MLB Trivia - 6/29/06

[Willie Bee]

Fifteen years ago yesterday (June 28, 1991), Reds shortstop Barry Larkin homered three times against the Astros (all off Jim Deshaies) in an 8-5 Cincinnati win. In doing so, he became just the third shortstop in the majors to homer three times in a single game. It's since been done by four other shortstops, some of them on multiple occasions.

The question is, who were the two shortstops before Larkin to accomplish this feat?

[Stumpage]

I'm pretty sure Freddie Patek was a shortstop when he hit 3 against the RedSox in 1980. One of the most bizarre things I've ever seen on the diamond, as I'm sure the guy hit no more than 40 in his entire career...No idea who the other SS might be.

[Willie Bee]

Stumpage wows the crowd again...

Excellent memory, stumpage. Freddie Joe Patek, originally from just down the road in Seguin, Texas, was the second shortstop in major league history to pop three taters in a single game. Patek's career day came on June 20, 1980, at venerable old Fenway Park in a 20-2 rout by the Angels over the Sawks. He came into the game with one homer on the '80 season and 37 in what was a 13-year career at that point.

The 5-5, 150-pound Patek hit two of his blasts off Dick Drago, who relieved Boston starter Steve Renko in the 2nd-inning. Patek then hit #3 off Jack Billingham. He also had a double, drove in 7 and scored 4 times in the game. Everyone in California's lineup had a multi-hit game. Patek would hit just one more homer in his career (to give him 41 total), and there were more than just a few folks who wondered aloud if Patek might not have had a 'special bat' in this game.


The other half of the answer to this one was the only shortstop to have hit 3 HR in a game before Patek's big game.

[Stumpage]

This information is astounding, W-Bee. You must have some baseball oracle or something...Anyway, I'm going to guess Rizutto. I know he didn't hit many, possibly less than Patek, but history has taught me that when in doubt, go with a Yankee.

[Willie Bee]

...but history has taught me that when in doubt, go with a Yankee.

Not a bad rule to live by, but incorrect this time. I'll wait and see if we get another guess or two before I give any hints.

[Mudcat]

Cal Ripken seems too obvious. I'm not going there.

I'll guess, I dunno, Dick Schofield.

EDIT - oh geez I missed the part about it being before Patek's game in 1980. Back to the drawing board . . .

[Willie Bee]

Ripken is one of the four shortstops since Larkin who have had a 3-HR game. Neither of the Dick Schofield's ever had more than 1-Hr in a game.

By the way, did you know the younger Dick Schofield is the uncle of present Dodgers player Jayson Werth?

[Mudcat]

Robin Yount?

[Willie Bee]

Not Yount, though an excellent guess.

The shortstop you're looking for played his entire career in the National League.

[Bulldog]

Kevin Elster????

[Bulldog]

Sorry, wild guess, i was thinking before Larkin, not before Patek...

[Stumpage]

Ah, Mr. Cub...Has to be Ernie Banks...Well, doesn't have to be but he popped a ton of longballs if I remember the stats correctly.

[Willie Bee]

Mr Cub it is...

Ernie Banks was the first shortstop to crack three homers in a single game, doing so on Sept 14, 1957, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Pirates at Wrigley Field. The three homers gave hm 40 for the season. Banks also had 3-HR games as a first baseman twice.

So now we know that Banks, Patek and Larkin were the first three shortstops to enjoy a 3-HR game. The four shortstops who have done it since them are Ripken (May 1996), Alex Rodriguez (Apr 2000 & Aug 2002), Miguel Tejada (June 1999 & June 30 2001) and Nomar Garciaparra (May 1999 & July 2002).

[moses millsap]

I believe Berroa for KC has achieved this?

[Willie Bee]

To the best of my knowledge, Angel Berroa has never had a multi-homer game in his career.

[moses millsap]

To the best of my knowledge, Angel Berroa has never had a multi-homer game in his career.

Well, when you're wrong, it's good to be totally wrong.

And now that I re-read the whole thread, I didn't answer the right question, lol.

[Mudcat]

But your spelling and punctuation were impeccable.