A Pictorial History of Baseball Quiz

Answer: Sandy Koufax

The "K" not only stood for Koufax, but for strikeouts also. In 1965, Koufax broke the season record of Cleveland's Bob Feller, who threw 348 strikeouts in 1946. Sandy crushed Feller's record by striking out 382 with the Dodgers. In 1973, the great Nolan Ryan topped Koufax's record by striking out the last batter of the season, making it 383. Koufax retired in 1966 due to elbow problems.

He threw 317 strikeouts in the season, and also set a record for winning the most games in a pitcher's final season also with 27.

The 1966 season saw Sandy go 27-9, throw a Triple Crown, win the Cy Young Award, win the NL TSN Pitcher of the Year Award, the ML Hutch Award, and finish runner-up for the MVP Award.

Answer: Babe Ruth

The late great Dale Earnhardt drove Nascar's number 3, and the late great Babe Ruth wore the number 3 in baseball. In only three decades in the century did fans see a player hit more than 400 home runs. Decade by decade, the home run kings were:
1990s Mark McGwire 405
1980s Mike Schmidt 313
1970s Willie Stargell 296
1960s Harmon Killebrew 393
1950s Duke Snider 326
1940s Ted Williams 234
1930s Jimmie Foxx 415
1920s Babe Ruth 467
1910s Gavvy Cravath 116
1900s Harry Davis 67

Answer: Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays had five consecutive last place finishes before they finished out of the cellar in 1982. They lost three chances at the ALCS before winning two consecutive World Series in 1992 and 1993.
The Brewers began their franchise in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots before moving to Milwaukee in 1970. The Rangers franchise began it all as the 1961 Washington Senators before moving to Texas in 1972.
Jay Silverheels was an Indian actor who portrayed Tonto, the sidekick of the Lone Ranger on the American television series.

Answer: The Reds pitcher threw his second consecutive no-hitter

The Reds' Johnny Vander Meer threw his second consecutive no-hitter in a 6-0 win. Just four days earlier, Vander Meer threw a no-hitter against the Boston Braves. Johnny went 15-10 in the season while allowing 177 hits.
The Reds were the first Major League team to install lighting at Crosley Field in 1935. The first-ever professional team to play their home games under the lights were the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues in 1930.

Answer: George Lee Anderson

Mack managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1896-1898, then took control of the new American League Philadelphia Athletics in 1901, keeping the reins until 1950. Anderson, nicknamed "Sparky", first managed the Cincinnati Reds in 1970, then took over the Tigers in 1979. Sparky's 25th consecutive season was with Detroit in 1994, then he retired in 1995.

He took the Reds to four National League pennants including two World Series crowns, and one World Series title with the Tigers. George Lee "Sparky" Anderson died on November 4, 2010.

Answer: Red Barber

Barber was in his 34th year in the booth for the Yankees in 1966, when the Yankee brass took offense to his actions and fired him. They Yankees were having a terrible season, finishing in last place, 26.5 games back of the AL pennant-winning Orioles. It was their first finish in last place for the franchise since 1912, when they were the New York Highlanders.

Answer: Vic Willis

Willis was in his seventh National League season with Boston in 1904 when he went 18-25, then followed that up in 1905 with a 12-29 record. Boston traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1906, then Vic went 23-13, 21-11, 23-11, and 22-11. He retired with a 249-205 record, and was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
The picture is of actor Todd Bridges who played the character "Willis" on the American television series, "Different Strokes".

Answer: Perfectos

The Spiders were a good team in the 1890s until double-dipping was found by owners Frank and Stanley Robison. Many greats including Cy Young and Jesse Burkett were sold to the Perfectos for the 1899 season, and the St. Louis club went 84-67 for a fifth place finish of 12 teams.

The Spiders set all types of records in the 1899 season, including losing 134 games with only 20 wins. In 1900, the St. Louis franchise changed its name to the Cardinals.

Answer: Minoso

The picture is of Disneyland's Minnie Mouse, and the oldest player to get a hit was Minnie Minoso. At age 50, Minoso came out of retirement and played in three games for the White Sox in the 1976 season. Playing as a designated hitter on September 12, he went 1-for-8 with a single.

He came back out of retirement again in 1980 at the age of 54, and played in two more games for the White Sox going 0-for-2. Minnie set a record by playing Major League Baseball in five different decades, the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

Answer: Phillies

The Philadelphia franchise began their endeavors in 1883 as the Philadelphia Quakers. In 1890, the Phillies name came to be. They went to their first World Series in 1915 but lost to the Red Sox. The pictured Liberty Bell did not give them enough good luck.

They had another opportunity in 1950, but were skunked by the Yankees. It all came together in 1980 with third baseman Mike Schmidt, Bake McBride, Greg Luzinski, and pitcher Steve Carlton. They downed the Royals in the series, four games to two.

They met the Orioles in the 1983 World Series, but would lose four games to one.