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Decades on the Diamond: 1890s Trivia Quiz

Another all multiple choice quiz in a series of baseball decades. I hope that you have some fun! :-)

A multiple-choice quiz by Nightmare. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Nightmare

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
239,193

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
309

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Question 1 of 10

1. The decade of the 1890s began with controversy. Before the 1890 season even began, many upset baseballers including Ned Hanlon, talked a Cleveland railroad magnate into loaning a new coalition of players money. Those players had eight new stadiums built for the 1890 season in hopes of shutting down the National League and American Association. What was this new league called? Hint

National Association

Players League

Federal League

American League

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Question 2 of 10

2. While the 1891 season saw the birth of future Boston great Rabbit Maranville and pitching wonder Carl Mays, the 1891 National League season saw a Pittsburgh player fined for refusing to have spikes on his shoes. This was a major uniform violation in the National League. Which player was it? Hint

Greg Pinchbeck

Burleigh Grimes

Ty Cobb

Pete Browning

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Question 3 of 10

3. On June 2, 1892, President Benjamin Harrison became the first U.S. President to attend a professional baseball game. The National League also expanded to how many teams in 1892 and began a 154-game season schedule? Hint

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Question 4 of 10

4. 1893 saw the pitchers mound moved back from 50 feet after an earlier decade of pitchers dominating the game. What was the distance of the mound in 1893? Hint

55 feet

60 feet 6 inches

52 feet 10 inches

68 feet

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 1894, the Baltimore Orioles were fined for conspiring with a groundskeeper to leave the grass high at Union Park for certain games that they played against bunters and base stealers. The season also saw a major batting rule changed mid-season. What was the new regulation? Hint

A striped and boxed style batter's box was created of 5 feet by 4 feet wide

That batters must have both hands in contact with a bat during a bunt attempt

That batters would be charged with a strike for a foul ball

That all batters must wear some type of head protection

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Question 6 of 10

6. 1895 saw the birth of future Hall of Famer, George Herman Ruth. It also saw which Cleveland Spider pitcher lead the league with 35 wins? Hint

Don Drysdale

Cy Young

Bo Belinsky

Bud Black

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Question 7 of 10

7. 1896 saw a professor at Princeton patent the first pitching machine, consisting of a breech-loading cannon mounted on two wheels. The season also saw the Baltimore Orioles win their third consecutive National League pennant. At the same time, which National League team finished last in their third consecutive season? Hint

Kansas City Cowboys

Louisville Colonels

Milwaukee Brewers

Philadelphia Keystones

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Question 8 of 10

8. Eddie Abbaticchio in 1897 was the first documented foreign player in the National League from which country? Hint

Mexico

Germany

Cuba

Italy

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Question 9 of 10

9. 1898 saw the first balk rule instituted into the books of baseball. It was intended to allow more base stealing with the likes of Billy Hamilton who led his league five times in stealing, and stole 100+ bases in a season three times. Ed Delahanty of the Phillies led the league in 1898 with how many stolen bases? Hint

109

136

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Question 10 of 10

10. Closing out the 1890s and the decade saw which team set a baseball record for going 20-134 in the season? Hint

Cleveland Spiders

Kansas City Packers

Buffalo Bisons

Newark Pepper

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Players League

Hanlon was a player/manager on the 1889 Pittsburgh Alleghenys. Then with his new team and league, he was the player/manager of his new Pittsburgh Burghers. The Players League folded after only 128 games in the season, and all eight teams and players were without a job. The Boston Reds won the only Players League pennant in 1890.

Answer: Pete Browning

The others listed never played for at least another 15 seasons. Browning who was an outfielder for the Alleghenys was in his 10th season of professional baseball. After the incident, Browning was traded to the Cincinnati Reds where he upped his batting average over .050 points. He retired after 13 seasons in 1894.

Answer: 12

The teams included in order of finish in 1892 were the Boston Beaneaters (later Atlanta Braves) who won the NL pennant, the Cleveland Spiders, Brooklyn Grooms, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Colts, New York Giants, Louisville Colonels, Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and finally the Baltimore Orioles who finished 54.5 games back.

4. 1893 saw the pitchers mound moved back from 50 feet after an earlier decade of pitchers dominating the game. What was the distance of the mound in 1893?

Answer: 60 feet 6 inches

Nobody could figure out why the "6 inches" until months later when the league realized that they read the surveyors blueprints incorrectly, but let the distance stand. Billy Hamilton of the Philadelphia Phillies the league in batting with a .380 average, .045 above the previous seasons leader, while the pitching leaders won seven less games to lead the league compared to the previous seasons.

The pitcher who led the league was Frank Killen of the Chicago Colts with 36 wins.

Answer: That batters would be charged with a strike for a foul ball

The foul tip/strike rule was driven by Wee Willie Keeler of the Baltimore Orioles. Keeler would continually poke balls fouls until he received a pitch that he wanted. Keeler had 219 hits in the season (third in the league) and a .371 batting average.

6. 1895 saw the birth of future Hall of Famer, George Herman Ruth. It also saw which Cleveland Spider pitcher lead the league with 35 wins?

Answer: Cy Young

The others were not born until the 1930s. Young was in his sixth season of baseball with the Spiders. He went 35-10 in the season. He led the league over Pink Hawley of the Pirates and Bill Hoffer of the Orioles who both won 31. Young would go on to win 511 career games.

Answer: Louisville Colonels

The other teams listed were all in the 1884 Union League which went defunct after only one season. 1896 saw the Colonels finish 53 games behind the front-running Orioles. Under these three seasons, Louisville averaged under 37 wins per season. The team folded after the 1899 season.

8. Eddie Abbaticchio in 1897 was the first documented foreign player in the National League from which country?

Answer: Italy

The 1890s was a sensitive decade as many African-Americans tried to pass themselves off as other 'colors' and being from other countries. Abbaticchio was a rookie in 1897 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He played for only nine seasons before retiring.

Answer: 58

Some unknown reasons, the new balk rule took away the head start from runners. From 1900-1902, the NL leader stole in the 40s. In 1910, the stolen base count began to climb into the 70s, then 80s, and finally Ty Cobb who stole 96 in 1915.

10. Closing out the 1890s and the decade saw which team set a baseball record for going 20-134 in the season?

Answer: Cleveland Spiders

The other teams listed were in the Federal League in 1914 and 1915 before the league went defunct. The Spiders owner sold most of their star players after the 1898 season to the St. Louis Perfectos, leaving bush-leaguers to play for the Spiders in 1899.

At one point in the season, all the Spiders' home games were cancelled because no fans would show up, so most of the season was played on the road. The only famous name on the Spiders in 1899 was Chief Zimmer, but at age 38, Wilson was past his prime, but still left the team after only 20 games for the Louisville Colonels.

Source: Author Nightmare

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