Sweating to the Oldies Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pittsburgh Pirates

As a 23-year old, Moises played in two games in a Pirates uniform before being traded to the Expos. The Alou transaction was one of those "a player to be named later" type of deals, and he was it. The trade completed a Zane Smith/Willie Greene trade a week prior. In Montreal, Moises made the Pirates regret the deal without giving him a realistic view.

Answer: They played night games for the first time

The Giants were the sixth team in baseball history to add lights to the Polo Grounds. It didn't help the team as they finished sixth with a 72-80 record, 27.5 games behind the NL pennant winner Reds.

Answer: Rod Carew

Bench and Yaz were inducted in 1989, while Seaver joined the hall in 1992. Carew of the Twins and Angels, played for 19 seasons and retired in 1985. He won the American League Rookie of the Year in 1967 and the AL MVP in 1977. Rod went to the all-star game an amazing 18 times in his career.

His Hall of Fame ballots were 91%. Carew was inducted in 1991 along the side of Gaylord Perry, Tony Lazzeri, Fergie Jenkins, and baseball owner Bill Veeck.

Answer: 50 feet

The mound distance was moved back from 45 feet after the 1880 season in hopes of giving the fans more of a hitting display. It seemed to help, but in 1884 the rules for pitchers changed also, giving them the ability to release the ball from above the waist.

This was a step backwards for baseball because the pitchers once again ruled the game. Charley Radbourn for an example, won 59 games in the season with the Providence Grays of the National League.

Answer: Nap Lajoie

Only Hornsby and Lajoie were second basemen. Lajoie hit .4265 with his Philadelphia Athletics in 1901. It was the first season of the new American League. It would be the only season that Nap would hit .400, and resulted in him winning the Triple Crown award. He retired after 21 seasons with a .338 career average, leading the league five times with his averages.

Answer: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates had more than just a dismal season in 1890. Not only did they win just 23 games against 113 losses, their lead pitcher, Billy Gumbert, won only four games. Their number two pitcher, Kirtley Baker, won only three games. The team's player/manager was Guy Hecker. 1890 was his only season of managing.

The franchise would come together a decade later when the Louisville franchise went defunct, and the all-stars of that team including Honus Wagner, joined forces with the Pirates. In 1901, Pittsburgh won the first of three consecutive NL pennants while being a part of the new Major Leagues.

Answer: Bobby Cox

In 1985, Cox won the award with the Toronto Blue Jays, then again with the 1991 Atlanta Braves which saw that team make it to the World Series. They lost to the Twins however, four games to three. Cox also won the award again with the Braves in 2004.

Answer: Allie Reynolds

Reynolds reached this milestone in 1951 with the Yankees. Johnny Vander Meer of the Reds in 1938, and Jim Maloney of the Reds in 1965, both did this also. Nolan Ryan was the fourth to achieve this feat in 1973 with the Angels. Reynolds went 17-8 in the 1951 season which placed him third on the MVP ballots behind fellow Yankee Yogi Berra and St. Louis Browns' Ned Garver.

Answer: Joe Sewell

Sewell played for 14 seasons with Cleveland, and his last three with the Yankees, retiring in 1933. An oblivious stat probably never to be duplicated, Sewell struck out twice in a game in the 1923 season against the Senators, then again in the 1930 season against the Chicago White Sox. Joe amazingly struck out only 114 times in his entire 14-season career.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

Answer: Jack Doyle

Doyle of the New York Giants created this record in 1900. With the help of Charlie 'Piano Legs' Hickman who had 86 errors of his own at third base, they both kept the official recorders busy. The New York club committed 345 errors in the season. The Giants finished the season with a 60-78 record in last place.