Nightmare Baseball Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1901

The American League began in 1901 with eight teams. They were the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, Cleveland Blues, and the Milwaukee Brewers. The White Sox won the first American League title with a 83-53 record, winning four games ahead of the Red Sox.

Answer: Bobo Holloman

Holloman threw his no-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics. 1953 saw the only season of Major League baseball for Alva Lee "Bobo" Holloman. He went 3-7 that season with the St. Louis Browns (later Baltimore Orioles) with 25 stikeouts, and an ERA of 5.23.

Answer: Joe Sewell

With Brock striking out 1730 times, and Jackson setting a record for 2597 career strikeouts, this left Speaker and Sewell. Joe Sewell playing 14 seasons, mostly with the Cleveland Indians, struck out a career 114 times. An amazing statistic, Sewell struck out only once in every 63 at-bats.

This record could live in infamy, as the closest batter in the 20th century could only muster one strikeout in 45 at-bats. That player was the great Paul Waner who retired in 1945.

Answer: 1934

Dean did not play in any of the other years listed. In 1934, Jay Hanna 'Dizzy' Dean was in his third full season with the Cardinals of St. Louis. We went 30-7 with 195 strikeouts. He won the award over the Pirates' great Paul Waner. He also led the Cardinals to the World Series title over the Detroit Tigers the same season. Dean was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame.

Answer: 1944

In their 44th season of franchise history the team, under the leadership of manager Luke Sewell, were beaten by the St. Louis Cardinals four games to two in the World Series. This was a same-city World Series, as the franchise was named the St. Louis Browns at that time (they became the Baltimore Orioles in 1954).

Answer: Rube Waddell

None of the others ever struck out 300 batters in a season. Waddell not only was the first to strike out 300 batters twice, but he did this in consecutive seasons in 1903 and 1904. Waddell playing 13 seasons, mostly with the Philadelphia Athletics, retired with 2316 career strikeouts. Amazingly, even though appearing in up to 55 games in a season, the great Cy Young struck out over 200 batters in a season only once in his career.

Answer: Baltimore Orioles

Their franchise began in 1901 with the new American League. The Orioles, after two seasons became the New York Highlanders in 1903. In 1913, the franchise became the New York Yankees. The franchise's first pennant was in 1921, when the Yankees won the American League and went to the World Series against the New York Giants.

It would be 1923 before the Yankees won their first of many World Series titles, by defeating the same Giants. Miller Huggins helmed the club to their first, and five more World Series appearances.

Answer: 1919

Unfortunately, the Reds won their first crown under tremendous controversy. 1919 was the year of the infamous 'Black Sox Scandal', where Chicago White Sox players were charged with 'fixing' the World Series. It would be 1939 before the Reds appeared in another World Series, losing to the Yankees, then winning the big time the following season in 1940, by defeating the Detroit Tigers four games to three.

Answer: New York Yankees

Although Billy managed all these teams, he managed the Yankees in 1988, after a Steinbrenner-induced layoff of three seasons. He took the Yankees to two World Series titles in 1977 and 1978. After his fifth place finish in 1988 in New York, he died on Christmas Day the following year. Martin played seven of his eleven Major League seasons as a Yankee second baseman.

Answer: Deacon Phillippe

Phillippe won three games in his first three appearances in the inaugural World Series of 1903. His Pittsburgh Pirates lost the Series to the Boston Pilgrims five games to three. Phillippe won 20 or more games, six times in his 13 seasons of baseball. Cy Young pitched on the opposing Boston Pilgrims winning team.