DAILY DIRT: The all-time ‘Four-by-Four’ team proves rather interesting

Daily Dirt for Saturday, June 28, 2025

Even more interesting is Kurkjian’s note about Pete Rose … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,326 of The Daily Dirt.

1. For decades, one of my favorite people associated with MLB has not been a player or manager.

It has been Tim Kurkjian, a longtime writer and TV analyst, whose high-pitched laugh, sense of humor and the ability find the most unusual notes, quotes and anecdotes tied to the national pastime.

One of my favorite “Kurkjian-isms” was a recent “Four-by-Four” team he put together, comprised of past and present MLB players with four letters in both their first and last names. Kurkjian’s findings:

Catcher: Tony Pena, who caught more games (1,950) without catching a no-hitter than any player in history.  

First baseman: Norm Cash, who drove in more than 1,000 runs and never had a walk-off RBI in his long career.

Second baseman: Jeff Kent. Kurkjian feels he is worthy of the Hall of Fame.

Shortstop: Bill Hall. He once hit 35 homers for the Milwaukee Brewers in a memorable 2006 season.

Third baseman: Pete Rose: He also talked of how strongly many past players have spoken to him when it comes to Rose’s Hall of Fame possibility. Kurkjian spoke in great detail about the late Frank Robinson and his total disdain of Rose, who he said broke the holiest of rules in MLB: betting on games. Very interesting.

Outfield: Babe Ruth: Kurkjian says the Babe is the captain of this team. No arguments there.

Outfield: Juan Soto. 

Outfield: Fred Lynn.

DH: Adam Dunn.

Pitcher: Vida Blue. Kurkjian had me laughing out loud when he told of how former Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley wanted Blue to change his first name to “True” for marketing purposes. “Blue said no way, and by the way, how much better of a name is there than Vida Blue?” said Kurkjian, trying not to laugh himself.

2. Did you know (Part 409)

• That in the 14th century, the Aztecs and Mayans often used chocolate as currency. My kind of civilizations.
• That Oreo cookies were first known as Oreo “biscuits”.
• That actor Vin Diesel’s real name is Mark Sinclair.
• That chickpeas and almonds contains almost as much protein as steak.
• That a single fast-food burger can contain meat from up to 100 different cows.

3. This week’s top personalized license plates found across West-Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri:

• EXAM 2
• B GRIZZ 1
• PHILLY 2
• XLAND 76
• LOLA 99
• BIRD-51
• KRUELA 4
• MIS VIKI
• RTE 66
• DAVE
• CARGO 53
• DOLLAR 9
• 51 REV
• DONS TRK
• GO RACE 2

Here’s our Great Plate Debate IV medal standings, which have held steady for three straight weeks:

Gold medal: DR FUNN 

Silver medal: U BABE 1

Bronze medal: LA  D  DA  2 

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Raw oysters are still alive (or are SUPPOSED to be) when you eat them. Not that I have any plans to do so in the next 500 years.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He feels the same way about Rocky Mountain Oysters.