They Had Four Balls? Quiz | MLB Records

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Retiring after his 27th season, he was the first pitcher to throw 2000 walks, and actually threw 2795 of his own. On the other side of the coin, he also retired with the career strikeout crown. Who is he?

Answer: Nolan Ryan

The others listed didn't even play for 12 seasons in their career. Nolan played for 27 seasons, and with four teams. He retired with 5714 strikeouts in 1993, as a Texas Ranger. Nolan led his league many times in his career, and took almost every pitching award, with the exception of the Cy Young Award. In 27 seasons, Ryan pitched only 2-1/3 World Series innings.

2. In 2002, which player almost became the first to walk 200 times in a season?

Answer: Barry Bonds

The others were all catchers, and retired more than 30 years prior. Bonds, with the San Francisco Giants, walked 198 times, setting a new base on balls record. 68 of those walks were intentional. He broke his own record of walking 177 times in 2001.

3. Who was the first player to walk 2000 times in their career?

Answer: Babe Ruth

The others barely made it over the 1000 mark. Ruth reached the 2000 mark in 1934, his final season with the Yankees. In 1923, the Babe was walked 170 times in the season. He retired as a Boston Brave in 1935, with 2062 walks. The great Ted Williams was the second player to reach 2000, in his final season in 1960.

4. In 2004, the top 10 pitchers in career walks were all right-handers except for one. Who was the only lefty in that bunch, and ranked second?

Answer: Steve Carlton

The others were all right-handed pitchers. Carlton threw for 24 seasons, mostly with the Philadelphia Phillies. In addition to ranking second with 1833 walks, he was also second in career strikeouts with 4136, behind Nolan Ryan.

5. In 1971, Montreal Expo Ron Hunt, set a record for being hit by a pitch 50 times in the season. In that season, how many times did he receive a walk with four balls?

Answer: 58

An amazing bruising that Hunt experienced, he walked 57 times, plus one intentional walk in the season. In 12 seasons, Hunt was hit 243 times for his team. He walked 555 times in his career.

6. In 2004, Arizona Diamondback Randy Johnson threw baseball's 18th perfect game in history. How many Atlanta Braves did he walk in this game?

Answer: 0

A perfect game is one that has no batters reach even first base. The 40 year old left-hander defeated the Braves 2-0. Nicknamed, 'The Big Unit', Johnson also struck out 13 batters, almost half the 27 outs. This was Randy's second career no-hitter.

7. Which pitcher set a record by hitting 41 batters in a season in 1900?

Answer: Joe McGinnity

The other pitchers listed, their parents had not been born yet in 1900. McGinnity, nicknamed, 'Iron Man', was in his second season in the big leagues. His Brooklyn Superbas of the National League, hit 72 batters in the season. McGinnity went 28-8 in 1900. The Superbas (later Dodgers) won the National League with a 82-54 record.

8. Which of the following pitchers was the first to walk 200 batters in a season twice?

Answer: Nolan Ryan

Ryan passed 202 batters in 1974. In 1977, he duplicated it by walking 204 batters. He had more than a third of the Angels' walks on the entire pitching roster. Ironically, in both those seasons, Nolan was third in the Cy Young voting, and led the league in strikeouts both times.

9. Which pitcher threw the first World Series base on balls in history?

Answer: Cy Young

The others weren't born for at least 30 years after the first World Series in 1903. The great Cy Young of the Boston Pilgrims (later Red Sox), was nervous in the first World Series game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Young walked Pirate first baseman Kitty Bransfield in the first inning. Bransfield later scored. Young went on to give up four runs in the first inning, and lose the game 7-3. Young and the Pilgrims would redeem themselves by winning the Series, five games to three.

10. Which Washington Senator was the first in history to hit 200 batters in their career?

Answer: Walter Johnson

The others never played for Washington. Johnson played his entire career of 21 seasons with the Senators, retiring in 1927. He won the Triple Crown three times in his career, the American League MVP twice, and led the league six times with the most wins. Johnson was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1936, one of the five inaugural inductees.

Source: Author Nightmare

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They Had Four Balls? Trivia Quiz

A quiz almost for dummies like me, all multiple choice about some pitching and batting greats, who experienced a lot of walks. I hope that you find it educational. :-)

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