1950s on the Diamond Quiz | MLB by Season

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The number 19 was retired in his honor by his American League team in the decade.

Answer: Bob Feller

'Rapid Robert' was a career Cleveland Indian from 1936-1956. He finished third in the MVP voting twice, and was runner-up MVP to Tiger Hank Greenberg in 1940. Feller set a season record for strikeouts in modern day baseball with 348 in 1946. His number 19 was retired by the Indians in 1957, then he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962. Bob died in 2010.

2. This National League team had the worst win-loss record over the entire decade and finished in seventh place or last place eight times.

Answer: Pirates

The Pirates set the stage for the Mets of the early 1960s. Pittsburgh finished in last place five times and in seventh another three times. Their worst season of the decade was 42-112 in 1952. They were managed by Billy Meyer, Fred Haney, and Bobby Bragan. Danny Murtaugh turned the team around to a second place finish in 1958.

3. Yogi Berra won the MVP three times in the decade for the American League. This player won it three times in the National League.

Answer: Roy Campanella

Seven times in the 1950s saw Berra in the top four for the MVP voting with the Yankees. Campanella played for 10 years with the Dodgers before an automobile accident left him in a wheelchair. He represented the National League and Dodgers very well in the decade by winning the MVP in 1951, 1953, and 1955. Roy was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969, then died in 1993.

4. The American League's St. Louis Browns and Philadelphia Athletics moved their franchise in the 1950s. This National League team moved also.

Answer: Braves

The Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953. The franchise won their first World Series since 1914 when they defeated the Yankees four games to three in 1957. They would move again in 1966 to Atlanta and win their next World Series crown in 1995.

5. The Eddie Gaedel incident resulted in a midget pinch-hitting for this batter.

Answer: Frank Saucier

It was August 19, 1951, when owner Bill Veeck, who was known for his publicity stunts, put 3'7" Gaedel to pinch-hit for the leadoff hitter Saucier. Gaedel walked on four pitches from Tiger pitcher Bob Cain. Detroit won the game 6-2. The 1951 season was Saucier's only season in the majors. He appeared in 18 games and batted a mere .071. Gaedel was killed in 1961 during a mugging.

6. The Cincinnati Reds had eight different managers in the 1950s. This National League team had seven managers in the decade.

Answer: Cardinals

St. Louis had seven different managers in the decade. The Cardinals began the decade with Eddie Dyer at the helm in 1950. In 1951 the team went with Marty Marion. From 1952 until midseason 1955 the team saw Eddie Stanky in charge and Harry Walker replaced him. To begin the 1956 season the Cardinals went with Fred Hutchinson and replaced him midseason 1958 with Stan Hack. To finish out the decade the franchise went to Solly Hemus in 1959.

The Cardinals did not see a World Series in the decade.

The Reds didn't fare much better by finishing third in the NL only once.

7. He once set an American League record in the decade by being the first pitcher to give up 40 home runs in a season.

Answer: Pedro Ramos

Ramos was with the Washington Senators in 1957 when he gave up 43 big ones to opposing batters. The previous AL record was by teammate Camilo Pascual in 1956 who gave up 33. Ramos was in his third season with the Senators of his 15 seasons in the majors. He retired in 1970 after giving up 316 home runs, a big number in that era.

8. This team in the decade was known for the "Shot Heard Round the World".

Answer: Giants

In the immortal words of announcer Russ Hodges, "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!" It was 1951 when the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants tied for the NL pennant and were forced to a playoff. It was a walk-off home run that gave the Giants the pennant.

The Dodger arm with the ball belonged to Ralph Branca, and the Giants' bat belonged to Bobby Thomson. The Giants met the Yankees in the World Series and lost four games to two.

9. This player in the decade became the first in World Series history to get 12 hits in a six-game series.

Answer: Billy Martin

Martin was a second baseman in 1953 when his New York Yankees met the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series. He had seven singles, a double, two triples and two home runs in the series. Billy was also responsible for his game six walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning off Dodger pitcher Clem Labine to give the Yankees the World Series pennant.

10. This team in the decade set an American League record by winning 111 games in their 154-game season.

Answer: Indians

The Indians were a powerhouse team and it showed in 1954. They met the New York Giants in the World Series but were embarrassed four games to none. To compound the skunk, the Giants scored 21 runs to the Indians' nine in the series. The previous season win record was set by the infamous 1927 Bronx Bombers who went 110-44 in that season.

Source: Author dg_dave

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1950s on the Diamond Trivia Quiz

Match the statement with the options about the 1950s. Have fun.

Questions		Choices
1. The number 19 was retired in his honor by his American League team in the decade.		Giants
2. This National League team had the worst win-loss record over the entire decade and finished in seventh place or last place eight times.		Cardinals
3. Yogi Berra won the MVP three times in the decade for the American League. This player won it three times in the National League.		Braves
4. The American League's St. Louis Browns and Philadelphia Athletics moved their franchise in the 1950s. This National League team moved also.		Pedro Ramos
5. The Eddie Gaedel incident resulted in a midget pinch-hitting for this batter.		Roy Campanella
6. The Cincinnati Reds had eight different managers in the 1950s. This National League team had seven managers in the decade.		Indians
7. He once set an American League record in the decade by being the first pitcher to give up 40 home runs in a season.		Frank Saucier
8. This team in the decade was known for the "Shot Heard Round the World".		Pirates
9. This player in the decade became the first in World Series history to get 12 hits in a six-game series.		Billy Martin
10. This team in the decade set an American League record by winning 111 games in their 154-game season.		Bob Feller