Major League Hardcore Trivia Quiz

Answer: Willie Mays

Aaron with the Braves, Canseco mostly with Oakland, and Stargell with the Pirates, never hit 50 home runs in a season in their career. Willie Mays hit 51 in 1955 with the New York Giants in his fourth season of the Major Leagues. He encored his 1954 National MVP season with this 1955 stellar season, but was only fifth in the MVP voting. 10 seasons later in 1965, and winning another NL MVP, Mays hit 52 home runs.

He also batted .317 in the season, third in that department, while finishing second in runs scored, third in RBIs, and number one in slugging percentage. Mays retired in 1973 after 22 seasons, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Answer: Ralph Houk

Both Mack and Lasorda never played for the Yankees, and Pepitone never managed. Houk, who played in the pinstripes from 1947-1954, began his managerial career with the Yankees from 1961-1963, then again from 1966-1973. He then packed his manager's hat and helmed the Tigers from 1974-1978.

Then it was on to Boston from 1981-1984. Houk led his team to three World Series appearances, all Yankees in his first three seasons of managing, winning two of them.

Answer: Minnesota Twins

The others listed finished at least 17 games back from the first place Red Sox. Minnesota finished the regular season with a 91-71 record. However, in one of the closest finishes in the American League, the Detroit Tigers also finished second with the same record as the Twins.

The Tigers went on to the 1968 World Series, while the Twins had to wait another 20 seasons to appear in 1987.

Answer: Washington Senators

Griffith Stadium was first built in 1891, and made a new home for the Washington Senators of the American League in 1903. It didn't do much for the team, as they finished with a record of 43-94, 47.5 games behind the AL pennant winning Boston Pilgrims.

The last game played by the Senators in this historic stadium, which saw baseball greats such as Walter Johnson, was in 1961. The stadium was torn down in 1965.

Answer: Mike Marshall

Maloney was a starting great for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1960s. Palmer was in the Orioles starting rotation in the '60s, '70s, and early '80s. Mike Marshall was another Dodger miracle, who in 1974 appeared in a record 106 games, all in relief, and went 15-12. After being the Cy Young runner-up in 1973 with Montreal, he struck oil with the trade to the Dodgers in 1974.

Answer: Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod, the first true power-hitting shortstop since Ernie Banks, hit 52 big ones in 2001. He followed this up with hitting 57 in 2002, giving him the runner-up MVP position to Miguel Tejada of the Athletics. Alex also won a Gold Glove in 2002. Rodriguez later went to the Yankees in 2004.

Answer: Red Ames

Ironically, Ames at the age of 22 with the New York Giants, had a stellar season in 1905. He went 22-8, was third in wins and led the league in strikeouts. Ames never threw more than 20 wild pitches again in his career of 17 seasons, retiring in 1919. No other pitcher in 100 years of Major League baseball threw 30 wild pitches in a season.

Answer: He batted only once in his career

Eddie Gaedel, the 3'7" little person with the St. Louis Browns in 1951, was put in the game to pinch-hit. He walked on four pitches, then was removed for a pinch-runner. This was another one of owner Bill Veeck's stunts to boost attendance. Gaedel wore the number 1/8 on his jersey during his appearance. He never appeared in a game again.

Answer: New York Yankees

Sanders played for all these teams, but it was in 1989 that he was a rookie with the Yankees. Deion was a 1988 30th round draft pick. His best baseball season was with the 1997 Reds, where he played in 115 games, stole 56 bases and had 127 hits. After four years on the grid iron, Sanders came back to the Reds in 2001, but his legs were gone as he stole only three bases in 32 games and batted .173.

Answer: 4

The Yankees, with an all-star cast of Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Bobby Richardson, and a host of others, mustered only four runs against the superb pitching of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers, including pitching greats Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Johnny Podres, shut the Yankees down totally in four games, allowing only 22 Yankee hits in the series.

The Dodgers won the series, four games to none.