Society for American Baseball Research
The Rogers Hornsby chapter will be celebrating SABR Day with an 11:00 a.m. CST Zoom meeting on Saturday, January 30. Our featured guest will be author Kelly Park of the Pee Wee Reese (Louisville, KY) chapter. Mr. Park will be discussing his book entitled “Just Like Me: When the Pros Played on the Sandlot.”
Registration for this meeting is available at the link below:
https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYodOuvrzwvH9IQicUVs_T4-9Q1EGCMUFIL
Tony Kemp’s pinch-hit strikeout-that-turned-into-a-home-run and Ross Ohlendorf’s immaculate inning were just two stories in a fun-filled day at the chapter’s winter meeting on Saturday.
Oakland Athletics (and former Houston Astros) utility player Tony Kemp and Austin native Ross Ohlendorf dazzled more than 30 members and guests at the 15th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting of the Rogers Hornsby Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research.
Tony Kemp, who made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2016, talked about the challenges in playing the shortened season in 2020 without fans because of the coronavirus. He also said he was excited and proud to play for the Oakland A’s, which won the American League West.
He remembered 2019 as a roller coaster year because he was released by the Astros and picked up by the Cubs. Having grown up a St. Louis Cardinals fan, he said it was odd to don the Cubs uniform, but he loved “being on the other side.”
He was asked about the time he struck out against Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos on Sept. 21, at Wrigley Field. Or so he thought. Because a balk was called prior to the pitch, Kemp had new life in the batter’s box with a full count. Kemp remembers the at-bat well. The balk moved Ben Zobrist from second to third.
What would Gallegos throw? Kemp thought. And what would the location be?“I [sat] on a heater,” he remembered, and he got it. All of it. He launched a two-run home run to straightaway center field that put the Cubs ahead, though they later lost the game. For more about this play, check out the video on MLB.com: https://www.mlb.com/news/tony-kemp-go-ahead-home-run-strikeout-balk
Kemp also remembered playing at Minute Maid Park in the first games played after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey in 2017. He had been called up from Triple-A to join a talented team that went on to win the World Series that year.
He remembered manager A.J. Hinch’s emotional pep talk to the crowd that day.
“The feeling in the clubhouse was very eerie, not nervous,” he said. “We realized that the game was bigger than us. That we were not just playing for ourselves.”
In the past year, Kemp has been active on social media and engaged with fans. After the George Floyd murder, he said he wanted to do more to address racial injustice and sought to have conversations about race relations in America. He said he’s had more than 500 conversations with people from across the country.
“I think the biggest thing is that you take yourself out of your shoes,” he said as a first step to understanding the climate in America today. “A lot of people were hurting and… needing questions answered that they never had before.”
Kemp said this inspired him to create and lead the +1 Effect movement, in which candid conversations, he hopes, can lead to healing and understanding. He partnered with BreakingT to raise money for a campaign to decrease police violence and improve race relations in America. Read more about his effort on MLB.com: https://www.mlb.com/news/tony-kemp-starts-campaign-fighting-racial-injustice
To help support Kemp and his +1 Effect campaign, you can purchase T-shirts and use a promotional code (HORNSBY) for a 15% discount at this link: https://breakingt.com/products/plus-1-effect
Kemp also talked about the Astros sign-stealing scandal and how he didn’t want any part of that when he returned to the team in September 2017. “I’m thankful for my younger self,” he said of his decision.
Before our talk ended, he gave us a tour of his memorabilia, showing signed jerseys from baseball greats such as Edgar Martinez and David Price and signed baseballs from Craig Biggio, Nolan Ryan and others. He keeps in touch with his teammates from Vanderbilt University and was part of the team that led Vandy to its first College World Series.
Later, Austin native and former MLB pitcher Ross Ohlendorf shared his memories of his Major League career pitching for the Yankees, Pirates, Padres, Nationals, Rangers and Reds. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ohlendorf was the key prospect in the trade that sent him to the Yankees and Randy Johnson to the D’backs in 2007.
He shared how much he appreciated the great Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who took an active interest in helping Ohlendorf when he struggled.
“Some players want to be great and some want the team to be great,” Ohlendorf said, noting that Rivera was both.
“I’ve never seen someone else take such an interest in helping others — at least, in helping me,” he said. While some pitchers may watch and offer tips, Ohlendorf said Rivera would catch him on flat ground and offer guidance.
He also remembered working with Pittsburgh Pirates pitching coach Joe Kerrigan, who he said helped him greatly with pitching mechanics and location.
“There are two parts to pitching: the right pitch and execution,” Ohlendorf explained. He said sometimes in his career, he had the right pitch but not the conviction in the moment to throw that pitch, causing poor execution. He said he was at his best when he could align the right pitch with the confidence and conviction to throw it, which often led to better execution.
Ohlendorf finished his professional playing career in a season with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in 2017. Though he said he wished he pitched better, he said that he and his family had a great experience in Japan, and he hopes to visit in the future with his family. Of the quality of play, Ohlendorf said that most teams had one or two players that would be good players in MLB. He also said that the style of play is different in Japan, where teams rely on small ball to score runs and defense.
Of his immaculate inning – an inning in which a pitcher retires three batters with nine pitches – Ohlendorf said he didn’t know until after the game that he had become the 40th pitcher in MLB history to achieve the feat. However, Ohlendorf, pitching for the Pirates against the Cardinals on Sept. 5, 2009, said he did think about the feat during the inning.
“When I went 0-2 on the second batter, I thought about it,” he said, noting that he had a shot. He remembered also that all three strikeouts were completed with putouts by the catcher to the first baseman.
You can watch each strike and out at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VViT34ETHBU
Before Ohlendorf finished, he talked about the lineup cards displayed on his wall at home. One lineup card is from his Major League debut with the Yankees, and another was from a win with the Rangers. He got signatures from most of the players on each card.
We also thanked Ohlendorf for his participation with the chapter’s BasebALZ program, a therapy program that uses baseball memories to help Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. For more about the program, click this link: http://www.sabrhornsby.org/about-basebalz/
Longtime Round Rock Express broadcaster and award-winning journalist Mike Capps (pictured above) joined us and shared his insights about the state of Minor League Baseball and the uncertainty about the upcoming season. He plans to return to the Express broadcast booth, where he’s been known as the Voice of the Express since 2000.
After MLB contracted the number of minor league teams from 160 teams to 120 in late 2020, unknowns about the upcoming season include team schedules and the makeup of divisions. Under the new model headed by MLB, most decisions involving the minor league clubs, such as marketing, will be decided at the MLB office in New York.
Capps said it appears that the start of the minor league season may dovetail with Opening Day for the major league teams.
Another feature of our winter meeting involves having a mock Hall of Fame election to capture the chapter’s impression of the players on the ballot. Our results have often suggested how the baseball writers vote on their real ballots.
We had 22 participate in our ballot in which none of the players reached at least 75% of the vote (17 of 22). The highest vote-getters on our ballot were Barry Bonds and Rogers Clemens (each with 13 of 22 votes, or 59%), Curt Schilling (12 of 22 votes, or 55%) and Scott Rolen (11 of 22 votes, or 50%). No other player on our ballot reached double digits in votes.
We’ll see how our mock election compares with the real deal on Tuesday, Jan. 26, when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announces its results.
Longtime chapter member Jim Baker opened our meeting with a collection of photos of baseball players with dogs and invited participants to share interesting tidbits about the players such as Hank Aaron (seen above), Ichiro Suzuki, David Ortiz, Willie Mays and Rogers Hornsby, among others.
Sprinkled throughout the meeting, some participants shared their favorite memorabilia. Monte Cely shared his 1958 J.C. Higgins glove (Don Blasingame model); Mike McNulty shared a souvenir minibat from the 1932 World Series between the Cubs and Yankees (his uncle obtained the bat at the game in which Babe Ruth famously called his home run shot); Jerry Miller shared a variety of items related to Dodgers great Tommy Lasorda; Jan Larson shared a ballcap for the now-defunct Minor League team the New Orleans Baby Cakes; Bob Dorrill shared a signed card featuring Nolan Ryan and Reid Ryan in uniform; Linda Nichols shared a 25th Anniversary Commemorative Ticket of the opening of the Houston Astros’ Astrodome; guest Ryan Gonzalez, who worked as a live content creator for MLB and the Astros, shared confetti that landed on the mound after the Astros won the AL pennant in 2017, and I shared a Craig Biggio ball he signed the night of his 3,000th hit on June 28, 2007 (Biggio signed the ball and gave it to Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who gave it to Steve Braccini, former Hornsby Chapter member, who gave it to me).
Ryan Pollack crafted a quiz about runners-up in a variety of career and single-season categories. Inspired by Tom Melecki’s turkey quiz in November, Ryan noted that we often know the names of the players with the highest accomplishments, so he tested our knowledge of those with second most.
Use this link to access the quiz: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ORM1vRLMu4ZQ1b7t6TOwjwMKYVNELjgVLh-9RnC1mc8/edit?ts=5ffb3d28#slide=id.p
Correct answers can be found by clicking on the lower-right side of each slide and deleting the box to uncover the correct answer.
Gary McIntosh won the quiz with four (4) points, followed by Cy Morong with three (3) and Jim Baker with two (2).
This was the 15th annual winter meeting and the first held virtually online. We also took a few minutes at the beginning to recognize and remember Bill Gilbert, for whom the winter meeting is named; he founded the Rogers Hornsby Chapter in 2005 and the Larry Dierker Chapter and conceived of the winter meeting.
Many thanks to Tony Kemp, Ross Ohlendorf, Mike Capps and Jim Baker for filling out a great day of baseball. Also, thanks to everyone who joined us for a fun-filled day. And special thanks to Ryan Pollack for coordinating and planning the winter meeting with help from Monte Cely, Jan Larson and myself.
This email is the official announcement for the 15th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting. Details are below.
WHAT: A fun-filled day of baseball and baseball-related content with like-minded folks
WHEN: Saturday, January 9th 2021 @ 9:00 AM. The official schedule starts at 9:30 but we wanted to give folks time to wander “in” and mingle. The schedule has us ending around 3:15 PM, but we may go a tad longer as needed.
WHERE: Pre-register for the Zoom call here: https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwudeytrz0jGdAmmGA2ahyOahZ0Yc6-a0yd
WHO: This year we have two, count ‘em TWO Major League Baseball players headlining the event!
ROSS OHLENDORF pitched from 2007–2016 for the Diamondbacks, Yankees, Pirates, Red Sox, Padres, Nationals, Rangers, Royals, and Reds. He ended his career in 2017 with the Yakult Swallows in Tokyo and while with MLB, he also pitched locally for the Round Rock Express. Since retiring he’s remained close to the game but also raises longhorn cattle at Rocking O Longhorns. His primary interests are how teams acquire and develop talent, player/coach communications, and the overlap of analytics and traditional scouting.
TONY KEMP is a second baseman and outfielder for the Oakland Athletics. He’s also played for the Chicago Cubs but is probably most known (around these parts) for his role on the Houston Astros, for whom he played from 2016-2019.
We’ll also have plenty of trivia, an interactive warmup session from Jim Baker, mock Hall of Fame voting, and our usual informative chat with Mike Capps. Given the upheaval in the minor league system this year, I expect there to be plenty for him to discuss.
==== WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU ====
Yes, that’s right, this is a participatory event! Here’s how you can come prepared:
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Hope to see you “there”, and by “there” I mean: https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwudeytrz0jGdAmmGA2ahyOahZ0Yc6-a0yd
Schedule:
— The Winter Meeting Steering Committee (Ryan, Gilbert, Jan, and Monte)
Eighteen SABR members and guests from across Texas and the nation joined us on Saturday for the December chapter meeting.
Scott Barzilla, member of the Larry Dierker Chapter and author of the recently published “The Hall of Fame Index Part II,” talked about his book, which endeavors to use statistical analysis to determine the best players by position and offer suggestions on those worthy to be Hall of Fame players.
Barzilla (pictured above) said his formula combines different WAR (Wins Above Replacement) assessments from Baseball Reference and Fangraphs and examines career value and peak value. He said it’s similar to Jay Jaffe’s JAWS (Jaffe Wins Above Replacement Score) formulation, but Barzilla said that while Jaffe examines seven years of a player’s peak value, he looks at 10 years of that value.
Barzilla added that he thought the baseball writers who have voted in the Hall of Fame balloting have done a good job for the most part, though he said Harold Baines was “the worst recent addition to the Hall of Fame.” In fact, he said that selection inspired him to revisit his formula and write this follow-up book.
He thinks that the voters, when evaluating a player, should ask themselves: “Is he the best player not currently in the Hall of Fame?”
Barzilla said his book, which provides the top 50 players by position, is intended to inform and educate voters about which players, by his formulation, deserve enshrinement and how they compare with other players at those positions.
At the end of his presentation, he polled meeting participants about nine of the most likely players to be considered by the Eras Committee (formerly the veterans committee) next year. Only Dick Allen received 75% of the vote (or 12 of 16 votes). The second highest vote-getter was Minnie Minoso (44% or 7 of 16). Two participants opted for none of the players. See vote totals below.
Here’s a link to Barzilla’s book for those interested: https://www.amazon.com/Hall-Fame-Index-Part-II/dp/B0851LKDHP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=hall+of+fame+index+part+II&qid=1607994324&sr=8-1
As a follow-up to Tom Melecki’s “turkey” quiz last month, Monte Cely put together leftovers for a quiz about the St. Louis Browns. He also showed us his impressive book collection about the Browns, perhaps the largest such collection in the region, the state and, Jim Baker suggested, perhaps the world! Quiz-taker extraordinaire Cy Morong flexed his memory muscles, taking 1st place with 16 out of 25 points. Jerry Miller was hot on his tail for 2nd place with 14 points, and Jim was 3rd with 11 points. Try your hand at the quiz below (answers follow the questions).
Other topics discussed included the Round Rock Express’ reunion with the Texas Rangers, MLB’s pending decision about how to align the restructured Minor League ball clubs and Al Michaels’ selection for the Ford C. Frick Award.
This was the ninth consecutive month we’ve meet virtually on Zoom because of the pandemic. This was also the start of our 15th year of consecutive monthly meetings with Meeting No. 169.
Next meeting will be the 15th Annual Rogers Hornsby Chapter Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. Details have been sent to the Hornsby Chapter Google Group email list.
We are also planning on having Kelly Park of the Louisville SABR Chapter and author of “Just Like Me – When the Pros Played on the Sandlot,” join us virtually for a SABR Day meeting on Saturday, Jan. 30. More details to come.
“First in Booze, First in Shoes, and Last in the American League”
A quick history of the St. Louis Browns
By Monte Cely
EVEN BEFORE THE AMERICAN LEAGUE
Unlike the American League Browns, the 19th Century American Association St. Louis Brown Stockings were a powerhouse. Eventually the Brown Stockings became the National League Cardinals, but they had a shared heritage with the 20th Century Browns – not to mention their share of colorful characters.
ENTRY INTO THE AMERICAN LEAGUE
THE YEAR THAT ALMOST WAS
The Browns had their winning-est year ever in 1922, finishing only one game behind the Yankees for the AL pennant. They had a powerful lineup with enough pitching to win 93 games. Here were some of the league-leaders:
REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR!
THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS – 1944
POST-WAR YEARS
TOTAL == 25 points
Quiz Answers
The Rogers Hornsby chapter will begin year 15 of consecutive (no. 169) monthly meetings with our next Zoom-based meeting that will be held on Sunday, December 13 at 1:00 p.m. CST. If you are interested in attending please preregister using the link below.
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Dec 13, 2020 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://txstate.zoom.us/
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The Rogers Hornsby Chapter recognized Jim Kenton, the creator of the chapter’s BasebALZ reminiscence program, with its Rajah Award at the November meeting with more than 30 chapter members, SABR members and guests in attendance, including many of Jim’s friends and relatives.
With the help of Jim’s wife, Kathy, arrangements were made ahead of time to present Jim with the Rajah Award trophy just as Monte Cely announced the award on Saturday, Nov. 21. It is only the second time in chapter history that this recognition has been made. In 2011, the chapter honored Bill Gilbert, who founded both our chapter and the Larry Dierker Chapter.
A video recording of the presentation of the Rajah Award to Jim can be viewed at this link: https://mediaflo.txstate.edu/Watch/Cn29Bom8
For nearly six years, Jim Kenton has worked tirelessly to create baseball-themed reminiscence programs in Austin, Kerrville, San Antonio and Sun City Texas. This program of talking baseball, called BasebALZ, utilizes baseball memories to provide activities and comfort for those with Alzheimer’s and their loved ones and caregivers.
Thanks to Jim’s perseverance, other SABR chapters in Los Angeles, New York and Connecticut have begun their own programs and, in August, SABR launched the Baseball Reminiscence online chartered community.
Jim’s family and friends, and SABR members from across the country, shared their appreciation for Jim for his unwavering commitment to the Alzheimer’s community, his passion in spreading the effectiveness of this method far and wide, and his enthusiasm to help those in need.
Chapter members, many of whom volunteer for BasebALZ programs in Central Texas, added their thanks and appreciation for Jim for creating this special program that has meant so much to so many.
This was our eighth consecutive monthly meeting online, a shift made necessary because of the pandemic. It was also the 168th consecutive monthly meeting (14 years!), a streak that dates to December 2006.
With Thanksgiving Day just around the corner, Tom Melecki created a turkey-themed trivia quiz that made turkeys of many of us. The MLB Turkeys Quiz sought to test our knowledge of baseball players and teams with less than stellar accomplishments, and even included some questions about bad calls by umpires.
Cy Morong gobbled up these questions for 30 total points (out of a maximum of 58 points); Jim Baker was second with 26. Take your bite of Tom’s quiz below (answers follow the questions). Tom Melecki generously offered Cy a St. Louis Browns ballcap for his much-greater-than-turkey performance on the quiz.
The group also discussed recent announcements about Minor League Baseball, including the Houston Astros’ acquisition of the Sugar Land Skeeters as the team’s Triple-A affiliate. This leaves the Round Rock Express currently without a partnership with a major league team and creates doubts about other minor league affiliates across the country.
We also talked about how MLB’s suspension of Robinson Canó for a second-time PED offense actually works in favor of the New York Mets and new owner Steve Cohen because the team saves the $24 million it would’ve paid Canó this upcoming season. It remains to be seen just how much of Cohen’s wealth will go to free agent acquisitions, but Mets fans are hopeful.
Monte Cely and others noted that Saturday, Nov. 21, was the 100th anniversary of the birthday of Cardinals great Stan Musial. It was also noted that he shares a birthday with fellow Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. And, because this is what we do during our chapter meetings, it was further noted by several members that not only do Musial and Griffey share a birthday, but also a hometown: both were born in Donora, Pa.
We also took a few moments to remember chapter member Craig Lukshin, who passed away in September. A three-time Hornsby Chapter Postseason Predictatron Champion, Craig was an active member, joining us for SABR Day lunches, Express games and monthly meetings. The picture below, from the 2017 SABR Day lunch, includes Craig sporting an autographed Tim Raines Expos jersey.
Our next chapter meeting will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, via Zoom. Information about registering for the meeting will be sent through our email list in early December. Best wishes for a safe Thanksgiving holiday to you and your loved ones.
The MLB Turkeys Quiz
By Tom Melecki
November 2020
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PART 1: TURKEYS ON THE PLATE About Batters Who Began Their MLB Careers After 1900 |
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1 |
I’m the batter who holds the MLB record for the most regular season strikeouts in a career: • What’s my name (1 point)? • Within 10, how many times did I strike out (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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2 |
During my 12-year MLB career, I had 3,379 at-bats but hit only 1 home run, giving me the lowest home run to at-bat ratio since the dead ball era. • Who am I (1 point)? |
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1 point |
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3 |
I set the MLB single season for the fewest RBIs by a hitter with 500 or more at-bats. This record has stood for 61 years. • Who am I (1 point)? • How many RBIs did I get in my 564 at-bats in that season (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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4 |
I made more outs during my career than any other MLB batter. • What’s my name? |
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1 point |
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5 |
Our fans usually cheered when we stepped up to the plate with runners on base but, since 1933, we’ve hit into the most double and triple plays of all right and left-handed MLB batters. • I’m the right-hander. Who am I (1 point)? • I’m the left-hander. Who am I (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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6 |
Ricky Henderson holds the MLB career record for stolen bases, with 1,406. • What player holds the MLB career record for most times caught stealing (1 point)? • How many times was this player caught stealing (within 10 of the actual number, 1 point)? |
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2 points |
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7 |
Among currently active players, he’s the most likely to win the “Honey, I forgot to duck!” award because he’s been hit by pitches more than any other batter. • Who is he (1 point)? • How many times has he been hit by pitches (within 5 of actual number, 1 point)? |
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2 points |
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PART 2: TURKEYS ON THE HILL All Questions About Pitchers Who Began Their MLB Careers After 1900 |
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8 |
I hold the distinction of having posted the highest career ERA among pitchers who logged 90 or more career innings. • What’s my name (1 point)? • Within 1 run either way, what’s my career ERA (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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9 |
I lost more times in a single, 162 game season than any other MLB pitcher. Who am I (1 point)? How many games did I lose that season (1 point)? For what team did I pitch that season (1 point)? In what season did I set this record (1 point)? |
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4 points |
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10 |
This fire-balling right-hander posted the most MLB career losses. • Who is he (1 point)? • How many games did he lose in his career (1 point)? • For which of the teams for which he pitched did he suffer the most losses (1 point)? |
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3 points |
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11 |
Another fire-balling right-hander issued more bases-on-balls in a single season than any other MLB pitcher. • His name is (1 point)? • Within 10, how many base-on-balls did he give up in that season? |
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2 points |
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12 |
It’s almost as if these two pitchers were brothers from the same nasty and long-lived mother. They rank first and second in the number of batters hit over the course of an MLB career. • Who’s number one (1 point)? • Who’s number two (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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13 |
Clearly, any lucky stiff can throw a no-hitter. After all, since 1900 there have been 262 no-hitters in MLB. But me? I hold the MLB record for the most hits given up in a single game! • What’s my name (at least last name, 1 point)? • How many hits did I give up in this game (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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14 |
During my 25-year career with 8 different teams, I gave up more career home runs than any other pitcher in MLB history. • Who am I (1 point)? • Within 10, how many home runs did I give up (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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PART 3: FLOCKS OF TURKEYS All Questions About MLB Teams After 1900 |
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15 |
We are one of the original 8 American League franchises, but we have lost more games (regular and postseason) than any other MLB franchise since we began play in 1901. • Which franchise are we (1 point)? • How many games have we lost – within 100 (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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16 |
Our franchise has lost more postseason games than any other franchise in MLB history. • Who are we (1 point)? • Within 5, how many postseason games have we lost since 1901 (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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17 |
Since 1901, not other MLB team has lost more consecutive regular season games than us. • Name our team (1 point)? • How many consecutive regular season games did we lose (1 point)? • In what season did we lose all these games (1 point)? |
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3 points |
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18 |
For some of us, it is painfully apparent that the Cleveland Indians have gone 72 years without winning a World Series – although 2021 is sure to be the year when they win it all. • What are the 6 MLB franchises that have never won the World Series (1 point each)? |
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6 points |
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19 |
When it comes to All-Star teams, we hold the distinction of having lost the All-Star game by the most lopsided margin since MLB began that game in 1933. • Which league did we represent (1 point)? • In what year did we lose this All-Star game (1 point)? • What was this All-Star game’s final score (1 point)? • In what MLB ballpark was this All-Star game played (1 point)? |
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4 points |
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PART 4: TURKEYS IN THE FIELD All Questions About MLB Fielders After 1900 |
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20 |
The July 15, 1995, New York Times published my obituary by leading off with the story of my passed ball in the 9th inning of the 1941 World Series with 2 outs and strikes on the batter. That passed ball allowed the batter to reach first base, and the other team to score 4 runs, which led to a 7-4 loss for my team. The other team beat us again the following day and won the 1941 World Series 4 games to 1. • What’s my name (1 point)? • For what team was I catching in that World Series (1 point)? • Who was the other team (1 point)? |
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3 points |
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21 |
Of all the MLB players whose careers began since 1900, I committed the most career errors during my 23-year career as a shortstop, second baseman, and third baseman. • What’s my name – at least my last name (1 point)? • Within 50, how many errors did I commit in the more than 16,000 fielding chances I had (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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22 |
Everybody remembers Bill Buckner’s error in the 1986 World Series. But that was in game 6, and the Red Sox still had a chance to win that Series by winning game 7. But me? I made an error 11 years after Buckner’s. It was in the 11th inning of the 7th game of the World Series, and it ultimately cost my team that Series. • Who am I (1 point)? |
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1 point |
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PART 5: REALLY BAD TURKEY CALLS All Questions About Mistakes After 1900 |
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23 |
It’s June 2, 2010. Not only are the Tigers winning 3–0 with 2 outs in the top of the 9th inning, but their starting pitcher has a perfect game going. The 27th opposing batter hits a grounder to the right of Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who throws the ball to the Tigers pitcher as he races over to cover the bag. The pitcher steps on first a full stride ahead of the runner. Perfect game, right? No! The first base umpire inexplicably calls the batter safe! • Who was the first base umpire who blew that call (1 point)? • Who was the Tigers pitcher he robbed of that perfect game (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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24 |
Mike Trout is arguably the best player in MLB today. He’s won Rookie of the Year, 3 American League MVP awards, a 7-time Silver Slugger and 8-time All Star. • But how many players were drafted ahead of Trout in MLB’s 2009 amateur draft (1 point)? • In fact, the Angels drafted another player ahead of Trout in that draft. Who is he (1 point)? |
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2 points |
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25 |
Remember Earl Weaver? Remember all the times he got ejected by umpires? Well, when it comes to being ejected by umpires from games I was managing, I far surpassed Earl’s total. • Which Hall of Fame manager am I? • From how many games was I ejected? |
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2 points |
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PART 5: THIS TURKEY IS ALL TIED UP Tie Breaker |
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Tie Breaker |
Going back to that question about players drafted in 2009 ahead of Mike Trout . . . • Name the 5 other players (besides Randal Grichuck) who were still on MLB rosters during the 2020 season. |
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5 points |
Total Possible Points
The MLB Turkeys Quiz Answer Key
Part 1: Turkeys on the Plate
About batter who began their MLB careers after 1900
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7
Part 2: Turkeys on the Hill
About pitchers who began their MLB careers after 1900
Question 8
Question 9
Question 10
Question 11
Question 12
Question 13
On May 18, 1912, the Detroit Tigers went on strike over the suspension of Ty Cobb for beating up a handicapped fan that was heckling him. Travers was a 20-year old junior at Philadelphia’s St. Joseph College, where he’d been cut from the baseball team. The Tigers paid Travers and 8 other strikebreakers $50 each to play the Athletics that day. Travers threw 8 complete innings and lost, 24-2. The regular Tiger players returned to the lineup the following day and Travers, who eventually became a Roman Catholic priest, never pitched in MLB again.
Question 14
Nevertheless, Moyer posted a 269- 209-career win-loss record.
Part 3: Flocks of Turkeys
About MLB teams after 1900
Question 15
By the way, we all know the Orioles were the St. Louis Browns from 1902 – 1953, but did you also know they spent their first season (1901) in Milwaukee, where they were known as the Brewers?
Question 16
But, the Yankees, who began as the Baltimore Orioles in 1901 before relocating to New York, have also won 241 postseason games and 27 World Series.
Question 17
Question 18
Question 19
Question 20
Sadly, this was the only World Series in which Mickey Owen ever played during his 13-year career. It came after he caught 128 regular season games for the Dodgers with only 2 passed balls and a .995 fielding percentage – the best of his career.
Question 21
His career ran from 1912 through 1935, during which he posted a .956 career fielding percentage while playing for the Boston Braves, Pirates, Cardinals, and Brooklyn Dodgers. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1954.
Question 22
Tony Fernandez. While playing second base for the Indians in the 1997 World Series, he made an error that put the Marlin’s Craig Counsel on base. Three batters later, Counsel crossed the plate with the winning run, giving the Marlins their first-ever World Series win.
Question 23
Joyce, who then had 22 years’ experience as an MLB umpire, subsequently admitted he blew the call.
Galarraga, now a resident of the greater Austin area, did not argue with Joyce. Instead, he went back to the mound and got the 28th out. Later, he went to the umpire’s dressing room, gave Joyce a big hug, and forgave him. To this day, he has never complained publicly about Joyce’s blown call.
Question 24
Randal Grichuk ahead of Trout.
Grichuk never played for the Angels, but he finally made it to the big leagues in 2014 with the Cardinals. He’s a .246 lifetime hitter through the 2020 season, during which he played in 55 games for the Blue Jays.
Question 25
In 4,508 games during his 29-year managerial career, Cox’s 162 ejections surpassed those of:
– John McGraw (132 ejections in 2,541 games managed); and
– Leo Derocher (94 ejections in in 3,739 games managed) and Earl Weaver (94 ejections in 2,541 games managed).
Part 5: This Turkey is All Tied Up
Tie Breaker
Total Possible Points
Without Tie Breaker = 58
With Tie Breaker = 62
As the Covid forces us to remain vigilant and isolated the November meeting of the Rogers Hornsby chapter will again utilize Zoom to conduct a virtual meeting. The meeting will be held on Saturday, November 21 starting at 1:00 p.m. CST. This meeting will mark the completion of fourteen years of consecutive monthly meetings (168 meetings). If you wish to attend, please preregister for the meeting using the link below:
When: Nov 21, 2020 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://txstate.zoom.us/
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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 19th century baseball.
Player First Team Last Team
Roger Maris
Randy Johnson
Goose Gossage
Jim Edmonds
Moises Alou
Sparky Lyle
Kenny Lofton
FIRST and LAST QUIZ ANSWERS
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/
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
Answer Key: Teams and league leaders quiz. All questions worth 2 points except where noted.
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