Author: Gilbert Martinez

Breakfast tacos, hot stove talk and a quiz featuring players whose last names begin and end with vowels filled our December chapter meeting while Argentina and France battled for the World Cup on Sunday.

Eleven chapter members gathered at Rudy’s BBQ on 360 to catch up on the latest free agent signings while a large group of soccer fans, mostly rooting for Argentina with a sprinkling of France fans, filled the dining area.

Cy Morong brought a quiz that challenged us to name players with last names that begin and end with vowels. Jerry Miller, pictured below, had his vowels in order to win the contest with 15 points, winning the prize of “Sho-Time: The Inside Story of Shohei Ohtani and the Greatest Baseball Season Ever Played” by Jeff Fletcher. Cy noted before the quiz that the book prize was related to the theme of his quiz.

 Jim Baker was the only other contestant with double figures; he scored 10. Jan Larson and Ira Siegel tied with nine points, and Monte Cely had eight. Take a swing at Cy’s quiz below. The answers follow the questions.

Meanwhile, fans of Argentina had a lot to cheer about when their team took a 2-0 lead in the first half of the championship match. But when France scored two goals within a few minutes of each other late in the second half, many of the Argentina fans were stunned, as were Raeanne Martinez and Bailey Hall (pictured below).

Some of the topics we talked about included Aaron Judge re-signing with the New York Yankees, Carlos Correa joining the San Francisco Giants, the New York Mets adding Justin Verlander and keeping Brandon Nimmo, the Houston Astros signing Jose Abreu and the Texas Rangers signing Jacob deGrom. We considered the risk of some of these long-term contracts, especially with some older players and those with a track record of health issues.

This was the 193rd consecutive month in which the chapter has had a meeting. That’s 16 full years!

Our next meeting will be the 17th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at Texas State University. Please save the date. More information about the meeting schedule along with directions and parking information will be forthcoming. Hope you can join us!

Quiz: Starts With a Vowel and Ends With a Vowel

By Cy Morong

The last name of each answer will start with a vowel and end with a vowel. In some cases, where noted, you will be required to also supply the first name. Y is not a vowel for the purpose of this quiz. So players like Chase Utley and Carl Yastrzemski will not be the answers to any questions.

1. He won the 2022 NL Cy Young award.
2. He won the 2021 AL MVP award.
3. He won the 2020 AL MVP award. Need first name.
4. He holds the record for most HRs hit by a rookie.
5. A 3 time batting champ, he won the 2017 AL MVP award.
6. He won the 2015 NL Cy Young award.
7. A 2Bman, he had a streak of 5 straight years with 30+ HRs.
8. He was the regular SS for the 2005 White Sox.
9. He won 13 games for the 1998 Yankees.
10. He tied Reggie Jackson for the AL lead in HRs in 1980.
11. He won 18 games for the 1986 Mets.
12. A Hall of Famer, he won the 1971 AL batting with the Twins (and 1964-65 as well). ROY in 1964.
13. He started his career with the Giants but won the NL batting title in 1966 with the Pirates. He had a .307 career AVG. Need first name.
14. He started his career with the Giants but was 2^nd in AVG in the NL in 1966 with the Braves. He later managed the Expos for 10 years. Need first name.
15. He started his career with the Giants but also played with the Astros (7 seasons), A’s and Mets. Had a .280 lifetime AVG. Need first name.
16. A Hall of Fame SS, he was AL ROY in 1956 with the White Sox and once led the AL in SBs 9 straight years.
17. He won 19 games for the 1961 Reds. His 10 year career ended with the White Sox in 1967.
18. He went 21-7 with the 1954 Giants and led the NL in ERA.
19. A 2Bman, he won the 1954 AL batting title with the Indians.
20. He won exactly 200 games. A member of the 1920 Indians, he led the AL in wins twice with 26 & 27 wins.
21. 2021 NL Rookie of the Year.
22. 2021 AL Rookie of the Year.
23. A surprise starter in game one of the 1929 World Series, he set a then record with 13 strikeouts in one World Series game.
24. A Hall of Famer from the 1800s, his nickname was Orator Jim.
25. He hit 41 HRs and stole 37 bases for the Braves in 2019.

Tie Breaker 1: How many career hits did Bobby Abreu have?

Tie Breaker 2: How many career HRs did Bobby Abreu hit?

Tie Breaker 3: In what year was Bobby Abreu born?

Answers

1. Sandy Alcantara
2. Shohei Ohtani
3. José Abreu
4. Pete Alonso
5. Jose Altuve
6. Jake Arrieta
7. Dan Uggla
8. Juan Uribe
9. Hideki Irabu
10. Ben Oglivie
11. Bob Ojeda
12. Tony Oliva
13. Matty Alou
14. Felipe Alou
15. Jesús Alou
16. Luis Aparicio
17. Jim O’Toole
18. Johnny Antonelli
19. Bobby Avila
20. George Uhle
21. Jonathan India
22. Randy Arozarena
23. Howard Ehmke
24. Jim O’Rourke
25. Ronald Acuña

Tie Breaker 1: 2,470

Tie Breaker 2: 288

Tie Breaker 3: 1974

 

A gift exchange between an Astros and a Phillies fan, a challenging baseball winter meeting-themed quiz and a chapter milestone kept us warm on a chilly, rainy day in Austin on Saturday.

Fourteen chapter members and guests gathered at Serranos in Southwest Austin to enjoy Tex-Mex lunch with a side of hot stove questions crafted by Ira Siegel.

With a maximum score of 49 on the quiz, the best we could muster was 12 points by Cy Morong for first place, 11 points by Jim Baker for second place, and nine points by Ryan Pollack for third. Some of us were grateful to get at least one right to prevent the goose egg.

Take your swing at Siegel’s quiz below. The answers follow the questions.

We were also happy to have the voice of the Round Rock Express, Mike Capps, join us for lunch. He’s one of the newest chapter members and is scheduled to join us again in January for the 17th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting. He shared stories about his experience as a broadcaster. One observation that stuck out was that 46 players who played in the 2011 World Series between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals had also played at the Dell Diamond earlier in their careers – a remarkable number!

Speaking of numbers, it was the 192nd consecutive month the chapter has meet, marking 16 full years of monthly meetings.

Phillies fan David Curtoys (left in photo below) gave Gilbert Martinez a replica of Dusty Baker’s 2021 AL Championship ring. It was the giveaway at the Phillies-Astros game on Oct. 3, when Philadelphia clinched the last playoff spot. Little did either one of us know that our teams would face each other in the World Series three weeks later!

Martinez, meanwhile, gave Curtoys a Kyle Schwarber Topps Now card documenting the slugger’s first-inning home run off Justin Verlander that, at the time, tied World Series Game 5.

For the record, no fights broke out as Astros and Phillies fans alike shared lunch and gifts with one another!

Speaking of Curtoys, he was the winner of the Hornsby Chapter Postseason Predictatron contest, while Chuck Kaufman was the winner of the Hornsby Chapter Regular Season Predictatron. Both will receive trophies for their amazing prognostication accomplishments from Predictatron impresario Jim Baker at the winter meeting in January.

We scheduled the next month’s meeting for 9 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at Rudy’s BBQ (2451 S. Capital of Texas Highway).

Also, please save Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, for the winter meeting at Texas State University. More information about the lineup will be forthcoming.

Baseball Winter Meetings Trades Quiz

By Ira Siegel

There are 20 questions. Each answer is worth one point. A perfect score is 49 points. Good luck!

1—Name the 3 players who went to the Reds from the Orioles in 1965 for Frank Robinson.

2 – In 2007, who were the 2 more significant acquisitions (i.e., NOT named Rabelo, de la Cruz, Trahern, or Badenhop) who Miami received from the Tigers in exchange for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis?

3—Who were the two players sent to (A) Toronto and the two sent to (B) San Diego in their 1990 blockbuster? There were no others involved.

4—Name the two (left side of the) infielders swapped on 12/8/78 going from (A) Cleveland to Texas and (B) Texas to Cleveland. One played MLB for 17 years; the other, 18.

5—From the initial meeting in 1927 through 1945, all were held in NYC or Chicago, except for one. Name the year, the city, and why for one point each.

6—On 12/12/18, the Reds and Nationals exchanged pitchers with the same first name. What was that first name?

7—Name the other 6 players in the 1959 trade of Roger Maris to the Yankees for one point each.

8—Zac Gallen, who is now with Arizona, led the NL in 2022 in WHIP and fewest hits per 9 innings. He was previously traded along with three other players for an outfielder. Name the outfielder they were traded for and the headliner (a pitcher) who was traded along with Gallen, for a point each.

9—In 1941, Brooklyn sent four players to Pittsburgh for a future HOF infielder. He was an All Star from 1934-1942 and in his last year (1942) he led the league in runs scored, steals, and caught stealing. Who is that HOFer?

10—In 1991, the Mariners sent 3 RHPs to SF for 1989 MVP Kevin Mitchell and Mike Remlinger. For a point each, who were the 3 pitchers?

11—In 1980, a HOF pitcher and a catcher were traded by SD to StL. Four days later, StL sent the pitcher to the Brewers along with Pete Vukovich and a different HOFer. Name the HOF pitcher, the catcher, the other HOFer, and the Brewer acquired by the Cardinals. One point each…4 total.

12—In 2016, the White Sox acquired Yoan Moncada and 3 others from an AL team. Who was the one player they traded?

13—In 1950, Cleveland acquired a 36-year-old catcher from the Red Sox for cash. The catcher later managed the then Cincinnati Redlegs, then the then Milwaukee Brewers, and then the then Cleveland Indians. Who was he?

14—For a point each, what was the year and the city for the only Winter Meeting held outside the United States?

15—Also in 1967, the Mets traded RHP Bill Denehy and $100,000 to the Senators. Who did they acquire in the deal?

16—In 1967, the Twins sent 3 players (two were pitchers) to the Dodgers for 2 players (one was a pitcher). It’s a point each for these 5 players. Hint: all played in the 1965 World Series. Hint #2: arguably four of the players were really good players and the fifth one played for lots and lots and lots of teams.

17—For a point each, name the player traded in 1989 from Cleveland to San Diego and the 3 players sent to Cleveland. Hint: don’t waste too much time on one of the 3, even though he was 6th in NL ROY voting in 1987 with Philadelphia. Y’all know the other 3 players! Hint #2: none were pitchers.

18—In 2003, who did the Yankees get for sending Jeff Weaver and two other players to the Dodgers?

19—Who did the Cardinals get in the 1980 trade with Cubs for Leon Durham and Ken Reitz? He was an RHP.

20—2011 free agent signing: he had led his league in hits, doubles, and batting average once each…all in 2003.

Answers

1—MILT PAPPAS, JACK BALDSCHUN, & DICK SIMPSON

2—ANDREW MILLER & CAMERON MAYBIN

3—A) ROBERTO ALOMAR & JOE CARTER TO TOR B) FRED MCGRIFF & TONY FERNANDEZ TO SD

4—A) BUDDY BELL TO TX; B) TOBY HARRAH TO CLEVE

5—1939 IN CINCINNATI FOR “CENTENNIAL” (DOUBLEDAY) AS FIRST PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM

6—TANNER ROARK (TO REDS) FOR TANNER RAINEY (TO NATS)

7—JOE DEMASTRI & KENT HADLEY TO NYY
LARSEN, BAUER, SIEBERN, & THRONEBERRY TO KC

8—GALLEN: MARCEL OZUNA TO STL; SANDY ALCANTRARA TO MIAMI

9—ARKY VAUGHAN

10—BILL SWIFT, MICHAEL JACKSON, & DAVE BURBA

11—FINGERS (4 DAYS), TENACE, SIMMONS (HOF), & LEZCANO

12—MONCADA: CHRIS SALE TO BOSTON

13—BIRDIE TEBBETTS

14—1967 IN MEXICO CITY

15—GIL HODGES

16—ROSEBORO, PERRANOSKI, MILLER, GRANT, & VERSALLES

17—JOE CARTER TO SD
S. ALOMAR JR, CARLOS BAERGA, & CHRIS JAMES TO CLEVE

18—KEVIN BROWN

19—BRUCE SUTTER

20—ALBERT PUJOLS

Watching Aaron Judge’s at-bats, pondering a challenging quiz about Hall of Fame players traded when they were 25 years old or younger and talking about the playoff race highlighted the September chapter meeting on Saturday.

Seventeen chapter members and guests gathered at Hurricane Grill and Wings in Round Rock to talk about the teams that are in, and the teams that are hanging on. We also talked about the new playoff format and Albert Pujols’ two home run night to become only the fourth player in MLB history to reach the 700 club.

Ryan Pollack, who won a trivia quiz a few months ago, created a quiz in which we had to name Hall of Fame players (not too difficult) who were traded by their age 25 season or earlier (proved to be quite difficult!).

Tom Wancho took top honors on tiebreakers by outlasting Dan Walsh. Both scored 18 out of 39 total points. Jim Baker came in third with 15 points.

Take your turn with this quiz below. The answers follow the questions.

Chapter Commissioner Gilbert Martinez announced that the next chapter meeting would be the World Series Watch Party at Jim Baker’s house in Cedar Park, a long chapter tradition. It will be for World Series Game 2 on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Martinez also asked members to mark their calendars for Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, when the chapter is planning to host its 17th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting. Meeting coordinator Jerry Miller is organizing the annual event and will be in touch with the chapter via the email list soon with more information.

During our meeting at Hurricane Grill and Wings, televisions around the restaurants were mostly showing college football games, but one was tuned to the matchup between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. We paused our discussions to watch closely for each Judge at-bat. In fact, ESPN’s broadcast of the Texas Longhorns-Texas Tech Red Raiders football game went to split-screen to show Judge’s at-bats.

Alas for some, Judge’s pursuit to tie Roger Maris with 61 home runs in a season would have to wait at least another day. Instead, while we were at Hurricane Grill, we saw Judge fly out and strike out.

In other news, Monte Cely shared that he’s not planning on attending the Caribbean Series, which is scheduled to be in Venezuela. His 10-year streak of attending the series was snapped in 2021 because of the coronavirus. He said he’s looking forward to the series coming to Miami, Florida, in 2024.

Also, Bailey Hall shared a story about meeting former Mets great Keith Hernandez and his broadcast partner Gary Cohen in the broadcast booth at Citi Field in New York in 2019. Her great-uncle, Mike Bryan, has been the ghost writer for a number of baseball books, working with Cal Ripken Jr. and Kirby Puckett. He’s also the author of “Pure Baseball,” written with Hernandez, which comes highly recommended by Bailey.

The October meeting will be Saturday, Oct. 29 (World Series Game 2 Watch Party). Jim Baker will be in touch with the chapter through the email list.

This was the 190th consecutive month in which the chapter has met, a streak dating to December 2006.

Hornsby Chapter Quiz 9/24/22

By Ryan Pollack

Thirteen Hall of Fame inductees have been traded prior to, or during, their age-25 season. Fill in the following table – one point for each answer, 39 points total. “Traded From” and “Traded To” must be the full city/team name to receive a point; e.g. “Sugarland Space Cowboys.”

Player full name	Traded From	Traded To

Tiebreaker questions involved identifying the age at which each player was traded.

Answer Key

Player Name	Traded From	Traded To	Age (Tiebreaker)	HOF Inducted Year
Roberto Alomar	SDP	TOR	22	2011
Bert Blyleven	MIN	TEX	25	2011
Lou Brock	CHC	STL	25	1985
Dennis Eckersley	CLE	BOS	23	2004
Nellie Fox	PHA	CHW	21	1997
Goose Gossage	CHW	PIT	25	2008
Trevor Hoffman	FLA	SDP	25	2018
Fergie Jenkins	PHI	CHC	23	1991
Ryne Sandberg	PHI	CHC	22	2005
Randy Johnson	MON	SEA	25	2015
George Kell	PHA	DET	23	1983
Pedro Martinez	LAD	MON	22	2015
Nolan Ryan	NYM	CAL	24	1999

 

A quiz about the given names of ballplayers known by their nicknames and discussions of baseball trips and major league players in local minor league games highlighted the August meeting on Saturday.

Twelve chapter members and guests enjoyed breakfast tacos at Rudy’s Bar-B-Q in Southwest Austin. The temperature in the 80s was quite comfortable as compared to our last breakfast meeting at the same location in March, when it was 40 degrees!

Jan Larson posed a multiple-choice quiz challenging us to identify the given names of baseball players widely known by their nicknames. Dan Walsh (pictured above, right) won the competition with 20 out of 25 points (plus three tie-breaker points). Jim Baker (pictured above, left) took second with 20 (plus one tie-breaker point). Gary McIntosh placed third with 18 points (plus two tie-breaker points).

Take a swing at Jan’s quiz below. The answers follow the quiz questions. For their efforts, Dan won a Yogi Berra bobblehead, and Jim won an Ernie Banks bobblehead.

We spent a little time talking about how much baseball has changed over the years and how the game itself – separate from the endless tweaks by MLB – has endured and kept our attention.

 

 

Round Rock Express season ticket holder Andrew York talked about Dallas Keuchel’s seven innings of shutout ball in a 4-0 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas on Friday, Aug. 19. Since being released by the Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this season, the former Cy Young winner and Astros starter has been pitching for the Express for the past month and may get called up to the Texas Rangers soon.

Joining us for his first meeting, Scott Lopez from San Antonio shared a few photos from the 30th anniversary of the premiere of “A League of Their Own” in Rockford, Illinois. He also saw Fernando Tatis Jr. play for the San Antonio Missions at Wolff Municipal Stadium a few weekends ago, just before MLB announced its 80-game suspension of the Padres star for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

On our Google group list, Mike Lassman, who’s attending this weekend’s SABR national convention in Baltimore, shared that SABR 51 will be in Chicago. The convention is scheduled for July 5-9, 2023. There’s interest in putting together a Hornsby Chapter group to attend next year.

This was the 189th consecutive month in which the chapter has met, a streak dating to December 2006.

Our next meeting will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Hurricane Grill and Wings in Round Rock.

Also, save the following dates. We’ll have our October meeting on Saturday, Oct. 29, at Jim Baker’s house in Cedar Park for the World Series Game 2 watch party (teams to be determined).

And we’ll have our 17th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at Texas State University in San Marcos. More details will be forthcoming in the coming months.

What’s in a Name?

By Jan Larson

Circle each player’s given first name (per www.baseball-reference.com).  One point for each correct answer.

1. Lefty Grove: Robert, Charles, Gilbert, Samuel
2. Lefty O’Doul: Joseph, Francis, Anheuser, Orel
3. Babe Ruth: Roger, George, Calvin, Babe
4. Rocky Colavito: Rockwell, Rocco, Domenic, Vito
5. Buck O’Neil: John, Jordan, Robert, Orel
6. Ozzie Smith: Oswald, Osborne, Leroy, Earl
7. Boog Powell (1961-1977): Wesley, John, Samuel, Paul
8. Chico Carrasquel: Carlos, Charles, Alfonso, Gomez
9. Mudcat Grant: Mudcat, Timothy, Robert, James
10. Home Run Baker: Double, Franklin, John, Robert
11. Three Finger Brown: Two Finger, Mordecai, Murgatroid, Murray
12. Sammy Sosa: Samuel, Samson, Sam, Bob
13. Tony Gwynn: Keith, Antonio, Antoine, Anthony
14. Spike Owen: Robert, John, Alan, Spike
15. Biff Pocoroba: Robert, William, Biff, Martin
16. CC Sabathia: Charles, Carsten, Carlton, Carroll
17. Willie Stargell: William, Wilver, Willie, Bob
18. Ty Cobb: Tyson, Tyrone, Tyrus, Tyler
19. Pie Traynor: Joseph, Harold, Caleb, Pumpkin
20. Chipper Jones: Larry, Wayne, Robert, Willie
21. Sandy Koufax: Santander, Sandy, Bob, Sanford
22. Doc Medich: Francis, George, Bob, William
23. Rusty Greer: Thurman, Clyde, Bob, Roger
24. Dizzy Dean: Jerome, Darvin, Jay, Roger
25. Duke Snider: Roger, Calvin, Donald, Edwin

Tie breaker:  Rube Walker: Roger, Caleb, Albert, William

Tie breaker:  Mookie Betts: Marvin, Markus, Mookie, Mohamad

Tie breaker:  Rip Sewell: Roger, Ronald, Samuel, Truett

Correct answers in bold and underlined below.

1. Lefty Grove: Robert, Charles, Gilbert, Samuel
2. Lefty O’Doul: Joseph, Francis, Anheuser, Orel
3. Babe Ruth: Roger, George, Calvin, Babe
4. Rocky Colavito: Rockwell, Rocco, Domenic, Vito
5. Buck O’Neil: John, Jordan, Robert, Orel
6. Ozzie Smith: Oswald, Osborne, Leroy, Earl
7. Boog Powell (1961-1977): Wesley, John, Samuel, Paul
8. Chico Carrasquel: Carlos, Charles, Alfonso, Gomez
9. Mudcat Grant: Mudcat, Timothy, Robert, James
10. Home Run Baker: Double, Franklin, John, Robert
11. Three Finger Brown: Two Finger, Mordecai, Murgatroid, Murray
12. Sammy Sosa: Samuel, Samson, Sam, Bob
13. Tony Gwynn: Keith, Antonio, Antoine, Anthony
14. Spike Owen: Robert, John, Alan, Spike
15. Biff Pocoroba: Robert, William, Biff, Martin
16. CC Sabathia: Charles, Carsten, Carlton, Carroll
17. Willie Stargell: William, Wilver, Willie, Bob
18. Ty Cobb: Tyson, Tyrone, Tyrus, Tyler
19. Pie Traynor: Joseph, Harold, Caleb, Pumpkin
20. Chipper Jones: Larry, Wayne, Robert, Willie
21. Sandy Koufax: Santander, Sandy, Bob, Sanford
22. Doc Medich: Francis, George, Bob, William
23. Rusty Greer: Thurman, Clyde, Bob, Roger
24. Dizzy Dean: Jerome, Darvin, Jay, Roger
25. Duke Snider: Roger, Calvin, Donald, Edwin

Tie breaker:  Rube Walker: Roger, Caleb, Albert, William

Tie breaker:  Mookie Betts: Marvin, Markus, Mookie, Mohamad

Tie breaker:  Rip Sewell: Roger, Ronald, Samuel, Truett

For what may be the first time in chapter history, we had a perfect score on a trivia quiz. Congratulations to Ryan Pollack for this outstanding accomplishment!

Fifteen chapter members and guest enjoyed a laid-back beach-inspired setting at Hurricane Grill & Wings in Round Rock for the monthly meeting on Sunday, June 12.

Jim Baker created a quiz that challenged us to name the current manager of each of the 30 Major League teams. Ryan Pollack demolished the competition with a perfect score, winning a Hurricane Grill gift card generously provided by Jim. Jerry Miller took second with 20, and Jan Larson and I tied for third with 18. Because of Ryan’s perfect score, the tie-breaker questions were not needed. Try your hand at the quiz below. The quiz answers are provided after the quiz questions.

Our newest member, Bailey, brought a book she found at library book sale called “Change Up: An Oral History of 8 Key Events that Shaped Modern Baseball” by Larry Burke and Peter Thomas Fornatale with the chapter’s very own Jim Baker! She asked Jim to sign it for her.

It was the chapter’s 187th consecutive month with a meeting, a streak dating to December 2006.

Our next chapter meeting will be to watch the Austin Weirdos, which is part of the independent Pecos League, at Parque Zaragosa on Saturday, July 9. More details will be shared on the chapter’s email list in the coming weeks. For more information about the Weirdos, please go to their website: http://www.weirdosbaseball.com/

Jim Baker’s Manager Quiz

Name the current manager of each Major League team.

BAL ________             ATL ________

BOS ________            MIA ________

NYY ________             NYM ________

TBR ________             PHI ________

TOR ________            WAS ________

CWS ________            CHC ________

CLE ________             CIN ________

DET ________             MIL ________

KCR ________             PIT ________

MIN ________            STL ________

LAA ________             ARI ________

HOU ________           COL ________

OAK ________            LAD ________

SEA ________             SDP ________

TEX ________             SFG ________

Tie Breaker #1: Which of these managers has been in his current managerial job the longest?

Tie Breaker #2: Which of these managers has a perfect managerial record (before game play on Sunday, June 12)?

Tie Breaker #3: Aside from the answer to #2, which of these managers has the best career  winning percentage?

Answers

BAL Brandon Hyde      ATL Brian Snitker

BOS Alex Cora             MIA Don Mattingly

NYY Aaron Boone       NYM Buck Showalter

TBR Kevin Cash           PHI Rob Thompson

TOR Charlie Montoyo WAS Dave Martinez

CWS Tony LaRussa      CHC David Ross

CLE Terry Francona     CIN David Bell

DET A.J. Hinch             MIL Craig Counsell

KCR Mike Matheny     PIT Derek Shelton

MIN Rocco Baldelli      STL Oliver Marmol

LAA Phil Nevin             ARI Torey Lovullo

HOU Dusty Baker        COL Bud Black

OAK Mark Kotsay        LAD Dave Roberts

SEA Scott Servais        SDP Bob Melvin

TEX Chris Woodward  SFG Gabe Kapler

Tie Breaker #1: Terry Francona

Tie Breaker #2: Rob Thompson

Tie Breaker #3: Dave Roberts

Eleven chapter members saw a minor league game at Dell Diamond on Saturday that featured former Blue Jays/Giants/Red Sox/Rockies/Mets outfielder Kevin Pillar and Eddy Alvarez, a winter and summer U.S. Olympic champion.

Both Pillar and Alvarez, who play for the Oklahoma City Dodgers, contributed to building a lead against the Round Rock Express. Pillar was 2-for-3 with a run and RBI, while Alvarez was 3-for-3 with 2 RBI.

Though the Express lost to the Dodgers 5-1, fans were treated after the game to a screening of a new documentary, “Facing Nolan,” about the career of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.

The documentary opens in a limited release on May 24, including some screenings in the Austin area.

A smaller group gathered at Salt Lick BBQ for an early pre-game dinner.

This was the 186th consecutive month in which the chapter has had a meeting.

The chapter’s next meeting will be at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, June 12, at Hurricane Grill & Wings (2701 Parker Road, Round Rock). A request for RSVPs will go out on the email list soon.

Baseball fans have long looked forward to spring, when hope springs eternal. And despite a week’s delay in the start of the season, we are all glad that the 2022 season is under way.

In addition to enjoying the start of the season, 14 chapter members and guests had the opportunity to welcome Bailey, our newest member! She’s a freshman in high school with a knack for math and a love for baseball. Bailey (pictured above, first on the left) is interested in statistical research and roots for the Chicago Cubs. According to unofficial records, she may be our youngest member ever! Welcome to the chapter, Bailey! And thanks to Bailey’s parents, Brian Hall and Nicole Bryan-Hall (who took the above photo) for joining us, too.

We talked about a wide range of topics, including the start of the season, Apple TV’s new foray into Friday night baseball, and new baseball rules.

Jerry Miller, winner of last month’s quiz, brought an alliterative-themed quiz to challenge, stymie and stump us. Jim Baker won with 18 points. Ira Siegel followed with 15, and Jan Larson had 14. Jerry presented nice prizes for first and second place (Photos below by Charles Kaufman; Jim Baker, left, and Ira Siegel, right).

Take your swing at Jerry’s quiz below. The answers follow the questions.

This was our 185th consecutive month in which the chapter has met, a streak dating to December 2006.

We’re making plans to attend a Round Rock Express game on May 14 with a traditional pregame dinner at Salt Lick BBQ. More details about purchasing tickets will be forthcoming to the chapter list.

ALLITERATIVE BASEBALL PLAYERS QUIZ

By Jerry Miller

The following quiz is comprised primarily of ballplayers with alliterative names (Don Drysdale, Barry Bonds, etc.). Each letter of the alphabet has been represented; however, where there is no suitable answer, your quiz master has exercised his discretion to temporarily suspend the rules, as indicated. Players’ first names are those used to identify them in baseball-reference.com (e.g.,
Dick Allen rather than Richie Allen, Bob Boone rather than Robert Boone, etc.).

1) A.A.      Caught Nolan Ryan’s record-breaking fifth no-hitter in 1981.
2) B.B.      Utility player who was the first pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1977 American League expansion draft.
3) C.C.      Journeyman shortstop who hit extra inning walkoff home run to clinch the 2016 National League West title for the Dodgers in Vin Scully’s last home game.
4) D.D.      Relief pitcher for six American League teams who gave up Hank Aaron’s 755th and last home run in 1976.
5) E.E.      Slugging third baseman later converted to a full time DH who hit 424 career home runs, good for third among active players as of his last season (2020).
6) F.F.      Three decade pitcher for New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, whose rotundity earned him the nickname “Fat” and made him a Triple F.
7) G.G.      Third baseman for 1987 World Series champion Minnesota Twins, who hit 360 career home runs, but whose devout Christianity offended free spirit teammate Kent Hrbek.
8) H.H.      Hall of Fame outfielder who won four batting titles, and whose .342 career batting average is behind only Hornsby and Delahanty among right-handed batters.
9) ii      Larry Csonka’s running mate for undefeated Miami Dolphins team of 1972, whose last name included a “double eye.”
10) J.J.      50s/60s pitcher for Braves and Reds who was the first Little League Baseball graduate to play in the major leagues.
11) K.K.      Cleveland Indians third baseman who made several dazzling plays to help break Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak in 1941.
12) L.L.       Third baseman/outfielder who was the last Dodger player to wear #34 before Fernando Valenzuela (it has not been worn since).
13) M.M.      Outfielder for Pirates, Expos, and Dodgers, who retired as the all-time leader in pinch hits (since eclipsed).
14) N.N.      Rookie pitcher who appeared in six games for Yankees in 2020.
15) O.O.      Well-traveled right handed pitcher who pitched for eight teams between 1990 and 2001, including five years with the Cardinals. He won a combined 15 games for two teams in 1999 and was the first Seattle Mariners pitcher to get an RBI.
16) P.P.      Journeyman ’60s/’70s infielder who was traded by the Dodgers to reacquire Maury Wills.
17) _.Q.      Other half, along with MVP Zoilo Versalles, of 1965 American League champion Minnesota Twins’ double play combination; also later managed the Twins (last name only starts with “Q”).
18) R.R.      Utility player for six teams (mostly Phillies and Padres) in ’80s and ’90s. Currently manages the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the AA Oxymoron League.
19) S.S.      Journeyman infielder for ’40s/’50s Boston and Milwaukee Braves. Later appeared as the manager for the opposing Pittsburgh team in the climactic scene from “The Natural.”
20) T.T.      Rookie of the Year outfielder for the New York Yankees. Appeared in three straight World Series 1962-63-64.
21) U.U.      1999 National League saves leader for Montreal, and the only person that could possibly qualify as the answer to this question.
22) V.V.      Six year major league pitcher who appeared in six games for the Phillies in 2020, and who prevented me from being forced to ask for the name of the actress who played Ethel Mertz on “I Love Lucy” (Vivian Vance).
23) W.W.      ‘60s/’70s outfielder, primarily for White Sox, affectionately known as “No Neck” (and he really did have no neck).
24) xx      Hall of Fame slugger whose last name ends with two Xs, hence his nickname.
25) Y.Y.      Journeyman early 2000s reliever for Dodgers whose first name began and ended with “Y.” Or, you can name a right handed relief pitcher from Japan who pitched two seasons for the Royals in 2008-09.
26) zz      Name two of the three Hall of Famers (one a 2B, one a SS, one a C) with a “Double-Z” in their last names.

Answers:
Alan Ashby
Bob Bailor
Charlie Culberson
Dick Drago
Edwin Encarnacion
“Fat” Freddy Fitzsimmons
Gary Gaetti
Harry Heilmann
Jim Kiick
Joey Jay
Ken Keltner
Lee Lacy
Manny Mota
Nick Nelson
Omar Oliveres
Paul Popovich
Frank Quillici
Randy Ready
Sibby Sisti
Tom Tresh
Ugueth Urbina
Vince Velasquez
Walt Williams
Jimmie Foxx
Yhency Brazobán/Yazuhiko Yabuta
Tony Lazzeri, Phil Rizzuto, Mike Piazza

P.S.: After preparing this quiz, I discovered a pitcher for the 1913-15 Chicago Cubs named Zip Zabel (real name George Washington Zabel). It turns out he holds the record for most innings thrown by a relief pitcher in a single game, replacing an injured starter in the first inning and pitching 18 1/3 innings until his team scored the winning run in the 19th. It also turns out that, according to his SABR biography, the nickname “Zip” was rarely used. So, if you knew about this guy, you obviously have way too much time on your hands.

Two years since the coronavirus affected daily life and just two days since the MLB owners and players agreed to a Collective Bargaining Agreement, 19 members and guests gathered for breakfast tacos at Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q in West Austin on Saturday.

After many virtual meetings in the last two years, we were eager to be back in person again, and for the first time in a while, we enjoyed talking about the season to come rather than the labor unrest that nearly sank the 2022 season.

There was some discussion about issues that have yet to be resolved, including the rescheduling of the first two series that Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred had canceled at the beginning of March. It appears that some series will be tacked at the end of the season (extending the last day of the season to Oct. 5), while other series may be scheduled as midseason doubleheaders.

Meanwhile, Jim Baker announced that he was planning Predictatron as usual. The contest in which we endeavor to pick how many games each team will win and which teams will achieve postseason glory has been a fun tradition for years. The two divisions – the Don Dingee Division and Gilbert Martinez Division – are named after the division winners from last year’s contest. Who will knock off defending champion Martinez for the Predictatron Trophy and the Postseason Champion Trophy?

Speaking of Baker, as winner of last month’s trivia quiz, he sprung a doozy of a quiz on us with questions about baseball Rudys, Rudy’s the barbecue joint, baseball-basketball dual sport stars, breakfast items, and the labor situation.

Jerry Miller proved to be up to the task, chalking up 20 out of 27 points in this fun and challenging quiz. Cy Morong was a close second with 19, and Dan Walsh had 18. Jim generously awarded Rudy’s gift cards to Jerry and Cy for their exploits.

Try your hand at Jim’s quiz below. The answers follow at the end.

This was the 184th consecutive month in which the chapter has met, a streak dating to December 2006.

We’ve not yet set the April meeting, but plan to be back in person in the middle of the month. We should be talking about games that count then! Details to come on our email list.

The Totally Relevant Quiz

Stuff that’s completely related to the here and now

By Jim Baker

The Rudy Section (Major League players named Rudy)

This Rudy was a middle reliever who broke in with the Angels at the age of 19 in 1989. Nineteen years later, he was on the Phillies, his ninth team. In 544 appearances he only had 12 saves while never starting a game. Along the way, he made postseason appearances with the Braves and Padres.

The Rudy in question here was a typical light-hitting middle infielder of the ’70s in that he hit just two homers in 709 career plate appearances and had a .267 slugging average. Most of his time was with the Angels, but he finished out his big-league career with the Cubs and Phillies.

You may or may not get this question about our next Rudy, a pitcher with over 300 career decisions. He was usually a league average sort of guy, except in 1980, when he led the A.L. in ERA, ERA+, FIP and WHIP.

The next Rudy blasted 277 home runs in his 13-year career, leading the league in homers and RBI in 1943, a season in which he finished third in the MVP voting. The slugging first baseman was a seven-time All Star.

Our last Rudy was a speedy center fielder who played all but 11 of his 749 career big league games in the 1980s. He stole 228 bases, over a third of which (77) came in 1983 for the division-winning White Sox.

The Rudy’s Section (fun facts about Rudy’s, the barbecue chain)

With its expansion to Florida, Rudy’s now has locations in six states. In total, how many Rudy’s are there?

a. 101-103

b. 64-66   

c. 45-47    

d. 23-25

Rudy’s was pretty much just a country store (started in 1929) until it started serving barbecue to become the restaurant we recognize today. In what year did that occur?

a. 1959

b. 1974

c. 1989

d. 2001

Where was the original Rudy’s located?

a. This one

b. Leon Springs  

c. Waco   

d. New Braunfels

What is Rudy’s biggest selling meat?

a. brisket

b. sausage  

c. ribs   

d. chicken

What type of wood does Rudy’s use to smoke its meats?

a. hickory

b. mesquite   

c. apple   

d. oak

Name the old-time pitcher who once went 34-5 for the Red Sox and who, if you removed his first name, but kept his nickname and last name, would describe exactly what you’re smelling right now.

The March Madness Section (MLB players who also played college hoops and then saw time in the NBA)

This one-time Blue Jay, for whom basketball proved to be a much better career choice, played his college hoops at Brigham Young University.

This former N.L. MVP is a member of both the College Baseball and Basketball Halls of Fame. He played his college ball at Duke and in the NBA with the Fort Wayne Pistons for one season. His decision to focus on baseball resulted in eight All-Star appearances as well as World Series titles with St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

This former White Sox pitcher hung up his mitt after the 1965 season. This in spite of a 124 ERA+ in the majors and a 40-21 won-loss record in the minors, all while also playing with the Detroit Pistons in the off-season—part of the time as player-coach! He is best remembered as a starter on the 1969-70 and 1972-73 league champion Knicks. He played his college ball at the University of Detroit.

Of the following major league players (shown here with their college hoops team), which one did not play in the NBA?

a. Ron Reed (Notre Dame)           

b. Frank Howard (Ohio State)

c. Chuck Connors (Seton Hall)    

d. Mark Hendrickson (Washington State)

Remembered today mostly for his famously slow “Folly Floater,” this mostly Yankees pitcher played his college basketball at Morehead State and also spent two seasons with the Minneapolis Lakers from 1958 to 1960.

This Washington State player was taken by the Celtics in the 1952 draft and ended up playing on three of their championship teams and a total of six years in the NBA. He also pitched in 11 big league seasons, going 91-96, and appeared in Game 3 in the 1957 World Series for the champion Milwaukee Braves.

The Breakfast Section (in honor of our first-ever breakfast meeting)

Who was the man they called “Country Breakfast”?

This player, whose nickname and last name combine to make a fancy breakfast dish, caught almost a thousand games for the Braves from 1978 to 1989.

This breakfasty outfielder led the American League in steals in 2011 and also won a ring with the Red Sox.

Nicknamed “El Coffee,” this outfielder hails from the Dominican Republic, but will be playing his baseball for the Yomiuri Giants in 2022. He spent his entire eight-year big league career with the Pirates from 2014 to 2021.

Only one of the following breakfasty players was real. Which one was it?

1. Eddie Bacon
2. Steven Toast
3. Scrapplehead Pitcairn
4. Elmore “Taylor” Ham
5. O.J. Johnson

The Labor Section (because of the recently resolved dispute)

Prior to the formation of the MLBPA, there were a number of attempts at organizing players. Which of the following was not the name of one of those attempts?

1. Players Protective Association
2. The Society of Batsmen and Moundsmen
3. Fraternity of Professional Baseball Players of America
4. The American Baseball Guild

In what season did the players have their own league, fittingly known today as the Players League?

a. 1914 

b.  1900 

c. 1890  

d. 1884

In what year did the MLBPA officially get recognized as a union?

a. 1946

b. 1959 

c. 1966 

d. 1971

Name all the seasons in which there was a work stoppage (strike or lockout) in which regular season games were lost, never to be replayed. There are five possible answers.

What is the sum total of regular season games lost to work stoppages (strikes or lockouts)?

a. 1,700 to 1,800

b. 2,100 to 2,200

c. 2,700 to 2,800

d. 3,000 to 3,100

Answers

The Totally Relevant Quiz—Answer Key

The Rudy Section

Rudy Seánez

Rudy Meoli

Rudy May

Rudy York

Rudy Law

The Rudy’s Section

1. 45-47; It might be 45, it might be 47, depending if new franchises are open yet
2. 1989
3. Leon Springs
4. brisket
5. oak

Smoky (Joe) Wood

The March Madness Section

Danny Ainge

Dick Groat

Dave DeBusschere

1. Frank Howard

Steve Hamilton

Gene Conley

The Breakfast Section

Billy Butler, A’s and Royals DH

Bruce “Eggs” Benedict

Coco Crisp

Gregory Polanco

1. Eddie Bacon; started one game for the woeful 1917 A’s. Walked 7, whiffed none

The Labor Section

1. The Society of Batsmen and Moundsmen is fake
2. 1890
3. 1966

1972, 1981, 1985, 1994, 1995

a. 1,700 to 1,800: 1972: 86g, 1981: 713, 1985: 2, 1994-95: 948… 1,749 total

Birthday wishes from Mets great Keith Hernandez, remembrances of Hammerin’ Hank Aaron on his birthday, one member’s stories of meeting Hall of Fame players, and a challenging league leaders quiz in which all the answers were Hall of Famers were big parts of the Rogers Hornsby Chapter’s celebration of SABR Day on Saturday.

Fifteen chapter members and guests joined our virtual meeting on Zoom to talk about the current stalemate between MLB owners and players. Many of us believe that spring training will almost certainly be delayed. New SABR member Keith Mars said he has plans to be in Florida later this month and was looking forward to catching some spring training games for the first time since he was a kid. Our fingers are crossed, Keith!

Continued delays may threaten the start of the regular season at the end of March. Some of us believe that we’ll see progress in the negotiations only when the risk of revenue loss from the regular season increases. But it’s anyone’s guess as to whether the owners and players can come to an agreement both sides will find tolerable. Meanwhile, we the fans are stuck discussing the economics of the game rather than speculating on which players will arrive at spring training in the best shape of their careers and which teams may be on the verge of a memorable season.

Birthdays proved to be a common theme during our meeting. Saturday would have been Hank Aaron’s 88th birthday. I shared with everyone a signed copy of “I Had a Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story” by Hank Aaron with Lonnie Wheeler. Last year, I was thrilled to find it in the sports section of Kaboom Books (www.kaboombooks.com), a very cool new-to-me bookstore near downtown Houston.

In addition, Peter Myers shared a video of Mets broadcaster and former player Keith Hernandez wishing him a happy birthday. Using the Cameo service, which connects celebrities and fans, his kids found the perfect gift for Mets fan Peter.

During the meeting, I also announced that Jerry Miller was joining the Hornsby Chapter leadership team to coordinate our winter meeting. We’re grateful for Ryan Pollack’s role as coordinator for the last six years and look forward to Jerry’s contributions.

Speaking of Jerry, he took us on a trip down memory lane with entertaining stories of meeting Hall of Fame players, including Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and his favorite player, Sandy Koufax. Meeting Koufax was particularly thrilling, Jerry said, because as a 9-year-old boy, he witnessed Koufax’s perfect game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium in 1965.

As winner of the December trivia quiz, Cy Morong presented a fun quiz that challenged us to name players who have been league leaders in different pitching and batting categories for two different teams in different seasons. Jim Baker took top prize, winning trivia books about the Astros and Rangers, with a score of 22 out of 25 total points. Mike Bass and Jerry Miller tied for second with 19 points each, while Peter Myers and Dan Walsh both had 18 points. Take your swing at Cy’s quiz below (answers follow the questions).

This was the 183th consecutive month in which the chapter has met, either in person or online, a streak dating to December 2006.

We’ve not yet scheduled the March meeting and have yet to decide whether to have an in-person or virtual meeting. More details to come later this month.

Trivia Quiz: Hall of Famers who were league leaders for two different teams

By Cy Morong

All questions are worth one point except question 24, which is worth two points because there are two answers.

1.    Who led the AL in batting average with the A’s and Red Sox?
2.    Who led his league in home runs with the Reds and Tigers?
3.    Who led the AL in home runs with the A’s and Red Sox?
4.    Who led the AL in home runs with the Angels, A’s and Yankees?
5.    Who led the AL in home runs with the Red Sox and Yankees?
6.    Who led the AL in home runs with the Senators and Twins?
7.    Who led the AL in RBIs with the A’s and Red Sox?
8.    Who led the AL in stolen bases with the A’s and White Sox?
9.    Who led the AL in stolen bases with the A’s and Yankees?
10.    Who led the NL in batting average with the Braves and Cardinals?
11.    Who led the NL in home runs with the Cardinals and Giants?
12.    Who led the NL in wins with the Mets and Reds?
13.    Who led his league in strikeouts with the Diamondbacks and Mariners?
14.    Who led his league in ERA with the Expos and Red Sox?
15.    Who led his league in ERA with the Giants and Orioles?
16.    Who led his league in strikeouts with the Angels, Astros and Rangers?
17.    Who led his league in strikeouts with the Phillies and Tigers?
18.    Who led his league in wins with the Blue Jays and Phillies?
19.    Who led his league in wins with the Cubs and Rangers?
20.    Who led his league in wins with the Giants, Indians and Padres?
21.    Who led the AL in ERA with the A’s and Red Sox?
22.    Who led the AL in wins with the A’s and Yankees?
23.    Who led the AL in wins with the Indians and White Sox?
24.    Who led the NL in RBIs with the Cardinals and Giants?

ANSWERS

1.  Jimmie Foxx
   2.    Sam Crawford
   3.    Jimmie Foxx
   4.    Reggie Jackson
   5.    Babe Ruth
   6.    Harmon Killebrew
   7.    Jimmie Foxx
   8.    Eddie Collins
   9.    Rickey Henderson
   10.    Rogers Hornsby
   11.    Johnny Mize
   12.    Tom Seaver
   13.    Randy Johnson
   14.    Pedro Martinez
   15.    Hoyt Wilhelm
   16.    Nolan Ryan
   17.    Jim Bunning
   18.    Roy Halladay
   19.    Fergie Jenkins
   20.    Gaylord Perry
   21.    Lefty Grove
   22.    Jim “Catfish” Hunter
   23.    Early Wynn
   24.    Johnny Mize & Orlando Cepeda