Promised Land: The World Series Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The first World Series began in 1903 with the Boston Americans taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Which team in that decade won the most World Series?

Answer: Chicago Cubs

Only the Cubs and Tigers existed by name in that decade. Both the Cubs and Tigers appeared in three World Series, but it was the Cubs who won it all in 1907 and 1908. The Tigers lost all three of their World Series in three consecutive appearances from 1907-1909. The very-first series in 1903, the Boston Americans defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates five games to three.

2. In a decade of World Series play from 1910-1919, Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics set a new standard by appearing in four World Series competitions. Which other team made four appearances in the promised land in the decade also, and won every one of them?

Answer: Boston Red Sox

Both the Cardinals and Browns did not make an appearance in the decade. The New York Giants also appeared in four in the decade along with the Red Sox, but lost them all to the Athletics twice, then one each to the Red Sox and White Sox. The Red Sox won their crowns in 1912, 1915, 1916, and 1918. Babe Ruth was on hand for the three latter series with Boston.

The Athletics won three World Series of their four appearances in 1910, 1911, and 1913.

3. The Boston Red Sox sold the great Babe Ruth to the Yankees after the 1919 season. In the 1920s, how many times did the Yankees appear in a World Series?

Answer: 6

The Yankees won three of their World Series in the decade. After showing up for the 1921 and 1922 series but losing to the New York Giants, the Yankees came together and won the franchise's first World Series in 1923. The Babe hit three home runs in that series.

They lost the series in 1926 to the Cardinals, then won it all in 1927 with the team known as "Murders Row", and again in 1928. Ruth hit 11 home runs in his six World Series appearances in the 1920s.

4. There were three skunkings in the World Series in the 1930s (four games to none), and all provided by the same team. Which team was this and also won five World Series in the decade?

Answer: New York Yankees

The Yankees appeared in five series in the 1930s and won them all. They skunked the Cubs in 1932 and 1938, and also blanked the Reds in 1939. They also beat the Giants four games to two in 1936, and four games to one in 1937.

5. In the 1940s, the Yankees ruled the American League by going to five World Series in the decade while winning four of them. Which team ruled the National League in the decade by appearing in four World Series while winning three?

Answer: St. Louis Cardinals

None of the others showed up for a World Series in the 1940s. The Cardinals were not discriminate in the decade. They defeated the Yankees in 1942, the Browns in 1944, and the Red Sox in 1946. Their only loss in the decade was in 1943 to the Yankees.

6. In the 1950s, the New York Yankees set an unreachable record by appearing in eight World Series in the decade while winning seven. Which Yankee hit the most home runs in World Series play for them in that decade?

Answer: Mickey Mantle

DiMaggio retired after the 1951 season, and while appearing in two World Series in 1950 and 1951, he hit two home runs. Yogi Berra hit an amazing seven in the decade, but it was Mantle who hit a whopping 11. Hank Bauer was no slouch either, hitting seven World Series home runs in the 1950s.

The Brooklyn Dodgers also won their franchise's first World Series in 1955, and the Braves' franchise won their second World Series in 1957 as the Milwaukee Braves.

7. The World Series in the 1960s started off with a bang. That bang was Bill Mazeroski's Pirate bat in the bottom of the ninth inning of game seven to win it all against the Yankees. The biggest upset of the decade was in 1963, when the Yankees who appeared in their fourth consecutive series of the decade, were skunked four games to none by which team?

Answer: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Yankees appeared in five consecutive World Series in the decade, but were never embarrassed more than the series in 1963. They were heavily favored going in, and lost in four games to the Dodgers. Between starting pitchers Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Johnny Podres, the team relied on the relief of Ron Perranoski for only 2/3 inning in one game for the entire series.

The Dodger arms had full control of the series. They held the Yankees to just four runs total in four games. Koufax was the series MVP with his two wins and 23 Yankee strikeouts.

8. In the 1970s, the Oakland Athletics were most remembered by going to three consecutive World Series and winning them all. Which team out-did them and went to four World Series in the decade?

Answer: Cincinnati Reds

The Athletics, Orioles, and Yankees all appeared three times in the decade, but the Athletics stole the show by winning three consecutive from 1972-1974. The Reds appeared in four series. They lost to the Orioles in 1970, the Athletics in 1972, then won it all in 1975 and 1976 against the Red Sox and Yankees. They were known as the 'Big Red Machine'.

9. Which team in the 1980s made two second World Series appearances in the decade, and finally won their first-ever World Series crown in their second attempt?

Answer: Kansas City Royals

The 1980s seemed to be a balance in Major League Baseball. Teams that were not normally in the running for the promised land had their chances. The first appearance by the Royals was in 1980 in a loss to the Phillies; their second was in 1985 when they beat the Cardinals.

The Mets, although winning the World Series in 1986, they had already won it in 1969. The Angels did not make their first World Series appearance until 2002. The Phillies made their third World Series appearance in 1980, when they won their first crown behind Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton against the Royals. The Phillies also appeared in the promised land in 1983, but lost to the Orioles.

10. In which season in the 1990s was there no World Series?

Answer: 1994

In both the 1998 and 1999 World Series, the Yankees skunked both the Padres and Braves. Due to the biggest strike in baseball, the 1994 season was called off after 115 of the 162 games. It took many years for some fans to rebound from this lack of consideration to them over salary and arbitration contract negotiations.

Some have never recovered. The Yankees and Expos were well ahead of all the other teams in their leagues when the season was halted.

Source: Author Nightmare

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All multiple choice about the World Series competition for Major League Baseball. One question for each decade. I hope that you enjoy it. :-)

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