRR(see Decoder),also a HR 2nd to our 2nd(played in 2nd Series)who socked 16,an unbeaten total until broken by our 6 time NL homer king(played in Series vs. Ruth),whose career HR high upon retirement was ended the next year by the Bambino!Whew!Who's who? | Buck Freeman and Socks Seybold and Gavvy Cravath |
| 4/1/2012 | The past 2 days we've noted 10 trios of brothers having at least one Hall Star in the family,including 2 Yankeee Hall of Fame Joes,DiMaggio and Sewell,with Mike,Marshall and Dave of the "Brothers Edwards" the only non-All Star threesome!How about a HOF'er with 4 big-league brothers,the only man ever to lead one league and the next year the other in the Code's crucial BAM,who tragically died the next season?Who's our still shining star? | Ed Delahanty |
| 3/31/2012 | More brother trios?Boyers,Drews,Pacioreks,Sewells,the .300 Alou OF'ers playing in S.F.,the All Star Dimaggio OF'ers born there!(Joe D. never had a 100 BB or 100 K year,but Dom had the former,and Vince the latter!)How about World Champ catching Molinas,or 3 pitchers with losing lifetime marks born in different decades?Our 1st and 3rd were All Stars,1st and 2nd last-year Yankees,2nd and 3rd winning rookies.Name those righty Dominican dandies! | Pascual Perez and Melido Perez and Carlos Perez |
| 3/30/2012 | Brother!So Jered Weaver emerged victorious from our "Wait,Hoyt" quandary yesterday!His big brother Jeff won their only duel!Dayenu!Today bring on the hitters,recalling 2 sets of 3 brothers,all active in '73,finding the 2nd from each family to make his debut.Our 1st's brother was an AL homer king,with over 300 HR's,our 2nd's brother a NL hit king,with over 2000 hits.Hint?Both ex-Sox' 1st names remind of history's all-time HR brother duo! | Hank Allen and Tommy Cruz |
| 3/29/2012 | Holy anomaly!Yesterday's Hoyt led MLB in wins and runners allowed per inning(RA/IP)his '83 Cy Young season.Today,let's recount his year on Cy Young's birthday!1901 Cy,1st to lead MLB in both W and RA/IP the same year,also led in runs per IP(RIP).Of 21 men who've led(26 times)in W and RA/IP,14(16 times) have led in RIP.LaMarr was 30th,no other finished as low as 10th!Name 2011's top RIP hurler,who's followed by 4 Cy Young winners! | Jered Weaver |
| 3/28/2012 | Today come 2 more White Sox(and Padres!)who were one-time All Stars not in Chicago:the 1st afterwards,the 2nd before!Name the man leading MLB righties in WLD over 6 years,finishing but 20th in PSP his '83(most W,lowest opponents' OBP,non-All Star!)Cy Young year,later winning All Star MVP.Then name the lefty leading all pitchers in ERA and PSP in '83(2nd to our 1st in opponents' OBP),allowing the only All Star game grand slam ever that year! | LaMarr Hoyt and Atlee Hammaker |
| 3/27/2012 | Two more forgotten All Star righties are commemorated today on the birthday of the 1st of our two '70's pitchers with similar last names,similar careers,and sadly similar too-soon deaths before age 35.Each late White Sox'er started 201 games and had 3 straight 200 IP years,plus double figure win years with 2 teams(1st with Cards and Cubs,2nd with Angels and Reds)and lifetime W/L Pct. under .500,with ERA under 4.00.Name both. | Lynn McGlothen and Jim McGlothlin |
| 3/26/2012 | In honor of yesterday's Marrero finally getting his MLB pension(!)come 3 more '50's Cuban hurlers,future All Stars,making Senator debuts.Our 1st,1st Cuban to pitch in an All Star Game(6-0 his last Nat year!)led MLB in W/L Pct. for the '54 White Sox.Our 2nd(debut start one-hitter!)led AL in saves for the '61 Red Sox.Our 3rd,ineligible for the Series,led the '64 Yanks to the pennant with 8 September saves(and 21 K's,0 BB's!).Recall all. | Sandy Consuegra and Mike Fornieles and Pedro Ramos |
| 3/25/2012 | Yesterday's Pascual was not the 1st Cuban pitching legend!In the '20's,today's 1st answer led MLB in opponents' BA 3 times,ERA twice,wins and W/L Pct. once!In the '40's,our 2nd shined in the Code's new TIPS(transcending the NEWS by adding RA/IP and R/IP)with history's 3rd best final year,which was also his first!Our 3rd(now 100!)was Camilo's teammate,an All Star with 3 straight winning years for the hapless Nats.Name each,all in the Cuban Hall! | Dolf Luque and Tommy de la Cruz and Connie Marrero |
| 3/24/2012 | Yesterday's Spec Shea was no one year wonder!In his 2nd year,he become the only hurler to lead MLB in lowest opponents' BA his 1st 2 years!Then those "Damn Yankees" traded him to lowly Washington,where he became the only Senator in the '40's or '50's with 2 straight .600 W/L Pct. years!Who next did that, then did likewise when the Senators became the Twins,and later had 2 straight winning seasons for the equally lowly 2nd Senator franchise? | Camilo Pascual |
| 3/23/2012 | Yesterday's Javier Vazquez somehow was an All Star his 1st of 2 one year Yankee tours.Another dubious Yank All Star,a 1st year pitcher,proved not to be an average Joe!Converted to All Star reliever,he saved and won Series games for 2 Yankee champs!Name him and the 1st year man he relieved in game 7 in '47,whose spec tacular season(lowest MLB opponents' BA,AL W/L king,2 win Series)earned a deserved All Star Game(which he won!)appearance. | Joe Page and Spec Shea |
| 3/22/2012 | More K's than runners allowed?Sandy's the 1st!Yesterday's eye-popping SOAR,so fun to track,beckons today's query.Let's hone the figures with the Decoder's You Choose button,dividing SOAR by IP!Pedro's the best!Find the only Mexican pitcher(a lefty),then the only Puerto Rican hurler(a righty)with positive SOAR/IP numbers.Both,now out of baseball,made over 11 million dollars per year by 2010,but had trouble in the bright lights of New York City! | Oliver Perez and Javier Vazquez |
| 3/21/2012 | Yesterday's Greg Minton sets the Diamond Mind soaring toward other Giant pitchers today,and we use the Code's SOAR(strikeouts minus allowed runners)to capture two 21st century(remember?)stars,the only in team history to soar to SOAR numbers above zero!Guess who had the best Giant SOAR season,then their other righty with 2 straight years in the black!Only then use that Decoder to check Codell Pitching for all those Giant leaders! | Tim Lincecum and Jason Schmidt |
| 3/20/2012 | The past 2 days bring forth today's dazzling daze!Find 2 with rhyming last names.Each played for the Angels,each were managed by Bill Rigney,each made All Star teams.Our 1st(who played every position!)in 1962 had the only .300 year in the 2nd Washington Senators' history!Our 2nd(with 3 straight "no gopher balls" full seasons!)was a few walks to the wild side,being the only 150 or more saves pitcher with more BB's than K's!Name both. | Chuck Hinton and Greg Minton |
| 3/19/2012 | Similar names to yesterday's answers,each pitched in a losing Series,but were often triumphant!Our 1st,only Cub with 3 straight years under 3.00 ERA while reaching 300 IP and 20 W in each,later bested Babe Ruth for an MLB lowest opponents' BA crown!Our All Star 2nd,called "Full Pack " for making Earl Weaver smoke more,is the only reliever with 2 straight years under 3.00 ERA,over 20 saves,and at least 10 more BB's than K's!Name both. | Larry Cheney and Don Stanhouse |
| 3/18/2012 | Pat Seerey(see yesterday)needed extra innings to make history,as did our 1st pitcher today,still the only to surpass 20 K's in a game!Name him and his teammate,a fellow righty who that same year became the only All Star starter to pitch for the winning team his 1st year(the only AL win in the '60's!).Hint?Both had losing records for their last place team and careers under .400 W/L Pct.,never having a winning season! | Tom Cheney and Dave Stenhouse |
| 3/17/2012 | "Unbirthday" Ted Williams re-introduces us to 4 "Birthday Boys" today!There's Bill Mueller winning an AL batting crown under .330 for the Red Sox like Ted in '58,and Jimmie Hall breaking Ted's 1st year AL record with 33 in '63!Name 2 more celebrants:the NL BA and SLG leader(and future MLB SB leader!)the year Ted led all with his since-unmatched .406 BA,and the man who did what Ted couldn't with a 4 HR game,the only Chicago player to do so! | Pete Reiser and Pat Seerey |
| 3/16/2012 | The outage of outrage over Manny Ramirez' reduced penalty and A's signing won't end hope this is the bogus bomber's 1st and last A's year!Return to yesterday's '62 9th place A's to find an upright,bats left Manny who hit over .300 his 1st year and then to the '77(13th place!)A's for another(All Star and ring-winner,not Manny Trillo!)who in his 1st(and last)A's year reached his career-high game total!Name each man(ny) among those many Mannies! | Manny Jimenez and Manny Sanguillen |
| 3/15/2012 | The fine 1st year of yesterday's Ed Charles was mirrored by 2 more '62 A's rookies,who not only produced good numbers but very good players(both sons with seasons surpassing .300 BA and 100 RBI)!These fathers each played 5 years in K.C.,later in 7 game Series losses for Boston(veteran sons never played post-season!).Name our speedster with 2 hits(like Yaz!) during HOF'er Gibson's Series shutout,then our 1970 MLB ERA and RIP king! | Jose Tartabull and Diego Segui |
| 3/14/2012 | Athletic Athletic "Home Run" Baker(see yesterday) leads today to the last Philadelphia A's All Star,also a 3rd sacker who also was the 1st Kansas City A's All Star starter!Name him and another K.C. A's 3rd baseman(succeeded by Oakland A's multi-year All Star and World Champ Sal Bando)who,like our 1st answer,had his best year his 1st!This 2nd man,however,won a ring with his final career game,after his worst year!Name both. | Jim Finigan and Ed Charles |
| 3/13/2012 | Yesterday's HOF'er Joe Morgan(not his managing namesake!)has uncanny similarity with today's mystery birthday.Our HOF'er also played infield,batted left,won 2 Series with over .700 SLG in one,won pennants in 2 cities including Philly,led MLB in crucial BAM 2 straight years!But he was unique,too:4 straight league HR titles,while averaging over 30 SB's per year!Who's this sole HOF'er with 2 namesakes(each also BL,TR),and with baseball's ultimate nickname? | Frank Baker |
| 3/12/2012 | Like yesterday's 2 "bats left" answers,our 1st is not a HOF'er,but our 2nd is!Each of today's "bats left" infielders played his most games for an Ohio club exceeding 1.000 B-TOP.The 1st came between HOF'ers Speaker and Averill in team history with a season surpassing 100 RT,.300 BA,.400 OBP,and .600 SLG!The 2nd followed HOF'ers Cobb,Ruth, and Williams as a "3 straight years" MLB BOP king!(All names bat left!)Who are our same-last-namers? | Ed Morgan and Joe Morgan |
| 3/11/2012 | Yesterday's Christophers,those unlikely ring winners,surpassed today's unlucky stars in Series wins,but that's all!We're seeking 2 batting and fielding stars from the lively ball onset!Name the only man to have a 6 for 6 game with 6 RBI and a cycle(the only to pinch-hit for Babe Ruth!),then the only with a 6 for 6 game and a shutout(beating Walter Johnson 1-0!)in his career.Hint?They are the only men with yearly Runs Tallied over 100 in 1920,'21,and '22! | Bobby Veach and George Sisler |
| 3/10/2012 | Yesterday's Burgess was pinch-run for twice in the '60 Series by the 1st of today's answers,the 1st to score twice in a winning Series without an at-bat!Later playing for that Series losing Stengel(nearly hired by Veeck!),he became the only Virgin Islander to hit .300!Name him and the same-last-namer,an ex-All Star who led MLB in saves his last year under Boudreau(nearly fired by Veeck!),retiring none in a winning Series before retiring! | Joe Christopher and Russ Christopher |
| 3/9/2012 | Bob Grim's unique 1954(see yesterday)reminds of another's unmatched numbers that season!We know a hitter's prowess does not always lead to scoring worthy of his output:only one player(min. 100 games)ever had a year reaching 1.000 Batting BOP with a less than .800 Tallied BOP!Who's this 6 time NL All Star(for 3 teams),ring-winning catcher,whose smoking .368 BA in '54 was the NL's best over 38 years,between HOF'ers Musial and Gwynn? | Smoky Burgess |
| 3/8/2012 | Happy birthdays to HOF'er Jim Rice and non-HOF'er Richie Allen,who out-BOPped the Boston slugger by 135 career points,but don't get us started with that grim story!Let's go to Archive Answer Jim Bouton's birthday twin today!Who was a Yankee 20 game winner(fewest IP ever for a 20 gamer!)at age 24,pitching in two Series(losing his 1st start),once an All Star,later on two NL teams,born in the '30's,all like Jim(which rhymes with his last name!)? | Bob Grim |
| 3/7/2012 | A year of historic failing and flailing by Adam Dunn now past,subtract the Code's revered BAM from its dreaded FAIL and Adam's the 1st man,passing whose bad season?Find this fine fellow,who like HOF'er Tris Speaker,played CF through winning Series for 2 teams,the 1st in '83,when the only OF'er winning 2 Series with 2 teams sadly led all left-handed hitters in FAIL-BAM Differential(FBD)!Find this other ex-Oriole,too,a HOF'er to boot! | John Shelby and Reggie Jackson |
| 3/6/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Al Lopez helps deduce today's answers!Our 1st is an All Star(like Al!) catching Lopez who tops all catchers in season SLG yet did not lead the league.Our 2nd is a Series MVP who(in'85)did.Our 3rd fielded 1.000 with one RBI per game at 2 positions for the 2005 winning White Sox(whom Al followed,as he did the '17 Sox champs!),with the 1st's last name and the 2nd's 1st!Name all on this birthday of HOF'ers Grove and Stargell! | Javy Lopez and Pedro Guerrero and Pedro Lopez |
| 3/5/2012 | Find the "4-decade" pitcher and HOF catcher playing 39 years total,one game as teammates!Our hurler in '39-'40 matched yesterday's "never led league" 2 year MLB W-L champ McLish,edging Feller by 1 point,with two '40's years for both Brooklyn and Pittsburgh like him!Feller played one year with our retiring backstop,who managed him and McLish for '56 Cleveland,managing McLish for '61 Chicago!Assault our question,name our battery! | Bobo Newsom and Al Lopez |
| 3/4/2012 | Yesterday's deadball era was also the silent movie heyday.Two teammates of retiring Bob Feller in '56 had names with a silent film link!Who's our 1st,over .300 playing each game in a Series the HOF'er was not asked to pitch,named after the "silents' heartthrob"and our 2nd,later an Indian(literally!)with MLB's best W-L for 1958-'59(like Feller of '40-'41)named for the "silent President"(last of the silent era)who made the 1st silent campaign film? | Rudy Regalado and Cal McLish |
| 3/3/2012 | Great thinker William James also(see yesterday)would have shuddered at namesake Bill James for his tactics against Mossi,Hubbs,Munson,Allen, and Codell!He's gone,alas,but let's return to his pre-sabermetric,projection-free,dead-ball era to find 2 same-name Boston righties(last years 1919)together exceeding 600 IP in 1914!Name our 1st,pitching for a "miracle" Series champ that year,and our 2nd,later for a "lowdown" Series loser! | Bill James and Bill James |
| 3/2/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Larker brings to mind another ex-Sox farmhand lefty-hitting 1st baseman,who like yesterday's Essegian ended in Japan.He played for HOF'er Casey Stengel,who let him go despite an OPS over 1.000 and a 1.000 FA his last year!Who's this man who himself managed without success,though the Bill James formula(Pythagoras would shudder!),makes his Pythagorean rating higher than Stengel,McCarthy and McGraw! | Jim Marshall |
| 3/1/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Don Demeter pinch-ran for his OF mate in the final '59 Series game.Who's this man who in '60 would edge HOF'er Ted Williams and his AL batting title teammate Pete Runnels for MLB's top left-handed hitting BA?Name also another Dodger '59 OF'er who only pinch hit in the Series,but became the 1st to hit 2 PH homers(homering for HOF'er Duke Snider!) in the Fall Classic,later like Demeter with an AL over-20 HR year. | Norm Larker and Chuck Essegian |
| 2/29/2012 | "Dodger Dons" continue with Newcombe,the only man until Verlander to win ROY,MVP,and Cy Young awards!At his 1955-'56 peak(47-12!),Don was bested in Grand Total W-L Pct.(thanks to their Series stats)by teammate Don(his 1st 2 years).765 to .758!Name this reliever and name too the two Dons going 1 for 3 in '50's Series clinching wins,one married to a "Hit Parade" singer and the other one of 7 Dodger OF'ers used vs. the White Sox! | Don Bessent and Don Hoak and Don Demeter |
| 2/28/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Clem Labine's 10 inning Series shutout still shines,reminding of a pitcher whose 13 inning shutout was his 1st MLB start and last MLB game,enabling him to finish his career with 9 IP per game!This unheard-of man needs today's unheard-of method to be found:1st name the same as two '60's Dodger HOF pitchers,last name the same as two '60's White Sox pitchers(162 IP min.)with ERA seasons less than 3.00!Who is he? | Don Fisher |
| 2/27/2012 | Today come 3 more relievers,each surprisingly named as starters vs. the Yankees in losing '50's Series.The 1st(NL MVP,0 starts)lost 1-0 in the 1950 opener,the 2nd(NL ROY,2 starts)won 4-2(1st of 3 Series starts)in the '52 lidlifter,and the 3rd(MLB saves king,3 starts)threw a longer shutout than "Perfect" Don Larsen did the day before in '56!Name all,each pitching for Series champs years after their startling starts! | Jim Konstanty and Joe Black and Clem Labine |
| 2/26/2012 | No making fun,be kinder!With 49 years young slowballer Jamie Moyer demonstrating his "Pulling the String Theory" at Colorado's spring training camp,give credit!Recall 2 "Slow,Slower,and Slowest" long-time MLB save leaders who played one game together!Who are our 1st('49 AL Pitcher of the Year as a starter,never an All Star)and our 2nd('58 NL ERA champ and '61 AL All Star game winner,despite blown save when blown off the mound!)? | Ellis Kinder and Stu Miller |
| 2/25/2012 | Today there's no delaying birthday commemorations for two belatedly welcomed by Cooperstown!Both had HOF'ers Banks and Wilhelm as teammates and HOF'er Durocher as manager.Our 1st was an NL RBI leader(his one year with the Cubs his last),and our 2nd was an NL EBOP leader(his one year with the White Sox his last).Name both the Omaha Beach World War 2 hero and the courageous fighter against diabetes that we now celebrate! | Monte Irvin and Ron Santo |
| 2/24/2012 | Seeds of the Code's incurable curiosity grow today beyond the birthdays of HOF'ers Honus Wagner(only man to lead league in SB's over 3 years,leading in BA,OBP,and SLG each one!)and Eddie Murray(see 2/18,2/19 questions),sprouting for a '30's White Sox RF'er before yesterday's George Washington!Who's this birthday boy,a '30's Yankee RF'er after Babe Ruth playing(like "The Flying Dutchman"and "Steady Eddie")in one winning Series? | Bob Seeds |
| 2/23/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Mike Piazza broke Carlton Fisk's career HR mark for catchers,both teammates of today's birthday guest,never matching his Series ring!We honor him a day after honoring George Washington!Our country's father never knew our national pastime,but OF'er George Washington(!)had the same career ScAv(both broke in with White Sox)as this "6 post-seasons,6 All Star games,6 teams in last 6 years" Bronx-born switch-hitter.Name him! | Bobby Bonilla |
| 2/22/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Gil Hodges indeed started as a Dodger catcher!Today seek 3 more:1)Gil's teammate,only backstop to lead MLB in the Code's Scoring Average,member of Italian Sports Hall of Fame,2)the 1st's teammate(managed by 3 HOF'ers his last 3 years,last PA a triple play!),like him with one ring,Italian but not in Italian Hall and 3)all-time Dodger catcher ScAv leader,protege of 1st,in Italian Hall,lost in only Series.Name our paisans. | Roy Campanella and Joe Pignatano and Mike Piazza |
| 2/21/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Davey Johnson brings back(and forth!)the name of the previous man to both reach 40 HR's in a year and manage a Series champ.Davey(winning its last)and today's answer(winning its first)each managed the same team's titles!Name not only the(like Johnson!) 3 straight Gold Glove,2 ring player but the same-last-namer(each catcher with but a pinch PA in his 1st Series)who played in the team's first losing Series. | Gil Hodges and Ron Hodges |
| 2/20/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Orlando Palmeiro reminds not only of Orlando Cepeda,but of 3 well-travelled Orlandos:Mercado(8 teams in 6 years),Merced(7 in 5),and Pena(7 in 7)!Keep travelling to Orlando,Florida to find 2 born there still making headlines.Name our 1st,extolled by Hollywood for extolling walks,yet walkless(lower OBP than BA!)his last year,and our 2nd,the last man having both a season exceeding 40 HR's and one managing a Series victor! | Billy Beane and Davey Johnson |
| 2/19/2012 | Yesterday's co-answer Eddie Murray is on one of the Code's shortest,sweetest lists:500 HR's,3000 Hits,10,000 Essential Bases.Only 3(each with one Series ring,one MLB batting crown)make our list:Aaron,Mays,and Eddie,who "out-grand slammed" the other 2!Name his teammate,barely denied this group's inclusion(soundly denied by the Hall!),then that same-last-namer sweetly sealing the '05 Sox title with his "last batter" groundout! | Rafael Palmeiro and Orlando Palmeiro |
| 2/18/2012 | Tributes from teammates like Expo HOF'er Andre Dawson continue since Gary Carter's too sad passing.The catching immortal had 2 other HOF teammates.Like the "Kid"(Ted Williams' nickname,too!),both won rings.The 1st(played with F. Robinson)was,like Gary,an All Star Game MVP.The 2nd(played with B. Robinson)was,like Gary,a league RBI king.Name each who,like Gary,returned for a 2nd tour with the team on his Cooperstown hat! | Tony Perez and Eddie Murray |
| 2/17/2012 | Black History Month today combines with yesterday's Chicago infielders to evoke 2 more,both indebted to pioneers like 1st black player Jackie Robinson and 1st black manager Frank Robinson and,like them,with the same last name!Each played 8 seasons in Chicago,made 2 All Star squads,had one 20 HR/20 SB year and played one post-season in the Windy City.Name these standouts,1st baseman first,with the same career .277 BA! | Leon Durham and Ray Durham |
| 2/16/2012 | Stick with us for another Purple Heart!7 years after Normandy,he hit .300 his 1st two full seasons as a Cub 1st baseman.Name him('40's Dodger farmhand like Snider,never played with Dodgers,yet only he played in Ebbets' finale!)and his "Handsome" 3rd base pal(Series with the Duke!)who had 2 straight All Star years.Hint?"Bingo"and "Bango" played between them.Music,man?Think Twisted Sister and American Idol! | Dee Fondy and Randy Jackson |
| 2/15/2012 | The 1937 Dodgers featured 3 HOF'ers: "10th and last .300 year" OF'er Heinie Manush,"237th and last win" P Waite Hoyt and "last spitballer" manager Burleigh Grimes.Who was the '37 Dodger(playing just that year!) who won a Purple Heart and lived to be over 100 years old?Name,too,the "career one at-bat"(a double)Dodger who won a Purple Heart and his "career one at-bat"(a strikeout)HOF manager! | Tony Malinosky and Roy Gleason and Walter Alston |
| 2/14/2012 | With love on Valentine's Day,what more can we say?Recalling outfield(All-Star Ellis and Fred,each with over-.800 OPS highs in 508 AB seasons!) and pitching(Corky topped '54 NL rookies in SHO's!)Valentines,wondering who had a birthday today?He's the Dodger who led MLB in HR's over a 5 year span(like beloved Duke Snider),but hit but one in the last year of it,also his last!Name him.Hint?Give her Valentine Chocolate Jordan Almonds! | Tim Jordan |
| 2/13/2012 | Let's continue with All Star snubs by going to 2 dominating left-handed hitting dynamos!The 1st,with an MLB-leading 405 TB and 162 RBI year,is the only unselected career .300 BA,1000 RBI player in the All Star era(1933-2011).The 2nd,a league B-TOP leader and MVP(earlier a Series MVP,later a Manager of the Year!)is the only unselected career 250 HR/250 SB club member.Name both our non-All Star superstars. | Hal Trosky and Kirk Gibson |
| 2/12/2012 | Yesterday's Gross and Clendenon had solid careers overall,without All Star status. Today we seek 2 rookie award recipients over consecutive years,same-year Silver Slugger winners,who both complied eight 20 home run seasons and eight 400 Essential Base seasons on the way to surpassing 1000 RBI,each holding a franchise HR career record in the same city!Who are these 14 year veterans(1st debut 1st),never selected as All Stars? | Eric Karros and Tim Salmon |
| 2/11/2012 | Today's answers mirror the main feats of yesterday's!One,like Herrera,finished 2nd for NL ROY,and the other,like Stuart,won a Series ring.But like Pancho and Dr. Strangeglove,they had their negative sides.Name both our 1st,a Phillie like Herrera,with the fewest HR's of any lively ball hitter(over 3500 AB's),and our 2nd,1st base successor to Stuart,one E behind his 2 year error record! | Greg Gross and Donn Clendenon |
| 2/10/2012 | Once more we proudly go to FAIL,combining fewest hits and most strikeouts per at bat!Closest FAIL race?In 1960,an ex- Negro Leaguer(finishing 2nd for ROY)"bested" the FAIL of that year's ring-winning,future RBI king and Japanese Leaguer.These 1st basemen tied for the MLB error lead,and both "won" MLB SO crowns(and had 136 K Phillie years!).Name these nicely nicknamed(think Cisco Kid and Dr.Strangelove)faulty fellows. | Pancho Herrera and Dick Stuart |
| 2/9/2012 | We hail the birthday of HOF owner Bill Veeck(hated large salaries,big BOP fan!),man of courage never accepting failure!Sox multi-millionaire Adam Dunn's record FAIL 2011 year also set a "margin of failure" record over too-rich Oriole Mark Reynolds.Name the previous "most-outdistanced"Braves' FAIL 2nd placer,with a 300 HR/300 SB,40 million dollar career and his Tiger switch-hitting 1997 FAIL conqueror,like his pobre hermano never making a million! | Ron Gant and Melvin Nieves |
| 2/8/2012 | Use your "You Choose" to make Barry Code news!The Decoder says DD(Diametric Differential,HRx4-SO)per PA makes a revealing "mini Base-Out"stat.In MLB history Pujols beats Ruth and Maris' 1961 rules the 20th century!Only 3 catchers led MLB in DD/PA,with HOF'er Yogi Berra topping them.Name the others,both 8-time All Stars,the HOF 1st a 2-time batting titlist,the non-HOF 2nd the only switch-hitting DD/PA champ! | Ernie Lombardi and Ted Simmons |
| 2/7/2012 | Comparing homers and strikeouts helps define hitting prowess,too!Today recall 2 "ethnic pride" symbols of yesteryear,both MLB "bats right" HR/SO kings over '50's 2 year spans.The 5 time All Star Pole "Pruschka" played on the last Wrigley pennant winner,later on a Series champ.The Chicago-born "Nervous Greek"(reigning his 1st 2 years!)played on the last Comiskey pennant winner,earlier on a Series champ.Name our OF'ers,170 years young! | Andy Pafko and Lou Skizas |
| 2/6/2012 | It's not so easy getting the punch-out while avoiding the gopher ball!"Chicago POP Stars" continues,as few Pitching Opposite Percentage Windy City leaders,according to the POP formula of SO-(HRx4)/IP x3,pass the magic .200 mark(Birthday Babe's Best?.175!).2 Cubs,the first the 1st year of POP recordings(1901) and the 2nd the last(2011),make the grade.Name our lefty HOF'er with his .202 POP and our righty 52-54 career ace with his .237. | Rube Waddell and Matt Garza |
| 2/5/2012 | On Henry Aaron's birthday,the Code's POP makes an extra explosion!Weighing pitching's bliss(K!) vs. despair(longball!),Pitching Opposites Percentage reveals 2 neglected Chicago righties who ruled 2 years apart('69 and '71)The Cub(42-54 career)held the team 's POP season mark over an 87 year span,edging Greg Maddux,the Sox(43-51 career)still holds the team's all-time high,ahead of Ed Walsh!Name each mortal beating an immortal for top POP! | Dick Selma and Bart Johnson |
| 2/4/2012 | The past 2 days' thinking of Bob Feller and other 20 W/300 IP pitchers reminds of another:Feller's "stat-foe" in '39 and '40.Bob beat MLB's ERA king each year (precisely .210 to .220!) in opponents' BA,but Mr. Mystery did 2 things "Rapid Robert " wanted:winning an MVP('39) and a Series game('40)!Who was MLB's top winner and ERA champ(edging Feller and fellow HOF'er Newhouser)over a 9 year span,yet snubbed by Cooperstown? | Bucky Walters |
| 2/3/2012 | They're the last 3 pitchers never in an All Star Game despite seasons of 20 wins and 300 IP!This '69 Cub topped HOF'er Jenkins' similar year in both W/L Pct. and ERA.Another '69 teammate of his was selected but did not play in the Classic 4 years later during a 20/300 season,and his Twin teammate that year(not 20/300 HOF'er Blyleven!)had his special season 4 years after that!Name these 3 "hands-down" under-appreciated hurlers. | Bill Hands and Jim Colborn and Dave Goltz |
| 2/2/2012 | Yesterday's mention of the Irv Young and Cy Young awards leads to the Cy Falkenberg Award,named after the only pitcher to lead MLB in Recorded Outs and Strikeouts who(like Irv Young among multi-year ROAR leaders)is not a HOF'er or multi-year All Star(or both!).Sandy Koufax being the only with multiple Irv Young,Cy Young,and Cy Falkenberg awards,who's the only with 4 Falkenbergs?Hint?His last year was the 1st year of the Cy Young Award! | Bob Feller |
| 2/1/2012 | The coveted Irv Young Award goes to the pitcher with the best ROAR(Recorded Outs minus Allowed Runners),named after one Irving Melrose Young.Lefty "Little Cy" was the 1st to lead MLB 2 straight years(the only in his 1st two!)in this exhausting endeavor.Name both the 1st pitcher to own Cy Young and Irv Young awards and the only hurler winning consecutive ones,pitching for the same franchise as our brave,finally recognized Irving! | Warren Spahn and Greg Maddux |
| 1/31/2012 | A sincere salaam to "Three Kings" with birthdays today!Jackie,Ernie,and Nolan need no intro,but also cut cake for 3 pitchers reaching Ryan-like heights(for a while!).Name our '20's White Sox 1st who threw a "perfecto"(unlike the"7 no-no's Express")his 5th career start,as well as our '60's ERA king Tiger 2nd(famously not a hitter,nary a no-hitter!)and our current consecutive All Star Marlin 3rd who both,like the Rangers' owner,had a MLB-low Runs/IP year! | Charlie Robertson and Hank Aguirre and Josh Johnson |
| 1/30/2012 | Yesterday's Wickman reminds of 2 more pitchers let go by the White Sox before they faced a batter for them!Each made one All Star team,fought a teammate(our 1st vs. Gary Bell over TV shows,our 2nd vs. Mel Hall in spring training!)and was traded for a Cy Young Award winner(1st for Jim Perry,2nd for Willie Hernandez)!Name these teammates of 500 HR legends Harmon Killebrew and Mike Schmidt,respectively. | Jack Kralick and Dick Ruthven |
| 1/29/2012 | Another birthday day,so light the wick,man,for the only man with a 200 H,.300 BA,40 SB season in each league!He's the all-time single season Yankee single leader and played on the White Sox(with all-time single season Met single leader Lance Johnson!)after the trade which sent today's "very merry unbirthday" future save leader to NY,where his combined .800 rookie and sophomore Yankee W-L Pct. stands unmatched!Who are our 2 multi-year All Stars? | Steve Sax and Bob Wickman |
| 1/28/2012 | Beyond today's 50 MLB birthdays,we celebrate the Son of the Barry Code,the top Barry Codell of all-time!Still younger than Benny("I'm only 39!")Kubelsky,he's exactly one year older than 2 White Sox(and other teams')All Star RF'ers,each with 5 straight 25 HR Sox years and one 1.000 BOP year.The 1st is Chicago's only "5 straight .300 BA/300 TB years"player,the 2nd(replacing him)is Chicago's only Series MVP!Name our retired birthday boys. | Magglio Ordonez and Jermaine Dye |
| 1/27/2012 | Yesterday's Lowenstein's today's birthday!We salute his magic '82 season and 2 natal day mates,each a Sox(one White,one Red)lefty hitter making his debut at 21,each with one 100 RBI year,each a teammate of a fallen hero who had one 100 RBI year!Our 1st quickly supplanted Joe Jackson,our 2nd had 2 tours with Ken Caminiti.Moving beyond the scandalized stars,who coached decades at Texas University and who's the new Padre hitting coach? | Bibb Falk and Phil Plantier |
| 1/26/2012 | Don't let the birthday of this overlooked slugger be overlooked!A 1.000 OPS'er for St.Louis' Browns and Cards a decade apart,he hit his hit-high for the Tigers,the only of 7 teams(best BA with Cleveland)for which he failed to hit .300!Giant walking into the sunset with a walk his last career(and 1st Series)PA,who had the all-time righty-hitting Oriole OBP year and who,too,was his scouting find(only lefty-hitting Oriole D-BOP champ!)for the Indians? | Bob Nieman and John Lowenstein |
| 1/25/2012 | More "2 hits in an inning" magic from a man 50 years before yesterday's Morman: 1st sacker-turned-pitcher appeared only as a pinch-hitter when he did it!In '37 he had over 4 BB's per K(best among 100 games or over hitters!),but in '39 allowed over 2 BB's per K(worst among 30 or more games pitchers!).Who's this "country cousin" of 2 same-last-name famous pitchers,matching their great nicknames,but not their great stats? | Chubby Dean |
| 1/24/2012 | Inspired by yesterday's Latter Day Saint Cory Snyder,we're reminded that Mormons and Jews refer to those not of their faith as Gentiles.What else do they have in common?Each group has produced 5 MVP awards!Let's go beyond religion today,though,and think of two 1st basemen known for MLB firsts.Name both the man with grand slams in consecutive innings and the man with a 2 hit inning his 1st starting lineup appearance! | Jim Gentile and Russ Morman |
| 1/23/2012 | Of nine 20th century(remember?)hitters hitting 3 homers in a game in each league,7 made multi-year All Star teams and played post-season(including HOF'ers Ruth and Mize),but 2 never did either!They were the only two with 7 years between the HR feats,both in '87 and '94.More?Californian-born in '62,each had his 1st 20 HR year in '86 and played with the Giants and Blue Jays,but never with each other!Who are the two,1st debut 1st? | Darnell Coles and Cory Snyder |
| 1/22/2012 | Dave Kingman's our kingmaker today,presenting his 2 same-name '80's teammates(who never played in the same game!)as our guest answers.442 HR Kingman,history's career FAIL(combining out and strikeout rates)leader,was a teammate the year of the 1st's debut(also with his next team),and in the 2nd's debut year(also the next,Kong's last year!)Name both our hitter(a Cub OPS leader)and our pitcher(an AL ERA leader). | Steve Ontiveros and Steve Ontiveros |
| 1/21/2012 | Connecting our recent "lots of dots" today!While Williams and Mantle(1/20)exchanged D-BOP "runnerup-ships"with each other,Barry Bonds,in 10 NL -leading D-BOP years,had 10 different runnerups!Speaking of D-BOP,name the Venezuelan SS with a higher one than HOF'er Aparicio(1/14)and the other 19 year Red SS with a higher FE(1/19)than HOF'er Larkin(1/10)?Hint:He's one and the same,but non-Hall of Fame! | Dave Concepcion |
| 1/20/2012 | Make a list with only Williams and Mantle?Try their pairing as the only men with the "Quadruple Crown" of MLB-leading BA,R,HR, and RBI!No two dominated the crucial Codell D-BOP,finishing 1-2 for 5 years as they did from '54 thru '58!Add to this crown a "Diamond Diamond"for best '56 D-BOP and a Series ring,and the Mick's the only with all that bling!Who are the 3 switch-hitters with multi-years on the top 30 D-BOP list,following Mantle's 1 thru 10? | Lance Berkman and Chipper Jones and Bernie Williams |
| 1/19/2012 | From yesterday's Gold Glover Ruben Amaro,go to all-timer Ozzie Smith to see how hot the Code's Fielding Equator is!The "Wizard" is rightly history's champ with 7 MLB FE crowns,ahead of 2 same-initialed shortstops tied for 2nd best.Both starred for Phils,had career .355 OBP's,3 100 R years,multi-Series(and one with another team)with Giants,finishing in a 2nd tour with them.One's in the Hall,and despite better D-BOP,one's not!Name both. | Dave Bancroft and Dick Bartell |
| 1/18/2012 | A Jewish pitcher-batter matchup to match the unlikeliness of that '48 All Star Game confrontation between late-in-life Judaism acknowledgers Ralph Branca and Lou Boudreau?How about that at-bat when a Philly-born Phillie GM(same name as his Mexican-born Gold Glove father)doubled off our poetry-writing Dominican righty(same name as unrelated dominant Dominican Silver Slugger!)?Name both,A before B(Aleph before Bais),before Shabbos! | Ruben Amaro and Jose Bautista |
| 1/17/2012 | Seek another shared last name starting with E and ending in A!Two All Star "native-born Californians"(like Codell,love the song!)are this most unusual day's imaginary battery,each the 2nd of his last name at his position(the 1st in each case had a 1 game career!).Who are our 1st,a Sporting News Pitcher of the Year his 1st year(lowest MLB opponent's BA his next!)and our 2nd,Silver Slugger,his team's 1st of 3 All Star catchers in a 4 year span? | Chuck Estrada and Johnny Estrada |
| 1/16/2012 | Yesterday's light-hitting Tommy Brown had his 3 consecutive homer game in a year with less than 90 AB's,but today's hero had a 3 HR game in a year with less than 30 AB's!Name him(1st 4 years in Philly)and his grandpa(last 4 years in Philly),each with 8 HR's in his 3rd year,one double figure HR year,a 39 extra-base hit high year during a 9 year career.Respectfully,Cuban grandfather(dying in the city of his same-named grandson's birth)is first. | Bobby Estalella and Bobby Estalella |
| 1/15/2012 | Could there be another Hall of Famer to pinch hit for a 16 year old(see Archive 1/13)?On August 25th in 1944,the youngest man to hit safely(the next year the youngest to homer)was pinch-hit for by a HOF,3000 hit clubber with a HOF brother who played on that same team(both poison to pitchers!).Six years later,"Buckshot" had a "3 straight HR" game,which our immortal never did!Name both,who 22 years apart,played in losing Series vs. Yanks. | Tommy Brown and Paul Waner |
| 1/14/2012 | Do we know where history truly lies?In our Daily Diamond yesterday,the 9/30/56 Sox-A's box score shows Luis Aparicio's "apparitional" AL high 22nd SB,but it's never been recorded!HOF shortstop shorted?Stolen base stolen?"Little Louie" passes a Chicago star's career SB/G if we count it!Name this ex-HR king,only Chicago player to lead league in R,BB,and OBP in one season,but hitless vs. the "Hitless Wonders" White Sox in the 1906 Series! | Jimmy Sheckard |
| 1/13/2012 | News of new White Sox 16 year old bonus baby Luis Martinez recalls another so described,who made history in the 1956 Sox-A's finale.Our teenager not only became the youngest starting pitcher ever,but the youngest AL hitter to hit safely!Name him and his HOF pinch hitter.Hints?Last name rhymes with his pitching conqueror Bill Harrington,pinch hitter was World Champ playing for Harrington's manager Lou Boudreau! | Jim Derrington and Larry Doby |
| 1/12/2012 | Happy belated birthday tributes to the Daily Diamond(!)and a HOF'er are tempered by the recent death of a '50's fixture with the legend's same last name.Each won Series rings,hit .302 his sophomore year,and tied with a HOF'er(Traynor,Mantle)for a league lead in triples!The 1st was a long-time,all-time NL SB king,the 2nd was managed by 4 HOF'ers his last 3 seasons!Carry on to name and remember both. | Max Carey and Andy Carey |
| 1/11/2012 | Diamond's point(see Jeremiah 17:1)today:to unite last 2 Daily Diamonds!Which pitcher passed Joe Cowley's record 7 straight K's to begin a game(1/9),the man new HOF'er Barry Larkin(1/10)feasted upon most with a 1.558 OPS?(Who ironically ended this mystery man's 8 K streak?See the unholy See K rate!)Hint:somehow our <.500 W-L Pct.,>4.00 ERA hurler received one HOF vote! | Jim Deshaies |
| 1/10/2012 | Saying its a dream,Barry's in the Hall!Mr.Larkin's tied to the last two 20th century Larkins:Barry began the last-game-winning rally his last 1990 Series at-bat,Gene finished the last-game winning rally his last 1991 Series at-bat(assuring near-HOF'er Jack Morris his greatest win)!Who's the related Larkin whose 1st MLB hit his last MLB at-bat started a winning rally? | Stephen Larkin |
| 1/9/2012 | HOF voting today:a certain Barry should be immortalized!Remember 3(all ex-White Sox)without any HOF votes,each with special feat,each with same full name as HOF voter!The 1st(at age 30)set a long-held rookie hitting streak mark,the 2nd was a honey of a catcher and the 1st to play 3 All Star games in 2 years(!),the 3rd(only pitcher to never again win after no-hitter!)set the short-held record for consecutive K's from beginning of game.Name our mortal 3. | Guy Curtright and Johnny Romano and Joe Cowley |
| 1/8/2012 | Today forget bills to pay recalling Bills to pay tribute to!Our 1st,NY rookie leading World Champs in hits for both season and Series(playing every inning in each!),led all at 3rd in assists,as he would 8 years later for his Series opponent!Our 2nd,NY rookie year later,was the last rookie over 20 W and 300 IP( leading in Codell SOAR),ending 4 years later,in a last Series game,his centerstage reign with Spahn and Sain!Name both. | Billy Johnson and Bill Voiselle |
| 1/7/2012 | 1st year,last year:sometimes the same,usually not!Which 1 year career wonder(1st,last name in Hall!)won 22 games in 301 IP?Name too the man(same name as '10 Mets' 1st sacker!)who reminded that sometimes a rookie year's the last but not the 1st(!),when he became the only to surpass 100 R in such a season!While we're at it,who's the only man(brother played alongside that Met!)whose last 2 years surpassed 100 runs? | Henry Schmidt and Ike Davis and Joey Cora |
| 1/6/2012 | Carlos Zambrano's Chicago exit reminds that he's the only pitcher of history's last place finishers with the league's best W-L pct.!Also today note the birthday of Early Wynn,man with the highest ERA(3.20) of any league leader ever!Name 2 more "unique-season" pitchers with sound-alike names,the 1st with the lowest final year ERA of all time(1.72),the 2nd the sole 20 game winner for a team finishing with MLB's lowest W-L Pct.! | Ned Garvin and Ned Garver |
| 1/5/2012 | Continuing our "2 generation 20 homer" standard bearers,the last NL combo was but part of its family story.Father and son were preceded by the patriarch whose last 20 HR year was '56(when "Bells Are Ringing" opened!).Name our 3(same given 1st names!),the only 3 generation 20 HR group ever,the 1st their 30 homerer(for today's birthday Hornsby!),the 2nd their Gold Glover(and a manager!),the 3rd their Series player(hitting .471!). | Gus Bell and Buddy Bell and David Bell |
| 1/4/2012 | Sadly,yesterday's "Earls of Snohomish" died in Everett,Washington years ago.For today's answer,know Wordsworth's words' worth:"We will grieve not,rather find strength in what remains behind..."When Earl Averill Jr. clubbed his 20th 1961 HR,he and Earl Sr. became the 1st AL father-son 20 homer season duo!Who's the last 20th century tandem to complete that familial feat,dad GM and announcer,his boy ROY and All Star? | Tom Grieve and Ben Grieve |
| 1/3/2012 | Yesterday's Brave catcher Earl Williams was preceded by another Brave catcher named Earl Williams!Today,though,each "Earl of Snohomish"(Washington)is feted as one of 2 "Dukes of Earls" for fancy diamond feats!The 1st Earl(HOF'er,league hit leader)ended his career with the Braves,the 2nd Earl(Series star,league run leader)started his career with the Braves.Name them,then the 1st's son,who was the 2nd's teammate! | Earl Averill and Earl Torgeson and Earl Averill |
| 1/2/2012 | O ration of easy cerebration:Sox recent signing of John Danks and Chicago's Theo-Kenny rivalry evokes the former's grabbing of the latter's discarded Bobby Jenks and the great '08 playoff Danks-Jenks duo,as well as sluggers with those GMs' last names!Who both played in consecutive '70's post-seasons,had one 30 HR year(3 over 20),and played for HOF'ers("Superjew" hailed by Ted Williams,"Earl" hounded by Earl Weaver!)? | Mike Epstein and Earl Williams |
| 1/1/2012 | Here's another "CF'er Outfield" of All Stars fom the '90's(each with one 1.000 B-TOP)in honor of .300 career CF Ethan Allen,a New Year Birthday,never an All Star,but inventor of the "All Star Baseball" game!Name 1)the only man with both 20 HR/50 SB and 50 HR/20 SB seasons and 2)his teammate career 300 HR/300 SB brother-in-law and who later joined in Series celebration with 3) the only 300 HR/300 SB career player with a namesake! | Brady Anderson and Steve Finley and Reggie Sanders |
| 12/31/2011 | Yesterday's Puhl hit a record .526 in a LCS,surpassed 2 years later by the .611 BA of the Chicago-born CF'er with 9 straight All Star years(all starts!).Name him and the 2 HOF '80's All Star CF starters born in Chicago,selected 9 of 10 years and 10 straight,respectively!What else unites our thrilling 3?HA!Hitting Average crowns,Gold Gloves!Name them,remembering tonight both fleeting 2011 and heroic Roberto Clemente. | Fred Lynn and Rickey Henderson and Kirby Puckett |
| 12/30/2011 | Yesterday's Cesar Cedeno(with one 1.000 BOP year like Astro CF predecessor Jimmy,not Early,Wynn) brings fresh memory and insight today.He was manager Leo Durocher's last "next Willie" and indeed,by age 23,"CC" compiled three .300 years and had become the only ever with 3 straight 20 HR,50 SB seasons!(Only others with 2 straight?Morgan,Davis,Henderson!)Now name the 5 time Gold Glover's All Star CF successor for the Astros. | Terry Puhl |
| 12/29/2011 | Continuing our "sudden tribute" to CF'ers,recall one who played early with Nellie Fox,who himself played late with a HOF hurler not only with the same last name of today's hero(the only 2 ever with it!),but with his number(same as the greatest CF'er of all)!Who could walk and run,leading MLB twice in walks and reaching a 43 SB high,toying with pitchers while cannonading 3 "over 30" HR years?Name too his All Star successor! | Jimmy Wynn and Cesar Cedeno |
| 12/28/2011 | In his 1st of 2 Cincy tours,this young CF'er(a D-BOP leader with another team!),had his last 50 SB year(7 years over 20)in his only season leading the NL in putouts.Playing till 39,he later was a Series cleanup hitter,with 2 hits in game one vs. a pitcher who won twice in a Series!Who,75 years before Eric Davis fit this profile,had been there and done that? | Dode Paskert |
| 12/27/2011 | Hungry for yesterday's "Turkey Mike" Donlin leftovers?In the 20th century,he was 1st with a BAM>1.000 in each league,1st with 3 such seasons,1st to do it with 3 teams,1st to do so winning a ring,1st ring-winner(Ruth's the other!)to lead all in runs in both season and Series!But now name the "Turkey" in the Hall,also a Giant centerfielder! | Turkey Stearnes |
| 12/26/2011 | Giant giants they were(not birthday HOF giants Ozzie and Pudge!),but Bonds,Mays,McCovey and Ott never led MLB in R or RBI!Johnny Mize is the Giant to do both(though unlike the 4 before,played in no Giant Series,winning 5 straight rings with their rival Yanks!).Name two Giant teammates(the1st a future movie actor married to a vaudeville star, the 2nd a future umpire chased by angry fans)who each were MLB runs scored leaders! | Mike Donlin and Spike Shannon |
| 12/25/2011 | On a Codell anniversary,saluting HOF-MVP birthdays Nellie and Rickey(also Jesus the Christ and Mithra the Sun God!),we jump double-dutch today to a "perfectly inexact replica" of yesterday's Rube Foster puzzle!Who was Rube's '15 teammate(never a Hall vote!),still the seasonal ERA champ,with better career W-L and ERA than his namesake with multiple years of multiple HOF votes? | Dutch Leonard |
| 12/24/2011 | Today's quandary fosters discussion of Hall credentials,as we highlight a pitcher with a too-short career .626 W-L Pct. and 2.35 ERA,better than most HOF'ers.Who's this righty who clinched the 1915 Series while pacing his Red Sox with 21 grand total wins,with the same name of a HOF hurler with 5 fewer MLB years and 57 fewer MLB wins? | Rube Foster |
| 12/23/2011 | Our Blues gone,we thank yesterday's "Blue Moon" Odom for today evoking the "perfect career" of Heinie Odom(1 AB,hit off HOF'er Walter Johnson,1.000 BA,1.000 FA!).But which 1925 Yankee teammate(no lamb at the plate,lifetime .309!),had more impact with higher OPS and BOP than Ruth or Gehrig(who played RF in Heinie's only game!)?Hint?See 1 Corinthians 5:7! | Ben Paschal |
| 12/22/2011 | More(Better?)Blues?Blue Moon Odom,we saw you standing alone(for birthday "boy" Connie Mack's franchise)as a Series clincher victor!D.C. born Lu Blue,you're still the top OBP Chicago(where "Old Blue" Ray Moore pitched in the '59 Series)switch-hitter!There's blue,too,in the name of which Chicago-born(like his kid brother),ring-winning All Star,a D.C.fixture longer than FDR,who cheered him at the '33 Series? | Ossie Bluege |
| 12/21/2011 | In my Blue Period(see yesterday's Vida),a boost from Proust!In search of lost baseball time,memory involuntary and voluntary:1)my forever-gone,Little League All Star blue jacket and 2)baseball's only great-grandpa,pitching(as Marcel wrote!)3 seasons while losing 3 more than he won with 2 years<4.00 ERA,just like great-grandson Bill Wilkinson!Nom,s'il vous plait? | Jim Bluejacket |
| 12/20/2011 | My MY!Did Marquard have a "Marichal Year"(MY)?A Marichal Year (W>20,W-L Pct.>.600,SO>200,ERA<2.50)is so named because Juan had the most(6)!We give the 24 year old Rube his 1911 MY,because his ERA was 2.496,though he's better known for marrying Blossom Seeley(40 years before Joe and Marilyn)and winning 18 straight starts!Name now the drug-plagued 2 youngest(20 and 22)with a MY. | Dwight Gooden and Vida Blue |
| 12/19/2011 | Both infielders had .300 White Sox seasons,but also were prominent visitors before capacity crowds!Our 1st,youngest-ever Chicago All Star starter,wore an opponent's jersey less than a year later pinch-singling for the AL stars at old Comiskey!U.S. Cellular fans cheered our 2nd's crucial playoff boot!Who are these two who changed the spelling of their last names? | Cass Michaels and Tony Graffanino |
| 12/18/2011 | We'll need a Phillips to unscrew today's treasure box and name two White Sox who played 3B and CF!The 1st was traded in the '59 off-season,with 5 others to have 25 HR seasons(his high 18),after his .300 Series.The 2nd(not Thomas,but his teammate!)joins Ruth,Williams,Mantle and Bonds as the only with 4 seasons over 5 years reaching both 110 BB's and 110 RBI!Name both,each with 3 Series singles. | Bubba Phillips and Tony Phillips |
| 12/17/2011 | Buehrle Makes His Mark!Yesterday's star brings us today's encore as the only pitcher to win 3 complete games facing 27 batters!His "perfecto" put the nifty lefty(who also threw CG's in 9 inning contests facing 28 and 26 men!)above 2 "perfect pitchers" with 2 such games:lefty legend Koufax and a heavenly hurler whose name,forever linked with Sandy,you may now name! | Cy Young |
| 12/16/2011 | Ex-relieving,soft-throwing lefty with a grand total of 163 wins in 12 White Sox years,leading AL in IP 2 straight?Teammate of MVP winner having best RBI year,managed in last year by ex-Sox(and All Star)also in last Sox year,unscored upon in last Sox game(Codell was there!)?Is it #28 Wilbur Wood?Yes,but 2 fit the bill!Who's the other?Think #56(28x2!)... | Mark Buehrle |
| 12/15/2011 | He pitched his 1st MLB game for the (10th place!)Yanks the year Whitey Ford pitched his last,winning a ROY award 2 years later!Birthday kudos and big-time hints for "Stanley Struggle" and the Puerto Rican RF'er with the last name of a Puerto Rican HOF RF'er(and with a higher 1st year BA and 2nd year HR total than the immortal's!).Name our celebrants. | Stan Bahnsen and Edgard Clemente |
| 12/14/2011 | NEWS in the news!The Code's New Earned Run-WHIP Synthesis shows 5 living pitchers combining ERA and WHIP for NEWS under 4.00!After Koufax,Ford,Martinez,Seaver and Marichal,who's next?He's an All Star 20 game winner traded in a cross-town deal for an All Star 20 game winner(name him,too!),both becoming All Star 20 game winners for their new teams! | Andy Messersmith and Bill Singer |
| 12/13/2011 | With Socrates' 1st Code appearance yesterday,again is there a Greek to harry our forgetting?Of course!He's the 1st of our 2 "Bats Left" '50's 1st sackers,"The Golden Greek"(christened Aristotle!) reaching his only .300 BA his 2nd(and sadly,last)year as .700 slugging HOF'er Williams' teammate!Name him and our same-first-namer(each a league assist leader),also with his lone .300 BA his sophomore season as .350 hitting HOF'er Ashburn's teammate! | Harry Agganis and Harry Anderson |
| 12/12/2011 | More what's in a name?History!Mystery!Socrates said some recall more before birth than after!Which are you?Find by finding our ancient same-namer 1st (nicknamed "Farmer")who made Code history(1901-2010)as the pitcher with career ERA<3.00 and WL%<.400,thereby naming our recent 2nd(naturally,"Liberty"),an ex-MVP(only "20 HR year man"for both Cubs and Sox)traded for a future one.Name that name! | George Bell and George Bell |
| 12/11/2011 | Thanks to yesterday's Joe Brown,more Baseball-Boxing!Each of today's answers(the 1st's last name is in the 2nd's!)were back-ups,the 1st to HOF'er Mantle,the 2nd to HOF'er Fisk.Neither sported a nickname like their HOF boxing namesakes "Mongoose" and "Bobcat" and both played on a losing Game 7 team,with their best BA's in their last year!Who's Who? | Archie Moore and Bob Montgomery |
| 12/10/2011 | Of all(including TV stars Walter and Andrew)Koenigs,Mark(see yesterday)stands out!Today use his name(and your will!),looking outside baseball,to find an answer.Name our 1st,his last name that of a novel filmed 4 times,retiring none in his only game and our 2nd,with a '50's HOF lightweight champ's name,also retiring none in his only game,a start umpired by his team's former Series champion manager! | Will Koenigsmark and Joe Brown |
| 12/9/2011 | After yesterday's Becker,let's recall another man who,like all,was both winner and loser and,like Beals,played in 3 losing Series(for 3 different franchises!).Was Babe calling his shot or defending this ex-mate?Who's best remembered as the "2 straight Series-sweep rings" shortstop of baseball's greatest team ever(though his best H and RBI season was on 1934's worst team)? | Mark Koenig |
| 12/8/2011 | HE is the one!Continuing with yesterday's Homer Efficiency will enable us to resuscitate a unique name.HE(HRx4/AB-H)shows Babe's career ahead of Big Mac's,despite trailing in HR Frequency(HR/AB).This player's HE bested 1913 and '14 AL HR leader "Home Run" Baker's those years!Who's this 1914 NL singles leader(though 15th in majors!)who played all OF positions over 3 losing Series,hitless in each? | Beals Becker |
| 12/7/2011 | Mentioning yesterday's Rocky reminded of his '67 Sox and '68 Dodger part-timing with another great HOF rejection,Ken Boyer.There were,though,6 Indians hitting 20+ HR's in a season before doing ditto for the Sox!3 righty hitters(Belle,Minoso,Smith)are joined by immortal lefties Thome,Doby,and which '77 Homer Efficiency(HE)leader?Take a gamble on this hairy question! | Oscar Gamble |
| 12/6/2011 | Put him on the Veterans' HOF ballot,for none had a higher career OPS!Who's this Tribe and Tiger slugger,not only an AL leader in HR,TB,and SLG,but in Codell Hitting Average and Batting Bases?Two hints:1)Only man ever to lead in RBI and BB in same year while fielding 1.000,and 2)Had 1.000 W/L Pct.and 0.00 ERA while pitching for 2 teams! | Rocky Colavito |
| 12/5/2011 | Perennial All Star,"Miracle Mets"manager Gil Hodges not in their Hall?As their top D-BOP nominee,he's in ours!Name 1st the 1st All Star to manage 2 W.S. champs(Brave and All Star teammate of J.Torre,who later did likewise!),then the only SB leader to win 2 rings as a manager,both non-Hall of Famers,linked by managing J.Candelaria! | Cito Gaston and Danny Murtaugh |
| 12/4/2011 | 3 quotes the eve of Minoso's HOF bid:1)"I wanted to be just like him,and when I see him now,I still do."2)"I'll never forget how honored I was when Minnie was in the same locker room."3)"He was everybody's hero.I wanted to be Minoso.Clemente wanted to be Minoso."Which 3 Latin legends,respectively(all played on Red Sox),said the preceding,glowing words? | Luis Tiant and Tony Perez and Orlando Cepeda |
| 12/3/2011 | Mission barely possible:Mobile Phone to be used to find unknown Mobile Player!HOF'ers Aaron,McCovey,Ozzie and Satchel hail from Mobile,Alabama but name 2 others:1) SB King,GG CF All Star for Royals(broke in as Met)and 2)"Cup of Coffee" catcher with same name as Brooklyn-born Dodger,'62 MLB batting titlist and Runs Tallied champ and teammate in NY and KC of our 1st! | Amos Otis and Tommy Davis |
| 12/2/2011 | Yesterday's Forster(not E.M.,who unwittingly wrote our "Only Connect"credo!)today comically brings forth not Terry and the Pirates of '77,not notorious Pirate Bay or All Star Pirate Jason,but another Series Champ Terry.Who's this only All Star with the same name as an Oscar-nominated actress?(!)Hypnotizing Hint?Think Cardinal,Hughes,not ex-Card Terry,but Howard's girl friend!! | Terry Moore |
| 12/1/2011 | Go,sage,from yesterday's Gossage and his 7-0 rookie relief record to his 20 year old '72 teammate with 29 saves,later traded with him!Name this lefty who would face Goose in two Series(each unscored upon in each!),the youngest ever to lead MLB in saves and who also has history's highest career BA for hitters surpassing 30 hits! | Terry Forster |
| 11/30/2011 | MM's birthday,like Hall-worthy Go-Go '51 Minnie himself,sets things in Chicago-motion,as we seek 2 more same-namers born in Philly!Our 1st,Minoso's '76 teammate(Pro Bowl bro!),played too that year with starter Goose(HOF'er in shorts!).Our 2nd(K'd once,like our 1st,by Gossage)played with starter Mariano and another MM named McGwire!Name both. | Pat Kelly and Pat Kelly |
| 11/29/2011 | Hunting for more Hunters,find these 2!Each played for 6 teams(last year with 1st club),including Reds(with Larkin),Mariners and Phils(under Lou and Larry!)during his last 5 years.Name these same-namers(birthdays a day apart),the 1st history's only "BR,TL Rookie W.S. Homerer" and the 2nd MLB's(best in 10 year span,only Tiger since Cobb)'97 SB king! | Brian Hunter and Brian Hunter |
| 11/28/2011 | Latest answer Dick Siebert evokes 2 names:1)unrelated Sonny Siebert,2 team All Star no-hit pitcher and 2)a rookie All Star(with teammate Satchel!),though 111 points lower in OPS than low D.Siebert!Name him and his last-namesake,like Sonny a 2 team All Star no-hit(perfecto!)pitcher(HOF'er!),and like Mr.Mystery low- OPS'er,a Yankee and Athletic. | Billy Hunter and Catfish Hunter |
| 11/27/2011 | Speaking of 11/26's Sievers(beating Banks for best Chicago '60-'61 Hitting Average!),Roy's first 3 last name letters are those of 2 other AL All Star 1st basemen(that counts out Sierra!)in a 20 year span.Who are the wartime Connie Mack fave whose career-low .623 OPS got him an All Star nod,and Casey's GG,.300 BA ,W.S. ring rookie, later the Bespectacled '62 Runs Tallied King? | Dick Siebert and Norm Siebern |
| 11/26/2011 | Yesterday's Steve Swisher brought memories of 2 for 1 Sox trades of future All Stars for former ones:Swisher and Stone for Santo and,after '59's pennant,catcher Romano and W.S. ring 1st baseman Cash for Minoso!Name the next traded future All Star duo(also catcher and W.S. ring 1st baseman!)and the ex-HR king the Sox received. | Earl Battey and Don Mincher and Roy Sievers |
| 11/25/2011 | Parent(not today's birthday,Series winning Sox SS Freddie Parent!)playing in Chicago as he did,he takes that NY switch-hit bat(on) from yesterday's "HoJo" as a "7 straight 20 HR year" man,now birthday-sharing with other Yank All Star champs DiMaggio and Dent!Respectfully,respectively,first name his poor-hitting(20 career HR's)All Star dad,then this rich,active son! | Steve Swisher and Nick Swisher |
| 11/24/2011 | Strolling down Howard Street with yesterday's Frank and 9/7's Ryan,we reach the great avenue of MVP Elston!Each won rings and had one .800 HA year,but "Yogi's back-up" made 9 straight All Star teams!Name 2 more World Champ Howards,the storied ex-20 win,'29 Series 1st game Cub conquerer and the 2 ring,3 time 30 HR/30 SB switch-hitter. | Howard Ehmke and Howard Johnson |
| 11/23/2011 | More Billy Williams(not the RF,BL,TR Pilot namesake 5 years older,debuting 10 years later!):"Whistler's Finest" kept whistling line drives as the only man in the last 50 years(6 pre-'61 immortals did it!)to lead MLB 3 times in EB and RT.Who's BIlly's 6'7" ROY predecessor,only man to win the award,lead MLB in TB 2 straight years,and have league-best HR,RBI,SLG,and BB years? | Frank Howard |
| 11/22/2011 | The numbers vote:Curtis Granderson may not be the writers' MVP,but he's MLB's Runs Tallied champ!Only 9 players have led baseball in RT 3 times or more(all HOF'ers)and only 4(all lefty hitters) have led 3 times within a 5 year span.The 1st 3?Babe Ruth,Ty Cobb,and Ted Williams!Who's the surprising "Sweet Swinging" 4th,ROY teammate of yesterday's answer? | Billy Williams |
| 11/21/2011 | Watch injuries,managers!Yesterday's Dale(Alexander)leads to today's(Sveum),overcoming a broken leg,as did Red sox interviewee Valentine!New managers Ventura(fractured ankle) and Matheny(concussion) have also soldiered on.Which former Cub All Star and Manager of the Year overcame a near-fatal beaning starting his still-lengthening career? | Don Zimmer |
| 11/20/2011 | Yesterday's Bob Fothergill leads us to today's similarly talented guests!In his last year of '33,"Fats" played with 2 other Red Sox retirees.The 1st,a former .367 batting titlist,finished his career at .325,while the 2nd(close,but no Johnny Hopp!)had been a .354 hitter and ended with a lifetime .311.Name our 2 "less than 800 game career" consecutive AL hit leaders! | Dale Alexander and Johnny Hodapp |
| 11/19/2011 | Yesterday's Henrich leads us from his Massillon,Ohio hometown to its' other slugger.In 1927(his only over-400 AB year!),"Detroit Fats" was the only Non-HOF'er of MLB's top ten BA's(above Cobb).Hold that Tiger!His '26 thru '29 BA was.350(trailing HOF OF mates Manush and Heilmann!),lifetime .325,with a 9 year team B-TOP of 1.022.Name this mild,wild guy! | Bob Fothergill |
| 11/18/2011 | For each out batting,a scoring base!That's what their "over 1.000" B-TOP's tell us about these Runs Tallied machines!During Series-winning years 1936-'39,super B-TOPper(lifetime 1.271!) Joe D. was alternately flanked by 3 batting-left OF sluggers,each to finish his career exceeding a 1.000 B-TOP.Who are,in debut order,our multi-year All Star Yankees? | George Selkirk and Tommy Henrich and Charlie Keller |
| 11/17/2011 | It's not cricket to knock baseball's 1st cricket player!Just say he played with gods:3 Willies and a Billy,Ernie(who moved to 1st for him),Roberto,and Orlando!Who was this 1st born in Nassau,who died(like 3 others)there?Not to be an arm-twister,but name too the sole living Nassau native,a "Fever Pitch" mentioned-Series winner! | Andre Rodgers and Ed Armbrister |
| 11/16/2011 | Birthdays Bursting!"Dazzling before Fizzling" Dwight Gooden,"4 pitches,4 HR's Allowed"Paul Foytack,"High Five Pioneer" Glenn Burke,"Designated Runner"Herb Washington,"Out King Son" Pete Rose,Jr.!Name,though,both the 1939 Jewish BA leader,born this day,and his catching runner-up(each All Stars winning Series rings)who topped the great Hank Greenberg that fateful year. | Morrie Arnovich and Harry Danning |
| 11/15/2011 | Bob Lemon was anything but!Winning Series player and manager,his story has history with today's same-last-namers.All Star 1st(also manager)played with and against player Bob,All Star 2nd(also World Champ)played for and against manager Bob.Name our 1st(ending with Sox),league leader(tied)in 3B's,and our 2nd(starting with Sox),league leader(tied) in 2B's! | Jim Lemon and Chet Lemon |
| 11/14/2011 | All at sea!Land is spotted!That's how Chisox hurlers felt when their "Five Straight Gold Gloves" CF'er would come to their rescue with diving grabs.Succeeded by GG Tommie Agee(not the Super Bowl winner,catch his You Tube Series' catches!),name him and Agee's GG successor(same career BA as Tommie,same name as popular TV star at the time!). | Jim Landis and Ken Berry |
| 11/13/2011 | Marquez,Manny Both Win!Our boxing-inspired lead leads us to today's answers.Name first the A's '72 ring winner from Caupana whose .600 Series BA pushed his Grand Total BA over .400,then the '73 and '74 A's player(All Star for next 3 teams!)from Cairpito who didn't play in their repeat Series wins,but was a "regular winner" in '80 Philly! | Gonzalo Marquez and Manny Trillo |
| 11/12/2011 | What a birthday day today!Should we romanticize disgraced celebrant Sammy Sosa for his record 3 straight 60 HR years?Name instead 2 other birthday boys,the 1st romanticized(never really batting in his only big league game!)by a Burt Lancaster movie portrayal,the 2nd unfairly disgraced by one inadvertent pitch leading to the only on-field fatality in history. | Moonlight Graham and Carl Mays |
| 11/11/2011 | This All Star vet(traded twice for HOF'er Larry Doby)had the stats,but his son has the rings!Similarities abound:batting and throwing left,playing one season in Chicago(with last for Brewers),same position,same nickname,same AL career .276 BA!But who out-BOPped his son .703 to .540,and in '59 was the only AL hitter over .300 BA(.363!) and 1.000 BOP? | Tito Francona |
| 11/10/2011 | O,farewell Branch Rickey,allowing 13 SB's in one game,not facing yesterday's clue Rickey Henderson!On to the '26 Series,ending with Babe Ruth's CS from the NL MVP!Name that Card catcher(future manager),and the catcher(no Gabby Hartnett,but caught on the street a ball from the Washington Monument top!)managing the '31 Card champs. | Bob OFarrell and Gabby Street |
| 11/9/2011 | Titanic 1912 matchup:HOF'er Walter Johnson homers off Chicago's former 40 game winner,HOF'er Ed Walsh!Which Game-changing HOF'er(last name a HOF 1st!)in 1906 hit his only career HR's,one off former 40 game winning HOF'er Jack Chesbro and two off the kid brother of Chicago's former 50 game winning HOF'er?Matters of fact,name too the 2 brothers! | Branch Rickey and Walter Clarkson and John Clarkson |
| 11/8/2011 | A Brooklyn-born boy like "Tall Pirate" John Candelaria(see yesterday),this "Small Pirate" also played in '80's Pittsburgh.He set an AL rookie SB record with his 1st AL team,had 1.000 BOP seasons with 2 NL teams,and a Series .333 BA and ring with another!Who's this lefty also pitching for 3 teams with a career 0.00 ERA? | John Cangelosi |
| 11/7/2011 | Walter Johnson was the best!"The Big Train" won a Series ring,pitched a no-hitter,and in his best year led the majors in W/L Pct.(only .800 year)and ERA(as well as Codell WLD and RARE),leading his league in lowest BB/IP and,strangely,most HR's allowed(tied).Which tall Pirate did all that(!)64 years later and even shared Walter's birthday yesterday? | John Candelaria |
| 11/6/2011 | At 23,Clayton Kershaw is the youngest ever(1st Dodger!)to record 3 seasons(3 straight!)with ERA<3.00 and K/IP over 1.000,passing Sandy Koufax' 2!Who's the other Dodger(only NL rookie!) with one such season?With his magic motion,this song-inspiring,foreign sensation led in K's before his Dodger no-hit year,but don't get "Fernandomania" answering! | Hideo Nomo |
| 11/5/2011 | His short free agency ended,returning now to Philly,Jim Thome has made each stop memorable(here in Chicago,he's the only lefty hitter ever with a TOP year topping .300!).Slugging his 300th HR with Indians,400th with Phils,500th with White Sox and 600th with Twins,for which team did he post his top post-season BA,OBP,and OPS? | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 11/4/2011 | HOF nominees Minoso,Hodges,Oliva,Santo and Boyer have great credentials,but who's 1st?With traditional(OPS),Codell(BAM),or combined stats(HYPE),Minnie wins hands down!Santo's numbers beckon which Cub reaching Ronnie's Series dream,topping him in all the above,leading MLB in HR,RBI, and TB in his best of 10(leading NL in Diamond Bases!)Cub years? | Bill Nicholson |
| 11/3/2011 | Those managers manage to get more of our attention today!In the 30's,Cleveland's Steve O'Neill(see yesterday)managed his '20's batterymate,a 20 game winning Lefty(Cleveland his middle name!).Name him and the lefty,20 win '90's batterymate of Joe Girardi(that 6th Cub non-playing All Star catching selection!),managed by Joe in the next two decades. | Lefty Stewart and Andy Pettitte |
| 11/2/2011 | This historic non-Hall of Famer made his biggest marks 25 years apart,winning World Series playing and managing.His 3 straight years over .700 APO(BA+OBP)began the season his .773 led all Series players,his 14 years managing all were winning ones!Who's this catcher with 3 big league brothers,the oldest over 20 years older than the youngest? | Steve ONeill |
| 11/1/2011 | What of retiring legend Tony LaRussa's .199 BA playing career?Look at the company he kept!Eventual teammate of HOF OF'ers Aaron,Jackson,and Williams,teenage Tony made his K.C. debut in '63,2 years before Satchel Paige!Which other SS playing on those '63 A's skippered a World Champ(vs.the Cards!)his last full year managing(sadly),like LaRussa? | Dick Howser |
| 10/31/2011 | On this Halloween a tricky treat,a bit of a curve in honor of Candy Cummings,19th century curveball inventor!Name our two 20th century(remember 1900 AL!)players with sweet years in Cleveland(1st with consecutive .300 years,2nd hitting his homer high),but World Champs elsewhere(1st with HOF'ers Young and Collins,2nd with HOF'ers Molitor and Winfield). | Candy LaChance and Candy Maldonado |
| 10/30/2011 | Each 2-time,same-last-name All Star was a good man batting left,each with a season exceeding a 1.000 BAM.The 1st played vs. Joe D.,and with Joe's brother Vince(in '30's),the 2nd vs. Joe,and with Joe's brother Dom(in '50's).Tell who had 5 straight double figure triple years and W.S.ring,then who had 5 straight .300 years and batting title! | Ival Goodman and Billy Goodman |
| 10/29/2011 | Outcome ever in the Cards,Carpenter became savior!Was he human?Maybe machine,his Game 7 win his 4th straight quality start over 2 winning Series!When Redbirds didn't reach heavens,he still shone,as shown by his rare combo of best RARE,WORLD years over 5 year spans.Who's(heed special spelling)his precursory(winning AL record)Cardinal namesake? | Cris Carpenter |
| 10/28/2011 | Awake?Near-champ Rangers blew 2 saves?A Game 7?A wake?A mazing amazing!Remember:"The Cat" won Game 7 in relief after winning his Game 6 start(and Game 2 shutout!),"The Kitten" won Game 7(unscored upon,yet blowing 9th inning save!),after winning his game 5 start!Name our lefties winning 20 for the Cardinals,leading NL in shutouts,5 years apart! | Harry Brecheen and Harvey Haddix |
| 10/27/2011 | This rain-stalled Series evokes a delayed Fall Classic(a classic fall!)and a man behind the mike who,though never a Series player,described a Met title(like in 1969!)in 1986.It's a blast honoring this 89th Birthday Blaster!So which nicknameless HOF'er topped "The Man" in Runs Tallied and "The Kid" in Homer Efficiency from '47 thru '51? | Ralph Kiner |
| 10/26/2011 | Reds' C Bill(brother Marty)Bergen(1st of hitting's worst!)had 2 HR's,the 1st off Dodger P Jay(brother Mickey)Hughes(over 20 W per year!)in 1901.But which RF'ers(480 EB's each!)played for Cincy and Brooklyn that year?Dead giveaways:19 year,"batted left" HOF'ers(later AL stars)just missing 3,000 hits,with "Wahoo" and "Wee" as respective nicknames! | Sam Crawford and Willie Keeler |
| 10/25/2011 | During baseball's Big Show,go Showbiz!Find our "Series Walk-off"1st baseman 1st's lyrical last name "On the Street Where You Live" before our backup 2nd baseman's dreaded last name(for recent Broadway director Jerry Seinfeld!).Twins not twins,name Minnesota's switch-hitters with '87 and '91 rings,one from Columbia(like 4 homer game Gehrig),and one with one home run(in Horner's 4 homer game!). | Gene Larkin and Al Newman |
| 10/24/2011 | Another Albert-inspired diamond!Now not just for first 11 years,but for any 11 straight(none have reached 10!),2011 Pujols became the only to surpass 30 HR's,100 RT(Runs Tallied),400 DB(Diamond Bases),and .400 AA(Average Average)each year,encompassing HR,R,RBI,SB,BA,OBP,and SLG!Let's go to "Wally World" to name 2 doing it once,naming the All Star 1st!(Post-season hint?Each OF Wally played for Reds in losing Series with Yanks.) | Wally Berger and Wally Post |
| 10/23/2011 | The Cards' Albert Pujols made Barry Code and World Series history last night when his 9th inning HR put his game Base-Out Differential at a record 16,passing Reggie Jackson's 15.5!Which Cardinal used a 9th inning HR to set the regular season best BOD game record at 23,passing Shawn Green's 22.5? | Mark Whiten |
| 10/22/2011 | Nonagenarians best known in the '40's and 50's(not de Gaulle or Chevalier)born in 1920 Paris(Texas!),these still life-long pals played on the historic '48 and '54 Indians,respectively.Who both also played with the White Sox,Orioles,Tigers,Senators,and A's,where in '53 our 1st played 156 games,2nd to our 2nd's 157? | Eddie Robinson and Dave Philley |
| 10/21/2011 | Hank Greenberg played against both Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson!In 1933 Greenberg and Ruth each hit .301.In 1947 Greenberg(BB's)and Robinson(SB's) were NL leaders.Greenberg's recalled for his noble quest to break Ruth's 60 HR record and encouragement for Robinson's own historic quest.Which 5 time All Star was the .300 hitting teammate of Hank,Babe,and Jackie? | Dixie Walker |
| 10/20/2011 | The name frees memories!Pittsburgh '50's teammates,Chicago '60's infielders(the 1st with 2 tours in each city),which brothers played the position of the same-last-name "winning run scorer in the freeze" at last night's Series opener?Our 1st played in the '61 Series,our 2nd(with 1st name of pianist Liberace's violinist brother)played 2nd fiddle to him! | Gene Freese and George Freese |
| 10/19/2011 | They overcame offensive failings with golden gloves to make it(just like us!)to the World Series.These 16,17,and 18 year veterans,respectively,were multi-year AL post-season(each with .300 BA series)fixtures,despite careers with BOP's under .600 and FAIL's over .900(see Decoder!).Gone too soon,who starred,in order,with HOF'ers Mickey M.,Al K.,and Brooks R.? | Clete Boyer and Aurelio Rodriguez and Mark Belanger |
| 10/18/2011 | None had bigger stats than this little guy!As a pro,he led all-time in games,runs,at-bats,and putouts.The 1st Chicago player leading MLB in at-bats surpassing 200 H and 100 R,only Cobb,Musial,Aaron,Rose,and he exceeded 4000 professional hits.The jig is up!Playing in both Wrigleys,who's this Angel before the Angels? | Jigger Statz |
| 10/17/2011 | He started World Series games twice vs. the White Sox in both 1917(when he was 18-7)and 1919(21-7),but his 1918 feat edging Walter Johnson for MLB's best opponents' OBP(when he was 8-8!)stands out.He and one other hurler(with Johnson on world champs)shared their moniker.A slim chance,perhaps,but name them both! | Slim Sallee and Slim McGrew |
| 10/16/2011 | Managed by his former manager(who had managed him through consecutive winning Series and whom one day he'd succeed!),representing the hometown team by recording both the 1st run and the 1st "3 reached bases game" in All Star history,he was selected again the next year as a player-manager!Name this man playing himself in a moving movie. | Jimmie Dykes |
| 10/15/2011 | Never a bench-warmer,a star from the start,none at his position played a bigger part!Who's the only to be the only at a position winning both multiple MLB HR and RBI crowns(also capturing multiple Series rings,Gold Gloves and MVP's)?Name him and his back-up,who never left the bench during those winning Series! | Johnny Bench and Bill Plummer |
| 10/14/2011 | On this day the miracle "Hitless Wonders" scored 8 for the 2nd straight day to upset the "Greatest Team" in the only White Sox-Cubs Series,4-2.Chisox infielders all hit over .300(rest of team .110!),2B Isbell's 4 straight XBH's,SS Davis consecutive 2H,3RBI final winning games still records.Miraculously name the Sox' 1906 1st and 3rd basemen! | Jiggs Donahue and George Rohe |
| 10/13/2011 | These 2 All Star infielders,Oklahoma-born 10 years apart,played in the dark days of "lily-white" baseball(the 1st's last year the year before the 2nd's 1st,each on old knuckleballer Niggeling's team!).Name "Darkie"(3 straight 100 RT years,played in St.Louis with Hornsby),and "Blackie"(3 straight .300 BA years,played in St.Louis with Musial). | Harlond Clift and Alvin Dark |
| 10/12/2011 | Each of our birthday shortstops played behind a Yank Terry.The 1st(HOF player-manager),born in last year's Series-winning city,became a bigwig interviewed at the '70 Series by the 2nd(3 time A.S.,3 W.S.rings),who played the team from his birth-city in their sole winning Series his 1st year!Name both!! | Joe Cronin and Tony Kubek |
| 10/11/2011 | One day they'll say of this author-ambassador,"There was none grander,son!"Name(they're one and the same!)both the only player to have a "5 star season" surpassing 20 2B's,20 3B's,20 HR's,20 SB's and .300 BA,and the only having one reaching 40 HR's,25 SB's,300 TB's leading league in R and RBI! | Curtis Granderson |
| 10/10/2011 | Is there no apparent rhythm or reason for these(apologies,kudos to noble Nobel laureate Dan Shechtman!)quasi-periodic diamond crystals?No matter?Which Cub star twice after Midsummer Classic selection could not shine per manager's decision,played in a Series(on this day!) the year he didn't officially play(!)and grand-slammed during Codell's 1st Wrigley appearance? | Clyde McCullough |
| 10/9/2011 | And who was that man(see yesterday)who hit the only homer off Rube Melton in 1944?In 1945 he had the lowest HR total of any lively ball MLB leader,also leading the NL in SLG,OPS,H,RB,TB,XBH,BB/SO,and RT. Name him and the 1945 AL dominator who snuffed out all others to lead the league in BA,SLG,OPS,R,H,SB,RB,TB,XBH,and Bases! | Tommy Holmes and Snuffy Stirnweiss |
| 10/8/2011 | More '40's fun!With his 30-50 career and 20 losses(leading league in walks and wild pitches)2 years before,his standing above all still confounds!Who's that man(1st name of an AL strikeout king,last name of an AL home run king)whose one homer allowed in 187.1 innings set the lively ball season record for lowest HR/IP? | Rube Melton |
| 10/7/2011 | Let this riddle ripple through today's Diamond!Name teammates winning rings,the 1st a pre-rookie with his team's only ERA<2.00 in both regular and post-season(top MLB ERA next year!),the 2nd with his team's only SLG>.500 in both regular and post-season,in his 3rd Series,playing each at a different OF position! | Elmer Riddle and Jimmy Ripple |
| 10/6/2011 | Players still accountable for ups or downs,the Code counts post-season!Grand totals(regular plus post-season)may cost Tiger Justin Verlander his true AL pitching Triple Crown,his ERA now behind Jered Weaver.In the '45 Series,Tiger Hal Newhouser's "Grand ERA" fell behind which teammate(pitched to Ruth and Mantle!),costing him a true MLB Triple Crown? | Al Benton |
| 10/5/2011 | Today's "Diamond" is no dummy(nor were his 4 teammates so wrongly nicknamed!)on the 140th anniversary of this Chicago Colt rookie right-hander's birth.First to officially recognize the 1900 AL season,we ask for the name of this wily 20 game winner(he played for 3 HOF'ers in his 3 years!)from that year's champion White Stockings,while wishing a smarty("The Diamond Daughter")all love and no squalor on her birthday,finding the "Peaceful Valley"(our hurler's nickname!)she seeks. | Roger Denzer |
| 10/4/2011 | Recall fondly the forgettable rather than madly the memorable(like 2011 low B-BOP Jeter),mentioning two today unmentioned in Richard Lindberg's terrific tome.Jet back and name a Shreveport-born father-son combo,each one year with White Sox playing all OF positions(and 3 DH games)under managers homering their 1st at-bats,and with "20 year career" batterymates! | Johnny Jeter and Shawn Jeter |
| 10/3/2011 | "He passed 1.000 B-BOP,he passed 1.000 B-BOP!" wasn't the enduring call,but Glasgow's gift to baseball did just that when his shot(still heard 'round the world)won the pennant on this day 60 years ago!Whose homer was unmatched by the many memorable ones hit by his six(five in his final four years!)500 HR Club teammates? | Bobby Thomson |
| 10/2/2011 | Each had his only winning season of a 7 year career the year his team swept the World Series,with a 0.00 Series ERA.Our "All American Boy" All Star starter played with a "Powerful Paul" that year,as did our lefty compiling 1.000 W/L,ERA<2.00 and 2.00 SO/BB in both regular and post-season!Name our unprecedented pitchers. | Jack Armstrong and Neal Cotts |
| 10/1/2011 | He who would(with asterisk)mar is long gone!With ruth,name the reigning MVP completing his historic quest on this very day.Midwest born,he became a Missouri hero(K.C. All Star,St.Louis World Champ),but 50 years ago was almost toast,barely reaching the finish line to become the toast of New York,before his GW Series HR! | Roger Maris |
| 9/30/2011 | The Diamond Diamond for best Diamond BOP is named by today's Daily Diamond!Our 1st place DBOPper is the 2nd of his countrymen to win the award.In 2nd stands the 1st and only honoree(last year's winner)from his native land.So name the Barry Code's 2011 Diamond Diamond(encompassing all offensive events!)winner,followed by his runner-up. | Jose Bautista and Miguel Cabrera |
| 9/29/2011 | Welcoming the Jewish New Year 5772(where did 5771 go?),we honor this multi-faceted converted Jew,who first went through pain from a near-death mishap to invent the throat guard.Series MVP(after least valuable season!),"Major League" actor related to "Right Stuff" hero,which Playgirl posing catcher had the name of a book not about him? | Steve Yeager |
| 9/28/2011 | This hard-working(on and off field!)speedster and humanitarian is his team's nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.In his unnoticed(till now!)debut,his name touched 2 others of baseball nobility,placed in the lineup between "600 homerers" Thome and Griffey!Whose protean,proletarian efforts finally led to recognition? | Jason Bourgeois |
| 9/27/2011 | Recall 2 same-last-name fastballers with much and not much in common:Southern-born 1st(birthday today!)won 20 in his 30's in the 40's,pitched in Chicago(All Star starter elsewhere),ex-Negro Leaguer 2nd born in Chicago(All Star reliever elsewhere),each winning a Series game!Not a whit too soon,think great pitching coach,"Green Goose"..... | Whit Wyatt and John Wyatt |
| 9/26/2011 | Today get unreal,think Neil!In 2 White Sox years(right after coming from Yanks,right before returning)he had his best W/L and WHIP season,followed by his worst!Name him and the "same last-namer"(starting,ending in NY)who had MLB's top W/L his 1st year and MLB's all-time W/L for ERA qualifiers 5 years later! | Neil Allen and Johnny Allen |
| 9/25/2011 | Two Southern-born SS's played for the same team a decade apart:same initials,1st names four letters,last names(homonyms!)five.Our 1st proved no friend of the law of averages(but played with Friend and Law,like our 2nd!),his .199 BA the lowest ever for one year career qualifiers,our 2nd was a Gold Glove All Star.Name away! | Gair Allie and Gene Alley |
| 9/24/2011 | It's their time,contemporaries never all pitching the same year,rookies each playing with HOF outfielders(Ashburn,Kaline,Musial)!The 1st and 3rd(despite over 20 starts)didn't pitch in their teams' Series vs. Yanks,the 1st and 2nd had final winning years in '55,and the 2nd and 3rd were teammates under Casey!Know these same-namers? | Bob Miller and Bob Miller and Bob Miller |
| 9/23/2011 | Divine or random,baseball fandom?It's non-scientific "Butterfly Effect" chaos theory,whereby anything can initiate anything!Perhaps the "butterfly"(knuckler)floating from Red Sox Tim Wakefield in his recent 200th win came from the recurring effect of a White Sox 25 year knuckleballer's 200th win nearly 20 years before!Name him and his homonymic teammate. | Charlie Hough and Mike Huff |
| 9/22/2011 | On this day a '59 pennant was celebrated with air raid sirens ordered by Chicago's fire commissioner and mayor!Name pitchers with their same last names,the 4 decade 1st the oldest hurler to win or homer,the "Leo lefty" 2nd winning 16 that year like his All Star buddy Whitey,with whom he'd win 2 straight Series rings! | Jack Quinn and Bud Daley |
| 9/21/2011 | Today we rise celebrating fall and the birthdays of two("Submarine" and "Sudden")who made marks Codellically,traditionally,and anecdotally!Our 1st pitcher(APP leader,W/L champ)was Reagan's famous Series radio guest and spun his yarns till age 95,and our 2nd(POP leader,SO king)inspired TV's popular Sam Malone!Name them. | Elden Auker and Sam McDowell |
| 9/20/2011 | Obscured by overrated or steroidal stars shining too brightly,today give him his long-deserved due!Which Barry Code fan hit .330 in 2001(better BAM,OPS than titlist Ichiro)as a "top six" MLB lefty hitter(beating Bonds,behind Giambi),never an All Star(the others 39 times),but the only with a 6 for 6 game? | Frank Catalanotto |
| 9/19/2011 | Recall the father and son Chicago catchers,the Cub duo both All Stars during 14 year,under .240 BA careers that never reached post-season play(dad loved by Cub fans,son not!),and the Sox tandem,both reaching a Series(dad on Cub-beating team,Chicago-born son with best BA of all 4 catchers)?Name those sons! | Todd Hundley and Billy Sullivan |
| 9/18/2011 | No numbers,what's in the names?Athletic All Star among Mickey Corcoran,Mickey Cochrane,Hector Maestri,Joe DeMaestri!Which player was pinch-hit for during history's highest ninth inning,seventh game drama(despite the best BA of all Series players!),playing with an avenging World Champ the next year? | Joe DeMaestri |
| 9/17/2011 | Despite 4 straight 30 SB years,he's not immortalized for running as opposed to the same first name HOF'er(playing with Musial,Mantle,Aaron)with not one 10 SB year!Who's this 5 team,15 year vet who played all spots but pitcher and catcher,and whose rare last name's the rarer first of a Jazz HOF'er(Hi-De-Ho!) and black team owner? | Enos Cabell |
| 9/16/2011 | 50 years later,we can hunt for '61 same-name rookies!Find first our OF'er,leading all rookies in SLG Pct.,beating future HOF'ers Billy Williams(by .0004!)and Yaz,then our Sporting News NL Rookie Pitcher of the Year(his only year!),who in the '61 Series faced the Yanks,for whom our OF'er had 2 "pre-rookie" stints! | Ken Hunt and Ken Hunt |
| 9/15/2011 | For 2 straight years "Lucky 13" Ozzie Guillen followed "One Dog" Lance Johnson's 2 straight as AL AB/SO king.Never "The Great" like his singing(without "mike" at Yankee Stadium!)namesake,who's the 3rd straight tough-to-fan(tough being his fan!)White Sox lefty-hitting(threw right,erratically!),and youngest ever,consecutive year AB/SO league leader? | Mike Caruso |
| 9/14/2011 | Yesterday's D-GOD(Diamond Game Offensive Differential)revelation leads to today's answers.Babe Ruth,Ted Williams,and Lou Gehrig have the top 3 D-GODs for MLB's 1st 50 years(1901-50),Frank Thomas,Barry Bonds,and Mickey Mantle for the next 50(1951-2000).Name the next 2 behind Albert Pujols during the current(2001-50!)span. | Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez |
| 9/13/2011 | "Diamond GOD is One" for late late-in-life revealed Jew,opposing later-in-life one for one day('48 All Star game)in a final plate appearance(see John the Baptist!):Lou Boudreau(season-ending playoff hero)flies out,scoring run,and D-GOD,acknowledging sacrifice(see 2nd Temple!),is 1.000 vs. which still shaken(season-ending playoff scapegoat,see Tyndale!)pitcher? | Ralph Branca |
| 9/12/2011 | On this day,he became at 23 the youngest MLB manager ever.Name this man who,like Lou Boudreau(who at 24 succeeded him as manager)started in Cleveland,won an MVP and W.S.ring as a shortstop,and played with one of two righties with a 25W/300K year and one of history's two best career BOPpers! | Roger Peckinpaugh |
| 9/11/2011 | Jones,Robinson,Davis,Harris are last names shared by unrelated teammates sharing pennants.Name similarly describable teammates playing in World Series for different teams 8 years apart,the 1st(in another Series the year before)an NL All Star selection 9 straight years,the 2nd(in another Series the year after)with the same full name as an NL Cy Young Award winner! | Frank McCormick and Mike McCormick |
| 9/10/2011 | Waiting for congrats,our HOF Brooklyn boy might say it "hoits" describing yesterday's forgotten birthday!So let's recall him and the only other with the same last name(only a HOF'er has it for a 1st!).Which 2 led MLB in wins for a 2 year span,one with "Murderers' Row" and the other with the "Winning Ugly" AL champs? | Waite Hoyt and LaMarr Hoyt |
| 9/9/2011 | As always,history was made yesterday.It's up to us to do the Ha-Cha-Cha!The only man with a 40 HR year the year he hit a Series slam,he now adds a 10th regular season "salami"(passing the Mick's "grand mix")to his special recipe.Who's this ex-Red and Dodger left fielder-third baseman? | Paul Konerko |
| 9/8/2011 | Stay cheery,it's a plum!Think rhyme(no numbers this time).Less than a decade ago,each of these ex-Expos hit a post-season HR from the left side in his only plate appearance the last game he played for a Chicago team!Starting with our Cub,can you name both these former Australian Baseball League players? | Troy OLeary and Geoff Blum |
| 9/7/2011 | Appendix for Dunn!As a sober Adam careens toward FAIL infamy(see yesterday),this postscript posits his season as a statistical outlier.Many(Dunn thrice!)have overcome a 1.000 FAIL with a more telling 1.000 BAM.Which MVP contemporary's the only ever with an ominous 1.100 FAIL but a triumphant 1.100 BAM the same year? | Ryan Howard |
| 9/6/2011 | Without appendix,Adam Dunn seems lost in 2011,best shown by the Code's Failing Averages Illustrated(FAIL),which totals Out Average(OA,1.000-BA)and Strikeout Average(KA,SO/AB).Name the two Dunn's surpassing,the 1st setting the all-time mark of 1.225 FAIL last year to rob the 2nd of the dubious FAIL title he held since 1991! | Mark Reynolds and Rob Deer |
| 9/5/2011 | "Martinizing"cleans up!Recall Billy,whose .500 BA,5 multi-hit game Series matches Pepper,who played against All Star Hersh when 3 country HOF'er Martin Dihigo was an All Star like Martin Prado in 2010!"20 HR year,consecutive post-season"men Jerry and Al couldn't match which least but last Martin to play in a winning Series? | J.C. Martin |
| 9/4/2011 | Continuing Johnny Rigney's connection,another White Sox pitcher and GM,Ron Schueler,became their 31 year old pitching coach upon the death of an ex-hurler(bandleader's name)who turned 31 his rookie year(banned then from MLB!)for champ Cardinals.Name him and 2 other same last name Cards,one an All Star rookie,another a two Series star. | Fred Martin and Stu Martin and Pepper Martin |
| 9/3/2011 | Yesterday's Sewell and Rigney answers evoke same last names which evoke same full names!Rip Sewell of All Star "eephus pitch" fame and Johnny Rigney,Sox pitcher and future GM,had their 1st winning years in '39.Who's the Series 7th game starting,eephus throwing lefty with the name of Rigney's righty MLB leading W and W/L Pct. king crosstown rival,the latter(of course!)1st? | Bill Lee and Bill Lee |
| 9/2/2011 | Thevenow(see yesterday's DD)shows the Code's Fielding Equator cut through the brainless hemispheres of Fielding Average and Range Factor!FE,creating net chances,has HOF SS Joe ruling MLB in '26,FA(overrating errors)puts Topper on top,RF(underrating errors)exalts Tommy!Name all stars(future skippers,1st a brother)with last names of Joe and Topper. | Luke Sewell and Bill Rigney |
| 9/1/2011 | Never opponents on the field,lifetime rivals Cobb and Hornsby were 1st and 2nd(.366 to .358)in career average.The only .400 BA player-managers,each hit .401 in 1922!They also had one league-high 156 game year.Can you name the shortstops the "Georgia Peach" and "Rajah" managed in 1926 with that exact same MLB-high total? | Jackie Tavener and Tommy Thevenow |
| 8/31/2011 | F.Robby's B-Day!Yesterday's Birthday "Kid" Ted Williams sparked 2 answers,as "near miss" to Huelsman's "last year DIE" leader and OF mate of today's MVP!Which 3 time RBI king also played with Joe D.,Mickey,and Yaz(and All Star game vs.J.Robby!),only man with Series ring,Gold Glove,and a 100 R,100 RBI,20 HR,20 SB,20 BB-SO year? | Jackie Jensen |
| 8/30/2011 | Today DIE,a stat to die for!Driven In Efficiency(DIE),simply RBI/AB-H,lists gods among its leaders but we go to DIE to save one from oblivion,his career left to die upon league leadership!In his last year(4 teams year before),whose DIE was cast with MLB's poorest reaching team,yet somehow reigned as AL supreme? | Frank Huelsman |
| 8/29/2011 | Over a 4 year span,these lefty sluggers each won consecutive MLB BOP titles(runnerup once to the other)while garnering 3 league OPS crowns.Know the 1st,the only ever ROY in one decade and Diamond Diamond winner(for best D-BOP)in 2 others,and the 2nd,the only ever 3 time batting titlist with three 40 HR years? | Willie McCovey and Carl Yastrzemski |
| 8/28/2011 | Recalling Oscar-winning actor George C. Scott from his same-name(with initial!)All Star answer yesterday,let's mention a pitcher inspiring a namesake:Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon's son!Our man won history's 1st Series game vs. Cy Young,leading his league that year(like Cy)in Dominance Percentage(DP),for lowest combined H/IP and BB/SO ratios.Know him? | Deacon Phillippe |
| 8/27/2011 | Great Scott!After an All Star 27 HR rookie year,he followed in '67 as the 4th AL .300 hitter(other 3 in Hall),but the next year his starring role stalled with the worst ever season for a 1000 career Runs Tallied(R+RBI/2)player!He rebounded to All Star berths,Gold Gloves and 30 HR years for 2 teams.Recall him? | George Scott |
| 8/26/2011 | What a pitch!A righty threw his 1st Series game at Yankee Stadium,pitched in each league(like bullpen mate and "each league All Star" Arroyo),wrote a famous book about a team's season,had the same 1st name and initials as another who did all that,and pitched one game(at the Stadium)against him in his career!Name both. | Jim Brosnan and Jim Bouton |
| 8/25/2011 | We salute a strong birthday outfield today,each a 21st century retiree!More similarity?Each had a 100 run year and played in Chicago.Can you name our 1st(with the season slugging mark for 2 teams),our 2nd(with a 200 hit year/acclaimed writer combo),and our 3rd(an All Star with a same-named All Star OF dad)? | Albert Belle and Doug Glanville and Gary Matthews |
| 8/24/2011 | Light hitting catcher who played in 4 NL cities,he became the butt of his own jokes as well as an author,"Tonight" show favorite,and HOF announcer in his hometown!Managed once by a HOF'er,teammate of Groat and Boyer,he won a Series ring with Cards.Know the two(!)all this describes(lefty hitter 1st)? | Joe Garagiola and Bob Uecker |
| 8/23/2011 | Those slugging pitchers!Won-Lost Differential leader Don Newcombe's .987 Hitting Average(TB/AB-H)beat Willie Mays' '55 league best .967,Babe Ruth's 3 straight 10+WLD years shine like his 3 straight HA crowns.Name the two with most HR's by a 25 game winner,one Newcombe's HOF teammate,the other whose HOF brother he outhomered the year Ruth played crosstown! | Don Drysdale and Wes Ferrell |
| 8/22/2011 | Denied history's headlines,2 hurlers were proverbial bridesmaids.The 1st missed by one day being the 1st to no-hit an eventual World Champ,his 2 year 40 win total dwarfed by teammate Walter Johnson's 69!Groomed for relief,the 2nd(most games no PA's!)set an unnoticed mark of 7 straight 70 game years.Name our "same last name" two. | Bob Groom and Buddy Groom |
| 8/21/2011 | Sons outplaying fathers and uncles?It's all relative.Ask the Alous!Today start with 1)an All Star son(only post-season in family)who like his 2)dad and 3)dad's brother played in Chicago his last year,when his Cubs had a 500 HR club member(Palmeiro),like his pop's and uncle's 1st year teams(Williams,Jackson!).Name all three. | Matt Keough and Marty Keough and Joe Keough |
| 8/20/2011 | Alphabetically,hitting history puts these 2 men proudly together,each making marks in a handful of games.Name the 1st(retiring young),the only .300 BA,300 pound career(14 games)hitter,and the 2nd,an All Star in a 43 game year,hitting safely(vs.HOF'ers)for 2 teams(in 2 cities) in one day the next season! | Walter Young and Joel Youngblood |
| 8/19/2011 | We're pulled in 2 directions,50 years apart,by 2 with a same 1st name!Each OF'er won pennants with 2 teams(one ring),played 3 years with Giants,and showed a giant specialty:1)MLB record 3 straight years managing 105 win teams and 2)MLB leading base stealing,with 50 SB years in each league.Who(therefore where!) are our two? | Billy Southworth and Billy North |
| 8/18/2011 | Politics and race were '50's factors.Remember the '53 Redlegs' name change from Reds?Recall their nicely named 100 RBI rookie outfielder?Let's not forget Fenway's green grass and blue '59 skies,as Boston finally chose dollar-green as their true color,becoming the last team to employ a black player.Red scare over,name names! | Jim Greengrass and Pumpsie Green |
| 8/17/2011 | As scouting director,he insisted future HOF SS Yount be signed and brought to the bigs at 18,his very situation in '49(.400 BA behind future HOF SS Appling!).In his 20's he missed the '50's,returning with NL champ Reds(and future HOF'er Robinson)at age 30 in '61!Know yet this man with 1st hit at Comiskey,last at Wrigley? | Jim Baumer |
| 8/16/2011 | While Jim Thome became the 8th player with 600 homers last night,Jason Isringhausen became the 23rd with 300 saves,a feat rarer than 3000 hits(27 men),500 HR(25)or 300 wins(24)!Name the All Star relievers with the same last name(not the Smiths!)saving over 300 during 16 year careers(1st with 7 teams,2nd with 8). | Doug Jones and Todd Jones |
| 8/15/2011 | The 1st future HOF infield('24 Giants),the 1st All Star infield('63 Cardinals),the 1st switch-hitting infield('65 Dodgers),and the 1st 25+ HR infield('08 Marlins)give way today to the 1st infield('83 Phillies)with a runs scored leader at each position!Name the SS(still uniformed)playing more games than his mates Rose,Morgan,and Schmidt. | Ivan DeJesus |
| 8/14/2011 | Don't tinker with this chance!Ever so long ago,he was the 1st of 5 HOF 2nd basemen who would play on World Champion teams for 2 cities(each also played on Series losers),immortalized with a poem(unlike Collins,Frisch,Gordon and Schoendienst)and a .438 Series BA in his 2nd team's sweep!Who's our distant star? | Johnny Evers |
| 8/13/2011 | "Reunited" is today's song!HOF'ers Jackson and Hunter,grinders Rowand and Uribe reuniting elsewhere for extra World Series rings with another team are rare indeed.The '46 champ Cardinals amaze with Schoendienst,Rice and Jones winning with Braves 11 years later,next year with 2 others(over 40 years old)helping beat Braves for repeat rings!Who(HOF'er 1st) are they? | Enos Slaughter and Murry Dickson |
| 8/12/2011 | This "Jackson Five" carried a heavy load traversing our baseball nation(each with 200 IP years,averaging over 5 teams per Jackson!).There's Series winning lefties Al and Grant,current "no hitter" Edwin,and 2 NL win-leading two team All Stars(each pitched with Cards,Phils and Cubs).Name them plus a 6th,the non-starting Jackson pitching over 1000 games for 8 teams! | Larry Jackson and Danny Jackson and Mike Jackson |
| 8/11/2011 | Like Chaucer,let's go to "a grove ful hastily" to right the recent misconception about "the immaculate inning" before it equals that of the Immaculate Conception(which refers not to Mary,but her mother!).Which lefty forebear of the mistakenly reported Sandy Koufax first threw 2 career immaculate innings(3 K's on 9 pitches),and in the same season? | Lefty Grove |
| 8/10/2011 | It may not be as American as apple pie,but Archimedes' pi is the apple of the Diamond's eye!3.14 signifies the career ERA of which pitchers,the 1st setting the game mark for batters faced(in the greatest ever Chicago-born pitchers duel),the 2nd(1st Latin Cy Young winner) hitting the 1st ever grand slam by a post-season pitcher? | Leon Cadore and Mike Cuellar |
| 8/9/2011 | On this solemn day(Tisha B'av),Freud's theory of 2 same-name Jewish founders leads to 3 wanderers with that same surname!Our 1st(started,ended in Philly)was an All Star like our 2nd(7 cities in last 6 years!),with 2 straight over 20 SB years like our 3rd(started,ended in Seattle).Name all 3,last 2 with birthdays today! | Wally Moses and Jerry Moses and John Moses |
| 8/8/2011 | Asking no calculus,today's "Jacobian Matrix" shows the decency of relative recency(not wild about the hidden Harry,counting only last 2 centuries!).Our 1st's last name's the same as our 2nd's 1st(nowhere else to be found since 1900!),both AL All Stars with .300 seasons,1st with power(32 HR's),2nd with speed(70 SB's).Name our "joined at the name" duo. | Brook Jacoby and Jacoby Ellsbury |
| 8/7/2011 | Each Paul proved himself over the long haul!When McCartney played Wrigley Field 46 years after his Comiskey gig,did you recall that Paul whose 4 RBI beat the Cubs at Wrigley in Game 7 and who,6 years later as rookie Sox manager,won 14 straight?(25 years after that,he managed 10 straight wins for the Comiskey Parkers!) | Paul Richards |
| 8/6/2011 | These 2 teammates joined Washington the Senators' last year before moving to Texas with manager Ted Williams in '72.Both hit over .300 in '74 and later teamed with Mets,but are known best for history as,respectively,the game's 1st black Jew and the rulebook-changing man who tried to blow a bunt foul!Remember them? | Elliott Maddox and Len Randle |
| 8/5/2011 | Our "Outpouring Of Disaffection" spotlights Hall of Fame spitting,but not Burleigh Grimes' last legal spitball or Ted Williams' 1956 spatterings,or even new member Robby Alomar's deplored drenching of umpire John Hirschbeck,but that spat's reverse:ump Tim Hurst's salivary shower on another HOF 2nd sacker.Name Tim's victim,victimizing foes with two Bases crowns and two 6 SB games! | Eddie Collins |
| 8/4/2011 | Inconceivable three 1951 OF rookies(last names starting with "M")would have songs saluting them,but All Star LF Minnie Minoso("Quando Minoso Batea"),ROY CF Willie Mays("Say Hey"),and World Champ RF Mickey Mantle("I Love Mickey") did!Who(last name begins with "M" but no song!)that year was AL ROY,hitting the 1st rookie Series GS? | Gil McDougald |
| 8/3/2011 | Strike up the band for today's answers,each with the name of a dance band leader!Recall our SS 1st,NL '40's All Star FA leader 4 straight years his tenor sax namesake was popular,and our catcher 2nd(his pianist namesake's band featured in "Pride of the Yankees"),the 1st black Cuban Series player 2 days after dancing with Bobby Thomson! | Eddie Miller and Ray Noble |
| 8/2/2011 | He'd rather be in Philly(can you hear W.C.Fields josh?),but playing in Japan he may not resume his MLB resume:1st at bat homer,over 20 HR rookie year,only perfect game GS(and perfect game final PO!),over .300 last year(unlike Joe D.,whose .360 PCL career BA also couldn't match our man's .369!).Who's he? | Josh Fields |
| 8/1/2011 | With no ifs,ands,or buts(and a brother named Mutz!),he is truly the hidden jewel of diamond history.Name the man(middle name Winklemeyer!)playing with a Series champ his last year(hitting his 1st HR),later managing them and receiving one HOF vote the year a future HOF'er on the losing Series team got one! | Jewel Ens |
| 7/31/2011 | Why night and day does the Diamond leave us dancing in the dark?Because when anything goes,that's entertainment!Today it wonders which two '70's catchers(not teammates or opponents,All Stars not in Cooperstown,each with a last name of a Songwriter Hall of Famer!)are the only ever with years surpassing 100 BB's and 100 RBI? | Darrell Porter and Dick Dietz |
| 7/30/2011 | Crash this birthday bash!We're celebrating one known for elderly exploits,another for teen troubles.Their paths finally crossed in 1962,when our age 72 manager's 40 win team beat our undefeated pitcher's 98 win team in both his starts against them!Name our HOF 1st(baseball's 1st 4 for 4 debut)and our All Star 2nd(disastrous debut at age 15!) guests of honor. | Casey Stengel and Joe Nuxhall |
| 7/29/2011 | Being fully frank,the past has never passed!The '50's saw two backup 1st basemen hit .300 in World Series wins over the Yankees.Our 1st,playing behind a 4 HR game slugger(later a World Champ manager),played where our 2nd (brother also World Champ skipper!),replacing another 4 HR gamer,was born.Name anew our forgotten two! | Frank Kellert and Frank Torre |
| 7/28/2011 | Parallel paths finally meet!These righties starred in both lively and dead ball eras.As rookies,they won Series games for World Champs.In the '20's,both added rings and at age 29 won league W/L Pct. titles.Late career teammates,they just missed 200 wins.A before B,who each shared his last name with 2 presidents? | Babe Adams and Joe Bush |
| 7/27/2011 | Just turned 40,this 2 time All Star's World Series ring and 4 Gold Gloves just start his story!Name identical to a Chicago American Giant who long fought for Negro Leaguers' MLB pensions,who's the only Chicago catcher in the last 80 years(see Gabby Hartnett,1930!)reaching 10 HR's,.300 BA,.400 OBP and .600 SLG the same season? | Charles Johnson |
| 7/26/2011 | Both could throw a bullet(our 1st hurler's nickname),so let's settle the score of their shared supremacy!For 3 straight years(2 by our too-brief lefty)they won MLB strikeout titles,for 6 straight(4 by our Cy Young righty)they were MLB "Opponent BA' leaders!Name these non-playing All Star teammates,later pitching separately in '50's Midsummer Classics. | Bob Turley and Herb Score |
| 7/25/2011 | Cole Porter's "You're the Top" was 1934's top hit.Which switch hitter had the top TOP(Tallies/Outs Pct.)on baseball's top team that year(and NL leading Codell AA,HA,EB and traditional TB,SLG,OPS numbers)while ripping 35 HR's,yet was no All Star(like Series foe and fellow 1st sacker Greenberg the next year)despite his league leading homer total? | Ripper Collins |
| 7/24/2011 | Today's birthdays feature two making history who each played but 3 games(1st game with HOF'er!)with the White Sox,a pitcher in his last year and an infielder in his 1st.Name baseball's 1st Venezuelan(his same last name nephew 1st Venezuelan All Star) and the 1st MLB-ABA player we "cotton to" on their natal day. | Alex Carrasquel and Cotton Nash |
| 7/23/2011 | 3 Men and a Maybe!Maybe you know(with your usual magic)this well-connected firm of 70's names?Our Gold Glove SS 1st had same last name as our Rookie of Year pitcher 2nd(who won his record-tying 1st 12 decisions),and led league in 3B's like our royal All Star 3rd,SB king and shortest SS with 3 HR game! | Roger Metzger and Butch Metzger and Freddie Patek |
| 7/22/2011 | According to Darwin(not pitchers Bobby,Danny,or Jeff),the Cambrian Explosion challenged his theory of evolution itself(see Charles!).In baseball,the Cambrian Explosion of signings by super-scout Joe Cambria evolved to 15 All Stars(7 Cuban),including which "TV inspired nickname" MVP who led his league in both runs and bases? | Zoilo Versalles |
| 7/21/2011 | From the "Feats so unrecognized they're not even forgotten!" file come 2 players patrolling Ohio outfields in 1980.Name the 1st(Reds),who had his 1st of 2 ".300 BA,60 SB's" years(only man ever to reach those levels in each league),and the 2nd(Indians),only man since Cobb 95 years ago to surpass .340 BA and 60 SB's! | Dave Collins and Miguel Dilone |
| 7/20/2011 | Peach of a number?Not BABIP,not ISO!A single stat says it all about today's royal subject.SSS(Singled Slugging Stat)singles out the sluggers by singling out singles,for it measures only extra bases per outs batting!Who's the single player(1st "Daily Diamond" 2 time answer!)who led the majors the same year in both SSS and singles?(And he did it twice!) | Ty Cobb |
| 7/19/2011 | Shortstop Slugger?Stop short!Who was a White Sox All Star and Red Sox nemesis before starting 2 straight All Star games(like Babe!)as a Yankee,outslugging Ruth 1.000 to .833(though not making such a dent in history!).Known by his nickname,his last name's same as latest Chicago HOF'er,his 1st name's same as youngest Codell grandson! | Bucky Dent |
| 7/18/2011 | Name the only 2 players with this name from Greek mythology.The 1st was called(though not Greek!)"a god" by HOF'er Cepeda.Homeric Hint?Both(coming from another "baseball as national pastime" country)had their 1st 20 HR year after their 30th birthday.Each had a ready-made national audience(1st from 8 All Star games,2nd as ESPN analyst). | Minnie Minoso and Orestes Destrade |
| 7/17/2011 | Birthdays galore!Let's note the one year dominators,Bobby Thigpen(saves) and Deron Johnson(RBI),but focus on 2 player-managers,multiple All-Stars,on this day of their birth.Shortstops(not Joe Cronin),yet having 1.000 FA years at all IF positions,they managed in Chicago,the 1st winning it all(including MVP!)elsewhere.Name them. | Lou Boudreau and Don Kessinger |
| 7/16/2011 | Double Your Differentials,Double Your Fun!Walter Johnson is the only pitcher to have 2 straight 20 W-L(WLD) and 200 BB-SO(KWD) combo seasons,Denny McLain the last with one!Gary Peters is the lone Chicago pitcher ever to have 2 straight "10 WLD,100 KWD" years.Who's the last active hurler with 2 straight 10/100's?(Permission to use Decoder allowed!) | C.C.Sabathia |
| 7/15/2011 | When Molly Hatchet hatcheted the band in 1990,it also marked the last year for the 1st of our similarly named,12 year career "beatin' the odds" OF'ers,the year our 2nd led his winning Series team in R,H,and BA,like our 1st did 2 years before!Better hitter?1st had career .595 B-TOP,2nd .595 B-BOP!Who's who? | Mickey Hatcher and Billy Hatcher |
| 7/14/2011 | Looking for Lord?Bris(see James not Bill!)begins our tradition.Name 3 same last name players,the 1st("The Human Eyeball")hitting .300 the same year as the 2nd,who played with both Speaker and Walsh the year before!Seek 2 more baseball gods for our 3rd,with 1st name same as one immortal's 1st and the other's 2nd! | Bris Lord and Harry Lord and Carlton Lord |
| 7/13/2011 | It's Baseball Law:All Star celebrating over(including 65th anniversary of our "only Phillie pinch hit inside-the-park homerer"),we advance,dingers and all,to more history(no rest for the rest of season!),not forgetful of our All Star son of a Cy Young winner.Who are our two already spelled within today's question? | Vance Dinges and Vance Law |
| 7/12/2011 | Combine the names of 2 Chicago All Stars to reveal who became a 2 time All Star after leaving town!Who's the man,same 1st name as HOF teammate(last year inductee) and OF'er who homered his last All Star AB,same last name as last year's All Star loser(allowing winning run by another Chicago All Star OF'er)? | Andre Thornton |
| 7/11/2011 | Knowing Hall of Famers leads to our lesser-known name!Which Cub OF'er(BL,TL),like HOF'er#1,had a final year over .300?His 1st name is 1st immortal's last,and his last the last of HOF'er#2(like him,a teen debut)who,like his Cooperstown counterpart,played in Chicago the year he was an underdog World Champ star! | Brock Davis |
| 7/10/2011 | From the banks of the River Baseball,we can see the names flow!Name the one Red Sox-Yankee(min.2 yrs.with each)to win 2/3 of his decisions for both,his 1st name same as HOF OF'er with same last name of great Boston-NY pitcher,his last name same as one of 4 HOF'ers who played OF for Cubs in '61! | Willie Banks |
| 7/9/2011 | The impact of these teammates extended beyond the bigs!The 1st Cuban League star has MLB's best career W/L%(min.100G,10W),throwing a shutout his only start!The 2nd,1st AL ex-Negro League infielder with a 100 hit year(Jackie Robinson NL's 1st!),was both Cuban League hit leader and Mexican League fielding legend.Nombres,por favor! | Luis Aloma and Hector Rodriguez |
| 7/8/2011 | This "3000 Hit Clubber"played in Derek Jeter's "1st Hit" game.He's both baseball's only "5 straight 300 Reached Bases years"and only "4 straight 200H/100BB years" man,the only hitter homering for his 3000th hit!Name him and the '60's NL pitcher with his 1st name and last initial(and the last name of a '50's NL All Star!). | Wade Boggs and Wade Blasingame |
| 7/7/2011 | He'll wear today's crown,but not in Cooperstown!Immortals E.Collins,Frisch,Vaughan,and Ichiro led their leagues the same year in AB ÷ SO and SB's.Which non-All Star was the only man to lead each league in both,the only ever MLB season leader in both(that year winning a Series ring,leading baseball in "Grand Total" hits!)? | Juan Pierre |
| 7/6/2011 | Scouted by legendary pitcher and White Sox scout John Donaldson,they rejoined manager Paul Richards with the Orioles.Name these Negro League "silent" stars,the 1st still Baltimore's only KWD(SO's-BB's)pitching leader(beating Bunning by one!),the 2nd the 1st modern Oriole with 2 straight .300 years and still their career BA leader,one point over F.Robby! | Connie Johnson and Bob Boyd |
| 7/5/2011 | Two"too forgotten no-hit hurling birthday boys"are celebrated today!Who are our 1st,a July 5th "firecracker"(surprised Honus Wagner by throwing one!),pitching a "secret" Opening Day AL no-hitter 40 years before Bob Feller,and our 2nd,winning the"most fatefully historic Series clincher"(and 20 games,like our 1st)his "no-no" season? | Doc Amole and Hod Eller |
| 7/4/2011 | Today,by George,take the liberty to guess!Independently,they ended careers(USA's<.200)in Philadelphia,each an EB league leader(the 1st a multiple Hit leader,the 2nd a multiple Run leader).Both played on 2 World Champs with grand totals(no comedy)of exactly 1872 games!Name them.(Same name,too!Say goodnight,Gracie.) | George Burns and George Burns |
| 7/3/2011 | To be frank,one was a Hall of Famer and the other wasn't,but each shared a 1st name and more!Chicago rookie OF teammates,switching positions as World Series rivals,winning multiple pennants(with the 3rd a winning Series-high 8 hits),they were league leaders in Codell(ScAv)and traditional(SB) categories.Ring a bell?Take a chance! | Frank Chance and Frank Isbell |
| 7/2/2011 | From Brothers Bash(Canseco,McGwire) and Giambi(Jason,Jeremy)thru tainted Tejeda,the A's "Somethin's Funny Ball" brought post-seasons,movies,HR titles and "we're not worthy" MVP's.Frank T. lost one to Jason G. but who,losing to Jose(despite better E-BOP!),was most outspoken,the man who drove in all 9 runs in a 9-8 win? | Mike Greenwell |
| 7/1/2011 | Media(if not heaven)sent,this touted teen righty became the game's youngest player upon his June A's debut,winning his 1st start(complete game,no earned runs)and his finale for them(future 500 homer HOF'er in lineup),ending his career with but 2 winning years(including 4 win last).Name the same-name father and son described! | Lew Krausse and Lew Krausse |
| 6/30/2011 | Who are our two forgotten starting pitchers starting careers in Chicago(from the "Don't Overlook Book!")?The 1st(same 1st name of only All Star pitcher with it)had MLB's lowest Opponent OBP season from 1920 thru '62,the 2nd(same last name of only All Star pitcher with it)had MLB's lowest Opponent OBP season from 1969 thru '94! | Warren Hacker and Roger Nelson |
| 6/29/2011 | Career mirror!Our well-travelled ptcher,hitter never faced each other(till now!),the 1st's last year the 2nd's 1st,the 1st with 4 teams his 1st 3 years,the 2nd with 4 his last 3.Both played in World Series 1st year with same team,an All Star with them once,Mets last NL team.Their same names(!),please? | Mike Marshall and Mike Marshall |
| 6/28/2011 | A roaring good pitcher,he had 6 straight MLB leading ROAR(Recorded Outs-Allowed Baserunners)20 win seasons!Next best is 3,by Walter Johnson and Grover Alexander(three 30 win years!).Who's this Hall of Famer,first ever with his first name(the 2nd also in the Hall,the 3rd a multiple Gold Glove All Star)? | Robin Roberts |
| 6/27/2011 | Who's the Red Sox left fielder(BL,TR)hitting .300 his last year(Hint #1:not the HOF'er with same last name,last man to win 2 Triple Crowns!),the man with the 1st "RBI per game"year,the 1st with two?(Hint#2:same name as one of 5 White Sox CF'ers wearing #1 with a 20 SB year,the 2nd to own a Series ring!) | Ken Williams |
| 6/26/2011 | From '36 thru '39,this legendary Yankee HOF'er made 4 straight All Star teams and,helping with a World Series clinching hit,won 4 straight Series rings!Who's famous for his "lucky" slogan,married to an actress famous for her live "Gershwin tune"performance?(Say it ain't so,but despite all the above,it ain't Joe.It's his roommate!) | Lefty Gomez |
| 6/25/2011 | Today's "answer men" both had over 20 HR's their 1st two AL seasons after two straight over 20 HR NL years.Getting the willies?We'll choose the clearest clues!#1(the 1st to do so)had the same 1st name as his two "500 Homer Club"teammates and #2 is the last player to join them.So nu?Name the two! | Willie Kirkland and Gary Sheffield |
| 6/24/2011 | Quiet,down to earth?He could roar and soar with his pitching!"Supernatural" describes this lefty's 3 year span,as he captured Win,K,and ERA titles,Cy Young awards,and everything but a Grammy!Even old Cy himself couldn't match his 3 straight ROAR(Recorded Outs-Allowed Baserunners)and SOAR(Strikeouts -Allowed Baserunners)AL crowns.Name this rockin' hurler! | Johan Santana |
| 6/23/2011 | Where's perfection not perfection?In a certain emperor's world!Don Larsen's perfect World Series game rates a 4th place tie in "Bill James' Pitching Game Score" for post-season.Its sensible predecessor,the Barry Code's PSP(Pitching Success Percentage)rightly gives Larsen a solitary 100%!Whose game stands(at 99.1%)2nd in PSP,while tying Larsen's bogus Game Score? | Roy Halladay |
| 6/22/2011 | Which player percentage translates to the winning of every game?Let's get to the root of the solution!Like the Declaration of Independence,Run-Out Outcome Translation(ROOT)recalls the use of a good self-evident truth.Divide players' runs by their outs and claim total victory!Who best embodies baseball's truest truism with the top active career ROOT? | Albert Pujols |
| 6/21/2011 | To be or not to be confused with!A "Show Me State" All Star catcher(batted right)in '50's,with highs of 13 homers and 9 errors,playing with Pirates in 60's?Which same-named two fit the portrait,clearly not the same-named actor playing Otis(not Royal All Star Amos),the Mayberry(not Royal All Star John)town drunk? | Hal Smith and Hal Smith |
| 6/20/2011 | Puzzle to pass on?It's up to you!Both "same 1st name" RF'ers(same rookie year)played for 4 teams(multiple All Star Games for 3),and with their 3rd played 3 World Series against the other(homering in 3 of 6 games in the 1st,playing in the last year with their team in the last).Name them,oldest first! | Reggie Smith and Reggie Jackson |
| 6/19/2011 | Like father,like father!Today we salute 2 same-name father-son World Series pitching duos.The 1st had consecutive 17 win seasons,ending careers with one year,one game over .500,same N.L team stints.The 2nd is the only World Champion pitching pair,ending careers with one year,one decision,same NL team stints.Name those dads! | Jim Bagby and Pedro Borbon |
| 6/18/2011 | The 1956 White Sox hold the modern record for home runs by a pitching staff with 12.The only right-handed homer came from this man with this distinction:1st pitcher selected for 3 straight All Star games,each with a different team!Give the name of this hurler with the same given name as another multiple team All Star. | Jim Wilson |
| 6/17/2011 | Good Shabbos!Two Jewish pitchers(same last name)had last year Chicago highlights.The 1st pitched a scoreless Series inning his last game,the 2nd beat Sandy Koufax for his last win.Name these two and the gentle Gentile(last name same as 1st man's first)appearing in the latter game,whose Series game K mark would be broken by Sandy! | Erskine Mayer and Ed Mayer and Carl Erskine |
| 6/16/2011 | Sharing birthdays(born in '60's),each had 2 tours(with Royals in between)with 1st team,playing for them in their most heartbreaking season(1 out from Series!)along with a 14 time All Star playing in his last year for them.Which 1st sackers(careers including three 20 homer,2 straight 100 RBI years)take today's cake? | Wally Joyner and Kevin Young |
| 6/15/2011 | A 1.000 BOP has always symbolized offensive excellence,but what's batting immortality about?Having one more base than out!BOD(Bases Batting-Outs Batting Differential)highlights pure hitting,with DD(Diametric Differential),opposing HR's and K's,its secret subset.Who's history's only man with a lifetime BOD>0 and fewer homer bases(HR x 4) than strikeouts,or DD<0? | Jim Thome |
| 6/14/2011 | Skills similar(.260-hitting basestealers),over 100 years apart,our centerfielders are 1)the only man in history with his last name and 2)the only man with his first name.And the last name of the 1st is the 1st name of the 2nd!Who are these men with 1)over 30 SB's his last year and 2)5 SB's in a game his rookie year? | Charlie Dexter and Dexter Fowler |
| 6/13/2011 | It happened(what are the odds?)over 80 years ago on this very day.May we all live to see it again!Two former batting champs(1st hit .379,2nd hit .378) and future one time All Stars and HOF'ers were traded for each other,yet later were pennant-winning OF teammates known by their nicknames!Who were they? | Goose Goslin and Heinie Manush |
| 6/12/2011 | More Birthday Biz!For the 1st of his 3 teams,this lefty hitting outfielder hit 10 HR in 56 post-season games,including 3 as a DH during his team's most recent winning World Series(over a team that has won but two).An All Star for that team,with one 30 homer year,he celebrates today!Know two men(!) this describes? | Ryan Klesko and Hideki Matsui |
| 6/11/2011 | For birthday dad Sy(Seymour),our present profile:New York City(where he died)hero,former star hurler ending his playing days there a slugging outfielder,brief(13H)last season with Boston Braves.League best pitcher in opponent BA,league best hitter in BA,who's this man who threw and batted left and isn't Babe Ruth(!),despite all this evidence? | Cy Seymour |
| 6/10/2011 | Two more "Bad Boys"(Men?)and their "arrestingly" similar tales!Who are these All Star game DH's,both centerfielders toiling for 8 teams(4 AL,4 NL),playing in Chicago and Montreal with best years in Texas(17th in MVP voting),ending careers in Seattle with lifetime BA's of .271,but better known for terrible tempers and jail time? | Carl Everett and Milton Bradley |
| 6/9/2011 | "More cons than pros"could best describe this duo that had it all,before their reps were ruined by rap sheets!Not lauding defrauding,please identify from baseball's "lineup" the 3 time All Star selections(rhyming 1st names)who won World Series rings before age 25,the pitcher a 2 time league win leader,the hitter a 2 time league hit leader. | Denny McLain and Lenny Dykstra |
| 6/8/2011 | What's the only stat that expresses the supreme singularity of Carlos Delgado's 4 HR game of 2003?It's the pre-BOP(1976)BAR(Base/Appearance Relation),which gives Carlos the only full game,1.000 score(16 of 16 base chances)ever,among 4,840,612 player games(of which .9999999 failed Delgado's BAR!).Who has the next best(.900)BAR game? | Joe Adcock |
| 6/7/2011 | The opposing,future HOF centerfielders in the '54 World Series inspired names for newborns,one days after the 1st star won his ring,another in the city where the 2nd shone!'70's rookies,the "named-afters"(the 1st a Series star)would play for 3 teams,each with a last name of the above immortals as his middle name!Who are they? | Willie Aikens and Larry Johnson |
| 6/6/2011 | Remembering hero Yogi on D-Day,especially his 1st World Series.Never have W.S. catching duties been so divided,as his backups included 2 men who started 2 games each(the 1st an All Star that year,the 2nd a future A.S.)and another who had been awarded a Silver Star and would become Berra's manager!Name them. | Aaron Robinson and Sherm Lollar and Ralph Houk |
| 6/5/2011 | Today we remember 2 men from the "Greatest Generation"on their shared birthday,both known for amazing comebacks.The 1st(who passed away in April at 94)retired after a record-low BA,the 2nd barely survived war injuries to make the majors.Who are the two fate later brought together as friends teammates and All Stars? | Eddie Joost and Lou Brissie |
| 6/4/2011 | National heroes Marichal and Guillen are related not only by "common uniqueness"(Juan's only pitcher with 6 years >20 W,.600 W/L,200 K,with ERA<2.50,Ozzie's only player to be All Star,Gold Glover,Rookie of Year and world champ manager for same team),but by virtue of both being related(by marriage) to World Series sweep final game winners!Name them. | Jose Rijo and Freddy Garcia |
| 6/3/2011 | Giving them their due,they deserve a day!Which 2 shortstops began careers in '92,non-All Stars starring with the Sox,ending careers with the Mets?Same initials,same last name,each had a cycle and a 3 homer game,the 1st with an unassisted triple play,the 2nd with 3 games switch-hitting HR's! | John Valentin and Jose Valentin |
| 6/2/2011 | Same day doubled!June 2nd(the day he sadly died,1941)is the day Lou Gehrig's streak began(1925).Also this day saw two travelled righties(top W/L NL year,career with Cardinals)hit 4 batters in one game!The 1st later set a World Series relief K mark,the 2nd would become a 20 win All Star before his tragic death.Recall the two. | Moe Drabowsky and Darryl Kile |
| 6/1/2011 | They put the "D" in D-BOP!All things considered,the Barry Code considers Diamond Base-Out Percentage(check it out!)the "Dean of BOP Stats" because it considers all things.Joe D.(naturally!)tops career "D-BOPpers" with last names starting with "D"(winning the '39 Diamond Diamond for best D-BOP).Who are the next two(one recently retired,one not)? | Carlos Delgado and Adam Dunn |
| 5/31/2011 | Don't believe it or do!Who was chosen an All Star pitcher the year he lost his 1st 10 decisions,during a 7-20 season?Hint #1:the previous year he won the All Star game,during a 13-17 season.Hint #2:the year(not All Star)before that was the only one over .500(.609!) of his 10 year career. | Eddie Smith |
| 5/30/2011 | On this Memorial Day,our "Diamond Stars" are two World Series and All Star rivals who played their 1st 12 seasons in New York but more importantly,served proudly and bravely at Okinawa.Both won World Series rings as '50's players(against each other!)and '60's managers(their teams winning 4 straight!).Whom shall we remember today? | Hank Bauer and Gil Hodges |
| 5/29/2011 | Happiest Birthdays to one league leader in BOP,one other in 2B's.Both played for 5 teams in '90's(with one .300 year),famous for final game World Series defensive moments(winning rings with Paul O'Neill).Name these men(never teammates,yet both losing to Indians in '97 AL playoffs!)having 2 tours with their 1st teams,ending their careers in 2001. | Eric Davis and Charlie Hayes |
| 5/28/2011 | Yesterday's 43rd birthday needs more celebrating!Just think of '94:MVP,All Star 1st Baseman,league leader in R,SLG,and OPS(and in BOP,B-BOP,and BAM!).His last year with them brought his 1st pennant with the team he leads in career HR's,RBI,and BB.And so we salute Frank Thomas.Now name his "statistical twin" all the above describes! | Jeff Bagwell |
| 5/27/2011 | In 1999,twenty game winner Pedro Martinez of Boston led the league in W/L Pct. and was the winning pitcher(with 2 scoreless innings)at Fenway.Who's the other 20 win,W/L leader(like Pedro,led AL in SHO's next year!)to win the All Star Game(with 3 scoreless innings)in his team's city? | Ray Herbert |
| 5/26/2011 | Rustle up one two game and two one game career wonders!Start with two '30's stars having two 200 H,100 RBI seasons(oone led league in RBI,one in H).Name their sons,one-time battery of the 2 game pitcher(1.000 W/L)and 1 game catcher(1.000 BA),and the pitcher with the catcher's last name,the only one gamer with a save and RBI! | Hal Trosky and Chuck Lindstrom and Axel Lindstrom |
| 5/25/2011 | A tale of 2 second sackers,6 years together in Pittsburgh(traded in same,final Pirate year to AL),with .724 OPS careers.Each had a 162 game season,leading league's 2nd basemen in PO,A,and E.The Ist was an All Star,the 2nd his backup,both with same names as singers with two #1 hits!Name them. | Johnny Ray and Jim Morrison |
| 5/24/2011 | Ohio-born(same 1st name),these 2 Indian rightfielders(threw right,batted left)played in Cleveland with Nap Lajoie,but were not teammates.Name both the HOF'er(played with Cy Young)with the lowest ever AL leading SLG %,and the only man(played with Babe Ruth)with an extra base hit in 7 straight at bats streak/WS grand slammer(history's 1st!)combo. | Elmer Flick and Elmer Smith |
| 5/23/2011 | On his birthday,we realize in his only year in the league he became the only man on a pennant-winning team to lead the league in walks and hit-by-pitch!Amazingly,the next rare BB,HBP league leader(uniquely,R and SB leader too!)played the same position for the same team.Who the two? | Dummy Hoy and Johnny Mostil |
| 5/22/2011 | We thank Stanley,today's question donor,a Man from Donora,PA(birthplace of Griffeys Sr.and Jr.!).Name 2 more Musial inspired,a St.Louis boy who watched(and later matched!)his 5 HR doubleheader,and the only Donora native(2 Giant HR's,2 Giant TD's in '45!)to play against Stan,the only of the aforementioned 4 with a .300 last season BA. | Steve Filipowicz |
| 5/21/2011 | NL All Stars over 50 years ago connect by name to recently retired AL immortal!Identify our slugger(retiree's full name)and fastballer(his same nickname!),facing each other often during the former's last 3 of his 9 over-20 HR years,which were the latter's 1st 3 over-10 W years of his 9 winning seasons. | Frank Thomas and Stan Williams |
| 5/20/2011 | Opposing aces 9 years in the same city,these two played on world champs,facing each other in a Series game.Who had both same 1st name and nickname,leading league in W/L Pct.(same year!)and opponents' BA(<.200!),ending together as 0-1 Braves and,respectively,were history's only "doubleheader shutout" and "toughest to score against" pitchers? | Ed Reulbach and Ed Walsh |
| 5/19/2011 | Two NL teams with 1901-60 MLB-record 221 HR seasons featured lefty-swinging 1st basemen playing 15 years,ending careers with AL teams(where each had 3 HR World Series!).Who are these Big(from nicknames)stars,both having MLB-leading HR and RBI years,the only men ever having consecutive "40 homers with fewer strikeouts" seasons? | Johnny Mize and Ted Kluszewski |
| 5/18/2011 | Appraising renowned "3 different decade diamonds" in diamond history,like Jim Palmer's World Series wins or George Brett's batting crowns,let's eye one jewel more closely.Name the forever memorable righty slugger(Brett's teammate)lastly joining lefty counterparts Babe Ruth,Ted Williams and Mel Ott in one great group:AB/HR ratio league leaders in 3 different decades! | Harmon Killebrew |
| 5/17/2011 | This All Star outfield constellation(same 1st names)proved not as starry,respectively,as 1)his famous family members,2)his rookie record-breaking,and 3)his other sport career.Who's this vincible trio with high K's and low BA's,yet all showing glove and basepath skills and shining with .500 or better(!)All Star BA's? | Vince DiMaggio and Vince Coleman and Bo Jackson |
| 5/16/2011 | Whether games,seasons,or careers,our subject stands out!His 6 straight 3 hit games remain unsurpassed,and he's the last man leading MLB in BA,OBP,and SLG with more RBI than games in a season.And,he's the only infielder to reach 3000 H,300 HR,and .300 BA for a career!Who's the man?(It's not Stan!) | George Brett |
| 5/15/2011 | Matter of life and death:Hall of Famer's birthday today prompts our saluting his lifelong hero!Name the youngest World Series pitcher,the only hurler homering in 4 straight starts,the baseball nomad with 10 teams(always >.500 in NL,never in AL!),and the practical-joking All Star winner leaving us much too soon... | Ken Brett |
| 5/14/2011 | What's in a name?Other names!Our"now unknown"hitter had the first and last name,respectively,of 2 W.S. opposing HOF sluggers(each with over 150 RBI in the same consecutive years!).Our"recently forgotten"pitcher had the first and last name,respectively,of 2 same-franchise "triple crown" HOF aces!Who are today's mortals? | Hack Simmons and Sandy Vance |
| 5/13/2011 | A "Daily Triple" to celebrate today's 64th birthday of a pitcher(Sandy's initials!)making long-lasting marks in his shortened career.Who in successive years 1)pitched a shutout his 1st start fanning only future HOF'ers,2)notched a win retiring his only batter faced on a triple play,and 3)got a save hitting a 3 run homer? | Steve Kealey |
| 5/12/2011 | A "20 year lefty" and multiple All Star,pitching for both Cards(won '60's W.S. ring)and Phils(led MLB once with 6 shutouts),briefly in Chicago,and his nemesis,an MVP(and MLB HR and RBI champ)righty slugger who began with Cincy and had two 3 homer games against him?Steve Carlton and Johnny Bench,of course!But who are another 2 fitting each clue? | Curt Simmons and Hank Sauer |
| 5/11/2011 | North Carolina-born,both played mainly for the Cardinals,righty throwers with career BA's of .241.One(teammate of Ken Boyer)was replaced as manager by Joe Torre,teammate of the other(managed by Ken Boyer),but like their namesake boxers never opposed each other.Name them.(Think undefeated heavyweight champs unifying titles beating undefeated lineal champs!) | Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson |
| 5/10/2011 | These 2 White Sox southpaws threw one-hitters 74 years apart(vs. Walter Johnson,Tommy John respectively).With identical initials and last names,each still burns in Baseball's memory:the 1st the only lefty with a qualifying ERA<2.00 his 1st 2 years,the 2nd the only lefty with at least 15 wins his rookie and final years!Name both. | Bill Burns and Britt Burns |
| 5/9/2011 | Continuing with Ted Williams' "final day" dramas,his immortal 1960 last career at-bat homer also made Barry Code history.The solo shot brought his Scoring Average(RT/AB-H)over .300 in a record 4th decade!Who's the tarnished legend with a higher final season ScAv,a left-handed hitter matching "Teddy Ballgame"with his colorful nickname and besting him in lifetime BA? | Joe Jackson |
| 5/8/2011 | Who at 22(now 92!)kept Ted Williams from a "Magic Four Hundred" his last at-bat on 1941's final day?Didn't Ted pass .400 that sacred Sunday?Yes,but his EBOD(Essential Base-Out Differential)fell from 400 to 399 when this pitcher retired him!Whose last career win that day toppled Lefty Grove in his last career game? | Fred Caligiuri |
| 5/7/2011 | Without much power(no 20 HR years)or speed(no 10 SB years),he won two 20th century races,becoming the 1st player hitting leadoff and walkoff homers in the same game(on this day in '57)and the 1st(in '58)with 2 steals of home,including a walkoff,in the same game!Who's this victor,the 1st Puerto Rican All Star? | Vic Power |
| 5/6/2011 | On Willie Mays' 80th birthday,we celebrate baseball's greatest player!Let's not forget today's birthday of Willie's historical teammate,a truly Giant pitcher(last name also begins with M,but not HOF'ers McGinnity,Mathewson,Marichal or 20 gamers Marquard,Melton,McCormick!).Who had a WHIP<1.000 and SO/BB>4.000 in a groundbreaking career ended at age 21? | Masanori Murakami |
| 5/5/2011 | Cinco de Mayo inspires today's quiz.Both Mexican 2nd basemen were 1st time All Stars(2nd time later with Indians)during a 2nd straight .300 year.Each played one World Series and one NL season,the 1st a teammate of HOF'ers Larry Doby and Bob Lemon,the 2nd managed by them.Naturally,each played with Mexican League star Minnie Minoso!Quienes son? | Bobby Avila and Jorge Orta |
| 5/4/2011 | What stories behind the stats of 2 Jewish heroes with a same last name that no other player ever had!They both made but one 1st season plate appearance,the 1st(as a teenager vs. HOF'er Ruffing)with an out starting a career as history's RBI/PA king,the 2nd(75 years later)reaching base but never playing in the majors again!Name destiny's duo. | Hank Greenberg and Adam Greenberg |
| 5/3/2011 | Let's recall today 3 1st basemen("3" on your scorecard!)unsurpassed for game RBI highs in team history.The 1st(Cardinals)had an unprecedented 12 RBI,6 for 6 game.The 2nd(Giants) drove in a Jewish record 11.The 3rd(White Sox)had two 8 RBI games the same season.Who are these "bats left,throws left" record holders? | Jim Bottomley and Phil Weintraub and Jim Spencer |
| 5/2/2011 | With the same name(and same nickname!),these 2 grizzled righties forged winning records with their famous curveballs.Starting with Cleveland(both Ohio-born),pitching for 6 teams,they were MLB leaders who threw no-hitters,had 20 win(and loss!)seasons,and pitched in Chicago.Name our sadly departed men in sameness joined. | Sam Jones and Sam Jones |
| 5/1/2011 | Who are the two?Same initials,same position,one a baseball lifer managing 2 teams,the other a smooth fielder in the disco era,both last donning uniforms in the 80's.The 1st(played with Willie and Mickey)led the league in G,2B's,and FA.The 2nd(played with F.Robby and Reggie)led in G,HR's,and FA.Name these baseball Bee-Gees! | Billy Gardner and Bobby Grich |
| 4/30/2011 | All Stars their 1st years with the White Sox(with next-year AS appearances)while leading them to winning seasons 4 years apart,these non-teammates had final 100 RBI years with the Pale Hose.Both had their sole 30 HR years in Chicago,each hitting homers out of Comiskey Park!Clue-wise,most importantly(evidently),their last names rhyme!Who are our heroes? | Richie Zisk and Carlton Fisk |
| 4/29/2011 | The only man to play in 3 different cities for the same franchise was not only the only man to hit his 500th HR off a HOF'er but the only man with 400 HR's to play for W.S. champs from each league and the only man as a position player to have the number 41 retired!Who was this brave and only man? | Eddie Mathews |
| 4/28/2011 | Our #1 birthday today has to be that of The Don,that "math celebrity" behind the Barry Code! In tribute,our Daily Diamond answer has the same last name(and rhyming 1st name)as our star celebrant.Who's the youngest position player on his pennant-winning team whose 1st big league start brought his only big league hit? | John Sevcik |
| 4/27/2011 | Those "Wriggly Cubbies"are but part of Wrigley Field history.Name our 2 slugging outfielders playing their home games there(each played for the White Sox).The 1st (a Federal case!)hit one HR as a Cub,yet led the league in HR's playing in that precious park.The 2nd topped his team's "Five Wrigley Field 20 Homer Hollywood Bombers" and never played for the Cubs! | Dutch Zwilling and Leon Wagner |
| 4/26/2011 | A HA moment!As Barry Coders know,Hitting Average(HA) trumps batting average(and slugging percentage).Its TB/(AB-H) formula determines the hitting title.Notice Tony Gwynn with 8 league batting titles but no hitting crown,and Babe Ruth with 9 hitting titles and one batting crown!Who reached double figure league leaderships in both BA and HA? | Ty Cobb |
| 4/25/2011 | "Birthday Boy" and "Atta Boy"are April 25th heroes.Both pitchers(same 1st name)made marks in Yankee franchise history.The 1st,whose birthday is today,holds the team season mark for lowest RA/IP.(His last name matches a Yankee HOF'er)The 2nd broke in on this day with both a 16-0 shutout and 4 for 4 game!Who are the terrific two? | Russ Ford and Russ Van Atta |
| 4/24/2011 | On this special Sunday,our remembering of him transcends his tragic murder.Look at baseball's Book of Luke to find Roy Hobbs in reality,a 35 year old lefty-hitting rookie slugger!Whose luscious stats(1st 2 full years over 100 RBI)include a 31 HR high his final triumphant season,for which he was named Sporting News AL Player of the Year? | Luke Easter |
| 4/23/2011 | Playing against both famous(Mantle)and infamous(Rose)the same year,today he's mentioned in the same sentence!Surrounded by stars(including teammates Musial and Banks),this mortal among immortals became the 1st NL hitter(before "Charlie Hustle") to homer from both sides of the plate in one game two consecutive years(following Mickey's AL footsteps).Name this jewel of a journeyman. | Ellis Burton |
| 4/22/2011 | In his 10th(and final All Star)season,this right-handed hitter was sensational,becoming the only man to lead the majors in runs scored while attaining 200 H,40 HR's,30 SB's and a 1.000 OPS!Clues?A)Who he's not:Aaron or A-Rod,so let's go to B),the letter starting his last name,and he's not Ellis Burton!Who can he be? | Ellis Burks |
| 4/21/2011 | This righty saved his best for the Big Apple,joining All Stars Jim Konstanty, Spud Chandler and Ron Davis as the only Yankee "3 years or more" hurlers with a W/L Pct. of .700 or better and an ERA under 3.00(only our man was under 2.00!) during their N.Y. careers.He also joined HOF'ers Miller Huggins and Phil Rizzuto in the "Little Yankee" pantheon.Anagrammatically,you've "been freed" answering this! | Fred Beene |
| 4/20/2011 | These 2 flamethrowers are linked by striking similarities,beginning with their last name near-rhyme,continuing with nearly exact IP totals(176.2,176.0)while allowing 178 baserunners in their identical 1.99 ERA years!So who are these '60's and 70's righty rivals whose top ERA's are each unsurpassed in their teams' histories over spans of over 75 seasons? | Bobby Bolin and Gary Nolan |
| 4/19/2011 | Don't pass over the question!A pitcher had a combined 0.00 ERA for regular season and World Series play while,across town,a 1st baseman had a grand total .000 BA(scoring his 1st run in W.S.!).Our 1st guy began in !948,the year our 2nd's father won his W.S.ring.Each played with 2 pennant winners,1 world champ.Know either,both? | Alex Konikowski and Mike Hegan |
| 4/18/2011 | He was not Marichal,but still was "Juanderful"as Puerto Rico's greatest pitcher.This All Star "Conquistador"(recalling his namesake in world history)threw one-hitters for both Chicago teams.He is the only pitcher ever to win 2 games(1 with Sox,1 with Cubs)shutting out opponents while homering and accounting for all RBI in each game!Who's the lefty-hitting lefty? | Juan Pizarro |
| 4/17/2011 | This "Family Robinson!"Following in Jackie Robinson's footsteps,both these Robinsons had(like Jackie)one 100 RBI year,but were never All Stars(unlike Jackie,Aaron,Eddie and Frank!).Each outfielder played for 4 teams and had consecutive .300 seasons.How best to differentiate?The 1st(batted left)had a 6 for 6 game,the 2nd(batted right)had a 3 HR game.Any guesses? | Floyd Robinson and Bill Robinson |
| 4/16/2011 | "More Family Ties,or Assault by Imaginary Battery!"A pitcher hit the only HR of his long career off his HOF brother.A catcher(whose son hit 5 HR's in 2 days!)also hit but one ball out of the park during his short career,yet hit the 1st pitch he ever saw for an inside-the-parker off a HOF'er presidentially christened!Name our "sluggers." | Joe Niekro and Walter Mueller |
| 4/15/2011 | 4 things 2 times about#42:Ist man with 4 honors of All Star,ROY,MVP,and HOF and only man starting W.S.games at 4 positions!On his special Day,Jackie Robinson remains the trailblazer for trailblazers,like today's birthdayer,the 1st Buddhist All Star and all-time L.A.Dodger leader in H,R,and TB.Who,pray tell,is he?(Don't tax yourself!) | Willie Davis |
| 4/14/2011 | White Sox HOF knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm was never an All Star with the team,but two "flutterballing"teammates each won "Fireman of the Year."The 1st won 20 games 4 straight years,the 2nd had winning years for all his 6 teams,while doing baseball's best Donald Duck imitation(though he couldn't sing like his namesake!)Don't knuckle under!Who's who? | Wilbur Wood and Eddie Fisher |
| 4/13/2011 | Here's one easy but fun!We're looking for 2 past 1st basemen with 1st names spelled the same,yet pronounced differently.Each is connected to a current 1st sacker(no prince of a fielder,remaining nameless)who,like the 1st,"all-starred and playoffed" for the same franchise and,like the 2nd,had a 50 homer year.Name carefully both these former MLB RBI champions. | Cecil Cooper and Cecil Fielder |
| 4/12/2011 | Today,"Rarity Redoubled,or Supreme Incidence of Coincidence!"Who are the two who the same year became the only players ever to hit two 2 run homers in the first inning while batting 2nd?(Hint after hint:Both,brother All Stars the next year,hit their HR's in no out and two out situations,batting before former All Star centerfielders traded for each other!) | Bret Boone and Aaron Boone |
| 4/11/2011 | Same last name,different pronunciation?(Lefebvre?Salmon?No!)Our casting spelled,our spelling cast,presenting our"dissimilar similarity":3- HR-gamers,Starting careers with Giants before 2 season Chicago stints,both fine hitters(rookie years of .358 and .330)led leagues in hits and hitting,respectively,their lone W.S.ending in winning sweeps(.389,.429 BA's)while batting in lineups with future 500 HR club members!Name them correctly. | Don Mueller and Bill Mueller |
| 4/10/2011 | Who it isn't may help us with who it is!Can you name both the Hall of Fame pitcher with the only year striking out more than 250 batters while allowing less than 1.50 runs per 9 innings(Walter Johnson just missed!),and the Latin All Star with the only year with a Batting Average Plus On Base Percentage Against(APOA) of less than .400(Luis Tiant just missed!)? | Bob Gibson and Pedro Martinez |
| 4/9/2011 | He's the only man ever to pitch in winning(Sorry,"Wild Thing"Charlie Sheen!)World Series for 3 different teams,the only to win 2 LCS and 2 WS games the same year,the only to have 3 straight 20 win seasons in the '80's(and last to have 4 straight).Who is the righty with this distinctively(next word,last clue!)eurythmic,i.e.,harmoniously ordered,career? | Dave Stewart |
| 4/8/2011 | Today's birthday bows for Cy Young honorees Jim "Catfish" Hunter and "King Felix"Hernandez propel our pitching question.Hunter and Hernandez,as young righthanders during their teams last place travails,could not accomplish what this current pitcher did by compiling his league's best W/L % while his team had its worst!Who's our temperamental righty,history's only hurler to attain this feat? | Carlos Zambrano |
| 4/7/2011 | Junior became Senior when he assumed franchise leadership playing in his 4th winning World Series.The only first year 100 BB/20 SB man ever,his 7 straight years leading the league in BB-SO differential set a major league record.Who was this oldest member of baseball's 1st all switch-hitting infield,his number retired after dying much too young? | Jim Gilliam |
| 4/6/2011 | The father-to-son connections that fuel today's question begin with the "Father of the Athletics,"Connie Mack.Both his son,a catcher when the "Mackmen"were in Philadelphia,and an outfielder(also having an MLB family member)with the franchise's Oakland incarnation,played in their final seasons(84 years apart!)for the A's,each without a hit.Who were these men,truly of Mack? | Earle Mack and Shane Mack |
| 4/5/2011 | These HOF'ers(same position)were traded for each other.By career's end,each accumulated a Super Grand Total(regular season,post-season,All Star)of 2942 hits,won a 7 game World Series(same team)as a .300 hitting player-manager in his 2nd season managing,became the other's .300 hitting teammate and managed the Cubs in 3 seasons!Name both stars in these "beyond coincidence"careers. | Rogers Hornsby and Frankie Frisch |
| 4/4/2011 | These righty workhorses(each with 3 year streaks of>200 IP)had their only >.600 W/L% season with the exact same 2.91 ERA,pitching in 2 LCS and 2 WS games as World Champion teammates.Traded to the Reds,they moved to the Mariners 3 years later,before ending their 7 team careers.Know by now these not-so-tiny (6'3")Tims? | Tim Leary and Tim Belcher |
| 4/3/2011 | Wow!A crucial part of baseball history was named for this Hall of Famer.Pitching and managing for the pennant-winning Chicago White Stockings in their(and the league's)1st year,he led the league in W/L Pct.He was later an influential owner.But this amazing case of "Doubled Identity"describes more than one man!(Can this be?Read the history!)Who(whew!)are the two? | Al Spalding and Clark Griffith |
| 4/2/2011 | Our hitter had MLB's top BA year through 9 seasons, our pitcher MLB's top ERA year through 16! Their one qualifying season together, despite team leading BB's and SO's respectively, wasn't part of each one's 7-time All Star history with that franchise. The 1st was team career game leader,the 2nd team career SO leader (both besting HOF'ers!). To whom (each with retired numbers) do we sing Happy Birthday today? | Luke Appling and Billy Pierce |
| 4/1/2011 | No fooling on this devilish day,so let's reveal statistical secrets previously unknown even,the Code ventures,by their prolix perpetrators!Each of these former All Stars,doing play-by-play for the same team,holds distinctions.The 1st is the only MLB RBI leader with a 1.000 FA,the 2nd is the only 30 save reliever with more BB's than K's!Who are they? | Ken Harrelson and Ed Farmer |
| 3/31/2011 | Let's play an Opening Day Same Name Game,starring 2 players with sons following in fathers' footsteps.The 1st won a W.S. ring with the Yanks,shining in 20's Chi-Town with consecutive 150+hit years like his son in the 40's.The 2nd won a W.S.ring against the Yanks for the Braves before becoming Atlanta's announcer,siring their future announcer!So who's who? | Ernie Johnson and Ernie Johnson |
| 3/30/2011 | These 4 "Oklahoma Kids,"two sets of brothers,seem fated by the number-gods to enlighten us with today's "coincidental question" and anti-climactic answer.Each sibling duo featured one All Star.The1st consisted of outfielders with the same career BA,the 2nd of pitchers with the same career ERA!Who were the 2 non-All Stars?(To misquote Casey,"You should look it up!") | Roy Johnson and Von McDaniel |
| 3/29/2011 | Did you know only ten living pitchers with over 2000 lifetime innings pitched have both won-lost percentages over .500 and earned run averages under 3.00?Who is the chairman of this select group,leading in both W/L% and ERA while pitching over 3000 innings?Conclusive Clue?He barely edges two living immortals whose careers started with the Dodgers in these respective categories! | Whitey Ford |
| 3/28/2011 | This pitcher finally had a winning N.L.season with the 2nd of his N.L.teams,before his winning year with the White Sox.But it's his hitless All Star game that,in baseball annals,is etched in stone!He ended his career with the Orioles(hitting hint:22 lifetime RBI).Which 2 two-decade,"same-last-name"men befit such a rare rundown? | Dean Stone and Steve Stone |
| 3/27/2011 | The only MLB gentleman with this legendary heavyweight champ's nickname, he made 4 stops in his career, playing for a HOF'er each time! Who was this man who hit for both his 1st team's 1st cycle and 1st 3 HR game, and then became the only Chicago player from 1931-71 with a year (the same one his hit won the All Star game!) surpassing a 1.000 OPS? | Jim Hickman |
| 3/26/2011 | It was once well-known he was 1 of 3 with teenage and 40 yr.old HR's,uniquely playing 500+games with 4 teams.We've just gotten rusty!But unbeknownst,his 4000+Reached Bases and 4000+Total Bases combo,totalling 8000+Essential Bases(from the Code's EBOP,victor over OPS!)is unmatched among non-HOFer's who have been HOF eligible.Who's this famously nicknamed man,grandly coloring baseball? | Rusty Staub |
| 3/25/2011 | Stars from the same time,their names always rhyme!These"20 year men"both appear on the all-time rosters of 3 clubs for which they did not play together,playing against each other in 3 straight All Star games.The 1st has the most hits and RBI of any player voted off the HOF ballot,the 2nd has the most SB's of anyone still on!Who are they? | Harold Baines and Tim Raines |
| 3/24/2011 | We're remembering the 3 man Sisler family on .400 hitting HOF'er George's birthday,but thinking of another left-handed hitting,HOF multiple batting titlist and his baseball relatives.Both his brother and his son played for the team he did for 20 years.All 3 "bats left"outfielders hit over .300 in post-season play(our immortal with the lowest BA!).Who are these 21st century family members? | Tony Gwynn and Chris Gwynn and Tony Gwynn Jr. |
| 3/23/2011 | Two managers married actresses who starred(one on stage,one on screen)with Gregory Peck.More importantly,baseball-wise,they both managed future winning World Series managers!Each of our subjects furnished our culture with an immortal quote:the 1st,"Nice guys finish last!"and the 2nd,"If I had a little humility,I'd be perfect."Who are they(the managers,not the actresses!)? | Leo Durocher and Ted Turner |
| 3/22/2011 | These Pennsylvania boys,surprisingly signed in the '40's(each weighing less than 140 lbs!),were low minor league teammates before nondescript Philadelphia rookie years under history's top owner-manager,and worse followup seasons.Yet our"Little Big Men"became All Stars,and by the end of the 50's played in World Series,won Gold Gloves,and were MVP's!Who were the two authoring these inspiring success stories? | Nellie Fox and Bobby Shantz |
| 3/21/2011 | Their careers began with other teams but,in the Ist of 2 tours of duty in the same city,each of these OF'ers stole over 30 bases for the same over 90 win team(whose flychasers did it nearly 90 years before!)in the 90's.Traded to the opposite league,each became an All Star starter.Who are these three amigos from different countries,left to right? | Ivan Calderon and Lance Johnson and Sammy Sosa |
| 3/20/2011 | Can you name a famous first baseman(batted and threw left)who hit a grand total of 503 home runs(493 regular season,10 post-season),a multiple HR champ and All Star?More?Signed as teenager by Yankees,hit 20 HR in Ist full season,Ist 30 homer year(he had ten)at age 24,finished career in city he was born,great nickname!Can you name two? | Lou Gehrig and Fred McGriff |
| 3/19/2011 | They both ended their "pre-rookie seasons" with shutouts,but that's not all!Clinching today's"striking similarity award" are the usual expected coincidences:2-0 record,2 complete games(with a 15 K gem!),pitching in a winning World Series for the same franchise and(highest hint)for one of the team's two-decade HOF managers.Who are our "Double O" fast starters? | Karl Spooner and Burt Hooton |
| 3/18/2011 | Today,initially remembering fondly a great M.M. who in his best managerial year managed a great M.M. following his best playing year.He also managed a hitting immortal before replacing another hitting immortal the next year in the same city!He held the ultimate runner-up record(finishing 2nd in the MLB FA standings 7 straight years),but was a 3 time W.S.champ and MVP.Who was he? | Marty Marion |
| 3/17/2011 | On this Day of St.Patrick,no question if our answer ain't Patrick!Who's this Hit and SB leader,the 1st 20th century man to lead his league in Runs two straight years,1st to play in 2 World Series,1st on two different champion teams,1st to homer twice in a Series(and same game!),but never reaching two HR's leading his team four straight years in BA? | Patsy Dougherty |
| 3/16/2011 | He was voted the greatest left-handed pitcher in his team's history in 1969,but today somehow seems forgotten.On the same staff with Cy Young,Babe Ruth,and Walter Johnson during his career,he did something they(and every other pitcher ever)never did:winning 20 or more games his 1st three years!Who is this only player to have his unique first name? | Vean Gregg |
| 3/15/2011 | No one in world history has come close to his first year feat of surpassing both 20 HR's and 40 SB's!Traditional(.926 OPS)or Codell(1.077 BOP)stats show him well above that year's ROY(and future HOF'er).Playing an Angel in a movie with an Oscar winner,batting coach for a batting immortal,he will not be gone or forgotten on the Barry Code!Who is he? | Mitchell Page |
| 3/14/2011 | Our Gang of Two?Span keys to unlock answer:same nickname,same first name,began careers in same decade,lefthanded hitters with more lifetime BB's than SO's(never reaching 4 HR's in a year!),Gold Glove winners and FA leaders,caught for same team(played one post-season and 10th season with them).One more little rascal of a clue?Both fielded 1.000 as 3rd basemen!Who are they? | Mike Squires and Mike LaValliere |
| 3/13/2011 | Like that elephant in the room,the Barry Code never forgets:Happy Birthday,Brothers!Each of these partial-season pitchers,who had a famous pitching brother with All Star and World Series appearances(plus 4 straight 15+win years),was born on this day in the same city as his sibling.They both pitched for their brothers' teams,but not as their teammates!Who are today's birthday boys? | Carlos Pascual and Dennis OToole |
| 3/12/2011 | Playing alongside Babe Ruth as the Bambino destroyed the single-season HR record and historically linked(like Lou Gehrig)to Ruth and Joe Dimaggio,Francesco Stephano Pezzolo of San Francisco was the 1st in the long line of Yankee Italian stars.He made his own home run mark as the only player ever to lead the majors in road homers without hitting one at home!What was his baseball name? | Ping Bodie |
| 3/11/2011 | These two strong-armed,right-handed throwing right fielders played in N.Y. their first 2 years.Both went on to have eight 20+homer and two 150+ strikeout seasons as well as one All Star appearance,becoming the 1st two players ever to retire with more than 300 HR's and less than 1000 RBI's.Who are these sluggers with the same initials? | Jay Buhner and Jeromy Burnitz |
| 3/10/2011 | Since 1940,his 440 RBI over a three year span is unmatched.Solve the mystery!Who is this hidden hero of baseball history?(Heroic hint?He is the only player of his storied team ever to have consecutive years 70+extra base hits and 140+ runs batted in) | Vern Stephens |
| 3/9/2011 | From "Barry and the Hendersons":Who is the only one of the four Henderson outfielders playing(like the"Hendersons"movie!)in the 80's who did not have a 20 homer season during his career?(Hint?He had the highest lifetime BA of the group!) | Steve Henderson |
| 3/8/2011 | Moose Hunting in Chicago!In their 7th years,two sluggers nicknamed Moose,Julius Solters(with a 134 RBI season high)and Walt Dropo(with a high of 144),came to the Windy City,settling for 80 and 79 RBI respectively.But two more Moose(plural for moose!)would come to Chicago and attain All Star status.Who were those fan favorites? | Walt Moryn and Bill Skowron |
| 3/7/2011 | They are the only players ever to have five seasons with both 30 or more HR's and 30 or more SB's.As a related matter of fact,they are the only players ever to have ten seasons with both 20 or more HR's and 20 or more SB's.Giants truly,who are they? | Bobby Bonds and Barry Bonds |
| 3/6/2011 | The parallel paths of a rookie duo numerically even better than 2001's Pujols and Ichiro ended after shining 15 year careers(slugging titles in 10th).Who were these perennial All Star heavy hitters who,as Rookies of the Year the same season,led their respective leagues in runs(Ist of two 100 R years) and total bases(Ist of four 300 TB years)while amassing more than 200 hits? | Dick Allen and Tony Oliva |
| 3/5/2011 | A career surpassing 3000 strikeouts,allowing less than 1000 walks!Something for future flingers to shoot for,accomplished by only four pitchers in history:Fergie Jenkins,Curt Schilling,Greg Maddux,and Pedro Martinez.An even shorter(one-name!)list:the only hurler to do the>3000 SO,<1000 BB combo for one team.Who is this sole man? | John Smoltz |
| 3/4/2011 | Stardom came belatedly for these formerly failed dead-ball Yankee pitchers(later Dodger teammates),arguably history's greatest latecomers.Finally big leaguers for good at age 31,then becoming dominant players(even winning W.S.rings),how they made up for lost time!Who are our hurler,who went on to lead the majors twice in wins,and our hitter,who won 2 MLB batting crowns?(Happy Birthday to each!) | Dazzy Vance and Lefty ODoul |
| 3/3/2011 | Today's question concerns 2 players who roamed the outfield 5 years for the same franchise,gaining cultural fame for religious and patriotic efforts,respectively.The 1st,born on November 19th,set a final year all-time mark of 84 SB and the 2nd,born on November 20th,won a pennant with a 9th inning homer!Who are these "day apart"baseball boys? | Billy Sunday and Rick Monday |
| 3/2/2011 | In !947,two names captured New York.Actress(and baseball fanatic)Tallulah Bankhead(who would later say,"There have only been 2 geniuses,Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare!")starred on Broadway,as Jackie Robinson made world history in Brooklyn.Who was Jackie's Dodger teammate that year who was baseball's Ist black pitcher,homering his Ist at-bat?(Hint:Don't forget Tallulah!) | Dan Bankhead |
| 3/1/2011 | Who's a pitcher born in Chicago,beginning his 10 year career in 1961 with a 7 game stint for Minnesota(where he played 4 seasons),going on to 3 other teams(his 2nd in Ohio,his next-to-last with a 1989 Ist ballot HOF teammate),having a season high of 12 wins,and pitching for the 1970 White Sox his last season?Who are two? | Gerry Arrigo and Lee Stange |
| 2/28/2011 | Of the only eight sluggers with 5 or more consecutive years of 40 or more homers,one stands out today as the only one of them to also be a league leader in Hits,Extra-Base Hits,Walks,Total Bases,Runs,Home Runs,RBI,OBP,SLG and OPS during his great career!Who is this unique man of baseball royalty and blessed memory? | Duke Snider |
| 2/27/2011 | Future archeologists may search the Barry Code in vain to find another such duo!Who were the players comprising the left-handed throwing,left-handed hitting 1st base platoon consisting of two former All Star(4 straight years)batting and on base percentage champions,each hitting over .300 the year of their shared duty and retiring the next season? | Phil Cavarretta and Ferris Fain |
| 2/26/2011 | Special seasons,all around shortstops:Campaneris,Larkin,A-Rod,Rollins,Han-Ram!Collectors of diamond honors and baseball bling,each as an All Star had a 20 HR,30 SB season.But who was the only SS to add a fielding year of 500 assists to that magical mix? | Dickie Thon |
| 2/25/2011 | Same name squared!Today we're not talking of that N.Y.Governor with the same name of his contemporary N.Y.Giant pitcher,but the two(the first also pitched for the Giants!) Cleveland All Stars with that very same name. Both played in 2 losing World Series(including losses to N.Y.) during fine 12 year careers that both started and ended being managed by future Hall of Famers.Who are baseball history's indelible Indians of identical names? | Al Smith and Al Smith |
| 2/24/2011 | "The G-Men:Remembering their Names,or why the seemingly trivial may be the secretly essential..."Today's retiree joined another former infielder,in a perfect "Now and Then" moment,as having the longest last names(by 2 letters!)beginning with the letter "G" to make an All Star team(each doing it only in his 1st full season).Can you name our G-Men? | Mark Grudzielanek and Billy Grabarkewitz |
| 2/23/2011 | A sudden salute to those 5th year rookies!These two teammates each won a Rookie of the Year award for their Ist full year,after four straight seasons of token appearances.They then became All Star teammates in the year that showed another 5th year rookie teammate named Kenworthy unworthy of award consideration.Who are the two 2 time All Stars who so slowly burst into 60's stardom? | Gary Peters and Tommie Agee |
| 2/22/2011 | Who are the two who,beginning as New York infielders,becoming consecutive year All Stars,compiling 30 HR,100 RBI seasons,led the league in road homers and reached RBI highs with other teams (after missing the same 2 years due to military service)?Opponents in their final All Star game back in NY(each doubling),they retired with the same lifetime .466 SLG!(Hint Plus:Same last name,3 letter 1st name) | Joe Gordon and Sid Gordon |
| 2/21/2011 | Presidents' Day and Black History Month align in today's question.A namesake for a U.S.President,he was the Ist black player to finally play for the Philadelphia Phillies(and given a "presidential welcome"),as well as the last player to go directly from the Negro leagues(where he was an All Star shortstop)to the majors.Who was this man who made an extremely short stop in Philadelphia? | John Kennedy |
| 2/20/2011 | "Dusty to Dusty,or the Rhodes not taken..."Three Rhodes converge in happy history:James "Dusty"powering the N.Y.Giants W.S.sweep,Karl "Tuffy" with his 3 opening day homers,Arthur as 19th year All Star newcomer!Who's the veteran(baseball and military)Rhodes,not remembered by his Dusty nickname,who led the league in losses and HR's allowed his final year,finding no further takers for his services? | Gordon Rhodes |
| 2/19/2011 | This Dodger Hall of Famer's retired number matches the total number of home runs he allowed as a lefthanded pitcher to other Hall of Famers,including his last gopher ball(to Al Kaline)and Luis Aparicio's 1st MLB homer.Who is this man who began his career in Brooklyn ,but found baseball immortality in L.A.? | Tommy Lasorda |
| 2/18/2011 | The home run columns of two New York Giants tell,by way of memorable Polo Grounds moments,compelling "one lifetime homer" success(and unsuccess) stories.Our famous Cooperstown clouter homered(260 feet!)his Ist at bat,and never again over his 21 year career!Our overlooked rookie produced a single yet singular four bagger:a pinch hit,inside-the park,grand slam,game-winning homer!Who were these powerless Giants? | Hoyt Wilhelm and Pete Milne |
| 2/17/2011 | Let's do another "triple play"today.In a span of less than a half-season,our hero combined 1)a steal of home,2)a post-season walkoff winning run scored(on his way to a World Series ring) and 3) with a remarkable assist(from Sean Casey)for his assist,a throwing out of a batter at 1st base from left field!Who is this recent,former MLB player? | Pablo Ozuna |
| 2/16/2011 | Jeopardy for rare feat?No way!This player's "3 team hat trick" of unique accomplishments can never be surpassed,for he is known as the man who scored the millionth run in MLB history,as well as the 1st player to hit for the cycle in each league,and the 1st ever black general manager!Who is he?(Huge Hint:"Elementary,my dear Trebek!"His last name will be seen by millions this very day!) | Bob Watson |
| 2/15/2011 | When beginning with the lowly Washington Senators in 3 games and an 0-2 record,no one guessed he'd become a 4 decade pitcher with 15 years of 10 or more wins(his last 20 game season and All Star game with the White Sox),while beating the Dodgers in a World Series game.Who are the two this describes? | Early Wynn and Jim Kaat |
| 2/14/2011 | Not a tall tale:Last night the Celtics beat the Heat despite Paul Pierce's 0-10 shooting,the 1st time winning with a player going 0-10 since 1959.That 6'8" fellow was an All Star pitcher that year.Who was he?Historic hint:He won world titles in two sports,also playing on a pennant winner with an 0-6 record(despite a team best SO/BB!). | Gene Conley |
| 2/13/2011 | The last "True Twenty Game Winner"(a pitcher with a Won-Lost Differential year of +20 or more)was Bob Welch in 1990 with his +21 WLD(27-6).In 20 seasons since,no one has joined him.The closest reached 20 more wins than losses before losing his last start,ending his season at +19.Which pitcher just missed? | Cliff Lee |
| 2/12/2011 | Who are the two men who hit a home run their first big league at-bat and later won a Manager of the Year award?(Hint,in memorium:the first went one step beyond in both areas,as he hit the first pitch he saw for the homer and managed a team to a World Series title!) | Chuck Tanner and Gene Lamont |
| 2/11/2011 | Do you know?Can you guess?Which combination of Alou brothers did not homer in the same game:Felipe-Jesus,Matty-Jesus,or Felipe -Matty? | Felipe Alou and Jesus Alou |
| 2/10/2011 | This late, sadly not-so-great right-handed hitter holds two batting distinctions: he is the only player of the many with his first name to hit .300 as a rookie,and he hit that very ball that hit the head of Jose Canseco and then went over the wall for perhaps baseball's most unusual homer!What is his historically obscured name? | Carlos Martinez |
| 2/9/2011 | Urban Heroes,One Shocker:Military service cut short their best ERA year.Who are these opposing spitballers(same real first name)awash in similarity,each celebrating a Series clincher in NY,having four 20 game seasons and a save title,the 1st losing an MLB SO crown by one K to the 2nd,who lost his life his last season? | Red Faber and Urban Shocker |
| 2/8/2011 | Both "King Georges" in White Sox history played mostly elsewhere.But as South Side infielders(with the same birthday!),they each played on consecutive over-90 win teams,won fielding titles,and led the club in OBP and RBI.The 1st won a Sox Series ring,the 2nd was a Sox All-Star.Who are these overlooked Hall of Famers? | George Davis and George Kell |
| 2/7/2011 | In an unforgettable career stands a year evidently forgotten.Who is the hurler who is not only the last Chicago starter allowing less than one baserunner per inning in a season,but who is also the only one in Windy City history compiling stats of W/L Pct.>.600,SO to BB>6.000,and RA/IP<1.000 in the same campaign? | Dennis Eckersley |
| 2/6/2011 | On the great Bambino's 116th birthday anniversary,a bit of background before today's questions:Pitching for the Red Sox before our country entered the World War,he became MLB's slugging average leader during it.1)Who other than Ruth fits this description?2)Which contemporary called "Babe" had a better best 2 year BA span(.381,.393) than Ruth(.393,.378!)? | Ted Williams and Babe Herman |
| 2/5/2011 | Two .300 hitting Hall of Famers each used a special skill(and a little help from a sibling) in becoming the larger contributor to a still standing "brother tandem" career mark in home runs and stolen bases,respectively.Who are these modern immortals?(And,by the way,Happy Birthday to both this very day!) | Hank Aaron and Roberto Alomar |
| 2/4/2011 | More fun with fielding and shortstops:Who are the two who(dead giveaway!)opposed each other in a legendary post-season series,the first having one 20 homer season and two league Fielding Average crowns,the second having two 20 homer seasons and one FA title?(Haunting Hint:They go by the same name!) | Alex Gonzalez and Alex Gonzalez |
| 2/3/2011 | Looking for a shortstop who led the major leagues one time in assists while having his only season hitting over 20 homers that same year?Well,there are two--can you name them?(Holy Hint!They go by the same name!) | Roy Smalley and Roy Smalley |
| 2/2/2011 | Two fellows with the same first name fit this description:Right-handed hitting,slick-fielding 3rd baseman playing 11 full seasons with his 1st team,and in the 10th(7th and final All Star year,6th straight)starred for Series winner(remembering Black History Month,had 2 black HOF teammates),driving in exactly 119 runs!Name both. | Ken Keltner and Ken Boyer |
| 2/1/2011 | No Hall of Famer himself,he was managed by teammate Joe Cronin and Connie Mack,and managed teammate Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski.The only player with two 3 homer games and a 12 for 12 streak,he is the last player with consecutive years of BA over .300,HR's under 10,and RBI over 100.What's his name? | Pinky Higgins |
| 1/31/2011 | The only man to win consecutive MLB extra-base hit and RBI crowns as well as consecutive MVP's during his career,he also is the only man to produce both a 3 triple game and a 5 grand slam season, and "Bingo" was his nickname! To whom are we wishing a happy 80th birthday today? (Super Hint:He played against fellow Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson and Nolan Ryan,both also born on this day!) | Ernie Banks |
| 1/30/2011 | Overall,knock on wood!For the feat of fanning four batters in an inning requires strange luck: misfortune(passed ball,wild pitch) leads to opportunity. Two righties(same team,MLB strikeout kings)each made the rarity of a 4K,1IP moment even rarer: the 1st in a World Series game,the 2nd in the same inning he homered!Name them.. | Orval Overall and Kerry Wood |
| 1/29/2011 | New Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven allowed 2 inside-the-park homers in one game to Dick Allen of the '72 White Sox.(14 years later Bert was the beneficiary of Greg Gagne's 2 such homers vs.the Sox!)Another Sox 1st baseman and slugging champ previously hit 2 consecutive inside-the-parkers off a Hall of Famer.Name them. | Jack Fournier and Walter Johnson |
| 1/28/2011 | In the 1880's,storied Hall of Famer John Montgomery Ward threw a perfect game and had a season surpassing 100 stolen bases!Can a matching feat be found during the Barry Code Span (1901-2010)?Nix!However,there is one 20th century player with a no-hitter and an over 40 SB season to his credit.Who is he? | Nixey Callahan |
| 1/27/2011 | When the Braves'Babe Ruth hit 3 homers in a game in 1935,he became the 1st player to do so in each league.Another Brave matched the Babe(although sharing leagues,they were not in the same league!),and he outdid Ruth by being an All Star in both AL and NL,with a higher postseason BA! Who's the man? | Claudell Washington |
| 1/26/2011 | Here come three strangely symmetrical stats wth three helplessly helpful hints:Not only are these two righthanded pitchers still the only ones in baseball history with a W/L Pct. over .500 and an ERA over 5.00 while making over 200 starts in their careers,but they were teammates and All Stars with the same initials!Who are they? | Jason Bere and James Baldwin |
| 1/25/2011 | He broke into the majors as a first baseman,but six years later suddenly starred as a pitcher,eventually throwing both a 16 inning shutout and a 16 strikeout game.Ten years after his debut,he became the only lefthanded throwing,lefthanded hitting pitcher to ever hit 2 homers in a game twice in a season!Who was(and is )he? | Jack Harshman |
| 1/24/2011 | The 1952 film "The Winning Team"starred ex-Cub announcer and future President Ronald Reagan as Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander.In the movie,a future Hall of Famer portrayed another future Hall of Famer!Who were these two pitchers?(Hint:Each won the clinching game in his first World Series) | Bob Lemon played Jesse Haines |
| 1/23/2011 | The great Roberto Clemente not only was not baseball's first "black Latin" star(Hello,Mr.Minoso!),but was only the third Pirate rightfielder to fit this description.The first hit three triples in a game 5 years before Clemente did,and the second hit three homers in a game 9 years before Roberto accomplished that feat.Can you name these forgotten men? | Carlos Bernier and Roman Mejias |
| 1/22/2011 | Who is the former White Sox announcer,famous as a Red Sox pitcher,who still holds the Red Sox career record for lefthanded victories(including a team lefty record,major league leading 25 win season),while throwing a no hitter against the White Sox his final year? | Mel Parnell |
| 1/21/2011 | He is not only the only player to never hit another home run after winning a major league home run title,but the only player to hit three triples in one game twice in the same season!Who in the wide world of baseball could he be?(Hint:Use That Brain!) | Dave Brain |
| 1/20/2011 | This "Most Artful Trolley Dodger"is the only pitcher ever(more?)to lead the majors in Wins and Earned Run Average the same season he struck out over 300 batters and hit none!Quickly name him. | Sandy Koufax |
| 1/19/2011 | Whatta Man(his theme song),Whatta Hitta(see Salt-n-Pepa)!The largest man ever to win a batting title,he is the only player in the "500 Homer Club"to amass a streak of 10 hits in 10 consecutive at bats.Who is he? | Frank Thomas |
| 1/18/2011 | Over 200 more hits than strikeouts in a season?Over 100 more RBI than strikeouts in a season?Talk about old school batting skills!Who is the last player(and only one in the integrated era)to do each? | Don Mattingly |
| 1/17/2011 | Who is the Hall of Famer who hit two inside-the-park homers in one game in each league? | Roger Bresnahan |
| 1/16/2011 | Among history's few players batting righthanded and throwing lefthanded,who is the only man to have both a season winning at least 10 games as a pitcher and a career batting average over .300? | Rube Bressler |
| 1/15/2011 | The last franchise to have six straight years with an Earned Run Average under 3.00 was the first to have seven straight seasons of 200 or more home runs. Name That Team! | Chicago White Sox |
| 1/14/2011 | In a dazzling display of diamond dominance,he became the only player ever,in one season,to lead the majors in Hits,Reached Bases,Total Bases,Batting Average and RBI with a double digit margin in each category!Who could he be? | Joe Torre |
| 1/13/2011 | Who are they?Two Gentlemen of Cairo(Georgia!),the first driving in the only run of a 1-0 World Series win,the second scoring the only run of a 1-0 World Series win..... | Jackie Robinson and Willie Harris |
| 1/12/2011 | Who is the only pitcher to compile a season with both his league's lowest earned run average and opponent's batting average,while pitching over 300 innings and allowing no home runs? | Babe Ruth |
| 1/11/2011 | Who is the player,removed from the Hall of Fame ballot after one year due to lack of writer support,who had ten 100 RBI seasons? | Joe Carter |
| 1/10/2011 | Who is the only Hall of Famer to hit his only career home run off another Hall of Famer? | Willard Brown off Hal Newhouser |
| 1/9/2011 | Who is the first pitcher to have a season with two no-hitters and another with two one-hitters over the course of his career? | Virgil Trucks |
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