Australian Sporting Mixture Quiz / Test | Australia

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This Australian Test cricketer (left arm swing bowler) enlisted in the British Army and tragically contracted typhoid and died in Durban at the age of 33. Who was he?

Answer: John Ferris

John Ferris played 8 Tests for Australia and in 1889 was named as one of the first Wisden Cricketers of the Year. He moved to England in 1890 and played in a Test for his adopted country against South Africa (1891 -92). In 9 tests he took 61 wickets at an average of 12.70. It was during the Boer War in South Africa that he died in Durban in 1900.

Albert "Tibby" Cotter (fast bowler) was killed in WWI at Beersheba with the Australian 12th Light Horse Regiment. He played 21 Tests and was considered the fastest bowler of the first decade of the 20th Century. Ross Gregory (batsman) was in the RAAF as a pilot officer and was killed in action during WWII in East Bengal (now Bangladesh) and played in two Tests. John Cotter (Tibby's elder brother) did not play Test cricket but sadly he was killed in France just two weeks before Tibby.

2. I won 12 major doubles and mixed doubles titles. I was the first man to win a Grand Slam of mixed doubles titles during a year. In all my 10 major mixed doubles titles I partnered the same lady. Who am I?

Answer: Ken Fletcher

Ken Fletcher partnered Margaret Court in all of his 10 major mixed doubles titles. They achieved the Grand Slam in 1963.

Bob Hewitt won 15 major doubles and mixed doubles titles but never a Grand Slam. John Newcombe won 17 major doubles titles but never a major mixed doubles titles - however, he did win seven major singles titles. Neale Fraser won 16 major doubles and mixed doubles titles plus three major singles titles.

3. I was born in Bendigo VIC and captained the Australian Test team, but when I played my last Test match I had settled in England and I played for England as my adopted country. I was a wicket-keeper and my highest first-class score was 321. I was the first cricketer to score a double century in a Test match. Who am I?

Answer: William Murdoch

Billy Murdock was Australia's first wicket-keeper captain and captained the country in 16 Tests. He was the second player after W.G. Grace to score a first-class triple century scored for NSW against Victoria, during the 1881-82 season. He also scored the first double hundred in Test cricket. He captained Sussex for a number of seasons and although passing away in Melbourne he was buried at Bethnal Green (east of London).
All of the other three were test wicket-keepers with only Blackham being an Aussie captain. Rod Marsh was at one time an English selector.

4. The Melbourne Cup was traditionally run over two miles. However, in 1972 it was converted to the metric distance of 3,200 metres. How many metres short of the two miles is this?

Answer: 18.69 metres

The first metric winner of the Cup in 1972 was Piping Lane ridden by John Letts.

5. Ironically I was born in Williamstown (a suburb of Melbourne) and I won the 1952 Melbourne Cup, two Caulfield Cups and a W.S. Cox Plate, plus Australian, Moonee Valley, Brisbane and Adelaide Cups and 13 classic races in England, Ireland and France. Lester Piggott once said of me that I was "the best big-race jockey in the world". Who am I?

Answer: Bill Williamson

William "Bill" Williamson of Williamstown rode Dalray, the 1952 Melbourne Cup winner. Scobie Beasley (born in Wagga Wagga NSW) and George Moore (born in Mackay QLD) never rode Melbourne Cup winners and both had distinguished careers in Europe. Edgar Britt was a travelling jockey who rode winners in Australia, USA, India and in Ireland and England rode 8 Classic winners.
All these four jockeys are members of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

6. I was born in County Cork (Ireland) and was the first Irish-born captain of the Australian Test team. After I retired I became an esteemed cricket journalist writing under the pen name of "Felix". Who am I?

Answer: Tom Horan

Only Tom Horan (1854-1916) of those mentioned captained Australia. His family emigrated to Australia when he was a small boy and while attending primary school in Fitzroy (a suburb of Melbourne) he made friends with Jack Blackham, who encouraged him to play cricket. They both played in the very first Test at the MCG in 1877. Tom captained Australia in two Tests and was Australia's third Test captain.
Walker, O'Reilly and Fingleton were all Test players who also wrote extensively about the sport they loved.

7. I was named after a Scottish town but around the stables I was known as "Little Joe". I was so small that my owner said that if I was no good I could be used to round up sheep. I had 53 races for 36 wins and the only time I was unplaced was in the 1960 Melbourne Cup. Who am I?

Answer: Tulloch

Tulloch was from NZ and purchased by trained Tommy Smith. Tulloch was unplaced in the 1960 Melbourne Cup carrying 10st 1lb (64 kgm).
Vain (1966-1991) had 14 starts for 12 wins and two seconds. Shannon (1941-1955) was a world class racehouse who won races in Australia and USA in 44 starts with 20 wins. Bernborough had 37 starts for 26 wins, upon retiring he was send to the USA where he had a successful career as a sire until his death in 1960.

8. I loved cross-country riding and also shot for the Melbourne Gun Club. I trained a number of Melbourne Cup winners in the 1920s and had a successful 40 year association with a supremely fit and articulate jockey. Who am I?

Answer: James Scobie

James Scobie (1860-1940) trained the Melbourne Cups winners of 1900, 1922, 1923 and 1927. Bobby Lewis was the jockey he had the long and successful association with.
Colin Hayes had a short career as an amateur jockey and eventually trained two Melbourne Cup winners plus had the distinction of recording 10 winners in a day (23 Jan 1982). Jack Holt was also a former jockey and trained the 1933 Melbourne Cup winner, Hall Mark. Tommy Smith from Sydney trained winners of two Melbourne Cups and four Caulfield Cups and numerous W.S. Cox plate and Golden Slipper winners, plus 35 Derby winners.

9. There was some confusion as to whether I was a South Australian or a Victorian when I was foaled in 1962, as the stud farm stranded the border. I had 24 wins in Australia with my last being the W.S. Cox Plate and was then sold to American interests where I won four races but never really re-captured my Australian form. I was a chestnut and was generally considered to be a weight-for-age horse. Who am I?

Answer: Tobin Bronze

Tobin Bronze was eventually registered as Victorian and became a public idol and was fondly known as "Toby" or the "Bronze Bullet". Although considered to be a weight-for-age horse he also excelled under handicap conditions. His career race record: 60 starts : 28-10-6.

Todman was also a chestnut but had 12 starts for 10 wins. The Barb was a jet-black stallion who won the Melbourne Cup in 1866. Gunsynd was a grey and had 29 wins from 54 starts.

10. The achievements of Walter Albert Lindrum (1898-1960) are legendary in the history of billiards. However, when he was born he was given the initials of W. A. for a particular reason. What was that reason?

Answer: The initials of the state in which he was born

He was born in Kalgoolie WA. It is because of the initials of Western Australia that his parents came up with Walter Albert. His father's name was Frederik William. Just a side note that Walter originally was right-handed but it was due to an accident as a small boy that his father taught him to play left-handed.

Source: Author zambesi

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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