The Questions
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Old-Time Baseball
- What was the first professional baseball team?
The 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, who barnstormed across America and went undefeated for a year and a half. They (gasp!) paid their players salaries.
- What Hall of Famer has the most home runs?
Josh Gibson of the Negro Leagues, reputedly in the 900 range.
- Who was baseball's only fatality, and whose fault was it?
Ray Chapman, hit in the head by a Carl Mays pitch. (Interestingly, his emergency replacement, Joe Sewell, went on to the Hall of Fame.)
- Who is credited with moving Babe Ruth to the outfield?
Harry Hooper, Red Sox outfielder.
- Where did the Babe go to high school?
St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys
- Who were called out in the only unassisted triple play in World Series history?
Pete Kilduff, Otto Miller, Clarence Mitchell. (Play made by Cleveland 2B Bill Wambsganss in 1920.)
- Who once pitched twelve innings, only to lose the game?
Harvey Haddix.
- Everyone knows that Don Larsen pitched the only perfect World Series game in history. Tell us who lost it.
Sal Maglie.
- Why was 1955 "next year"?
Because the Brooklyn Dodgers, who'd been endlessly tormenting their fans for half a century, finally won their one and only championship.
- What two pitchers pitched nine-inning no-hitters against each other?
Fred Toney beat Jim Vaughn 1-0 on a hit in the 10th.
- Who made up the "$100,000 infield"?
Stuffy McInnis 1B; Eddie Collins 2B; Jack Barry SS; and Frank "Home Run" Baker 3B. They were so named because it was speculated that their combined value, if sold to other teams, might reach $100,000.
- What happened to Fred Merkle after he lost the pennant for the 1908 New York Giants?
Manager John McGraw gave Merkle a pay raise.
- NICKNAMES-- Give the real full names of the people known as.......
- Cool Papa--
James Thomas Bell, Negro Leagues star.
- Candy--
William Arthur Cummings, reputed inventor of the curve ball.
- Cyclone--
Denton True Young. Shorten "Cyclone" to "Cy" and you should know him.
- Kiki--
Hazen Cuyler, Pirates/Cubs outfielder who hit .300 ten times
- Pud--
James Galvin, 361-game winner with Pittsburgh and Buffalo.
- Judy--
William Johnson, Negro Leagues 3B
- Grey Eagle--
Tris Speaker, who hit .344 over a 22-year career.
- Wahoo Sam--
Sam Crawford, perhaps best known for his all-time record of 312 triples.
- Beauty--
David Bancroft, 1920's shortstop with 2,000+ hits
- El Maestro--
Martin Dihigo, All-Star Cuban third baseman from the Negro Leagues
- Give the origins of the following nicknames......
- Three-Fingered Brown--
Mordecai Brown's awesome curveball was born when his hand was mangled in a childhood accident; his 2.06 lifetime ERA is 3rd all-time.
- Iron McGinnity--
Joe McGinnity gained this nickname when he pitched three complete doubleheaders in the same season, winning 5 of the games.
- The Amazin' Mets--
Seeing the debacle that his 1962 Mets would be, manager Casey Stengel came up with this nickname. A 40-120 record IS technically amazin'.