Losing World Series Managers Trivia Quiz

Answer: Baltimore Orioles

Walter Alston was the victorious World Series manager in 1955 with Brooklyn, and with Los Angeles in 1959, 1963 and 1965. However, in 1966, the Baltimore Orioles, managed by Hank Bauer, defeated L.A. The Orioles were led by such future Hall of Famers as Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer. The Orioles swept the Dodgers 4-0.

Answer: Bobby Valentine

Bobby Valentine led the New York Mets to the 2000 N.L. title with a record of 94-68. The Mets, however, lost to Joe Torre's New York Yankees in a five-game World Series. Overall, Valentine managed the Mets from 1996 to 2002, winning 536 regular season games. Art Howe managed the Mets from 2003 to 2004, Willie Randolph led the Mets from 2005 to 2008, and Davey Johnson was the team's leader from 1984 to 1990.

Answer: Milwaukee Brewers

Harvey Kuenn led his Milwaukee Brewers to the A.L. title in 1982, going 72-43 after taking over the team in June. Kuenn's lineup featured several outstanding hitters: Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Ben Oglivie, Cecil Cooper and Gorman Thomas. The Brewers, however, lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in a tough seven-game World Series. Kuenn would step down as Milwaukee's skipper after the 1983 season.

Answer: Clint Hurdle

In 2007, the Colorado Rockies shocked the baseball world by reaching the 2007 World Series. The manager of this surprising team was Clint Hurdle, who led the squad to a 90-73 record. The Rockies defeated the Diamondbacks and the Phillies en route to their first World Series appearance; however, they were swept by the powerful Boston Red Sox team in the Series.

In 2007, Lou Piniella managed the Cubs, and Jim Leyland was the Tigers' manager. Jim Riggleman was not a manager in 2007.

Answer: St. Louis Browns

The St. Louis Browns were one of the most hapless teams in Major League history. The Brownies only made the World Series once, in 1944. Luke Sewell led St. Louis to the A.L. crown, only to lose the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in six games. Luke Sewell was the Browns' skipper from 1941 to 1946.

Answer: Mike Hargrove

Mike Hargrove was known as the "Human Rain Delay" as a player because of his dilatory tactics while getting set to hit. Hargrove was Cleveland's manager from 1991 to 1999, winning 721 regular season games. However, he wasn't able to lead the Indians to a World Series title. From 1995 to 1997, Bruce Bochy managed the Padres, Dusty Baker managed the Giants, and Joe Girardi was still an active player in the Major Leagues.

Answer: Kid Gleason

William "Kid" Gleason is probably the unluckiest manager in Major League baseball history: in his rookie year (1919) with the Chicago White Sox, eight of his players received money from gamblers in order to "throw" the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. Gleason managed the White Sox from 1919 to 1923.

He would later win two World Series titles (1929 and 1930) as a coach with the Philadelphia A's. Pat Moran was the manager of the 1919 Cincinnati Reds, Charles Comiskey was the miserly owner of the White Sox, and Eddie Collins was a veteran infielder on the 1919 Sox- an honest player who didn't participate in the scandal.

Answer: Roger Craig

Roger Craig was the manager of the 1989 San Francisco Giants in the Bay Area Series against the A.L. champion Oakland A's. His Giants were swept by Tony LaRussa's A's, four games to none. Craig managed the Giants from 1985 to 1992. Craig is perhaps best remembered as being a 20-game losing pitcher for the New York Mets in 1962 and 1963.

In 1989, Tom Kelly was the Twins' manager, Sparky Anderson was the manager of the Tigers, and Dallas Green was with the New York Yankees.

Answer: John McNamara

John McNamara managed the Red Sox to the 1986 A. L. title, compiling a record of 95-66. However, Boston lost the World Series to the New York Mets in seven games. McNamara was widely criticized after Boston's Game Six defeat- the infamous Bill Buckner error contest.

Many experts claim that McNamara should have replaced Buckner with an able-bodied Dave Stapleton for defensive help. McNamara managed the Red Sox from 1985 to 1988. In 1986, Buck Showalter was a minor league manager, Phil Garner was a player for the Astros, and Gene Mauch was the Angels' manager.

Answer: Fred Clarke

His Pittsburgh Pirates club lost the 1903 World Series to Boston, five games to three. Clarke managed Pittsburgh from 1900 to 1915, winning a World Series as Pirates' skipper in 1909. Jimmy Collins was the player-manager for the victorious Boston side in 1903. Fielder Jones was a member of the Chicago White Sox in 1903, and Patsy Donovan was the St. Louis Cardinals' manager in 1903.