Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. I am the man who invited this curse upon the unsuspecting fans in Boston. I purchased the Boston Red Sox in 1916 and in December 1919, I called forth the evil spirits by selling the contract of arguably the best player in baseball to another team for $100,000 in promissory notes and a $300,000 loan. If selling this player's contract wasn't bad enough, I sold his contract to the Red Sox' hated rivals, the New York Yankees. Who am I?
2. I am the Broadway musical that the owner of the Red Sox was rumored to have sold the Bambino's contract to the Yankees to finance. This rumor has since been disproved, but I am so closely associated with the Red Sox curse that the legend became fact over the years. Who am I?
3. After the departure of the Bambino from the Red Sox, I was the next great hitter for Boston; some (including myself) would say I was the best hitter that ever lived. Born in San Diego the same year that the Red Sox won their last World Series before the curse, I signed with the Red Sox at the age of 19. In 1941, I had a .406 batting average. In 1946, my Red Sox went to the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, but because of a "shift" in the Cardinals' defensive strategy, I only got 5 hits (all singles) for a .200 batting average in the series and we lost - and the curse continued. Who am I?
4. I played for the Red Sox from 1961 to 1983 - my entire career, most of which I played at left field and first base. In 1967, I was the American League Most Valuable Player and hit for the Triple Crown (led the league in batting average, home runs and runs batted in). I played in two World Series for the Red Sox - 1967 and 1975. Unfortunately, we lost both times, despite my stellar play in the 1967 Series (.400 batting average, 3 home runs and 5 runs batted in for the series) - and the curse continued. Who am I?
5. I am a former player for the Cincinnati Reds and was the 1970 Sporting News Rookie of the Year for the Reds. I went on to play for the Cardinals before joining the Red Sox in 1974. In Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, with the Red Sox behind 6-3 in the eighth inning (and needing to win the game to keep our chances in the Series alive), I hit a 3-run home run off Rawly Eastwick to tie the game, which the Red Sox went on to win in extra innings (but that's a story for another question). Who am I?
6. I was the catcher for the Red Sox in 1969 and then from 1971 to 1980. In Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, I came to bat in the bottom of the 12th inning against Reds relief pitcher Pat Darcy with the score tied at 6. I hit the second pitch he threw down the left-field line, where it barely remained a fair ball and went over the wall to give the Red Sox the win. Sadly, we lost Game 7 the next day - and the curse continued. Who am I?
7. I never played for the Red Sox but I had a profound impact on continuing the curse. In 1978, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees were tied at the top of the American League East division; the title would be decided by a one-game playoff. Not known as a power hitter, I hit a 3-run home run with one out in the 7th inning to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the game, which we went on to win 5-4. My performance in the game earned me a very rude nickname among Red Sox fans - and the curse continued. Who am I?
8. I played for 5 teams in the major leagues between 1969 and 1990, including two stints with the Red Sox. In the 1986 World Series, I was at first base for the Red Sox against the New York Mets. In Game 6, with the Red Sox leading 3 games to 2, I was playing first base in the bottom of the 10th inning when the Mets' Mookie Wilson hit a slow ground ball down the first base line toward me. I bent to field the ball, but it rolled past my glove and between my legs into right field, allowing the winning run to score and forcing a 7th game, which we lost - and the Curse of the Bambino continued. Who am I?
9. I was a Major League pitcher from 1988 to 2007. I came to the Red Sox in 2004 and helped them finally bring an end to the Curse of the Bambino. In Game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series, pitching with an injured ankle, I was the winning pitcher and helped lead the team to a comeback in the series form a 0-3 deficit to win the AL Pennant and earn a place in the World Series - which we won with a 4-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals - and the curse is over. Who am I?
10. I'm the player at the center of the Curse of the Bambino. I started as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in 1914, but began playing more as a fielder than a pitcher a few years later. I was with the Red Sox for the 1915, 1916 and 1918 World Series - all of which we won - but was traded to the Yankees on December 26, 1919. As more of my former Red Sox teammates were traded to the Yankees as well, we became the dominant team of the 1920's - and some would say the greatest baseball team ever assembled. The Yankees hadn't won a World Series before I arrived, but we won 4 in my 14 years on the team and started a tradition of winning that excited Yankees fans for generations, while frustrating Red Sox fans at the same time. I am considered by many the greatest baseball player ever to have played the game. My best-known nickname was "Babe", but what was my full, *real* name?
Source: Author
bigtim64
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
stuthehistoryguy before going online.
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