Number 41

[Daffy]

There are two Hall of Fame members who sported #41...

Tom Seaver-Mets
Eddie Matthews-Milwaukee

I would like to guess Seaver.

Let's see what Johnsteed guesses.

the dUck

[johnsteed]

***


Spearmaster

Remember our discussion about lucky numbers? 4 and 14 actually come out of 41, which is my true lucky number, and the number of the apartment I once lived in when I was young.

Without any further clues, and being the baseball statistician you are, can you guess who my favorite baseball player of all time is?

Daffy

There are two Hall of Fame members who sported #41...

Tom Seaver-Mets
Eddie Matthews-Milwaukee

I would like to guess Seaver.

Wow, impressive duck!

I was too busy catching some ZZZZZZZ's...


I'd have to imagine that Daffy is likely correct. But, I'm going to go in another direction.

This is what I came up with...


"Player's who wore #14" would include:


- Kenty Hrbek (there's no way you're a big Hrbek fan...)


- Ken Boyer (maybe...)


- Gil Hodges (possibly, he was a player and manager... but he's generally overlooked in baseball lore)


- Larry Doby #14 (the first African-American to play in the AL... though in some circles, they'll say that it was in fact Babe Ruth!)


- Ernie Banks #14 (hmmm...)


"Players who wore #4" would include:


- Duke Snider #4 (could be...)


- Ralph Kiner #4 (doubt it...)


- Lou Gehrig #4 (another strong candidate...)


"Players who wore double-4's" would include...


- Hank Aaron (HUGE candidate...)


- Reggie Jackson (Big maybe...)


- Willie McCovey (possibly...)


Something a tad more esoteric...


- My being a HUGE Barry Bonds fan, I'd be quick to think that he's presently 41-years old. Born in July of 1964. But, there aren't many of us Lamar Bonds fans left these days... I'll pass.


- Rafeal Palmeiro is also born in 1964, making him 41-years old as well. But... literally after being showered with praises from the media and fans alike, after reaching 3,000 hits, just 2 weeks later, it was all forgotten about after the "steroid" debacle came about... I'll pass.



"Going out-of-box a little further" with...


- Don Wilson wore #40 and Pee Wee Reese wore #1, add them together and you get "41"? (it's a trick question, because you like 2 players... pass)


- Jackie Robinson wore #42 and subtract Pee Wee Reese's #1 from his and again... you get "41" (pass...)


- Albert Pujols slugged 41 HR's this past year... (pass)


***

Okay, I was leaning with someone from the trifecta of (as Daffy said) Tom Seaver, Eddie Matthews, or an (my guess) Ernie Banks.


But... I'm going to say that it's "Jack Chesbro". The only modern-day (although not so modern anymore) 41-game winner. Mr. Chesbro did this in 1904 with the New York Highlanders. That's my guess.


Sidenote: I was going to guess Ernie Banks because I'm guessing that Spearmaster was once a native of Chicago... Just a hunch that's way-out-there...



Steed


***

[spearmaster]

But... I'm going to say that it's "Jack Chesbro". The only modern-day (although not so modern anymore) 41-game winner. Mr. Chesbro did this in 1904 with the New York Highlanders. That's my guess.

Do I seem that old to you?

Daffy was right on the mark, and I bet you knew it too but decided to make it more interesting

"Terrific Tom" aka "The Franchise" happened to be wearing the uniform number which was on my door. As unlikely a coincidence as any that he would turn out to be a Hall of Famer, since this was way back in 1971 when he was still in the early but devastatingly effective stages of his career.

[johnsteed]

***


Spearmaster

Daffy was right on the mark, and I bet you knew it too but decided to make it more interesting

Well, I'll give him this much, the duck knows his baseball.


I wouldn't have gone with Eddie Matthews in the end because he wasn't overly likeable. Nothing wrong with him, great numbers that grab one's attention, considering he was manning the hot corner.


I was thinking Ernie Banks, because he's likeable (and there are a lot of Cubbies fans out there). I find him annoying as hell, but others love his upbeat persona.


Tom Seaver also makes sense (but since it was taken, I decided to go in a completely opposite direction), playing a major role on that "Miracle Mets" team of '69 (frankly, he WAS the team that year) and again in '73. He's by far, the best of that incredible crop of pitchers who came up through the '60s (like F. Jenkins, S. Carlton, J. Palmer, D. McLain, J Kaat, V. Blue, D. Sutton, L. & P. Neikro, J. Marichal and B. Gibson).


Alas, your pick was Seaver.



Question: Who would rank as being greater, Seaver or Clemens?


cont...

Do I seem that old to you?

Hey, I'm a Lou Gehrig fan, and he passed-away WAYYYYY before I was born. I thought you were testing my baseball I.Q. with that one. I went a little too esoteric on this one... my bad.


Is it safe to say, that prior to living in Heaven, you once lived in N.Y.?



Steed


***

[spearmaster]

Question: Who would rank as being greater, Seaver or Clemens?

Tough call. Plus I'd probably add Bob Gibson to make this a trio...

Seaver, like you said, WAS the team quite often, even with Nolan Ryan around. He never truly had a super team to support him.

Clemens was great - no question about that - and he still is. But he was also surrounded by stars most of his career.

Gibson - never made the most of his talent and didn't always have a good supporting cast. But he was arguably one of the best pitchers of his time.

Ryan - same - going to Anaheim ruined his career.

Given this set of circumstances, I would have to take Seaver over the rest of them, with Clemens about an inch behind.

Is it safe to say, that prior to living in Heaven, you once lived in N.Y.?

I was born in New Jersey But I ain't NEVER going back again - ever since the casinos arrived, the state has gone straight to hell.

[Macgyver]

I was born in New Jersey But I ain't NEVER going back again - ever since the casinos arrived, the state has gone straight to hell.

You mean, there was a time when New Joisy wasn't hell?

Maybe back around 1787, but I think that descent happened even before your time, spear.

[Daffy]

Wow...can't believe I got that one...lol.

I was torn too...my first bat was an Eddie Matthews.

I did think it would be a Hall of Famer since Spear has very high standards.

Oustanding research again Mr. Steed.

************************************************** *****
Top of the "Looney Toons" avatar list would be great...

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More trivia...

As a child, my favorite player played centerfield in New York...

He has been named in a least one popular song that I know of...

Keep in mind that I am a Grandpa (4 times over)...that should give you an approximate time frame.

the dUck

[johnsteed]

***


Okay Duck, I'm up to the task.


It ain't Mickey Mantle (N.Y. Yankees)... no song... next...


It ain't Willy Mays (New York Giants)... no song either...


It ain't Bernie Williams (N.Y. Yankees)... he creates songs... but no one sings about him...


It ain't Duke Snider (Brooklyn Dodgers)... no song...


But it sure as hell has got to be "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio"... who's been in at least 2 songs.


Okay, so I wanted it to be a little dramatic. It's got to be Joe DiMaggio. "The Greatest Living... oops...


Sidenote: Joe and brothers Dom and Vince, were ALL excellent centerfielders. In fact, some baseball aficionados will say that Dom (seemingly least likely by appearance) was in fact the best defensively.


I love these questions Daffy!

Keep 'em coming...

***


Spearmaster

Gibson - never made the most of his talent and didn't always have a good supporting cast. But he was arguably one of the best pitchers of his time.

Ryan - same - going to Anaheim ruined his career.

Wow, solid point on Gibson. Viewed as one of the meanest pitchers to have ever played (he had that Michael Jordan intensity when he pitched... a sport assassin). Hard having to play in the same era as Sandy Koufax and Juan Marichal (although Marichal is certainly underrated).

With Ryan, ask lots of baseball fans, and more than likely, he'll be RIGHT at the top of their lists. No arguments here with his being considered a great pitcher, but in the same class as Seaver, Jenkins, or a Carlton... nope. Lots of heat behind his pitches, lots of K's, and lots of mediocrity that came with it.

Sidenote: I believe Jack Chesbro had been inducted into Cooperstown.



Steed

***

[spearmaster]

Joltin' Joe, alias Mr. Marilyn (LOL) would definitely be my choice as well

Now, does anyone remember who "gifted" the Mets their last World Series?

[Simmo!]

Joltin' Joe, alias Mr. Marilyn (LOL) would definitely be my choice as well

Now, does anyone remember who "gifted" the Mets their last World Series?

Bruce Grobelaar?

No wait...i know this one! Golden Palace bought them the trophy on the understanding they all named their first-borns "Golden Palace"?