Rites of Reading Period: The Crimson Baseball Quiz

You know what this is. You've seen it before, and unless you're a senior, you'll see it again. It's the Once-Every-Reading-Period Crimson Sports Lounge Baseball Quiz. As if you haven't had enough of such things already, here is another list of questions that you probably can't answer. But as your mother always says, it's important to try.

So tear yourself away from the television for a minute, stimulate those dormant brain cells, and get to work. A delicate mixture of thought, perseverance, and miraculous recall will be needed. Short of that, take a look at the answers so that you'll be an instant hit at the next baseball-oriented party you go to. There are 55 questions to wade through, but then you have loads of time on your hands anyway.

The answers are printed below.

1. Who was the only major league pitcher ever to kill a batter with a pitched ball? Who was the victim?

2. In 1951, a 26-year-old midget was used to pinch hit and drew a walk. What was his name, height, and the number on his uniform?

3. Name three players who went four-for-four in their first major league game.

4. What active player has the most lifetime triples?

5. How did Moose Skowron get his nickname?

6. Who was in left field when Bobby Thomson hit his famous home run?

7. Who was on deck?

8. Name the first black pitcher in the major leagues.

9. Name the first black pitcher to hit a home run in the major leagues.

10. Who invented the catcher's mask, and what college did he attend?

11. Name the two players who have appeared in both the Rose Bowl and the World Series.

12. Who was the last pitcher to start more games in the World Series than he started during the regular season?

13. Who was the last pitcher with a losing record who started the Series opener, and what was the year?

14. When was the last time that a pitcher with a losing record during the regular season started and won the final game of a World Series?

15. Who was banned from baseball in 1914 for smoking cigarettes?

16. What man hit two pinch hit home runs in a World Series?

17. What team first signed Babe Ruth?

18. Who was the winning pitcher in the first game played in Yankee Stadium?

19. Who committed the first error at Yankee Stadium?

20. When Babe Ruth became the lifetime home run leader, whose record did he break?

21. In 1927, Ruth hit 60 home runs and Gehrig hit 47; what was the highest total for another A.L. team that year?

22. Who was the only major league player born in Poland?

23. What is the record for most at bats in one season? Who holds it?

24. What active player has the most at bats without a home run?

25. What was Fred Lynn's highest minor league batting average?

26. Who was the youngest man to manage in the major leagues?

27. Who was the last pitcher to no-hit the Yankees, and in what year did he do it?

28. Who was the last pitcher to no-hit the Dodgers, and when?

29. Name three players who played in the 1930s, '40s, '50s, and '60s.

30. Who was the only player to play in the 1940s, and 1960s, but not the 1950s?

31. In 1967, who got the only vote cast against Carl Yazstremski for MVP?

32. Who was the last pitcher to win 20 games and lose 20 games in the same year?

33. Who was the first player in the modern era to get seven consecutive hits in one game? What was the year, and who did he play for?

34. What did he hit that year?

35. Who holds the record for most strikeouts in an extra inning game? What is the record?

36. What brother combination hold the record for most lifetime homeruns (total)?

37. What was the first team that Jackie Robinson played with in organized baseball?

38. In 1947, a two-out double broke up the no-hitter bid of a Yankee pitcher in the World Series and sent the Dodgers to victory. Name the pitcher and the hitter.

39. What was the year of the first World Series and who were the two participants?

40. Who was nicknamed "The Gay Reliever"?

41. What was the nickname of Gene Krapp?

42. Who was called "Little Napoleon"?

43. What did they call George Gerken?

44. Who was nicknamed "The Vulture"?

45. Who was "Superjew"?

46. Who was called "Roadblock"?

47. Why was William Hoy called "Dummy"?

48. Name four major leaguers under 30 years of age who have gotten 1000 or more lifetime hits.

49. Who was pitching when Babe Ruth hit his "called-shot" home run?

50. Who replaced Lou Gehrig at first base for the Yankees?

51. "Shoeless Joe" Jackson was banned from baseball for throwing the 1919 World Series as a member of the Chicago White Sox. What did he hit while trying to lose?

52. What active player with over 1000 at bats has the highest lifetime batting average?

53. Who pitched for Cleveland in the 1948 playoff against the Boston Braves?

54. What is the record for the most consecutive wins by a team?

55. Who hit the line drive which almost killed Herb Score?

Answers

1. Carl Mays killed Roy Chapman in 1920.

2. Eddie Gaedel; 43 inches; 1/8.

3. Casey Stengel, Willie McCovey, Mack Jones.

4. Willie Davis.

5. When he had a crew cut as a child, he looked like Mussolini.

6. Andy Pafko.

7. Willie Mays.

8. Dan Bankhead.

9. Dan Bankhead.

10. Fred Thayer, Harvard.

11. Jackie Jensen, Chuck Essegian.

12. Joe Black (1952).

13. John Matlack, 1973.

14. 1955, Johnny Podres.

15. Tris Speaker.

16. Chuck Essegian.

17. Baltimore Orioles.

18. Bob Shawkey.

19. Babe Ruth.

20. Sam Thompson.

21. 56.

22. Moe Drabowsky.

23. 699, Dave Cash (1975).

24. Greg Gross.

25. .282.

26. Lou Roudreau.

27. Hoyt Wilhelm, 1958.

28. Don Larsen, 1956 World Series.

29. Early Wynn, Ted Williams, Mickey Vernon.

30. Jim Baumer.

31. Cesar Tovar.

32. Wilbur Wood, 1973.

33. Cesar Gutierrez, 1970, Detroit.

34. .243.

35. Tom Cheney, 21 (in 16 innings).

36. Hank and Tommie Aaron (758).

37. Montreal Royals.

38. Floyd "Bill" Bevens and Cookie Lavagetto.

39. 1903, Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Nationals.

40. Joe Page.

41. "Rubber."

42. John McGraw.

43. "Pickles."

44. Phil Regan.

45. Mike Epstein.

46. Sherman Jones.

47. He was deaf and dumb.

48. Bobby Murcer, Johnny Bench, A1 Oliver, Aurelio Rodriguez.

49. Charlie Root.

50. Babe Dahlgren.

51. .375.

52. Bill Madlock (.336).

53. Gene Bearden.

54. 26 (New York Giants).

55. Gil McDougald.