Baseball for Grandpas Trivia Game | MLB Historical

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 1934, pitcher Burleigh Grimes was the last player to do what?

Answer: Legally throw a spit ball

Nicknamed Ol' Stubblebeard, the Yankee pitcher won his final Major League game with number 270. The win was over the Senators 5-4. His spitball rule was grandfathered in with him and others, and he was the last active pitcher to use it. He led the league in wins twice and with strikeouts once.

The hall inducted him in 1964. In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, spitball king Gaylord Perry apparently never received the rule change.

2. The Yankees appeared in eight World Series in the 1950s. Which National League team appeared in the most during that decade?

Answer: Dodgers

While the Braves and Giants appeared in two, and the Phillies in only one, the Dodgers dominated the National League by appearing in five World Series in the 1950s. Unlike the Yankees who won six of their eight World Series, the Dodgers won only two, one in Brooklyn and one in Los Angeles.

3. In the 1960s, which speedster was the first modern-day player to steal 100 bases in a season?

Answer: Maury Wills

The 100-mark seemed unreachable, as Ty Cobb set a Major League season record in 1915 with an unheard of 96. The record stood until Wills, the Dodgers shortstop and thief, stole 104 in 1962. Maury's record was later broken by Lou Brock of the Cardinals, then Rickey Henderson of the Athletics in 1982 with 130.

4. In 1926, Indians pitcher Dutch Levsen beat the Boston Red Sox. What made this day strange was that he threw the entire doubleheader and completed both games. What made this day even more strange?

Answer: He didn't record a strikeout in either game

Levsen and the Indians beat the Red Sox in game one 6-1, then in game two by a score of 5-1. Dutch went 16-13 in the season and 21-26 over his career. In the 1920s, it was common to have only a couple of starters and relief pitchers. In modern times there are starters, relievers, set-ups, and closers. Levsen's feat of even throwing both complete games is unlikely to ever be duplicated.

5. Major League Baseball expanded its reach by adding how many new franchises in the 1960s?

Answer: 8

In the largest 'upgrade' to the game, the Majors added eight teams in the 1960s. In the American League, they were the Angels and Senators (Rangers) in 1961, then the Pilots (Brewers) and Royals in 1969. The National League opened the doors for the Colt .45s and Mets in 1962, then the Expos and Padres in 1969.

6. Which of these Yankees franchise pitchers was a 20-game winner the most times in his career?

Answer: Jack Chesbro

The others were 20-game winners twice. Chesbro, most noted winning 41 games in 1904, did it three times with the franchise. He was also a 20-game winner two other times with his Pittsburgh Pirates. All these pitching greats are Hall of Fame members.

7. Which of these Hall of Fame baseball greats died in the 1940s?

Answer: Babe Ruth

The others all died in the late 1950s. The Bambino, the first and true home run king of baseball hit 714. His arm was no slouch either as he had a pitching record of 94-46 also. Home runs not being a common thing in early baseball, his bat was more important than his arm.

He proved that by hitting 50+ home runs in a season four times, including hitting 60 in 1927. Beginning his career with the Red Sox, then the infamous sale to the Yankees, Ruth ended his career with the Boston Braves in 1935, hoping for a managerial position that never happened.

He died in 1948, and where else than New York City.

8. Manager John McGraw was most noted for having the helm of the New York Giants for 31 seasons. Which team did he begin his managerial career with?

Answer: Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles franchise was in the National League from 1882-1899. McGraw was at the helm of the franchise in 1899. When the team was reinvented in the American League in 1901, McGraw was there again, and kept the managing spot until midseason 1902.

He jumped ship and went to the New York Giants back in the National League. He kept control over the team until 1932, taking them to 10 National League pennants and three World Series crowns.

9. Which season saw the last World Series to have a best-of-nine game format?

Answer: 1921

The last best-of-nine games was viewed in the 1921 World Series. It was the first World Series that the Yankees had experienced, but lost to the New York Giants five games to three. 1922 would find them losing again to the same Giants, but in a best-of-seven game format, and would also see the only tie game in World Series history.

The Yankees would take home their first crown in 1923 against those Giants.

10. When the great Mickey Mantle retired in 1968, he had hit the most home runs than anyone else in World Series play with 18. Whose record did he break?

Answer: Babe Ruth

The Babe hit a total of 15 home runs in World Series play, including hitting four in the 1926 series. Duke Snider hit a total of 11, while hitting four each in the 1952 and 1955 series for the Dodgers. Lou Gehrig also hit four in the 1928 series with a career total of 10. Reggie Jackson, known as "Mr. October", hit 18 postseason home runs, but only 10 in World Series play.

His greatest moment was hitting five in the 1977 World Series against the Dodgers.

Source: Author Nightmare

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Baseball for Grandpas Trivia Quiz

All multiple choice for those who have been around and loved the game for a long time. Have fun. :-)

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