The 1995 MLB Season Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Sonia Sotomayor, a native of the Bronx, recorded one of the best "saves" in Major League history when she signed a preliminary injunction order against Major League Baseball which essentially called for a truce between the big league owners and players.

The 1994 lockout was over, and play finally resumed in late April 1995. The regular season schedule was cut from the normal 162 games to 144 contests. In May 2009, Sotomayor was nominated by President Obama to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court, and Sotomayor later received confirmation from the U.S. Senate.

In 1995, Bud Selig was the Major League Commissioner, Donald Fehr worked with the Players' Union, and Clarence Thomas was a Supreme Court Justice.

Answer: Eddie Murray

On June 30, 1995, Eddie Murray of the Indians reached the 3000-hit plateau when he hit a single off Baltimore Orioles' pitcher Mike Trombley in the sixth inning of a 4-1 victory by Cleveland. Murray spent much of his career (1977-1988, 1996) with the Orioles, but he joined the exclusive 3000 Hit Club with the Indians, joining Hall of Famers Nap Lajoie and Tris Speaker as the third member of Cleveland to achieve that honor.

In 1995, Tony Gwynn played for the Padres, Wade Boggs was with the Red Sox, and Craig Biggio was playing for the Astros.

Answer: The Ballpark in Arlington

On July 11, 1995, the All-Star Game was played at The Ballpark in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers. The Ballpark was first opened in April 1994, and about 50,000 fans attended the 1995 All-Star Game. The National League team defeated the American Leaguers, 3-2, on the strength of an eighth inning pinch-hit home run by Jeff Conine of the Florida Marlins.

In 1995, the Kingdome hosted the Seattle Mariners, U.S. Cellular Field was the home of the Chicago White Sox, and Coors Field hosted the Colorado Rockies.

Answer: Dante Bichette

Dante Bichette of the Colorado Rockies nearly won the Triple Crown in 1995. The righty slugger slammed 40 HRS, knocked in 128 runs and batted .340 during the 1995 season. Larry Walker, Bichette's lefty-batting teammate, hit 36 home runs in 1995. Albert Belle (50 HRS) and Mo Vaughn (39 HRS) both played in the American League in 1995.

Answer: Shortstop

Some baseball historians claim that Orioles' shortstop Cal Ripken brought many disgruntled fans from 1994 back into the Major League fold. These pundits claim that Ripken's day-by-day climb up to the top of "Mount Gehrig" made the 1995 season memorable and interesting. On September 6, 1995, the shortstop played in his 2131st consecutive game, eclipsing the previous mark held by the immortal Lou Gehrig. ESPN announcer Chris Berman proclaimed that Ripken had "reached the unreachable star".

The ballgame was halted for more than twenty minutes as Ripken made a victory lap around Baltimore's Camden Yards. Ripken played at the shortstop position from 1981 to 1996.

He then switched to third base for most of the rest of his career, a journey which ended in 2001.

Answer: Edgar Martinez

Edgar Martinez, an outstanding DH for the Mariners, became a hero in Game Five of the ALDS when he doubled home Joey Cora and Ken Griffey, Jr. to give the M's a dramatic 6-5 victory in extra innings over the New York Yankees. The Mariners rallied from a 2-0 deficit in games to win the series, three games to two. Martinez had a terrific 1995 season, batting .356 with 29 HRS and 113 RBI in the regular season.

In the ALDS, Martinez batted an incredible .571 (12-21) with two homers and ten runs batted in. Joey Cora played second base for Seattle, Ken Griffey, Jr. was an outfielder, and Dan Wilson was a catcher for the 1995 M's.

Answer: 1954

Mike Hargrove led the Cleveland Indians to the 1995 American League pennant, the first postseason appearance for the Tribe since 1954. In 1954, the favored Indians lost the World Series to the New York Giants. The Indians won the World Series title in both 1920 and 1948.

In 1959, the Chicago White Sox represented the A.L. in the Series. The 1995 Indians defeated the Red Sox and then the Mariners to capture the A.L. pennant, however, Cleveland lost to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series.

Answer: Bobby Cox

Bobby Cox, a veteran baseball man, reached Nirvana when his Atlanta Braves defeated Cleveland, four games to two. Cox's Braves compiled a regular season record of 90-54, and his team then beat Colorado and Cincinnati to reach the World Series. Cox led the Braves from 1978 to 1981 and began his second stint with Atlanta in 1990.

In 1995, Jim Riggleman managed the Cubs, Davey Johnson led the Reds, and Don Baylor was the skipper for the Rockies.

Answer: Tom Glavine

The 1995 Atlanta Braves had a formidable starting pitching rotation; Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz were a powerful trio of hurlers who usually shut down the opposition's hitting attack. Tom Glavine, a lefty hurler who wore uniform number 47, had an outstanding 1995 World Series.

He won two games against the Cleveland Indians, including the decisive game six, with an impressive ERA of 1.29. Maddux, Smoltz, and reliever Mark Wohlers were all right-handed pitchers.

Answer: Buck Showalter

Buck Showalter led the New York Yankees to an American League Eastern Division title, with a record of 79-65. However, after the Bombers' playoff collapse against the Mariners, boss George Steinbrenner decided that a change was necessary, The boss tabbed veteran Joe Torre to replace Showalter for the 1996 season. Overall, Showalter managed the Yankees from 1992 to 1995, compiling a regular season record of 313-268. Torre would lead the Yankees to four World Series titles between the years 1996 and 2000.