KOUFAX; Some of the Greatest Five Years Ever

 

 TRIVIA WINNER: Bob and Irish Meusel were the two brothers who stole a combined 256 bases in their 11 year careers. 50 points were awarded for correct answers which brings to a close this year's trivia contest. We have a winner. 

The winner is --Tim Fealy of Punta Gorda, Florida, with a total of 375 points. We will be sending him a $50 Starbucks Gift Card. Others right behind him Craig McGraw 360, Ken Levassuer 345 and Mickey Bauchan 335. This also brings to an end our Trivia Contest for points and gifts. We will still provide a trivia question each week and we hope you participate even though there is no prize at the end - Thank you very much. 

NEW TRIVIA QUESTION: Which former Dodger executive, now with another team, had first shot at signing Sandy Koufax but delayed offering him a contract? Name the Executive and the team.  TOTAL 50 POINTS. 

From 1961 - 1966 there were a lot great pitchers but really none could match the lefty from Brooklyn, Sandy Koufax. Bob Gibson was perhaps the toughest and meanest, Juan Marichal the trickiest, but Koufax was nearly unhittable at times.

Born New Year's Eve 1935, he was a gift to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Signed shortly after high School, he started his big league career at age 19, with side trips to Columbia, and Cincinnati Universities. His debut was June 24, 1955 facing Johnny Logan of the Braves who got a single. He walked Henry Aaron, Eddie Mathews reached via an error, and struck out Bobby Thomson. It was his first strikeout. He'd retire after 2395 more. In that first game he pitched two scoreless innings in a Dodgers' loss, where he struck out two batters, giving up a lone hit. 

His four no-hitters, which included a perfect game, were evidence that on any given night, Koufax could not only shut out the opposition but leave them baffled with zero hits. The fact this writer got to watch him and meet him, I can attest he was among the most awesome in history.

His 1965 season was record breaking with 26-8, 27 complete games and 382 strike-outs. How do you better that? You do almost the same thing the next season; 27-9, 27 complete games and 317 strikeouts. His ERA went up from 1.93 to 2.07. However, his WHIP went from .0855 to .0985. Two of the most amazing back-to-back seasons in history. And his last due to arthritis in his elbow.

In 1963 he was 25-5. In the process he won three Cy Young Awards and a National League MVP. He was THE lefty of the 1960s. His retirement ended a five-year run in which he was 111-34, with a 1.95 ERA and 1444 K's.                             ===========================================================

I've written more than a dozen books including at least two sports books. You can find these at my own website www.bobbrillbooks.com. Please take a look at the sports books, the western novel series or the "Tattoo Murder," which is a crime book set in Ventura, CA. The newest book is an international thriller called ":05 Seconds to Die."

Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

The Day an Oriole Ruled Baseball

 TRIVIA WINNER: John Wyatt started two games in career against the Minnesota Twins. 25 points toward the person's total. 

NEW TRIVIA CONTEST: This will be the last Trivia Question in the current contest. The winner will be announced next week. And the $50 Starbucks Gift Card will be mailed to the winner. Make it a good one because the winner could very well be decided on this weeks question.

You will still be required to enter the drawing as usual. However,  through June 2025 you will get points depending on the complexity of the questions. Enter each week and correct answers will get those points-one guess per person per week. The reader with the most points after June's final column will get a $50 Starbucks Gift Card. Ties will be placed into a drawing. Tell your friends and sports fans who like trivia. We will keep track of your points. - YOU MUST ENTER VIA THE EMAIL AT THE END OF THIS COLUMN.

NEW TRIVIA QUESTION: Which two baseball brothers combined for 256 Stolen bases, while each had an 11 year career?  TOTAL 50 POINTS. 

 Jim Gentile spent nine seasons in the big leagues and had a lot of big games, but none bigger than against the Twins on May 9, 1961. It was one of those games the Baltimore Orioles slugger would remember for the rest of his life. It put him into the conversation for the best in the league and the MVP award.

He was batting clean-up that day, behind all-star Brooks Robinson. The Twins sent Pedro Ramos to the mound against Chuck Estrada. It was early in the season but neither team was playing impressive baseball. The Twins were at .500 and the O's were just two games over.  

The game had a great start for Baltimore. The 4514 fans at the game were frustrated right off the bat. Whitey Herzog opened with a walk and Jackie Brandt followed with a double. Robinson walked to load the bases, bringing up the slugging Gentile. Gentile, who would finish with 46 homers that year, sent a Ramos pitch to deep center and over the wall at Metropolitan Stadium to clear the bases. The Grand Slam gave the O's an instant 4-0 lead.

The Twins failed to score in the bottom of the inning but the top of the second it was more of the same for the O's including more Gentile. Marv Breeding opened with a fly out but then Ramos did the unthinkable. He gave up a single to the opposing pitcher, Estrada which was followed by a walk to Herzog. That was enough for Ramos who was replaced by Paul Geil.

Brandt then hit a ground ball back to Geil which could have been a double play, but the pitcher made an errant throw and Estrada scored to make it 5-0. Robinson walked again, again bringing up Gentile with the bases load. For the second straight inning Gentile blasted the ball into the seats. This time to right for his second straight grand slam and a 9-0 O's lead.

The rest of the game was pretty much uneventful. Gentile would draw a walk and go down on a strikeout in two subsequent at bats, but in the eighth he came up with a runner on third. A sac fly gave the slugging first sacker nine RBI on the day and the Orioles defeated Minnesota 13-5. It was a day the left handed hitting Gentile would never forget. Two grand slams in consecutive innings and a sacrifice fly to boot. 

He'd finish the season with 46 homers, a league leading 141 RBI, a .302 batting average and a .646 slugging percentage. He would finish third in the MVP voting behind Roger Maris who hit 61 home runs and Mickey Mantle who belted 54.  His outstanding defensive skills helped him be involved in 129 double plays which was good for second in the American League.

With 179 homers in his career, 1961 was far and away his best season. The Orioles that season would finish third despite winning 95 games. They closed the season 14 games behind New York as the Yankees went on to have the second greatest Yankee team of all time.  

But on this day, Jim Gentile ruled the baseball world.  

TRIVIA CONTEST; Enter via the following email. Send 1) your answer to the trivia question at the top of the column, 2) your name, address and email so where we know where to send the card if you win 3) any comment you have on the column. One winner will be selected at the end of the calendar year based on the total points acquired via weekly contests.

                              brillpro@gmail.com 
 ==========================================================
I've written more than a dozen books including at least two sports books. You can find these at my Amazon page or at my own website www.bobbrillbooks.com. Please take a look at the sports books, the western novel series or the "Tattoo Murder," which is a crime book set in Ventura, CA.

Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

John Wyatt - Twins Killer

TRIVIA WINNER: Nolan Ryan was the first MLB player to sign a contract paying him One Million Dollars per season. 10 points toward the person's total. 

NEW TRIVIA CONTEST: You will still be required to enter the drawing as usual. However,  through June 2025 you will get points depending on the complexity of the questions. Enter each week and correct answers will get those points-one guess per person per week. The reader with the most points after June's final column will get a $50 Starbucks Gift Card. Ties will be placed into a drawing. Tell your friends and sports fans who like trivia. We will keep track of your points. - YOU MUST ENTER VIA THE EMAIL AT THE END OF THIS COLUMN.

NEW TRIVIA QUESTION: How many games in his career did John Wyatt pitch as a Starter against the Twins?  TOTAL 25 POINTS. 

Rarely does a pitcher win back to back games, but John Wyatt of the Kansas City A's, did it twice in one season. Wyatt, the 29 year old right-hander only won nine games in the 1964 season, but four of them came on interesting nights.

He did lead the American League in games pitched with 81 and threw 128 innings as a reliable relief pitcher for the A's. The two dates in question were May 3rd, 1964. He won both ends of a double header against the Minnesota Twins.

The second set came months later on July 22nd and 23rd, and guess what, those wins were also against Minnesota. He also beat the Twins in May, meaning five of his nine wins came against Minnesota. He did not lose to them in 1964. 

In his career Wyatt beat Minnesota seven times while losing only twice. He only had a record of 42-44 over nine seasons and picked up 103 Saves. Eleven of those Saves were against the Twins. 

TRIVIA CONTEST; Enter via the following email. Send 1) your answer to the trivia question at the top of the column, 2) your name, address and email so where we know where to send the card if you win 3) any comment you have on the column. One winner will be selected at the end of the calendar year based on the total points acquired via weekly contests.

                              brillpro@gmail.com 
 ==========================================================
I've written more than a dozen books including at least two sports books. You can find these at my Amazon page or at my own website www.bobbrillbooks.com. Please take a look at the sports books, the western novel series or the "Tattoo Murder," which is a crime book set in Ventura, CA.

Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment.