Leading the Way Quiz | Baseball

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which pitcher led the Major Leagues by winning 31 games in 1968, the first pitcher in over 30 years to hit the 30 mark?

Answer: Denny McLain

McLain of the Detroit Tigers went 31-6 in 1968. He was the first pitcher in 35 years to reach the 30 plateau. In 1934, Dizzy Dean of the Cardinals went 30-7 in 50 game appearances. McLain appeared in 41 games in his Cy Young and MVP season. Before Dean, the great Lefty Grove of the Philadelphia Athletics went 31-4 in 41 game appearances.

2. In 1962, Los Angeles Dodger Maury Wills led the Majors in stolen bases in the season. He was also the first player in history to steal over 100 bases. How many did he steal?

Answer: 104

In an almost unbreakable record, the Dodger shortstop Wills broke Ty Cobb's 48 season old record of 96. The 1962 postseason was full of controversy, as the Dodgers and Giants tied at the end of the season. In a three game playoff, the Giants were accused of wetting their infield down excessively at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, in an attempt to slow the speedster Wills down.

The Giants defeated the Dodgers, but lost to the Yankees in the World Series, four games to three.

3. Which player led the league in hits in 2004, and broke an 85 year-old record by safely hitting 262 times?

Answer: Ichiro Suzuki

The others listed did not play baseball in the 21st century. Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners, broke George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns' record in 1920, of 257 hits in the season. Sisler set his record in a 154 game season, while Suzuki in a 162 game season, had 161 opportunities in 2004.

Many thought that this should create another famous asterisk in the record books. The most famous asterisk in the books was Babe Ruth hitting 60 home runs in a 154 game season, versus Roger Maris of the Yankees in 1961, hitting 61 in a 162 game season.

This famous punctuation mark was erased when Mark McGwire broke Maris' record in 1998 by hitting 70.

4. I led the Major Leagues in strikeouts in 1965 with the Dodgers, by striking out 382 batters. This also set a record in the 20th century record for most strikeouts. Unfortunately, the great Nolan Ryan broke my record by striking out 383 in 1973. Who am I that took a backseat to the Ryan Express?

Answer: Sandy Koufax

Koufax blistered the Majors from 1963 until his retirement in 1966. In this four season stretch, Koufax won three Cy Young Awards, three Triple Crowns, two World Series MVP's, and one season MVP Award. Ryan broke Sandy's record in 1973 at the age of 26.

As a California Angel, Nolan struck out the last batter of the season to break the record. From 1972-1974, Ryan struck out an amazing 1,079 batters.

5. In 1966, this pitcher led the Major Leagues in wild pitches with 27. He was also the only pitcher from 1900-2000 to throw this many miscues. Ironically, he hit two grand slams in the same game this season also. Who is he?

Answer: Tony Cloninger

None of the others listed were pitchers. Cloninger of the Atlanta Braves set this unfortunate record. Tony threw 22 wild pitches the previous season also, and retired with 119 after only 12 seasons. Cloninger is most remembered for another feat accomplished in the same 1966 season. He hit two grand slams in one game on July 3rd.

6. I set a record in 2004 by winning my seventh Cy Young Award. I set another record for winning it at the age of 42. Who am I?

Answer: Roger Clemens

Getting better with age, the 'Rocket' won his seventh Cy Young in 2004, this time with the Houston Astros. Going to college at the University of Texas at Austin, Roger felt right at home after his previous season with the Yankees in 2003. Clemens' Cy Young Awards came in the following seasons: 1986, 1987, and 1991 with the Boston Red Sox. 1997 and 1998 with the Toronto Blue Jays, and also both Triple Crown seasons. 2001 brought him his sixth Cy Young with the Yankees, and then in 2004 with the Astros.

His 2004 pitching record of 18-4, took him above the National League Cy Young runner-up Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks who went 16-14. 16-14?

7. Which pitcher led the league in wins in 1904, and also set a record by winning 41 games? The record was still stand almost 100 years later, at the end of the 20th century.

Answer: Jack Chesbro

In 1884, Charley Radbourn of the Providence Grays set an untouchable record by winning 59 games. He appeared in 75 games in the season. This will never be repeated in modern day baseball. Chesbro, nicknamed 'Happy Jack' of the New York Highlanders (later Yankees), went 41-12 in the season.

It was the first and only time that Chesbro won 30 games. Unfortunately, it was only good enough for a second place finish in the American League to the Boston Pilgrims (later Red Sox).

8. I led baseball in 1971 by getting hit by a pitch 50 times in the season. My 50 bruises was one short of an all-time record at the time of 51, set 76 seasons earlier. Who am I?

Answer: Ron Hunt

Ron Hunt was a Montreal Expo at the time of his bruisings. He had just come from the San Francisco Giants the season prior, and was 'only' hit 26 times then. Hunt came close to breaking the record of 51, set by shortstop Hughie Jennings of the 1896 Baltimore Orioles. Jennings retired with 287 HBP's, while Hunt was hit 243 times in his career. Hunt led the league in being hit seven times in his career. Upon Ron's retirement he was third in career HBP's, but Don Baylor and Craig Biggio had since dropped him down the ladder.

9. In 1996 as a New York Met, I led the Major Leagues by hitting 21 triples in the season. I still fell short of the record of 36 hit by Chief Wilson in 1912. Who am I?

Answer: Lance Johnson

All the others listed had already retired by 1996 and never played for the Mets. Ironically, Chief Wilson of the Pittsburgh Pirates, hit 36 triples in 1912, but only stole 16 bases in the season. Someone who hits a number of triples is usually a speedster also, but Wilson only stole 98 bases in 9 seasons in his career.

10. In 1920, I led the Major Leagues by hitting 54 home runs in the season. It would be my first of four times in my career of hitting over 50. Who am I?

Answer: Babe Ruth

In his first season with the Yankees in 1920, the Babe smacked 54 big ones, but it was only good enough for a third place finish in the American League. The following season in 1921, Ruth hit 59 to help the Yankees all the way to the World Series, but lost to the New York Giants, five games to three, the final time that Major League baseball had a best of nine game series. Ruth then hit 60 and 54 in 1927 and 1928 respectively.

Source: Author Nightmare

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

Leading the Way Trivia Quiz

All multiple choice. If you know baseball, then this should be fairly easy about some record setters. Your quiz score is not important. What you learned from the quiz is. :-)

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>