A Fifth Slice of Baseball Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ty Cobb

Cobb played for 22 seasons with the Tigers, then the ownership held no morals and traded him the Athletics of Philadelphia in 1927. Tyrus Raymond Cobb's greatest season was in 1916, where he batted .369 with 208 hits, along with 96 stolen bases. This stolen base record held for almost 50 years until Maury Wills of the Dodgers stole 104 in 1962.

Answer: Billy Williams

Williams was one part of the most famous one-two punches in baseball. He and 'Mr. Cub', Ernie Banks, combined for over 800 home runs. Billy won the Rookie of the Year award in 1961. Unfortunately like Banks, Williams never saw a postseason game in his career with the Cubs.

Answer: Harold Reese

The others were never shortstops and never played for the Dodgers. Reese, the 10-time all-star was a centerpiece of the Dodger infield in Brooklyn. Pee Wee had to wait until 1984 to be inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame. Reese went to seven World Series with the Dodgers, but unfortunately won only one in 1955. All seven of those World Series were against the amazing New York Yankees.

He died in 1999 at the age of 81.

Answer: Bob Gibson

The others listed were never pitchers, never played for the Cardinals, and retired more than 20 years earlier before Gibson made his mark in the Major Leagues. The 1964 and 1967 World Series MVP award were not good enough for Gibson. He took a backseat early in his career to the great Sandy Koufax.

After Koufax retired in 1966, Bob re-grouped and won the Cy Young award along with the National League MVP in 1968. Still tasting recognition, he won the NL Cy Young again in 1970. In three World Series, Gibson had a win-loss record of 7-2 that went along with two World Series rings.

Answer: Willie McCovey

Willie played from 1959-1980. McCovey terrorized National League pitchers along with his San Francisco Giant partner Willie Mays. The Giant first baseman was also nicknamed Big Mac. After winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1959, he continued to wreak havoc and won the NL MVP in 1969. This six-time all-star was inducted into the hall in 1986.

Answer: Carlton Fisk

None of the others were ever catchers in the career, and all had retired before the 1969 season. After 11 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, and winning the AL Rookie of the Year in 1972, he signed as a free-agent with the White Sox of Chicago. He forced Chicago's Bruce Kimm to retire after the 1980 season as no team would sign him. Fisk would go on to play the balance of his 24-season career consistently, and retired with 376 career home runs.

His moment of immortality came in the 1975 World Series when he hit two home runs, but the most famous was in game six in the bottom of the 12th inning, giving the Red Sox a 7-6 victory over the Reds.

It was all for not as they lost the series, four games to three.

Answer: Bruce Sloan

Bruce Sloan was only a one-season player. The 29-year old played for the 1944 New York Giants. Sloan did have one home run and one triple to his Major League memories.

Answer: Al Hrabosky

Hrabowsky played most of his 13-season career with the Cardinals. The very animated pitcher on the mound started only one game of his 545 appearances. All the rest were in relief. His greatest season was in 1975 when he went 13-3, and was third in the Cy Young voting for the season. His career pitching record was 64-35. He retired as an Atlanta Brave in 1982.

Answer: Walter Johnson

The others never existed in Major League baseball. Walter 'Big Train' Johnson also had a frivolous nickname of 'Barney'. Johnson was the shutout king of baseball, throwing 110 throughout his entire 21-season career with the Washington Senators. He played with the Senators from 1907-1929. Johnson was a three-time Triple Crown winner and won the AL MVP twice.

Unfortunately, the Cy Young award did not begin until 1956, or the Big Train would have won many in his great career. Johnson was one of the first five inductees into the inaugural Hall of Fame in 1936.

He died 10 years later at the age of 59.

Answer: Ron Cey

The Penguin, Ron Cey, mostly of the Los Angeles Dodgers, played 12 of his 17 seasons in Dodger-blue. Four seasons with the Cubs, then one with Oakland ended his career in 1987. Amazingly enough, this six-time all-star never won a Gold Glove at third base. Ron went to four World Series winning only one in 1981. That was the year that hit .350 with seven hits and one home run.

He tied for the WS MVP with fellow Dodgers Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager.