Baseball History Using Abbreviations Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 1961, Roger Maris established a famous baseball record when he hit 61 HRs in a single season. What does the abbreviation HR represent?

Answer: Home run

Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in the 1961 season, surpassing the previous record of 60 home runs by Babe Ruth. Maris's record was broken in 1998 by Mark McGwire (70 home runs) and Sammy Sosa (66 home runs). The record was set again by Barry Bonds with 73 home runs in 2001.

2. Baseball great Cal Ripken Jr. set a record by playing in 2,632 consecutive games, a period covering 16 seasons. What position, represented by the abbreviation SS, did Ripken play the majority of his games?

Answer: Shortstop

Ripken played the majority of his games at shortstop during his career, which included an impressive 19 All Star Game appearances, 2 MVP awards, and his record-setting consecutive games streak. He also played third base at the start and end of his career. Ripken's record eclipsed the previous record of 2,130 games by baseball great Lou Gehrig. Ripken voluntarily ended the streak at the end of the 2000 season.

The record is considered to be one of the most "unbreakable" in all of sports, with many people thinking it highly unlikely the record will ever be broken.

3. Mariano Rivera is known for having the most saves of all time. He also has the distinction of having the lowest E.R.A of all pitchers whose careers are primarily after 1920. What does E.R.A represent?

Answer: Earned Run Average

E.R.A stands for Earned Run Average, representing the average number of earned runs a pitcher gives up per 9 innings pitched. Earned runs are runs the offensive team scores due their competence (for example - getting a hit or drawing a walk). A team can score an unearned run if the defense makes a mistake (typically an error) that results in the team getting a run. To go along with his sparkling 2.21 E.R.A, Rivera also has 652 career saves, an impressive post-season career, and he became the first player elected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

4. Rickey Henderson was known for being a very fast runner on the base paths. He retired as the all-time leader in runs and SBs. What baseball statistic, of which Henderson had 1,406, is represented by SB?

Answer: Stolen Bases

Henderson is credited with establishing the record of 1,406 stolen bases during his career, surpassing the previous record holder Lou Brock's 938 stolen bases. A unique hybrid of speed and power, Henderson holds career records for stolen bases, runs, homeruns hit to leadoff a game, and unintentional walks. Due to his frequent attempts to steal bases, he holds the dubious honor of most times caught attempting to steal bases as well.

5. Henry Chadwick may not be a well known name, but he is credited with establishing the modern baseball box score. Which baseball occurrence is recorded as "BB" in a box score?

Answer: Base on balls (walk)

A base on balls (commonly referred to as a walk) occurs when a pitcher issues four balls to the batter prior to the batter recording three strikes or putting the ball in play. In such an event, the batter is awarded first base, and the runners already on bases can safely advance a base if necessary to make room for the runner. Chadwick is the only sportswriter (as of 2020) to be inducted as an official member of the Hall of Fame with a plaque.

The Hall of Fame has special awards for both journalists and announcers, but those honorees do not have their own plaque.

6. Jackie Robinson made baseball and American history when he became the first African American to break baseball's color barrier in 1947. Among the many highlights of his career was winning the MVP award in 1949. What does "MVP" stand for?

Answer: Most Valuable Player

A fantastic baseball player who combined speed, a great batting average, and defensive versatility, Robinson's Major League career resulted in six All Star appearances, a Rookie of the Year Award, the 1949 MVP award, and enshrinement into the Hall of Fame.

More impressive than his considerable baseball talents, Robinson's integrity and commitment to civil rights helped him pave the way for future African Americans in the game and American society in general. He served in the army prior to his baseball career, which started in the Negro Leagues before signing with the Dodger organization. Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League several months before Larry Doby would do so in the American League.

7. Some batters hit right-handed, while others hit left-handed. The abbreviation SH refers to hitters who can hit from both sides of the plate. How are hitters like this, including Mickey Mantle, Chipper Jones, and Eddie Murray, known?

Answer: Switch Hitter

Typically, a left-handed batter will hit better against right-handed pitching and a right-handed batter will hit better against left-handed pitching. The ability to hit from both sides of the plate allows a switch hitter to maximize his advantage. The ability to master hitting from both of sides of the plate (let alone one!) is a rare and special feat. Mickey Mantle is widely considered to be the greatest switch hitter of all time.

He is the only switch hitter to win baseball's Triple Crown (leading his league in home runs, batting averages, and runs batted in).

8. In 2000, Pedro Martinez set a single season record for the lowest WHIP ever by a pitcher, posting a minuscule value of .737. Which one of these statistics is not part of the acronym WHIP?

Answer: Errors

First calculated in 1979, WHIP stands for Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched and is used to calculate the number of base runners a pitcher allows per inning pitched. A lower WHIP value corresponds to a better performance by a pitcher. Martinez's 2000 season was once of the best by a pitcher ever, as he won his third Cy Young Award and finished with a microscopic 1.74 Earned Run Average and 284 strikeouts. Martinez was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.

9. Baseball teams are often known by their initials. Famous baseball players Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, and Derek Jeter played for which very successful team, identified with the letters NYY?

Answer: New York Yankees

One of the most successful teams in any sport, the New York Yankees have won 27 World Series championships through to the end of 2019, easily topping the St. Louis Cardinals' 11 titles. The Yankee dynasty has produced some of the best players in the history of the game.

The Hall of Fame boasts 24 inductees who were players, managers, or executives who were inducted as members of the team. To accompany their 27 World Series titles, the Yankees also have captured an astounding 40 American League pennants.

10. Ty Cobb retired with the most career hits, stolen bases, runs, and the highest career batting average at the time. In 1936, he was honored as the first player elected to the HOF. What is the full name of the HOF?

Answer: Hall of Fame

Established in 1936 in Cooperstown New York, the Hall of Fame yearly inducts the most accomplished baseball players, managers, executives, and umpires. Cobb was one of five members of the inaugural class, which included Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, and Honus Wagner. Of the five players, Cobb received the highest percentage of votes and is credited as the first official inductee of the Hall of Fame.

Source: Author kstyle53

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor NatalieW before going online.
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Baseball History Using Abbreviations Quiz

Baseball uses a lot of abbreviations. See if you can identify some of these abbreviations used to describe some famous players and moments in baseball history.

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