Little Known Record Holders: Pt. 3 Trivia Game | Sports

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Every single baseball game is started with the words, "Play ball!", but I was the first person ever to be a starting pitcher over 800 times. Of course, this was made easier since I had a long 22-year career.

Answer: Cy Young

Cy Young set an incredible amount of pitching records in his time, all of which stemmed from this record of 815 games started. To give an idea of how often that Young pitched, Nolan Ryan came in second for this record at 773 games started (42 games behind), and Ryan pitched for 5 more years than Young. Sutton comes in at 756 games started, and Niekro started 716.

2. No pitcher can even begin to touch the number of games that I pitched in. Over 24 years and 9 different teams, I set the mark for becoming the first pitcher ever to appear in over 1250 games.

Answer: Jesse Orosco

Jesse Orosco pitched in 1252 games over 24 years with Mets, Dodgers, Indians, Brewers, Orioles, Cardinals, Padres, Yankees, and Twins. He only appeared in 2 All-Star games, but because he pitched until he was 46-years old, Orosco embodied a certain respect that not many relievers in a non-closing role could achieve.

3. Perhaps one of the most obvious things about pitching is that the fewer men there are that get on base, the fewer that can eventually score. That's why over my 27-year Hall of Fame career, I specialized in getting batters out in any way possible. When I retired, I became the first person ever to end a career with less than 6.6 hits allowed per 9 innings pitched.

Answer: Nolan Ryan

No doubt aided by his unimaginable 5714 strikeouts, Nolan Ryan was the epitome of a completely fearless pitcher that did his job in style. When he retired after the 1993 season, he was averaging a mere 6.555 hits allowed per 9 innings pitched- 0.237 hits lesser than Sandy Koufax in second. To give perspective, in the next 0.237 H/9I, the list goes down to #8- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 7.014. Ed Walsh retired with 7.123 H/9I.

4. In 25 seasons in Major League Baseball, I had my fair share of stolen bases, but also got caught several times. In fact, I got caught trying to steal so many times that when I retired, I was the only person in history to be caught over 330 times.

Answer: Rickey Henderson

The self-proclaimed "Greatest of All-Time" was not the greatest every single time. Henderson did steal 1406 bases (468 more than Lou Brock), but he also got caught 28 more times, 335 to Brock's 307. Butler (558) and Carew (353) both stole significantly fewer bases than Henderson and Brock, yet both cracked the tops of the list in times caught stealing with 257 and 187, respectively.

5. All any hitter ever wants to do is get on base in any way possible. From hits to walks to fielders' choices, I got on base so often that when I retired, I was the first person to ever finish a career with an on-base percentage over .480.

Answer: Ted Williams

Ted Williams was the last person in MLB history to ever hit .400 in the 20th century, and that no doubt helped his career on-base percentage of .4817. Williams ended up with a career .344 batting average, but 2021 walks, fielders' choices, and errors meant that he would get on base nearly 1 out of ever 2 at-bats. Ruth retired with a .4740 OBP, Gehrig with a .4474, and Cobb with a .4330.

6. Of my 13 career seasons, I only had 4 in which I had 100 or more hits, but I still left my mark on history. Over the course of several games, I set a record by becoming the first person to ever have more than 10 consecutive hits with no walks.

Answer: Walt Dropo

In 1952, Dropo had 12 straight at-bats with a hit for the Detroit Tigers over 2 days. Diaz (with Atlanta in 2006), Gettman (with Washington in 1897), and Roberts (with Cincinnati in 1992),all had 10 at-bat streaks, along with Ed Konetchy for Brooklyn in 1919.

7. Nolan Ryan set a record for most no-hitters in a career, and has also had 12 one-hitters. Of course, all Ryan did was match my career mark, since I retired 10 years before he came into the league. I was the first person ever to retire with over 10 one-hitters, the unluckiest great record a pitcher could hope for.

Answer: Bob Feller

If not for 12 measely hits in 12 separate games over his career, Bob Feller could hold the record for most no-hitters in a career with 15. Feller played for 9 less years than Ryan, had less than half as many strikeouts, and had 17 less shutouts, yet still put up as many one-hitters in his Hall of Fame career.

8. When most players hit home runs, and they swing as hard as they can and go for the fences. However, I realized that sometimes power isn't the only requirement for hitting a four-bagger. Over half of my 97 career homers were inside-the-parkers, making me the first player ever to retire with 50 or more inside-the-park home runs.

Answer: Sam Crawford

In 19 seasons in the Majors from 1899-1917, Sam Crawford hit 97 career home runs. Of those, 51 were inside-the-parkers. Crawford was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1957. Ty Cobb finished his career with 46 inside-the-parkers, Tommy Leach had 49, and Honus Wagner ended up with 41.

9. Stealing a base is perhaps a lost art of the game, especially the way the modern player thinks of it. The vast majority of bases stolen are at second base, with few more at third. However, I made a mark on history by going the extra mile and becoming the first person ever, and very likely the only person ever, to steal home over 50 times in a career.

Answer: Ty Cobb

Over his 24-year career, Ty Cobb stole 892 bases, 54 of which were at home plate. Though his ethics were questionable to say the least, no one can question his work ethic and skill in the game of baseball. Max Carey stole home 33 times in his 20-year career. Pete Reiser set the National League record for most times stealing home in a single season with 7 times in 1946 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and Honus Wagner along with 10 others (including notables Joe Jackson and Joe Tinker) stole home twice in a single game.

10. No career record can be set without the simple act of stepping on to the field to play a game. Pete Rose set the record for most games played in, but he only played for 24 seasons. I set the record for becoming the first position player ever to play 25 consecutive seasons in the MLB.

Answer: Eddie Collins

Eddie Collins played 25 consecutive seasons as a position player until he was 43 years old. While that seems like a good age to retire at for above-average players in our time, Collins retired in 1930. He was one of the ten oldest players in the league for the last 8 years of his career. Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastrzemski set the record of playing 23 consecutive seasons with the same team (Baltimore and Boston respectively). Deacon McGuire played 26 seasons from 1884-1912, but did not play in 1889, 1909, or 1911.

Source: Author illiniman14

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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Little Known Record Holders: Pt. 3 Quiz

Some players set records that we would hardly even know about had there not been statisticians working the numbers for years. Here, those little known record holders finally get their due.

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