Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Manny Ramirez had a storied career in Major League baseball. After beginning his career with the Indians and playing there for eight seasons, he also wore the uniform of the Red Sox in eight seasons. After becoming a member of the 500 Home Run Club in 2008, just a few weeks later he was traded to the San Diego Padres. This broke up the duo of him and David Ortiz who had played together for six seasons.
2. The Philadelphia Phillies won their first-ever World Series in 1980. Managed by Dallas Green, the team was led by the bat of third baseman Matt Williams who was the season and World Series MVP. The Phillies had the arm of Steve Carlton who went 24-9 in the season. They met the Royals in the World Series, and defeated them four games to two.
3. The New York Yankees purchased Babe Ruth from the Red Sox after the 1919 season. It would pay huge dividends as the Yankees went to their first World Series in 1928. They would skunk the St. Louis Cardinals four games to none in the series. Ruth hit three home runs in the series.
4. Being ironic sometimes mates itself. On September 29, 1986, Cleveland's Jay Bell walked up to the plate for his first Major League at-bat. On the first pitch, Bell hit it out of the park. With that pitch, Minnesota Twins pitcher Bert Blyleven set a Major League record for giving up his 47th home run in a season. Bert would go on to give up 50 in the season, and Bell would not hit another home run in the season. He would however go on to hit 547 in his career.
5. When Roger Maris hit his 61st home run in 1961 for the Yankees, a most famous asterisk was placed in the record books of baseball. Maris hit those in a 162-game season, while Babe Ruth hit 60 in 1927 during a 154-game season. Finally, when Mark McGwire hit 70 in 1998 with the Athletics, the asterisk was removed from the record books.
6. The Giants organization has had some big guns throughout their franchise history. Mel Ott started it in the 1940s when he retired after hitting 511 career home runs. Then came Willie Mays, who hit over 600 for the Giants. Other guns include Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Matt Williams, and later, Barry Bonds, who hit over 700 home runs in a Giants uniform. Ott, Mays, McCovey, and Cepeda were all Hall of Fame inductees.
7. Owner Branch Rickey was well known for his antics in baseball. He was responsible for hiring a midget in the name of Eddie Gaedel, to lead-off opening day in 1951 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Major League Baseball. He was also responsible many other promotions including flying in orchids from Hawaii for his Cleveland Indian fans, and an exploding scoreboard. In 1961 on opening day, and due to fans complaining prior about their view being blocked by peanut and beer vendors, Rickey hired all midgets to carry the peanuts and beer. Comiskey Park was a mess as the trays were too heavy for the new workers, thus peanuts and beer was spilled throughout the stands. Ironically, Gaedel died a month later as a result of a mugging in Chicago.
8. Pitcher Don Cardwell was a Philadelphia Phillie for four seasons. In 1960, they traded him to the Cubs. In his first pitching assignment at the Cubs, wouldn't you know it, Cardwell threw a no-hitter against the St Louis Cardinals. He went on to throw two more no-hitters for the Padres later in his career.
9. 1998 was a pretty historical season for baseball. It was the first time in history that a shortstop hit 40 home runs and stole 40 bases in the same season. He was Alex Rodriguez of the Mariners. A new season home run record was set by Mark McGwire for hitting 70 big ones. It was also the year of the "Earthquake Series", that saw the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. That series was interrupted for 10 days by an earthquake in the bay area. Oakland went on to skunk the Giants, four games to none.
10. The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame opened its door in 1936. The inaugural five immortals inducted were Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Juan Marichal, and Walter Johnson. The first non-player ever inducted was Commissioner Ban Johnson, who was inducted in 1937.
Source: Author
Nightmare
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