Over the past two days us generous folks at TRDMB held a fun contest to win a copy of Keith Hernandez’ book “Shea Good-Bye” about Shea’s final season. Today I’m proud to announce a winner! First let’s check out the quiz and the correct answers (in parenthesis are the points awarded for each answer):
“Can of Cornâ€
1. In which year did the Mets play their first game? 1962 (1)
2. Which two seasons led to Mets World Series titles? 1969, 1986 (1 per year)
3. Which Mets reliever in the late 90’s wore number 99? Turk Wendell (1)
“Middle Reliefâ€
4. What was the team motto for the 1985 season? “Catch the Rising Stars” (2)
5. How many HRs did Todd Hundley hit in 1996 to set the single-season record for the most by a catcher? (Javy Lopez broke this record in 2003) 41 (2)
6. Who were the three players in “Generation K� Bill Pulsipher, Jason Isringhausen, Paul Wilson (1 per name)
“The World Seriesâ€
7. The Mets traded Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds in 1977 for four players – name two of the four. Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman (2 per name, max 4 pts)
8. In what year was David Wright drafted by the Mets, and what was his overall pick number? 2001, 38 (1 for year, 2 for pick #)
9. How many seasons did Ed Kranepool play for the Mets? 18 (2)
“Extra Inningsâ€
Name as many former/current Mets General Managers as you can!
George Weiss, Bing Devine, Johnny Murphy, Bob Scheffing, Joe McDonald, Frank Cashen, Gerry Hunsicker, Al Harazin, Joe McIlvaine, Steve Phillips, Jim Duquette, Omar Minaya (1 pt per 3 names) – Sorry, but no extra points for saying Cashen twice!
Phew! Alright, so everyone who submitted answers got every one of the basic questions correct, and 20 points in the process. It all came down to “Extra Innings” as it often does in baseball. Enough with the teasing though, here are your top 5 entries!
In the 5 spot, our very own gipperPDX with 23 points! Hey, does PDX stand for Portland…or am I just a huge nerd?
I’d love to do more of a countdown, but our top 4 spots all tied with perfect scores of 24 each: Wannybackstra, Ceetar, MetsFan4Decades, and SaltyGary!
Of course, there can only be one winner! After inputting the results into a random generator, the winner is… CEETAR! Congrats and enjoy your book. There’s no reason to fret if you didn’t win though – I assure you all that more book contests are on the way!
45 comments
ceetar
8/13/2009-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
yeah! yeah! In your face!
I think PDX=Portland as well, but only because I’m flying there in two weeks.
fongy2
8/13/2009-1:46pm at 1:46 pm (UTC -4)
Way to win with grace Deion
errr Ceetar.
b/t/w,to the music lovers
out there,say a prayer for
Les Paul’s soul.
R.I.P, Sir.
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-1:49pm at 1:49 pm (UTC -4)
I was just reading that, very sad indeed.
When I was a teenager who fancied himself a future rock star I coveted a Gibson Les Paul like the one Peter Frampton has on Frampton Comes Alive.
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-1:50pm at 1:50 pm (UTC -4)
More specifically, like this:
http://www.coconutgrovemusic.com/instrumentsGibson/74lpdeluxe-6.jpg
fongy2
8/13/2009-1:51pm at 1:51 pm (UTC -4)
All Time great
Album indeed!!
Love it today as much as when
I was a 12y/o
and cant say that about many
things.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
Playboy magazines?
fongy2
8/13/2009-1:58pm at 1:58 pm (UTC -4)
Chocolate
Milk!
Mind out of the gutter Barrister!
Besides,I was more a Hustler kid.
Oops!,did I say that?!
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-1:58pm at 1:58 pm (UTC -4)
Imagine my teenage joy when while poking around the attic I found two piles of magazines which turned out to be every Playboy from the magazine’s inception through 1971.
Endless hours of, umm, reading pleasure. Barbi Benton may have had the most unreal yet real body I’ve ever had the luck to view. And those eyes!
http://www.momthrewitaway.com/ebay/books/mag0045.jpg
CaseStreet
8/13/2009-3:06pm at 3:06 pm (UTC -4)
sounds like a nice tradition to start, or keep going in your case.
CaseStreet
8/13/2009-3:07pm at 3:07 pm (UTC -4)
*collection
gategem
8/13/2009-3:50pm at 3:50 pm (UTC -4)
I worked with someone that claimed he was looking through some old Playboy magazines and found his grandmother was an early playmate. BTW early in Playboy’s life cycle if someone took out a life subscription a playmate was sent to his door to hand deliver the certificate.
gategem
8/13/2009-3:55pm at 3:55 pm (UTC -4)
One of my favorite albums is “Chester & Lester.†Chet Atkins’ style was a perfect complement to Les Paul’s style. I have it on vinyl and I wish there was more than just 10 songs.
gategem
8/13/2009-3:43pm at 3:43 pm (UTC -4)
lol The fix was in! And I assume you will use a plane this time.
ceetar
8/13/2009-7:07pm at 7:07 pm (UTC -4)
Well sure, flapping the arms from JFK-PDX is tiring. Especially when you accidentally cross restricted airspace and have to dodge missiles.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-1:32pm at 1:32 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe the points can be re-tallied after correcting the answers to which two seasons the Mets have won World Series.
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-1:39pm at 1:39 pm (UTC -4)
Oh snap! Nice catch. When I first read this entry I didn’t notice that, but I was caught up thinking “1 per year, well duh of course they only won one world series per year.” Then I realized those were points, not world series totals. Made more sense to me then.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-1:53pm at 1:53 pm (UTC -4)
I read it the same way at first!
CaseStreet
8/13/2009-1:43pm at 1:43 pm (UTC -4)
1985 was a great year!
fongy2
8/13/2009-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
As you guys failed to mention
Dick Young as co-GM for a
couple seasons in the mid/late
70s! Thanks for the great work
Dick you SOB! Hope El Diablo
turns up the heat just a little more every June 15th!..
Just for you!
prismo
8/13/2009-4:57pm at 4:57 pm (UTC -4)
LOL oops. I got in my groove, and threw down my birth year. Once that 198 goes down, my fingers are way too used to the 5! hahaha
fongy2
8/13/2009-2:05pm at 2:05 pm (UTC -4)
You guys should check over the
latest thread on mattsblog…
full of factual errors again.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-2:14pm at 2:14 pm (UTC -4)
Indeed.
Besides the factual errors, the likelihood that Thole would not be selected in the Rule V is slim to none. A bad team could easily afford to stash him on the bench and work him in slowly.
A lefty swinging catcher who can hit and is only a year or so away?
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-2:23pm at 2:23 pm (UTC -4)
This is one specific thing in which I have the utmost confidence in Omar.
I recall watching a TV interview with him a while back, and the one question and answer I won’t forget was:
Q. What is your biggest regret as GM of the Mets?
A. Not protecting Jesus Flores on the 40 man roster.
Based on this I cannot envision a scenario in which Thole is NOT on the 40 man roster.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-2:25pm at 2:25 pm (UTC -4)
Hopefully you will see him on line at the bagel store and remind him of this.
metsfan4decades
8/13/2009-2:11pm at 2:11 pm (UTC -4)
Congrats Ceetar! Your karma must be a tad better than mine…
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-2:27pm at 2:27 pm (UTC -4)
Listening to Mike Francesa interview Giants GM Jerry Reese is pleasant because it reminds me that at least one of my favorite sports teams has a GM with acumen and a plan and the ability to confidently express himself clearly.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-2:32pm at 2:32 pm (UTC -4)
Try being a Raiders fan. Even Omar has more ability to express himself than the non-existent Raiders GM. Yes, the Raiders don’t have an official or traditional GM because the decrepit owner still makes all the calls.
Thanks for bringing this up and reminding me how the Fall and Winter will not make up for my disappointing Spring and Summer (I’m an Islander fan too but at least have some new found optimism under the much -and wrongly- maligned Garth Snow).
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-2:35pm at 2:35 pm (UTC -4)
Sorry, I forgot about you and the Raiders.
As Met fans sometimes we get upset with the owners. As a Raider fan…wow! At least the Mets owners put forth the pretense of an independent front office.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-2:47pm at 2:47 pm (UTC -4)
I never wish death on anyone. But the Raiders won’t improve until Al Davis dies.
The fact they have a few pieces to build around (McFadden…and McFadden) is more fluke than anything. You can’t be wrong every time you have a top 10 pick (just most of the time, it seems).
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-2:53pm at 2:53 pm (UTC -4)
Well they still have one of the best uniforms in all of pro sports! No matter how hard the Buccaneers try they’ll never be the “Raiduhs.”
Mr North Jersey
8/13/2009-2:31pm at 2:31 pm (UTC -4)
Just let me know when you do the “New York Mets Bikini Babes 2010 Calendar” I’ll be waiting with bated breath.
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-2:31pm at 2:31 pm (UTC -4)
Interesting. I’m listening to the radio via iTunes so when WFAN went to commercial I thought “let’s see what they’re talking about in Boston” and clicked on WEEI. I am now listening to the Red Sox – Tigers game. I guess iTunes is the loophole for MLB radio via the internet?
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
I tried to pick up a Mets game like that and it didn’t work. Had to buy gameday audio.
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-2:36pm at 2:36 pm (UTC -4)
Probably some underling somewhere just forgot to flip the switch that should prevent me from hearing this.
ceetar
8/13/2009-6:40pm at 6:40 pm (UTC -4)
I’m pretty sure I found a loophole. Not something I’ll discuss here though with the Google spiders listening. If you’re curious, you can query me in IRC one day.
gipperpdx
8/13/2009-2:36pm at 2:36 pm (UTC -4)
Stupid Dan Norman cost me???? Sheesh!!
Hey, Prismo, 1985 was not a WS year for the Metsies, but I’ll assume that is a typo!
PDX is the airport code for Portland Int’l Airport – the oft voted best domestic airport in the US.
Enjoy your visit here in PDX, Ceetar. If you want any tips on restaurants, hotels, local knowledge, sights, etc, email me at mikecarew13@yahoo.com I have an already written email with local info that I have used when friends and family are coming to town.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-2:48pm at 2:48 pm (UTC -4)
Rod’s son is a Mets fan?
gipperpdx
8/13/2009-3:01pm at 3:01 pm (UTC -4)
I used to have a Mets jersey, number 13 with “CAREW” on the back. It would confuse the hell out of people. “Rod Carew was a Met?!”
I had a guy outside Petco before a Mets-Pads game convinced (for a minute) that Rod was a Met and entered the HOF as a Met!
prismo
8/13/2009-6:24pm at 6:24 pm (UTC -4)
Woo! I was right about PDX. Do I win a book?
Sadly, due to my profession, I know WAY too many station identifiers. PDX was an easy one.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-2:39pm at 2:39 pm (UTC -4)
Hot shot Rangers prospect Neftali Feliz, 21, has pitched 5.2 innings in relief since being called up. He’s given up a solo home run and nothing else. No other hits. No walks. Oh, and has whiffed 11.
That Texiera trade really looks nice from their perspective. They already have their regular catcher (though he’s not achieved quite as well as they had hoped), their SS (who has been better than expected and sooner) and then Matt Harrison and Feliz, who figure to be on their staff forever. I think there was one other player in the deal.
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-2:55pm at 2:55 pm (UTC -4)
It was astounding the difference in haul for Teixeira from that to Kotchman.
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-2:58pm at 2:58 pm (UTC -4)
Texas’ Texiera deal and Minny’s Pierzinski for Nathan, Liriano and Bonser deal were two of the better deals for “sellers” in recent memory. And, of course, Cleveland’s deal with good ole Omar for Colon (in which they received Sizemore, Lee, Phillips and I believe one other).
I think Minnesota hoped to get a Texiera type haul for Johan but that didn’t work.
GravediggerHebner
8/13/2009-3:03pm at 3:03 pm (UTC -4)
Lee Stevens was “other.”
iTunes just took away the Sox game, at the top of the hour I suddenly find myself listening to “Fox Sports radio.”
wannybackstra
8/13/2009-3:03pm at 3:03 pm (UTC -4)
Another clean inning with two more Ks for Feliz. Nasty.
CaseStreet
8/13/2009-3:12pm at 3:12 pm (UTC -4)
When you have a +100mph fastball and a +90mph changeup, you probably won’t give up many hits.