MLB Catchers of the 1980s Quiz | MLB by Season

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter played for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets during the 1980s. What was Carter's uniform number?

Answer: 8

Gary Carter was one of the finest all-around catchers of his generation. Carter wore uniform number 8 during his career. His uniform number was eventually retired by the Montreal Expos. During the 1980s, Carter won three Gold Glove Awards as well as nine All-Star Game selections. Number eight was an integral member of the 1986 World Series champion Mets. For his career, Carter slugged 324 home runs and drove in 1225 runs. Carter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

2. From 1980 to 1986, the Detroit Tigers had a catcher named Parrish. Can you supply his first name?

Answer: Lance

Parrish played for the Tigers, Phillies (1987-1988) and Angels (1989) during the 1980s. Parrish combined slugging power (324 career HRs) with good defensive skills and earned eight All-Star Game selections during the 1980s. Lance was a member of the World Series champion Detroit Tigers in 1984. Parrish played mainly with the Texas Rangers during the 1980s.

3. During the 1980s, catcher Rick Dempsey won World Series Championship rings with which two teams?

Answer: Orioles and Dodgers

Rick Dempsey had a long career (1969-1991) as a big league catcher. During the 1980s, Dempsey played on two World Series championship teams. In 1983 with the Orioles, and again in 1988 with the Dodgers. In the 1983 series, Dempsey was named the Most Valuable Player. He batted .385 with a home run and two RBIs.

4. This righty-hitting All-Star catcher played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals during the 1980s. Can you identify him?

Answer: Tony Pena

Tony Pena was an outstanding defensive catcher who played for the Pirates (1980-1986) and Cardinals (1987-1989) during the 1980s. Pena earned five All-Star game selections and four Gold Glove awards during the 1980s. Pena also had solid hitting prowess. For his Major League career, he hit 107 home runs and batted in more than 700 runs.

In the 1987 World Series, Pena batted an impressive .407 (9-22) for St. Louis.

5. Jody Davis was a big league catcher from 1981 to 1990. Which one of these statements about Davis is true?

Answer: He batted right-handed

Jody Davis was a right-handed hitting catcher who played for the Chicago Cubs (1981-1988) and Atlanta Braves (1989-1990). Davis was selected for two All-Star games while with the Cubs, and he earned a Gold Glove Award in 1986. Davis belted 127 home runs during his career. His best season at the plate occurred in 1983 when he batted .270 with 24 HRs and 84 RBIs.

6. Which left-handed batter was the Toronto Blue Jays' primary catcher between 1980 and 1989?

Answer: Ernie Whitt

Ernie Whitt was an important part of the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1980s. In 1987, the lefty-hitting Whitt had perhaps his finest season at the plate, batting .269 with 19 home runs and 75 RBIs. Whitt wore uniform number 12 for the Jays. The other three catchers listed in this question batted right-handed.

7. Mike Scioscia was a big league catcher from 1980 to 1992. For which club did Scioscia play throughout his career?

Answer: Los Angeles Dodgers

Mike Scioscia played his entire Major League career with the L.A. Dodgers. Scioscia caught nearly 1400 games for the Dodgers and was known as a hard-nosed competitor. In 1988, Scioscia hit a key playoff home run which helped L.A. to defeat the New York Mets in the NLCS. Scioscia became a successful Major League manager with the Angels after he retired as a player in the early 1990s.

8. During the 1980s, catcher Harold Wynegar played for the Twins, Yankees, and Angels. What was Wynegar's nickname?

Answer: Butch

Harold "Butch" Wynegar was a big league catcher from 1976 to 1988. During the 1980s, Wynegar's best season at the plate occurred in 1983 as a member of the Yankees when he batted .296 with 6 HRs and 42 RBIs. Wynegar was never fortunate enough to play for a team which qualified for the postseason. He received two All-Star game selections with the Twins during the 1970s.

9. During the 1980s, Terry Kennedy was San Diego's catcher for six seasons. In which year did Kennedy appear in the World Series for the Padres?

Answer: 1984

Terry Kennedy was a catcher with the San Diego Padres from 1981 to 1986. Kennedy represented the Padres in three All-Star games, and in 1984 was a member of the 1984 San Diego team which captured the National League pennant. The Padres lost to the Detroit Tigers in that year's World Series. Kennedy batted just .211 against Detroit, but he managed to hit a home run in the five-game series. Overall, Kennedy played in the Major Leagues from 1978 to 1991, hitting 113 career home runs.

10. In 1981, which lefty-hitting catcher was behind the plate for Cleveland pitcher Len Barker's perfect game?

Answer: Ron Hassey

Left-handed hitter Ron Hassey was behind the plate for Cleveland on May 15, 1981, when Len Barker pitched a perfect game against Toronto. Hassey played with the Indians from 1978 to 1984. Hassey's best season with Cleveland occurred in 1980 when he batted .318 with 8 home runs and 65 RBIs.

In 1991, Hassey became the first player ever to catch two perfect games when he teamed with Expos' hurler Dennis Martinez on another pitching masterpiece. Chris Bando was a switch hitter. Bo Diaz and Andy Allanson were right-handed batters.

Source: Author mrgrouchy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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MLB Catchers of the 1980s Trivia Quiz

Here is a quiz on some catchers who played in the Major Leagues during the 1980s. Good luck and have fun.

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