Quiz – Have Glove, Will Travel (solved)

The players in this quiz were all well traveled. But, what career accomplishment distinguishes them from all other players since 1901?

Congratulations to Richard Chester! He knew right away that only these players were regulars for three different franchises, and had a season playing 100 games at a different position with each of those teams. For the players in this group, those positions were 2B, 3B and SS, with Denis Menke adding in a season at 1B for good measure. More on these in-demand and versatile players after the jump.

Here are those players and where they had their 100 game seasons at each of the infield positions.

Rk Name 1B 2B 3B SS
1 Frank O’Rourke DET SLB WSH
2 Denis Menke  HOU HOU CIN MLN, ATL, HOU
3 Eric McNair BOS CHW PHA
4 Barry McCormick WSH CHC, SLB CHC
5 Buck Herzog NYG BSN, NYG CIN
6 Tony Fernandez CLE TOR TOR, SDP, NYY
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/14/2014.

Probably worth noting that only two of the six players above have played since World War II. The modern penchant for position specialization has tended to designate versatile players as those who can “fill in” at different positions, as opposed to being regulars at those positions.

Of course, this quiz was looking only at players who displayed their versatility for 3 or more franchises. Others who have demonstrated the same versatility for these positions, but did so in fewer cities, include:

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Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago

All have 200+ games at 2B, SS, and 3B; that must be at least part of it!

Artie Z.
Artie Z.
9 years ago
Reply to  Dr. Doom

I think the rest of the answer is that they all had 200+ games at 2B, SS, and 3B and each of them had at least one season of 100+ games at each position (Tony Fernandez had many years of 100+ games at SS, had 109 games at 2B in 1997, had 132 games at 3B in 1999).

At least that gets all of them on a list and gets Craig Counsell off the list (Counsell maxed out at 94 games at 3B in 2002).

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago

Using Dr. Doom’s response as a clue how about they all played at least one season with 100+ games at 2B with one team, 100+ games at SS for another team and 100+ games at 3B for a third team.

Artie Z.
Artie Z.
9 years ago

That gets rid of Gil McDougald, who meets what I had (a season of 100+ games at each position).

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago

AHA! I’m pretty sure you nailed it! The title of the post includes the “Will Travel,” sooooooo… that probably should have been the giveaway. Great job, RC.

Doug
Doug
9 years ago

Richard has it.

I’ll have to switch things up on you – you know me too well. 🙂

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Doug: I always say to myself that to solve Doug’s quizzes you have to think like Doug. I have been a bit sneaky about solving the quizzes. At the start I wait for others to do the dirty work and when a path is established I jump in. Anyhow I found 8 other players who met the criteria but while playing for 1 or 2 teams. They are Bill Sweeney, Buddy Myer, Don Money, Frank Gustine, Gil McDougald, Jimmy Brown, Michael Young and Toby Harrah.

Alexander Exe
9 years ago

Good article, thanks.

Pia Merkl
9 years ago

Good article, thanks.

Deedra Rubi
9 years ago

Good article, thanks.

Thanh Barvosa
9 years ago

Good article, thanks.