Monday Trivia: Beating the Braves everywhere

Another installment of “Monday Trivia” starts with a comment that in itself makes for a great question.

Talking here first about Eddie Mathews, the Hall of Fame third baseman who is the only one to play for the Braves during their stops in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta.

So, yes, you can impress your family and friends – and, more important, win a small wager from them – by knowing that Mathews is the only one among the 23,370 players in Major League Baseball history to appear for the Braves in their three cities.

Eddie Matthews with Bostin in 1952

Mathews does this during his time in Boston during the 1952 season, Milwaukee from 1953-65 and then Atlanta in 1966.

Of course, that is not today’s question.

The question? Now that we know about Eddie Mathews, who is the only pitcher to beat the Braves in all of their incarnations, from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta?

We’ll wait while you take a moment to ponder the answer.

And wait.

And wait some more until you come up with the name of Robin Roberts, the Hall of Fame pitcher whose career in the majors runs from 1948-66.

Robin Roberts with the Phillies

Roberts beats the Braves 34 times during his career with four of those victories coming at old Braves Field in Boston and eight more at Milwaukee’s County Stadium.

The only time Roberts beats the Atlanta Braves comes in 1966, when in his next-to-last appearance in the majors he works the final two innings of relief in the Chicago Cubs’ 4-2 victory in 14 innings at Fulton County Stadium.

That victory also is the 286th and last of Roberts’ career.

As a bonus question: Name the only manager to beat the Braves during their stays in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta?

And, yes, that would be Hall of Famer Leo Durocher, who as New York Giants’ manager in the 1950s beat the Braves in Boston and Milwaukee before beating them again in Atlanta during his time with the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros from 1966-73.