TRIVIA WINNER: The answer to last weeks question was actually in the story; Brickyard Kennedy and nearly everyone got that to my surprise. We did skip a week due to a surgical procedure. The Prize: 20 points toward the person's total.
NEW TRIVIA CONTEST: You will still be required to enter the drawing as usual. However, through the end of 2024 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 the years final column will get a $50 Starbucks Gift Card. Ties will be placed into a drawing. Questions will be worth anywhere from 10-25 points depending on degree of difficulty. Questions will be more difficult as the year goes on, so you are never really out of the mix. 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: With Alley having a great season in 1966, which up and coming shortstop did the Pirates trade away? Total 15 Points.
In era where players tended to stay with one team for a career, Gene Alley was one of those guys. A quiet working class guy who went about his business, did his duty and performed at a high level until he was injured. In the mid-1960's he teamed with Pittsburgh second sacker Bill Mazeroski and not only played their way into the record books, they almost won a pennant.
Maz had been there since 1957, Alley came along in 1963. Despite injuries to both of them at different times and because of that playing with different double play partners, they still excelled. In 1966-67 Alley participated in 238 Double plays, won two gold gloves, received MVP votes twice and made the NL All-star team. Maz participated in 292 DP's.
Mazeroski, who played with Dick Groat and Fred Patek along the way said Alley was the most incredible. He was simply smooth. Reading in children's sports magazine while he was on the verge of breaking into the big leagues the author said he scooped up the infield like a vacuum cleaner.
And he could hit. His first full season (1965) he batted .252, but during the Bucs big push in 1966 he hit .299 tied with first-sacker Donn Clendenon and batted .287 in 1967. An arm injury followed and a leg injury cut his heroics short at 11 seasons.
During that time period, like so many others he served on weekends in the National Guard while the Vietnam War was raging. From 1970-72 he did play in three NLCS and the World Series.
TRIVIA CONTEST;