Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In the first of four World Series appearances in the 1990s for the Cincinnati Reds, they skunked the Oakland Athletics four games to none in 1990. Jose Rijo won the series MVP for pitching two wins.
2. One of the most loved men in baseball, Willie Mays played for three franchises during his 22 seasons. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1951, and amazingly won two MVPs eleven seasons apart. He retired as a Met in 1973 with 660 home runs.
3. Nobody will ever know what might have happened if Joe Jackson was not involved in the Black Sox scandal, which saw his Red Sox team try and rig the 1919 World Series against the Reds. He was banned from baseball with a career .356 batting average, which was only third to Ty Cobb and Rogers Hornsby. Jackson had played in his 13th season when he was banned for life.
4. February 1972 saw one of the most lopsided trades in history. The trade saw Steve Carlton, after going 20-9, be traded to the Cardinals for pitcher Rick Wise. In 1973, Carlton went 27-10, then scared his team by going 13-20 in 1974. He would rebound and throw four more 20-game winning seasons. Wise never won 20 games in a season in his career.
5. There have been many memorable moments throughout baseball history. Bob Feller's perfect game in a World Series, Bill Mazeroski's series-ending home run in 1960, Kirk Gibson's infamous Dodger home run when he almost needed crutches to get around the bases, etc. One memory that might stand out in the mind of some fans, was when Reggie Jackson hit five World Series home runs in the 1977 series, and three of those in one game.
6. Ted Williams made his discontent for sportwriters well known. Because of this, the baseball great won only two MVPs in his career. What is amazing about Williams is that he won the triple crown twice, and didn't win the MVP in those seasons. The eight-time all-star retired as a career Boston Red Sox player in 1960.
7. Baseball has seen some pretty strange nicknames throughout its history. With names like Mudcat, Blue Moon, Pud, Biscuit Pants, and many others. Biscuit Pants ranks among the strangest and belonged to Yankee second baseman Tony Lazzeri. Pud was the nickname of 1800s pitcher, James Galvin. Another James, James Grant was nicknamed Mudcat.
8. In the 19th century of baseball, only three pitchers won 50 games in a season, with Charley Radbourn winning 59 in 1884. In the 20th century, only two pitchers won 40 games in a season, the first being Ed Walsh in 1908. Also in the 20th century, only nine pitchers won between 30 and 39, the highest being Christy Mathewson in 1908 by winning 37.
9. Three names seem to pop out when thinking about stolen bases. Ty Cobb held the record with 96 for almost 50 seasons before the display of Maury Wills in 1962. Vince Coleman broke Wills' season record, then Ricky Henderson literally tore up the base paths with his 130 in 1982.
10. Winning the World Series is the goal of every team in every season. Some teams such as the Yankees have been very successful and have won more than 25, while it took the Pittsburgh Pirates 97 years of their franchise to win their first World Series crown. The Red Sox ruled the 1910s by winning three World Series, then the Yankees three in the 1920s, five in the 1930s, four more in the 1940s, then six in the 1950s. What a franchise!
Source: Author
Nightmare
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