MUD HENS NOTEBOOK
Test your Hessman home run knowledge
6/1/2014Mike Hessman tied the International League record for career home runs with his solo shot Friday in the Mud Hens win over Charlotte.
But how much do you know about the 258 home runs Hessman has hit in his 11 IL seasons with four different teams, including his six years with the Mud Hens? Find out with this Hessman Homer Quiz. No peeking at the answers, which follow the questions.
1. Whose record did Hessman tie with his 258 home runs?
2. What team has Hessman hit the majority of his IL home runs against?
3. Conversely, what IL team does Hessman have the fewest home runs against?
4. How many seasons has Hessman led the IL in home runs?
5. Has Hessman hit more IL home runs at home or on the road?
6. In what month has Hessman hit the greatest number of his IL home runs?
7. How many grand slams does Hessman have in IL play?
8. Since Hessman has played six years in Toledo, he has hit more home runs at Fifth Third Field (87) than any other ballpark. In what ballpark has he hit the second-most home runs?
9. In how many different IL ballparks has Hessman hit a home run?
10. Hessman has hit the majority of his IL home runs as a third baseman (185). What position has Hessman played for the second-highest number of his home runs?
ANSWERS:
1. He tied the record of Ollie Carnegie, who hit 258 in 12 seasons with Buffalo.
2. He has hit 36 against Columbus, five more than he has against Louisville.
3. He has hit nine against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 10 against the Richmond/Gwinnett franchise and 11 against the Ottawa/Lehigh Valley franchise. If you thought Toledo would be the answer: Hessman hit eight against the Hens last season and 14 all-time.
4. Only once, when he hit 31 in his MVP season of 2007.
5. Trick question: Hessman has hit exactly 129 at home and on the road.
6. He has 82 in May, including 10 this season. That’s far more than the next-highest month, which is April (57).
7. He has six grand slams, the most recent coming in 2010.
8. He has hit 30 at The Diamond, Richmond’s home ballpark, six more than he has hit at Louisville Slugger Field and at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo.
9. He has hit home runs at 17 different IL ballparks.
10. He has hit 43 as a first baseman, 15 as a DH, seven as a left fielder, four as a right fielder, two as a shortstop, and two as a pinch-hitter.
Hessman took the quiz Saturday and got three right. “Hey, that’s a .300 average!” he said with a laugh.
ALL-STAR VOTE: The IL has started the fan portion of its voting for the Triple-A All-Star Game in Durham on July 16.
Fan voting counts for one-third of a player’s vote total, with the voting of league media, league managers and general managers in the selection of the team.
Fans are invited to cast their ballot up to 25 times before June 27 at milb.com.
Contact John Wagner at: jwagner@theblade.com, 419-724-6481 or on Twitter @jwagnerblade.