April 1, 2012

Batter Up!

WASHINGTON – Think you’re ready for Opening Day? Prove it. Name the person or persons who…

WASHINGTON – Think you’re ready for Opening Day? Prove it. Name the person or persons who:

1. Hit the most home runs in the 1960s.

2. In 2011, joined Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson and Pete Rose as the only players to appear in at least 140 games for 16 consecutive seasons.

3. Had the most hits in the 1950s.

4. Played for the Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves and Atlanta Braves.

5. Had the most hits in the 1990s.

6. Had the most hits in the 1940s.

7. Holds the career record for grounding into double plays.

8. Hit .322 with 42 homers and 129 RBIs in 1970 and .333 with 37 homers and 122 RBIs in 1972, but finished second to Johnny Bench in MVP voting both years.

9. Pitched the most wins in the 1960s.

10. Has the most career hits without winning a batting title.

11. Led the majors in total bases in the 1980s, ahead of Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, Eddie Murray, Robin Yount and Andre Dawson.

12. Is the only pitcher to hurl a shutout in four decades.

13. Only once in a 22-year career – in his last season, when he was 42 – struck out three times in a game.

14. Allowed the fewest hits per nine innings in a career.

15. Started more World Series games than any other pitcher.

16. Is the only catcher to lead a league in triples.

17. Turned an unassisted triple play in a World Series.

18. Played more than 500 games each at catcher, first and third base.

19. Has the highest single season batting average since 1901.

20. Led American League pitchers in wins in the 1960s.

21. Has 283 wins (more than 40 Hall of Fame pitchers) and 16 Gold Gloves but is not in Cooperstown.

22. Played the most games of anyone whose entire career was with one team.

23. Was the only player to win the Cy Young Award after being traded in midseason.

24. Led their three respective teams in career singles, doubles, triples and home runs.

25. Was the only lefthander since 1900 to win at least 350 games.

26. Won an American League batting title without hitting a home run.

27. Had the best career pitching record against the Yankees.

28. Leads all third basemen in combined hits and walks.

29. Is the last pitcher to win at least 20 games in four consecutive seasons.

30. Pitched three Braves wins over the Yankees in the 1957 seven-game World Series.

31. Pitched three Tigers wins over the Cardinals in the 1968 seven-game Series.

32. Pitched three Giants wins over the Athletics in the five-game 1905 Series.

33. Pitched a record 24 consecutive wins.

34. Holds the National League career record for grand slam home runs.

35. Has appeared in more games than any other pitcher.

36. Had a career batting average of .356 but never won a batting title.

37. Got at least 100 extra-base hits in two consecutive seasons.

38. Won Rookie of the Year, MVP and Cy Young awards (not in the same season).

39. Pitched the most consecutive strikeouts in one game.

40. Hit his last three home runs in one game.

41. Before David Freese did it in Game 6 of last year’s World Series, were the only two players to hit an extra-inning walk-off home run when facing elimination.

42. Was hitting .394 when the players’ strike ended the 1994 season on Aug. 12.

43. Said, “It beats rooming with Joe Page.”

Answers:

(1) Harmon Killebrew. (2) Johnny Damon. (3) Richie Ashburn. (4) Eddie Mathews. (5) Mark Grace. (6) Lou Boudreau. (7) Cal Ripken. (8) Billy Williams. (9) Juan Marichal. (10) Paul Molitor. (11) Dale Murphy.

(12) Jamie Moyer. (13) Stan Musial. (14) Nolan Ryan. (15) Whitey Ford. (16) Tim McCarver. (17) Bill Wambsganss, Indians, 1920. (18) Joe Torre. (19) Napoleon Lajoie, .426 in 1901. (20) Jim Kaat. (21) Kaat. (22) Carl Yastrzemski.

(23) Rick Sutcliffe. (24) Musial (Cardinals), George Brett (Royals), Robin Yount (Brewers). (25) Warren Spahn. (26) Rod Carew. (27) Babe Ruth, 17-5, .773. (28) Wade Boggs. (29) Dave Stewart. (30) Lew Burdette. (31) Mickey Lolich. (32) Christy Mathewson. (33) Carl Hubbell.

(34) Willie McCovey, 18. (35) Jesse Orosco. (36) “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. (37) Todd Helton. (38) Don Newcombe and Justin Verlander. (39) Tom Seaver, 10. (40) Ruth. (41) Carlton Fisk, 1975, Red Sox, and Kirby Puckett, 1991, Twins. (42) Tony Gwynn. (43) Joe DiMaggio, about being married to Marilyn Monroe.

© 2012, Washington Post Writers Group

Who We Are

The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed weekday digest of news analysis, policy and opinion written from the heartland — as opposed to the MSM’s ubiquitous Beltway echo chambers — for grassroots leaders nationwide. More

What We Offer

On the Web

We provide solid conservative perspective on the most important issues, including analysis, opinion columns, headline summaries, memes, cartoons and much more.

Via Email

Choose our full-length Digest or our quick-reading Snapshot for a summary of important news. We also offer Cartoons & Memes on Monday and Alexander’s column on Wednesday.

Our Mission

The Patriot Post is steadfast in our mission to extend the endowment of Liberty to the next generation by advocating for individual rights and responsibilities, supporting the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and promoting free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We are a rock-solid conservative touchstone for the expanding ranks of grassroots Americans Patriots from all walks of life. Our mission and operation budgets are not financed by any political or special interest groups, and to protect our editorial integrity, we accept no advertising. We are sustained solely by you. Please support The Patriot Fund today!


The Patriot Post and Patriot Foundation Trust, in keeping with our Military Mission of Service to our uniformed service members and veterans, are proud to support and promote the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, both the Honoring the Sacrifice and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs aiding wounded veterans, the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, the Folds of Honor outreach, and Officer Christian Fellowship, the Air University Foundation, and Naval War College Foundation, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

★ PUBLIUS ★

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington

Please join us in prayer for our nation — that righteous leaders would rise and prevail and we would be united as Americans. Pray also for the protection of our Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic's Founding Principle of Liberty, that the fires of freedom would be ignited in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

The Patriot Post is protected speech, as enumerated in the First Amendment and enforced by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the endowed and unalienable Rights of All Mankind.

Copyright © 2024 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved.

The Patriot Post does not support Internet Explorer. We recommend installing the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.