Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The year: 1919. The place: Saratoga Springs, New York. No one gave this horse much of a chance in the Sanford Stakes. He was facing not only Man O' War, who would go on to be judged the greatest thoroughbred of all time, but also the highly regarded Golden Broom, the highest priced yearling of 1918 and winner of the Saratoga Special. Which horse handed Man O' War the only defeat of his illustrious career?
2. The year: 1985. The place: Lexington, Kentucky. No one gave the little Catholic school from Pennsylvania much of a chance in the final game of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. They hadn't been ranked in the Top 20 in any of the national polls all year, and their opponents, the mighty Georgetown Hoyas, had already beaten them twice during the regular season. But when the game was over, the score stood 66-64 in their favor. Who were the famous underdogs who won this legendary game?
3. The year: 1980. The place: Lake Placid, New York. This team of Olympic hockey players, composed mostly of college students, was given little chance against the mighty Soviet Union, who had won the gold medal at the previous four Olympics, and were heavily favored to win their fifth in a row. But somehow these underdogs managed to beat the Soviet team, scoring an upset so momentous that it is known as the "Miracle On Ice." What country stunned the world with its victory over the Soviets?
4. The year: 2000. The place: Sydney, Australia. Russian Alexander Karelin was not just a man, he was a legend. Competing in the super heavyweight division of Greco-Roman wresting, Karelin had not lost a match in thirteen years. He had not surrendered a single point to an opponent in ten years! But a young farm boy from Wyoming was about to change that. Who was the man who ended Karelin's unbeaten streak and won the gold medal in Sydney?
5. The year: 1990. The place: Tokyo, Japan. Mike Tyson must have felt confident when he stepped into the boxing ring. He was the undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, with a record of 37-0, with 33 of those wins coming by way of knockout. His opponent was a little known fighter with a record of 29-4-1. Most Las Vegas casinos considered the fight too one-sided to offer odds; the one that did made Tyson's opponent a 42-1 underdog. But when the fight was over, it was "Iron Mike" who lying on the canvas. Who was this impossible underdog who handed Tyson his first defeat?
6. The year: 1956. The place: The Bronx, New York. The young pitcher must have been nervous when he stepped upon the mound. This was no ordinary game - it was the fifth game of the World Series! And just three days before, he had blown a 6-0 lead by giving up a hit, four walks and four runs in less than two innings. Today he was facing the great Sal Maglie, who had gone 13-5 during the regular season, and had tossed a no-hitter just weeks ago. Who was this little known pitcher who would make history by pitching the first perfect game in World Series history?
7. The year: 1913. The place: Brookline, Massachusetts. Harry Vardon was a heavy favorite to win the 19th U.S. Open Golf Championship. After all, he had already won Britain's Open Championship five times, and had won the U.S. Open the only other time he had played, back in 1900. His only competition was expected to be fellow Briton Ted Ray, who had taken the Open Championship in 1912 by four strokes. But a young American golfer was about to upset their plans. Who defeated both Vardon and Ray in an exciting playoff round to take the 1913 U.S. Open Championship?
8. The year: 1983. The place: Newport, Rhode Island. For 132 years, ever since the New York Yacht Club defeated the Royal Yacht Squadron in a race around the Isle of Wight, sailing's most prestigious trophy, the America's Cup, had remained in U.S. hands. Dozens of challengers had tried to take it away and failed. But in 1983, a foreign country finally succeeded in taking the America's Cup away from U.S. soil. Which country was it?
9. The year: 1969. The place: Miami, Florida. The first two championship games (1967 and 1968) played between the National Football League and the upstart American Football League had been totally dominated by the NFL. There was no reason to believe that the third would be any different. The mighty Baltimore Colts had cruised through their season, compiling a record of 13-1, and crushed the Cleveland Browns 34-0 in the NFL Championship Game. Their AFL opponents had barely made it past the Oakland Raiders, 27-23, in their final game. But the AFL team's quarterback stunned the sports world when, three days before the game, he announced, "We're gonna win the game. I guarantee it." The experts scoffed, but the cocky quarterback made good his boast. Who were the 1969 Super Bowl winners?
10. The year: 1950. The place: Belo Horizonte, Brazil. England was the 3-1 favorite to win the FIFA World Cup. Since WWII they had compiled a record of 23-3-4 (W-D-L) in international competition. They had easily defeated Chile 2-0 in their first game group match. In the second game, they were facing a team that had been hastily thrown together and had practiced together only once before the World Cup began, and had lost 3-1 to Spain in their opening game. Before the game, their own coach told reporters, "We have no chance." What country, not known as a soccer power at that time, stunned the world by beating England?
Source: Author
daver852
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gtho4 before going online.
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