Unofficial Baseball Terms Trivia Quiz

Answer: Golden Sombrero

The term comes from adding on to the "Hat Trick", where a player strikes out three times a game. It also is used in hockey to refer to a player scoring three goals in a game. There were seven times in the 1900s where a player actually struck out five times in a nine inning game, and several have struck out six times in an extra-inning game.

Answer: The Mendoza Line

The term refers to light-hitting infielder, Mario Mendoza. Mendoza actually batted .215 in his career, but usually he struggled to reach .200. As evidence of his "light-hitting" label, Mendoza finished with only 4 career home runs. However, "Mr. Baseball", Bob Uecker did finish with a career average of .200, just as he boasted in his famous "Miller Lite" commercials.

Answer: Third Base

The term refers to the lack of plays taking place at the third base bag. The third base umpire does however have to monitor the left side foul line as well as to verify any check swings from a left handed batter. An interesting side bar is that the legendary Negro-League pitcher Satchel Paige kept his own rocking chair in the bullpen, from which he would watch the game in comfort. Leo Mazzone, known as "The Mad Rocker", would often rock back and forth on the bench for hours during games, especially during tight game situations.

Answer: Texas Leaguer

"Texas Leaguer" refers to the minor league association of "Double A" farm teams. It came about because those slight and freak hits were said to be common from lesser skilled, minor league players. A "Tater" is a home run. While an "Atom Ball" is a line shot, directly at a fielder.

Answer: Uncle Charlie

The origins of this term are unclear. It is just one of those terms that seems to have always been and is widely used. "Cheese" of course refers to a fastball, also known as "Cheddar". The "gyroball", as thrown by Japanese pitchers, is actually a variant of the change-up.

The "splitter", or split fingered fast ball refers to a sinking fastball, usually held between the first two fingers, that drops as it approaches the plate.

Answer: Catchers equipment

The phrase actually has a double meaning. First, that someone would have to be ignorant to play a position where you voluntarily have a hard object repeatedly thrown at you dozens of times in a row and your objective is to not move out of the way. Conversely, catchers are regarded as some of the smartest players in the game, because the position requires a lot of thought and logic in pitch selection and acting as an on-field pitching coach.

The term is attributed to Muddy Ruel, a long time American League catcher for the Yankees, Browns, and Senators.

Interestingly enough, Ruel was the Yankees catcher at the time Indians batter Ray Chapman was struck in the head by a pitch and died in 1920.

Answer: A rundown

Also known as a "pickle", the rundown is when a player is caught between bases. Third base is known as the "Hot Corner" because it is the natural spot where a right handed hitter pulls the ball. While a small ballpark is known as a "Band Box" due to the relative ease of hitting home runs out of the park.

Answer: True

The term seems to be used on every well-rounded prospect, but it does apply to many, including Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. Some equate a 40/40 or 30/30 (home runs/stolen bases) player with the term, but it really means a complete player and reminds us of the importance of the seemingly lost art of defense.

Answer: Merry Go Round

Often referred to as "the most exciting play in all of sports". The situation gives a good jump to all the runners and will often clear the bases with any ball to the outfield. The runner on third with the batter bunting is the "squeeze play". The bases loaded home run is of course, the "Grand Slam".

Answer: Safety squeeze

The "safety squeeze" is performed by the batter bunting the ball, but the runner on third does not break with the pitch. Rather, the runner waits to see where the ball is bunted and makes sure it is either past the pitcher or not fielded before breaking for home. In the "suicide squeeze", the runner on third breaks for home as the pitch is thrown.