Tagged: Quizzes

What Year Did That Happen?

What year did Bob Feller hurl his opening-day no-hitter?

What year did Bob Feller hurl his opening-day no-hitter?

By Glen Sparks

The idea behind this quiz is simple. I provide an episode in baseball history. You just need to provide the year that it happened. Bonus points if you guess the correct month and day. The answers are at the bottom. Good luck

  1. Kansas City A’s shortstop Bert Campaneris plays all nine positions in a game against the California Angels at K.C.’s Municipal Stadium

2. While chasing a fly ball at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., Babe Ruth runs into a wall of concrete and knocks himself out cold.

3. St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial mashes five home runs and adds a single during a doubleheader against the New York Giants at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Stan the Man drives in nine runs.

4. In one of baseball’s greatest tragedies, New York Yankees pitcher Carl Mays throws a pitch at the Polo Grounds that hits Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman in the head. Chapman later dies from his injuries.

5. The San Francisco Giants belt five home runs and score 12 runs in the ninth inning to pummel the Cincinnati Reds, 14-0, at Crosley Field.

6. Cleveland Indians ace Bob Feller tosses an opening-day no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park.

7. The New York Giants’ Rube Marquard beats Babe Adams and the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 in a 21-inning game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Both pitchers go the distance.

8. Dodger Stadium Pirates slugger Willie Stargell hits a ball that clears Dodger Stadium. He is the first player to do that.

9. Willie Mays hits career home run No. 500 at Houston’s Astrodome.

10. Wrigley Field/Fenway Park Brothers Cubs pitchers Rick Reuschel and Paul Reuschel combine to throw a shutout at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

 

1965 (Sept. 8)

1924 (July 5)

1954 (May 2)

1920 (Aug. 16)

1961 (Aug. 23)

1940 (April 16)

1914 (July 17)

1969 (Aug. 6) … He does it again on May 8, 1973

1965 (Sept. 13)

1975 (Aug. 21)

What Do You Know about the World Series?

He is the answer to question No. 2.

He is the answer to question No. 2.

By Glen Sparks

The Chicago Cubs knocked off the Cleveland Indians about an hour ago to tie the 2016 World Series at a game apiece. This exciting match-up resumes Friday night at Wrigley Field. While you’re waiting, test your knowledge about the Fall Classic. Good luck. You’ll find the answers below.

  1. Who was the winning pitcher in the first World Series ever played?
  2. Do you know the first player to celebrate World Series titles in both leagues?
  3. Of the eight National League teams in existence when World Series play began in 1903, which was the last to win a league pennant?
  4. How many home runs did the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs combine to hit in the 1918 World Series.
  5. Who was the first player to hit home runs in his first two at-bats in the World Series?
  6. The Baltimore Orioles swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1966 World Series. Do you recall the Orioles’ team ERA over those four games?
  7. What was the first World Series game to be played on artificial turf?
  8. Who is the oldest player to hit a home run in a World Series game?
  9. Do you know the only brother combination to hit home runs in the same World Series?
  10. What did the Philadelphia Phillies’ Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams say to himself after he gave up a home run to the Toronto Blue Jays’ Joe Carter to end the 1993 Series?

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Deacon Phillippe beat Cy Young of the Boston Pilgrims 7-1 on Oct. 1, 1903. The Pilgrims won the Series 5 games to 3.

John Phalen “Stuffy” McInnis played on three World Series winners in the American League (the 1911 and 1913 Philadelphia A’s and the 1918 Boston Red Sox) and one in the National League (the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates).

The Cardinals were the last N.L. team to get to the Series. It was worth the wait, though. They beat the Yankees in seven games in 1926.

Zero. This was the last time no team hit a homer in the Series. Boston relied on “small ball” and the pitching of Babe Ruth and Carl Mays to beat Chicago in six games,

The Oakland A’s Gene Tenace clobbered home runs in his first at-bats in Game 1 of the 1972 Series against the Cincinnati Reds. (Andruw Jones matched this feat in 1996 for the Atlanta Braves.)

Baltimore pitchers posted a 0.50 ERA. They gave up two earned runs over 36 innings (both runs charged to Dave McNally) and just 17 hits. The Dodgers scored a single run in the second inning of Game 1, one more run in the third inning and were blanked the rest of the way.

On Oct. 10, 1970, at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, the Reds and Orioles played the first World Series game on a field that a horse could not eat.

Enos Slaughter, 40 years and 162 days old, hit a home run for the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the 1956 World Series against the Dodgers.

The Cards’ Ken Boyer hit home runs in games 4 and 7 of the 1964 World Series. Clete Boyer, Ken’s brother, smashed a round-tripper for the Yankees in Game 7.

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Watch the Series, Take the Quiz

buckyharris

He is the answer to question No. 4.

By Glen Sparks

Game 1 of the 2016 World Series is going on tonight. The Cleveland Indians lead the Chicago Cubs 3-0 as this post “goes to press.” Test your knowledge of World Series history by taking the quiz below.

  1. Who was the first manager to lead three different teams to the World Series?
  2. Which outfielder to pulled off the only unassisted double play in World Series history?
  3. Who led the 1919 Chicago White Sox, a.k.a., the Black Sox, in batting average during that infamous Series?
  4. Who was the youngest manager to lead his team to a World Series championship?
  5. What was the count on Kirk Gibson when he hit his home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 Fall Classic?
  6. In which two World Series did the Yankees’ Ralph Terry throw the final pitch?
  7. Who was the first left-handed pitcher to win three games in one World Series?
  8. What did the Cubs do in Game 3 of the 1907 World Series against the Tigers to thoroughly frustrate Charles “Boss” Schmidt?
  9. Who led the 1948 Indians in batting average during the World Series (minimum 10 at-bats) against the Braves?
  10. Who was the first player to steal home in a World Series game?

Bill McKechie took the Pirates to the World Series in 1925, the Cardinals in 1928 and the Reds in 1939-40.

The Red Sox’ Tris Speaker caught a shallow fly ball in the ninth inning of Game 7 in 1912 and stepped on second base to double up Giants baserunner Art Wilson.

“Shoeless” Joe Jackson hit .375 in the 1919 World Series (12-for-32).

Bucky Harris, all of 27 years, 11 months, led the Senators to a World Series title as a player-manager in 1924.

The Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson, doing it on one good leg, hit his historic 1988 World Series home run on a 3-2 count off the A’s Dennis Eckersley.

Terry gave up Bill Mazeroski’s Series-ending home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. Two years later, in another Game 7, he threw a pitch that Willie McCovey scorched for a line out to end that Series, this time in favor of New York.

Harry Brecheen won three games for the Cardinals in the 1946 World Series, the first southpaw to reach a trifecta in one Fall Classic.

Cubbie runners stole seven bases off Schmidt, the Tigers’ catcher.

Larry Doby hit .318 (7-for-22) for the Indians in the 1948 Series, the last time Cleveland won it all.

The New York Giants’ Bill Dahlen stole home in the fifth inning of Game 3 in 1905 against the Philadelphia A’s.

Name that Ballpark, Part IV

jarrypark

By Glen Sparks

Test your ballpark knowledge with this quiz. You’ll find the answers at the bottom.

  1. No pitcher ever threw a no-hitter in any of the more than 4,700 games played at this ballpark, which opened in 1909.
  2. This ballpark, opened in 1912, replaced Palace of the Fans and was nicknamed The Old Boomerang due to its unusual V shape from behind home plate and down the lines.
  3. This memorable ballpark, long-since demolished, was built in an area of the city called Pigtown.
  4. Workers were still putting in extra seats to accommodate fans on opening day 1969 at this ballpark , a converted minor-league venue.
  5. This ballpark hosted a 26-inning marathon on May 1, 1926. The game ended in a 1-1 tie. … Some people called this park “The Bee Hive.”
  6. Willie Mays played his final game as a San Francisco Giant at this ballpark on May 9, 1972. He hit a single as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.
  7. Motorcyclist Evel Knievel jumped over 13 cars two nights in a row at this ballpark in January of 1971. There was talk that he might even try a jump over the entire stadium.
  8. A 17-year-old Bob Feller struck out 17 batters in a game played at this ballpark on Sept. 13, 1936.
  9. Lou Gehrig smashed four consecutive home runs at this ballpark on June 3, 1932. The Yankees won 20-13.
  10. Carl Hubbell struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in succession at an All-Star game hosted by this ballpark in 1934.
  • Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.
  • Redland Field, later called Crosley Field, in Cincinnati.
  • Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.
  • Sick’s Stadium in Seattle.
  • Braves Field in Boston.
  • Jarry Park in Montreal.
  • The Astrodome in Houston.
  • League Park in Cleveland.
  • Shibe Park in Philadelphia.
  • The Polo Grounds in New York City.

Name that ballpark, Part III

This is the answer to No. 9.

This is the answer to No. 9.

By Glen Sparks

Test your ballpark knowledge with this quiz. You’ll find the answers at the bottom.

  1. The Baltimore Orioles’ Jim Gentile smashed grand-slam home runs in consecutive innings at this ballpark on May 9, 1961.
  2. This remodeled stadium opened April 15, 1976.
  3. New York Yankees second baseman Tony Lazzeri drove in 11 runs on May 24, 1936, at this ballpark.
  4. The new owner grabbed the public address system mic at this ballpark in 1974 and told fans: “This is the most stupid ball playing I’ve ever seen.”
  5. St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial doubled for his 3,000th career hit on May 13, 1958, at this ballpark.
  6. Lenny Randle blew a soft grounder into foul territory at this ballpark on May 27, 1981.
  7. Johnny Vander Meer recorded his second straight no-hitter while pitching at this ballpark on June 15, 1938.
  8. A game at this ballpark lasted 21 innings on July 17, 1914, and both starting pitchers—Rube Marquard and Charles “Babe” Adams—went the distance.
  9. This ballpark opened at the intersection of Findlay Street and Western Avenue on April 11, 1912.
  10. Detroit Tigers first baseman Walt Dropo recorded seven straight hits at this ballpark in 1952.
  • Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Gentile, also known as “Diamond Jim,” belted 179 home runs over his nine-year career. The first baseman enjoyed his best season in 1961. He set career highs in most categories, including home runs (46), RBI (a league-leading 141), batting average (.302), on-base percentage (.423) and slugging percentage (.646). The lefty hitter also hit five grand slams that season. On May 9, 1961, against the Minnesota Twins, Gentile blasted slams off Pedro Ramos and Paul Giel, one in the first inning and one in the second. The Orioles won 13-5. Gentile drove in nine runs total.
  • Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Yankee Stadium, the famous House that Ruth built, opened April 18, 1923. By the early 1970s, things were getting a bit old and creaky. New York played the 1974 and ’75 seasons at Shea Stadium, home of the Mets, as workers completed $160 million in renovations to the old House.  The remodeled park opened in time for the 1976 season, the year the Yankees won their first pennant since 1964.
  • Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Tony Lazzeri batted .292 and hit 178 home runs during a 14-year career. He enjoyed his greatest day as a player on May 24, 1936. The Yanks pummeled the A’s 25-2. Lazzeri, batting eighth, went 4-for-5 with a homer, a triple and two singles. The Veteran’s Committee elected Lazzeri to the Hall of Fame in 1991.
  • San Diego Stadium. Ray Kroc built McDonald’s into a fast-food empire. The multi-millionaire retired from the hamburger business in 1974 and bought the San Diego Padres, which began as an expansion squad in 1969. Kroc rescued the team but could do little to stop the sloppy play.
  • Wrigley Field in Chicago. Musial knocked a pinch-hit off the Cubs’ Moe Drabowsky for his 3,000th career hit. He became the eighth player in big league history to reach that mark and the first since Paul Waner in 1941. Stan the Man retired with 3,630 hits–1,815 at home and 1,815 on the road.
  • The Kingdome in Seattle. Kansas City Royals outfielder Amos Otis hit a slow roller down the third-base line in the sixth inning. Randle, playing at third for the Mariners, huffed and puffed and blew the ball foul. Plate umpire Larry McCoy initially ruled the ball foul. Following an argument from Kansas City manager Jim Frey, McCoy reversed his call and awarded Otis first base.
  • Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Vander Meer, a wild-armed young lefty out of New Jersey, hurled a no-hitter on June 11, 1938, against the Boston Braves at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. He struck out four and walked three. Four days later, he walked eight, struck out seven and no-hit the Dodgers in the first night game ever played at Ebbets Field. The four-time All-Star pitched 13 seasons in the majors and compiled a 119-121 career mark.
  • Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Pitchers back in the day were famous for their rubber arms. Even so, this game at Forbes Field was one for the ages. Marquard, starting for the Giants, gave up 15 hits but just one run over his 21 innings. He walked two and struck out two. Adams, starting for the Pirates, gave up three runs. He scattered 12 hits, didn’t walk a batter and fanned six.
  • Crosley Field in Cincinnati. League Park opened at Findlay and Western in 1884 and hosted ballgames until it burned down in 1900. A new park, also known as League Park (a.k.a., Palace of the Fans) opened soon after that. Crosley, a park made of concrete and steel, debuted for the 1912 season and lasted nearly 60 years. The last major league game was played there on June 23, 1970. Riverfront Stadium opened June 30.
  • Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. Dropo went 4-for-4 in the first game of a doubleheader on July 15 at Griffith Stadium. He recorded hits in his first three at-bats of Game 2 and went 4-for-5. “Moose” Dropo did all that after getting five hits in five at-bats on July 14 at Yankee Stadium.

Sources:

The Sporting News: Take Me Out to the Ballpark

Lost Ballparks

Name that ballpark, Part II

MemorialStadiumBaltimoe

By Glen Sparks

Test your ballpark knowledge with this quiz. You’ll find the answers at the bottom.

  1. Fifteen-year-old Joe Nuxhall made his major league debut at this ballpark on June 10, 1944.
  2. Bob Cain and Bob Feller hurled one-hitters on April 23, 1952, in a pitching duel for the ages at this ballpark.
  3. The new owner addressed the crowd over the p.a. system at this ballpark on April 9, 1974. He said, “That is the most stupid ball playing I’ve ever seen.”
  4. A gust of wind blew Stu Miller off the mound during the 1961 All-Star game at this ballpark.
  5. The Washington Senators’ Tom Cheney struck out 21 opposing batters in a 16-inning game played at this ballpark on Sept. 12, 1962.
  6. Wally Berger hit a grand-slam home run at this ballpark on the final day of the 1933 season.
  7. Vic Power stole home twice during a game played Aug. 14, 1958, at this ballpark.
  8. Willie Stargell blasted a home run estimated at 535 feet during a game at this ballpark on May 20, 1978.
  9. Carl Hubbell tossed a 1-0 shutout in an 18-game played at this ballpark on July 2, 1933.
  10. Two baseballs were in play at the same time at this ballpark on June 30, 1959.

Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Nuxhall, a left-hander from Hamilton, Ohio, pitched in that one lone game in 1944. He went 2/3 of an inning against the St. Louis and gave up five runs, all earned. That was it until 1952, when he came back for the Reds. Nuxhall spent 16 seasons in the majors. He compiled a 135-117 career won-loss record and made two All-Star teams. The Ol’ Left-hander, as some called him, later worked as a beloved Reds broadcaster.

Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Cain, a journeyman pitcher for the Browns and other teams, actually got the better of future Hall of Famer Feller in this game. Cain’s Browns beat the Cleveland Indians 1-0. Cain struck out seven, while Feller fanned five

San Diego Stadium. Ray Kroc retired as CEO of the McDonald’s hamburger chain and bought the San Diego Padres in 1974. A stadium crowd of 39,083 supposedly cheered the new owner’s brassy words. The Padres lost that game 9-5 to the Houston Astros and finished in last place in ’74, going 60-102.

Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The ‘stick, since demolished, was famous for its cold winds that whipped up in the evening off San Francisco Bay. Miller, 5-feet-11 and a slender 165 pounds, was called for balk in the ninth inning following the harsh breeze.

Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Cheney only topped the 100-strikeout mark once time, fanning 147 in 1962. He retired with a 19-29 won-loss record over nine seasons with the Senators and other clubs. The right-hander from Georgia tossed the game of his life on Sept. 12, 1962. He beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1. No one, before or since, has struck out 21 batters in a major league game.

Braves Field in Boston. Berger, a centerfielder, slugged 242 home runs in 11 seasons and led the American League with 34 in 1935. His grand slam for the Braves on Sept. 30, 1932, against the Philadelphia Phillies, clinched fourth place for Boston, the team’s first finish in the first division since 1921.

Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Power, one of the early star players from Puerto Rico, played for the Indians from 1958-61. Known as a solid hitter and fancy fielder at first base, Power enjoyed a 12-year career in the majors. He only stole 45 bases in his career and was caught 35 times. On Aug. 14, 1958, Power took his lead off third base in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers. He sprinted home and was safe easily. He made his second steal of home in the 10th inning. This time, he slid under catcher Charlie Lau to score the winning run.

Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Stargell belted 475 home runs in his Hall of Fame career, all of it spent with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He hit many titanic shots, including two onto the Dodger Stadium parking lot. His clout in Montreal is considered the longest homer ever hit at Olympic Stadium.

The Polo Grounds in New York. Hubbell, nicknamed The Meal Ticket, won 253 games for the Giants. The left-hander threw a screwball for the Giants and made nine All-Star teams en route to the Hall of Fame. On July 2, 1933, Hubbell essentially pitched two ballgames and beat the St. Louis Cardinals. Hubbell gave up six hits, struck out 12 and didn’t allow a walk. Tex Carleton went 16 innings for the Red Birds. Jesse Haines came on in relief and took the loss.

Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cardinals and Cubs have played some crazy games through the years, including this one on June 30, 1959. Stan Musial stood at the plate with a 3-1 count. The next pitch evaded Cubs catcher Sammy Taylor and slipped to the backstop. Home plate umpire Vic Delmore called the pitch ball four. The Cubs, though, argued that Musial had foul tipped it. While the argument carried on, an alert Musial dashed for second. Cubs third baseman Alvin Dark grabbed the ball, which by then was in the hands of field announcer Pat Pieper. Umpire Delmore, though, flipped a new ball to catcher Taylor. Pitcher Bob Anderson grabbed the newest baseball and threw it to second base in a failed attempt to get out Musial. That throw ended up in centerfield. Dark, meanwhile, threw the original ball to Cubs shortstop Ernie Banks. By then, Musial was sprinting to third, unaware that Banks had a ball in his hand. The shortstop tagged out Stan. An inevitable delay followed. Finally, Musial was declared out. Not surprisingly, each team played the game under protest. The Cardinals quickly dropped theirs after winning 4-1. Nothing ever came of the Cubs’ protest. Just another day at the old ballpark.

Name that ballpark

This is the answer to No. 6.

This is the answer to No. 7.

By Glen Sparks

Test your ballpark knowledge with this quiz. You’ll find the answers at the bottom.

  1. The Cincinnati Reds’ Johnny Vander Meer tossed his second consecutive no-hitter at this ballpark on June 15, 1938.
  2. A game at this ballpark was called on account of rain June 15, 1976.
  3. A lone red seat in the right-field bleachers stands out at this ballpark.
  4. Bill Wambsganss pulled off the only unassisted triple play in World Series history at this ballpark.
  5. Just 80,922 fans attended games at this ballpark in 1935, the lowest mark for any MLB team in the 20th century.
  6. The last game at this ballpark was played Sept. 20, 1959. The home team lost 8-2 to its archrival.
  7. The Cleveland Indians’ Earl Averill ripped a line drive that hit St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dizzy Dean in the toe during the 1937 All-Star game at this ballpark.
  8. Washington Senators pitcher Tom Cheney struck out 21 batters in 16 innings at this ballpark on Sept. 12, 1962.
  9. Only 17,000 seats were in place for opening day at this ballpark in 1969.
  10. Four players have hit home runs completely out of this ballpark.
  • Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Vander Meer threw his first no-hitter on June 11 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, against the Boston Braves.
  • The Astrodome in Houston. Heavy rain and flooding in the area prompted  cancellation of the Astros vs. Pittsburgh Pirates match-up.
  • Fenway Park in Boston. Ted Williams belted a home run that reached this seat (Section 42, Row 37, Seat 22) on June 9, 1946. The ball landed 502 feet from home plate, the longest homer in Fenway history, prompting the paint job.
  • League Park in Cleveland. Wambsganss played second base for the Indians/Naps. In Game 5 of the 1920 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, he caught Clarence Mitchell’s line drive for out No. 1, stepped on second base to retire Pete Kilduff for out No. 2 and tagged out Otto Miller for out No. 3.
  • Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. The Browns averaged a “crowd” of 1,051 fans per game for 77 home dates.
  • Seals Stadium in San Francisco. Opened in the city’s Mission District in 1931, the park hosted Pacific Coast League (PCL) action for most of its existence. The DiMaggio brothers, “Lefty” Gomez, Joe Cronin and many others future major leaguers played for the Seals. The stadium hosted Giants games in 1958 and ’59. Workers demolished Seals Stadium in November 1959.
  • Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. The smash broke Dean’s toe. The talented and eccentric hurler tried pitching again before the toe was healed and altered his pitching motion, doing permanent damage to his arm.
  • Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. The Senators beat the Orioles 2-1. Cheney supposedly threw 228 pitches. Cheney pitched eight seasons in the majors and went 19-29 lifetime.
  • Sick’s Stadium in Seattle. The long-time minor-league park hosted the Seattle Pilots for the team’s one and only season. Many fans had to wait on opening day as more seats were added to Sick’s. In 1970, the Pilots moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers.
  • Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Willie Stargell mashed the first ball out of Dodger Stadium, Aug. 6, 1969. The Pittsburgh Pirates slugger did it again on My 8, 1973. Mike Piazza, the only Dodgers player to ever clear the stadium, blasted his long ball Sept. 21, 1997. Mark McGwire launched one for the St. Louis Cardinals on May 22, 1999. Most recently, Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins hit a ball onto the parking lot May 12, 2015.

 

Which Brown/Oriole …?

He is the answer to No. 1.

He is the answer to No. 1.

By Glen Sparks

The old Milwaukee Brewers began play in the Western League in the late 19th century. In 1901, they joined the newly formed American League. The following season, the team moved to St. Louis and changed its name to the Browns, the original moniker of the National League’s St. Louis Cardinals.

More often than not, the Browns battled it out for last place in the A.L. “St Louis-first in booze, first in shoes, last in the American League.” The Browns made it to one World Series, in 1944, against the Cardinals. The Cards won the Streetcar Series in six games.

The Browns nearly moved to Los Angeles in 1942, but World War II intervened. They almost moved back to Milwaukee and finally left for Baltimore in 1954. Rechristened the Orioles, the franchise has won six pennants and World Series in 1966, 1970 and 1983.

Good luck with the quiz!

  1. Which Browns outfielder hit above .300 every season from 1919 through 1925, including a .355 mark in 1920 and .352 in 1921?
  2. Which Browns first baseman batted better than .400 twice and won the MVP award in 1922?
  3. Which Browns pitcher threw a no-hitter in his first start, May 6, 1953?
  4. Which Browns pitcher made his debut with the team at the age of 44 and compiled an 18-23 won-loss record over three seasons?
  5. Which Browns first baseman led his team with a .438 batting average in the 1944 World Series (minimum 10 at-bats)?
  6. Which Browns outfielder was the first player in MLB history to reach the 30-30 mark (30 homers, 30 steals) in one season?
  7. Which Browns shortstop, nicknamed “Little Slug,” led the A.L. in RBI (109) in 1944 and home runs (24) in 1945?
  8. Which Orioles outfielder, described by his former team as “an old 30,” won the MVP and Triple Crown for Baltimore in 1967?
  9. Which Orioles pitcher beat the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax 6-0 in Game 2 of the 1966 World Series at the age of 20?
  10. Which Orioles pitcher, with a 78-79 lifetime record, put together a Cy Young season in his next-to-last campaign? 
  • “Baby Doll” Jacobson. Supposedly, they called William Chester Jacobson “Baby Doll” because when he came up to bat once in the minors in 1912, the ballpark band was playing “Oh, You Beautiful Doll.” Jacobson promptly hit a home run and a lady fan shouted, “You must be that beautiful doll they were talking about.” He spent most of his career with the Browns and hit .311 over an 11-year career (.317 with the Browns.)
  • George Sisler. He was the greatest Brownie of them all, no question. He played 12 of his 15 seasons in St. Louis, enjoying a .407 season in 1920 and .420 in 1922. Sisler also led the league in stolen bases three times. The Hall of Famer hit .340 lifetime.
  • Alva Lee “Bobo” Holloman. Holloman only went 3-7 in the major leagues, all of that in 1953. He made four relief appearances and kept bugging Browns manager Marty Marion to give him a start. Marion finally gave in, and Holloman no-hit the Philadelphia A’s on a rainy afternoon in front of about 2,500 fans. He never came close to repeating that effort and was out of the majors for good by July 19, never to return.
  • Satchel Paige. He established himself as a legend in the Negro leagues. Baseball policy kept him out of the big leagues for much of his career. Finally, in 1948, at the age of 41, Paige made it to the Majors with the Indians. He spent three years in St. Louis and made two All-Star teams.
  • George McQuinn. Several fine players put on the Browns uniform through the years. McQuinn, from Virginia, was another standout. He hit .283 in eight seasons with St. Louis. McQuinn recorded seven hits in 16 at-bats against the Cardinals in the 1944 Series. He hit just .130 (3-for-29) for the Yankees in the 1947 Series against the Dodgers.
  • Ken Williams. The lefty batter belted 196 home runs in his career and swiped 154 bases. He was never better than he was in 1922. Williams hit .332 and drove in a league-high 155 runs. He also led the league with 39 homers and stole 37 bases.
  • Vern Stephens. The shortstop broke in with the Browns in 1941 and played his first seven seasons in St. Louis. He made three All-Star teams during that time. Later, with the Red Sox, he played on four more All-Star teams and led the league in RBI in 1949 (1959) and 1950 (144). Stephens slugged 247 homers in his career.
  • Frank Robinson. A six-time All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds, Robinson was dealt to the Orioles before the 1966 campaign. In his first year in Baltimore, he led the league in home runs (49), RBI (122) and batting average (.316). Robinson slammed 586 homers in his career and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
  • Jim Palmer. The future Hall of Famer was in his second season in the majors and just 20 years, 11 months when he beat Koufax. The Orioles swept the Dodgers in the best-of-seven Series.
  • Steve Stone. The stocky right-hander had a career losing record before going 25-7 and winning the 1980 Cy Young. He retired after a 4-7 campaign in 1981, with a lifetime record 107-93.

Which Boston Red Sox …?

He is the answer to No. 3.

He is the answer to No. 3.

By Glen Sparks

They are the team of The Nation and The Monster. They play in historic Fenway Park, in the same place Cy Young and Babe Ruth played and Ted Williams played and David Ortiz, “Big Papi”, plays today. They were the Boston American first, from 1901-1907, and the Red Sox ever since. They have won 13 pennants and eight World Series titles, most recently in 2013. Good luck with the quiz.

  1. Which Boston Americans/Red Sox pitcher led the American League in wins from 1901-1903, going a combined 93-30?
  2. Which Boston Americans outfielder was the first player to hit two home runs in a modern World Series game?
  3. Which outfielder broke in with the Boston Americans and was nicknamed “The Grey Eagle”? He batted .345 over his long career, with 3,515 hits.
  4. Which Red Sox pitcher went an amazing 34-5 in 1912 with a 1.91 ERA and 258 strikeouts?
  5. Which Red Sox pitcher walked one batter on June 23, 1917?
  6. Which Red Sox pitcher retired 26 straight batters on June 23, 1917?
  7. Which Red Sox slugger belted 50 home runs in 1938, a team record that would stand for 68 years?
  8. Which Red Sox great hit just .254 in 1959, 63 points below his previous season-ending low?
  9. Which Red Sox outfielder played on four national championship teams at USC and led Boston to the 1975 World Series?
  10. Which Red Sox Hall of Famer is that team’s oldest living player, the oldest living Hall of Famer and the last man alive to play in the major leagues during the 1930s?
    • Cy Young broke in with the Cleveland Spiders in 1900. He spent nine seasons by Lake Erie, went to St. Louis for two years and pitched eight years in Boston before going back to Cleveland. He won 511 games in his 22-year career.
    • Patsy Dougherty only hit 17 regular-season home runs in a 10-year career. He did, however, belt two in Game 2 of the 1903 World Series. The Americans beat the Pittsburgh Alleganies 5 games to 3 in a best-of-nine affair.
    • Tristram “Tris” Speaker, from Hubbard, Texas, spent nine seasons in Boston (1907-15) before going to Cleveland. He remains fifth on the all-time hits list and six on the all-time batting average list.
    • Smoky” Joe Wood came up with Boston as a hard-throwing right-hander. He was never better than he was in 1912. Wood went 117-57 as a pitcher in his career, but switched to the outfield in 1918 after suffering an injury . “Smoky” Joe later served as head baseball coach at Yale University for several years.
    • Babe Ruth, the greatest slugger of all-time, came up to big leagues as a hard-throwing left-hander. On June 23, 1917, in a road game against the Washington Senators, Ruth walked lead-off batter Ray Morgan on four pitches. The Babe proceeded to throw a punch at the umpire and was ejected.
    • Ernie Shore entered the game in relief of Ruth. The runner on base was caught trying to steal, and Shore mowed down the rest of the Washington hitters in order. Shore compiled a 65-43 won-loss mark over seven seasons as a journeyman pitcher.
    • Jimmie Foxx—“Double X”—slammed 534 home runs in his career, 222 of them during his seven years in Boston. He hit 50 in 1938, although he did not lead the league. (He was second. Hank Greenberg hit 58 for the Detroit Tigers.) He did finish first in RBI (175), batting average (.349), slugging percentage (.704) and several other categories. David Ortiz passed Foxx on the team’s single-season home run list in 2006 with 54.
    • Ted Williams batted .344 lifetime. He won six batting titles in his career, including ones in 1957 and 1958 before slumping to .254 at the age of 40. Teddy Ballgame rebounded and hit .316 in 1960 before retiring.
    • Fred Lynn played on the 1972 USC football team that won the national championship and the 1971-73 Trojan baseball teams that won titles. The Red Sox drafted Lynn in the second round of the 1973 draft. He hit .419 in 43 at-bats during a late-season call-up in 1974 and won the MVP in ’75. Lynn made nine All-Star teams, six with the Red Sox. He hit a memorable grand slam as an Angel in the 1983 game.
    • Bobby Doerr, born April 7, 1918, in Los Angeles, is 97 years old and counting. A second baseman and life-long Red Sox player (1937-44, 46-51), batted .288 with 223 home runs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

Which Cleveland Indian …?

He is the answer to No. 3.

He is the answer to No. 3.

By Glen Sparks

Baseball in Cleveland harkens to the days of the Forest Citys of the 1860s. This baffling quiz does not travel quite so far back in time. Major League baseball in the city by Lake Erie began in 1901 with the Cleveland Bluebirds (often shortened to “Blues). By 1902, the Bluebirds had unofficially become the Bronchos (or Broncos). From 1903-14, the team was the Naps. Since 1915, they have been the Indians.

Cleveland has won five American League pennants and two World Series titles, in 1920 and 1948.

  1. Which Indians second baseman won four batting titles in Cleveland after batting a career-high .426 for the 1901 Philadelphia A’s?
  2. Which Indians shortstop died after being hit in the head with a pitch in 1920?
  3. Which Indians center fielder compiled a .345 lifetime batting average for the Tribe and three other teams?
  4. Which Indians ace once struck out 17 batters at the tender age of 17?
  5. Which Indians shortstop won the 1948 MVP?
  6. Which Indians batter flew out deep, and memorably, to Willie Mays in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series?
  7. Which Indians fire-baller was hit in the eye by a Gil McDougald line drive on May 7, 1957?
  8. Which Indians pitcher struck out 19 batters in a 10-inning game in 1968?
  9. Which Indians player-manager belted a home run on April 8, 1975?
  10. Which Indians pitcher hurled a perfect game on May 15, 1981.
  • Napoleon Lajoie, out of Woonsocket, R.I., hit .338 during a 21-year Hall of Fame career. The Philadelphia Phillies signed Lajoie in 1906. The Frenchmen jumped to the A.L.’s Philadelphia A’s in 1901 before being traded to Cleveland early in the 1902 campaign.
  • Ray Chapman liked to crowd the plate. Carl Mays liked to throw inside. On Aug. 16, 1920, that was a fatal combination late in the afternoon at the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan. Mays’ pitch nailed Chapman in the head. His skull fractured, Chapman died about 12 hours later.
  • Tris Speaker, from Hubbard, Texas, recorded 3,514 hits in his great career, 1,965 of them with Cleveland. The Grey Eagle also played nine years for the Boston Red Sox and one season apiece for the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia A’s,
  • Signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1936, teenager Bob Feller made his Major League debut on July 19th of that year. On Sept. 13, he fanned 17 Philadelphia A’s batters. The Heater from Van Meter (Iowa) retired with 2,581 strikeouts in his Hall of Fame career.
  • Lou Boudreau impressed baseball people with his talent and his intelligence. Before the 1942 season, Cleveland owner Alva Bradley promoted the 25-year-old shortstop to player-manager. Boudreau managed the team through the 1950 season and to a World Series title in 1948. The Hall of Famer batted .295 in his career, most of it spent with the Indians. He hit .355 in ’48 with a .453 on-base percentage.
  • Vic Wertz batted .277 and made four All-Star teams during a 17-year career. He is most famous today, though, for a 450-foot drive that he hit in the 1954 World Series. New York Giants great Willie Mays tracked the ball down.
  • Experts called Herb Score a left-handed Bob Feller, and it looked that way for a while. He struck out 245 batters in his rookie season of 1955 and followed that with 263 the following year. On May 7, 1957, a month shy of his 24th birthday, Gil McDougald of the New York Yankees ripped a line drive in the first inning that struck Score in the face. The damage to his eye eventually healed, but Score hurt his arm soon after the incident. He retired early in the 1962 season with a 55-46 won-loss record and 837 strikeouts in 858.1 innings.
  • It was the year of the pitcher, 1968, and Luis Tiant was one of the best. The right-hander from Cuba went 21-9 with a 1.60 ERA (186 ERA+, 8.4 WAR) that season. He struck out 19 Minnesota Twins in a 1-0 victory on July 3.
  • Frank Robinson enjoyed one of the greatest careers in baseball history. He batted .294 with 586 home runs and 1,812 RBI. The Indians hired him as the game’s first African-American manager in 1975. Robinson also served as the team’s designated hitter that year. In his first at-bat, he hit a home run off Doc Medich of the New York Yankees.
  • No pitcher had thrown a perfect game since Catfish Hunter tossed one May 8, 1968, against the Minnesota Twins. Len Barker tossed his perfecto, the 10th in MLB history (eighth of the modern era), on May 15, 1981, against the Toronto Blue Jays.