Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The last team to roster a black player as a regular starter was the 1961 Detroit Tigers. They finally contracted second baseman Jake Wood, who returned the favor by hitting 42 home runs (a rookie record later broke by rookie Mark McGwire in 1987). Wood helped the Tigers to finish second place for the season.
2. A historical game in 1910 saw the great Cy Young win his 500th game, the first player ever to reach the plateau, when he beat the Washington Senators 5-4 in 11 innings. He would go on to compile a career 511 wins. Young received the Cy Young Award for his efforts in the season.
3. In 1962, Los Angeles Dodger Don Drysdale shined over the Major Leagues. Going 25-9, he won the Cy Young in the National League over Jack Sanford of the Giants. Drysdale recorded more wins than American League Cy Young winner, Dean Chance of the Angels. One more win would have put the Dodgers in the World Series, but they lost a three-game playoff to the Giants.
4. The Houston Colt 45s opened for business as an expansion team in 1962. They changed their name to the Astros in 1965. The franchise would wait 32 years before they had their first league MVP with Ken Caminiti in 1994, but still finished second to the Cincinnati Reds, even with the 39 home runs from Jeff Bagwell.
5. Slugger Harry Heilmann was the first player to hit a home run in every existing park, when he hit a blast at Braves Field in 1930. After playing for 15 seasons in the AL, Heilmann was traded to the Reds in 1930. It didn't take long for him to 'clean up' the National League, hitting home runs at Forbes, Crosley, the Baker Bowl, Ebbets, and Candlestick Park. He hit 19 home runs in the season. Retiring in 1932, Harry was inducted into the Hall 20 years later.
6. The 1998 New York Yankees won an amazing 114 games in the season, setting a record for most wins in a season. They went up against the San Diego Padres in the World Series and were heavy favorites to win. They did not disappoint as they put down the opponent, four games to none. Scott Brosius was the MVP for hitting two home runs and batting .471 in the series.
7. In September 1973, Nolan Ryan of the California Angels threw his last pitch of the season. He struck out Rich Reese of the Twins, giving him 383 season strikeouts, breaking the record set by Walter Johnson by one strikeout. The Ryan Express went on to play for Houston and the Rangers, and retire with 5714 career strikeouts in 1993. It was amazing that Ryan never won a MVP or Cy Young Award in his career.
8. Chicago White Sox catcher Ray Schalk set a record for being the first catcher to be behind the plate during four no-hitters. His last one was with pitcher Charlie Robertson, when he threw a perfect game on April 30, 1922. Schalk retired after 17 seasons in a White Sox uniform, then his final season with the Giants in 1951.
9. In 1993, Carlton Fisk set a durable record of catching 2226 career games behind the plate, and just barely topped the record of Yogi Berra who caught 2223 games in his career. Fisk played for an amazing 24 seasons for the Red Sox and White Sox. After winning the Rookie of the Year in 1972, he also went on to hit the infamous 1975 World Series home run in game six, tying the series up at three.
10. 'Never too old' was the motto of pitcher Hoyt Wilhem. He was the oldest rookie to go on to play for 20 seasons in the Major Leagues. The 29-year old rookie started with the New York Giants in 1952, then retired in 1972 setting a record for most career wins as a starting pitcher. Hoyt was a 1985 Hall of Fame inductee.
Source: Author
Nightmare
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