Baseball quick quiz - American Baseball League - Brief Article

Collect ten points for each question answered correctly. Answers on page 95. (If you score 80 or better, you are a baseball expert; 70 or better, superior; between 60 and 70, good, and between 40 and 60, average.

1. Since 1900, there have been three players whose last name begins with the letter "P" and won a batting title in the major leagues. Collect ten points if you can identify two of these three hitters.

2. There are six players in the Hall of Fame whose last name ends with the letter "O". Excluding Negro League star Martin Dihigo, collect two points for each of the five major league players to be elected to the Hall of Fame with a surname ending with the letter "O".

3. Since 1931 when the Baseball Writers Association of America began voting for the league MVP Award winners, there have been seven different MVP recipients whose first and last name begin with the same letter. Dizzy Dean is one of the seven (he is known by Dizzy, not his birth name Jay). Collect ten points if you can identify four of the other six league MVP winners whose first and last name begin with the same letter.

4. For ten points, name three of the four players whose last name is Williams and clubbed 40 or more home runs in a season in the majors.

5. There are two active players who have won a Gold Glove award and whose last name begins with the letter "E". Collect five points for each correct answer.

6. There have been two pitchers who have won a Cy Young Award with a last name that ends with the letter "X". Collect five points for each correct answer.

7. There have been three major league players with the first name of Hank who have clubbed 40 homers in a season. Collect ten points if you can identify two of these three sluggers.

8. For ten points, name five of the eight major league pitchers who have won a Cy Young Award and whose last name begins with the letter "S".

9. Eddie Collins and Eddie Murray are two big league players with 3,000 career hits who share the same first name. Collect five points for each of the two players with 3,000 lifetime hits who have the first name of Paul.

10. Besides former manager A1 Lopez, there are two players who were elected to the Hall of Fame with a last name that ends with the letter "Z". Collect five points for each correct answer.

Quick quiz answers:

1. The three major league players whose last name begins with the letter "P" and have won a batting title since 1900 are Dave Parker, Kirby Puckett and Terry Pendleton. Parker won the N.L. title for the 1977 and 1978 Pirates, Puckett captured the A.L. honor for the 1989 Twins and Pendleton for the Braves in the N.L. in 1991.

2. Besides Negro League star Martin Dihigo, the five other members of the Hall of Fame whose surname ends with the letter "O" include Luis Aparicio, Jack Chesbro, Phil Rizzuto, Joe DiMaggio and Phil Niekro.

3. Besides Dizzy Dean, the six other players to win a league MVP Award since 1931 with their first and last name beginning with the same letter are Frankie Frisch (1931 Giants), Marty Marion (1944 Cardinals), Mickey Mantle (1956, 1957, 1962 Yankees), Jackie Jensen (1958 Red Sox), Barry Bonds (1990, 1992 Pirates, 1993, 2001 Giants), Sammy Sosa (1998 Cubs).

4. The four major league players who share the same last name of Williams and hit 40 or more home runs in a season are Cy, Ted, Billy and Matt. Cy Williams hit 41 homers for the Phillies in 1923. Ted clubbed 43 for the Red Sox in 1949, Billy totaled 42 for the Cubs in 1970 and Matt led the N.L. with 43 in 1994 for the Giants.

5. The two active players whose last name begins with the letter "E" and have won a Gold Glove award are out-fielders Darin Erstad and Jim Edmonds.

6. The two pitchers to capture Cy Young Award honors and have a last name that ends with the letter "X" are Sandy Koufax (1963, 1965, 1966) and Greg Maddux (1992-1995).

7. The three players to hit 40 or more homers in a season who have the same first name of Hank are Hank Greenberg, Hank Sauer and Hank Aaron. Greenberg clubbed 40 or more homers in 1937, 1938, 1940 and 1946. Sauer accomplished the feat in 1954 and Aaron did it in 1957, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1971 and 1973.

8. The eight Cy Young Award winners whose last name begins with the letter "S" are Warren Spahn, Tom Seaver, Steve Stone, Rick Sutcliffe, Bruce Sutter, Bret Saberhagen, John Smoltz and Mike Scott.

9. The two players whose first name is Paul mid collected more than 3,000 career hits are Paul Waner (3,152) and Paul Molitor (3,319).

10. The two other members of the Hall of Fame besides manager Al Lopez whose last name ends with the letter "Z" are pitcher Lefty Gomez and first baseman Tony Perez.