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MLB 1870s Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
MLB 1870s Quizzes, Trivia

MLB 1870s Trivia

MLB 1870s Trivia Quizzes

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This is where the great game of baseball all began, the 1870s! From the National Association which began it all with organized baseball, to the National League for years of enjoyment.
6 MLB 1870s quizzes and 60 MLB 1870s trivia questions.
1.
  1870s Baseball   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
An all multiple choice quiz about baseball in the 1870s and a couple from before. I hope it is interesting for you. :-)
Difficult, 10 Qns, Nightmare, Dec 28 08
Difficult
Nightmare gold member
507 plays
2.
  1870s on the Diamond    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
The final in a series of matching quizzes by decades about baseball. I hope that you've had fun with them.
Difficult, 10 Qns, dg_dave, Feb 01 17
Difficult
dg_dave gold member
122 plays
3.
  1870s in a Bucket    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A look back at baseball in the beginning of it all in the 1870s, in all multiple choice. I hope you enjoy it. :)
Tough, 10 Qns, Nightmare, Apr 01 11
Tough
Nightmare gold member
165 plays
4.
  1870s Baseball History [3]    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Here is my third quiz on the 1870s. All questions deal with the National Assocation and National League.
Tough, 10 Qns, F_S_D, Dec 07 09
Tough
F_S_D
261 plays
5.
  1870s Baseball History [2]    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Here is my second quiz on the 1870s. All questions and answers are from the National Association and the National League.
Difficult, 10 Qns, F_S_D, Dec 07 09
Difficult
F_S_D
276 plays
6.
  1870s Baseball History [1]    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is on the seasons 1876 to 1879.
Difficult, 10 Qns, F_S_D, Dec 07 09
Difficult
F_S_D
366 plays

MLB 1870s Trivia Questions
1. Organized, sanctioned, and professional baseball began in 1871 with the creation of which baseball league?

From Quiz 1870s in a Bucket

Answer: National Association

The league opened its doors in 1871 to nine teams. They were (in order of finish) the Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Stockings, Boston Red Stockings, Washington Olympics, New York Mutuals, Troy Haymakers, Fort Wayne Kekiongas, Cleveland Forest Citys, and the Rockford Forest Citys.

2. How many games did Bob Ferguson catch for the New York Mutuals in 1871?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [3]

Answer: 5

Bob Ferguson made his debut in 1871 with the New York Mutuals. He played for six different teams throughout his 14-year career. He was a manager with six times also, New York Mutuals being his last team he managed. He is a switch hitter and throws right handed.

3. In which year did the Chicago White Stockings debut the first shutout in baseball?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [2]

Answer: 1876

Chicago White Stockings had the first shutout in April 1876 against the Louisville Grays. Chicago won the game 4-0.

4. In 1876, Chicago hitters had how many base on balls during the season?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [1]

Answer: 70

In 1876, Chicago White Stockings had the most base on balls with 70. The team members were: Pitcher: Al Spandling, Catcher: Deacon White, Infielders: Cap Anson, Ross Barnes, Cal McVey, and John Peters, Outfielders: Bob Addy, Fred Andrus, Oscar Bielaski, John Glenn, and Paul Hines.

5. The first organized game took place in 1846 between the New York Nine and the Knickerbockers. The Nine won 23-1. Why was this score so high?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball

Answer: The first team to reach 21 runs won the game

This game was played under Alexander Cartwright's rules. It had been argued for decades if he or Abner Doubleday were the inventor of baseball. Cartwright owned the Knickerbockers and umpired the game. Under his rules, the first team to reach 21 runs wins the game. Also, in order for a player to walk, he had to receive nine balls, instead of modern day's four. The first fine in history took place in this game. The umpire/owner Cartwright, fined a player only known as Davis, six cents for swearing. The game was played at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey on June 19, 1846. The Knickerbockers would later in 1849, be the first to wear uniforms consisting of blue wool pantaloons, a white flannel shirt, and a straw hat.

6. After watching the Philadelphia Athletics win the inaugural 1871 league pennant, which team would win the remaining four league pennants before the league closed its doors in 1875?

From Quiz 1870s in a Bucket

Answer: Boston Red Stockings

All the others were new teams in the league beginning in 1872. The Red Stockings went 39-8 to take the pennant, 7.5 games over the Baltimore Canaries and Philadelphia Athletics.

7. Which year did Cap Anson make his debut?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [3]

Answer: 1871

Cap Anson made his debut in 1871 with Rockford Forest Citys. He played for 27 with three different teams, playing seven different positions. He was a manager for 21 years. He hit and threw right handed.

8. In 1871, which team had a record of 7-12?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [2]

Answer: Ft. Wayne Kekiongas

Rockford Forest Citys had the worst record at 4-21. Cleveland Forest Citys had a record of 10-19. Troy Haymakers had a record of 13-15.

9. In 1876, which player became the first person to hit the first National League home run?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [1]

Answer: Ross Barnes

On May 2, 1876, Ross Barnes of Chicago hit the first National League home run which was an inside the park variation. Cincinnati pitcher William "Cherokee" Fisher served up that historic pitch.

10. In which year was the first organized league formed?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball

Answer: 1857

The first official league was called National Association of Baseball Clubs. All the games were played at the Fashion Race Course in Jamaica, New York. Admission to spectators was 50 cents. The season would run only from July to October because some teams complained that it would be too hot to play before July. In 1859, another league called the National Association of Baseball Players was formed to display the sport on the west coast. They quickly demolished the reputation by the other league, that baseball was a gentleman's game.

11. Which player in 1873 won his second consecutive batting title?

From Quiz 1870s in a Bucket

Answer: Ross Barnes

The others had not started their careers yet. Barnes played with the Boston Red Stockings. He took his first batting crown in 1872 with his .430 average, then another in 1873 by batting .431. Ross would go on to win the first-ever National League batting title in 1876, hitting .429.

12. What team did James Edward Britt play for in his debut in 1872?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [3]

Answer: Brooklyn Atlantics

Jim Britt only had a two year career, both years being with the Brooklyn Atlantics. He played 94 games total in his career, as a pitcher and a outfielder.

13. In 1872, which team had the largest attendance?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [2]

Answer: Philadelphia Athletics

Philadelphia Athletics led the league in attendance with 61,000 fans. New York Mutuals had the second most with 48,500 fans. Baltimore Canaries had the third most with 40,500 fans. Boston Red Stockings had the fourth most with 38,500 fans.

14. In 1876, How many home runs did George Hall hit?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [1]

Answer: 5

George Hall hit 5 home runs in 1876, which led the league. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics.

15. In 1874, the Boston Red Caps and Philadelphia Athletics of the National Association, played an exhibition game in which country to promote the sport?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball

Answer: England

In July 1874, the two teams went on an overseas tour for a series of exhibition games in England. They played both baseball and cricket. However, the British seemed uninterested in baseball.

16. Which two teams in 1874 shared the same ballpark to play home games during the season?

From Quiz 1870s in a Bucket

Answer: Athletics and Whites

The other combinations did not exist in the league. The Athletics and Whites were both Philadelphia teams. They both played at Jefferson Street Grounds. The Athletics would continue to use the ballpark after the National Association folded, and played there in the National League in 1876.

17. How many games did Harry Wright play at shortstop in 1871?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [3]

Answer: 1

Harry Wright made his debut in 1871 with Boston Red Stockings. He played seven years between the Boston Red Stockings and the Boston Red Caps. He was a manager for 24 years with four different teams. He played in 215 games over his career. He hit and threw right handed.

18. Which team played in Newington Park in 1873?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [2]

Answer: Baltimore Canaries

Baltimore Canaries played in Newington Park with an attendance of 25,000 fans in 1873.

19. In 1877, which team had the best record?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [1]

Answer: Boston Red Caps

Boston Red Caps had the best record in 1877. There record was 42-18 with the WP of .700.

20. In 1875, Fred Thayer of Harvard invents the first catcher's mitt. He shared it with college classmate Jim Tyng who tested it in a game. The rest of that is history. Also in this year, Joe Borden did what for the first time in baseball?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball

Answer: Pitched a no-hitter

Borden, aka Joe Josephs of the Philadelphia's, pitched the first recorded no-hitter against the Chicago White Stockings. Borden went on to play for one season in the National League. In addition to Thayer inventing the catcher's mitt, he later invented the first inflated chest protector.

21. When was the New York Mutuals last season?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [3]

Answer: 1876

New York Mutuals played from 1871 to 1876, which all of them were in the National Association.

22. Who was the first person ever to hit for the cycle?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [2]

Answer: George Hall

George Hall hit for the cycle on June 14, 1876. George Hall played for the Philadelphia Athletics at the time.

23. In 1877, which player led the most statistics leaderboard?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [1]

Answer: Deacon White

Deacon White led the most statistics in 1877 with 6. He led BA (.387), hits (103), RBIs (49), slugging percentage (.545), total bases (145), and triples (11).

24. The National League took over the baseball world in 1876 with new structure that the previous league was missing. How many teams were there for the inaugural season?

From Quiz 1870s in a Bucket

Answer: 8

Some teams from the National Association joined the ranks of the National League in 1876, while some closed their doors for good. The eight NL teams were the Chicago White Stockings who won the first pennant, followed by the Hartford Dark Blues, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Boston Red Caps, Louisville Grays, New York Mutuals, Philadelphia Athletics, and Cincinnati Reds.

25. What is the only season that the Philadelphia Centennials played?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [3]

Answer: 1875

Philadelphia Centennials only played in 1875 going only 2-12 for the season.

26. How many wins did Tommy Bond have in 1877?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [2]

Answer: 40

Tommy Bond had 40 wins which led the league. He also led the league in shutouts (6), strikeouts (170), and winning percentage (.702). He played for the Boston Red Caps at the time.

27. In 1877, which team had the best ERA?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [1]

Answer: Boston

The Red Caps had the best ERA with 2.15 in 1877.

28. In 1882, Pete Browning of the Louisville Eclipse in the American Association, won the batting title with a .378 average, 36 points ahead of the runner-up. What would later happen to Browning that would be a first in baseball?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball

Answer: A bat was made personally for him

The bat was made for him by J.A. "Bud" Hillerich, a rather accidental occurrence that would lead to the formation of Hillerich and Bradsby, later, the world's largest batmaker.

29. In 1876, National League records were initially set. In 1877, they began to break. Which pitcher in 1877 would lead the league in strikeouts, and break the season record of Jim Devlin from 1876?

From Quiz 1870s in a Bucket

Answer: Tommy Bond

In Tommy's first season with the Boston Red Caps, he went 40-17 and set a new strikeout record with his 170 in 1877. He broke the record again in 1878 by going 40-19 with 182 strikeouts. Bond threw baseball's first-ever Triple Crown in the 1877 season also. He played 10 seasons in four leagues, the National Association, National League, Union Association, and American Association.

30. Who had the most wild pitches in a season in 1879?

From Quiz 1870s Baseball History [3]

Answer: Will White

Will White made his debut in 1877 with the Boston Red Caps. He played 10 seasons between four teams and three franchises. He was a manager for one year with the Cincinnati Red Stockings. He played in 403 games in this career.

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