Each day leading up to the start of the Major League Baseball season, I will ask a baseball-related trivia question. It’s spring training for the baseball minds, if you will. Feel free to chime in with your answers or if you have a good question you think might get baseball fans looking at old cards or surfing the Internet for the answer, feel free to offer it up.

Buck Ewing played in the big leagues from 1880-1897.

This week’s theme is catchers.

Let’s get to the answer from Tuesday’s question.

Q: Who was the first catcher inducted into the Hall of Fame?

In 1939, the veterans committee voted Buck Ewing into the Hall of Fame, making him the first catcher to be inducted.

Considered the best catcher of his era and one of the best players of the 19th century, Ewing played professional baseball from 1880-1897 for four different franchises — the Troy Trojans, the New York Gothams/Giants, the Cleveland Spiders and the Cincinnati Reds. He finished his career with a .303 average, 71 home runs and 883 RBI. Primarily a catcher, Ewing played all nine positions and stole 354 bases. He hit .300 or better 10 times.

His defense equally solid.

Writing in the 1938 Spalding Guide, John Foster said of Ewing, “As a thrower to bases Ewing never had a superior, and there are not to exceed ten men who could come anywhere near being equal to him. Ewing was the man of whom it was said, ‘He handed the ball to the second baseman from the batter’s box.’”

The first catcher to be voted in by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America was Mickey Cochrance in 1947.

Now, let’s move on to Wednesday’s question.

Q: Who is the only Hall of Fame catcher to be born in Missouri?

Check back Thursday for the answer.

 Each day leading up to the start of the Major League Baseball season, I will ask a baseball-related trivia question. It’s spring training for the baseball minds, if you will. Feel free to chime in with your answers or if you have a good question you think might get baseball fans looking at old cards or surfing the Internet for the answer, feel free to offer it up.

This week’s theme is catchers.

Let’s get to the answer from Monday’s question.

Q: Which Hall of Fame catcher was the valedictorian of his high school class?

In 1965, Johnny Bench graduated from Binger High School in Binger, Okla., as the valedictorian of his class and a two-sport standout in baseball and basketball. He was the 36^th pick of baseball’s amateur draft that year by the Cincinnati Reds. He made his major league debut in Aug. 1967 and was named Rookie of the Year in 1968.

During a 16-year major league career, Bench was a 14-time All-Star, a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner and two-time NL MVP. He helped the Big Red Machine win six division titles, four National League pennants, and two World Series championships.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989 and is considered by many to be the best catcher in major league history.

Now let’s get on to Tuesday’s question:

Q: Who was the first catcher inducted into the Hall of Fame?

Check back Wednesday for the answer.

Each day leading up to the start of the Major League Baseball season, I will ask a baseball-related trivia question. It’s spring training for the baseball minds, if you will. Feel free to chime in with your answers or if you have a good question you think might get baseball fans looking at old cards or surfing the Internet for the answer, feel free to offer it up.

We start a new theme today. This week’s theme is catchers.

First, let’s get caught up on the final question from last week:

Q: Which position player among those who won MVP had the highest batting average in a single series?

In 2009, Hideki Matsui (pictured above) started in only three of the six games, but his numbers were so astronomical in the Yankees’ 4-2 series victory over the Phillies that he couldn’t be denied the MVP. Matsui served as the designated hitter in the three games played at Yankee Stadium and was a pinch hitter in the three games played in Philadelphia, finishing the series with a .615 average, three home runs and eight RBI.

Some don’t consider a designated hitter a position player, and if that’s the case, the top batting average by a World Series MVP belongs to Johnny Bench, who hit .533 for the Reds in the 1976 series.

Now, on to questons about backstops. Here is Monday’s question:

Q: Which Hall of Fame catcher was the valedictorian of his high school class?

Check back Tuesday for the answer.

Blue Devil Gym was filled to the rafters Friday night as a near capacity crowd watched the Quincy High School boys basketball team beat Rock Island 51-48 on Martin Kvitle’s 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining in regulation and capture a share of the Western Big Six Conference championship. Afterward, the QHS student cheering section spilled onto the floor, along with many other Blue Devil faithful, to celebrate the program’s 20th league title.

Here’s what the celebration looked like from my perch in the ESPN 1440 radio booth in the southeast corner of the gym.

Deserving a title

Sean Taylor believes what transpired in the fourth quarter Friday night at Blue Devil Gym is indicative of what the Quincy High School basketball program has become.

This is a team with resolve, passion and trust.

The Blue Devils ran their way to an eight-point lead over Rock Island with a pair of transition baskets by Mike Davis early in the quarter. They weathered the Rocks’ rally by never giving up the lead, although the game ended up tied at 48 with 15 seconds to play.

And with a Western Big Six Conference title hanging in the balance, the Blue Devils showed the poise it takes to win. Martin Kvitle hit a 3-pointer from the right wing with 2.5 seconds remaining to give Quincy a 51-48 victory and a share of the WB6 title.

“That’s hopefully Quincy basketball,” said Taylor, whose teams have won five WB6 titles in his nine seasons as head coach. “We talk a lot about trust. We talk a lot about pride and fight. Those things won us a Western Big 6 title.”

It was dramatic as any title-clincher can be.

“A last-second shot. The crowd was on its feet. It’s pretty amazing,” senior forward DeAngelo Dean said. “You couldn’t ask for any better way to end than this.”

How the Blue Devils won their share of the title is what made Taylor most proud.

Quincy was 2-3 in league play after losing at Rock Island on Jan. 20, but the Blue Devils ran off five straight victories, thanks in large part to a stingy defensive effort. Over the final five WB6 games, the Blue Devils allowed 46.6 points and forced opponents to shoot 35.9 percent from the field and 27.1 percent from 3-point range.

“I told them I’m going to love them whether they won or lost,” Taylor said. “But I thought they deserved it. You pull for all of your teams, but I think this team really deserved to win this game and this championship.”

Double digit man

Dean finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots, giving him double-digit scoring in every game this season. He wrapped up the regular season averaging 18.1 points per game.

Knocking down treys

The Blue Devils went 7 of 9 from 3-point range against the Rocks, highlighted by Kvitle’s 5-for-5 effort. It marked the fourth time in the last six games the Blue Devils have shot 50 percent or better from 3-point range. During its current nine-game winning streak, the Blue Devils are shooting 45.6 percent from 3-point range.

The sophomores

The QHS sophomore team finished its season with a 60-57 victory over Rock Island. The Blue Devils were 17-6 and went 8-2 in the WB6, the best record among the league’s sophomore teams.

Throughout the season, one of the Quincy High School boys basketball players and I will sit down and discuss what is happening with the team and beyond. This week, senior forwards Mike Davis and DeAngelo Dean and junior guard Martin Kvitle discuss the rivalry with Rock Island and the chance to win the Western Big Six Conference title.

Each day leading up to the start of the Major League Baseball season, I will ask a baseball-related trivia question. It’s spring training for the baseball minds, if you will. Feel free to chime in with your answers or if you have a good question you think might get baseball fans looking at old cards or surfing the Internet for the answer, feel free to offer it up.

This week’s theme is World Series MVPs.

Check out the post below for the answer to Thursday’s question and the correction for my mistake.

Now, here is Friday’s question:

Which position player among those who won MVP had the highest batting average in a single series?

Check back Saturday for the answer.

I didn’t realize it until an astute reader pointed it out, but there was mistake with Thursday’s question.

The question was intended to uncover the four players who won World Series MVPs with teams other than the Cardinals but who also spent part of their careers playing for the Redbirds. Here’s the problem: There were actually six. I overlooked two while doing my research. One, when the name was brought to my attention, I did one of Homer Simpson’s trademark “D’ohs.” The other, I would have stumped myself had I asked if he played for the Cardinals.

Here are the four that were part of the original question:

• Gene Tenace won the World Series MVP for the Oakland A’s in 1972. He played catcher and first base for the Cardinals in 1981 and ’82.

• Pedro Guerrero shared the World Series MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981. He was an all-star outfielder for the Cardinals in 1989 when he led the NL with 42 doubles and was with the club from 1988-92.

• Troy Glaus won the World Series MVP for the Anaheim Angels in 2002. He played third base for the Cardinals in 2008 and ’09.

• Edgar Renteria won the World Series MVP for the San Francisco Giants in 2010. He was a three-time all-star shortstop for the Cardinals, playing in St. Louis from 1999-2004.

Here are the two I overlooked:

• Lew Burdette won the MVP for the Milwaukee Braves in 1957 when he won three games against the New York Yankees. He pitched for the Cardinals during parts of the 1963 and ’64 seasons.

• Donn Clendenon won the MVP for New York Mets in 1969 when he hit .357 with three home runs against the Baltimore Orioles. He played 61 games for the Cardinals in 1972 before retiring.

A couple months ago, when Anna Leenerts was still holding out hope she would get to play this season for the Quincy High School girls basketball team, the senior guard gave credence to the idea she could at the very least compete in the Country Financial Three-Point Showdown.

Yet, by the time the postseason had arrived, Leenerts had lost the desire to compete.

“My teammates told me I had to compete,” said Leenerts, who missed the entire regular season because of concussion symptoms. “They convinced me at the last minute to do it.”

It’s a good thing they did. Leenerts is headed to Bloomington tonight to compete in the sectional final. If she finishes in the top four tonight, she earns the chance to compete in the Queen of the Hill contest next weekend at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena during the Class 3A and 4A state tournament.

“It’s awesome,” said Leenerts, who made eight threes Tuesday night in the sectional semifinal round. “It was a rough season. To have this opportunity, it sort of makes up for it. It definitely helps.”

Leenerts, a member of the QHS varsity since her freshman year and one of those glue players expected to be leader, suffered a concussion that forced doctors to keep her sidelined. It was equally frustrating and disappointing.

“That’s what you work for your entire life for,” Leenerts said. “I had big expectations for myself and the team. It was hard to see that go down the drain.”

Leenerts did get the chance to suit up and take the court one final time when the Blue Devils played Fort Madison in the regular-season finale. Leenerts was in the starting lineup and took an uncontested 3-pointer from the wing on the game’s opening play before being pulled. Late in the game, with time winding down, the team started chanting for her to go back in. So she went in and attempted another 3-pointer. It missed, too.

“I see the 3-point contest as redemption for that as well,” Leenerts said.

Even if her run ends tonight, she’ll have memories that last forever.

“It was a special day,” Leenerts said. “I’m really grateful for my teammates and coaches for making it happen.”

Darrell Porter, left, and David Freese both won NLCS and World Series MVP honors in the same year.

Each day leading up to the start of the Major League Baseball season, I will ask a baseball-related trivia question. It’s spring training for the baseball minds, if you will. Feel free to chime in with your answers or if you have a good question you think might get baseball fans looking at old cards or surfing the Internet for the answer, feel free to offer it up.

This week’s theme is World Series MVPs.

First things first, let’s get caught up with Wednesday’s question:

Q: Six times, the World Series MVP was also MVP of the League Championship Series. Two of those six are St. Louis Cardinals. Name them.

One should be easy to remember. Last year, as the Cardinals won their 11th World Series title, David Freese became a star, winning both the NLCS and World Series MVPs. In the NLCS, Freese batted .545 (12 for 22) with three homers, three doubles, nine RBI and seven runs. His first-inning home run in Game 6 propelled the Cardinals to a 12-6 victory that finished off the Brewers.

In the World Series, Freese was even more clutch. He batted .348 for the series, with seven RBI, three doubles and one big homer and finished the postseason with 21 RBI. What he will be remembered for most, though, is the one home run he hit in the World Series. After hitting a two-run triple to tie the game in the ninth inning in Game 6 at Busch Stadium, Freese led off the 11th inning with a solo home run to beat the Rangers and force Game 7.

Darrell Porter’s contributions in 1982 weren’t nearly as dramatic, but the late Cardinals catcher took home MVP in the both the NLCS and World Series as well. In a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS, Porter hit .556 with three doubles and one RBI. In the seven-game World Series against the Brewers, Porter hit .286 with one homer and five RBI.

Since we’re talking Cardinals, we’ll stay with that theme for Thursday’s question.

Q: Five different Cardinals have won World Series MVP — Bob Gibson won the award twice — but four players who played part of their careers for St. Louis were also World Series MVPs. Can you name them?

Good luck. Check back Friday for the answer.