A Whisk of USA Sports Trivia Quiz

Answer: USC Trojans

The first Rose Bowl was played on January 1, 1902. It saw Michigan beat Stanford 49-0. The University of Southern California won its 20th Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, by defeating Michigan 32-18 in 2007. The Trojans would go on to three-peat in 2008 against Illinois and Penn State in 2009.

Answer: Charlie Manuel

Charlie Manuel began playing professional baseball in 1969. He played with the Twins and Dodgers. His career also included stints with Japanese professional baseball. He ended his career as a player in 1981. After some Minor and Major League managing, he became the manager of the Phillies in 2005.

In 2008, Charlie took the Phillies to a World Series Championship against the Tampa Bay Rays, then won the National League pennant again in 2009.

Answer: Chicago Bears

The Bears went 13-0 in 1934 under the great George Halas. The Bears were led by the arm of Carl Brumbaugh. They went on to lose the championship game to the New York Giants, 30-13. The early Bears were most noted for their 1940 season. Not memorable that they went 8-3 to win the West Conference, but defeating the Redskins in the NFL Championship game 73-0.

Answer: Chuck Daly

Daly took the Pistons to consecutive titles in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons. In 1992, he guided the U.S. Olympic team to the gold medal. Chuck also coached the Cavaliers, Nets, and Magic. His career record was 638-437.

Answer: Don Garlits

Don Prudhomme won three Top Fuel Championships of his own and was nicknamed "The Snake". Shirley Muldowney was nicknamed "Cha-Cha" and also won three championships. Force didn't win any Top Fuel Championships, but won many in the funny car competition.

Answer: Columbus Crew

The Crew put down the New York Red Bulls 3-1 in the final. The Crew had the best record in the season, going 17-7-6 while scoring 57 points.

Answer: Brandon Webb

It was an embarrassing streak for the National League, having no pitchers win even 17 games in 2006, no 20-game winners in 2007, only Webb of the Diamondbacks reaching the mark in 2008, and none again in 2009. Brandon went 22-7 in 2008, the only NL 20-game winner.

He did win the Cy Young in 2006 with his 16 wins, but was still the runner-up for the Cy Young Award to Jake Peavy of the Padres in 2007, then again to Tim Lincecum of the Giants in 2008. Lincecum won it again in 2009 by going only 15-7.

Answer: Horse racing

Of the U.S. Triple Crown races, Willie won the Kentucky Derby four times, the Belmont Stakes five times, and the Preakness two times. His jockey days were over in 1990. Shoemaker was one of the most successful and famous jockeys in U.S. horse racing history. He died at the age of 72 in 2003.

Answer: Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Born Mildred Didriksen, she later changed the spelling of her surname to Didrikson. "Babe" won two Olympic golds and one silver in the track and field events in the 1932 Games. Didrikson married a professional wrestler by the name of George Zaharias in 1938.

After her Olympic endeavors as a track and field specialist, Babe became a professional golfer and won 10 majors, including the U.S. Women's Open in 1948, 1950, and 1954. She was voted the ninth "Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century" by the Associated Press.

Answer: Phil Hill

The Formula One Grand Prix championships began in 1950, with Giuseppe Farina of Italy taking the inaugural crown. Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina would dominate the rest of the 1950s. Phil Hill would finally win one for the United States in 1961 while driving a Ferrari.

The USA would have to wait until 1978 to win another crown with driver Mario Andretti. Those were the only two championships that a USA driver would win in the 20th century, and even 10 years beyond.