Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The sports term "upset" describes a supposedly unbeatable opponent being knocked off, or "upset", from their pedestal. The term actually was reinforced from a racehorse in the late 1910s who beat another supposedly unbeatable horse in the Sanford Memorial Stakes. The race winner's name was Upset. But the "unbeatable" horse that came in second was named what?
2. One of the more famous calls on sports radio came when Bobby Thomson hit a home run to end a 3-game playoff and give the New York Giants the National League pennant in Major League Baseball. This win was the culmination of a two-month long comeback from over thirteen games behind to force the playoff. What was the team that collapsed in the final month of the season that enabled the Giants to win the National League Championship?
3. In the 1999 British Open of golf, Paul Lawrie won the coveted Claret Jug in a four-hole playoff. But this particular British Open is remembered for a complete meltdown on the 18th hole when a golfer squandered a three-shot lead and ended up losing in a playoff. Who was this golfer?
4. The 2011 Indianapolis 500 would end up being won by veteran Dan Wheldon. However, the race would go down in history for who finished second. With a clear lead going into the final lap, the eventual second place finisher would crash into the wall at the end of the final turn. Who was the driver, racing in his first Indy 500, who lost within 250 yards of the finish line?
5. Coach Jim Valvano would lead his North Carolina St. Wolfpack to an NCAA Basketball championship in 1983 against a team that was seemingly unbeatable, featuring two future basketball Hall of Famers in Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Who was the team the NC State Wolfpack overtook in the last two seconds of the game to win the tournament?
6. In 1990, a 42-1 underdog boxer named James "Buster" Douglas would score an unexpected victory to win the WBC, WBA, IBF, and 'The Ring' titles from the undefeated champion. Who was it that Douglas knocked out in the 12th round?
7. In the 1978 Triple Crown, two horses entered the chase for it as nearly equal favorites to win it. When the final race was finished, the Triple Crown would be won by Affirmed, but Affirmed would would forever be attached in history to the horse that finished a close second in all three Triple Crown races. Who was it?
8. Leading up to the 2004 playoffs, no Major League Baseball team had ever come back from a 3-game deficit to win a 7-game playoff. But in October of 2004, the Boston Red Sox, being down 0-3 in the American League Playoffs, pulled off the miracle, winning four straight in dramatic fashion to gain entrance into the World Series. What team did the Red Sox come back against in the AL Playoffs?
9. In 2001, the Daytona 500 was won for the first time by stock car racer Michael Waltrip. But this specific race will be linked for all eternity to the man who officially finished 12th. Who was this driver?
10. In the 1996 Masters Golf Tournament, eventual winner Nick Faldo would win by a convincing five strokes. But this tourney was not about who won but who lost; as the eventual second place finisher had what was thought to be an insurmountable lead of six strokes going into the final round. Who was involved in in a meltdown of epic proportions that is still looked at as one of the benchmarks of sports collapses?
Source: Author
Spaudrey
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.