"Cy" of Relief Trivia Quiz

Answer: Don Newcombe

The Cy Young Award, named after pitching great Denton True 'Cyclone' Young, was first awarded in 1956. Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers was the first winner, with teammate Sal Maglie being the runner-up.

Answer: Greg Maddux

The others listed have also won multiple Cy Young's, but Maddux burned the National League from 1992-1995. His first was with the Cubs, then the latter three with the Braves. In 1996, Braves' teammate John Smoltz, broke Greg's streak by taking the award.

Answer: 1967

The Cy Young did not begin until 1956. It was given to one pitcher in the Majors. In 1967, it was awarded to both the American and National League. The Giants' Mike McCormick and Boston's Jim Lonborg were the first recepients of the split award.

Answer: Mike Marshall

Marshall, of the 1974 Dodgers, had a record of 15-12. However, it was his 21 saves, his ERA of 2.42, and being the first reliever to appear in over 100 games (106) in a season. Marshall retired in 1981 after 14 seasons.

Answer: Fernando Valenzuela

The other Cy Young winners listed, did not win 10 games in their first season. Valenzuela started 'Fernando Mania' in Southern California in 1981. He was also the Cy Young runner-up in 1986, losing to Mike Scott of the Astros. Fernando retired in 1997.

Answer: Dean Chance

None of the others listed won the Cy Young, an award that was very elusive to the great Nolan Ryan. Chance was not only the first, but he was the only Angel to win it in the 20th century. Chance burned the Majors in 1964, when the award was presented to only one pitcher in baseball.

His 20-9 record, coupled with his blazing 1.65 ERA, was still only good enough for an Angel fifth place finish of 10 teams. He dominated the Cy Young voting over Larry Jackson of the Cubs, and Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers.

Answer: Nobody

The Cy Young Award did not begin until 1956. A real shame as Lefty Grove of the Philadelphia Athletics, dazzled the league by going 31-4. His Athletics won the American League, but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, four games to three. Grove won two games and struck out 16 Cardinals in the Series.

Answer: 36

For diehard baseball fans, Jack Chesbro set a 19th and 20th century record for being the first pitcher to win 40 games in a season by winning 41. Young, with the Cleveland Spiders in 1892, went an amazing 36-12. He won 30 or more games, five times in his career. He retired with 511 wins.

Answer: Eric Gagne

Gagne of the Dodgers won the award in 2003, with a record of just 2-3. This great closer in his fifth season, had a record number 55 saves with a 1.20 ERA. He had 52 saves in 2002. Gagne won the award in a landslide over Jason Schmidt of the Giants.

Answer: 1961

Ford did not pitch in the other years listed. Whitey played for the Yankees from 1950-1967. In 1961, the year that Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, breaking Ruth's record, Ford had a record of 25-4. The Yankees went on to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series, four games to one. Whitey was the World Series MVP.