Baseball for Dummies #100 Quiz for Experts | MLB For Dummies

Answer: Boston Red Sox and Boston Braves

The Babe began his career with the Boston Red Sox of 1914. He was sold to the Yankees in 1919 by Harry Frazee. After 15 seasons with the Yankees and setting numerous records, he retired as a Boston Brave in his final season of 1935. The Babe went out big, as he smacked three home runs in one game, and those three were three of six home runs that he hit in the entire season.

He retired at the top of the heap with 714 home runs.

Answer: 1936

The first induction took place in 1936 with some baseball greats in the names of Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, and Walter Johnson. Cobb received 98% of the ballots, above the others inducted. The great Cy Young, Nap Lajoie, and Tris Speaker were inducted amongst others the following year in 1937.

Answer: Al Kaline

The other greats hit between 563 and 583 home runs in their career. Kaline, a 22-season career Detroit Tiger from 1953-1974, fell one short of the 400-mark with 399. Al was a 10-time Gold Glove, a 15-time all-star, and hit two home runs in his only World Series in 1968 against the Cardinals. His Tigers and Mickey Lolich won that World Series, four games to three.

Answer: Roger Maris

Mantle of the Yankees led the American League four times, and Killebrew of the Senators and Twins fit this category six times. The great Babe Ruth was in this situation 12 times in his career. Roger Maris of the Yankees in 1961, broke Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a season.

He topped the second place slugger in 1961 in the name of Mickey Mantle, his Yankee teammate who hit 54. Orlando Cepeda of the Giants, Jim Gentile of the Orioles, and Harmon Killebrew of the Twins all hit 46 in the season for the third place tie.

Answer: Roger Maris

The others listed were all pitchers. Maris hit 61 home runs for the Yankees in ironically, 1961. This asterisk stayed in the MLB record books until Mark McGwire surpassed this monumental feat in 1998, hitting 70 home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals, with the Maris family on-hand for the record-breaking home run. Barry Bonds later broke this milestone by hitting 73 in 2001.

Answer: None listed

A major feat to win 500 games in a career, and probably never to be duplicated with the invention of relievers, set-up specialists, and closers. Young won 511 games over 22 seasons. The only other pitcher close to Young, was a pitcher in his same era, Walter Johnson. Johnson pitched for 21 seasons, all with the Washington Senators, and retired with 417 wins. Walter set a Major League record 110 career shutouts, which wasn't touched throughout the entire 20th century. Bob Feller of the Indians retired with 266 wins, while Koufax of the Dodgers retired with 165.

Answer: Nobody did this

In 1886, Matt Kilroy of the Baltimore Orioles in the American Association struck out 513 batters in his rookie season. With a record of 29-34, his Orioles still finished in last place of eight teams. Kilroy would never strikeout even 225 batters in a season in his career again. Toad Ramsey of the 1886 Louisville Colonels struck out 499.

In the 20th century, nobody would come close as it was the great Sandy Koufax who set a season record in 1965 by striking out 382 batters. Nolan Ryan later broke that century record by striking out 383 in 1973 with the Angels, with his last batter of the season being his final nail for the record.

Answer: Nap Lajoie

None of the other greats won the batting Triple Crown. Lajoie won it in the first season of the American League in 1901. Only two batters had won it previously, that being Paul Hines in 1878 with the Providence Grays of the National League, and Hugh Duffy of the Boston Beaneaters of the NL in 1894, and both being before the inception of the Major Leagues in 1901. Lajoie of the Philadelphia Athletics had 232 hits, batted .426, knocked in 125 RBIs in 1901. 1901 was the only season that he led the league with 14 home runs.

In 1909, it was Ty Cobb who entered the record books by winning the next Triple Crown in 1909. The next batter to do it was Rogers Hornsby of the St. Louis Cardinals, but not until 1922. Hornsby did it again in 1925.

Answer: Jackie Robinson

Robinson, after winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1947, went to his first World Series in the same season. His Dodgers lost to the Yankees, four games to three. Jackie went to six World Series in his 10 seasons with the Dodgers. Doby found his first of two World Series in 1948 against the Boston Braves in a four games to two win. Larry's only other series was in 1954 in a loss to the New York Giants.

Answer: 1901

The new league began in 1901 with eight teams. They were in order of finish in their first season, the Chicago White Sox, Boston Americans (later Red Sox), Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Athletics (eventually the Oakland Athletics), Baltimore Orioles (later Yankees), Washington Senators, Cleveland Blues (later Indians), and Milwaukee Brewers (later St. Louis Browns and Baltimore Orioles).

The first World Series did not come about until 1903, where the AL Boston club defeated the heavily-favored NL Pittsburgh Pirates, five games to three.