Category: Hornsby News

Longtime Astros broadcaster Bill Brown joined our October meeting on Saturday, sharing his insights about Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, the 2020 season and playoffs and his broadcasting career.

Brownie has long been a good friend to the Hornsby Chapter, presenting at our winter meetings in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

Remembering the late Joe Morgan, who died on Oct. 11, Brownie also noted that he and his wife, Dianne, moved to Cincinnati just as Joe Morgan joined the Reds in 1972.

“He was an immediate hit,” Brownie recalled with a chuckle. “But I wasn’t,” he added wryly.

But for the Big Red Machine, Brownie said there was no doubt about Morgan’s importance.

“He was the biggest ingredient,” he said.

Brownie joined the Cincinnati Reds Television Network in 1976. In 1987, he joined the Astros broadcast team, where he did play-by-play until he retired in 2016. Since then, he’s been a community outreach executive with the team.

As the master of ceremonies for the inaugural class of the Astros Hall of Fame, unveiled in 2019, Brownie recalled a widely circulated photo from that day featuring Hall of Famers Morgan and Craig Biggio with José Altuve. He didn’t know then how special that photo would be now as we remember Morgan’s career.

In remembering Morgan, Alyson Footer, an MLB reporter, shared photos from that ceremony on social media.

Brownie said he was greatly influenced by Jack Buck, a broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals who shared the booth then with Harry Caray.

“All of my buddies liked Harry Caray,” he said, “but I liked Jack Buck.”

Brownie also credited Jon Miller on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts to help him loosen up and partner well in the Astros broadcast booth with Jim Deshaies, now with the Cubs television broadcast.

He’s also written another book, “Sportscasting 101: The road to play-by-play,” which he said was written as a way to share insights about sports broadcasting with young people interested in the career. He interviewed a wide range of broadcasters for the book just as the pandemic hit and sports were shut down for a time. More information about the book can be found at this link: www.sportscasting101.com

He also discussed how grateful he was to have baseball this year during the pandemic. “It’s better than nothing,” he said.

He also talked about minor league contraction, the Astros playoff run in the 2020 season in the aftermath of the sign-stealing scandal, and the new rules instituted this season.

We also had a terrific trivia quiz, “First and Last,” by Dan Walsh, who obtained the honor of quiz maker because he won last month’s quiz. Cy Morong dominated the field with 26 total points. Jerry Miller was second with 23. The rest of us were in the teens and lower. Try your hand at Dan’s quiz at the end of this summary (answers follow the questions).

As this is being written, the Braves and Dodgers are engaged in NLCS Game 6. The Dodgers are trying to win to force Game 7 on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Astros and Rays are playing ALCS Game 7 tonight.

I asked the group to predict winners.

What will happen? We’ll see!

This was the 167th consecutive month in which the chapter has held a meeting and the eighth consecutive month in which the meeting was held via video conferencing.

The next meeting will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, on Zoom. Hope you can join us.

 FIRST and LAST

SABR QUIZ by Dan Walsh

All questions relate only to events in the “modern era” (1900 – present).  No 19^th century baseball.

1. Name the first player to hit four home runs in a game; and name the last player to hit four HR in a game.
2. Name the first relief pitcher to win a Cy Young award; and name the last relief pitcher to win a CY award.
3. Name the last left-handed pitcher to win at least 25 games in a season; and name the last right-handed pitcher to win 25 games in a season.
4. Name the last player to steal at least 100 bases in a season.
5. Name the first pitcher to throw a perfect game; name the last pitcher to throw a perfect game.
6. Name the first AL player to hit .400 in a season
7. Name the last NL player to hit .400 in a season
8. Name first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in both leagues; and name last pitcher to throw a no-hitter in both leagues.
9. Name the first NL player to hit 50 or more HR in a season
10. Name the last pitcher with 300 or more innings pitched in a season.
11. Name the last pitcher to start at least 40 games in one season.
12. Name the first player with a 40/40 season – 40 HR/40 SB; and name the last player with a 40/40 season
13. Name the first third baseman to win a Gold Glove
14. Name the first pitcher with three saves in a World Series; and name the last pitcher to get three saves in a World Series
15. After Jackie Robinson, name the first NL player to be named Rookie of the Year; and name the first AL Rookie of the year.
16. Name first manager elected to the Hall of Fame.
17. Name the first catcher elected to the Hall of Fame; name the last catcher elected to the Hall of Fame.
18. Name the first shortstop to have 100 RBI in a season;and name the last shortstop to have 100 RBI in a season.
19. Name the first catcher to have 100 RBI in a season; and name the last catcher to have 100 RBI in a season.
20. Name the first second baseman to hit 40 HR in a season; name the last second baseman to hit 40 HR in a season.
21. Name the first NL player to win a Gold Glove in seven consecutive seasons; and name the first AL player to win a Gold Glove in seven consecutive seasons.
22. Name the first player to hit a home run in the Astrodome; name the last player to homer in the Astrodome.
23. For the following players, name the first team they played for and the last team they played for:

Player                                                  First Team                    Last Team

Roger Maris                                         

Randy Johnson                                     

Goose Gossage                                    

Jim Edmonds                                       

Moises Alou                                         

Sparky Lyle                                          

Kenny Lofton                                       

FIRST and LAST QUIZ ANSWERS

1. LOU GEHRIG (1932) and D. MARTINEZ (2017)
2. MIKE MARSHALL (1972) and GREG GAGNE (2004)
3. RON GUIDRY (1978, 25); and BOB WELCH (1990, 27)
4. VINCE COLEMAN (1987)
5. CY YOUNG (1904); and FELIX HERNANDEZ (2012)
6. NAP LAJOIE (1901 -.426)
7. BILL TERRY (1930 – .401)
8. JIM BUNNING (1958-Det, 1964-PHI); RANDY JOHNSON (1990-SEA, 2004-ARI)
9. HACK WILSON (1930 – 56)
10. STEVE CARLTON (1980)
11. CHARLIE HOUGH (1987)
12. JOSE CANSECO (1988 – 42/40) and ALFONSO SORIANO (2006 – 46/41)
13. FRANK MALZONE (1957)
14. ROY FACE (1960); and SERGIO ROMO (2012)
15. AL DARK (1948), ROY SIEVERS (1949)
16. CONNIE MACK and JOHN McGRAW (1937)
17. BUCK EWING (1939), TED SIMMONS (2020)
18. HONUS WAGNER (1903) ;XANDER BOGAERTS (2019)
19. GABBY HATNETT (1930); BUSTER POSEY (2012)
20. ROGERS HORNSBY (1922); BRIAN DOZIER (2016)
21. WILLIE MAYS (1957-68); VIC POWER (1958-1964)
22. MICKEY MANTLE (1965); KEN CAMINITI (1999)
23. Player First Team                    Last Team

Roger Maris                                          Indians                         Cardinals

Randy Johnson                                     Expos                           Giants

Goose Gossage                                     White Sox                    Mariners

Jim Edmonds                                        Angels                          Reds

Moises Alou                                         Pirates                         Mets

Sparky Lyle                                           Red Sox                        White Sox

Kenny Lofton                                        Astros                          Indians

Former Houston Astros announcer Bill Brown will be joining us for our October Zoom meeting at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 17.  Bill spent 30 seasons announcing Astros games and has previously spoken at Hornsby Chapter meetings.  We’re glad that he is available to join us for this meeting.

If you wish you join the meeting, please register at the link below:

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Oct 17, 2020 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAlcumvqDsuH9O4c4hPPsMIHs4rxMxSuEjp

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Remembering Hall-of-Famers Tom Seaver and Lou Brock and discussing the tightening playoff race dominated our conversation at the monthly meeting on Saturday.

Fourteen chapter members and guests enjoyed hearing from one of the Hornsby Chapter’s newest members, Joe Gallagher. He had a long career in baseball broadcasting, serving as a producer for the New York Mets television and radio broadcasts and NBC’s Game of the Week in the 1960s.

Joe also shared his memories of Seaver and Brock. He remembered how the Mets had long struggled since their inception in 1962, but when Seaver arrived, he said that changed the culture.

“We’re not accepting losing,” he recalled Seaver saying on a broadcast. “We have to learn how to win.”

Joe said he was impressed with Seaver’s determination to win from the start of his career.

For Brock, Joe remembered an impressive home run he hit to the center field bleachers at the Polo Grounds. Many of us have seen the video of Willie Mays and his famous over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series, so it was fun to imagine Brock’s blast.

We’ll endeavor to include more of Joe’s memories and experiences in future meetings. You can read more about Joe’s extensive career in this profile written in 2018 by The Quadrangle, the student newspaper of Manhattan College, from which he graduated in 1949: https://mcquad.org/2018/04/27/joseph-gallagher-49-highlighting-the-former-sports-editors-astounding-career/

Monte also shared that he saw Brock’s 3,000th career hit in August 1979 at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.

We started off the meeting by remembering Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died the night before the meeting. We shared some interesting stories, including one in which her clerks had beaten the clerks of a fellow justice in fantasy baseball. You can read more about that at this link: https://clcjbooks.rutgers.edu/books/notorious-rbg-the-life-and-times-of-ruth-bader-ginsburg/

We also talked about a photo that Jeff Idelson, former president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, shared on his Twitter account from when Ginsburg once paid a visit.

Because Cy won last month’s quiz, he was imbued with the power to create this month’s quiz. He focused on team and league leaders in a variety of categories with an eye toward asking questions about teams popular in our chapter. Congratulations to Dan for winning Cy’s quiz with 28 total points. Jim was second with 22, and Ryan P. was third with 17. Your humble reporter achieved double digits with 11! Try your hand at Cy’s quiz below (answers are followed by the questions). For his impressive tally, Dan’s gets our hearty (virtual) handshakes and congratulations, and the honor to create next month’s quiz.

We also polled the meeting attendees on a variety of baseball questions. Everyone thinks the Dodgers are destined for another National League pennant, while the group favored the Rays (55%) over the A’s (27%) and White Sox (18%) to win the AL pennant.

Among second-place teams, the group thought that the favorites to win the World Series were the Yankees and Padres.

Of the wild card teams (entering play on Saturday, Sept. 19), the group thought the Indians (45%) were most likely to surprise the world and win the World Series, with the Phillies (27%), Blue Jays (18%) and Reds (9%) trailing in the poll results.

We also asked the group to pick one of the new baseball rules to retain for next season and beyond. Overwhelmingly, by a 75% vote, the group chose the universal DH rule over the other rules such as the runner-on-second-for-extra-innings rule (17%) and the seven-inning doubleheader rule (8%). No one supported continuing the expanded playoffs implemented this season.

This was the sixth consecutive month we’ve met online on Zoom since the beginning of the pandemic. It was also the 166th consecutive month in which the chapter has had a meeting.

The next Hornsby Chapter meeting will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, via Zoom. Information about the meeting will be shared via our email list in early October. Hope to see you there!

Teams and league leaders quiz

All questions worth 2 points except where noted.

By Cy Morong

1. Who was the first Astros player to win a batting title?
2. Who is the only Mets player to win a batting title?
3. Who was the most recent Yankee to win a batting title, prior to 2020? 
4. Who won the most batting titles as a member of the Cardinals?
5. Who was the most recent member of the Indians to win a batting title, prior to 2020? 
6. Since 1900, who is the only member of the Cubs to win back to back batting titles?
7. Who was the first Ranger to win a batting title? (since 1972)
8. Babe Ruth had 10 HR titles as a Yankee. Who is second on the Yankees in HR titles?
9. Who was the first White Sox player to lead the AL in HRs?
10. Who was the last Cardinal to win a HR crown before McGwire did it in 1998?
11. Who is the only Cub to win 3 straight HR crowns since 1900?
12. Who was the first Oriole to lead the AL in HRs (since 1954)?
13. Who was the first member of the Red Sox to lead the AL in HRs more than once?
14. Who was the last Brooklyn Dodger to lead the NL in HRs?
15. Who was the first Astro pitcher to lead the NL in strikeouts?
16. Who was the first Dodger to lead the NL in strikeouts and ERA in the same year?
17. Besides Tom Seaver, name either one of the two Mets to lead the NL in strikeouts more than once.
18. Who was the first Oriole to lead the AL in ERA since 1954?
19. Who was the first Boston pitcher to lead the AL in ERA?
20. Since 1920, who is the only Indians pitcher to win 2 ERA titles?
21. Name any 5 Rangers who led the AL in HRs, RBIs or AVG since 1972 (1 point each for a max of 5).
22. Name any 5 White Sox players who led the AL in HRs, RBIs or AVG (1 point each for a max of 5).

Answer Key: Teams and league leaders quiz. All questions worth 2 points except where noted.

1. Altuve
2. Jose Reyes
3. Bernie Williams
4. Musial (7)
5. Avila
6. Madlock
7. Julio Franco
8. Mantle 4
9. Melton
10. Mize
11. Hack Wilson
12. Frank Robinson
13. Ruth
14. Duke Snider
15. J.R. Richard
16. Vance
17. Gooden, Cone.
18. Wilhelm
19. Cy Young
20. Garcia
21. Hamilton, Young, Franco, AROD, Juan Gonzalez, Sierra and Burroughs
22. Allen, Abreu, Anderson, Thomas, Appling and Melton

As the abbreviated 2020 Major League Baseball season winds down and playoff positions are determined, the Hornsby Chapter marches on with another Saturday afternoon Zoom meeting.  The September meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. CDT on Saturday, September 19.

Once again in order to streamline the registration process, please preregister for the meeting using the link below.

The general manager of the Round Rock Express joined our monthly meeting yesterday to share how the club has endured the pandemic without a Triple-A season.

Tim Jackson, who’s been with the Express for 10 years, the last five as general manager, explained how devastating 2020 has been on the club and minor league baseball to 14 SABR members who took part in our fifth consecutive virtual meeting via Zoom.

With 95 percent of revenue generated from Express games, Jackson said the club had to make the hard decision to lay off half its staff in late May. As a result, the Express explored other ways to maintain community relations amid an unprecedented pandemic.

“This place is much bigger than 70 Express baseball games,” Jackson said, adding that Dell Diamond has hosted movie nights, concerts and the Texas Collegiate League. The wood-bat league featured amateur players from the University of Houston and Baylor, among other area programs. Jackson estimated they had about 500 people at the stadium with social distancing and mask rules at the beginning. By the end of the home schedule of about 12 games, Jackson said they had 1,200 to 1,500 people attending games. The last two home games were canceled after a few players tested positive for COVID-19 while asymptomatic.

Jackson was also a guest speaker at our Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting last January at Texas State University in San Marcos. With regard to the stalemate between MLB and MiLB, he said not much has changed with MLB’s plan to contract the number of minor league teams. He expects the current agreement between the entities to expire in September and is unsure what may happen next.

While he’s hopeful there will be a way to save the threatened minor league clubs, he’s worried about them.

“It’s as grim as I thought it looked in January,” Jackson said.

Meanwhile, Jackson said, the club is exploring other ways to connect with the community by offering a range of events, including a drive-in event on Aug. 29 in which participants can enjoy a Metallica concert broadcast on screens around the Dell Diamond parking lots and audio broadcast on FM radio.

More information about this concert and other events can be found on the Round Rock Express website: https://www.milb.com/round-rock

We’re very grateful for Tim Jackson’s time and candor. We look forward to catching up with him again and hope it’s in better circumstances.

Jim Baker created a number-centric quiz challenging us to name significant numbers in baseball history, some of which, he said, all baseball fans should know. One in particular — most career no-hitters thrown by a pitcher — is one that everyone in Texas should know. Out of 100 total points, Cy Morong pounded the field with 72 points. Jerry Miller was second with 50 points and Jan Larson had 46. Take your swings at Baker’s quiz below (answer follow the questions).

We also had a few poll questions to consider which first- or second-place teams were our favorites to win league pennants, and which last-place team might manage to rebound and make the playoffs. The Dodgers were nearly unanimous as the NL pennant winner (one vote for the Cubs). The AL picture is more competitive in our voting; five chose the Yankees, three chose the A’s, and one vote apiece came for the Rays and Indians. As for which last-place teams might yet rebound and make the playoffs, our group favored the Nationals and the Tigers (though the Angels got some love, too).

When asked about the new rules implemented this season, such as the universal DH, the reliever three-batter rule, and the runner-on-second extra innings rule, most of our group disliked them, two voted neither like nor dislike, and one hated them.

Are our members watching more games or fewer games? It turns out that most are watching about the same number of games, while one voted more and one voted fewer.

In light of the recent discussion about Fernando Tatis Jr. swinging away on a 3-0 count with his team leading by seven runs in the eighth inning, we asked our members how they felt about a batter in this situation. Six voted that it’s the batter’s prerogative to swing away, two said the unwritten rules were more important and should result in no swing, and one voted that it depends (allowable in some situations but not all).

This was the 165th consecutive month in which the chapter has met.

Details for next month’s meeting will be forthcoming early in September.

NUMBER, PLEASE

By Jim Baker

This quiz will ask you to name famous baseball numbers that represents extreme accomplishments or failures to accomplish. You don’t need to know who achieved these numbers, nor do you need to know when they occurred. If you do, that’s great—but it won’t get you extra credit on this particular quiz. All numbers must be exact unless otherwise specified and all numbers apply to the Major Leagues only.

The quiz is broken into four sections: Game, Streaks, Season and Career. There are 50 numbers that need to be named. Each is worth two points.

GAME

1. The most RBI by a player in a game.
2. The number of players who have done this.
3. The most hits by a batter in a 9-inning game.
4. The most batters struck out by a pitcher in a 9-inning game.
5. The number of pitchers who have done this.
6. Most consecutive batters struck out by a pitcher in a single game.
7. Most consecutive batters retired by a pitcher in one game.
8. The most runs scored in an inning by one team (since 1901).
9. The most runs scored in a game by one team (since 1901).
10. The most runs scored in a game by both teams (since 1901).
11. Most runs scored by a player in a 9-inning game (since 1901).
12. The most total bases by a player in a single game.

STREAKS

1. Most consecutive games with a hit.
2. Most consecutive games with a hit by a National Leaguer (within one).
3. Most consecutive games with a home run.
4. Number of players who have done this.
5. Most consecutive games with a home run by a pitcher.
6. Most consecutive league home run titles by a player.
7. Most consecutive wins by a team (since 1901, tie games excluded).
8. Most consecutive team losses (since 1901).
9. Most consecutive losses to one team. (Hint: If the Tigers had been swept by the Indians in their weekend series of 8/21 to 8/23/20, they would have tied this record.)
10. Most consecutive team losses in the playoffs. (This is a current streak.)
11. Most consecutive wins by a pitcher without a charged loss.
12. The second-most consecutive games played by a player.

SEASON

1. The most pitching victories in a season (since 1946).
2. The most pitching victories in a season (since 2000).
3. The most saves in a season by a pitcher.
4. The most team victories in a 154-game scheduled season since 1904.
5. The most team victories in a 162-game scheduled season.
6. The fewest team victories in a 154-game scheduled season.
7. The fewest team victories since 1961, excluding strike-shortened seasons.
8. Most hits by a player in a season.
9. Most doubles by a player in a season.
10. Most triples by a player in a season.
11. Most home runs by a player in a season.
12. Most runs scored by a player in a season (since 1901; within two).
13. The most RBI in a season by a player (within two).
14. The number of plate appearances per team game played required for a player to qualify for a batting title. (No rounding.)
15. The number of innings pitched per team game played required for a pitcher to qualify for the ERA title.

CAREER

1. The most career pitching victories.
2. The most career pitching losses (within one).
3. The most no hitters pitched by one pitcher.
4. The most career shutouts by one pitcher.
5. The most consecutive seasons played with one team.
6. The most grand slams.
7. The most three-homer games. (This record was tied in 2020.)
8. The highest career batting average (within .001).
9. The most doubles.
10. The most triples.
11. Most World Championships (team).

TIEBREAKER

1. The number of stitches in a baseball. (Either the individual or double-stitch number is acceptable.)

ANSWERS

GAME

1. 12
2. 2: Jim Bottomley on 9/16/24 and Mark Whiten on 9/7/1993
3. 7: Wilbert Robinson 6/10/1892 and Rennie Stennett on 9/16/1975
4. 20
5. 4: Roger Clemens on 4/29/86 and 9/18/96, Kerry Wood on 5/6/98, Randy Johnson on 5/8/01 and Max Scherzer on 5/11/16
6. 10: Tom Seaver, Mets; 4/22/1970 vs. Padres
7. 36: Harvey Haddix, Pirates; 5/26/1959 vs. Braves
8. 17: Red Sox vs. Tigers, 6/18/1953
9. 30: Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles, 8/22/2007
10. 49: Cubs 26 Phillies 23 on 8/25/1922
11. 6: By 15 players. Joe Randa was the last. Mel Ott did it twice. Guy Hecker scored 7 in a game in 1887.
12. 19: Shawn Green, LA Dodgers on 5/23/2002

STREAKS

1. 56: Joe DiMaggio in 1941
2. 45: Wee Wille Keeler (one game in 1896, 44 in 1897) and Pete Rose (44 games in 1978)
3. 8
4. 3: Dale Long in 1956, Don Mattingly in 1987, Ken Griffey, Jr., in 1993
5. 4: Ken Brett, Philadelphia Phillies in 1973
6. 7: Ralph Kiner, 1946 to 1952
7. 26: 1916 New York Giants
8. 23: 1961 Philadelphia Phillies
9. 23: Also 23. In 1969, the Royals beat the Orioles in their first-ever encounter and then lost the next 23 games to them, losing 11 in 1969 and getting swept 12-0 in 1970. The Yankees currently have an 18-game streak against the Orioles.
10. 14: Minnesota Twins
11. 24: Carl Hubbell, NY Giants from 7/8/1936 to 5/27/1937. He went 26-6 and 22-8, leading the NL in winning percentage both seasons.
12. 2,130: Lou Gehrig

SEASON

1. 31: Denny McLain, 1968 Tigers
2. 24: Randy Johnson, D’backs, in 2003 and Justin Verlander, Tigers, in 2011
3. 62: Francisco Rodriguez, 2008 Angels
4. 116: 1906 Chicago Cubs, 116-36
5. 116: 2001 Mariners, 116-46
6. 36: 1916 A’s, 36-117
7. 40: 1962 New York Mets, 40-120
8. 262: Ichiro Suzuki, 2004 Mariners,
9. 67: Earl Webb, 1931 Red Sox
10. 36: Owen Wilson, 1912 Pirates
11. 73: Barry Bonds, 2001 Giants
12. 177: Babe Ruth, 1921 Yankees
13. 191: Hack Wilson, 1930 Cubs
14. 3.1, normally 502 in a typical season
15. 1, normally 162 in a typical season

CAREER

1. 511: Cy Young
2. 315: Cy Young
3. 7: Nolan Ryan
4. 110: Walter Johnson
5. 23: Brooks Robinson (Orioles) and Carl Yastrzemski (Red Sox)
6. 25: Alex Rodriguez
7. 6: Mookie Betts, Johnny Mize, Sammy Sosa
8. .366: Ty Cobb
9. 792: Tris Speaker
10. 309: Sam Crawford
11. 27: New York Yankees

TIEBREAKER

108/216: There are 108 double stitches on a baseball, or 216 individual stitches.

As we prepare for the “dog days” (such as it were) of the 2020 Major League Baseball season, we will be gathering remotely for our next monthly Zoom meeting on Saturday, August 22 at 1:00 p.m. CDT.  We look forward to welcoming guest speaker, Tim Jackson, GM of the Round Rock Express, AAA affiliate of the Houston Astros.

In an effort to streamline the registration process, we (or more correctly chapter commissioner, Gilbert Martinez) has implemented the self-registration feature of Zoom:

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Aug 22, 2020 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIpdeGppzgpHdXwbMegh1NvMtaKGFPbgoY9

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Eighteen SABR members vied for supremacy in a challenging quiz about the middle names of Hall of Fame members at the July meeting on Zoom yesterday.

Jerry Miller spent quite some time researching and verifying information about middle names and crafted a fun and sometimes perplexing quiz won by Cy Morong with 62 out of 100 points. Other notable scores were 38 by Jim Baker, 30 by Frank Rechtorovic, 24 by Jan Larson and 17 by Mike Dillon. Your faithful correspondent broke double digits, though just barely with 11! Frequent quiz-maker Jim noted that the mark of a good quiz is having at least one participant score greater than 50 percent correct. Try your hand at the quiz below (answers follow the questions). Many thanks to Jerry for the quiz.

With the MLB shortened season less than a week away, we utilized the poll function on Zoom to gauge the mood of our virtual room. Because of Zoom settings, poll results were not preserved, but here are the general results of these quick poll questions.

I asked how many of the 60 scheduled MLB games might be played. Half of the participants were confident all 60 will get played, but the other half voted for ranges of games equaling less than 60. Notably, no one thought the whole season would get wiped out without a game being played.

I also asked what the group thought about the eventual 2020 World Series Champion (assuming we get that far). Most would consider that team a legitimate champion. Some mentioned that injuries are part of the game, so combating coronavirus is something with which all teams will have to contend. Does this, then, mean that the eventual champion will be the team that most successfully avoids the coronavirus? Some said that if one of the super-teams wins (Dodgers or Yankees, perhaps), then the title would largely be considered legitimate, but maybe less so if a “bad” team (such as the Marlins) gets hot and wins in a shortened season. Still, others pointed out that the playoff format will be same, so that may provide an equalizing effect.

For fun, I asked participants to imagine themselves on the mound pitching to Rob Manfred; what would they do? The majority opted to knock him on his butt, but others would choose to groove him a sweet pitch, give him a pass or pitch him tough.

In other discussions, Jan Larson and Monte Cely talked about their recent visit to the Dell Diamond to watch the Round Rock Hairy Men play. They said there was good raw talent on the field, but they sometimes saw defensive lapses.

This was our fourth consecutive virtual meeting on Zoom since the pandemic started and our 164th consecutive month with a meeting. We’re planning another Zoom meeting next month. More details to follow on our email list.

HALL OF FAME MIDDLE NAMES QUIZ

By Jerry Miller

* 25 questions, worth four points each. One point credit for each answer involving 4+ names, two points credit for each answer involving 2 names.

1)  As near as I can tell, there are two pairs of HOFers that have the same first AND middle names. The following two questions concern those HOFers.

The first pair involves two players that formerly held two of the most sacred records in baseball. However, one of them went by his middle rather than his first name. Name them. Hint: the two names are also shared by a prominent African-American scholar, author, and television personality (brownie points for naming him).

2)  The other pair were inducted into the HOF and had their numbers – more specifically, their CONSECUTIVE NUMBERS – retired by the same team. Name them.

3)  While we are on the subject of pairs, I am looking for the names of two other players. One is a HOFer and one of the greatest players of all time. The other had a .324 lifetime BA and hit .393 in a single season, yet is NOT in the HOF. The HOFer’s middle name is the same as the other player’s last name, and both of them were better known by the same nickname. Name them.

4)  This HOFer’s middle name is Louis. However, he is not known by either Louis or his first name (Vernon), but by his nickname. Name him.

5)  This HOFer was born on a train, and named after the doctor who delivered him, so his middle name is the doctor’s last name. Name him (extra brownie points if you actually know the middle/last name).

6)  The parents of this HOFer obviously liked redundancy and alliteration. Also, they liked redundancy and alliteration. His first and middle names are Frank and Francis, and his last name also begins with an “F.” Name this 3-F HOFer.

7)  Andre Dawson’s middle name is the same as a HOF pitcher that he faced 89 times and struck out against 25 times. The HOF pitcher used their shared middle name as his first name. Name him.

8)  In the category of strength up the middle, there are two HOFers with the middle name of Peter that are each generally acknowledged as the greatest or at least near-greatest at their respective positions in the middle of the diamond. Neither of them is known by their real first or middle names. Name them.

9)  Believe it or not, the most popular first name for HOFers is “George.” They include George Brett, George Davis, George Kell, George Sisler, George Weiss, and George Wright. They also include two Georges who were better known by their middle names. Name them.

10)  In addition to the two Georges better known by their middle name, there were also two Georges who were better known by their nicknames. One was a manager and one was a player. Name them.

11)  On the list of the most feminine HOFers is one whose middle name was (Don’t Call Me) “Shirley” and one whose middle name was “Louise” (sorry, no Thelmas). Because I don’t expect anyone to get this right, you can receive partial credit for naming the HOFers whose first names were “Adrian.”

12)  This HOF second baseman was born in 1918, the last year of World War I, and was given his middle name in honor of General John “Black Jack” Pershing, the commander of American forces in that war. Name him.

13)  Name two HOFers who were given their middle names in honor of Presidents.

14)  And while we are being political, this HOF second baseman was named after a three named, three time unsuccessful presidential candidate, who also served as Secretary of State and helped attack the teaching of evolution during the famous Scopes trial. Name both the player and the famous person for whom he was named.

15)  This HOFer was named for a Civil War battle site where his father was wounded, so his middle name is a geographical or geological term. Name him.

16)  This HOF player was named after a professional hockey player, and his middle name is the same as the hockey player’s last name. Name him and the hockey player for which he was named.

17)  Willie Mays shares the same middle name as this HOF pitcher, who gave up Willie’s 607th, 608th, and 621st career home runs. Name both the pitcher and their shared middle name.

18)  Besides Mays, there is one member of the 600+ Home Run club with the same middle name. Name him.

19)  A number of HOFers have unusual middle names. I won’t go so far as to ask you whose middle name is “Gazaway” (Vic Willis), but you should still be able to identify each of these HOFers from the following middle names:

1. a)  Dornel
2. b)  Moses
3. c)  Martinez (a nod to Gilbert and Raeanne)
4. d)  True

20)  As near as I can tell, the most popular middle name among HOFers is “Joseph,” which is convenient because it is also my middle name. For up to four points, name four out of the eight HOFers with the middle name “Joseph.” To help, here are clues as to the four most prominent:

1. a)  All-time leader in HRs by a catcher
2. b)  Second winningest manager in MLB history
3. c)  First third baseman elected to HOF
4. d)  One of the first two umpires elected to the HOF

21)  Two HOF players with the same middle name (Lee) each won the National League Most Valuable Player awards in consecutive years (1969 and 1970). Name them.

22)  Several HOF players are known by their middle rather than their first names. Identify the following HOFers by their first names:

1. a)  Wesley (clue: his namesake spoke at one of our winter meetings)
2. b)  Lynn (clue: same middle name as Andre Dawson)
3. c)  Jacob (clue: ended his HOF career with the Houston Colt .45s)
4. d)  James (clue: hit a HR in his first MLB at bat, then never hit another)

23-24) OK, this is technically a surname rather than a middle name question. However, in Hispanic culture, a child may be given the surname of both his father (apellido paterno) and his mother (apellido materno). As a result, several Hispanic HOFers have on their HOF plaques surnames other than those which we know them by. Name the HOFers with the following additional surnames on their HOF plaques (one point each, max of eight points):

1. a)  Walker (no, Larry doesn’t count).
2. b)  Rigal
3. c)  Velazquez
4. d)  Pennes
5. e)  Alvino
6. f)  Sanchez
7. g)  Méndez
8. h)  Torres

25) The only father-son combination in the HOF were also each named for a 19th century railroad magnate, as is a famous U.S. university. Name those two HOFers and, for extra credit, the person for whom they were named.

ANSWERS

1)  Henry Louis Aaron and Henry Louis Gehrig (also Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)

2)  Joseph Paul DiMaggio (NYY #5) and Joseph Paul Torre (NYY #6)

3)  George Herman “Babe” Ruth and Floyd Caves “Babe” Herman

4)  Vernon Louis “Lefty” Gomez

5)  Rodney Cline Carew

6)  Frankie Frisch

7)  (Lynn) Nolan Ryan, Jr.

8)  John Peter “Honus” Wagner and Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra. Note: it was mentioned that Pee Wee Reese’s full name is Harold Peter Henry Reese. I consider the question and answer of Honus Wagner to be technically correct, since he is universally regarded as one of the two or so best SSs to ever play the game, whereas no one I know would put Pee Wee in that category. Still, I would accept Pee Wee as an alternate answer.

9)  George Thomas Seaver and George Kenneth Griffey, Jr.

10)  George “Sparky” Anderson and George Herman “Babe” Ruth

11)  Hazen Shirley “Kiki” Cuyler; Effa Louise Manley; Adrian “Addie” Joss; Adrian Constantine “Cap” Anson

12)  Robert Pershing “Bobby” Doerr

13)  Grover Cleveland Alexander, Jack Roosevelt Robinson. Note: Benjamin Harrison (Ben) Taylor was born in 1889, the year after Benjamin Harrison was elected president. In addition, Oscar Charleston’s middle name was McKinley, and he was born the same year that William McKinley was elected president. However, I have been unable to find any definitive source to indicate that either was named after the presidents.

14)  William Jennings Bryan (Billy) Herman

15)  Kenesaw Mountain Landis

16)  Derek Sanderson Jeter. OK, according to one website that I just read (jockbio.com), this is an urban myth: “Derek Sanderson Jeter was born June 26, 1974 in Pequannock, New Jersey. The first of two kids—he has a sister, Sharlee—Derek grew up in a sports-crazy home. For quite some time a story circulated that his parents, Dorothy and Charles, named him after hockey star Derek Sanderson, the dynamic forward of the Boston Bruins. Derek says that isn’t true. He was named after his grandfather, Sanderson Charles Jeter.”

Even if he wasn’t named after him, it’s still ironic to note that the greatest modern Yankee has the same name as a Boston sports icon.

17)  Don Howard Sutton

18)  James Howard Thome

19) a) Wilver Dornel “Pops” Stargell

1. b)  Robert Moses “Lefty” Grove
2. c)  Reginald Martinez “Mr. October” Jackson
3. d)  Denton True “Cy” Young

20) a) Michael Joseph Piazza

1. b) John Joseph McGraw
2. c) Harold Joseph “Pie” Traynor
3. d) William Joseph (Bill) Klem

Also, Dan Joseph Brouthers; James Joseph Collins; John Joseph Evers; and Michael Joseph (King) Kelly.

Note: It was mentioned, correctly, that Jimmy Collins was the first 3B elected to the HOF (1945), whereas Traynor was not elected until 1948. Because as indicated above both of their middle names are Joseph, I would regard either as correct.

21)  Willie Lee McCovey (1969) and Johnny Lee Bench (1970).

22) a) Wesley Branch Rickey

1. b)  Lynn Nolan Ryan
2. c)  Jacob Nelson Fox
3. d)  James Hoyt Wilhelm

23-24) a) Roberto Clemente Walker

1. b)  Atanacio Pérez Rigal (Tony Pérez)
2. c)  Roberto Alomar Velazquez
3. d)  Orlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes
4. e)  Vladimir Guerrero Alvino
5. f)  Juan Antonio Marichal Sanchez
6. g) José de la Caridad Méndez Baez
7. h) Iván Rodríguez Torres

A: Note: Other HOFers include Luis Ernesto Aparicio and Montiel Martín Magdaleno Dihigo Llanos, but their full names are not on their HOF plaques.

25) Leland Stanford (Larry) MacPhail; Leland Stanford (Lee) MacPhail, Jr.

A fun and challenging quiz about baseball awards, a discussion about the current state of Major League Baseball and suggestions to find professional baseball near and far dominated the third consecutive monthly meeting on Zoom on Saturday.

Two dozen chapter members and guests shared views about the deadlock between baseball owners and players. Many of us lamented how much we miss baseball and worry that even if they come to an agreement, the coronavirus continues to threaten more than just professional baseball.

Even so, professional baseball continues to be played in Asia. Joining South Korea and China, Japan kicked off its shortened 2020 season over the weekend. In addition, venues in Texas hope to have baseball soon. For example, some Minor League Baseball owners announced that they were hosting a six-team Texas Collegiate League, including the Round Rock Express, the San Antonio Missions and the Frisco RoughRiders. This wood-bat league is scheduled to kick off on June 30.

The Sugar Land Skeeters are planning a four-team independent baseball league beginning July 3 with 25% capacity of the stadium allowed for attendance.

Meanwhile, Cy Morong created a quiz about baseball awards and, like Hank Aaron, brought the hammer. Jerry Miller dominated the contest with 10 correct answers, leaving many of us in the dust. Take your crack at the quiz below (answers at the very end). Good luck! You’re gonna need it. Many thanks to Cy for the quiz. Because Jerry won, he’ll author the quiz for next month.

Scott Barzilla of the Larry Dierker Chapter joined us to share details about his newly published “The Hall of Fame Index Part II,” a follow-up to his first book, published in 2010. Using a new formula, Barzilla examines the credentials of players already in the Hall and those, perhaps, who should be. This update can be purchased on Amazon.com: a printed version is $14.99 and the ebook is $5.99.

We also spent some time discussing the likelihood that MLB owners and players would reach an agreement for a 2020 season. Arguments on both sides were examined, and many of us wondered if the two sides could find middle ground between the players’ proposal for 70 games against the owners’ plan for 60. Because of many monetary factors, that may prove to be too large a gap to bridge.

After nearly two hours of camaraderie and baseball community, I shared a short clip featuring a massive home run hit by Yuki Yanagita, center fielder for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, on June 20. Without any fans in the stands, the cheers by his teammates are particularly noticeable. The clip also features the home run blast from multiple angles.

Some members expressed an appreciation for our monthly Zoom meetings. Frank R. shared that he gets a lot out of Zoom meetings. We also had SABR members join us from out of state.

Next month’s meeting will most likely be on Zoom once again. Mark your calendars for 11 a.m. (Central Time) Saturday, July 18. We will send out a request for RSVPs in mid-July. We hope that you and your loved ones stay safe out there, and let’s keep our fingers crossed for an MLB season announcement soon.

June 2020 Hornsby Chapter Quiz

By Cy Morong

1. Who won the first World Series MVP award?

2. Who was the first non-pitcher to win the World Series MVP award?

3. Who was the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award and the World Series MVP award in the same year?

4. Who was the first Cy Young Award winner not to pitch for a first-place team?

5. Who was the first pitcher to win the World Series MVP award twice?

6. Who was the first position player to win the World Series MVP award twice?

7. Who was the first position player to win the World Series MVP in the same year he won the regular season MVP award?

8. Who was the first man to win the World Series MVP while playing for the losing team?

9. Who was the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP in the same year he won the regular season MVP award?

10. Who was the first player to win the Rookie of the Year award and then go on to win the regular season MVP award in a later year?

11. Since 1931, who was the first man in the American League to win back-to-back regular season MVP awards?

12. Since 1931, who was the first man in the National League to win back-to-back regular season MVP awards?

13. Since 1931, who was the first man in either league to win three regular season MVP awards?

14. Who was the first National League pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards?

15. Who was the first American League pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards?

16. Who was the first pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year award and then go on to win the Cy Young Award in a later year?

17. Who was the first pitcher to win the All-Star game MVP in the same year he won the Cy Young Award?

18. Since 1931, who was the first pitcher in either league to win two regular season MVP awards?

19. Since 1931, of the 16 original franchises, which was the last to have a player win an MVP award for the first time?

20. Who was that MVP winner for the team in question 19?

Answers

1. Johnny Podres
2. Bobby Richardson
3. Bob Turley
4. Dean Chance
5. Sandy Koufax
6. Reggie Jackson
7. Frank Robinson
8. Bobby Richardson
9. Maury Wills
10. Jackie Robinson
11. Jimmie Foxx
12. Ernie Banks
13. Jimmie Foxx
14. Sandy Koufax
15. Denny McLain
16. Don Newcombe
17. Roger Clemens
18. Carl Hubbell
19. Senators/Twins
20. Zoilo Versalles

The Hornsby Chapter’s June meeting will again be held remotely using Zoom on Saturday afternoon, June 20 at 1:00 p.m. CDT.  We will discuss the current state of baseball (if there is one) and Cy Morong will be presenting a trivia quiz.

Those interested in participating please send an RSVP to Jan Larson at jan.a.larson@gmail.com no later than 7:00 p.m. CDT on  Friday June 19.  The Zoom meeting ID and passcode will be distributed later that evening to those that have submitted RSVPs by the cutoff time. 

Note that when you login to Zoom to attend the meeting you will be placed in a “waiting room” until the moderator admits you to the meeting.   Only those that have submitted an RSVP will be admitted.