Today, guest contributor Dan Reed offers the first in an ongoing (and occasional) series of Orioles related trivia questions. This week’s edition:
Number Crunch Edition: Won, Too, Three.
WON
* Only one number has been worn exactly one time in MLB history, who is it and what number did they wear?
(Hint: he wasn’t an Oriole, but his team’s lineage is directly tied to the current Oriole franchise.)
TOO
** Who was the last Oriole, not named Ripken, to wear #8?
(Hint: he was a catcher who also wore #8 for the California Angels.)
** Cal finished #1 on the list of Orioles players who wore #8 with 431 home runs. What former MVP is second on the list of O’s who wore #8 with 339 homers?
(Hint: he made his debut with the Orioles at the age of 19)
THREE
*** The jersey number 69 has been worn just 8 times in MLB history, half of those by players on one team. Name the team.
(Hint: their last post season victory came against the Orioles.)
*** The all-time WAR leader by players who wore #69 pitched against, and beat, the O’s this year. Name the pitcher.
(Hint: Red and Red Sox)
*** A former (and current) member of the Oriole organization is 2nd on the all-time list of players who wore #69 with 6.68 career WAR. Name the pitcher.
(Hint: his most memorable hit came in the dugout)
ANSWERS
WON
Only one number has been worn exactly one time in MLB history, who is it and what number did they wear?
* 1/8 by Eddie Gadel of the St. Louis Browns
TOO
Who was the last Oriole not named Ripken to wear #8?
** Dave Skaggs, 1977-1979
Cal finished #1 on the list of Orioles players who wore #8 with 431. What former MVP is second on the list of O’s who wore #8 with 339?
** Boog Powell who wore #8 in 1964
THREE
The number 69 has been worn 8 times in MLB history, half by one team. Name the team.
*** The Pittsburgh Pirates, who have issued the number four times.
The all-time WAR leader by players who wore #69 pitched against, and beat, the O’s this year.
*** Bronson Arroyo, who wore the number with the Pirates from 2000 to 2002.
A former (and current) member of the Oriole franchise is 2nd on the all-time list of players who wore #69 with 6.68 career WAR. Name the pitcher.
*** Current O’s bullpen coach Allan Mills wore the number with the Yankees in 1990. He chose the unfashionably high 69 (and equally unpopular 75 with the Orioles, numbers usually issued to rookies not expected to stick with the club) “to remind myself never to get comfortable. I always wanted to try to have the same mindset I went into spring training with as a rookie, where it wasn’t guaranteed I was going to make the team.”
Trust Your Stuff 