If you have visited the suite level of Fifth Third Field, you’ve probably noticed that each of the 32 suites features a photo of a prominent player with ties to the Mud Hens. Over the next few weeks we’ll take a look at those former players. The photo on the fourth suite features a player who also played for the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884. But this individual is better known for having the seventh-highest win total among pitchers who are NOT in the Hall of Fame. Who is he?
The answer to last Thursday’s question? The photo on the third suite features a player whose first major-league season was in 1884 with the Toledo Blue Stockings. But this individual had more success as a manager in Toledo – he is the second-winningest manager, in terms of winning percentage, in the Glass City’s professional baseball history. Who is he? He is Charlie Morton of the 1883-84 Toledo Blue Stockings, who also managed the Toledo Maumees in 1889-90. He had a 219-180 record, good for a .549 winning percentage.
Do you think you know the answer to today’s question? At the bottom of this page give us your answer in the "Post a comment" box! I'll do my best to answer as quickly as possible, and I’ll post the answer tomorrow along with another trivia question. Looking forward to hearing from you!
The ambidextrous Tony Mullane
Posted by: Pepper Leach | 01/17/2013 at 11:47 AM
Pepper: You are on the mark, as always.
A follow up to keep things rolling: Who was Mullane's battery mate on the 1884 Blue Stockings?
Posted by: John_Wagner | 01/17/2013 at 12:29 PM
Moses Fleetwood Walker was one...
Posted by: Pepper Leach | 01/17/2013 at 03:48 PM
See, that wasn't so hard!
So now here's the question I've been waiting to ask: If you notice at the top, when I asked about Mullane I said he had the seventh-highest win total among pitchers not in the Hall of Fame.
Who are the pitchers who have more wins that Mullane who are NOT in the Hall of Fame?
Posted by: John_Wagner | 01/17/2013 at 04:43 PM
Tommy John (my elbow hurts...)
Posted by: Pepper Leach | 01/17/2013 at 04:56 PM
Roider Clemens, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Big Unit,
Posted by: John Malkoski | 01/17/2013 at 06:11 PM
Good work, Pepper and John. You've got the names people would recognize in Maddux (355 wins), Clemens (354), Glavine (305), Johnson (303), and John (288).
There's one more, but this is a guy from the EARLY days of baseball. Any more guesses?
Mullane's total is 284, BTW ... and tied with another Hall of Famer. Can you name this famous Canadian?
Posted by: John_Wagner | 01/18/2013 at 10:40 AM
How about Kid Gleason for the oldster and Ferguson Jenkins for the famous Canadian?
Posted by: John Malkoski | 01/18/2013 at 11:49 AM
The famous Canadian is indeed Ferguson Jenkins, John. But the "oldster" is not Kid Gleason ... it's someone much more obscure than that.
To put everyone out of their misery, the "oldster" is a guy by the name of Bobby Mathews, who pitched in the '70s and '80s ... the 1870's and 1880's.
Must admit I had never heard of him before this. Here are the numbers, courtesy of Baseball Reference (there also is a link to a SABR bio that is interesting) ...
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mathebo01.shtml
New question Monday!
Posted by: John_Wagner | 01/19/2013 at 05:13 PM