| Which one-team major leaguer still leads his franchise in career home runs, with one hundred more than the second-place player, also a one-team player and a Hall of Famer?
Hint: #1 He was thrice in the top three Most Valuable Player vote-getters.
Hint: #2 His contract includes deferred payments of more than $1million annually every July 1 through 2031, a structure which provided his team financial flexibility during his playing years.
Midweek Bonus question answered:
Q. Who is the only Pittsburgh Pirate slugger to lead the National League in home runs in consecutive seasons?
Hint: #1 Following the sixth season of his Hall of Fame career, he married a famous tennis star.
Hint: #2 After his playing days he served as general manager of the San Diego Padres.
A. RALPH KINER [SABR Bio]
– Ans. Kiner led the NL in HR for seven (7!) consecutive seasons: 1946-1952, with 1947-52 also leading the major: His yearly HR totals, in order: 23, 51, 40, 54, 47, 32, 47. They were the first 8 seasons of his career. Technically, he led in consecutive years 6 X.
– #1 On 13-Oct-1951, he married California tennis star Nancy Chafee. They had three children, but the union ended in divorce in 1968.
– #2 Following his retirement, Kiner served from 1956 through 1960 as general manager of the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres.
FCR – Scott Morissey, Hamilton, Ontario |
