Baseball's Premier Pitchers Quiz | MLB Records

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 1968, Cardinal pitcher Bob Gibson won 22 games. How many were shutouts?

Answer: 13

In that same year, he complied an incredible ERA of 1.12! He won the Cy Young Award that year and is also a nine-time Gold Glove winner for his excellent fielding. He won those awards every year from 1965-73. He was thought to be the most frightening pitcher of his time.

2. Which pitcher won 27 games in the year he won a Cy Young award, while his team won only 59 games?

Answer: Steve Carlton

"Lefty" Carlton won 27 games for the 1972 Philadelphia Phillies, while losing 10. The team's record that year was 59-97. The Cy Young Award he won that year was the first of four. He won the other three in 1977, '80, and '82, all while still with the Phillies.

3. How old was Sandy Koufax when he made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers?

Answer: 19

Sandy Koufax, born and raised in Brooklyn, made his debut with the Dodgers in June of 1955, six months before his 20th birthday. The Dodgers won the World Series that year with little or no contribution from Mr. Koufax. He appeared in only 12 games that year, compiling a record of 2-2. Sandy spent his entire career with the Dodgers, in Brooklyn and Los Angeles.

He retired after the 1966 season at age 31, due to arthritis in his left arm.

4. This pitcher, pitching three complete games in a single World Series, had an ERA of 0.00 for that series. What was his name?

Answer: Christy Mathewson

Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants, known as "Big Six," acccomplished this feat in the 1905 World Series against Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics. He did not allow a run, earned or otherwise, in three complete games.

5. In the 1934 All-Star game, Carl Hubbell struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in succession. Of which National League team was Hubbell a member?

Answer: New York Giants

Carl Hubbell was a phenomenal left-hander. Despite his feat in this game, the American League won, 9-7.

6. In what year did the Baltimore Orioles boast four 20-game winners at the end of the season?

Answer: 1971

Their names were: Jim Palmer, Pat Dobson, Dave McNally and Mike Cuellar. In 1970, Cuellar, McNally, and Palmer also won 20 games each. No team in the modern era had ever accomplished this.

7. Way back in 1876, a pitcher accomplished an amazing feat by starting and winning both games of a doubleheader on the same day. What was his name?

Answer: Candy Cummings

William Arthur "Candy" Cummings did this on September 9, 1876, while playing for the Hartford Dark Blues of the National League, against Cincinnati (he won 14-4 and 8-1). I guess when there are only 12 players on the roster, everyone has to work extra hard. Candy Cummings is also often considered by most baseball historians as the inventor of the curveball.

8. Roger Clemens has won Cy Young awards as a member of how many teams?

Answer: 4

Mr. Clemens won in 1986, '87, and '91 as a member of the Boston Red Sox; in '97 and '98 as a Toronto Blue Jay, in 2001 as a New York Yankee, and in 2004 as a Houston Astro.

9. This pitcher played from 1979-1990 for three different teams. He spent most of his career with one American League franchise. He ended his career with 244 saves and appeared in postseason play four times. Who was he?

Answer: Dan Quisenberry

Dan Quisenberry played for the Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, and the San Francisco Giants. He is a five-time winner of the Rolaids Relief Man award. He won in 1980, '82, '83, '84, and '85. He died at the very young age of 45 in 1998.

10. With which team did the great Tom Seaver end his career?

Answer: Boston Red Sox

Tom "Terrific" retired in 1986 after a very brief stint with the Red Sox. He won Cy Young Awards in 1969, '73, and '75, all while he was a New York Met.

11. No pitcher has ever thrown two consecutive no-hit games?

Answer: False

On June 11th and again on June 15th in 1938, Johnny VanderMeer of the Cincinnati Reds accomplished something no pitcher had ever done before. Against the Boston Braves, and then against The Brooklyn Dodgers in the first night game ever played at Ebbets Field, VanderMeer allowed no hits.

This is the one record I believe is unbreakable. Can you see anyone throwing three no-hitters in a row?

12. Randy Johnson won four consecutive National League Cy Young Awards in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. He was the second NL pitcher to win four in a row. Who was the first?

Answer: Greg Maddux

In 1992 with the Chicago Cubs, and in '93, '94, and '95 with the Atlanta Braves. It has been said that Cy Young could not have won the Greg Maddux Award.

13. This pitcher ended his 20-year career with 12 20-win seasons, over 3500 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.17. He appeared in two World Series. What was his name?

Answer: Walter Johnson

Walter "Big Train" Johnson played for the mostly mediocre Washington Senators from 1907-1927. His team finally got to the World Series in 1924 and '25, winning the first. He also threw 110 shutouts.

14. This pitcher made his Major League debut in 1936 at age 17. He played until 1956, appearing in and winning one World Series. Who is he?

Answer: Bob Feller

Nicknamed "Rapid Robert," Bob Feller played for the Cleveland Indians for his entire career. He had a fastball that was said to be nearly invisible. In the 1948 World Series, he was 0-2, but the Indians won over the Boston Braves, four games to two.

15. How many games did Cy Young win?

Answer: 511

Denton True "Cy" Young (called "Cy' because he was called "Cyclone" by a teammate, and it just stuck) holds the record for victories, as well as losses (316). He was the first superstar pitcher, and the pitchers' award is named for him. He played from 1890-1911, mostly for the Cleveland franchise in the National League and Boston in the American League.

The Cy Young Award was first given in 1958. It was originally awarded to only one pitcher every year. Starting in 1968, there has been an award given to one pitcher in each league.

Source: Author rootsgrrl

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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Baseball's Premier Pitchers Trivia Quiz

This is a quiz about the men who have intimidated, puzzled, and generally flummoxed hitters over the last century or so. Enjoy it!

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