The 'Right' Way to Pitch Quiz | MLB Records

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. I was the first pitcher in over 30 years to win 30+ games in a season in 1968. Who am I that wore a big 'D' on my uniform?

Answer: Denny McLain

Both Lolich and Cain were Detroit Tigers, but those and Carlton were left-handed pitchers. McLain went 31-6 with the Tigers in 1968. He won the AL Cy Young award and the AL MVP for his efforts. Denny also tied for the Cy Young award in 1969 with Mike Cuellar of the Baltimore Orioles. That was pretty much it for McLain who went 3-5 in 1970, then 10-22 in 1971.

2. I am a Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher. I won the 1962 Major League Cy Young Award. My Dodgers lost in a playoff series against the Giants, preventing us from going to the World Series. Who am I?

Answer: Don Drysdale

The others were all left-handers. Drysdale played his entire career of 14 seasons as a Dodger from 1956-1969. With his starting pitcher side-kicks, both Podres and Koufax, made the Dodgers one of the most feared pitching staffs in Major League history, and Ron was their reliever. Don was inducted in the Hall in 1984, then died in 1993.

3. Which of the following was a right-handed pitcher?

Answer: Cy Young

Cy Young played in the big leagues from 1890-1911, and being the supreme pitcher that he was, had an award named after him in which the presentation began in 1956. Young made his presence known with the Cleveland Spiders of the National League and retired with the number one spot for career wins with 511.

4. After winning the American League Cy Young award in 1974 with the Athletics, owner Charles Finley didn't want to give me a salary increase. So I left, then wore the pinstripes for the Yankees for my final fives seasons of my career, retiring in 1979. I was good enough with a 224-166 record to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 1987. Who am I?

Answer: Catfish Hunter

The others were all left-handers and pitched in the National League in 1974. Hunter won 20+ games in a season from 1971-1975 with Oakland and New York. Although even a Yankee when Jim won 23 games in 1975, he was runner-up to Jim Palmer of the Orioles for the Cy Young Award.

5. I led the league in strikeouts 11 times in my career. When I retired, I was the number one strikeout king in history. Who am I?

Answer: Nolan Ryan

The other baseball greats never pitched in their career and were all left-handers. Ryan's first five seasons were as a New York Met beginning in 1966. Apparently, they saw no potential in him and traded him to the Angels in 1972. From there, Nolan won seven AL strikeout crowns with the Angels until 1979, before he departed to the Astros in 1980.

It would not be until 1987 before Ryan won another strikeout crown with Houston, then repeated it for another three seasons. Nolan retired with 5714 career strikeouts. Totally amazing, Ryan never won a Cy Young award or season MVP award in his entire 27-season career.

6. After winning the World Series MVP in 1964 and 1967, I was the National League MVP and Cy Young winner in 1968. The year was mine until my team went to the World Series and lost. Who am I?

Answer: Bob Gibson

The others were all left-handers. Although Gibson's Cardinals lost the World Series to the Tigers in 1968 four games to three, Bob was 2-1 with an amazing 35 strikeouts.

7. Who pitched in two games in the 1956 World Series and only allowed one hit between the two?

Answer: Don Larsen

The others were left-handers and did not play in the 1956 World Series. October 8, 1956, was a historical baseball date as Don Larsen of the Yankees threw a perfect game in game five of the World Series, blanking the Dodgers, 2-0. Mickey Mantle of the Yankees hit a home run in the game. Sal Maglie of the Dodgers pitched a five-hit complete game in the loss. Larsen went only 11-5 in the season and the series over-shadowed Whitey Ford's 19-6. Ironically, Larsen had a 11.25 ERA in the previous series of 1955 against the Dodgers. Don retired in 1967 with a 81-91 record.

8. Which of the following right-handed pitchers played his entire career with the Washington Senators, and was a Hall of Fame inductee?

Answer: Walter Johnson

The others were all left-handed pitchers. A 21-season pitcher and one of the greatest right-handers in history, Johnson retired with a career baseball record of 110 shutouts in 1927. A monumental example of the cream of the crop in Major League baseball, Walter led the league in ERA fives times, in wins six times, won the Triple Crown three times, and the AL MVP twice. Johnson was one of the first inductees into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1936.

9. I pitched the 'right way' for the Tigers in 1976 as a rookie, had the lowest AL ERA with a 2.34, and won the AL Rookie of the Year Award. That was about it for me as I couldn't win over six games in the next four seasons, and nobody wanted me. I retired after only five seasons in 1980, all as a Tiger. Some people gave me some 'flying' nickname. Who am I?

Answer: Mark Fidrych

The others never pitched, threw left-handed, and retired before Fidrych won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1976. Mark "The Bird" Fidrych gained his nickname for his animated antics on the mound before each pitch. His career went too great too fast, and fell just as quick as a 21-year old could not adjust to fame in his rookie season.

10. I entered myself into the record books by winning the first World Series game in history in 1903. I was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates although we lost the series to Boston. Who am I?

Answer: Deacon Phillippe

The others were not born by 1903, never pitched in their career, and were all left-handers. Phillippe went head-to-head in the first World Series game against the great Cy Young in 1903. Deacon and the Pirates won the first game, 7-3. However, the Pirates lost the series to the Boston Pilgrims, five games to three in a best-of-nine game format. Phillippe won all three games for Pittsburgh, while Bill Dineen and Cy Young won three and two games, respectively.

Source: Author Nightmare

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The 'Right' Way to Pitch Trivia Quiz

An all multiple choice quiz about some great right-handed pitchers in baseball. This should be short, precise, and to the right. All other options are left-handers, and there is only one possible answer. I hope that it makes you think. :-)

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