Brunch of Champions Quiz | Wide World of Sports

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The first athlete to grace our table is Lou Gehrig. He has a disease named after him. The disease that cut his career short and yet made him a true sports icon. Which sport is he associated with?

Answer: Baseball

Lou Gehrig, nicknamed "The Iron Horse" was 14lbs at birth. His career was cut short due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), however, he never lost that hope evidenced by these words that he stated"When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body - it's a blessing.

When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that's the finest I know.So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for. Thank you." - Lou Gehrig at Yankee Stadium, July 4, 1939

2. One of the great athletes of his time, Jim Thorpe, competed in the Olympics held in Sweden in 1912 and won Gold in this event. Do you recall what event brought him to the forefront?

Answer: Decathlon

Unfortunately, Jim, was stripped of his medals in 1913. Jim did play semi-professional baseball for a while and close to his death, he was penniless. In 1983, January to be exact, the International Olympic Committee finally reinstated his medals. The original medals were stolen from a museum where they were housed so commemorative medals were presented to his children.

3. Arthur Ashe was known for this sport. He was the first African American to win at international level in this sport. I am sure that this being early in the morning, he will not make a racket. What sport?

Answer: Tennis

During 1968, he was kept out of South Africa due to their then apartheid policy; he was denied a visa to play there. Arthur won the Australian Open (1970), Wimbledon (1975), and the US Open (1968) during his career. Due to heart surgery, Arthur, contracted AIDS brought on by the blood transfusions. He passed away in 1993.

4. To my right sits Jethro Bodine's (Max Baer Jr.) father, Max Baer Sr.; let's ask him about his accomplishments. On August 25, 1930, an event changed his life, that involve his opponent, Francisco Camilli (Frankie Campbell). What sport is Max Baer Sr. associated with?

Answer: Boxing

Unfortunately, due the fight in the ring on August 25th, 1930, Frankie Campbell received too many head blows and ended up dying, within 24 hours. Dr. Tilton concluded that: Frankie's brain had been "knocked completely loose from his skull". Max Baer was nicknamed "Killer" after this. On June 14, 1934, he became "Heavyweight Champion of the World".

He died of a heart attack on November 18, 1959, a fund "Max Baer Heart Fund" was set up following his death. This fund aids in education and heart disease research.

5. Patty Berg does not want a club sandwich made with eggs for breakfast. She received the "Bob Jones Award" in 1963. Needless to say, she won the inaugural US Open in 1946. What sport is Patty Berg associated with?

Answer: Golf

Patty Berg was one of the founding members of the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association). She was a member of the Wilson Sporting Goods Advisory Board until her death in 2006. Her professional wins total 63, 60 of those on the LPGA circiut.

6. This female athlete, Gretchen Kunigk Fraser, would like something hot to drink with her breakfast. She won her medals at the 1948 St. Moritz Olympics, even though she had trained for the 1940 Olympics and could not compete due to the Second World War. In what sport did she win those medals?

Answer: Skiing

Gretchen was the first American woman to win a gold medal in alpine skiing. During the war years, she worked with disabled and wounded veterans in aiding with their rehabilitation through skiing. She died in 1994.

7. Dale Earnhardt really enjoyed "fast" food. Time is not on his side today, as this is a slow cooked meal with those Wheaties. Dale had the nickname "The Intimidator". When he appeared on the Jay Leno show, he was bested by Jay riding a lawnmower. What sport is he known for?

Answer: Stock Car Driver

An accident at the Daytona 500 in 2001 cost Dale Earnhardt his life. Dale Earnhardt was given posthumously the NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award. Following his death changes were made making it mandatory for all drivers to use the HANS device (a head restraint or a head and neck support) that reduces the chances of a neck and head injury such as a basilar skull fracture, the very injury that caused Dale's death.

8. Johnny Unitas is wondering if someone can toss him a roll from the bread basket so he can dip it into his eggs. His fingers are permanently disfigured because of the injuries he sustained brought on by the years of play prior to proper padding. What sport did he play?

Answer: American Football

Johnny Unitas was ranked as the number 1 quarterback in the NFL's 50 Greatest Quarterback rankings according to "Sporting News" in 2004. Johnny Unitas was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955 but never played a regular-season game for the Steelers (he was released after the last pre-season game).

He moved to the Baltimore Colts in 1956, where he led the team to two NFL titles (1958 and 1959) and one Superbowl (1970). Johnny died of a myocardial infarction on September 11th, 2002, while working out at the Kernan Physical Therapy Centre.

9. Marty Barry would like some ice in his orange juice. Marty helped this Detroit team win back to back Championships, the first American team to accomplish this feat. Do you know what sport Marty played?

Answer: Ice Hockey

Detroit won the Stanley Cup in 1935-36 and 1936-37. In 1937 Marty Barry became the first Detroit Red Wing to win the Lady Byng Trophy (awarded to the NHL "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability"); it was first awarded in 1925.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1965. In 1969, he died from a heart attack (myocardial infarction).

10. Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias wants a quick start to her breakfast. She has poured those "Wheaties" into a bowl because she cannot wait for the eggs. She wants to sing at the table one of her recordings "I Felt A Little Teardrop". She won two gold medals and one silver at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. For what sport did she win these in?

Answer: Track and Field

"Babe" was also a well known professional golfer. She was the president of the LPGA from 1952-1955. Colon cancer claimed her life at the age of 45. "Babe" broke the image of the stereotypical "female" in athletics. She was physically strong and often criticized for her "manliness". Her medals in the 1932 Olympics were a Gold Medal in Javelin and Hurdles and a Silver in the High Jump.

Source: Author Emma058

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Brunch of Champions Trivia Quiz

"Champions Bed and Breakfast" is hosting a "Brunch of Champions", who have left a mark on their sports, and have paved the way for others. Your presence is requested and your help is needed to determine what sport they left their "mark" in.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>