Outrageous Names in Baseball Quiz | MLB Players

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This outfielder played for the Pirates, Giants, and White Sox over six seasons. His nickname was "Ugly" and he preferred that to his real born name. Who was this player?

Answer: Johnny Dickshot

Johnny began his career with the Pirates in 1936. In late 1938 he was traded to the Boston Bees, but before the 1939 season, the New York Giants bought his contract. After one season with the Giants, he played two with the White Sox after World War II. Johnny didn't lead the league in anything, never won an award, and never saw a postseason game. John Oscar "Ugly" Dickshot died in 1997 at the age of 87.

2. This seemingly scary-named person pitched in the 1910s and 1920s for Yankees and Browns. He led the league in strikeouts once and was a 20-game winner four times. Who was this player that died of heart disease in the middle of a season?

Answer: Urban Shocker

Shocker was a Yankee for two seasons and then seven seasons with the St. Louis Browns. All his 20-game seasons were with the Browns who almost never did well in the standings. The Browns traded Shocker to the Yankees in 1924 for Joe Bush and two other players. Urbain Jacques Shockcor was diagnosed with a severe heart disorder in May 1928, then died just four months later at the age of 37.

3. This 12-season outfielder was somewhat of an expert playing games, but not in a positive way. He played for eight teams in his career and was a Texas Ranger all-star. His career was shortened due to anger management issues. Who was this player?

Answer: Milton Bradley

Like the game manufacturer, Bradley was a little better and had a consistent average. He played from 2000-2011 with Montreal, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, Texas, Chicago, and Seattle. His only all-star appearance was in 2008. Bradley carried more and more baggage throughout the years due to his anger management issues and being in and out of programs.

It came to the point where no team wanted to deal with those issues.

4. This outrageously named player was in a White Sox uniform in five of his seven sevens season Major League Baseball beginning in 1979. The outfielder did get into one World Series with the Tigers and had one RBI. Who is this former White Sox player that wore the number 47?

Answer: Rusty Kuntz

Pronounced "Koonts", Rusty played primarily in the role of being a reserve player. He did hit five home runs in his career, but had more strikeouts than hits in his seven seasons. His World Series ring came from the Tigers in 1984 for defeating the Padres. Russell Jay "Rusty" Kuntz hung up his cleats at the beginning of the 1985 season.

5. This pitcher began his baseball career with the Philadelphia Quakers in 1886, or at least he tried to. After losing his first five games, they traded him to the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association in 1887 where he went 1-2 before the New York Giants bought his contract short of the season ending. He went 4-3 and then 14-8 for the Giants in 1888. By 1890 his career was over. Who was this pitcher?

Answer: Cannonball Titcomb

Ledell N. "Cannonball" Titcomb was a 19-year old rookie in 1886 as a reliever, but the Quakers just didn't have a place for him to fit in. Things looked up for him with the Giants as he became a starting pitcher but was more than overshadowed by teammates Tim Keefe and Mickey Welch. Titcomb retired after five seasons in 1890 and lived to be 83 when he died in 1950.

6. This pitcher is in the Hall of Fame. He pitched for 12 of his 16 seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League. Who is this 20-game winner?

Answer: Chief Bender

Charles Albert "Chief" Bender was an American-Indian born in 1884. He walked up to the management of the Philadelphia Athletics and asked for a tryout. That tryout lasted for 12 seasons, and being a 20-game winner twice. He tried the Federal League in 1915 but the league closed its doors after that season, so he signed on for two seasons with the Phillies.

He retired with the White Sox after a 212-127 career record. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1953.

7. This outfielder played for 10 of his 11 seasons with the Louisville Colonels/Eclipse of the American Association. He led the league in hits and batting average once in his career. Who was this player who retired in 1892?

Answer: Chicken Wolf

William Van Winkle "Chicken" Wolf was born in 1862 and debuted in 1882 before his 20th birthday. Chicken averaged playing in over 100 games per season and led the league in hits and a .363 average in 1890 with the Colonels. That helped Louisville win the American Association pennant in the season.

He retired in 1892 with the St. Louis Browns of the National League. He died in 1903 at the age of 41.

8. I was a Chicago Cub and Kansas City Royal in the 1970s. I was an outfielder and did make it to one World Series with the Royals. Who am I that wore number 23, 24, and 25 as a Cub?

Answer: Pete LaCock

Born and schooled in California, LaCock was drafted in the first round of the 1970 Amateur Draft by the Cubs. By the end of the 1972 season he finally debuted. By 1977 he was wearing the uniform of the Royals and went to the World Series against the Phillies in 1980. Pete was able to play in one game but did not bat.

The Phillies won the series. Ralph Pierre "Pete" LaCock retired after that 1980 postseason with nine seasons under his belt.

9. I was an early days Chicago Cub, Phillie, and Cardinal before I retired after five seasons. I was a catcher in all my games and the 1921 season was my last, and not by choice. Who am I?

Answer: Pickles Dilhoefer

Pickles was involved in one of the worst trades in baseball history when the Cubs traded him to the Phillies for Pete Alexander in 1917. It was one of the worst trades in history because Pickles was a no-name catcher who had played in only 42 games at the time of the trade, and Pete Alexander had already won almost 200 games for the Phillies in only eight seasons. Alexander went on to win 373 career games and was a Hall of Fame inductee.

After the 1921 season, he developed Typhoid Fever during the winter and died in February 1922. William Martin "Pickles" Dillhoefer was only 28 when he died.

10. I was a five-season pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s. With no awards, not leading the league in anything, and no postseason appearances, I retired in 1946. Who am I?

Answer: Ed Head

Head's best season was going 10-6 in 1942. He missed the 1941 season due to World War II and also the World Series against the Yankees. The Louisiana born player died there also in 1980 at the age of 62.

Source: Author dg_dave

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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Outrageous Names in Baseball Trivia Quiz

The most absurd and outrageous names of players on the diamond.

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