Jump to content

Baseball Trivia


DonRocks

Recommended Posts

Good luck answering this one ...

In what year did we have two batting Triple Crown winners? It's not a trick question.

Mouse your cursor over this for a hint (it's an amazing hint, but I still don't think anyone will get the answer): Same City!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, MC Horoscope said:

Wow! That's amazing! 1933 Jimmie Foxx Philadelphia Athletics, Chuck Klein Philadelphia Phillies. Never would have guessed.

What's baffling to me is how one of them didn't win the MVP award that year - I know the guy who won is a great pitcher, and pitching meant a lot to the NL in the first half of this decade, but the Triple Crown winner, with one exception, lapped the field in batting average and slugging percentage.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who was the first Major League player to hit 66 home runs in one season? (Not a trick question)

Sammy Sosa. Tied with McGwire at 65 each, Sosa hit #66 to pull ahead ... for 45 minutes.

Apr 10, 2018 - "Mark McGwire: Didn't Need PEDs To Hit 70 Home Runs" on espn.com

Right, Markie Mark, and I don't need a rocket to fly to the moon.

I have video of Matt in a bassinet, with the large-screen TV going in the background, as McGwire hit #70 in his final at-bat of the season. I was jumping up-and-down and screaming to Matt, "You will never, *ever* see this again in your lifetime!"

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/3/2018 at 9:03 PM, tfbrennan said:

Q. Speaking of Harrys, who was the third baseman in the famous Cubs' double play trio, Tinker to Evers to Chance? 

A. Harry Steinfeldt

Nobody could have possibly guessed this.

And I suspect that nobody will guess this:

In 1957, Ted Williams batted .388, and in 1977, Rod Carew also batted .388.

But aside from Rod Carew, who batted .364 in 1974, which three players had the three-highest Major League batting averages between 1957 and 1977? I'll be very surprised if anyone guesses any one of these three different players (and yes, that's a hint, because these players are known by baseball fans, but only by baseball fans - in other words, no Roberto Clemente, no Mickey Mantle, etc.).

I suspect not even Tom Boswell could guess this one (I'm going to write him and see what he says.)

Roll your cursor over this for a hint ---> "None of them had a .300+ lifetime batting average."

And over this for another hint ---> "All three had over 200 career home runs."

And another ---> "All three are now overshadowed by better-known, Hall of Fame teammates."

And a final hint --> "I know some smarty-pants will guess Harvey Kuenn, but he isn't one of them (neither is Tony Oliva)."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And the answer is:

.366 - Rico Carty, 1970 (Hank Aaron)
.363 - Joe Torre, 1971 (Lou Brock, Bob Gibson)
.361 - Norm Cash, 1961 (Al Kaline)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You want more? I got more ...

During the first decade of this century (2000-2009), who were the three leading batters in the Major leagues?

I'll give you the answers in ascending order:

3. Ichiro Suzuki .372
2. Nomar Garciaparra .372
1. Todd Helton .372

Rounded out to five decimal places, the answer is:

3. Ichiro Suzuki .37216 (2004)
2. Nomar Garciaparra .37240 (2000)
1. Todd Helton .37241 (also 2000!)

If either #3 or #2 had gotten one-more hit, they would have been the decade's batting champion. The 2000 batting race (AL vs. NL) surely must have been the closest in history - you could extend the average out to four decimals (10,000 at-bats) and still not resolve it; you have to extend it to five decimals (100,000 at-bats), and even then, there's only a one-hit difference (37,241 vs. 37,240)!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn’t look at answers but I’m guessing George Brett is one of the players for the single year highest average and I’d bet or guess Albert Pujols would be on the all decade list (more specifically if that list covers 6 or more years of that decade.

Brett could hit with or without pine tar on his bat and Pujols had one of the best first decades of any player all time.

(edit). Btw if the Brett guess is correct it helps to be old for trivia stuff like this.  🤠

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I suspect not even Tom Boswell could guess this one (I'm going to write him and see what he says.)

He got 2 out of the 3 !!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

[Scroll down for his guess.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don,

I didn’t look at your hints. These three jump to mind. Could be wrong.

’74 Rico Carty.

’61 Norm Cash ~.361.

~’’62 Tommy Davis ~.353. (The year before he destroyed his ankle sliding into second.

Sure, use it.

Best,

Tom Boswell

---------------------------------------------------------------------

[His follow-up note. *Jeez*:]

Joe Torre, rats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, DaveO said:

I didn’t look at answers but I’m guessing George Brett is one of the players for the single year highest average and I’d bet or guess Albert Pujols would be on the all decade list (more specifically if that list covers 6 or more years of that decade.

Brett could hit with or without pine tar on his bat and Pujols had one of the best first decades of any player all time.

(edit). Btw if the Brett guess is correct it helps to be old for trivia stuff like this.  🤠

Only George (.390) and Kirby (.394) have hit over .390 since Teddy Ballgame put up .406 in 1941 (*). The fact that Williams hit .388 *seventeen-seasons later* says something, although I'm not sure what there is to be said, except "Wow!" You simply cannot stare at these stats enough - it bears repeating that 1959 is the only season when he didn't have an OPS above 1.000: He slugged over .600 in 4-different decades (1939-1960)!

(*) More Trivia: Sacrifice flies were counted as "at-bats" in 1941 - if they hadn't been (like they aren't today), Williams would have hit around .415 that year.

I remember a sportswriter saying something like "If God was on the mound, George Brett would get a hit."

I'm not sure I've ever seen someone in as much of a fury as George Brett was during the Pine Tar Incident - the phrase "mad as a hornet" applies here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Only George (.390) and Kirby (.394) have hit over .390 since Teddy Ballgame put up .406 in 1941 (*). The fact that Williams hit .388 *seventeen-seasons later* says something, although I'm not sure what there is to be said, except "Wow!" You simply cannot stare at these stats enough - it bears repeating that 1959 is the only season when he didn't have an OPS above 1.000: He slugged over .600 in 4-different decades (1939-1960)!

(*) More Trivia: Sacrifice flies were counted as "at-bats" in 1941 - if they hadn't been (like they aren't today), Williams would have hit around .415 that year.

I remember a sportswriter saying something like "If God was on the mound, George Brett would get a hit."

I'm not sure I've ever seen someone in as much of a fury as George Brett was during the Pine Tar Incident - the phrase "mad as a hornet" applies here.

I knew Brett had a season where he flirted with 400.  He must have been injured and didn't get enough at bats to qualify for the official ranking.    Obviously I misinterpreted your second question but Pujols had one of the all time greatest first decades in all of baseball.  I know its up there with Musial, Ted Williams and Gehrig. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From 1959-1962, there were two All-Star Games per season, so a player could rack up 8 appearances in 4 years.

With that, mouse over for the answers, as always:

Who played the most All-Star Games in American League history? Mickey Mantle, 20

Who played the most seasons as an All-Star in American League history? Cal Ripken, Jr., 19

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who is the first player ever to win the MVP in the LCS (League Championship Series)?

---

Here's a hint (mouse over): He is a figure in Nats' history.

Here's a bigger hint (mouse over): He's (arguably) the first-ever person to give a "high five." (click)

The answer can easily be found here - I would have *never* gotten this, but it's interesting because it's 1) true trivia and also 2) relatively important.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...