Nasty Baseball Trivia Quiz

Answer: Nolan Ryan

None of the others ever reached 1900 walks and no pitcher except Nolan ever reached 1900 walks in the entire 20th Century. Ryan retired in 1993 with a ridiculous 2795 walks which was almost 1000 more walks than the career runner-up Steve Carlton, and 1578 more walks than the Hall of Fame great Cy Young who won 511 games. Nolan pitched in 27 seasons and amazingly never won a Cy Young Award.

Answer: Bobby Valentine

It was June 9, 1999, when Valentine of the Mets was thrown out of the game for arguing a call involving Mets catcher Mike Piazza in the 12th inning. Valentine hurriedly changed and came back in street clothes, a moustache and wearing glasses. As a result he was suspended by Major League Baseball for two days and fined for his antics.

The Blue Jays won the game in the 14th with a walk-off single by Dan Plesac.

Answer: Don Gullett

It was number 660 for the great Mays. As a New York Met on August 17, 1973 with the game being played in New York, Mays made the shot in the bottom of the fourth inning. It came from the fingers of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Don Gullett, but the Reds still won the game 2-1. Mays retired three weeks later. Ironically, Gullett gave up 24 home runs in the season, the same number as Willie's jersey.

Answer: Bill Veeck

After Jackie Robinson in the National League with the Dodgers, Doby was the first African-American player to join the American League in 1947. Bill Veeck was owner of the Cleveland Indians at the time. Veeck also owned the St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox at separate times. Veeck was most noted for his 'Eddie Gaedel Incident' in 1951 for the Browns signing the 3'7" dwarf to pinch-hit in only one appearance as a publicity stunt. Veeck was inducted into the Hall in 1986. Doby played from 1947-1959 and was later inducted by the Veteran's Committee of the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Answer: William Schaefer

In one of the biggest oddities of baseball, Schaefer was a Washington Senator on August 4, 1911, in a game against the White Sox. With a runner on third and Schaefer on first, Schaefer stole second base and it was done, but not yet. In an attempt to get the White Sox to throw him out, he ran back to first base.

After arriving at first base he broke for second base again. Senator outfielder Clyde Milan was on third the entire time and Schaefer was trying to bait White Sox catcher Fred Payne into throwing him out while enabling Milan to score.

It didn't work but Washington still won the game 1-0.

Answer: Jackie Robinson

Robinson has a well documented and storied career with the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947-1956. Jackie didn't want to walkaway from baseball but the Dodgers were looking to trade him in late 1956. He refused the trade and retired. In 1957, he became Vice President of Personnel for Chock Full O' Nuts coffee until 1964. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962 and died in 1972.

Answer: Joe Tinker

The 1908 World Series pitted the Cubs against the Tigers for a repeat of the 1907 series. This was the third consecutive World Series that the Cubs went to. Infielder Joe Tinker hit the franchise's first home run in game two of the 1908 series to top off a six run eighth inning which saw the Cubs defeat the Tigers 6-1.

They would go on to win the series four games to three. Tinker hit only 31 home runs in his career of 15 seasons and was inducted into the Hall in 1946. Unfortunately it would take more than 100 seasons for them to win another World Series in 2016.

Answer: Packers

The Indianapolis Hoosiers were in the National League from 1887-1889. The New York Metropolitans were found in the National League from 1883-1887. The Detroit Wolverines were in the NL from 1881-1888. The Kansas City Packers were found in the Federal League in 1914 and 1915. It was the only two seasons for the league that tried to combine with the two other major leagues.

Answer: William Phillips

Phillips was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada in 1857 and first played for the Cleveland Blues of the NL in 1879. After six seasons in Cleveland, he was a Brooklyn Gray in 1885 in the American Association. After three seasons in Brooklyn, he played out his final year with the Kansas City Cowboys of the AA in 1888. The first baseman died in Chicago in 1900.

Answer: Boston / Philadelphia

The first game ever of the NL was on April 22, 1876 and pitted the Boston Red Stockings against the Philadelphia Athletics at Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia. Boston won the game 6-5. Philadelphia was a strong favorite going into the season to win the pennant but disappointed many by finishing 14-45, seventh place of eight teams.

The league expelled both the Athletics and the New York Mutuals after the season for being poor teams and not drawing revenue.