The Questions | Contest Main Page

Old-Time Baseball

  1. 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.

  2. What Hall of Famer has the most home runs?
    Josh Gibson of the Negro Leagues, reputedly in the 900 range.

  3. 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.)

  4. Who is credited with moving Babe Ruth to the outfield?
    Harry Hooper, Red Sox outfielder.

  5. Where did the Babe go to high school?
    St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys

  6. 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.)

  7. Who once pitched twelve innings, only to lose the game?
    Harvey Haddix.

  8. Everyone knows that Don Larsen pitched the only perfect World Series game in history. Tell us who lost it.
    Sal Maglie.

  9. 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.

  10. What two pitchers pitched nine-inning no-hitters against each other?
    Fred Toney beat Jim Vaughn 1-0 on a hit in the 10th.

  11. 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.

  12. What happened to Fred Merkle after he lost the pennant for the 1908 New York Giants?
    Manager John McGraw gave Merkle a pay raise.

  13. NICKNAMES-- Give the real full names of the people known as.......

    1. Cool Papa--
      James Thomas Bell, Negro Leagues star.

    2. Candy--
      William Arthur Cummings, reputed inventor of the curve ball.

    3. Cyclone--
      Denton True Young. Shorten "Cyclone" to "Cy" and you should know him.

    4. Kiki--
      Hazen Cuyler, Pirates/Cubs outfielder who hit .300 ten times

    5. Pud--
      James Galvin, 361-game winner with Pittsburgh and Buffalo.

    6. Judy--
      William Johnson, Negro Leagues 3B

    7. Grey Eagle--
      Tris Speaker, who hit .344 over a 22-year career.

    8. Wahoo Sam--
      Sam Crawford, perhaps best known for his all-time record of 312 triples.

    9. Beauty--
      David Bancroft, 1920's shortstop with 2,000+ hits

    10. El Maestro--
      Martin Dihigo, All-Star Cuban third baseman from the Negro Leagues

  14. Give the origins of the following nicknames......

    1. 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.

    2. Iron McGinnity--
      Joe McGinnity gained this nickname when he pitched three complete doubleheaders in the same season, winning 5 of the games.

    3. 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'.