How's Your Stuff? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bo Belinsky

Belinsky of the Los Angeles Angels threw his no-no in the second season of the Angels' franchise on May 5, 1962. Bo went 10-11 in the season, but had his stuff on that day against the Baltimore Orioles, winning 2-0. Ironically, Belinsky led the American League in walks in 1962 also, walking 122 batters.

Answer: Dan Bankhead

This one is pretty strange. Bankhead was a pitcher. He hit a home run in his debut on August 12, 1947, for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Even stranger, it was Dan's only hit of the season, and also the only home run of his career. He appeared in four games in the season, and went a no-decision in each game.

He retired after three seasons with a 9-5 record. His only World Series was in his rookie season of 1947, but did not even pitch in the series, and reached base on an error in his only batting attempt.

He later scored a run. The Dodgers lost to the Yankees in that series. Jackie Robinson went 0-for-20 in the first five games of his career.

Answer: 1959

Ironically, it was exactly three years later to the day from that 1956 game that this 1959 almost-perfect game occurred. On May 26, 1959, Pittsburgh pitcher Harvey Haddix was on the mound for 12 perfect innings, only to lose the game against the Braves in the 13th, 1-0. Haddix was never given any credit for any length of a perfect game in Major League Baseball because he lost the game.

In the bottom of the 13th in that game, Felix Mantilla of the Braves reached first base after an infield throwing error by Don Hoak. Three batters later, Joe Adcock doubled to centerfield which scored Mantilla.

The winning Braves pitcher was Lew Burdette, who in addition went the entire distance as Haddix did.

Answer: Tom Seaver

It happened on April 22, and Seaver was in his fourth season in baseball. He fanned 19 San Diego Padres in the game, including his consecutive 10. Tom broke Mickey Welch's record of nine, set in 1884 when he pitched for the New York Gothams of the National League. Seaver led the league five times in strikeouts, retired with 311 wins, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Answer: Pud Galvin

Galvin reached the 300-plateau in 1888 while pitching for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the National League. He played for 15 seasons and retired with the St. Louis Browns of the NL in 1892. His career record was 364-310. He died in 1902, but it took Major League Baseball six decades before he was recognized in the Hall of Fame in 1965, even though the hall inductions began in 1936. Both Keefe and Welch reached the 300-win plateau in 1890, with a changing of the guard with Cy Young who began his career in 1890 with the Cleveland Spiders of the National League. Young would go on to be the first pitcher to win 400 games, then 500 games in a career.

Answer: 1889

In 1883, seven balls constituted a base on balls. The rule was changed in 1884 to six balls. 1886 saw a rule change to allow five balls for a walk, then 1889 showed three strikes and four balls. Such is history. Maybe one explanation for Charley Radbourn winning 59 games in 1884 for the Providence Grays, was because of the number of balls needed for a walk versus strikes.

Answer: 1887

The first Championship Series occurred in 1884 with a best-of-five game format. It pitted the Providence Grays of the National League against the New York Metropolitans of the American Association. The Grays won it three games to none. In 1886, the two leagues changed the Championship Series format to a best-of-seven series and saw the St. Louis Browns of the American Association win the series, four games to two against the Chicago White Stockings of the National League.

In 1887, for reasons only to appeal to fans, the Championship Series consisted of the first team to win 10 games between the winners of the NL and the AA.

The heavily-favored St. Louis Browns of the American Association lost to the Detroit Wolverines of the National League, ten games to five.

Answer: 139

Ruth hit his 139th career home run in 1921 to break Roger Conner's career record of 138. Conner played 18 seasons and retired in 1898 with the St. Louis Browns of the National League. Roger's season high was 17 that he hit with the New York Giants in 1887.

The Babe had 103 career home runs entering into the 1921 season. His 59 home runs put him way over the top. Ruth would go on to hit another 50+ home runs in a season three more times, and retire with 714 in 1935. Ruth, also known as "Bambino" and "The Sultan of Swat", was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the first round of presentations in 1936.

Answer: Philadelphia Phillies

The 1930 Philadelphia Phillies were horrendous in the National League, having a 6.71 ERA to not only lead both leagues, but the Majors for more than 75 seasons. Their pitching roster housed Ray Benge with 5.70 ERA with his 11-15 record, Phil Collins who went a team-leading 16-11 with an ERA of 4.78, Les Sweetland who went 7-15 with a 7.71 ERA, and Claude Willoughby who rounded out their starting four with 4-17 record and an ERA of 7.59.

The Phillies went 52-102 in 1930 and finished in last place, 40 games behind the NL pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals.

Answer: Houston Astros

The Astros' starting four had Larry Dierker who threw 232 strikeouts, with Denny Lemaster throwing 173, Don Wilson who threw 235, and Tom Griffin throwing 200. The entire pitching staff combined for a Major League record of 1221. Strangely enough, the Astros finished in fifth place of six teams in the NL West with a 81-81 record. Even the 1971 Baltimore Orioles who had four 20-game winners, only compiled 973 strikeouts in that season.