Minnesota Sports Potpourri Multiple Choice Quiz | Minnesota

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Minnesota Twins franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961. What was the former name of the franchise before the move?

Answer: Washington Senators

The Senators started play in 1901 as one of the original 8 franchises in the American League. Rather than a new expansion team in Minneapolis, the Senators team president Calvin Griffith asked that his team be moved to Minnesota so the expansion team could be placed in Washington DC. Major League Baseball agreed to move the franchise.

The Senators were American League champions in 1924, 1925, 1933, and won the World Series in 1924.

2. How could anyone forget the team owner of the Minnesota North Stars that moved the team to Dallas? Do you remember his name?

Answer: Norman Green

Green moved the franchise to Dallas in 1993. The North Stars never did win a Stanley Cup Championship, only making it to the finals twice in 1980-81 and 1990-91 seasons. An infamous quote from the booster club president of the North Stars Julie Hammond appeared in a "Sports Illustrated" article in 1993. "When [Norm Green] came here he said, 'Only an idiot could lose money on hockey in Minnesota.' Well, I guess he proved that point."

3. The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey team won the NCAA National Championship 3 times in the 20th century. All three came in the same decade. Which decade was it?

Answer: 1970s

The Gophers won the NCAA Championship in 1974, 1976, and 1979. Legendary head coach Herb Brooks was behind the bench for all three championships as well. Eight players from the three championship teams played for Brooks on the Gold Medal winning 1980 USA men's ice hockey team.

4. The first known use of the phrase "Hail Mary Pass" to describe a deep pass was on December 28th, 1975, in a NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings. To which wide receiver did Roger Staubach complete the hail mary to?

Answer: Drew Pearson

With 24 seconds left in the game, Staubach called a deep pass play and completed the pass to Drew Pearson at the 5-yard line then ran with the ball into the end zone. Staubach later told the press that he closed his eyes, threw the ball, and said a Hail Mary prayer.

5. The Minnesota Twins won the 1991 World Series. Which player hit the game-winning home run in the 11th inning of game 6, to extend the series to a 7th and decisive game against the Atlanta Braves?

Answer: Kirby Puckett

Charlie Leibrandt was on the mound for the Atlanta Braves, and on the 4th pitch to Puckett, Puckett hit the ball into the stands in left centerfield to win the game 4-3. The Twins won game 7, 1-0, winning their second World Series title in 4 years.

6. The Minnesota Timberwolves began play in the National Basketball Association in the 1989-90 season. Who was the first head coach of the Timberwolves?

Answer: Bill Musselman

After just two seasons, Musselman was fired by the Timberwolves' front office. His record in two seasons with the Timberwolves was 51 wins and 113 losses. The first winning season for the Timberwolves didn't come until the 1997-98 season when they went 45-37 under Flip Saunders, and advanced to the playoffs for the first time.

7. The Minnesota Wild began play in the National Hockey League in the 2000-01 season. Who did the Wild select as their first-ever draft pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft?

Answer: Marian Gaborik

Gaborik, born in Czechoslovakia was selected 3rd overall in the draft. His rookie season saw him contribute right away with 18 goals and 18 assists. In the 2002-03 season, he was selected to his first NHL All-Star game and led the Wild to its first-ever appearance in the NHL Western Conference Finals.

He played with the Wild until after the 2008-09 season, when he became a free agent and signed with the New York Rangers.

8. Minnesota Viking kicker Gary Anderson missed a field goal late in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship game in 1998, that would have put the Vikings up by 10 points with less than 2:10 remaining in the game. How many field goals did Anderson miss during that regular season?

Answer: 0

Anderson was 35-for-35 during the regular season in field goals. His miss allowed new life for the Atlanta Falcons who drove down the field and scored a game-tying touchdown to send the game into overtime. The Falcons eventually kicked a game-winning field goal in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the John Elway led Denver Broncos 34-19.

9. What is the team nickname for Minnesota's WNBA team that began play in 1999?

Answer: Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx was a WNBA expansion team starting play in 1999 along with the Orlando Miracle. The Lynx struggled in their first 4 seasons before making the playoffs in 2003, with their first winning record. They again made it into the playoffs in 2004, but both appearances would result in first round eliminations.

10. The 1941 Heisman Trophy was awarded to University of Minnesota football player, Bruce P. Smith. What position did Smith play for the Golden Gophers?

Answer: Running back

Smith was a major factor in the back-to-back National Championships won by the Gophers in 1940 and 1941. He was the first player from the University of Minnesota to win the Heisman Trophy. After college, Smith served in the United States Navy as a fighter pilot in World War II. He died of cancer in 1967 at the age of 47.

Source: Author pyonir

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Minnesota Sports Potpourri Trivia Quiz

A brief look at sports history and events in Minnesota sports.

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