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World Series Runners-Up

Sure, everyone remembers who won the World Series, but how many remember the teams they beat? Now is your chance to show your baseball savvy.

A multiple-choice quiz by mcpoorboy. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
mcpoorboy

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
421,375

Updated
Oct 22 25

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Easy

Avg Score
9 / 10

Plays
66

Last 3 plays: Guest 173 (3/10), Guest 73 (8/10), Guest 146 (9/10).

Author's Note: For each question, select the team that lost that year's World Series.

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. 1990 : Champions : Cincinnati Reds
Many pundits had predicted a sweep of the series, but it was the overwhelming favorites who got swept in 4 games. The opposition, who had been to the Series in 1988 and winning in 1989, won 103 games during the 1990 regular season. Hint

Boston Red Sox

Toronto Blue Jays

Minnesota Twins

Oakland Athletics

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. 1997 : Champions : Florida Marlins
They were the first wild card team to capture baseball's prize trophy, posting a 4 games to 3 series win, defeating another heavy favorite in the process. That favorite hosted the 1997 All-Star Game. Hint

Boston Red Sox

Cleveland Indians

Seattle Mariners

Kansas City Royals

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. 1995 : Champions : Atlanta Braves
Resuming operations after the 1994 season work stoppage, a many-time runner up finally achieved the pinnacle of success The team they defeated was making their first fall classic appearance in 41 years and, despite playing 18 fewer games due to the work stoppage, still won 100 games. Hint

Toronto Blue Jays

Cleveland Indians

Minnesota Twins

Texas Rangers

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. 1999 : Champions : New York Yankees
The Yankees were putting something special together. They won an astonishing 114 games during the regular season and capped their 11-1 playoff run with a 4 game sweep in the Series. New York's opponent would be making their 5th trip to the Fall Classic during the 90s. Hint

Florida Marlins

Atlanta Braves

San Diego Padres

Montreal Expos

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. 1996 : Champions : New York Yankees
The '96 Yankees had a new manager in Joe Torre and were decided underdogs against their opponent, but would go on to dominate the World Series 4 out of the next 5 years. Their opponents had won their 4th consecutive division title and had six All-Stars on their roster. Hint

Los Angeles Dodgers

St. Louis Cardinals

Atlanta Braves

Philadelphia Phillies

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. 1991 : Champions : Minnesota Twins
Both the Twins and their World Series opponents had achieved a "worst-to-first" feat, each having finished last in their respective divisions in 1990. The gallant losers' "worst-to-first" achievement was the first ever in National League history, and they were 9 1/2 games out of first place at the All-Star break. Hint

San Diego Padres

San Francisco Giants

Los Angeles Dodgers

Atlanta Braves

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. 1992 : Champions : Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays not only became the first Canadian team to host a World Series game, they also became the first Canadian team to win a series, taking the trophy 4 games to 2. Their opponent had won their second consecutive division title and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Championship series, 4 games to 3. Hint

Philadelphia Phillies

Atlanta Braves

St. Louis Cardinals

Los Angeles Dodgers

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. 1993 : Champions : Toronto Blue Jays
Cito Gaston's Blue Jays returned to the Fall Classic to face another "worst-to-first" team. The match-up was memorable due to a Game 6 walk-off home run by Joe Carter off reliever Mitch Williams. Hint

San Diego Padres

Houston Astros

Montreal Expos

Philadelphia Phillies

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. 1998 : Champions : New York Yankees
The 1927 Yankees had been regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time with a 110-44 record. The 1998 edition should at least merit honorable mention, winning 114 regular season games and hit 207 home runs as a team. Their World Series opponent went 98-54 in their own right, and were making their first trip back since 1984. Hint

Chicago Cubs

Florida Marlins

San Diego Padres

Atlanta Braves

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. 2000 : Champions : New York Yankees
The Yankees vanquished their rivals, 4 games to 1, to win their third straight and 26th overall championship, most in baseball. Both teams were able to keep their travel costs down. Opposition manager Bobby Valentine led a squad that won 94 games and a wild card. Hint

New York Giants

New York Highlanders

Brooklyn Dodgers

New York Mets

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. 1990 : Champions : Cincinnati Reds Many pundits had predicted a sweep of the series, but it was the overwhelming favorites who got swept in 4 games. The opposition, who had been to the Series in 1988 and winning in 1989, won 103 games during the 1990 regular season.

Answer: Oakland Athletics

Oakland's dominance was evident in that they were returning to their third consecutive World Series, had swept the previous year's series 4-0, and on paper had a stronger squad than in previous years.

2. 1997 : Champions : Florida Marlins They were the first wild card team to capture baseball's prize trophy, posting a 4 games to 3 series win, defeating another heavy favorite in the process. That favorite hosted the 1997 All-Star Game.

Answer: Cleveland Indians

The Indians, having lost the World Series in 1995, were heavy favorites due to their increase in experience. Having power hitters like Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome also boosted their hopes, but the Marlins dashed those hopes. The Marlins, on the other hand, had spent heavily to build their championship team and had dismantled it through trades and free agency a few years later.

3. 1995 : Champions : Atlanta Braves Resuming operations after the 1994 season work stoppage, a many-time runner up finally achieved the pinnacle of success The team they defeated was making their first fall classic appearance in 41 years and, despite playing 18 fewer games due to the work stoppage, still won 100 games.

Answer: Cleveland Indians

Cleveland was no slouch despite their time away from the World Series. They had gone 100-44 during the regular season. It just wasn't good enough against Atlanta, though they made a good effort.

4. 1999 : Champions : New York Yankees The Yankees were putting something special together. They won an astonishing 114 games during the regular season and capped their 11-1 playoff run with a 4 game sweep in the Series. New York's opponent would be making their 5th trip to the Fall Classic during the 90s.

Answer: Atlanta Braves

Although both teams possessed strong lineups, it was thought that pitching would decide the series, as each team's starting rotation combined for 13 Cy Young Award winners. It didn't quite pan out that way throughout the entire series, but Orlando Hernandez and Roger Clemens gave up just 1 run in 8 inning each in the first and last games to assert the continuance of Yankee dominance.

5. 1996 : Champions : New York Yankees The '96 Yankees had a new manager in Joe Torre and were decided underdogs against their opponent, but would go on to dominate the World Series 4 out of the next 5 years. Their opponents had won their 4th consecutive division title and had six All-Stars on their roster.

Answer: Atlanta Braves

The Braves had a pitching staff that recorded several major league marks including most strikeouts (1,245) and fewest walks (451). They won 56 home games and had a potent offense to match their pitching. All that said, it just wasn't enough. The "upset" caused by the Yankee underdogs would lead to the uncovering of a major gambling scandal at Boston College after the University's athletes were forced to "go public" after being unable to pay off their wagers to illegal bookies.

6. 1991 : Champions : Minnesota Twins Both the Twins and their World Series opponents had achieved a "worst-to-first" feat, each having finished last in their respective divisions in 1990. The gallant losers' "worst-to-first" achievement was the first ever in National League history, and they were 9 1/2 games out of first place at the All-Star break.

Answer: Atlanta Braves

The Twins played their home games in the indoor Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The stadium was notorious for its right field wall, known as "The Baggie", its deafening crowd noise as well as the inability to carry a long ball. The stadium was universally panned until the Twins moved into the outdoor Target Field.

7. 1992 : Champions : Toronto Blue Jays The Blue Jays not only became the first Canadian team to host a World Series game, they also became the first Canadian team to win a series, taking the trophy 4 games to 2. Their opponent had won their second consecutive division title and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Championship series, 4 games to 3.

Answer: Atlanta Braves

The Blue Jays won all 4 games by one run. Previously in series history that had only happened three times (1915, 1918 and 1972). The first two years occurred during the "dead-ball" era. The Braves had the "luxury" of playing their road games in a domed stadium for a second consecutive year, although this one at least had a retractable roof.

8. 1993 : Champions : Toronto Blue Jays Cito Gaston's Blue Jays returned to the Fall Classic to face another "worst-to-first" team. The match-up was memorable due to a Game 6 walk-off home run by Joe Carter off reliever Mitch Williams.

Answer: Philadelphia Phillies

Game 4 of the series was a "pitchers' duel" that ended in a 15-14 Toronto victory. The game set records for longest World Series game ever (at that time) at four hours, fourteen minutes, most runs by both clubs (29) and most runs scored by a losing team (14). The Phillies held first place in their division for each day during the 1993 season except for April 8.

Toronto's starting rotation finished with a 5.77 ERA and the Phillies rotation dished up a 7.57 earned-run-average, which wasn'texactly Cy Young level pitching pitching.

9. 1998 : Champions : New York Yankees The 1927 Yankees had been regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time with a 110-44 record. The 1998 edition should at least merit honorable mention, winning 114 regular season games and hit 207 home runs as a team. Their World Series opponent went 98-54 in their own right, and were making their first trip back since 1984.

Answer: San Diego Padres

This was the first time since 1989 that a team had won a World Series after having the best record in the regular season. It was also the first time since 1986 that a team won a World Series after posting at least 100 wins in the regular season. The loss made the Padres the first expansion team to lose two World Series. Bruce Bochy was the only Padres player or manager to be on every Padres playoff team. Bochy, however, would go on to win three World Series titles as manager of the San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012, and 2014 and then with the Texas Rangers in 2023.

10. 2000 : Champions : New York Yankees The Yankees vanquished their rivals, 4 games to 1, to win their third straight and 26th overall championship, most in baseball. Both teams were able to keep their travel costs down. Opposition manager Bobby Valentine led a squad that won 94 games and a wild card.

Answer: New York Mets

Known as the "Subway Series", this was the first World Series between two New York based teams since 1956 (Yankees vs. Giants).

Source: Author mcpoorboy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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