In Front of the Line Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1961

The Angels were the first expansion team in Major League history. Their first game was played on April 11, 1961, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. The Angels won the game 7-2, with pitcher Eli Grba taking the franchise's first-ever win.

Answer: Tony Lazzeri

The second baseman Lazzeri was in his 11th of 14 Major League seasons in 1936. He hit 14 home runs in the season, including two historical grand slams on May 24th. His Yankees blew out the Philadelphia Athletics 25-2 on that day. Both Campanella and Munson hadn't begun their careers yet, and Ruth had already retired.

Answer: 1920

Rube Foster launched the first National League in 1920 consisting of eight teams. They were the Chicago American Giants, Chicago Giants, Dayton Marcos, Detroit Stars, Indianapolis ABCs, Kansas City Monarchs, St. Louis Giants, and the Cuban Stars. The first pennant was won by the Chicago American Giants. Foster was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Answer: Rickey Henderson

Rickey made many moves in his baseball career, but on June 12, 1997, he smacked a San Diego Padre DH home run against the home team Angels in an interleague game. The Angels won it 8-4. Tony Oliva of the Twins hit the very first American League home run as a DH in 1973.

Answer: Andy Leonard

The first professional and organized league was the National Association which began in 1871. The 1871 Washington Olympics rostered second baseman Andy Leonard who was born in Scotland in 1846. Leonard spent nine seasons in baseball, and won the NA pennant each season from 1872-1875 with the Boston Red Stockings. Al Nichols, born in Worcester England, was the second international player on a team.

He began his career in 1875 in the National Association with the Brooklyn Atlantics.

Answer: Harry Truman

On April 15, 1946, Truman became the first left-handed President to throw out the first pitch also. He attended his first night game on August 17, 1948, when the Yankees were hosted by the Washington Senators. The Yankees won big, 8-1. It was just one day after the great Babe Ruth died.

Answer: Benito Santiago

It was seven days after the season began when Santiago christened the franchise in the sixth inning on April 12 against the Giants. It would not be good enough as the Giants won the game 4-3. The Marlins finished the season at 64-98, 33 games back of the NL East pennant-winning Phillies.

Answer: Chicago Cubs

The Cubs and Mets went at it on Opening Day on March 29 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. The Cubs won the game 5-3 in front of 55,000 fans.

Answer: Randy Johnson

From 1999-2002, the Arizona Diamondback had strikeout seasons of 364, 347, 372, and 334. Randy won the National League Cy Young Award in each of those seasons also. Nolan Ryan had six 300-strikeout seasons, with three of those being consecutive.

Answer: Sammy Sosa

Sosa's three big seasons were in 1998, 1999, and 2001. He hit 66, 63, and 64 in those seasons. Sammy was a Chicago Cub in those seasons. In 1998, McGwire hit 70 big ones, but Sosa still won the NL MVP Award. McGwire had two seasons of hitting 60+, while Bonds and Ruth had only one.