Blistery History [1] Trivia Quiz

Answer: Yogi Berra

The Yankee Berra did this on October 2, 1947, in game three of the World Series against the Dodgers. The Dodgers still won that game, but the Yankees won the series, four games to three. The first player in history to hit two pinch-hit World Series home runs was Dodger Chuck Essegian in game two and six in the 1959 series against the White Sox.

Answer: Walter Johnson

The other inductee was the great Ty Cobb. Of the 226 hall members, they voted on a total of 33 players. Cobb received 222 votes, Ruth and Wagner received 215 each, Mathewson had 205 votes, and Johnson of the Washington Senators received 189. Nap Lajoie was the next highest player with 146 votes, then Tris Speaker with 133 votes. Neither one of them made the induction in 1936, but did the following year.

Answer: Charlie Robertson

Robertson was with the Chicago White Sox in 1922. His perfect game against the Tigers was the first-ever perfect game thrown on the road. Like Larsen who went 11-5 in his season, Robertson wasn't blazing either, going 14-15 in 1922.

Answer: Bill McKechnie

McKechnie's managing career began in the Federal League in 1914 with the Newark Pepper. In 1925, Bill took his Pittsburgh Pirates all the way to a World Series crown, then the 1928 Cardinals to the NL crown. Bill was with the Reds from 1938-1946, winning the NL pennant in 1939, then the World Series in 1940.

Answer: Dick Higham

Higham was a former player who was suspected of gambling on games with the Providence Grays and the Troy Trojans in the 1870s. The National League hired him as an umpire in 1882. He was caught when he made many questionable calls, all against the Detroit Wolverines.

It was uncovered that Higham was doing this while major Detroit gamblers were betting on the Wolverines to lose. In 135 years of the National League, he was the only umpire ever banned.

Answer: Tony Cuccinello

Snuffy Stirnweiss of the Yankees won the 1945 AL batting title by batting .308 in the season. Cuccinello of the White Sox came up short by .00009, and the third baseman never played in another Major League game again.

Answer: Bert Shepard

Shepard was outfitted with an artificial leg after being shot down over Germany. He later signed a contract as the pitching coach for the Washington Senators, then on August 14, 1945, entered the game as a relief pitcher against the St. Louis Browns. Bert pitched five innings, giving up one run on three hits. It was his only game appearance. The Browns won the game 5-4.

Answer: Satchel Paige

Paige signed on with the Cleveland Indians in 1948 as a 42-year old rookie. The Indians went to the World Series in 1948 against the Boston Braves. Satchel entered game five in relief in the 11-5 loss. The Indians won the series, four games to two. Paige was also the first African-American pitcher to win a regular season game, and also throw a shutout.

Answer: 1971

It was game three of the 1971 World Series at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. After losing the first two games to the Orioles, manager Danny Murtaugh took the Pirates to win games three, four, five, and seven to win the World Series.

Answer: Everett Scott

How much more ironic could this be? Scott was a Yankee shortstop in 1924 when his streak of 1307 games came to an end. It stopped because Pee Wee Wanninger replaced Scott in a game. Gehrig's streak began shortly after, and Lou's first at-bat to begin his streak came when he pinch-hit for none other than Pee Wee Wanninger. Gehrig went on to play in 2130 consecutive games, a streak thought never to be touched.

However, it was by Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripken Jr in September 1995. Dodger Steve Garvey set a National League record which stopped in 1983 with 1207 consecutive games.