They Also Did Sports Trivia Quiz

Answer: Soccer/Football Goalkeeper

Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977), born in St Petersburg, Russia, was a remarkable author, one of the most eminent of the 20th century. His works, such as "Lolita" and "Pale Fire", were written in English. A man of many interests, he was a lepidopterist and an avid chess player.

While in Russia, and later at Cambridge University, he was an expert goalkeeper, allegedly seeing himself as a man apart from his team and writing poetry in his head during matches.

Answer: Soccer/Football Goalkeeper

Karol Wojtyła (1920-2005) was born in Wadowice in Poland. He became Pope in 1978, taking the name of his short-lived predecessor. Away from the Church, he was passionate about theatre, and a keen participant in a wide variety of sports. In particular, he was an expert football goalkeeper in his youth, nicknamed "Lolek the Goalie".

A quote from John Paul II was, "Of all the unimportant things, football is the most important".

Answer: Soccer/Football Goalkeeper

Albert Camus (1913-1960) was born in French-occupied Algeria. His works include "The Stranger" and "The Myth of Sisyphus". He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957, one of the youngest recipients. Camus was a keen footballer in Algeria, playing in goal, until forced to stop playing the sport due to tuberculosis.

He once said, "What I know most surely about morality and the duty of man, I owe to football".

Answer: Soccer/Football Goalkeeper

Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007) was born in Modena, Italy. He was one of the most celebrated singers of his time, delivering definitive performances in opera roles such as Rodolfo in Puccini's "La Boheme", and the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's "Rigoletto". The performance by "The King of the High C's" of the aria "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot" became a worldwide hit, and he appeared in several crossover concerts and cultural events and performed as part of the celebrated "Three Tenors" alongside Carreras and Domingo.

A large man, Pavarotti was a promising goalkeeper as a teenager in Modena before being persuaded by his mother to concentrate on his musical career.

Answer: Soccer/Football Goalkeeper

Julio Iglesias was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1943. He became the best selling Spanish singer of all time, with more than 300 million records sold, singing hits such as "Un canto a Galicia", "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", and "Begin the Beguine".

As a young man, before his singing career, he studied law at university, and was goalkeeper for Real Madrid's B team. His promising football career was ended by a serious car accident in 1963.

Answer: Soccer/Football Goalkeeper

Eduardo Chillida (1924-2002) was born in San Sebastian, in the Basque Autonomous Community in Spain. He was a goalkeeper at a high-level club, Real Sociedad, and nicknamed "The Cat" because of his agility. Chillida was tipped for a move to Real Madrid, when his football career was ended because of a knee injury.

He trained as an architect before becoming a sculptor. His abstract works such as "Eulogy of the Horizon" and "Wind Comb" have suggested some continuity in his careers in that they have been informed by Chillida's goalkeeper's understanding of space.

Answer: Played First Class Cricket

Raja Maharaj Singh (1878-1959) was born in Punjab, and educated at Harrow School and Oxford University. He became the first Indian Governor of Bombay after Indian independence in 1948. He became the oldest person to make their first class cricket debut when, at the age of 72, he captained a Bombay Governor's XI against a touring Commonwealth XI. He only played on the first day of the match - scoring 3 runs off the bowling of the great Jim Laker, before Laker had him caught at slip.

Answer: Played First Class Cricket

Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) was born an Anglican in Dublin, Ireland. He spent a lot of his life in France, serving in the Resistance during World War II. His works include "Murphy", "Molloy", and "Krapp's Last Tape".

While at Dublin University, Beckett played in two first class cricket matches against Northamptonshire. He was said to be a stolid batsman, which people have seen as a parallel with the themes of his best known work "Waiting for Godot". He was the first Nobel Prize winner to be featured in the cricket Bible, Wisden.

Answer: Played First Class Cricket

David Sheppard (1929-2005) was born in Reigate, Surrey. After National Service, he went up to Cambridge University to study history, and started playing first class cricket as a blue. In 1952 he topped the English batting averages while representing Cambridge University. He played county cricket for Sussex and played 22 Test matches for England.

While at Cambridge Sheppard started his clerical calling. He became known for his firm opposition to apartheid in South Africa, refusing to be involved in matches with the country. On the Ashes tour of 1962-63 he combined playing with preaching around Australia. He became Bishop of Liverpool in 1980 and his progressive views made him a prominent voice criticizing the UK Government. David Sheppard retired in 1997 and was made a Life Peer.

Answer: Played First Class Cricket and was a Goalkeeper

Arthur Conan-Doyle (1859-1930) was born in Edinburgh. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh Medical School. He worked as doctor on ships and in General Practice before specializing in ophthalmology. He started writing while practicing as a doctor, and became famous for books including "The Lost World", and for creating Sherlock Holmes.

Conan-Doyle was a keen sportsman, playing in goal for Portsmouth Association Football Club. He played ten first class matches for the Marylebone Cricket Club. His top score was 43, and he took the wicket of the legendary W. G. Grace.

Answer: Competed at Olympics

Harold Sakata (1920-1982) was born in Hawaii, where his parents worked on a coffee farm. He took up weightlifting in his teens and won silver representing the USA at the 1948 Olympics in London. He quit the sport in 1949 and took up wrestling, competing under the name "Tosh Togo".

Sakata was cast as the title character's henchman Oddjob in the 1964 James Bond movie "Goldfinger". He went on to star in further films and on television.

Answer: Competed at Olympics

Anne, Princess Royal, was born in 1950 in London, the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. She was said to have inherited a work ethic from her father, Prince Philip, and was often cited as the hardest working member of the UK Royal Family, acting as patron for hundreds of organisations.

A keen horsewoman, Princess Anne won the European Eventing Championship in 1971 and won two races in horse racing. She represented GB at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal in Eventing, completing the cross-country element despite a fall which left her concussed.

Answer: Competed at Olympics

Benjamin Spock (1903-1998) was born in Connecticut. He studied literature and history at Yale before switching to medicine, and later moved on to complete his studies at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. He published "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" in 1946, which sold more than 50 million copies.

Spock became active at rowing when at Yale. He went on to represent the USA at the 1924 Olympics in Paris, being part of the gold medal winning men's eight.

Answer: Competed at Olympics

King Constantine II of Greece (1940-2023) was born in Athens. In 1964 he became King on the death of his father. He went into exile following the Colonels' Coup in 1967, and was officially the Greek head of state until the monarchy was abolished in 1973. He returned to Greece 40 years later.

Constantine was an able sportsman - competing at squash, karate, and riding. He represented Greece at sailing in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, winning a gold medal in the Dragon boat class.

Answer: Competed at Olympics

Vanessa-Mae was born in 1978 in Singapore. She made her professional debut as a violinist at the age of 10. Her 1995 album "The Violin Player" sold 4 million copies.

Vanessa-Mae, whose father was Thai, represented Thailand at skiing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, competing in the Women's Giant Slalom. She finished 67th.