America's Game in the 1990s Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1998

After defeating Houston and Atlanta in the Division and League Championship Series, they faced the heavily favored New York Yankees. The Yankees had won 114 games in the regular season. The Yankees didn't let the oddsmakers down, as they skunked the Padres four games to none.

The Yankees' Scott Brosius didn't let his team down either, as he hit .478 with two home runs, earning him the MVP Award. It was the Padres' first trip in 14 seasons, and were helmed by Bruce Bochy.

Answer: Curt Schilling

The others listed were all American Leaguers in 1997. Schilling fanned 319 batters for his Philadelphia Phillies. He ranked fourth in the Cy Young voting in 1997, behind Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, and Denny Neagle. He would follow up his league leading performance in 1998, by fanning another 300. In 2000, Schilling went to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Answer: Dale Murphy

The others were long retired before the decade of the '90s. Murphy spent 15 seasons with the Braves before changing venues to Philadelphia. Dale won two consecutive National League MVP Awards in 1982 and 1983, and was a seven time all-star. He retired with 398 home runs.

Answer: Bobby Cox

The others were not around in baseball in the 1990s. Cox and his Atlanta Braves found themselves in five World Series. '91, '92, '95, '96, and '99, and saw them win it all in 1995 against the Indians.

Answer: Mark McGwire

Maris of the Yankees set his mark in 1961 by hitting 61 home runs. McGwire blasted out 70 big ones in 1998 for his St. Louis Cardinals. He would go on to hit more than 50, four consecutive seasons. Barry Bonds broke McGwire's mark in 2001 by hitting 73 for the Giants of San Francisco.

Answer: Nobody did it

The others did not play in the Majors in the 1990s. Ironically, every decade since the 1860s did have at least one pitcher lose 20 or more in a season, except for the 1990s. In 2003, Mike Maroth of the Tigers began a new streak by going 9-21.

Answer: Reggie Jackson

The others listed were inducted in the 1970s. Jackson was the only inductee in 1993 with 94% of the vote. His career spanned 21 seasons, beginning with the Kansas City Athletics in 1967, before the franchise moved to Oakland the following season. After nine seasons with the A's, he went to the Orioles in 1976, and began the season without a contract.

The Yankees picked him up the following season, and he played for five season in the pinstripes. From there in 1982, he found himself playing for the California Angels.

In 1997, he came back home with the Athletics and then retired. Jackson smacked 563 home runs, which ranked him sixth all-time at the time of his retirement. In 2004, he had since been passed by Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds, dropping him to eighth. Also in 2004, the Cubs' Sammy Sosa had approached Reggie's home run mark.

Answer: Arizona Diamondbacks

The Marlins and Rockies went big time in 1993 when they joined the Major Leagues. Tampa Bay and the Arizona Diamondbacks joined the ranks in 1998. The Diamondbacks went to their first World Series in 2001 under first-time manager, Bob Brenly. Both Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson led the club by winning more than 20 games each.

Answer: Greg Maddux

The others listed never pitched. The Cy Young Award is given to the most outstanding pitcher in each league. The Award began in 1956. Maddux won his first with the Chicago Cubs in 1992, then repeated the award for the next three seasons with the Atlanta Braves. Braves' teammate John Smoltz broke Greg's streak in 1996. Maddux was a runner-up 'Cy' to Pedro Martinez of the Expos in 1997.

Answer: Tony Gwynn

The others did not play in the decade. Gwynn of the Padres, won his fifth of eight batting titles in 1994. He hit an amazing .394 in the season. The next closest player was Jeff Bagwell of the Astros, who hit .367 in the season. Paul O'Neill hit .359 for the Yankees, to win the crown for the American League. Gwynn played for 20 seasons, all with the Padres, and retired in 2001.