What? I'm Banned From Baseball? Quiz

Answer: Joe Jackson

Jackson, one of the greatest players in baseball, and never primed in his career was banned in 1920. The scandal was the fixing of the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Others banned for their involvment were Eddie Cicotte, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullen, Swede Risberg, Happy Felsch, and St. Louis Browns player Joe Gedeon for being involved with the scandal also.

Answer: Steve Howe

After already being suspended for drug use, Howe missed the 1986, 1989, and 1990 seasons. Coming back in 1991 as a Yankee, he was banned by baseball commissioner Fay Vincent. After some legal battles and lawsuits pending, Major League Baseball reinstated Howe again, but Steve went back to his old tricks of substance abuse. He retired in 1996 with a 47-41 career record.

Answer: Bart Giamatti

Giamatti's heart attack had been blamed on the stress of Rose's case with gambling on baseball. Pete was suspended in 1988, then banned in 1989. An open door was given to Rose to be reinstated into baseball, and in 2006, Pete had applied to be reinstated for the 17th time. All requests were turned down.

Answer: Benny Kauff

Benny was in his eighth season in 1920 when he was banned. He had led the Federal League in batting in 1914 and 1915 in the league's only seasons. Kauff stole a car in 1919, then after his 1920 criminal trial, Commissioner Judge Landis deemed him as not a 'compatible companion' for other ballplayers. Benny was banned with a .311 career average.

Answer: Mickey Mantle

The others were never Yankees. After Mantle retired in 1968, he later was hired as a door greeter and autograph signer at a casino in Atlantic City. After Kuhn's retirement in 1984, new commissioner Peter Ueberroth reinstated Mickey in 1985.

Answer: Richard Higham

Higham was banned for life in 1882 for conspiring to help throw a Detroit Wolverines game in the National League. After losing the suspected game, the Wolverines owner hired a detective to learn the companions of Higham, and found him to associate with many gamblers. He was later banned for life from the game.

Answer: Willie Mays

Mays was in the same predicament as Yankee slugger Mickey Mantle. Both were banned from baseball for being involved with gambling, although all they did were be 'door greeters' in a a gambling casino. Bowie Kuhn banned Willie, but Ueberroth reinstated him when he took the helm as baseball commissioner.

Answer: George Steinbrenner

None of the others listed owned a baseball team. In 1990, new commissioner Fay Vincent found out that the Yankee owner paid money for a private investigator to find some dirt on Yankee player Dave Winfield in order to create discredit to him. Bud Selig who was Vincent's successor, reinstated George in 1993.

Answer: Ferguson Jenkins

Jenkins, with the Texas Rangers at the time in 1980, was the first player banned for multiple drug offenses. He sat out the remainder of the 1980 season because of the banning by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. He was later reinstated after arbitration. Fergie was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

Answer: Philadelphia

The other teams were all in the American League in 1943. The Philadelphia club was named the Phillies from 1890-1942. A name change to the Blue Jays didn't do any good in 1943, and Cox was caught betting on his own team, and betting on them to lose. In 1945, the team went back to the Phillies' name, then won their second National League pennant in 1950.