May in Baseball History Quiz | MLB Historical

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. May 1, 1920: This marked Babe Ruth's first home run as a Yankee off Boston pitcher Herb Pennock. This day also saw the Brooklyn Superbas (later Dodgers) and Boston Braves square off in an extra inning game which set a Major League record before the game was suspended. How many innings did the game go?

Answer: 26

The Superbas' Leon Cadore and Boston's Joe Oeschger ridiculously both went the distance from the mound. Oeschger's last 21 innings of the game were a shutout, setting another baseball record. The game was called in a 1-1 tie. Ironically, Brooklyn went 13 innings in a loss to the Phillies in their next game, then followed that up with a 19-inning loss to Boston in their next.

2. May 13, 1967: Which Yankee great hit his 500th home run on this date?

Answer: Mickey Mantle

The others were Yankees, but they never hit 40 career home runs. Mick was in his 17th season in the pinstripes when number 500 cleared the wall. He hit 22 in the season. Mantle hung up his cleats in 1968 with 536 home runs. After three MVPs and a Triple Crown, 'The Commerce Comet' was inducted into the hall in 1974. He died in 1995.

3. May 18th was a historical date in baseball history as two future Hall of Famers were born. One was nicknamed 'Vacuum Cleaner' and the other 'Mr. October'. Who were these greats?

Answer: Brooks Robinson and Reggie Jackson

Robinson, the 23-season Baltimore Oriole was born in 1937. A 1964 AL MVP, Brooks helped the Orioles to four World Series. Jackson, born in 1946, played with four franchises over 21 seasons. His 'October' nickname was due to his 'stepping up' during the playoffs and hitting 18 postseason home runs. Jackson was inducted into the hall in 1993 and Robinson 10 years earlier.

4. May 18, 1912: Controversy was seen on this day after the baseball commissioner suspended this Triple Crown winner for 10 games and a fine. His teammates rallied behind him and refused to play. The team was forced to hire unknowns off the street, and even hired a priest to pitch. The Detroit Tigers was the team. Who was the player?

Answer: Ty Cobb

The others did not win a Triple Crown or ever play for the Tigers. Cobb attacked a heckler in the stands named Claude Luecker, and beat him severely. Unfortunately, Luecker already had only one hand as he lost the other in an accident previously. Ban Johnson, the baseball commissioner, was at the game and suspended Cobb on the spot. Cobb was reinstated after the Tigers lost with their substitute players, 24-2 against the Athletics.

5. May 12, 1970: This career Chicago Cub player became a member of the 500 home run club. Who was he?

Answer: Ernie Banks

Although all 500 club members, the others never played for the Cubs. Banks, nicknamed 'Mr. Cub', played his entire 19-season career with the C on his jersey. He retired in 1971 with 512 to his credit, after winning the NL MVP in 1958 and 1959. All players listed are Hall of Fame inductees.

6. May 25, 1935: This date saw Babe Ruth going out of baseall in style. He hit three home runs on this day. Number three, and the last of his great career came off which Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher?

Answer: Guy Bush

Bush gave up 16 home runs in the season, but none more historical than the Bambino's last one. Ruth hit six home runs in his final season with the Boston Braves in 1935. He was inducted into the hall the following year, in the Hall of Fame's first year of ceremonies. Ruth died in August 1948.

7. On this historical May 2nd, Lou Gehrig benched himself after playing in 2130 consecutive games. Which year was this?

Answer: 1939

After over a decade, this tremendous streak came to a stop. Due to his illness which he died of in 1941, the Iron Horse could only play in eight games in the 1939 season. He was inducted in the same year that he played his final game, 1939. Lou was a two-time AL MVP and won the Triple Crown in 1934. Eddie Collins and Davey Lopes were also born on May 2nd, but different years.

8. May 2, 1909: this Pirate great stole second, third, and home in one inning, the first time in baseball this had been done. On May 3rd he did it again and also went 5-for-6. Who was the Pirate?

Answer: Honus Wagner

The others were never Pirates and weren't born yet. Wagner was in his 13th season in 1909. He came from the defunct Louisville Colonels in 1899. Wagner stole 35 bases in the season, and was a far cry from the base stealing crown thief, Ty Cobb. Honus was one of the first five inductees into the Hall of Fame in 1936.

9. May 1917 saw this strange record occur. In this regular season, the St. Louis Browns threw consecutive no-hitters against which team?

Answer: Chicago White Sox

The Browns were an American League team, and all the others listed were in the National League. On May 5, Ernie Koob of the Browns threw the no-no against the White Sox. The following day, Bob Groom did an impersonation of Koob and duplicated this feat.

10. May 8, 1968: Which Oakland pitcher threw a perfect game on this day?

Answer: Catfish Hunter

The others never pitched for the Athletics. This game seemed destined to be as there were no tough fielding plays in the game against the Twins. Hunter also had three hits with four RBIs to help his own cause. Following in the footsteps of Curt Flood, Hunter blew the door wide open with arbitration and free agency hearings in 1974, then signed with the Yankees.

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.

May in Baseball History Trivia Quiz

Continuing with the fifth in a series of 12 all multiple choice quizzes about some months in baseball history. Which is your month to score the highest? I hope that you have fun with them all! :-)

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>