Nostalgia trivia quiz

[dustcover]

It seems like just yesterday when the 'Curse' was finally broken. But who can name the 10 players who were opening-day starters on that history-making 2004 Red Sox team.

[moonslav59]

VTek, Millar, Bellhorn, Mueller, Reese, Manny, Damon, Kapler, Papi and Pedro

[moonslav59]

We ended up going with Nomar then OCab at SS over the season and Nixon-Roberts-Millar in RF, but everyone else basically stayed the same.

[oldtimer]

I remember sitting in the sky boxes with my dad in 1967 in a game where Carl Yazstemski and Reggie Smith batted in succession in the order. At that time I saw the two of them swinging for the fences when a simple single would have brought in runs. It was like they were competing with each other to see who could be a hero that day. It left an impression on me of what sometimes drives players. I might have been all wet, but it sure looked bad to me. That year, Carl hit 44 HRs. He was listed at 5'11" and 175 #. Kind of the same size as Beni.

[a700hitter]

I remember sitting in the sky boxes with my dad in 1967 in a game where Carl Yazstemski and Reggie Smith batted in succession in the order. At that time I saw the two of them swinging for the fences when a simple single would have brought in runs. It was like they were competing with each other to see who could be a hero that day. It left an impression on me of what sometimes drives players. I might have been all wet, but it sure looked bad to me. That year, Carl hit 44 HRs. He was listed at 5'11" and 175 #. Kind of the same size as Beni.

Yaz always swung hard, but still won 3 batting titles and just missed a fourth and he was patient enough to take a lot of walks.

[moonslav59]

Yaz always swung hard, but still won 3 batting titles and just missed a fourth and he was patient enough to take a lot of walks.

 

And that was what made swinging hard every time okay. He was very patient.

 

I will add that although he always swung as hard as possible every time he chose to swing, I'm not sure he was always trying for an HR. He just loved smacking the ball hard.

 

[oldtimer]

And that was what made swinging hard every time okay. He was very patient.

 

I will add that although he always swung as hard as possible every time he chose to swing, I'm not sure he was always trying for an HR. He just loved smacking the ball hard.

 

 

Yaz was a great player and hit for power and average. It does show me that Beni at 175 3 and about the same height could deliver reasonable power in 2017.

[moonslav59]

Yaz was a great player and hit for power and average. It does show me that Beni at 175 3 and about the same height could deliver reasonable power in 2017.

 

Yaz is not the only "little guy" to show some power.

 

Beni had 14 XBHs in just 105 ABs last year. Some were "leg 2Bs" but still... He's also had these numbers in just 570 minor league ABs:

 

20 HRs

16 3Bs

38 2Bs

 

74 XBHs!

Add to that 26 sBs and this guy should be on 2B or beyond a lot.

 

His last year at Arkansas, he his 20 HRs and 15 2B+3B in just 226 ABs!

 

[Dojji]

And then there's a certain second baseman that hit 15 HR's and 52 XBH's last year and is even smaller. When Pedroia manages to stay healthy, his power is noteworthy, especially for a middle infielder. Edited January 6, 2017 by Dojji

[moonslav59]

Hank Aaron was under 6 feet and weighed under 180 for much of his career.

[cp176]

I remember sitting in the sky boxes with my dad in 1967 in a game where Carl Yazstemski and Reggie Smith batted in succession in the order. At that time I saw the two of them swinging for the fences when a simple single would have brought in runs. It was like they were competing with each other to see who could be a hero that day. It left an impression on me of what sometimes drives players. I might have been all wet, but it sure looked bad to me. That year, Carl hit 44 HRs. He was listed at 5'11" and 175 #. Kind of the same size as Beni.

 

I do not believe for one minute that Benintendi is 5'11" nor does he look to be anywhere near 175. Yaz looked to be 5'11" and when he was in his best shape probably was around 175. Benintendi is who and what he is and he may be very good. Comparing him to a young Yaz? nope - not buying that one. He looks to me like a smaller version of Ellsbury. Hope he isn't quite as fragile.

[moonslav59]

I do not believe for one minute that Benintendi is 5'11" nor does he look to be anywhere near 175. Yaz looked to be 5'11" and when he was in his best shape probably was around 175. Benintendi is who and what he is and he may be very good. Comparing him to a young Yaz? nope - not buying that one. He looks to me like a smaller version of Ellsbury. Hope he isn't quite as fragile.

 

Well, 5-9 Mel Ott blasted over 500 HRs.

[a700hitter]

And that was what made swinging hard every time okay. He was very patient.

 

I will add that although he always swung as hard as possible every time he chose to swing, I'm not sure he was always trying for an HR. He just loved smacking the ball hard.

 

Agreed. He just like to scald the ball.

[cp176]

Well, 5-9 Mel Ott blasted over 500 HRs.

 

ok - good Mel Ott was a great player.

[Spudboy]

I'm 5'7" and can't hit for s***.

[Spudboy]

I do not believe for one minute that Benintendi is 5'11" nor does he look to be anywhere near 175. Yaz looked to be 5'11" and when he was in his best shape probably was around 175. Benintendi is who and what he is and he may be very good. Comparing him to a young Yaz? nope - not buying that one. He looks to me like a smaller version of Ellsbury. Hope he isn't quite as fragile.

 

It's one thing to project certain aspect of his performance based on what he has done to date and of course that sweet stroke and athleticism. He may become a truly great MLB player.

 

It's entirely too early to compare him to Yaz who any way you slice it was one of the greatest players of all time.

[cp176]

It's one thing to project certain aspect of his performance based on what he has done to date and of course that sweet stroke and athleticism. He may become a truly great MLB player.

 

It's entirely too early to compare him to Yaz who any way you slice it was one of the greatest players of all time.

 

I remember watching a young Yaz thinking that he was going to be a pretty good replacement for Pete Runnels and then something special happened. 1967

[Kimmi]

Well, 5-9 Mel Ott blasted over 500 HRs.

 

Everyone knows that size doesn't matter.

[Spudboy]

Everyone knows that size doesn't matter.

 

Always nice to have that confirmed by a Woman.

[Bellhorn04]

We need more female posters.

[Kimmi]

We need more female posters.

 

We do need more female posters. I wish VA would post more often. She's awesome and she tells it like it is.

[dustcover]

wrong

[Bellhorn04]

wrong

 

moonslav's answer was right according to Baseball-Reference.

[Kimmi]

There are certain 'moments' from past games that I can remember vividly, but for the most part, I can't remember details of what happened in games in 2016, much less remember things that happened from seasons farther back.

[S5Dewey]

There are certain 'moments' from past games that I can remember vividly, but for the most part, I can't remember details of what happened in games in 2016, much less remember things that happened from seasons farther back.

 

YES! This is what amazes me about some people. Castiglione, for example. I go to an event every winter where there's a question and answer period between Stiggy and the local fans. One of the fans will bring up something memorable about a particular AB, maybe back in July, and Joe will follow up with something like, "Yes, and what made that an even better AB is that it was a 1-2 pitch he hit after fouling off three straight sliders". How the F**k does he remember stuff like that? Holy Hell, I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning!!

[Kimmi]

YES! This is what amazes me about some people. Castiglione, for example. I go to an event every winter where there's a question and answer period between Stiggy and the local fans. One of the fans will bring up something memorable about a particular AB, maybe back in July, and Joe will follow up with something like, "Yes, and what made that an even better AB is that it was a 1-2 pitch he hit after fouling off three straight sliders". How the F**k does he remember stuff like that? Holy Hell, I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning!!

 

Exactly. I feel the same way when some posters here post about specifics of games from 1976 or something.

 

OTOH, there are some really off the wall things/facts in my memory that I am somehow able to remember. It's odd how the brain works.

[Bellhorn04]

The 1978 playoff game is engraved in my head forever. That was my worst day as a Sox fan, with 1986 Game 6 a close second.

[S5Dewey]

OTOH, there are some really off the wall things/facts in my memory that I am somehow able to remember. It's odd how the brain works.

 

Yeah. Back in elementary school I was forced to commit the Gettysburg Address and the Preamble to the Constitution to memory and I can still recite them on demand. As I like to say, they're great to know but a bitch to work into a conversation!

[Kimmi]

Yeah. Back in elementary school I was forced to commit the Gettysburg Address and the Preamble to the Constitution to memory and I can still recite them on demand. As I like to say, they're great to know but a bitch to work into a conversation!

 

LOL I had to commit those things to memory also, along with several Shakespeare quotes. I can remember only certain pieces of them.

[Spudboy]

The Preamble was pretty much a standard requirement when I was in school.