Trivia/History thread

[Huckleberry 33,536]

Who are the three players to hit for multiple cycles in the same season since 1900?

[Beau Vine 54,843]

2 hours ago, WBT said:

How is it?  Both of his books look good but I haven't gotten around to them.

I thought K was great, not even through the first chapter of this, but he's really good, so I don't expect anything different.

[Beau Vine 54,843]

2 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Who are the three players to hit for multiple cycles in the same season since 1900?

Aaron Hill did it when he played for the DBacks, early in Paul's career, maybe 2013 or so.  I remember watching that game, but I don't have a clue on the others.

[Huckleberry 33,536]

39 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

Aaron Hill did it when he played for the DBacks, early in Paul's career, maybe 2013 or so.  I remember watching that game, but I don't have a clue on the others.

That is one. One of the other two is an active player, the third did it in 1931.

[Scraps 13,598]

Yelich is the active dude

[Huckleberry 33,536]

Correct. An interesting fact about the third player which serves as a weird hint is that I've seen an AI confuse him with another more famous player. 

[Scraps 13,598]

Correct. An interesting fact about the third player which serves as a weird hint is that I've seen an AI confuse him with another more famous player. 

I looked it up....lol nice

[YGIFS 19,453]

They were both the same height but a slightly different build.  

The player in question is also remembered for having committed 21 errors in just 105 games.  If that doesn't stand out to you as strange, It should.  He was playing First Base.  The guy was also a notoriously horrific base-runner, getting caught up in the basebaths multiple times in a season, making it doubly impressive he hit for multiple cycles.  He would also return valiantly to the game after a 9-year hiatus to play 37 games (Not just some token old-time appearance).  He retired from the game and spent the last 15-20 years of his life teaching high school mathematics.  

These hints should make it easier to guess.  After that, who went the longest duration (calendar, not games played) between their two hitting cycles?  (Hint: it was well over a decade).??

[Beau Vine 54,843]

2 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Correct. An interesting fact about the third player which serves as a weird hint is that I've seen an AI confuse him with another more famous player. 

Frank Thomas?

[Huckleberry 33,536]

1 hour ago, Beau Vine said:

Frank Thomas?

Good guess but it is Babe Herman. 

On the longest time between cycles I must abstain because I went down the cycles rabbit hole last night, hence my trivia question. 

[Huckleberry 33,536]

Who's the player represented by the ??? in the below lists? Bonus if you know the years, many here will know who the player is.

Top 10 Single Season Runs Scored Since 1920

 

1. Babe Ruth, 177 (1921)

2. Lou Gehrig, 167 (1936)

3t. Lou Gehrig, 163 (1931)

3t. Babe Ruth, 163 (1928)

5t. Chuck Klein, 158 (1930)

5t. Babe Ruth, 158 (1920)

5t. Babe Ruth, 158 (1927)

8. Rogers Hornsby, 156 (1929)

9. Kiki Cuyler, 155 (1930)

10t. ???, 152 (???)

10t. Woody English, 152 (1930)

10t. Chuck Klein, 152 (1932)

10t. Lefty O'Doul, 152 (1929)

10t. Al Simmons, 152 (1930)

Top 10 Consecutive Season Runs Scored Since 1920

 

1. Babe Ruth, 335 (1920-1921)

2. Babe Ruth, 321 (1927-1928)

3. Lou Gehrig, 306 (1930-1931)

4. Lou Gehrig, 305 (1936-1937)

5. Lou Gehrig, 301 (1931-1932)

6. Babe Ruth, 299 (1930-1931)

7. Babe Ruth, 297 (1926-1927)

8. ???, 295 (???)

9. Babe Ruth, 294 (1923-1924)

10. Lou Gehrig, 292 (1935-1936)

Top 10 Three Consecutive Season Runs Scored Since 1920

1. Lou Gehrig, 444 (1930-1932)

2. Babe Ruth, 442 (1927-1929)

3. Lou Gehrig, 439 (1931-1933)

4. Babe Ruth, 434 (1928-1930)

5. Chuck Klein, 431 (1930-1932)

6. Lou Gehrig, 430 (1935-1937)

7. Lou Gehrig, 423 (1926-1928)

8. ???, 421 (???)

9t. Babe Ruth, 420 (1929-1931)

9t. Lou Gehrig, 420 (1934-1936)

[Beau Vine 54,843]

Did he play for a Texas team?

[WBT 20,740]

22 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

Did he play for a Texas team?

Yes

Spoiler

The 152 is Bagwell in the first year at Minute Maid, so 2000, when it was even more of a bandbox.  I assume he's also the one for the 2 and 3 year stretches?  I don't know which direction the years would be added on.

 

[Huckleberry 33,536]

Spoiler

That's correct although Houston wasn't as much of a bandbox as it seemed. It was definitely a hitters park but even that single season park factor was tied with MIN and CIN all obviously well behind COL.

In order the years are 2000, 1999-2000, 1999-2001. His three year 1998-2000 run with two years at the Dome ranks 11th with 419 runs (and he only player 147 games in 1998). It was more the high overall run scoring environment and a great season together. But obviously the park helped. 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by Huckleberry

[dcar00 14,603]

player with lowest career batting average to acheive 3000 hits?  no peeking..

[Cheeseweasel 26,438]

Gotta be Cal Jr. Dude played forever to get 3,000.

[YGIFS 19,453]

I'll say in a twist of logic, it's leadoff man Rickey Henderson.  he barely made 3000 hits in a quarter century and was a great leadoff man but people forget he used to walk a shit-ton in the first half of his career, you know like a leadoff guy should.  

I have some kinda recency bias because I saw something that was projecting out some current players into HoF projections.  And in a handful of more classes, there'll be more 3000 hit guys who hit under .300 over their career than hit over it.  

I guess I'll take Rickey and the under.  

[shadow_operative2.0 16,058]

Evan Carter just became the _____ MLB player to hit a HR. Can anyone get within a few hundred of the #? I sure as hell wouldn't have. 

[WBT 20,740]

10,000?

Spoiler

When you click on a player on baseballreference it tells you his debut date and that he is the ____th player to debut in mlb.  Helo's boy Jasson was in the low 23,000s.  From that, 10,000 seems like a possible round number.

 

[shadow_operative2.0 16,058]

That would have been close to my guess also, but it's too high. 

[dcar00 14,603]

On 8/29/2023 at 2:11 PM, YGIFS said:

I'll say in a twist of logic, it's leadoff man Rickey Henderson.  he barely made 3000 hits in a quarter century and was a great leadoff man but people forget he used to walk a shit-ton in the first half of his career, you know like a leadoff guy should.  

I have some kinda recency bias because I saw something that was projecting out some current players into HoF projections.  And in a handful of more classes, there'll be more 3000 hit guys who hit under .300 over their career than hit over it.  

I guess I'll take Rickey and the under.  

Cal Jr at .276 and Rickey 2nd lowest at .279

[WBT 20,740]

19 minutes ago, dcar00 said:

he barely made 3000 hits in a quarter century and was a great leadoff man but people forget he used to walk a shit-ton in the first half of his career, you know like a leadoff guy should.  

People forget the guy who broke Babe Ruth's all-time walk record used to walk a lot?

[dcar00 14,603]

1 hour ago, WBT said:

People forget the guy who broke Babe Ruth's all-time walk record used to walk a lot?

I didn't type that.

[WBT 20,740]

1 hour ago, dcar00 said:

I didn't type that.

Yeah, not sure how I screwed up the quote box

[YGIFS 19,453]

Who had the fewest RBI with 40+ HR's, in a non-strike shortened season?  

[dcar00 14,603]

On 9/16/2023 at 9:22 PM, YGIFS said:

Who had the fewest RBI with 40+ HR's, in a non-strike shortened season?  

davey johnson?

[cochamps 1,879]

On 9/16/2023 at 9:22 PM, YGIFS said:

Who had the fewest RBI with 40+ HR's, in a non-strike shortened season?  

Rico Petrocelli?

[cochamps 1,879]

6 minutes ago, cochamps said:

Rico Petrocelli?

Actually I found Mickey Mantle with a lower total than RP, 40-94 in 1960.  That's my new guess...

[YGIFS 19,453]

All solid guesses.  Griffey actually pops up if you cheat and google it.  But it was a strike shortened season (1994).  So even if you manage to crank 40 hr's, you're still missing out on 45+ games in which to just pick up base-hit RBI, walk-in runs, SF's, etc.  So he's not applicable, though an impressive feat nonetheless.  The correct answer is also deceiving because some fans may content he was 'robbed' of many RBI opportunities by being intentionally walked with runners on base/RISP.  Valid point, but he got the full season and over 550 PA's.  Not only did he hit 40 HR's, he hit 45.  But settled right at 90 RBI.  2003's Barry Bonds.  

Brooks Robinson also stood out to me today because of his connection to his favorite player, Stan Musial.  And another brilliant glove man/hitter/HOF 3B player in George Brett.  All three stood out as all-time greats.  Brooks thought Musial hung the moon and modeled his plate discipline after him.  George Brett wanted nothing more than to field like Brooks and wore #5 in his hono.  All 3 are among only an extremely small handful of players to have over 10,000 AB's and less than 1,000 strikeouts.  The club is so small and for these three to have connected through the eras is the beauty of baseball.  RIP, Brooks.  You were here, you were there, you were every-fucking-where.

Edited September 27, 2023 by YGIFS

[dcar00 14,603]

largest difference between winner of season batting title and the runner up?

[YGIFS 19,453]

Not saying you meant to do this, but is this a trick question because we're supposed to look at both leagues even though most batting titles were awarded separately by AL/NL for over a century?  Without looking, I'll guess it was whoever finished second behind Ted Williams in the AL when he hit .406 right before he left for the War.  Had to be a sizable gap.  No idea who was over on the other side in the NL at a high clip.  

I will say for sure this largest difference did not take place in 1968 when Yaz led the AL with a .301 average.  I can't imagine the #2 guy hit just .261.  Good question though, got me thinking, has to be a very old record.  

[dcar00 14,603]

12 hours ago, YGIFS said:

Not saying you meant to do this, but is this a trick question because we're supposed to look at both leagues even though most batting titles were awarded separately by AL/NL for over a century?  Without looking, I'll guess it was whoever finished second behind Ted Williams in the AL when he hit .406 right before he left for the War.  Had to be a sizable gap.  No idea who was over on the other side in the NL at a high clip.  

I will say for sure this largest difference did not take place in 1968 when Yaz led the AL with a .301 average.  I can't imagine the #2 guy hit just .261.  Good question though, got me thinking, has to be a very old record.  

yes, largest difference, whether AL or NL, but only between the the 1 and 2 in the same league.  Williams .406 in AL in 1941 is a great guess 47 points ahead of runner up but not correct.

it was 1901 86 points.  AL Nap Lajoie hit .426, Mike Donlan hit .340.

#2 on the list is actually more realistic to guess.  hints  It was post 1950 and both players played for the same team.

[Beau Vine 54,843]

On 10/3/2023 at 6:19 AM, YGIFS said:

Without looking, I'll guess it was whoever finished second behind Ted Williams in the AL when he hit .406 right before he left for the War.  Had to be a sizable gap. 

There was another guy who got a hit in 56 straight games that season, so I'm gonna guess the gap wasn't all that sizable.

[YGIFS 19,453]

Maybe you don't consider 50 points to be sizable, but it is.  As hot as DiMaggio got for a couple months, his average during the streak was .408.  Damn impressive.  Ted Williams matched it, for a whole season.  Impressive doesn't begin to describe that.

[dcar00 14,603]

#2 is 1977 Rod Carew .388 and Lyman Bostock at .336  52 points.

[YGIFS 19,453]

On 10/3/2023 at 7:19 PM, dcar00 said:

yes, largest difference, whether AL or NL, but only between the the 1 and 2 in the same league.  Williams .406 in AL in 1941 is a great guess 47 points ahead of runner up but not correct.

it was 1901 86 points.  AL Nap Lajoie hit .426, Mike Donlan hit .340.

#2 on the list is actually more realistic to guess.  hints  It was post 1950 and both players played for the same team.

I always forget when exactly the modern cutoff for records is.  I'm sure there's been some baseball-reference/Bill James consensus, but growing up it was 1901 in some opinions, 1903, or 1905.  The finally 1920 when deadball ends.  Obviously there were the negro leagues, Jackie Robinson, Latino integration.  But in terms of MLB records, and I know Lajoie's career pretty well, didn't realize that was the answer.  I thought Hornsby was recognized as the highest average at .424 (though his gap over #2 was nowhere near 86 points).

How fucking disheartening was it for Mike Donlan to come home at the end of the season and tell his wife and kids his unbelievable .340 average was only good enough for second in the batting title race.  And to cheer him up, she says, "Well every now and again, somebody can beat .340 but I bet you didn't finish too far behind.  What was it .345, .350?"  Donlan answers, "I lost by 86 points sweetheart.  to Nap Lajoie at .426."  Mrs. Donlan, "I don't know who Nappie Hoe is, but she sounds hideous."  

New question---

What pitcher used the fewest number of pitches to record 20 strikeouts in a 9-inning game?  (Hint, it was more than 60)  

 

[Pimphand 6,051]

25 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

What pitcher used the fewest number of pitches to record 20 strikeouts in a 9-inning game?  (Hint, it was more than 60)  

My guess would be Mad Max against his old mates.  Randy, Roger, & Wood all usually threw more pitches

[Pimphand 6,051]

Who is the only member of the 600 home run club never to win an MVP?

[dcar00 14,603]

1 hour ago, Pimphand said:

Who is the only member of the 600 home run club never to win an MVP?

I'm going to guess Thome.

[dcar00 14,603]

1 hour ago, YGIFS said:

I always forget when exactly the modern cutoff for records is.  I'm sure there's been some baseball-reference/Bill James consensus, but growing up it was 1901 in some opinions, 1903, or 1905.  The finally 1920 when deadball ends.  Obviously there were the negro leagues, Jackie Robinson, Latino integration.  But in terms of MLB records, and I know Lajoie's career pretty well, didn't realize that was the answer.  I thought Hornsby was recognized as the highest average at .424 (though his gap over #2 was nowhere near 86 points).

How fucking disheartening was it for Mike Donlan to come home at the end of the season and tell his wife and kids his unbelievable .340 average was only good enough for second in the batting title race.  And to cheer him up, she says, "Well every now and again, somebody can beat .340 but I bet you didn't finish too far behind.  What was it .345, .350?"  Donlan answers, "I lost by 86 points sweetheart.  to Nap Lajoie at .426."  Mrs. Donlan, "I don't know who Nappie Hoe is, but she sounds hideous."  

New question---

What pitcher used the fewest number of pitches to record 20 strikeouts in a 9-inning game?  (Hint, it was more than 60)  

 

cutoff for modern era records starts in 1901 because AL was founded then so you had AL/NL

[YGIFS 19,453]

4 hours ago, Pimphand said:

Who is the only member of the 600 home run club never to win an MVP?

good question.  there are 28 members of the 500 home run club.  Surprisingly, 8 of them---nearly 30%---never won an MVP award.  

 

what current player would have to go 630 for his next 630 (presumably one superlative single season) to catch Ty Cobb for career best batting average?  

[Scraps 13,598]

Altuve...don't try to slide that shit by me around here son!

[WBT 20,740]

What two players hit the most HRs as teammates?

[shadow_operative2.0 16,058]

Mathews & Aaron? 

[WBT 20,740]

Yeah that's it.  Just read it...I would have guessed Ruth and Gehrig.

[shadow_operative 15,932]

apropos of nothing, but i’m watching a youtube video about travis hafner being underrated, and my jaw about hit the floor when i saw that he didn’t even make the all star team with these numbers:

 

[YGIFS 19,453]

What are the two current MLB franchises not named for a city or state?  

[Scraps 13,598]

What are the two current MLB franchises not named for a city or state?  

Rays and Nationals?

[YGIFS 19,453]

Yep.  No such city as Tampa Bay.  It's a body of water.  

I drunkenly won some bar tab contest years ago for the equivalent question in football.  The other team got New England, Washington, Tampa Bay (this was actually in a bar in St. Pete or Clearwater IIRC), but I chimed with "Carolina."  Dude cried 'bullshit, Carolina is a state.'  They moved on to some super technical round where you had to know the name of the city where certain teams actually had their stadium.  I think I puked and went home in a cab.

Edited January 16 by YGIFS

[Huckleberry 33,536]

How are the Nationals not named after a city? The City of Washington is coterminus with the District of Columbia but it wasn't always.