Trivia Answers Thursday

When I began writing Trivia Tuesdays, my intention was to keep it going until spring training, so this will be the last Trivia Tuesday here on BD. However, if you’re a TT fan—or just want to harass us—you’ll be pleased to know that an abbreviated version of TT will now be on BD’s Twitter feed at @BucsDugout every week. Trivia Answer Thursday will be your chance to contribute your own stumpers, so feel free to dig into your personal trivia vaults and come up with something good!

With that, on to this week’s answers.

The Cincinnati Reds traded this player to the Bucs on January thirtieth, 1959 after he fell out of favor with then-Reds GM Gabe Paul. He went on to catch Harvey Haddix’s 12-inning perfect game later that year and was a major contributor to the Bucs’ 1960 World Series win:

A. Smoky Burgess B. Don Hoak C. Clem Labine D. Frank Thomas

Answer: A

Another interesting bit of trivia about the Smokester—he was one of the last two MLB players who had played in the 1940s, along with then-Angel Curt Simmons, to formally retire.

This star Pirate was traded to the Chicago Cubs by GM Branch Rickey on June fourth, 1953 with a host of other players after a salary dispute. Rickey reportedly told the player, “We finished last with you, we can finish last without you.”

A. Ernie Banks B. Hank Sauer C. Ralph Kiner D. Wally Westlake

Answer: C

I was born long after Kiner called it a playing career, but he was one of the voices of my childhood as an announcer for the New York Mets. I remember being distinctly stunned when I was about eight or nine that he had ever been involved with a team other than the Mets. My Brother the Mets Fan claims that Kiner always trash-talked the Pirates when they were playing the Mets. Okay, bro.

On March fifteenth, 1977, the Pirates made a blockbuster trade with the Oakland Athletics to get star infielder and future postseason hero Phil Garner. Which Pirate was not included in the trade?

A. Tony Armas B. Doc Medich C. Rick Langford D. Richie Zisk

Answer: D

Along with Silvio Martinez, Zisk was traded to the Chicago White Sox on December tenth, 1976 for Terry Forster and some schlub named Goose Gossage.

This effective Pirates utility player came in a trade from the Philadelphia Phillies on April fifth, 1975. After eight seasons, he was traded back to the Phillies, where he finished his career:

A. Matty Alou B. Bill Robinson C. Ken Brett D. Mike Easler

Answer: B

Another Pirates/Mets connection—after Robinson retired in 1982, he became a hitting instructor for the Mets, and has been greatly credited for shaping future Mets star Darryl Strawberry.

In one of the (somewhat) more even trades in Pirates history, this longtime Bucs favorite went to the St. Louis Cardinals on April first, 1987 in exchange for (among others) Andy Van Slyke:

A. Manny Sanguillen B. Tony Peña C. Steve Nicosa D. Ed Ott

Answer: B

Peña apparently took this trade better than Van Slyke, who allegedly thought that it was an April Fool’s joke. I’ll let you guys make your own jokes here.