The Dividing Line Trivia Quiz

Answer: Auburn Tigers

Alabama Crimson Tide is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Auburn Tigers athletic teams represent Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.

I learned of these, specifically their football teams, while reading the true story, "The Awakening of HK Derryberry" by Jim Bradford. HK is a disabled young man who loves sports and Jim introduced him to his favourite football team, the Auburn Tigers. Despite meeting the coach of their Crimson Tide rivals, HK remained a staunch fan of the Auburn Tigers.

Answer: Manchester City

Manchester United, the Red Devils, and their slightly lesser known rivals Manchester City, the Sky Blues, are English football (soccer) teams based in Manchester. As a child I preferred blue to red so I chose to support City. My brother saw things the opposite way round so became a United supporter. Over fifty years later things have not changed.

Answer: Celtic

Glasgow Rangers was formed in 1872 and Glasgow Celtic in 1887. They are Scottish football clubs. Back then, Rangers represented the richer, Protestant supporters of the union with England. Celtic were the Catholics from the poorer east side who sided more with the Irish and their separatist ideals.

In recent years, various managers have introduced players onto their teams from the "wrong side of town". Although the rivalry remains, it is slightly less sectarian than it once was.

Answer: Everton

Everton F.C. were founded in 1878 and a few years later established their home ground at Anfield. One of the board members was a brewer of beer, but the remainder of the board were teetotallers. The brewer built Goodison Park, a new ground on the other side of the river within sight of Anfield and took the football club there.

The remaining board members started a new football team to use the existing original ground and Liverpool AFC was born.

Answer: Roma

Roma was founded in 1927 when Benito Mussolini wanted to make a team to rival the dominant teams from the North of Italy. Three small local teams came together to represent the capital. Lazio prefered to stand alone and now the two teams fight it out to become the best.

The rivalry between the supporters has been violent over the years and in 1979 a Lazio fan died when hit in the eye by a flare fired by a Roma fan.

Answer: Sampdoria

Two small teams, Andrea Doria and Sampier, merged to form Sampdoria in 1946 and are therefore the newest of the top flight Italian football clubs. On the other hand, Genoa is the oldest of the clubs, having been set up in 1893 as a cricket and athletic club for British players in Italy. Benito Mussolini disapproved of the British connection and urged the formation of their rivals.

Answer: Torino

Juventus and Torino are both based in Turin and the original rivalry was based on the class war. Juventus was founded in 1897 by students from a rich private school. Torino was founded in 1906 by a working class group that broke away from Juventus when they were considering changing the location of the club.

Answer: Jimmy Connors

Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe played 34 official matches between 1977 and 1991, with McEnroe coming out ahead, 20 to 14. McEnroe is also ahead in their other matches, 9 to 6.

Of the two, Connors was more successful on the world stage of tennis, including five no. 1 rankings to his rival's four. He also stayed in the top rankings for more years than McEnroe.

Answer: Rafael Nadal

From 2005 to 2010, either Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal held top spot in tennis rankings and the other held second spot. Federer also held top spot in 2004 and Nadal held it in 2013 and 2017.

In 2008 they met in the Wimbledon Men's Singles final which Nadal won after an epic battle considered to be the greatest Wimbledon final ever. The final score after just short of five hours play was 6-4, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6, 9-7.

Answer: Mets

As the Mets and Yankees play in different MLB (Major League Baseball) leagues they do not play ordinary league games. Prior to 1997 they only met in exhibition games. In 1997 interleague play began and the so called "Subway Series" started.

Both the Giants and Dodgers were part of the "Subway Series" before they left New York for California.