Major League Team Anagrams II Quiz | Sports Word Play

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This 2006 World Series American League team had the DRIEST TOE GRIT, and even their team's leading pitcher, Kenny Rogers, couldn't help them. Who was this team that lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the series?

Answer: Detroit Tigers

Rogers threw a great 17-8 record in the season, having him finish 5th in the AL Cy Young voting. The Tigers lost to the Cardinals, four games to one, and were outscored 22 runs to 11. Cardinal David Eckstein was the series MVP.

2. It certainly wasn't a CLAN DELVE because this team was the first American League team to have an African-American player on their roster in 1947. Which team city was this?

Answer: Cleveland

The Indians rostered Larry Doby, an African-American outfielder in 1947 as the second black player in history to be on a Major League roster. The Dodgers' Jackie Robinson was the first. Larry played for 13 seasons in the Majors, led the AL in home runs twice and RBIs once. He retired in 1959, then was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

3. This early 1960s expansion team was like a dead "stem" on a tree for their first seven seasons. The fans were screaming MY TOWN REEKS because of the team's dismal beginning. In five of those first seven seasons, they lost over 100 games in a season. Who was this team that exploded in their eighth season and became World Series champions?

Answer: New York Mets

The Mets began their franchise in 1962 along with the Houston Colt .45s in the National League. The Mets couldn't put anything together, losing 100+ games in their first four seasons under manager Casey Stengel. Imagine Casey, taking the Yankees to 10 World Series in 12 seasons, then taking over the dismal Mets.

Their eighth season was in 1969, and they earned their nickname "The Amazin' Mets" and most deservingly. They defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series.

4. More than one Washington Senator team moved away from Washington, but this team was the first mover to win a World Series. You can call it an OMEN SAINT or an OMEN STAIN, but they won it all in 1987 under manager Tom Kelly. Which state celebrated their first World Series title ever in 1987?

Answer: Minnesota

This franchise was the original franchise of the Washington Senators, who joined the American League and the Major Leagues in 1901. After only three World Series appearances in the Senators' history, and while winning only one in 1924, compliments of pitching great Walter Johnson, the franchise finally moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season. 1965 saw the Twins' first World Series, but lost to the Dodgers four games to three.

In 1987, they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals for their first promised land crown.

5. One of the greatest TICKETING SHOWS in early baseball, this team won the first National League pennant in the league's first season in 1876, under manager Al Spalding. From 1880-1886, it won five more league titles under Cap Anson. Who was this team?

Answer: White Stockings

The White Stockings began with the National League in 1876 along with seven other teams. The White Stockings (later Cubs) won the first pennant by going 52-14, six games ahead of runner-up Hartford Dark Blues.

6. It was a LABOR ITEM, but the St. Louis Browns could no longer play in St. Louis after far too many poor seasons. Which city did the team move to?

Answer: Baltimore

The Browns packed their bags in early 1954 for Baltimore to become the Orioles. The franchise began as the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League in 1901, then moved to St. Louis after only one season. In over 50 seasons, the Browns saw only one World Series, and they lost that one in 1944 to the Cardinals. 1966 saw Baltimore's first World Series, and by 1971, they would experience their fourth.

7. This team name might have HIT CLEATS when they peaked into the new National League in 1876, then folded after the season. By team name only, and not affiliated with any other later team, this team name joined the American League in 1901, then stayed around for the rest of the century although moving a few times. The name was also found in Kansas City and Oakland in the 20th century. Which team was this?

Answer: Athletics

Not affiliated with the 2007 Athletics' franchise, a Philadelphia Athletics team joined the National League in the league's first season in 1876, but finished the season with a 14-45 record. That was it for them. A new Athletics franchise began in 1901 in the American League as the Philadelphia Athletics under manager Connie Mack. Mack would go on to manage this team for 50 seasons.

After the 1954 season, the franchise moved to be the Kansas City Athletics, only to move again in early 1968 to become the Oakland Athletics.

8. This franchise began in the American Association in 1882 and spent five seasons there. This city found their team join the National League in 1887 with TIGHT BURPS. The franchise was known as the Alleghenys until the 1890 season. They changed their team name to a name that would stand for over 100 seasons. Which city was this who was in the first World Series ever in 1903?

Answer: Pittsburgh

The closest the Pittsburgh Alleghenys came to a league title was in their final American Association season in 1886 with their 80-57 record, but still finished second to the St. Louis Browns, 12 games back. With the defunct Louisville Colonels after the 1899 NL season, the Pirates absorbed quite a few of the Colonels' star players, including Dummy Hoy, Fred Clarke, Honus Wagner, and pitchers Deacon Phillippe and Rube Waddell.

The result was a second place finish in the National League for the city of Pittsburgh in 1900, then three consecutive National League titles from 1901-1903.

The first World Series ever held in 1903, blessed the Pittsburgh fans, but the Pirates lost to the AL Boston team, five games to three.

9. This franchise began in 1969, and they thought that they had the APOSTLES TITLE, but finished a dismal last place with a 64-98 record in the American League West. That was it for them as they moved to become the new Milwaukee Brewers the following season. Which team was this?

Answer: Seattle Pilots

The Pilots began under the managerial inexperience of Joe Schultz, who after playing in only nine seasons ending in 1948, took the helm of the new ballclub in his first managing role. The new 1970 Milwaukee Brewers were under the helm of Dave Bristol, who had already managed the Cincinnati Reds for four seasons.

The franchise's first World Series didn't happen until 1982, but still proud although they lost to the Cardinals, four games to three.

10. This team joined the new American League in 1901, then pulled an EXIT SHOW each season until their sixth, when they won the World Series in 1906. Who was this team led by manager-outfielder Fielder Jones, also with the arms of Nick Altrock and Frank Owen, and later created a very black mark in baseball?

Answer: White Sox

Altrock and Owen were both 20 game winners in 1906, along with Ed Walsh winning 17 and Doc White winning 18. Ironically, the White Sox had no starters bat even .280 in the season, but showed their balanced roster by going all the way to defeat the Chicago Cubs, four games to two in the World Series. Ed Walsh won two games in the series for the White Sox.

The 'black mark' in baseball came when some White Sox players rigged the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. This was infamously called the "Black Sox Scandal".

Source: Author Nightmare

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Major League Team Anagrams II Trivia Quiz

A second anagram on some of the great teams of baseball. I hope that you have fun! :-)

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