Nightmares for Baseball Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bill Fischer

Fischer pitched for only nine seasons from 1956-1964. He accomplished nothing major except for this feat, and retired with a 45-58 record. In 1962 as a Kansas City Athletic, he set this mark. In the same season, he also set a mark for throwing 128 innings while walking only eight batters.

Answer: Tim McCarver

McCarver of the Cardinals set the mark in 1966 when he hit 13. The Cardinals still finished sixth in the National League. Tim played for 21 seasons, mainly with the Cardinals and Phillies. 1967 saw him get the runner-up to the MVP, losing to teammate Orlando Cepeda. McCarver retired in 1980, then later became a sports broadcaster.

Answer: Philadelphia Phillies

The year was 1930. .315, even with the pitcher's batting averages figured in was a tremendous team average. However, with Phil Collins going 16-11 and Ray Benge throwing 11-15, the rest of the staff went 25-76, and allowed an amazing 7.5 runs per game. Eight times in the 1930s, the Phillies either finished last or next to last place in the National League.

Answer: Hal Newhouser

Newhouser was the only pitcher in the 20th century to win it two seasons in a row, and did it in 1944 and 1945. The Tiger pitcher went 29-9, and beat out teammate Dizzy Trout for the award. In 1945, Newhouser threw a Triple Crown and beat out teammate Eddie Mayo for the award.

Answer: Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies were rained on in the 1909 season. They made up every game, but still finished fifth, 36.5 games behind the NL pennant winner Pirates. The rain-out streak ended on August 19th. Ironically, both teams were located in Pennsylvania, yet the Pirates were rained out only twice in the season.

Answer: Washington Senators

Ironically, the first and seventh game went 12 innings. The 1924 New York Giants won the first extra inning game, but the Senators won the other. It was a 4-3 series, with Walter Johnson winning game seven in relief. Earl McNeely had the series-winning hit when his grounder to third base hit a rock, and strayed away from the Giant third baseman. Goose Goslin hit three home runs for the Senators and batted .344.

Answer: Jack O'Connor

Lajoie, the Cleveland Indian, and Ty Cobb the Detroit Tiger, battled it out all season for the batting crown. On the last day of the season with the Indians playing the St. Louis Browns, the Browns' manager Jack O'Connor had his third baseman, Red Corriden, play deep on every Lajoie at-bat.

It resulted in eight beat-out bunts by Lajoie, but Cobb still won the title .385 to .384. 71 years later the controversy finally ended when the 'Sporting News' uncovered that Cobb had two additional hitless at-bats in the season.

The award was changed to Lajoie winning it, .384 to .383.

Answer: Hugh Daily

Ryan did it twice amongst all his no-hitters. He did it in 1974 when he threw two no-hitters with the Angels, then again in 1975. But it was Hugh 'One Arm' Daily, who in 1883 with the Cleveland Blues, threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Quakers, who won only 17 games in the season.

He led the league with 99 walks. The following season, Daily led the Union Association in strikeouts with 483.

Answer: Erve Beck

1901 witnessed this Cleveland Blues second baseman a home run on April 25th. He hit six in the season and that was his career high. Beck only played professional baseball from 1899-1902.

Answer: Hoyt Wilhelm

The great Cy Young appeared in 906 games. Wilhelm reached the mark in 1970. He appeared in 1070 career games. As a 29-year old rookie in 1952 with the Giants, he spent 21 seasons in the big leagues, and retired as a Dodger in 1972. The hall took Hoyt in 1985.