A Quiz For Baseball Aficionados

Jim Leyland is the correct answer because he never played in the big leagues. While Tony La Russa, Sparky Anderson, and Tommy Lasorda all had careers as professional baseball players before becoming managers, Leyland only played in the minor leagues before transitioning into coaching and managing.

In a regulation major-league baseball park, the distance from home plate to 2nd base is 127.3 feet. This is the standard distance used in professional baseball games.

Kenny Lofton, a baseball player, was a point guard for the Arizona college team.

In 1968, a pitcher named Bob Gibson won the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award in the National League. This was a significant achievement because pitchers rarely win the MVP award, as it is typically given to position players who have a more direct impact on the game's offense. However, Gibson had an exceptional season in 1968, with a record of 22-9 and an incredibly low ERA of 1.12. He also had 13 shutouts and struck out 268 batters, which made him a standout player and deserving of the MVP title.

In 1933, there was a Triple Crown winner in both leagues for the first time. This means that a player in both the American League and the National League achieved the highest batting average, hit the most home runs, and had the most runs batted in during that year. This was a significant milestone in baseball history as it demonstrated exceptional performance across both leagues.

Both Babe Ruth's 714th home run and Hank Aaron's 714th home run have in common that they were both hit for the Braves.

Babe Ruth is the correct answer because he is the only player listed who has never hit four home runs in a single game during his career. Lou Gehrig, Mike Schmidt, and Willie Mays have all accomplished this feat at least once.

In 1969, Tom Seaver won his first Cy Young Award. This award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, and Seaver's exceptional performance that year earned him this prestigious accolade.

In 1984, "Sporting News" named Mark McGwire College Player of the Year in baseball.

John Valentin is the correct answer because he is the first player in baseball history to hit for the cycle (a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game) and also turn an unassisted triple play. This is a rare feat in baseball and Valentin achieved it on July 8, 1994, while playing for the Boston Red Sox. He caught a line drive, stepped on third base to double off a runner, and then tagged the runner coming from second base, completing the unassisted triple play.

Wade Boggs' highest batting average ever in one season was 0.368. This means that in that particular season, he successfully hit the ball and reached base safely 36.8% of the time. A high batting average indicates a player's ability to consistently make contact with the ball and get on base, making it a significant achievement for Boggs.

Tommy John is the correct answer because he is the only pitcher listed who had the opportunity to pitch to both Mark McGwire and Roger Maris. Mark McGwire played from 1986 to 2001, while Roger Maris played from 1957 to 1968. Tommy John's career spanned from 1963 to 1989, overlapping with both McGwire and Maris. Rollie Fingers played from 1968 to 1985, Tom Seaver from 1967 to 1986, and Randy Johnson from 1988 to 2009, but none of them pitched during the same time period as both McGwire and Maris.

Don Newcombe was the first winner of the Cy Young Award in baseball. The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. Newcombe, a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, won the award in 1956. He had an impressive season that year, leading the league in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. Newcombe's performance and dominance on the mound made him the deserving recipient of the inaugural Cy Young Award.

Ty Cobb's lifetime batting average was 0.367. This means that throughout his entire career, he successfully hit the ball and reached base approximately 36.7% of the time he stepped up to bat. A batting average of 0.367 is considered extremely high and indicates that Cobb was an exceptional hitter.

Pete Gray's handicap was that he had one arm. This means that he was missing one of his arms, which would have been a significant challenge for him as a baseball outfielder. Despite this physical limitation, Gray was able to overcome it and play professional baseball, which is a testament to his determination and skill.

Babe Ruth hit his famous "Called Shot" at Wrigley Field.

Candy Cummings is credited with inventing the curveball. He was a pitcher in the 1800s and is known for introducing this pitching technique. The curveball is a type of pitch that has a spinning motion causing the ball to curve as it approaches the batter. Cummings' innovation revolutionized the game of baseball and became a popular and effective pitching technique.

In 1996, Brady Anderson and Mark McGwire were the two players who hit 50 or more home runs.

The Boones were the first family to have three generations of men play in the Major Leagues. Ray Boone played in the 1940s and 1950s, his son Bob Boone played in the 1970s and 1980s, and his grandsons Bret and Aaron Boone played in the 1990s and 2000s. This multi-generational success in Major League Baseball makes the Boones the correct answer to the question.

The correct answer is The Federal League. The Federal League was a short-lived third Major League that operated from 1914 to 1915. It was formed as a competitor to the established National and American Leagues. The league consisted of eight teams and aimed to challenge the monopoly of the existing leagues. However, financial struggles and legal battles with the established leagues led to its demise after just two seasons.

Jimmie Foxx was the first baseball player to win back-to-back MVP Awards. This means that he won the Most Valuable Player award in two consecutive seasons.

The Waners, Paul and Lloyd, hold the record for the most combined base hits in a career. Paul Waner had 3,152 hits and Lloyd Waner had 2,459 hits, totaling 5,611 hits between them. They played together for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1920s and 1930s, making them the most successful brother combination in terms of base hits.

Bob Watson is the correct answer because he scored Major League Baseball's one millionth run. This milestone occurred on May 4, 1975, while Watson was playing for the Houston Astros. He crossed home plate after hitting a home run, becoming the first player to score this historic run. Watson had a successful career in baseball, playing for several teams and even serving as a general manager for the Astros and New York Yankees.

Darryl Strawberry was the first overall pick of the 1980 baseball draft. This means that he was selected as the first player chosen by any team in that year's draft.

Dwight (Doc) Gooden broke Herb Score's record for strikeouts by a rookie in 1984.

Joe Jackson is the correct answer because he is the first player in history to hit .400 in his rookie year but did not win the batting title. This means that even though he had an impressive batting average, there was another player who had a higher average and won the title.

Davey Johnson tied the record for the most home runs in a single season with 42 in 1973.

Troy Glaus broke Mark McGwire's college single season home run record of 32 in 1997.

The Brooklyn Dodgers were the first baseball team to wear plastic batting helmets. This innovation in head protection was introduced by the Dodgers in 1941, as a response to a head injury suffered by their catcher, Mickey Owen. The team's decision to adopt plastic helmets set a trend in the sport, eventually leading to their widespread use by all teams.

Tommy John is the correct answer because he was the pitcher who gave up Mark McGwire's first Major League hit.