A Third Slice of Baseball Trivia Quiz

Answer: Don Mattingly

The others never played for the Yankees or won a MVP award. A 14-season career Yankee, Don won the MVP in his fourth season in 1985. He won the award over runner-up George Brett of the Royals and Rickey Henderson of the Yankees. Mattingly was also a nine-time Gold Glove winner at first base.

He retired in 1995. Before Mattingly's 1985 MVP season, catcher Thurman Munson won the award in 1976.

Answer: Ozzie Smith

The others never played shortstop or for the Padres. After Smith's fourth season in San Diego, the Padres traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1981, the first of 15 seasons wearing red. Ozzie was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002 all by himself.

Answer: 1

Amazingly, the Babe won only one which came in 1924 when he hit .378 for the Yankees. He was a runner-up in three other seasons. His career high was .393 in 1923, but took a backseat to Harry Heilmann who batted .403 for the Tigers. In the Triple Crown departments (average, home runs, RBIs), Ruth led 19 times. Batting average once, home runs 12 times, and in RBIs six times.

Answer: Cleveland Indians

The others listed were all National League teams, but not in 1954. The Indians, led by Al Rosen, Larry Doby, and pitcher Early Wynn, finished the season ahead of the second place Yankees. Although the Yankees mustered 103 wins, it was the Indians who took the flag by winning 111. Cleveland lost to the New York Giants in the series, four games to none.

The Yankees would come back in 1955, and begin another World Series appearance streak of four.

Answer: Steve Carlton

All the others were right-handed pitchers and none ever won 20 games in a season. Hahn had four 20-game winning seasons in his eight-season career. In his first season in 1972 after being traded by the Cardinals, Carlton went 27-10, won the Triple Crown and also the Cy Young award.

His Phillies finished 37.5 games behind the National League East winners, Pittsburgh Pirates. Ironically in the following season, Carlton lost 20 games. The left-handed Carlton won 329 games over 24 seasons.

Answer: Reggie Jackson

McGwire did it four times. A-Rod did it more than once, with his first by hitting 52 in 2001. Bonds did it only once, with his 73 in 2001 with the Giants. Mr. October's season high was 47 in 1969 with the Oakland Athletics. Amazingly, Jackson hit over 40 home runs in season only twice in his career, but still amassed a career 563. Reggie was inducted into the Hall of Fame all by himself in 1993.

Answer: Bill McKechnie

The others never managed in the National League. McKechnie's first taste of managing was one season with Newark of the Federal League in 1915. After some years of being a couch potato, Bill took on the Pittsburgh Pirates for five seasons beginning in 1922.

He took the Pirates to a World Series victory in 1925. Two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals beginning in 1928, saw the Cards lose the series to the Yankees. From there it was on to Boston to manage the Braves, but McKechnie came up empty-handed.

In nine seasons as the Reds' manager beginning in 1938, Bill took the Cincinnati club to two World Series, winning one against the Tigers. McKechnie's career record was 1896-1723 over 25 seasons. He also played for 11 seasons. Bill was inducted into the Hall in 1962, three years before his death at the age of 79.

Answer: He started his career going 0-18 as a batter at the end of April

A handful of players had four hits in their Major League debut. Those included Casey Stengel, Willie McCovey, and Kirby Puckett. A great career was almost not to be with Robinson. In the last five games played in April 1947 with the Dodgers of Brooklyn, Robinson was hitless in 18 at-bats (he was 9 for 22 in his first six games, leading into the final five).

He rebounded, however, to bat .297 and win the rookie award, edging out Larry Jansen of the New York Giants. Jackie went on to win the NL MVP in 1949 also.

He played in only 10 seasons, retiring in 1956, and died in 1972 at the age of 52.

Answer: 3

The Babe never lost a World Series game. Ruth pitched in only two World Series for the Red Sox and none with the Yankees. The 1916 series saw Ruth start game two against the Brooklyn Robins. The Babe threw a six-hitter in a 2-1 win, but the game also went 14 innings, and he pitched them all. Ruth also won two games in the 1918 series against the Cubs, which Boston won four games to two. Strangely enough, even with the Babe's pitching prowess, he appeared in only five of his 163 career mound appearances as a Yankee.

Answer: Chicago Cubs

Against popular belief, the franchise began as the Chicago White Stockings of the National League in 1876. They were the original White Stockings in baseball, and not their American League counterpart. Led by player-manager-pitcher Al Spalding, the team won the first National League pennant in 1876 with a 52-14 record, six games ahead of the St. Louis Brown Stockings.

The franchise was renamed the Colts from 1890-1897, then they were the Chicago Orphans from 1898-1902. The Cubs name came in 1903, where they began an 11-season run finishing no less than third in each season, and making four World Series appearances.