Blistery History [2] Quiz | MLB Historical

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which pitcher in the 1980s set a Major League record by throwing 269.3 innings in relief without giving up a single home run?

Answer: Greg Minton

Minton was a San Francisco Giant reliever from 1975-1987. In 1982, Minton set this record over four seasons. He was thwarted by five home runs in the 1982 season. Greg retired after four seasons with the Angels with a 56-65 record while giving up only 43 home runs. He averaged giving up only home run every 26.2 innings in his career.

2. Cy Young threw the American League's first perfect game in 1904. Which team did he throw it against?

Answer: Philadelphia Athletics

Young was in his 15th of 22 seasons. On May 5, he threw his perfecto against the Athletics in a 3-0 win. After going 26-16 in the season, Young retired with 511-316 record in 1911. The Hall of Fame took him in the second round of inductions in 1937.

3. The 1919 Black Sox Scandal saw some Chicago White Sox players involved with betting to throw the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, and were subsequently banned from baseball. Which other player was not associated with the Reds or White Sox, but was also banned?

Answer: Gene Paulette

After the 1919 World Series scandal, there was a long investigation which resulted with some White Sox players being shown the door. During the investigation, it was learned by Judge Landis that Paulette of the Phillies placed some heavy betting on the Reds after being made aware of intended series fixing.

When Paulette was approached by Landis, the Phillies infielder admitted to the knowledge and the betting. Landis showed him the exit door of baseball in 1920.

4. The 1956 World Series was a historic one. Game five saw Yankee pitcher Don Larsen throw a perfect game against the Dodgers. The final out was with Larsen striking out pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell. Who was Mitchell pinch-hitting for?

Answer: Sal Maglie

Maglie was the Dodger pitcher who started the game and went the distance. Sal had just struck out the side in the Yankees bottom of the eighth inning. In the top of ninth, the Dodgers' first out was when Carl Furillo flied out. The second out came from Roy Campanella who grounded out to second baseman Billy Martin.

The pitcher's spot was next, and Walter Alston went with Mitchell to pinch-hit for Maglie, and struck out looking.

5. Johnny Vander Meer of the Reds threw two consecutive no-hitters in the 1938 season. Which pitcher would have been the first to perform this feat in the 1920s, if the official scorer had not ruled a hard-batted ball an infield single, instead of an error in the game?

Answer: Howard Ehmke

Ehmke was a Red Sox pitcher in 1923. He no-hit the Athletics on September 7 with a 4-0 win. Four days later he one-hit the Yankees 3-0. That September 11 game saw Yankee Whitey Witt hit a sharp grounder to Red Sox third baseman Howie Shanks. The ball handcuffed Shanks and he couldn't come up with it. The official scorer ruled it a single.

6. In 1941, Yankee Joe DiMaggio had a record 56-game hitting streak. His first hit of the streak came off pitcher Eddie Smith of the White Sox. In 56 games later, which pitcher did DiMaggio get his last hit from during the streak?

Answer: Joe Krakauskas

The final game of Joe's streak came about on July 16. The Yankees faced the Indians at League Park II in Cleveland. He hit a double and a single off Cleveland starter Al Milnar, then another single off reliever Joe Krakauskas. The Yankees won 10-3.

The following night, Indian pitchers Al Smith and Jim Bagby halted DiMaggio's streak. Joe went 0-for-3 with a walk. The Yankees still won the game 4-3. When DiMaggio's streak ended, he had a .371 batting average. By season's end it had dropped to .357.

He still fell 25 hits short of leading the league in hits.

7. Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson was the first African-American player in the National League to win a batting crown. He batted .342 in 1949. Who was the first African-American player in the American League to win a batting title?

Answer: Frank Robinson

It wasn't until 1966 when Robinson not only won the batting title, but batted for the Triple Crown. He was traded by the Cincinnati Reds after the 1965 season. Frank won the 1956 NL Rookie of the Year and the 1961 NL MVP with the Reds. His remarkable season of 1966 saw him also win the Babe Ruth Award, Major League Player of the Year Award, was the AL MVP, and World Series MVP. Frank retired in 1976 with 586 home runs, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982. Robinson also later managed the Indians, Giants, Orioles, and Expos/Nationals.

8. Quite a few baseball fans saw a new team in their city during the 1960s. How many total franchises in the 1960s appeared in a new city, whether by being an expansion team or a team that moved?

Answer: 11

The franchises that moved were the Washington Senators to Minnesota to become the Twins in 1961, the Braves moving from Milwaukee to Atlanta in 1966, and the Athletics who moved from Kansas City to Oakland in 1968. New franchises included the Angels and new Senators in 1961 in the American League, then the Colt .45s and Mets in 1962 in the National League.

In 1969, the Expos, Padres, Pilots, and Royals all joined Major League Baseball.

9. Which pitcher during the 1980s threw the most strikeouts in a season?

Answer: Mike Scott

Scott of the Astros was the only pitcher to throw 300 season strikeouts in the decade. In 1986, Mike came up with 306 to help him win the NL Cy Young Award. The great Nolan Ryan threw the most in the entire decade with 2399.

10. In the 1930s, which infielder became the first National League player in over 50 seasons to strikeout 100 times in a season, setting a new league record?

Answer: Dolph Camilli

Camilli was in his third season of the big leagues with the Phillies in 1935. His 113 strikeouts was an eye-opener for manager Jimmie Wilson, and would watch Dolph hit the century-mark another three times. Camilli broke the NL record of Boston Beaneater Sam Wise, who struck out 104 times in 1884.

Source: Author Nightmare

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Blistery History [2] Trivia Quiz

The second in a series of real challenging quizzes about some history in baseball. Although in all multiple choice, you're on your own! :)

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