Sports Injuries Trivia

1. Which Major League Baseball Hall of Famer was affected by the disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

From Quiz Science Makes Everything Sound Painful

Answer: Lou Gehrig

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that affects the nervous system. It destroys nerve cells which, over time, will cause the infected person to lose motor control. Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) of the New York Yankees began showing signs of the disease during the 1938 season as it began to affect his on field performance. In 1939, the ALS diagnosis was confirmed which prompted Gehrig to announce his retirement in his famous speech at Yankee Stadium where he declared himself to be the "luckiest man on the face of this earth". Lou Gehrig passed away less than two years later. As a result amyotrophic lateral sclerosis would adopt the nickname, Lou Gehrig's disease.

From Quiz Don't Hurt Yourself

Answer: Bagpipes

Healy, a perennial backup, sliced open his hand while cleaning his bagpipes in the offseason before the 2000-01 season. He started his career with a single game in the 1985-86 season with the L.A. Kings, then came up to the NHL for real in the 1987-88 season. He never played more than 53 games in a season, and served mostly as a reserve goalie for his career. He played for the Kings, Rangers, Islanders and Maple Leafs over his career.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [2]

Answer: Cutting plastic wrap off a DVD

The DVD was a gift. Eaton attempted to cut the plastic wrapper off with a kitchen knife in May 2001. The knife slipped. Eaton required stitches at the hospital emergency room to close the cut.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [1]

Answer: Lawrence Taylor

LT shattered Joe's leg November 18, 1985, in a game the Redskins won 23-21.

From Quiz Science Makes Everything Sound Painful

Answer: Dennis Byrd

In 1992, New York Jets defensive end Dennis Byrd (1966-2016) was severely injured during a game between the Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs. Dennis Byrd was attempting to sack the Chiefs' quarterback Dave Krieg. Krieg dodged the tackle, but Byrd had dove head first and ended up colliding with fellow teammate Scott Mersereau. Byrd had tucked his head in and the collision caused him to fracture his fifth cervical vertebrae (located at the base of the neck), which left him temporarily paralyzed. He was forced to retire from the NFL and his number 90 would be retired by the Jets. His story was retold through an autobiography, as well as a television documentary. Fate seemed to be out to get Dennis Byrd as he was tragically killed in a car accident in 2016.

From Quiz Don't Hurt Yourself

Answer: His protective cup

Griffey Jr., missed games due to a wrestling injury with his son, injured his back moving boxes, and for several strange incidents on the field. One of the strangest was while running to second base his protective cup broke, and injured his groin region. He missed the remainder of that game, and the next while recovering.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [2]

Answer: Turning his head to check traffic while crossing a road.

All the other choices happened to other big leaguers. Roberto Clemente fell from a hammock which began a string of back problems. Moises Alou tore knee ligaments falling from a treadmill. And Ryan Klesko missed some games pulling a muscle while lifting his lunch tray.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [1]

Answer: Washing the dishes.

Although the self proclaimed "Chocolate Thunder" was the first NBA player to shatter a glass backboard, it was a shattered glass he didn't see under the suds in his sink, that caused him to miss several games for the 76ers.

From Quiz Science Makes Everything Sound Painful

Answer: Dale Earnhardt & Earnhardt

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt (1951-2001) was killed during a crash that occurred during the final lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001. Ken Schrader who drove the number 36 M&M's car made contact with Earnhardt's vehicle which caused it to slam head on into a concrete barrier. Earnhardt was killed instantly after sustaining a basilar skull fracture. Dale Earnhardt was a seven-time NASCAR champion with only one win at the Daytona 500 (1998). In a tribute to Dale Earnhardt, spectators will raise three fingers (an homage to his number 3 black Chevrolet) during the third lap of the Daytona 500.

From Quiz Don't Hurt Yourself

Answer: He stabbed himself in the stomach.

Eaton was struggling with the thin plastic wrapper on the DVD when he decided to cut it open. The knife slipped and he stabbed himself in the stomach, causing him to miss one game. The injury happened during spring training in 2001.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [2]

Answer: The only car involved was the pace car

A pylon, used as a sign to slow down, had been misplaced. The Dodge Challenger pace car, driven by Elden Palmer, slowed too late, striking a policeman, and a temporary stand filled with journalists. Astronaut John Glenn and sportscaster Chris Schenkel were (uninjured) passengers in the car.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [1]

Answer: Tying his shoe laces too tight.

Tettleton fell victim to several unusual injuries with Oakland, missing almost half of 1985 with a pinched nerve in his back, and part of 1986 with the infected foot (and bruised heel). The Athletics were tired of his inability to stay healthy and released him on March 27, 1988. He went on to play with Baltimore, Detroit, and Texas.

From Quiz Science Makes Everything Sound Painful

Answer: Florida Panthers

NHL player Richard Zednik was severely injured in 2008 during a game between the Florida Panthers and the Buffalo Sabres. Zednik's teammate Olli Jokinen got tripped up while skating past Zednik. As he fell, Jokinen's ice skate struck Zednik in the neck, which ruptured his common carotid artery (one of the main arteries that supplies blood to the head). Blood kept spurting out from the life-threatening wound before paramedics and team physicians could contain the wound. Zednik was rushed into emergency surgery to repair the artery. Zednik survived but the injury forced him to sit out the remainder of the season.

From Quiz Don't Hurt Yourself

Answer: Lionel Simmons

Simmons developed tendinitis in his hands during the peak of his playing days with the Kings. He allegedly played his Gameboy so much that the act of holding it caused the tendons in his hands to tighten up and he couldn't perform on the court. Simmons played his entire 7-year career with the Kings. The Gameboy injury happened during his rookie season in 1991.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [2]

Answer: Vinko Bogataj

Bogataj was the Yugoslavian ski jumper whose disastrous run was for years, shown every week on ABC's Wide World of Sports, as epitome of "the agony of defeat." Bogataj rolled, tumbled, and bounced down the ramp during the International Ski Flying Championship in Oberstdorf, West Germany March 21, 1970. His injuries were minor.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [1]

Answer: Kevin Mitchell

The Giants outfielder got sick from the cup cake, then proceeded to strain his stomach muscles while vomiting. It could've been worse. Tom Glavine, then with the Braves, BROKE A RIB while vomiting on airplane food in 1992.

From Quiz Science Makes Everything Sound Painful

Answer: Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar is a multi-time UFC and WWE heavyweight champion. While Lesnar has made a career as a nearly unstoppable fighter, one of The Beast's most unusual fights was with an ailment known as diverticulitis. Colonic diverticulitis is a disease that affects the large intestines. It causes a rupture in the organ which allows fecal matter to enter the abdomen, which can cause additional ailments by allowing bacteria to seep out into the body. Lesnar has had numerous surgeries to repair the damage caused by diverticulitis. The disease led him to retire from UFC and focus more on a part-time career with the WWE.

From Quiz Don't Hurt Yourself

Answer: Thumb laceration

After winning his sixth championship, Jordan injured himself when he cut his thumb while using a cigar cutter. Years later Jordan admitted that the injury stopped him from being able to palm a basketball, and changed his golf game. It was widely speculated the the combination of the lock-out shortened season, and the injury pushed him into his second NBA retirement in 1999. He would return once again to play two more seasons with the Washington Wizards. Jordan first retired in 1993, missed all of the 93-94 and most of the 94-95 seasons before coming back to the Bulls for three seasons. During that time he played minor league baseball. He also played 2001-03 with the Wizards.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [2]

Answer: Pushed a Q-Tip in too far

Henry was minding his own business, cleaning his ears in the locker room, when Seattle teammate Ken Griffey Jr. accidently bumbed into him, forcing the Q-Tip deeper than the manufacturer would suggest.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [1]

Answer: Arthritis

"The (golf) pro kept telling me since I hit right-handed I had to keep my left arm straight. I told him, 'If I could do that, I'd still be pitching". - Sandy Koufax (1970)

From Quiz Science Makes Everything Sound Painful

Answer: Paul George

In the Summer of 2014, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers was selected to try out for the United States national team that would challenge for the Basketball World Cup. During a televised exhibition game in Las Vegas against other national team candidates, Paul George landed awkwardly on his leg and suffered a compound fracture of his tibia bone (a large thick bone that connects the knee to the ankle) and his fibula bone (a thinner bone at the back of the lower leg). It was an uneasy scene for spectators who saw Paul George's leg bend in a way that it wasn't supposed to. He was able to recover from the injury and returned to the NBA in Spring 2015.

From Quiz Don't Hurt Yourself

Answer: Watching TV

Seaman, a professional soccer player, was reaching for the television remote when he injured a bone in his hand. Seaman was a goalie who played professionally until he was 40 years old. While he missed a lot of time due to various injuries, none were as random as when he broke his hand watching TV. Combining his time with the national team and his various professional teams, Seaman made over 800 appearances in goal during his career. In addition to the national team he played for Leeds United, Peterborough United, Birmingham City, Queens Park Rangers, Arsenal 405, and Manchester City over his career.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [2]

Answer: Andres Escobar

The Columbian soccer player was shot and killed in Medellin. It was just 10 days after accidentally putting the ball past his own goal keeper, in the 1994 World Cup competition in the USA.

From Quiz Science Makes Everything Sound Painful

Answer: human immunodeficiency virus

During the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, American diver Greg Louganis sustained a concussion after his head struck the diving board. Before the Olympics, Greg Louganis had been diagnosed as having the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, due to personal reasons Louganis did not disclose this information to the public. This sparked some controversy after Greg Louganis finally revealed that he had HIV/AIDS during an interview in 1995. When Louganis injured his head, blood was released into the pool, which caused a health concern to those who helped treat Louganis' injury, as well as other divers who used the same pool after the incident.

From Quiz Don't Hurt Yourself

Answer: Matt Bonner

Bonner, who was playing with the San Antonio Spurs in 2015, missed a few games, and a lot of shots with "Tennis Elbow". While that was the official diagnosis, it is a laymen term for a muscle strain. Bonner told the media that he thought the injury was due to the size increase in the new iPhone that was released. He said the phone was bigger and he had to reach farther than he was used to while texting and playing games.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [2]

Answer: Getting a tattoo

Juden bounced around from Houston to the Phillies, Giants, Expos, Indians, Brewers, Angels, and Yankees. While with Philly, later in that same 1994 season, he became the first Phillies pitcher since Steve Carlton to hit a grand slam.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [1]

Answer: Physically unable to perform

The designation allows a player to continue to rehabilitate during the season without going on the injured reserve list. If they can pass a physical, they can return to the regular roster. A player on the injured reserve list must pass through waivers if they are to return the same season.

From Quiz Science Makes Everything Sound Painful

Answer: Venus Williams

Sjögren syndrome is a disease that affects the immune system. It affects the body's ability to produce lubricating substances such as tears and saliva. It can also cause fatigue, as well as muscular and joint pain. In 2011, American tennis star Venus Williams was diagnosed with Sjögren syndrome which significantly affected her performance during that that year. After taking a few months off, Venus was able to get the disease under control and was back to her usual self in 2012.

From Quiz Don't Hurt Yourself

Answer: Jason Pierre-Paul

Jason Pierre-Paul, a defensive end, had his index finger and part of his thumb removed after a firework he was holding blew up in his hand. He returned after missing 8 games to have a productive second half of the season for the New York Giants that year.

From Quiz Sports Injuries [1]

Answer: It was in August.

Now... I know you're usually supposed to put ice on an injury, but in this case?

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:48 AM

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