Baseball quick quiz

Baseball Digest, Nov, 2005

Collect ten points for each question answered correctly. Answers on page 90

(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. Among players with 500 or more career homers, who is the only slugger to hit more than 10 lifetime home runs as a pinch hitter: Mel Ott, Ted Williams, Willie McCovey or Frank Robinson?

2. Since strikeouts became an official batting statistic in 1910 in the N.L. and 1913 in the A.L., only 14 players have led the league in whiffs for two different teams. Jim Thome is the only player to lead both leagues in Ks when he paced the A.L. in 1999 and 2001 with Cleveland and topped the N.L. in 2003 with Philadelphia. For ten points, name two other players who topped their league in strikeouts for different clubs.

3. Since 1900, there have been 12 players who have led the league in stolen bases while playing for different teams during their careers. Collect ten points if you can name three of these players.

4. Which one of the following pitchers did not lead his league in strikeouts for five or more consecutive seasons: Walter Johnson, Rube Waddell, Nolan Ryan, Lefty Grove or Dazzy Vance?

5. There have been five pitchers who have tossed a no-hitter with different teams. Collect two points for each of these five multiple no-hit hurlers you can identify.

6. In 2004, Tony LaRussa became only the third person in major league history to manage two different clubs to 100-victory seasons. LaRussa led the Oakland A's to 104 wins in 1988 and 103 in 1990 and the Cardinals to 105 victories in '04. Collect ten points if you can name one of the other two skippers to accomplish this feat.

7. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were the first teammates to have consecutive 40-homer seasons in 1930-1931 with the Yankees. There have been only three other pairs of teammates to accomplish this feat. Identify one of these three duos to collect ten points.

8. Through 2004, there have been only four pitchers who have won a Cy Young Award and tossed a perfect game during their careers. If you can identify two of these four pitchers, collect ten points.

9. Jim Palmer of the Orioles and Tom Seaver of the Mets won Cy Young Awards in the same year twice during their careers--1973 and 1975. For ten points, can you identify the only other pair of hurlers to capture the majors' top pitching honor in the same season two times? A clue: "The years they won the award were 1999 and 2000.

10. There have been ten players for the Braves--since the club moved to Atlanta in 1966--who have clubbed 40 or more home runs in a season. Collect one point for each of these players you can identify.

ANSWERS

1. Willie McCovey's 16 career pinch home runs are the most among players with more than 500 career HR. Mel Ott hit three, Ted Williams seven, and Frank Robinson, two.

2. Besides Jim Thome, the 13 other players to lead the league in strikeouts for different teams during their careers include Mo Vaughn (RedSox, Angels), Rob Deer (Tigers, Brewers), Tony Armas (A's, Red Sox), Reggie Jackson (A's, Angels), Gus Zernial (A's, White Sox), Jimmie Foxx (A's, Red Sox), Babe Ruth (Red Sox, Yankees), Hack Wilson (Cubs. Dodgers), Dolph Camilli (Phillies, Dodgers), Wally Post (Reds, Phillies), Dave Kingman (Cubs Mets), Andres Galarraga (Expos, Rockies) and Pat Seerey (Indians, White Sox).

3. The 12 players to Will a stolen base title for different teams since 1990 are Eddie Collins, Ben Chapman, Bill Werber, George Case, Kiki Cuyler, Luis Aparicio, Tominy Harper, Ron LeFlore, Rickey Henderson, Brian Hunter, Tony Womack and Juan Pierre.

4. Despite leading his league in strikeouts 11 times during his career, Nolan Ryan never paced the league in whiffs five years in a row.

5. The five pitchers to toss a no-hit game in the majors for different teams are Cy Young (Cleveland, Red Sox), Nolan Ryan (Angels, Astros, Rangers), Jim Bunning (Tigers, Phillies), Randy Johnson (Mariners, Diamondbacks) and Hideo Nomo (Dodgers, Red Sox).

6. Besides Tony LaRussa, the two other managers to have a 100-victory season with two different clubs are Sparky Anderson and Whitey Herzog. Anderson led the Reds and Tigers to 100-win campaigns while Herzog did it with the Royals and Cardinals.

7. Other than Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, teammates to each club 40 or more homers in back-to-back seasons include Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner for the Mariners in 1996-1997; Vinny Castilla and Andres Galarraga for the Rockies in 1996-1997 and Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez for Seattle in 1998-1999.

8. The four pitchers, through 2004, to win a Cy Young Award and toss a perfect game include Sandy Koufax, Jim Hunter. David Cone and Randy Johnson.

9. The two other pitchers besides Jim Palmer and Tom Seaver to win Cy Young Awards in the same season twice are Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson in 1999 and 2000.

10. The ten Atlanta Braves players to hit 40 or more home runs in a season are Hank Aaron, Darrell Evans, Davey Johnson, Jeff Burroughs, Dale Murphy, David Justice, Andres Galarraga, Chipper Jones, Javy Lopez and Andruw Jones.