Hometown Heroes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chicago

Derrick Rose was born in Chicago in 1988 and he was the first overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft. Rose excelled in his early career as he won the Rookie of the Year Award and in his third season won the league MVP at just 22 years old.

Unfortunately, several knee injuries reduced Rose's explosiveness as a point guard and hampered what was trending to be a Hall of Fame career.

Answer: New York City

Lou Gehrig was born in Yorkville on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City in 1903. Gehrig had a legendary career for the New York Yankees as he played for the team for 17 seasons (1923-1939). During his career as a first baseman, Gehrig won six World Series, hit 493 home runs, had 1,995 RBIs and he set a record for playing in 2,130 consecutive games.

Unfortunately, in 1939 Gehrig's career and life were derailed by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) prompting him to retire from baseball and tragically die in 1941 at 37 years old.

Answer: New York City

Brian Mullen was born in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City in 1962. Playing left wing, Mullen began his NHL career in 1982 as a member of the Winnipeg Jets. In 1987, Mullen joined the New York Rangers where he had four productive seasons including being an All-Star in 1989.

His career actually ended prematurely with New York's other NHL franchise, the Islanders, in 1993 after he had a stroke, blood clot in his brain and a seizure. After his playing career, Mullen worked in both the front office and as a broadcaster for the New York Rangers.

Answer: Los Angeles

Lisa Leslie was born in Compton in the southern portion of Los Angeles County in 1972. At 6 ft 5 in, Leslie was one of the most dominant centers in the WNBA. During her 11 year career with the Los Angeles Sparks, Leslie was a three-time league MVP, eight-time All-Star won two WNBA championships and was the league's first player to slam dunk during a game.

In addition to her Hall of Fame WNBA career, Leslie was also a member of four USA teams that won Olympic gold medals (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008).

Answer: Chicago

Harold Edward 'Red' Grange was born in Forksville, PA in 1903 but his family moved to the Chicago suburb of Wheaton, IL after his mother's death when he was five. Grange played college football at Illinois from 1923 to 1925, was an All-American every year and led his team to a national championship in 1923.

When Grange joined the Chicago Bears of the NFL in 1925 the league was in just its sixth season and it needed a star to help promote it. Known as the 'Galloping Ghost' due to his speed, Grange eventually became that star and one of the best running backs in the league.

In addition to his roles at running back, Grange also played on defense and at times filled in as quarterback. Grange won two NFL Championships during the pre-Super Bowl era and he was elected to both the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame. Grange died in 1991 at the age of 87.

Answer: Los Angeles

Don Drysdale was born in 1936 in the Van Nuys neighborhood within Los Angeles County. Drysdale played his entire career for the Dodgers franchise from 1956 to 1969 with the first two seasons being in Brooklyn and the last 12 being in Los Angeles after the team relocated.

He was a dominant pitcher that racked up strikeouts while being a nine-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion and record setter for pitching 58¨ø consecutive scoreless innings. Drysdale died at the age of 56 in 1993.

Answer: Chicago

Chris Chelios was born in Chicago in 1962 and he tied a record set by Gordie Howe, playing in the NHL for 26 seasons. Chelios was a defenseman who made the playoffs nearly every season during his career. He played for his hometown team, the Chicago Blackhawks from 1990 to 1999 during which he was the team captain and he won two Norris Trophy Awards as the league's top defenseman. Chelios never won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks but he did win the title in 1986 with Montreal and in 2002 and 2008 with Detroit.

Answer: Cleveland

Lebron James was born in Akron, OH in 1984. Akron is located about 40 miles south of Cleveland where he took the NBA by storm as a forward on the Cavaliers franchise starting in 2003, when he was the 1st overall pick in the draft. James played his first seven seasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the next four with the Miami Heat and then he returned back to Cleveland for four more seasons.

In 2018 James joined the Los Angeles Lakers making it the third franchise for which he won an NBA title. Over the first 20 seasons of his career, Lebron James made 19 All-Star games, won four NBA titles and he became the league's all-time leading scorer during the 2022-23 season.

Answer: New York City

Saquon Barkley was born in the Bronx borough of New York City in 1997. Barkley played his college football at Penn State and he was the second overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2018 NFL Draft. Over his first five NFL seasons as a running back, Barkley excelled as both a ball carrier and receiver including a rookie season in which he had more than 2,000 total yards.

Answer: Cleveland

Cy Young was born in Gilmore, OH in 1867. Gilmore is an unincorporated community located a few hours south of Cleveland. Cy Young set numerous records for pitchers in Major League Baseball during his career. Young started his career with the Cleveland Spiders in 1890 and he would also play for the Boston Americans and Cleveland Naps franchises.

Some of Cy Young's most impressive records that he set over his 22 season career included 511 career wins, 749 complete games and 25 & 1/3 consecutive hitless innings. Cy Young died in 1955 at the age of 88.