MLB Historical Trivia

1. This righty was the first Little Leaguer to play Major League Baseball. He pitched for the Braves and the Reds.

From Quiz A Baseball Quiz for Experts

Answer: Joey Jay

The Little League was formed in 1939 by Carl Stotz. Joey Jay pitched in the Little League for Middleton, Connecticut. He pitched for the Milwaukee Braves, was traded to the Reds then back to the Braves. Mo'ne Davis was the first female to pitch a no-hitter in a Little League World Series game. She played softball at Hampton Institute. Koufax and Spahn were great southpaw pitchers and never played Little League baseball. Boog Powell, George W. Bush, Kenny Hobbs, and Jason Marquis are some notable former Little Leaguers.

From Quiz Dressed to Depress

Answer: Bill Buckner

With two outs in the 10th, Bill Buckner, who was known for his stiff knees, let a ground ball roll through his legs. Ray Knight scored as the winning run, and the Mets went on to win the Series.

From Quiz Baseball Throughout the Years

Answer: Indians vs Yankees

None of the other teams existed in 1929. The American League mandated all teams to wear numbers for the 1931 season and subsequent. The Indians did win that game.

From Quiz Night Baseball Famous Firsts

Answer: May 24, 1935

The actual switch was pulled some 600 miles away from the White House in Washington, D.C. to Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio.

From Quiz Step Up to the Plate

Answer: Cincinnati Reds

The 1919 World Series will forever be shrouded in controversy. Eight players from the Chicago White Sox, including "Shoeless Joe" Jackson were accused of taking bribes to intentionally lose the Series and were banned permanently from baseball. Jackson initially made a confession but later recanted. The other players would later say Jackson had nothing to do with the scandal, and one player admitted to bullying "Shoeless Joe" into making a confession.

From Quiz The Evolution of Baseball and America

Answer: Putting a runner out by hitting him with a thrown ball

Soaking was putting a runner out by hitting him with the ball. By eliminating soaking several things eventuated. First, the ball could be smaller and harder, and therefore more lively. Second, injuries were reduced. Third, coordination among infielders became more important. Fourth, stealing bases became much less dangerous for the runner (though as anyone Ty Cobb stole against will tell you, not for the second or third basemen).

From Quiz Baseball's Believe it or Not!

Answer: Jim Abbott

Abbott was born with no right hand in 1967. On September 4, 1993, he no-hit the Cleveland Indians. Abbott's New York Yankees won the game 4-0. Late in the game, Yankee fans were really letting the Indians and Kenny Lofton have it. Lofton attempted a bunt single in the top of the ninth inning. The ball rolled foul, and Kenny eventually grounded out. Carlos Baerga made the final out a few minutes later, and history was made. Lofton has taken heat for his bunt attempt throughout his career.

From Quiz MLB History

Answer: Bob Gibson

Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals was a large reason why MLB lowered the pitcher's mound in order to level the playing field and increase offense. The DH was also added for similar reasons, including the fact that executives thought that more offense would bring more fans to the ballparks.

From Quiz Grandpa's Baseball: Vol. 3

Answer: Pittsburgh Pirates

The others were all American League teams. The Pirates defeated the Reds in this game, 9-5 at Forbes Field. Strangely enough, the Phillies, the Pirates' sister city, never had an issue with playing on Sunday.

From Quiz The National League: 100 Years

Answer: New York Giants

The first World Series took place in 1903, and saw the AL Boston Pilgrims defeat the Pirates. With no World Series in 1904, 1905 saw the first NL team win it all. The Giants defeated the Philadelphia Athletics, four games to one.

From Quiz The American League: 100 Years

Answer: Athletics

The Athletics from Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Oakland, won 100+ games in a season eight times. Their largest season total was 107 wins in 1931, which put them in the World Series. The Orioles and Tigers won 100+ in a season five times, and the Red Sox did it three times. The rest of the league saw Cleveland do it twice, the White Sox, Royals, and Twins do it one time, while the rest of the league came up empty for the century mark.

From Quiz Everything Baseball

Answer: A cabbage leaf

Remember back in Ruth's playing days the players didn't have the comfortable caps they have today. The caps were made of wool. So to keep cool he would wear a cabbage leaf underneath.

From Quiz Baseball Stuffings #5

Answer: Baltimore Orioles

None of the other teams existed in 1958. After appearing in 30 games for the Indians in 1958, Cleveland traded Hoyt to the Orioles. He appeared in nine games for Baltimore in the season, went 1-3, and that one victory was his no-hitter against the Yankees.

From Quiz Baseball Stuffings #4

Answer: Karl Spooner

The others listed had not started their Major League careers yet. Wood set a record of his own by striking 20 batters in his rookie season with the Cubs in 1998. The 23-year old Spooner struck out 15 in his debut on September 22, 1954, as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 18 innings pitched in his rookie season, Spooner struck out an amazing 27 batters. More amazing, 1955 was his last season. J.R. Richard tied this record of 15 on September 5, 1971 with Houston.

From Quiz Baseball Stuffings #2

Answer: Phil Niekro

The others had all previously retired by 1985. The 46-year old Niekro bagged his 300th victory Yankees against the Blue Jays on October 6, 1985; the last day of the season. He surpassed Satchel Paige who previously set a record in on August 6, 1952 for the oldest to throw a shutout. Paige was only a few months younger than Phil.

From Quiz Baseball Stuffings #1

Answer: Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker

None of the others listed played in that era together. In 1926, Tiger pitcher Dutch Leonard came forward with letters from Smokey Joe Wood, implicating those two along with Cobb and Speaker who bet on some games between the Indians and Tigers in 1919. Leonard had agreed to let the Indians win a numer of games so the Indians could beat the Yankees out of second place money. Speaker and Cobb agreed to retire instead of facing charges, but Leonard later refused to testify against them face-to-face. The charges were dropped. Both Cobb and Speaker retired on their own in 1928.

From Quiz Some Baseball History

Answer: 1947

Brooklyn Dodger Executive Branch Rickey believed it was time for integration in the big leagues, and Robinson was definitely a winning ball player.

From Quiz Baseball Vegemite #5

Answer: 3

The Yankees were the only American League team to reach 100 with a 101-61 record. 2 National League teams reached the plateau, Atlanta with a mirror record of the Yankees, then the Giants who finished the season at 100-61. The only other team close was the Athletics with 96 wins.

From Quiz Baseball Vegemite #4

Answer: Pete Rose

Rose reached this plateau in 1978 with the Reds. Pete was also the first switch-hitter to get 4000 career hits in 1984. The others were not switch-hitters, and Ryan was a pitcher.

From Quiz Baseball Vegemite #2

Answer: Lou Gehrig

The Yankees retired the number 4 in 1939, the year that Lou retired from baseball. He died in 1941.

From Quiz Baseball Vegemite #1

Answer: Eddie Collins

The others were not around in baseball for at least another 40 years. Collins actually did this 2 times, 11 days apart. His first was on September 11, then followed it up on September 22. This Philadephia Athletic stole only 63 bases the entire season.

From Quiz Some Baseball History

Answer: Larry Doby

Though largely unheard of, Doby had a pretty fine career himself, twice leading the league in homers.

From Quiz Baseball Facts and History

Answer: New York Yankees

Of course this was the year Don Larsen pitched his perfect game in the World Series. The Yankees won this series in 7 games, and Larsen pitched his perfect game in Game 5.

From Quiz Best Baseball Moments

Answer: Indians

The Indians won 111 games that year - but lost to the Giants in four straight. Pinch hitting heroics by Dusty Rhodes.

From Quiz Diehard Baseball

Answer: Giants

It was Terry who brought Carl Hubbell to his true form.

From Quiz Baseball's Little Known Facts

Answer: A Cabbage Leaf

Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his hat to keep his head cool. He changed it every two innings.

From Quiz A Little Baseball Knowledge

Answer: Danny Gladden

Gladden drilled a grand slammer in game 1 of the 1987 Fall Classic against the Cards.

From Quiz A Baseball Quiz for Experts

Answer: Steve Carlton

Carlton was born in 1944 in Miami, Florida. He pitched for the Phillies, Cardinals, White Sox, Giants, Indians, and Twins. He was an All-Star ten times. He entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983. When a pitcher makes any illegal motion the umpire calls a balk. The penalty for a balk is that the base runners advance one base. Charlton balked 90 times.

From Quiz The Stitched Ball

Answer: Crosley Field

The other ballparks were all built in the 1960s. It was May 24, 1935, when the Cincinnati Reds hosted the Philadelphia Phillies for the first night game ever. The Reds won the game 2-1. There was only one walk thrown in the game so the lights were proven functional. Initially named Redland Field, the ballpark was built in 1912 for the Reds. When Powel Crosley bought the team in 1934, the name changed to Crosley. Crosley Field hosted four World Series before closing their doors in 1970.

From Quiz Dressed to Depress

Answer: Pete Rose

Pete Rose was banned from baseball on August 24, 1989 by Commissioner of Baseball Bart Giamatti for allegedly betting on 52 games during the 1987 season.

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Last Updated Nov 01 2025 5:44 AM

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