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Quiz about ABCs of Home Runs 19001999
Quiz about ABCs of Home Runs 19001999

ABCs of Home Runs: 1900-1999 Trivia Quiz


Baseball in the 20th Century evolved from the dead ball to the rabbit ball. Can you name the players who lead the majors in home runs hit from 1900-1999, according to the first letter of their last name? Clues will be hidden in each question.

A multiple-choice quiz by trammgr. Estimated time: 11 mins.
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Author
trammgr
Time
11 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
141,246
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
25
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
15 / 25
Plays
2160
- -
Question 1 of 25
1. The letter A. He was a brave man for most of his time in the majors. At the top of his class, he never hit more than 47 dingers in a season. He's been pretty comfortable for a while, but now there's someone snapping at his heels, trying to take him down. If he only had a hammer. Who is he?

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 2 of 25
2. Player B. When he first came up to the big leagues, he was a skinny kid who could play the field and hit decently, but no one expected him to be the power hitter that he developed into. Along the way, he managed to place a couple MVP awards, HR titles, and RBI crowns on the mantle, but no world championship. Who is player B? Hint


Question 3 of 25
3. Player C checkin' in. Early in his career he was very athletic. Later on, he was a ranger kinda guy who really used his head. To some he was a devil, while others couldn't get past the color of his socks or the pinstripe suit he wore. Oh, he spent a little time in the Great White North, but not to evade the draft. In fact, he can't seem to evade much of anything these days. Who is player C? Hint


Question 4 of 25
4. Moving on to player D. A man who came in from the cold, where he patrolled a now-wide empty stadium, I mean, space, for the better part of his career. As he got older, he moved further south, until he ended up fishing in Miami. In his career, he topped 30 HRs only three times, but, since he had the eyes of a hawk, he was consistent for the better part of his career. Please give him a name!

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 5 of 25
5. You may remember Player E as a triumvirate of 40 HR teammates. During his career, he was a giant among men and helped to restore the roar of a mighty cat. He was in double-digits for every full season he played. Shoot, he even managed to lead the league in his advanced years. Who is this player E? Hint


Question 6 of 25
6. Player F joining us now, but don't be scared. He's not the beast that he was made out to be. Some might think he was a dirty player, since he was rated X, but it was only double, not triple. But the crown he wore one year was. Who is this man?

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 7 of 25
7. Moving on to player G, we find a man prone to streaking. While Clark Kent is the Man of Steel, this gentleman is the Man of Iron. Sadly, he also had chinks in his armor. Of the following, who is the HR leader for G? Hint


Question 8 of 25
8. Our next player, letter H, can best be described in one word: BIG. He also managed to spend some time taking a bite out of the Big Apple after he was done playing. Vote now to nominate who you think is tops in H. Hint


Question 9 of 25
9. Next up, player I. He got a lot of ink when he was in the game. Unfortunately, he was just as well known for his big whiffs as his big hits. Being a big man on his team, he was never a minor player. Who is I? Hint


Question 10 of 25
10. This next player, J, was known for jacking balls out of the park. Not a bashful man, he tended to stir things up, which, for a lot of people, including one manager, was the last straw. Who is he?

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 11 of 25
11. Player K killed opposing pitchers for the better part of three decades. Not a huge man, he was solidly built. He actually led his league in HR for the same franchise, but in different cities. Who is he? Hint


Question 12 of 25
12. Moving on to the letter L, this next player was not exactly what you would call fleet of foot. On the basepaths, he looked like a man running with a bull on his back. Who was this man that was tailor-made to DH? Hint


Question 13 of 25
13. In the words of The Crash Test Dummies, Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm. Now we come to the meat of the order, letter M. There are more "M" players than any other letter who are members of the exclusive 500 HR club. Which one of the following lists accurately depicts these 6 MMM-Boppers in order of 20th century HRs hit, from most to least? Hint


Question 14 of 25
14. Our next player, N, played in a virtual zoo. A bicoastal man, he was also bilingual. He once used Japanese to describe a teammate of his. Who is this talented individual?

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 15 of 25
15. A quiet leader, this Master of "O" was the picture of consistency, hitting double-digits in HRs in each of the 3 decades he played in. He also holds the largest advantage over his closest rival of any leader in any letter category. Who is this giant of a player? Hint


Question 16 of 25
16. Please make you acquaintance with player "P." A man from the land of Castro and cigars, this player is known for knocking them in, as well as out. A veritable run producing machine, with over 1500 RBIs in his career. Defensively, most of his time was spent at first base. Who is this man who's offense made other batters green with envy, and opposing pitcher red with embarrassment? Hint


Question 17 of 25
17. Q has caused quite a quandary for this quiz maker. Seems I was unable to meet my quota of a quintet and had to settle for a quorum of a quartet who qualified with double-digits. As I am quite the Quixotic character, I quelled my queasiness and refused to quibble or quit my quest and quickly inked up my quill. Slogging through the quagmire that is baseball stats, I managed to quench my questionable quaking and queued up my quartet. Who is this quirk of nature that dares lead the small army of Q's?

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 18 of 25
18. Now we find ourselves at player R. No need to try to trick you, we all know that Babe Ruth is the leader here with 714 round trippers. No, not much of a chance to trip you up with that. HOWEVER, there is something that Mr. Ruth has in common with 3 of the next four "R" hitters: Frank Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr., and Brooks Robinson. Or rather, someplace. What do they have in common?

Answer: ( One Word ... birds of a feather flock together)
Question 19 of 25
19. It's sing-a-long time! "We're talking baseball, on to letter S. We're talking baseball (everybody sing!), look and see who's best. He spent all of his time out in PA. Grabbed some MVPs along the way. We're talking baseball, who is number one?" Thank you, thank you very much. Be sure to tip your waitress. Hint


Question 20 of 25
20. This next category, "T", is a confusing one. Not only do the top three share the same last name, but the top two share the same first name as well! Talk about embarrassment at the nametag table. One of these men got his start in his hometown, the Steel Capital of the World, the other in the City of Big Shoulders. What name do these two men share?

Answer: ( Two Words ... first name AND surname)
Question 21 of 25
21. Next to the Q's, the U's are the lowest HR-producing group, which makes sense, since U always follows Q. Our leader did, at least, manage to reach triple digits in four-baggers, but not by much. This bird spent most of his time in the Great White North. Who is U (is that proper English?) Hint


Question 22 of 25
22. V can be for victory, but when it comes to our next player, V is for victims, as in opposing pitchers. Our man is well traveled, with stops in both the American and National Leagues. He's been a priest and a beer maker in his time, but towards the end of his career, he's been a little devil. Who is Mr. V? Hint


Question 23 of 25
23. Our next hitter, W, was a splendid fellow in his time. No fly-by-night guy, he's said to have had the best eyes in the game. Alas, today, he's just hanging out and chillin'. Name him.

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 24 of 25
24. The only AL player to have both 3,000 hits and 400 HR in the 20th century, player Y tamed the Green Monster in Boston after Teddy Ballgame left. A 3-time batting champ, he led the AL in HRs only once, but that just happened to be the year he won the Triple Crown, the last player to do so in the 1900's. You know his first name is Carl and his nickname is Yaz, but can you spell his last name? Which of the following offerings is correct? Hint


Question 25 of 25
25. At last, we've reached the end of our journey. It's been long and eventful, but just the same, it's good to be home. Our final player, Z (or zed for our Canadian and British brethren), was not fleet of foot, but he was powerful of bat. So powerful, in fact, that it took until the 21st century for someone to pass him as the all-time Z leader. Who is this Texas man who didn't catch any Z's at the plate? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The letter A. He was a brave man for most of his time in the majors. At the top of his class, he never hit more than 47 dingers in a season. He's been pretty comfortable for a while, but now there's someone snapping at his heels, trying to take him down. If he only had a hammer. Who is he?

Answer: Hank Aaron

The king of the hill, Hammerin' Hank checks in with 755 HRs in an illustrious career. Often overshadowed by players like Mays and Mantle, consistency is the word to describe Aaron, as he was always in double digits in the HR columns. Even with his last two years in Milwaukee with the Brewers, Hank averaged 32.8 HR per season (34.9 without the 1975-76 seasons). Add to the mix 3,771 career hits, 2,297 RBIs, more career walks than strikeouts, 240 stolen bases, and a .305 batting average, you arguably have the greatest hitter to play the game. Oh, he won 3 Gold Glove awards for his play in the field, as well.

Other A's include Dick Allen at 351, Joe Adcock checking in with 336, Bob Allison and his 256 knocks, and Tony Armas with 251 career HRs in the 1900s.
2. Player B. When he first came up to the big leagues, he was a skinny kid who could play the field and hit decently, but no one expected him to be the power hitter that he developed into. Along the way, he managed to place a couple MVP awards, HR titles, and RBI crowns on the mantle, but no world championship. Who is player B?

Answer: Ernie Banks

For those who are violently shaking your heads saying, "YOU'RE WRONG!", think back to the title of the quiz. Home runs hit between 1900-1999. Mr. Cub managed to put 512 pitches out of the park and onto Waveland Ave. Mr. Snub, Barry Bonds, had 445 dingers by end of season 1999. Harold Baines had 373 lifetime HRs at the end of the 1999 season. Bobby, Barry's dad, had 332 lifetime HRs.
3. Player C checkin' in. Early in his career he was very athletic. Later on, he was a ranger kinda guy who really used his head. To some he was a devil, while others couldn't get past the color of his socks or the pinstripe suit he wore. Oh, he spent a little time in the Great White North, but not to evade the draft. In fact, he can't seem to evade much of anything these days. Who is player C?

Answer: Jose Canseco

It's the law-challenged Canseco who tops the charts with 431 taters, to quote George "Boomer" Scott, in the 1900s. Trailing him are Joe Carter (396), Orlando Cepeda (370), Norm Cash (377), and Rocky Colavito (374).
4. Moving on to player D. A man who came in from the cold, where he patrolled a now-wide empty stadium, I mean, space, for the better part of his career. As he got older, he moved further south, until he ended up fishing in Miami. In his career, he topped 30 HRs only three times, but, since he had the eyes of a hawk, he was consistent for the better part of his career. Please give him a name!

Answer: Andre Dawson

"Hawk" managed to knock 438 baseballs out of various parks during his 21 seasons with Montreal, Chicago Cubs, Boston and Florida. He is followed by Joe DiMaggio with 361, The Davis Boys, Chili with 350 and Eric with 282, and that Angel in the outfield, Brian Downing, at 275.
5. You may remember Player E as a triumvirate of 40 HR teammates. During his career, he was a giant among men and helped to restore the roar of a mighty cat. He was in double-digits for every full season he played. Shoot, he even managed to lead the league in his advanced years. Who is this player E?

Answer: Darrell Evans

Darrell Evans was one of three Atlanta Braves players to hit 40+ HRs in 1973. The other two were Davey Johnson (43) and Hank Aaron, the year before he passed Babe Ruth, with 40. Darrell also led the American League in HRs in 1985, as a member of the Detroit Tigers, when he and another octogenarian, Carlton Fisk, battled it out for supremacy. Evans eventually bested Fisk, 40 to 37. Evans finished his career with 414 HRs.

Others on the E-Team are Dwight Evans with 385, Del Ennis at 288, Bob Elliott, 170, and Mike Epstein, checking in with 130.
6. Player F joining us now, but don't be scared. He's not the beast that he was made out to be. Some might think he was a dirty player, since he was rated X, but it was only double, not triple. But the crown he wore one year was. Who is this man?

Answer: Jimmie Foxx

Double XX is one of only 14 players in major league history to win the Triple Crown. His came in 1933 when, as a member of Connie Mack's A's, he paced the AL with 48 HR, 163 RBI and a .356 BA. The Beast won another batting crown in 1938, while with the Red Sox.

Other members of F-Troop are Carlton Fisk (376), George Foster (348), Cecil Fielder (319), Ron Fairly (215) and Bill Freehan (200).
7. Moving on to player G, we find a man prone to streaking. While Clark Kent is the Man of Steel, this gentleman is the Man of Iron. Sadly, he also had chinks in his armor. Of the following, who is the HR leader for G?

Answer: Lou Gehrig

The Iron Horse tops the list with 493 HRs. One can't help but wonder what he would have done had he not been taken prematurely. Rounding out the other top G-Men listed are Juan Gonzalez with 340, Hank Greenberg with 331, and Greg Gagne with 111.
8. Our next player, letter H, can best be described in one word: BIG. He also managed to spend some time taking a bite out of the Big Apple after he was done playing. Vote now to nominate who you think is tops in H.

Answer: Frank Howard

The Capitol Punisher (6'7", 255 lbs in his playing days) comes out on top in this vote, with 382 souvenirs for the fans in the bleachers. Following Hondo are Gil Hodges with 370, who was at the tail end of his playing days with the Dodgers when Howard came up in the late 50's. Both men also spent time managing the New York Mets, although Gil was a tad more successful than Frank. Following these two Dodgers are a Tiger (Willie Horton, 325), a Cardinal (Rogers Hornsby, 301), and a Twin (Kent Hrbek, 293).
9. Next up, player I. He got a lot of ink when he was in the game. Unfortunately, he was just as well known for his big whiffs as his big hits. Being a big man on his team, he was never a minor player. Who is I?

Answer: Pete Incaviglia

Okay, I could have been mean and made you spell Inky's name, but I had trouble with it myself and besides, this is a trivia quiz, not a spelling quiz. Pete came straight to the Rangers in 1986 without spending a day in the minors. Pete put out 206 baseballs in his 12 years in the majors.

Unfortunately, the I's DON'T have it when it comes to power. Next on the list for the 1900's is Monte Irvin. He parked 99 pitchers in the seats from 1949 to 1956. Got to wonder how far up the ladder he would be if he had been allowed to play in the majors before 1947. Following Monte is Mike Ivie with 81, and then it drops off all the way to the Iorg boys. Garth slammed(?) 20 HRs between 1978 and 1987, while older brother Dane rocketed 14 out of the park from 1977-1986. Party on, Dane. Party on, Garth.
10. This next player, J, was known for jacking balls out of the park. Not a bashful man, he tended to stir things up, which, for a lot of people, including one manager, was the last straw. Who is he?

Answer: Reggie Jackson

Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, slammed 563 HRs in his 21-year career. All came in the AL, placing him third behind Ruth and Killebrew for most HRs in the American League. Jackson sealed his destiny, of course, with his 5-HR performance in the 1977 World Series.

More members of the J-Team are Bob Johnson, with 288 HRs, most with Connie Mack's A's of the 1930's and '40's, Deron Johnson, who parked 245 pitches in the stands for 9 different teams in the 1960's and '70's, David Justice at 235, and HoJo, Howard Johnson, with 228 HRs in the 1900's.
11. Player K killed opposing pitchers for the better part of three decades. Not a huge man, he was solidly built. He actually led his league in HR for the same franchise, but in different cities. Who is he?

Answer: Harmon Killebrew

Killer slammed 573 HRs in his 22-year career with the Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, and Kansas City Royals. He led the AL in 1959 with 42 HR with Washington. When the franchise moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul, he led the league 5 more times. The amazing thing is that he did most of his damage in 16 of his 22 major league seasons.

He was hurt in 1973 and only managed to get into 69 games. In his first five years with Washington, he only played 113 games and hit only 11 HRs. One has to wonder if it would have been his record, and not Ruth's, that Aaron broke if Killer had managed to get some ABs in those first 5 years.

The next four members of the K-Crew are Dave "Kong" Kingman, who hit 442 HR and not much else, Al Kaline, with 399, Ralph Kiner at 369, and Chuck Klein with an even 300.
12. Moving on to the letter L, this next player was not exactly what you would call fleet of foot. On the basepaths, he looked like a man running with a bull on his back. Who was this man that was tailor-made to DH?

Answer: Greg Luzinski

The Bull stampeded 307 pitches out of the park in his time with the Phillies and the White Sox. Coming in a close second, with 306 HRs, is Fred Lynn, who won the AL MVP and AL Rookie of the Year award in the same year (1975), something no one had done before. Rounding out the top five are Chet Lemon (215), Ernie "Schnozz" Lombardi (190), and Ray Lankford (181).
13. In the words of The Crash Test Dummies, Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm. Now we come to the meat of the order, letter M. There are more "M" players than any other letter who are members of the exclusive 500 HR club. Which one of the following lists accurately depicts these 6 MMM-Boppers in order of 20th century HRs hit, from most to least?

Answer: Mays, Mantle, McGwire, McCovey, Mathews, Murray.

From top to bottom, with HRs hit in the 1900's, it's Willie Mays-660, Mickey Mantle-536, Mark McGwire-522, Willie McCovey-521, Eddie Mathews-512, and Eddie Murray-504. True, Big Mac McGwire has 583 for his career, but only 522 were hit by the end of the 1999 season. Just missing out on the club is the Man, Stan Musial-475.
14. Our next player, N, played in a virtual zoo. A bicoastal man, he was also bilingual. He once used Japanese to describe a teammate of his. Who is this talented individual?

Answer: Graig Nettles

"Puff" banged out 390 HRs in his career, spent mostly with the Yankees and Padres. He led the AL in 1976 with 32, and banged out a career-high 37 in '77, but fell two behind league-leader Jim Rice. Nettles once described his fellow Yankee, reliever Sparky Lyle, as going from "Cy Young to sayonara" in one year, due to the fact that Lyle lost his closer role in 1977 when the Yanks signed Rich "Goose" Gossage, in spite of the fact that Lyle had won the AL Cy Young award in 1976.

Others in our little parade of "N" are Bill Nicholson, who hit 235 HRs, most of them with the Cubs in the 1940's; Jim Northrup, who manned spacious centerfield in Tiger Stadium gracefully from the early 1960'as to the mid-1970's, while hitting 153 dingers; Matt Nokes, another former Tiger, at 136 Hrs; and Bill Nicholson, who slammed 125 in his 12 seasons with the Browns, Tigers, ChiSox, Orioles, Cardinals, Indians and Giants.
15. A quiet leader, this Master of "O" was the picture of consistency, hitting double-digits in HRs in each of the 3 decades he played in. He also holds the largest advantage over his closest rival of any leader in any letter category. Who is this giant of a player?

Answer: Mel Ott

Master Melvin blasted 511 Hrs in 22 years with the New York Giants. He led the league in HR 6 times. Ironically, the only season he hit over 40 (42 in 1929), he was bested by Chuck Klein of the Phillies, who hit 43. Ott more than doubled his closest competition, Ben Oglivie, who knocked 235 HRs in his career with the Red Sox, Tigers and Brewers, bettering Ben by 276 HRs, one more than Reggie Jackson over Bob Johnson.

Others that made us go "Oooo" in the 20th century are Tony Oliva of the Twins, at 220, Al Oliver with 219, and A-O, Amos Otis, checking in with 193 HRs.
16. Please make you acquaintance with player "P." A man from the land of Castro and cigars, this player is known for knocking them in, as well as out. A veritable run producing machine, with over 1500 RBIs in his career. Defensively, most of his time was spent at first base. Who is this man who's offense made other batters green with envy, and opposing pitcher red with embarrassment?

Answer: Tony Perez

Doggie had a streak of 90+ RBI that extended over 11 seasons (1968-77). Why the Reds traded him to Montreal for Woodie Fryman is still a complete mystery to those of us who were fans of the Big Red Machine. If your gonna trade a player, fine, but if you're going to trade a future Hall of Famer, please get something in return. But, nooooo! Who do they get?!?! WOODIE FRYMAN?!? PUH-LEEZ! Sorry about that. I was gone for awhile, but I'm better now. Anyhoos, trailing T.P. by 18 HR in the 1900's is fellow Cuban Palmeiro, who smacked 361. Behind these two Latin greats are Dave "The Cobra" Parker-339, fellow first baseman John Wesley Powell-339, better known to Baltimore fans as "Boog" and Gold Glove catcher and heir to the mantle of Cochrane and Freehan in Detroit, Lance Parrish-324.
17. Q has caused quite a quandary for this quiz maker. Seems I was unable to meet my quota of a quintet and had to settle for a quorum of a quartet who qualified with double-digits. As I am quite the Quixotic character, I quelled my queasiness and refused to quibble or quit my quest and quickly inked up my quill. Slogging through the quagmire that is baseball stats, I managed to quench my questionable quaking and queued up my quartet. Who is this quirk of nature that dares lead the small army of Q's?

Answer: Jamie Quirk

Quirk is the Quixote of Q's, with 43 pitches flying out of the park over 18 seasons, which included three stints with the Royals. Coming in a close second is Rey Quinones at 29. Rounding out the quartet is Carlos Quintana and Luis Quinones, each with 19. And, I apologize if this question made anyone queasy, querulous or quarrelsome. I'll quit now with the "Q's", I promise. I'll be quiet....sorry.
18. Now we find ourselves at player R. No need to try to trick you, we all know that Babe Ruth is the leader here with 714 round trippers. No, not much of a chance to trip you up with that. HOWEVER, there is something that Mr. Ruth has in common with 3 of the next four "R" hitters: Frank Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr., and Brooks Robinson. Or rather, someplace. What do they have in common?

Answer: Baltimore

The Bambino was born in Baltimore in 1895. The next man on the list, Frank Robinson - 586 HRs, spent 6 years with the Orioles, leading them to 4 World Series and 2 championships, while picking up a Triple Crown and MVP award along the way (1966). Number three on the list, Cal Ripken, Jr - 384 Hrs, and number 5, Brooks Robinson - 268, played their entire careers in Baltimore.

The only one of the top five who wasn't a junior birdman is Jim Rice - 382, 4th on the list and a career-long resident of Fenway Park in Boston.
19. It's sing-a-long time! "We're talking baseball, on to letter S. We're talking baseball (everybody sing!), look and see who's best. He spent all of his time out in PA. Grabbed some MVPs along the way. We're talking baseball, who is number one?" Thank you, thank you very much. Be sure to tip your waitress.

Answer: Mike Schmidt

More along the lines of Willie, Mikey and the Duke, Mr. Schmidt is the man with the S on his chest, checking in with 548 HRs. Second is "Pops" Stargell, with 475 souvenirs for the fans. Coming in at a cool third is "The Dook of Flatbush," one Edwin Donald Snider, with 407 dingers. Underrated Ron Santo is 4th with 342, and fellow Cubbie, "Slamming" Sammy Sosa with 336 jacks by the time Prince partied like it was 1999. And I promise not to sing anymore.
20. This next category, "T", is a confusing one. Not only do the top three share the same last name, but the top two share the same first name as well! Talk about embarrassment at the nametag table. One of these men got his start in his hometown, the Steel Capital of the World, the other in the City of Big Shoulders. What name do these two men share?

Answer: Frank Thomas

The Big Hurt, Frank Thomas, ranks first with 301 career HR before the start of the 2000 season. The other Frank Thomas, hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, whacked 286 over the fences of Forbes Field in the 1950's, before he became a journeyman "have bat, will travel" player. Third is Gorman Thomas, who punished 301 of opposing pitchers' offerings, mostly for the Brewers of the 1970s and early 1980s. Fourth is "The Staten Island Scot," Bobby Thomson.

The native of Glasgow gave the fans something to cheer 264 times, including his "Shot Heard 'Round the World" in 1951 off Ralph Branca to send the Giants to the World Series. Fifth is Danny Tartabull, at 262 HR.
21. Next to the Q's, the U's are the lowest HR-producing group, which makes sense, since U always follows Q. Our leader did, at least, manage to reach triple digits in four-baggers, but not by much. This bird spent most of his time in the Great White North. Who is U (is that proper English?)

Answer: Willie Upshaw

Willie U is da' man with 123 fair balls over the outfield fences, most of them at old Exhibition Stadium in Toronto where he played for the Blue Jays in the 1980s. Del Unser, pinch-hitter extraordinaire, is second with 87 taters in his time in the bigs. Third is Ted Uhlaender, who toiled for the Twins, Indians and Reds in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

He managed 36 HR. Tied for fourth at 19 HR are two shortstops: Jose Uribe of the Cardinals and Billy Urbanski, who handled the number 6 spot for the old Boston Braves in the 1930's. And, just because he's one of the funniest people around, I'll toss in Bob Uecker, in the 6 hole with 14 mammoth shots to the fans in the front row.
22. V can be for victory, but when it comes to our next player, V is for victims, as in opposing pitchers. Our man is well traveled, with stops in both the American and National Leagues. He's been a priest and a beer maker in his time, but towards the end of his career, he's been a little devil. Who is Mr. V?

Answer: Greg Vaughn

Mr. Vaughn is top V in the 20th century with 292 whammies, most of them with the Padres, Brewers, Reds and even a few with the Devil Rays of Tampa. Playing Robin to Vaughn's Bat-Man is Robin Ventura, who managed to convince 203 pitches to leave the yard fair. Third is an old Senator, Mickey Vernon, who manned 1B in old Griffith Stadium in the 1940's and 50's, and hit 172 long, deep flies over his 20 seasons in the bigs. Next up, Andy Van Slyke, who deposited 164 souvenirs in the stands. And last, but not least, our favorite Valentine. Ellis Valentine, that is, checking in with 123 HR north of the border for Montreal.
23. Our next hitter, W, was a splendid fellow in his time. No fly-by-night guy, he's said to have had the best eyes in the game. Alas, today, he's just hanging out and chillin'. Name him.

Answer: Ted Williams

The Splendid Splinter knocked out 521 pitches, all with the Red Sox, including one in his last career at-bat. Second on the list is the first player to represent the San Diego Padres in the Hall of Fame, Dave Winfield. Winny gave the fans something to applaud 465 times in his career. Third is another Hall of Famer, Billy Williams, who smacked 423 HRs, most of them over the hallowed ivy-covered walls of Wrigley Field. "The Toy Cannon," Jimmy Wynn, is next with 291 HR. And that's with spending most of his home games in the cavernous Astrodome of Houston. Rounding out our quintet (I apologize for the "Q" word, really, I do!) is Vic Wertz, who spanked 266 balls out of the park during his time with the Tigers, Indians, Browns, Orioles, Red Sox and Twins in the show.
24. The only AL player to have both 3,000 hits and 400 HR in the 20th century, player Y tamed the Green Monster in Boston after Teddy Ballgame left. A 3-time batting champ, he led the AL in HRs only once, but that just happened to be the year he won the Triple Crown, the last player to do so in the 1900's. You know his first name is Carl and his nickname is Yaz, but can you spell his last name? Which of the following offerings is correct?

Answer: Yastrzemski

Okay, so spelling does count, but I gave you a choice, didn't I? Yaz is tops with 452 HRs, followed by Rudy York with 277, Robin Yount 251, Eddie "The Walking Man" Yost on 139, and Steve Yeager with 102.
25. At last, we've reached the end of our journey. It's been long and eventful, but just the same, it's good to be home. Our final player, Z (or zed for our Canadian and British brethren), was not fleet of foot, but he was powerful of bat. So powerful, in fact, that it took until the 21st century for someone to pass him as the all-time Z leader. Who is this Texas man who didn't catch any Z's at the plate?

Answer: Gus Zernial

Gus (his real name) was known as "Ozark Ike," which makes no sense since he was from Beaumont, Texas, which is nowhere near the Ozarks. Baseball logic, I guess. Anyway, Gus smacked 237 HRs in his 11 seasons in the bigs. Second is one of the Baby Bucs of the early 1970's, Richie Zisk, who powered 207 pitches over outfield walls in his time in the 70's and 80's. Third is the man who passed Zernial early on in the 2003 season for all-time Z-Man, Todd Zeile.

However, by the time the 20th century was over, he had managed only 183 HRs. Fourth is Don "Popeye" Zimmer, who sent 91 pitches screaming in his 12 seasons. And finally, number 5 in your programs but number 1 in your hearts, Al Zarilla, who hit 61 HRs in his time in the bigs. Well, there you have it, folks.

A to Z in HRs. Sadly, there are no superheroes on this list, as there are no X-men who have made it to the big leagues. Good thing though, because I'd have to come up with some way of squeezing 26 letters into 25 questions. Hope you enjoyed the trip around the bases.
Source: Author trammgr

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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