Unique Surname Contest: CLOSED

[cjedmonton]

Put on your thinking cap and sharpen your Baseball Reference research skills....here’s a unique offseason contest open to all.

Through 2020, 19,902 players have suited up for at least one major league game. The vast majority share their surname with at least one other player.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to build the ultimate lineup of players with entirely unique surnames (based on career WAR, according to Baseball Reference).

Your team must be comprised of any 10 position players and 10 pitchers. 20 total players.

HOWEVER, if any of your player’s surnames are not 100% unique in baseball history, or they match another contestant’s, that player will be removed from one or both team’s overall score.

Example 1: You have Christy Mathewson as one of your pitchers, but Henry Mathewson also played in the majors. Therefore, Mathewson is not a unique surname, so he is removed from your team.

Example 2. You have Babe Ruth on your team. Since the greatest player ever has a one-of-a-kind surname, 11 other opponents chose him as well. So, all 12 of you lose Ruth from your team.

HOW TO ENTER

1. Submit your team of 20 players (10 position, 10 pitchers) to me in a PM no later than Saturday, November 14th

2. Do not post your team in this thread, as you don’t want to give your opponent’s the advantage of seeing who you selected. Again, any duplicate surnames will be eliminated from your overall total, as well as those that are not 100% unique.

The team with the highest combined career WAR total from their unique players wins a nice mystery prize.

Any questions, just ask! Good luck.

 

[magicpapa]

Game is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia and Canada and you must be thirteen (13) years of age or older . Canadian residents must correctly answer an arithmetic skill test question to claim prize. Please allow six (6) to eight (8) weeks for delivery

 

[gt2590]

Wow, another great contest from the legendary one!

Thanks man!

GL all!

 

[mrmopar]

I will give it a go, thanks for another creative contest.

 

[banjar]

I'm in - just sent my PM with my players. I'm sure I have the most unique bunch possible...just like everyone else

 

[Juan Gris]

This is an interesting contest, will be interested to see the winning team. Thanks, @cjedmonton!

 

[deaconblues63]

Entry sent.

Thanks for the contest.

 

[clarkzac]

Just to make sure, its any 10 position players correct? Don't have to try to field an actual lineup right- 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, etc.?

 

[cjedmonton]

Just to make sure, its any 10 position players correct? Don't have to try to field an actual lineup right- 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, etc.?

Correct, any 10 position players and any 10 pitchers.

I think it’s challenging enough to field a unique team without limiting it to specific positions or roles (starters/relievers).

Got some great entries so far. The winning team will probably not include too many familiar names.

Good luck to all.

 

[magicpapa]

Correct, any 10 position players and any 10 pitchers.

I think it’s challenging enough to field a unique team without limiting it to specific positions or roles (starters/relievers).

Got some great entries so far. The winning tea

Correct, any 10 position players and any 10 pitchers.

I think it’s challenging enough to field a unique team without limiting it to specific positions or roles (starters/relievers).

Got some great entries so far. The winning team will probably not include too many familiar names.

Good luck to all.

View attachment 118194

 

[cjedmonton]

We have six entries so far and it is a very tight race for first place at the moment.

Still plenty of time to get your team in (by the end of the day Sat Nov 14).

Will post a final call Sat am.

 

[cjedmonton]

Clarification:

For hitters, only their batting WAR counts. For pitcher’s, only their pitching WAR counts.

 

[clarkzac]

So it won't be the career WAR total at the top of their BR page?

 

[cjedmonton]

Not unless they only hit or only pitched during their career.

Only the WAR they earned for the position you chose them for counts (hitter or pitcher).

 

[clarkzac]

Man, this is kinda easy, but extremely hard at the same time. Trying to decide if it's worth the risk to add some players that others probably already have on their team, or if they have the same idea that some of the choices might be too obvious.

 

[Dazed]

Man, this is kinda easy, but extremely hard at the same time. Trying to decide if it's worth the risk to add some players that others probably already have on their team, or if they have the same idea that some of the choices might be too obvious.

I had the same issue. Trying to figure out who others might use. I over thought it and will probably have half my players picked by others.

 

[cjedmonton]

There’s definitely a diabolical element of difficulty to this.

Pass on the marquee name fully expecting others to follow suit or go for broke and choose them anyway?

Really enjoy seeing everyone’s team, though. A number of unique and elite names so far. How long will that last?

Shameless penultimate last call, by the way.

 

[MrMet]

So it’s just surnames? For example, and it’s one that nobody should be using for this game, so I’m not spoiling anything, Derek Jeter (and there are other Jeters who played so he’s out) and Jeter Downs (who’s only in the minors so he doesn’t count either) the Jeter is shared but it’s one surname and one forename, does that still cancel each other out? Another example that doesn’t spoil: Nolan Ryan and Ryan Church, does Ryan Church cancel out Nolan Ryan if Nolan would be the only surname Ryan who played...


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[deaconblues63]

So it’s just surnames? For example, and it’s one that nobody should be using for this game, so I’m not spoiling anything, Derek Jeter (and there are other Jeters who played so he’s out) and Jeter Downs (who’s only in the minors so he doesn’t count either) the Jeter is shared but it’s one surname and one forename, does that still cancel each other out? Another example that doesn’t spoil: Nolan Ryan and Ryan Church, does Ryan Church cancel out Nolan Ryan if Nolan would be the only surname Ryan who played...


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app

The rules specify surnames.


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board

 

[cjedmonton]

Correct, surnames only.

Good idea to have unique first names for another day.