Lightly-Stirred Baseball Trivia Quiz

Answer: Wade Boggs

Bunning pitched for 17 seasons from 1955-1971, mostly with the Tigers and Phillies. Banks was a career Chicago Cub from 1953-1971. Carew played in 19 seasons with the Twins and Angels, retiring in 1985. It was Boggs who played from 1982-1999. The third baseman went to one World Series with the Red Sox in 1986 in a loss to the Mets. Wade's second appearance was as a Yankee in 1996 in a win against the Braves.

Answer: Joe DiMaggio

DiMaggio, the bonus baby, had his number 5 retired in 1952. With some other Yankee greats, both Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey had their number 8 retired together in 1972. Phil Rizzuto's number 10 retirement came in 1985, amongst other Yankee greats such as Whitey Ford, Thurman Munson, Elston Howard, and Roger Maris.

Answer: Clyde Sukeforth

Sukeforth was the Dodgers' talent scout from 1943-1951. His managerial career consisted of only two games, the first two in the 1947 season which Jackie Robinson was a rookie, and Sukeforth won both games. Shotton replaced Sukey to finish out the season. Dodger manager Leo Durocher was the 'regular' Dodger manager, but was suspended by Commissioner Happy Chandler for the entire 1947 season. Durocher returned to the Dodgers for the 1948 season.

Answer: Willie McCovey

Matty Alou opened the bottom of the ninth in game seven with a single. After Ralph Terry struck out Felipe Alou and Chuck Hiller, Willie Mays doubled. With Matty on third and Willie on second, McCovey came to bat. McCovey's line drive was caught by Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson, saving a tie and possibly the series-winning run for the Giants.

Instead, the game and the series was over with a Yankee win.

Answer: 1981

While Mike Schmidt of the Phillies led the National League with 31, while four players tied with a meager 22 in the American League. They were Tony Armas of the Athletics, Dwight Evans of the Red Sox, the Angels' Bobby Grich, and Baltimore's Eddie Murray. It was the lowest home run total win to a crown since Babe Ruth and Tillie Walker tied with 11 in 1918.

Answer: Boston Reds

The eight teams in order of finish were the Boston Reds, Brooklyn Ward's Wonders, New York Giants, Chicago Pirates, Philadelphia Athletics, Pittsburgh Burghers, Cleveland Infants, and the Buffalo Bisons. After the season with the Players League going defunct, the Reds joined the American Association in that league's last season of existence in 1891.

The Reds would win that league's final championship also.

Answer: 1946

All-Star Game competition did not begin play until 1933. The 1946 game belonged to the American League and Boston's Ted Williams. The future Hall of Fame went 4-for-4 with five RBIs. Cleveland's Bob Feller took in the win for the American League also. Ted went to more than 15 All-Star games, but yet could only land one World Series appearance (1946) in his career.

Answer: Leo Durocher

Durocher wrote, "Nice Guys Finish Last", in June 1975. Durocher was known for giving the umpires an argument. Another quote in his book shows Durocher's drive as a manager. The quote read, "I made a game effort to argue but two things were against me, the umpires and the rules." Leo was once ejected for arguing balls and strikes during a game, which is not allowed.

After yelling an expletive at the umpire, the umpire yelled back, "What did you say?" Leo replied, "My God, you're deaf too?"

Answer: Phil Niekro

Phil, who was born on April 1, 1939, pitched for 24 seasons from 1964-1987. The Braves gave him a uniform in 21 of those seasons. Niekro was a 20-game winner three times and a Cy Young Award runner-up once in 1969. He lost that Cy Young to Tom Seaver of the Mets. The others listed all died before 1939.

Answer: Billy Williams

The Rookie of the Year Award began in 1947 with the Dodgers' Jackie Robinson winning the inaugural award. Williams won it in 1961 with the Cubs. Billy won it over Joe Torre of the Braves. The only other Cub listed was Banks, who was runner-up for the award in 1954 to Wally Moon of the Cardinals.