Answers to Today’s Quiz!

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 Answers to Today’s Quiz!

Earlier today I challenged everyone with the following quiz:

We’ve read recently that Giancarlo Stanton is now a member of the Yankees. Last season Stanton led the National League in home runs with 50; while his new Yankee teammate, Aaron Judge, led the American league with 52.

So when the 2018 baseball season opens, both the National League and the American League home run champions from the previous season will now be together on the same team, the Yankees.

So here’s my questions to all you smart baseball history guys and gals out there:

1. Has this situation ever occurred before, where the home run champions from the previous year have wound up together on the same team the following season?
2. If it has occurred, how many times?
3. If it has occurred, can you name the players involved?

Here’s the clue I gave: It has occurred at least one time, and one of the players involved was Hank Greenberg.

OK…here’s the answers: It’s happened three times in the past. The first was in 1946, when Tiger Hank Greenberg led the AL in homers with 44, and Pirate Ralph Kiner led the NL with 23. Hank was then traded to the Pirates for the 1947 season. In 1948, Giant Johnny Mize led the NL with 40, and Yankee Joe DiMaggio led the AL with 39. Johnny was traded to the Yankees for the1949 season. In 1974 White Sox Dick Allen led the AL with 32, and Phillie Mike Schmidt led the NL with 36. Allen was traded to the Phillies for the 1975 season.

Here’s a few words about the career of the great slugger, Hank Greenberg:

Hank Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation and is widely considered as one of the best hitters ever. He played 13 seasons in the major leagues (1930-’47), with three seasons lost to military service. Known for his success with the Tigers (1930, 1933-’41, 1945-’46), he also played for the Pirates (1947). That year he was one of the few opposing players to welcome Jackie Robinson to the major leagues.

Over his career, the four-time All-Star hit .313, with 337 home runs,1276 RBIs, .412 on-base percentage, .605 slugging average, and 158 OPS+ (100 being the major league average), hitting over .300 eight times.

Hank was a two-time American League MVP (the first player to win the award in two different positions), a four-time home run leader, a four-time RBI leader, and a member of four Tiger pennant winners and two World Series championships. Greenberg was the first major league player to hit 25 or more home runs in a season in each league, and remains the American League record-holder for most RBIs in a single season by a right-handed batter (183 in 1937).

Gary Livacari

Photo Credits: All from Google search

Information: Excerpts edited from the Hank Greenberg Wikipedia page.

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