Don't Blame Me! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Babe Ruth

Although the Babe was portrayed as being a heavy strikeout player in the movies about him, his highest season total was 93 in 1923. Ruth retired with 1330 K's over 22 seasons. Mays struck out 123 times in 1971 with the Giants, Mike Schmidt of the Phillies struck out 100+ in a season, 12 times in his career. Reggie however, his season high was 171 in 1968 with the Athletics, and struck out more than 100 times in a season, amazing 18 times.

Answer: Vida Blue

Vida Blue, the great Oakland Athletic went to three World Series but never won a game. Fingers won two games in three World Series with the Athletics, Jay with the Reds, and Sparky Lyle with the Yankees. Even the great Nolan Ryan came up empty with this one. No MVP, no Cy Young, and no World Series win in his fantastic career.

Answer: Joe McCarthy

McCarthy, although he never played in a game, managed his teams for 24 seasons, and took them to nine World Series. Connie Mack played for 11 seasons before taking on the top dog position for 50 seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics. Dodger manager Walt Alston played in one game with one at-bat in 1936 with the St. Louis Cardinals, and McGraw of the New York Giants managed for a total of 34 seasons while playing in 16 seasons himself.

Answer: Bert Blyleven

Although Blyleven set a Major League record by dishing up 50 home runs in a season in 1986 with the Twins, he threw only four wild pitches in that season. His season high was 16 in 1988 with the Twins. Cloninger, who entered the record books by hitting two grand slams in one game by a pitcher, threw 25 wild pitches in the same 1966 season. Juan Guzman threw 26 with the Blue Jays in 1993. Cheney threw 26 in 1914 with the Cubs of Chicago.

Answer: Ernie Banks

Banks played his entire 19-season career with the Chicago Cubs. From 1953-1971, the Cubs failed to appear in a World Series. Ernie hit 512 home runs for the Cubs. Aaron with the Braves went to two World Series and hit three home runs. Killebrew, who hit 573 home runs, went to only one World Series as a Twin in 1965, and made it count with his home run in game four against the Dodgers, but the Twins lost the series four games to three. Schmidt of the Phillies went to two World Series amongst his 548 career home runs, and had two series home runs to his credit.

Answer: Ron LeFlore

In 1980, he greased his wheels by stealing 78 in 1979 with the Tigers, which is what caught the Expos' eyes. LeFlore's season high was in 1997 with the Montreal Expos when he stole 97. That was it. His career total was 455 in only nine seasons. Hamilton stole over 100 twice in the National League with the Phillies in 1890 and 1891. Even Comiskey of the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in 1887 stole 117 bases. Brock had his base stealing highlight in 1974 when he stole 118 bases, breaking Maury Wills' 1962 record of 104.

Answer: Houston Colt .45s/Astros

Houston won their division six times, but that was pretty much it. In 1998, they topped the century mark in wins for the first time by going 102-60. The White Sox won two World Series, in 1906 under the helm of Fielder Jones, and in 1917 under Pants Rowland.

The Cubs won two consecutive World Series in 1907 and 1908 under player/manager Frank Chance. The Twins, after moving from Washington, appeared in three World Series, losing in 1965, then winning in 1987 and 1991.

Answer: Ron Darling

Darling had a 13-season career, mostly with the Mets and Athletics. He retired in 1995. Ron was sixth in the 1986 NL Cy Young voting with his 15-6 record with the Mets. Tiant played for the Yankees in the 1979 and 1980 season. Gaylord, king of the spitball, pitched for the Yankees in the 1980 season. Finally, the great Phil Niekro pitched in the pinstripes in 1984 and 1985.

Answer: Cap Anson

Anson, known for being one of the most prejudice people in baseball as a player and manager, hit .3994 in 1881 with the National League Chicago White Stockings. He once hit .415 with the Philadelphia Athletics of the National Association in 1872. Jennings hit .401 with the 1896 Baltimore Orioles of the National League. Delahanty hit .410 with the 1899 Phillies, and Heilmann hit .403 with the 1923 Detroit Tigers.

Answer: Hoyt Wilhelm

Wilhelm spent his 21 seasons, mostly as a reliever. He reached his season high twice by winning 15 games in 1952 with the New York Giants and 1959 with the Orioles. Maglie reached this milestone as a Giant in 1951, Score with the 1956 Indians, and Wright in 1970 with the Angels.