Major League Baseball for Diehards Quiz

Answer: Cap Anson

Anson played for five seasons in the National Association, then joined the National League when it began in 1876 as the player-manager. He played with the Chicago White Stockings/Colts (later Cubs) from 1876-1897. Cap retired at the age of 45.

Answer: Hank Aaron

The others were career National League players. Some seasons had two all-star games. Aaron appeared in 25, all with the Braves except for one after being traded to the Brewers of the AL. Stan Musial spent his entire career with the Cardinals, and appeared in 24 for the National League. Spahn showed up for 17, all with the Braves, and Pete Rose appeared in 17 for the NL.

Answer: Rafael Palmeiro

Palmeiro retired with 2831 games under his belt. Playing with three different teams throughout 20 seasons, Rafael made it to the ALCS twice with the Orioles but lost them both. Julio Franco played in 23 seasons, and Andre Dawson played in 21. Neither of them made it to a World Series either, but did not have the total game count near that of Palmeiro. Luke Appling, Mickey Vernon, Elmer Valo, and Brian Downing also played in 20 seasons without ever making it.

Answer: Yogi Berra

The others all won seven World Series. Joe DiMaggio set a record for nine World Series crowns with the Yankees until Yogi came along and won 10. Berra played from 1946-1965, and played in an amazing 14 World Series in his career.

Answer: Ty Cobb

Playing from 1905-1928, Cobb did all his top-three antics with the Detroit Tigers. He won 12 batting titles and was runner-up three times. The 'Georgia Peach' retired with a .366 career average, a career average that stood throughout the first 100 years of Major League baseball. Musial was in the top three 14 times while winning seven titles. Gwynn and Hornsby made the club 11 times, with Tony winning eight and Rogers winning seven crowns.

Answer: Mike Morgan

Although Henderson set a record for moving the most times, he played for 'only' nine franchises. Mike Morgan was a pitcher who began his career in 1978 with Oakland. He was a starting pitcher until 2000, then the Diamondbacks had him come out of the bullpen. Mike retired with a 141-186 record.

Answer: Sandy Koufax

Koufax won all three when only one award was given out to the entire Major Leagues per season, until the leagues dished them out to their own outstanding pitchers in 1967. Koufax won them in 1963, 1965, and 1966. He retired after the 1966 season with a 27-9 record due to elbow problems. The Cy Young award began in 1956, one season after the death of Cy Young.

Answer: Babe Ruth

Ruth's storied career spanned 22 seasons, watching him finish in first five times with the most strikeouts. The other seven times he was the runner-up. He retired with 1330 strikeouts. Reggie Jackson played for 21 seasons and was in the top three 11 times. He led the league five times in most strikeouts, and retired with 2597, a Major League record in 1987.

Answer: Roy Sievers

The Rookie of the Year award began in 1947 with Jackie Robinson of the Dodgers winning it. Sievers of the St. Louis Browns had to wait for the third serving, receiving it in 1949 for his .306 average and 144 hits. Alvin Dark of the Braves won the second award for the NL. Sievers retired in 1965 after 17 seasons.

Answer: Rogers Hornsby

Hornsby of the Cardinals hit his first in 1922. His second in 1925 brought him his first MVP award. He won another MVP in 1929. Rogers won seven batting titles in his 23-season career, and retired with a .359 average, second to Ty Cobb in 1937.