The Boston Red Sox Made Simple Quiz

Answer: Bobby Doerr

Bobby Doerr was a Red Sox second baseman from 1937-1951 (less a year off for service in World War II). He entered the Hall of Fame in 1986. Ted Williams played from 1939-1960 (less about five years off for World War II and the Korean War) and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1966. Yaz played from 1961-1983, and was enshrined in 1989. Jim Rice played from 1974-1989 and entered the Hall of Fame in 2009. Of interest, all four played their entire major league careers with the Boston Red Sox.

Answer: 0

Williams got to play in only one World Series, 1946, when the Red Sox lost 4-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals. Yaz played in two World Series. In 1967, the Sox lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3; in 1975, they lost to the Cincinnati Reds 4-3. Rice played in two World Series, the 1975 loss to the Reds and the 1986 loss to the New York Mets 4-3. Note the margin in each of these losses.

Answer: 2004

After losing to the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 in both 1946 and 1967, and the New York Mets in 1986 (also 4-3), the Red Sox defeated the Cardinals 4-0 in 2004 for their first World Series win since 1918, some 86 years!

Answer: Ted Williams

On the last day of the 1941 season, with the Red Sox playing a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics, Williams was batting .39955 which, rounded, would officially have been .400. Offered the chance to sit out those games, Williams refused. That day he went 6 for 8 and finished at .406.

His lifetime average was .344. Boggs highest average was .368/lifetime .328. Yaz top average was .329/lifetime .285. Rice reached .325/lifetime .298. [In 1941, a sacrifice fly counted as an at-bat. Under later rules, Williams would have batted between .411 and .419.]

Answer: 1908

For the 1801-1907 seasons, Boston had no official nickname, although it was variously called such names as "The Bostons," "The Bostonians," "The Pilgrims," or "The Boston Americans." After the 1907 season, owner John Taylor selected red as the team color and "Red Sox" as the official nickname.

In 1903, Boston beat Pittsburgh in the first World Series. In 1912, The Red Sox moved into Fenway Park.

Answer: Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth has a New York Yankee cap. He played for the Boston Red Sox (1914-1919), the Yankees (1920-1934), and the Boston Braves (1935). Bobby Doerr (1937-1951 less time for military service), Ted Williams (1939-1960 less military service time), and Jim Rice (1974-1989) played their entire major league careers with the Boston Red Sox.

Answer: Dom

The youngest of the three brothers, Dominic Paul "Dom" DiMaggio, called "The Little Professor," played his entire major league career (1940-1953, less World War II service) with the Red Sox. A seven-time All-Star and superior lead-off hitter, he batted over .300 four times and ended with a lifetime .298 batting average. Vincent Paul "Vince" DiMaggio, the oldest brother, played from 1937-1946, with the Boston Bees, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Giants. He was twice an All-Star. Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio spent his entire 13-year career (1936-1951, less World War II service) as a New York Yankee.

He was an All-Star all 13 years. A member of the Hall of Fame, he played on nine World Series championship teams. All three brothers played center field![Dave DiMaggio was not one of the brothers.]

Answer: The Green Monster

"The Green Monster" is the 37-foot+ high left field wall 310-315 feet from home plate that was part of the original structure. A scoreboard, manually operated, was added in 1934. It was not painted green until 1947 (before then it was full of ads). "The Pesky Pole" is the name for the pole marking the right field foul line, 302 feet from home plate. Johnny Pesky, a light-hitting shortstop and longtime Red Sox coach hit a few home runs around the pole, which in 2006, on Pesky's 87th birthday, was dedicated as "Pesky's Pole." "The Lone Red Seat" is in the right field bleachers (Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21).

It marks the longest home run in the 20th century hit at Fenway Park, 502 feet by Ted Williams on June 6, 1946. [The Swanboat Pond is in Boston Common and has nothing to do with the Red Sox.]

Answer: Harry Frazee

Harry H. Frazee, who owned the Red Sox from 1917-1923, destroyed what was a magnificent team. J.A. Robert Quinn owned the team from 1923-1933, when he sold it to Tom Yawkey. Yawkey, and later the Jean Yawkey Trust, had control from 1933-2002. John Henry led a group that gained ownership in 2002. It was still in control in 2015.

Answer: New York Giants

The Red Sox defeated the Giants 4-3, with one tie. The Series was hotly contested. In Game One, at the Polo Grounds, the Sox won 4-3. Game Two, at Fenway Park, ended in a 6-6 tie after 11 innings. In Game Three at Fenway Park, the Giants prevailed 2-1. Game Four was at the Polo Grounds; the Sox won 3-1. Game Five was played in Boston, with the Sox winning 2-1, giving them a 3-1 advantage.

At the Polo Grounds, the Giants beat the Red Sox 5-2 in Game Six. At Fenway Park, in Game Seven, the Giants routed the Sox 11-4.

In Game Eight, the Red Sox edged the Giants 3-2 in ten innings, coming back after the Giants scored a run to go ahead in the top of the 10th.