M&M's and M's Trivia Game | MLB Players

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This Hall of Fame 'M' wore the number 44 and played most of his career with the San Francisco Giants at first base. Who was this that hit 521 career home runs, and had a water area named after him at his ballpark?

Answer: Willie McCovey

Nicknamed 'Stretch' and 'Big Mac', McCovey played in 19 of his 22 seasons with the Giants. He began his endeavors by winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 1959, then won the National League MVP in 1969. Willie led the league three times in home runs and retired with 521, tied with Frank Thomas and the great Ted Williams.

The water area beyond right field at Candlestick Park was named McCovey Cove in his honor. Willie was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

2. This 'M' began his Hall of Fame career with the Houston Colt .45s in 1963. He would later win two National League MVP awards as a second baseman with another team. Who is this player that later became a TV baseball commentator?

Answer: Joe Morgan

Many baseball fans are not aware that this Hall of Fame great spent 10 seasons with Houston before being traded to the Reds in a multi-player trade in 1971 to the Reds. Joe went on to be a part of the "Big Red Machine" of Cincinnati, and win the 1975 and 1976 World Series against the Pirates and Yankees. Morgan also won the National League MVP in those two seasons.

After retiring in 1984, Joe was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.

3. This 'M' became a household name when as a Pittsburgh Pirate, he hit a walk-off home run in the 1960 World Series to defeat the New York Yankees in game seven. Who is this?

Answer: Bill Mazeroski

Maz played his entire career as a Pittsburgh Pirate from 1956-1972. The second baseman never led the league in any major category, but it was one swing of the bat in game seven of the 1960 World Series off Yankee pitcher Ralph Terry that gave Mazeroski recognition. With controversy, Bill Mazeroski was voted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 2001.

4. Which high-kicking pitcher who wore the number 27, was a six time 20-game winner for the San Francisco Giants in the 1960s and early 1970s?

Answer: Juan Marichal

Marichal pitched from 1960-1975, and 14 of those seasons were with the Giants. His best season performance was in 1963 when he went 25-8, but Dodger Sandy Koufax overshadowed Juan's performance. Ironically, even though each team hated each other tremendously, Marichal retired with a career record of 243-142 as a Dodger in 1975.

5. This player was a fixture at first base for the Yankees for 14 seasons. He won the American League MVP in 1985, then after retiring in 1995 became a batting coach. Who is this 'M'?

Answer: Don Mattingly

Mattingly was also the runner-up AL MVP in 1986, taking a backseat to Roger Clemens of the Red Sox. Amazingly, despite all his 14 seasons with the Yankees, Don went to only one playoff series in 1995 against the Seattle Mariners, resulting in a loss in the ALDS.

6. This managing 'M' won over 2000 games for his teams. He managed the Cubs, Yankees, and Red Sox over his 24-season managerial career. Who was this Hall of Fame inductee?

Answer: Joe McCarthy

The others never managed the Yankees, Cubs, or Red Sox. Joe managed from 1926-1950. He took the Cubs to one NL pennant in 1929, and the Yankees to eight American League crowns while winning seven World Series. After New York, he was accused as being a traitor by managing the Red Sox from 1948-1950, then retired. One of few managers to win 2000 games, McCarthy retired with a 2125-1333 record.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1957.

7. This pitching 'M' was part of the 1971 Baltimore Oriole historical team which had four starting pitchers win 20 or more games in the season. He led the team with 21 wins. Who is this pitcher?

Answer: Dave McNally

McNally led the 1971 Orioles by going 21-5, and watched teammate Pat Dobson go 20-8, then Mike Cuellar and Jim Palmer both go 20-9. Even with McNally's fantastic season, he would finish only fourth in the Cy Young voting, losing to Vida Blue, Mickey Lolich, and Wilbur Wood, even though they all had lesser win-loss percentages.

8. Which 'M' outfielder was unofficially ejected from game seven by the umpires, for his own safety in the 1934 World Series?

Answer: Joe Medwick

The 1934 World Series pitted the Cardinals against the Tigers. With the Cardinals leading 9-0 in game seven in the sixth inning, the fans started taking their frustrations out on Medwick, the left fielder, due to a controversial play in the previous inning. Joe was being pelted with many objects, then the umpires escorted him off the field under security.

The Cardinals ended up winning the game 11-0, and the series four games to three.

9. An American League home run crown battle was going on between two teammates in 1961. Who were these 'M' players?

Answer: Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris

Mantle and Maris really were in competition with each other with the Yankees. Maris would win the AL home run chase, breaking Babe Ruth's 1927 record of 60 home runs. Mantle had a painful season due to compounding knee injuries and ended up hitting 54, while Maris hit 61. Roger would win the AL MVP in the 1961 season with Mickey finishing second. Mantle would come back and win the MVP in 1962.

10. This pitching 'M' won four consecutive National League Cy Young awards amongst two different teams. Who was this Chicago Cub and Atlanta Brave?

Answer: Greg Maddux

Maddux began his career with the Cubs in 1986. He was third in the Cy Young voting in 1989, losing to Mark Davis of the Padres and Mike Scott of the Astros. In 1992, Greg won the NL Cy Young with the Cubs, then from 1993-1995 won it with the Braves.

After 23 seasons from the mound, Maddux retired as a Los Angeles Dodger in 2008 with a career record of 355-227, and most likely the last 350-game winner in Major League Baseball.

Source: Author Nightmare

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M&M's and M's Trivia Quiz

How about some memorable M's in the world of Major League Baseball. I hope that you have fun with it. :)

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