BBRT “Second 99” Trivia Kwiz
Updated after the 2019 season.
You’ll find the link at the end of the Kwiz that will take you to the answers. — for the timid, jump directly to the answers here.
1. A true pitchers’ battle. What is the fewest number of (combined) base hits ever recorded in a regulation MLB game? Hint: The answer is in the question.
2. An even dozen. Name the A’s player who holds the record for consecutive games with a stolen base at 12. Hint: It’s not Rickey Henderson.
3. Grand theft baseball, Name the MLB player with the highest base-stealing success percentage (minimum 200 attempts). Hint; Still active in 2017, although he didn’t attempt a steal.
4. There is no “I” in team. What is the highest number of pitchers used in completing a nine-inning no-hitter? Hint: Not much help, but this number – more than a hand-wide – was reached twice, both times in inter-league games.
5. A bit of irony here. Who is the oldest player ever to record an RBI? Hint: BBRT hates the DH.
6. All you need is glove. Name the MLB players with the most Gold Gloves and the most consecutive Gold Gloves. Hint: They are both pitchers.
7. The 1945 Boston Braves set the MLB record for doubleheaders played in a season. Count your answer as correct if you get within 3 of the number of doubleheaders they played.
8. Another team-focused record. What expansion team made the fastest rise to a World Series Championship. Hint: Ironically, they didn’t have much of a dry spell.
9. Sticking with the Fall Classic. When was the first World Series ever played between two expansion (established after 1960) teams? Hint: The two teams had previously been the first expansion teams from their respective leagues to win a World Series.
10. Speaking of the World Series. Name the only player to play in three consecutive World Series for three different teams. Hint: He had to don a lot of different uniforms.
11. Complete games are a thing of the past. Who are the last two CG leaders (AL & NL) to top 20 complete games in a season. Hint: A Twin and a Dodger – neither born in the United States.
12. A bit of history. Name the last former Negro League player to play in the major leagues. Hint: Hall of Famer, finished his MLB career in the same city he started it in – only for a different team in a different league.
13. Getting off to a good start. Name the pitcher who holds the record for Opening Day shutouts with seven (in 14 Opening Day starts). Hint: He “capitol-ized” on his skills.
14. Another great “start” … several of them in fact. Name the pitcher who pitched complete game shutouts in five of his first seven career starts. Hint: He was a phenom and a phenomena.
15. On the cover of the …. What future Hall of Fame third baseman was featured on the cover of the first issue of Sports Illustrated? Double hint: It was the August 16, 1954 issue – and this player will ALWAYS be featured in the K-Kwiz.
16. Keeping it all in balance. Here’s a not too difficult two-part question. You need to name these two Hall of Famers. One collected 363 wins (356 for the Braves, four for the Mets, three for the Giants) along with 363 base hits (356 for the Braves, four for the Mets and three for the Giants). The other collected 3,630 bases hits – 1, 815 at home and 1,815 on the road. Hint: A couple of well-known lefties.
17. Power and discipline. There are only five players with 500 or more homers who never struck out 100 times in a season. Can you name three of them? Hint: I’ll give you their initials. HA, BR, TW, MO, GS.
18. Power and speed. Name the last player to lead his league in both home runs and stolen bases in the same season. Hint: The following season, he won the Triple Crown (Avg.-HRs-RBI).
19. A real moon shot. Wally Moon was a known for his “Moon Shots” over the short left field fence at the Los Angeles Coliseum (first home of the LA Dodgers). There was, however, a real moon shot in 1969 – hit against, rather than for, the Dodgers (in a way celebrating the first man to step foot on the moon.) Name the pitcher who made a prophet of Alvin Dark by hitting a home run on July 20, 1969. Hint: Pure lunacy.
20. Punch your ticket to the Hall of Fame. Who are the only three ML players to achieve 500+ homers, a .300+ career batting average and 3000+ hits. Hint: One was still active going into 2020, the other two were the first two batters in the 1965 All Star Game at Met Stadium, Bloomington, MN.
21. Grand larceny. Name the only player to steal 100 bases or more in three straight seasons. Hint: He did it in his first three seasons – and actually led the league in steals in his first six seasons (averaging just over 91 steals a season).
22. One of these is not like the others. Only four MLB players have stolen a base in four different decades. Three of them are pretty predictable (Rickey Henderson – 1,406 career steals; Tim Raines Sr., 808 career steals; Omar Vizquel – 404 steals). The fourth, however, is not like the others – he had only 24 career stolen bases – but had 24 or more home runs in 15 seasons. Hint: First steal in 1939, final steal in 1960.
23. Makes sense to me. Who threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium on July 18, 1999 – the day David Cone tossed a perfect game for the Bombers, beating the Montreal Expos 6-0. Hint: It was Yogi Berra Day.
24. Like father – like son. We hear a lot about the Ken Griffey, Jr. and Sr. playing together in the outfield (for the Mariners), but they are not the only father-son teammates to share the garden in a major league game. Name the other MLB father/son teammates who shared the outfield in a major league game. Hint: They were also Senior and Junior.
25. Share and share alike. In 1981, for the only time ever, three players shared the World Series MVP Award. Name them. Hint: Dodgers all, initials RC, PG, SY.
26. A double-triple …. Or triple-double. Only once in MLB history have both leagues boasted Triple Crown (Avg.-HR-RBI) winners in the same season – and they both played their home games in the same city. Can you name the city and the players? Hint: If they had been brothers, this would have been the perfect question.
27. A different kind of three-bagger. On September 6, 1883, with the the NL Chicago White Stockings facing the Detroit Wolverines, the Chicago squad put up an 18-run seventh inning (in a 26-6 win). Three batters for the Sox collected an MLB-record three hits each in that single inning (Tom Burns – two doubles and a home run; Fred Pfeffer – a double and two singles; Ned Williamson – a double and two singles). It would be seventy years (1953) until another player put up a three-hit inning; and another fifty (2003) until the most recent three-hit inning. Can you name the two players to put up three hits in an inning since 1900? Hint: Both were playing for the Red Sox at the time.
28. It’s a vicious cycle. Only three players have hit for the cycle in both the AL and NL. Can you name them? Hint(s): All since 1977. Two of three can boast of a batting average title. The teams they were with at the time: 1) Red Sox/Astros; 2) Mets/Mariners; 3) Twins/Rockies.
29. Shining on the big stage. Who is the only player to hit a home run in the Negro Leagues’ East West All Star Game and the Major League All Star Game? Hint: Known as a junior.
30. More All Star power. Can you name the only player to hit an All Star Game Grand Slam. Hint: He is also one of only two players to win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Award in the same season (the other is Ichiro Suzuki).
31. He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother. In 1966, for the first and only time, two brothers finished 1 & 2 in the batting race. Who were these stalwart batsmen? Hint: They had a third brother in major leagues.
32. Light up a perfecto. Name the A’s pitcher who put on the greatest offensive show while also pitching a perfect game. Hint: There was something fishy about his fastball.
33. Who needs the DH? Name the only pitcher to hit two home runs while throwing a no-hitter. Hint: It’s not always wise to pitch to the pitcher.
34. You can’t touch this. What pitcher holds the record for strikeouts in a World Series game? Hint: If you guessed Bob Feller, you’d be half right.
35. Don’t get short with me. How many seasons did the Seattle Pilots play in the AL? The team went from Seattle’s caffeine “brew” to another kind of brew.
36. Changing the paradigm. Who was the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award without winning 20 games. Hint: He was pretty terrific.
37. A tale of two cities. What player, in 1982, became the only player to get base hits for two different teams, in two different cities, off two future HOF pitchers on the same day. Hint: He was on the visiting team for both games.
38. Rookie Magic. Between 1979 and 1982, the LA Dodgers boasted four consecutive Rookies of the Year. Name them. Hint: Three were pitchers.
39. Let’s make a deal. In June of 1984, the Cubs made a seven-player trade with Cleveland that brought them a starting pitcher who, at the time, was 4-5, with a 5.15 ERA for the Indians. Despite not moving to the NL until June, that hurler won the league’s Cy Young Award and is credited with bringing the Cubs the NL East Division title – going 16-1, 2.69 in 20 starts for the Cubbies. Name him. Hint: He was a Rookie of the Year with the Dodgers (1979).
4o. If a fly ball falls in an empty stadium, does it make a sound? On April 29, 2015, an MLB game was played – for the first time – in front of an empty house (the attendance was officially listed as NA – Not Applicable). Name the team or stadium and the reason fans were locked out of the ballpark.
41. Wiffle ball. Only four times in MLB history has a pitcher fanned 20 batters in a nine-inning contest. Here’s a two-part question. Name the three pitchers to achieve 20 K’s in a nine-inning contest (one did it twice) and how many hitters did these flamethrowers walk in those 36 frames? Hint (on part one), they threw for the Red Sox, Cubs and Nationals.
42. Give ‘em the old one-two … three. Twenty-two times in MLB history, teammates have finished 1 and 2 in the league batting races, but only twice have teammates recorded a 1-2-3 finish. The first was in 1893, and the players were the Phillies’ Billy Hamilton (.390), Sam Thompson (.370), and Ed Delahanty (.368). It’s also been done once in the AL. Your task is to name the three Blue Jays who sat atop the 1993 AL batting average list. Hint: Two of the three made the Hall of Fame – and the one who didn’t won the title.
43. Success is in the cards. Name the Hall of Famer who led his league in triples and doubles in the same season a record four times. Hint: He “manned up” and enlisted in the Navy in 1945.
44. How about an easy one? Name the last NL player and last AL player to hit three triples in game. Hint: A Twin and a Dodger.
45. Beating the Braves. In the first “99” Kwiz, BBRT asked for the name of the only player to take the field for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta (It was HOFer Eddie Mathews, who also played for minor league teams in Atlanta and Milwaukee). This time, being a Braves’ fan, I’m asking for the name of the only pitcher to notch wins against the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. Hint: A little birdie told me.
46. Let’s talk consistent excellence. Only eight23
players have won three or more MVP awards in a single decade (decade definition example, the ‘1050’s are 1950-59). For example, Barry Bonds won three in 1990s (1990, 1992, 1993) and four in the 2000’s (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004). Who were the other six? Hint: I’ll give you their initials – AP, AR. MS, RC, YB, SM, MT.
47. A Reds’ flag on voting. In the 1957 All Star vote, Cincinnati fans stuffed the ballot box electing the Reds’ Ed Bailey (C); Johnny Temple (2B); Don Hoak (3B); Roy McMillan (SS); Frank Robinson (LF); Gus Bell (CF); Wally Post (RF). Who was elected at first base – the only non-Reds’ starter?
48. The long and winding road. Name the one MLB player to record a season of twenty or more home runs in four different decades. Hint: His career carried from the 1930s to the 1960s.
49. Three’s a crowd. Three players share the record for consecutive games hitting a home run (8). Can you name them. Hint: A Pirate, Yankee and Mariner in that order.
50. Speed and power. Only six players in MLB history have led their league in triples and home runs in the same season – and only three since 1950. Name the three most recent players to accomplish this feat. Hint: In 1951, this feat was accomplished in both the NL and AL – and the players both patrolled centerfield for New York-based teams.
51. Hey, look what WE did! What record do these three pitchers share – Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale, Orel Hershiser? No hint: It’s multiple choice for Pete’s sake.
_____ They each struck out 90 batters in a single month
____ They each hit five batters in a single game
____ They each threw five, complete–game shutouts in a single month.
____ They each notched a full-season earned run average under two.
52. You win a few … or maybe you don’t. Can you name the pitcher who – from April 19, 1992 to July 24, 1993 – lost a record 27 consecutive decisions (well-balanced, with 14 losses as a starter and 13 in relief). Hint: He was a Met at the time – and went on to pitch for the Cubs and Astros.
53. Great Expectations. On May 6, 1953, a 30-year-old rookie hurler pitched a no-hitter in his first start (the only pitcher ever to do so), as the Browns topped the Philadelphia Athletics 6-0. It turned out to be his only MLB complete game, as he lasted just one season, putting up a 3-7 record with a 5.23 ERA. Hint: Looking back, that victory might seem a little hollow, man.
54. Following in Dad’s footsteps. We all know that Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. are the only father and son to hit back-to-back home runs. Can you name the only father and son to both notch 50-homer seasons in MLB? Hint: Unusual last name for a pair of sluggers who spent a lot of time at DH.
55. Another Ruth record falls. In 1961, two of Babe Ruth’s significant records fell. Roger Maris, of course, topped Ruth’s record of 60 home runs in a season – which had stood since 1927. Another key “Ruthian” record also fell that year – one that had stood even longer. What was that record? Hint: It was broken by another left-handed Yankee who made to the Hall of Fame.
56. Follow the leader. The Manager of the Year Award was inaugurated in 1983. To this point, only one manager has captured the award in a year when his team had a losing record. Name him. Hint: Seem kind of “fishy” to me.
57. A record that will never fall. Only one pitcher in MLB history has logged 100 or more complete game shutouts. Name him. Hint: He played when they traveled on trains.
58. Pitching has always been a valuable asset. Can you name the only pitcher to win consecutive MVP Awards. Hint: This Hall Famer, who retired in the mid-1950s, “new” what he was doing on the mound.
59. Don’t expect anyone to get this one, but it needs to be acknowledged. Hitting for the cycle is a pretty rare feat. Even rarer is hitting for the Home Run Cycle (a solo, two-run, three-run and grand-slam homer in the same game). It’s been accomplished just once in all of professional baseball. Hint: Really, no hint will help, but the year was 1998, it was at the Double A level and the hitter who accomplished this feat never made it to the majors. Can you name him?
60. January to December. Can you name the oldest and youngest MLB hurlers to win 20 in a season? Hint: For one, it was his thirteenth and final twenty-win season; for the other it was his first and only twenty-victory campaign.
61. There have been only six twenty-game winners who failed to complete a single complete game in their 20-win season. Name them. Hint: Two Yankees, a Tiger, a Blue Jay, a Ray and an Astro- all since 2000.
62. Lasting success. Name the only pitcher to win a World Series game in three separate decades? Hint: Added to his fame in underwear commercials.
63. On the move. Name the only player to drive in 100 runs or more in a season for five different teams. Hint: I’ll give you the teams – Padres, Marlins, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees.
64. You can “win for losing.” Name the two Hall of Fame pitchers with career losing records? Hint: One had 341 saves, one had 601 saves, one pitched in his last ML game at age 58.
65. Among pitchers who have won 300 or more games, Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn (309-194) completed the highest percentage of his starts at 97.2%, 502 starts and 488 complete games. What 300-game winner completed the lowest percentage of his starts? Hint: He was a teammate of another 300-game winner who had the second-lowest percentage of complete games.
66. Plenty of positive bounce. Name the five members of the Baseball Hall of Fame who also played for the Harlem Globetrotters. Hint: I’ll give you the initials: EB, LB, BG, FJ, SP.
67. Plowing the north forty. In 2011, Matt Kemp missed the 40 / 40 (HRs and SBs) Club by a mere 350-feet (one home run), finishing with 39 homers and 40 stolen bases. Can you name the four members of the 40/40 club? Hint: 1 outfielder and 1 infielder each in the AL and NL.
68. Leading by example. Who were the last player-managers in each league? Hint: White Sox and Reds, infielders and in the 1970s and ‘80s.
69. Relief is just a moment away. Name the last two relief pitchers to record at least 15 wins and 15 saves in the same season. Hint: They were both Twins and did it in back-to-back seasons in the 1970s.
70. Zero tolerance. What do all of these players have in common? Hint: Baseball is a numbers game. Oscar Gamble, Oddibe McDowell, Al Oliver, Junior Ortiz, George Scott.
71. I’ll have another glass of punch. What do all these players have in common? Jimmy Piersall (Red Sox), Clint Courtney (Browns), Matt Batts (Tigers), Jim Brewer (Cubs), Dave Boswell (Twins), Reggie Jackson (Yankees), Ed Whitson (Yankees): Hint: Also on this list would be Howard Fox (Twins traveling secretary); Burt Hawkins (Rangers traveling secretary); Ray Hagar (sportswriter); Joe Cooper (marshmallow salesman); assorted patrons of night clubs in New York City, Anaheim, Baltimore and Arlington); and a Lakeland, Florida, police officer.
72. Putting those wins on the board. Who was the last pitcher to top 25 wins in a season? Hint: Played his entire career (AL & NL) for California teams.
73. Iconic and Ironic. 1916 was the last season in which MLB saw any pitcher toss 300 innings without giving up a home run – and two did it, one righty and one southpaw. Can you name them. Hint: Both are Hall of Famers.
74. Big success in the Big Apple. Name the only pitcher to have a 20-win season for both the Yankees and the Mets. Hint: They came ten years apart.
75. Dyslexic, anyone? Can you name the Hall of Fame backstop who had his number retired for both Sox (Red and White) – same digits only in reverse order. Hint: He shares a nickname with another catcher no doubt headed for the HOF.
76. More power and speed? The power to hit a homer and the speed to steal home … rare combination. In fact, only two players in MLB history have at least 400 dingers and at least 10 steals of home. Hints: Are you kidding? It’s multiple choice.
___ Babe Ruth ____ Willie Mays ___ Ken Griffey, Jr.
___ Hank Aaron ___ Lou Gehrig ___ Frank Robinson
___ Mickey Mantle ___ Andre Dawson ____ Jose Canseco
77. Around the horn. Can you name the most recent MLBer to steal second, third and home in the same inning? Hint: The pitcher probable needed some Maalox.
78. Here’s a kind of a math/logic question. What are the most stolen bases ever recorded by a player in the same year he led the league in home runs? Count it right if you get within ten. Hint: Better known for speed and bat control than power.
79. Staying with the power/speed theme. Who was the last player to lead his league in both home runs and stolen bases? Hint: One of baseball’s few Triple Crown winners.
80. Whiff wizard. Name the oldest pitcher to lead each league in strikeouts. Hint: Only one answer.
81. Baseball had its ups and downs. Only 25 pitchers have won 20 games one year and turned around and lost 20 the next. Remarkably, one hurler did this twice in four years. Can you name him. Hint: Won 24 in 1972, lost 20 in 1973, won 20 in 1974, lost 20 in 1975.
82. The right place at the right time. Name the pitcher who notched the most relief wins in a single season? Hint: Batters hated to face this guy.
83. Here’s a guy who makes the “Second 99” just because of his name. On June 17, 1915, Cub’ reliever “Zip” Zabel (George Washington Zabel) set the record for most innings pitched in relief in a game. Consider yourself correct if you get within two innings. Hint: Starters were known to pitch both ends of a double header, “back in the day.”
84. Off the wall … No over it. In 1920, Babe Ruth hit 54 home runs. More than any AL team (except his own Yankees, of course. (In fact, the MLB average for team home runs that year was 39.) Can you name the only other team in either league to top Ruth’s home run total (with 64). Hint: The team represented a city with two MLB squads.
85. Back to the name game. Name the player who enjoyed an eight-year National League career as an outfielder (1883-90) and went on to become American’s most celebrated evangelical preacher after the turn of the century. Hint: His name was less appropriate for baseball than preaching.
86. How do spell relief? BBRT is pretty sure everyone knows the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera holds the career record in saves at 652. Can you, however, name the single-season saves leader? Hint: This hurler won five post-season games before his first regular season victory or save.
87. Heavy hitter. Can you name the Cubs’ center fielder who holds the record for RBIs in a season at 191? Hint: When he came to the plate, he always took his hacks.
88. Might as well start at the top. Name the player who, in 2015, became the first player ever to make his first major league appearance in the World Series. Hint: His dad played 13 big league seasons (1,525 games) and never appeared in the World Series.
89. In the “First 99” Kwiz, BBRT noted that xx pitchers have logged victories against all 30 major league franchises in their careers. Well, just 13 hurlers have picked up saves against all 30 teams in their careers. We’ll make this easy. The list includes this dozen: Rick Aguilera, Armando Benitez, Brian Fuentes, Kevin Gregg, Jason Isringhausen, Jose Mesa, Jonathan Papelbon, Rafael Soriano, Huston Street, Ugueth Urbina, Jose Valverde and Bob Wickman. Your question: Who is the 13th and most recent (2015) hurler to pick up a save against all 30 teams? Hint: Got that record-tying save against his original MLB team – The Twins.
90. Everyone likes an old dog. Name the player who is: 1) the oldest to homer in an MLB game; oldest to hit an MLB Grand Slam; oldest with a multi-homer game; oldest with a pinch hit home run; oldest player used as a pinch runner. Hint: Played from 1982 until 2007, won one AL batting title.
91. Puppies are popular, too. Only three players in MLB history have hit at least 20 MLB home runs while teenagers. Name them. Hint: Two accomplished the feat for the same franchise.
92. True or False. Major league umpires are required to wear black underwear. Hint: Nope, you already have a 50-50 chance on this one.
93. An electrifying performance. A tough one, but can you name the pitcher who – while cruising along with a four-hitter and a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning (August 24, 1919 – Athletics and Indians) was hit by lightening and knocked to the ground – only to get up and finish the game. Hint: The game was no ray of sunshine.
94. Wild thing. Name the first Wild Card team to win the World Series. Hint: Livan Hernandez was the Series MVP.
95. It’s a numbers game. Three teams have retired the same number for three different players – 8, 10 and 31. Can you name the teams and players? Hint: 10 and 31 belong to a pair of National Leaguers, 8 a pair of American Leaguers.
96. Hit machine. Name the player who holds the MLB record for hits in a season. Hint: First player to hit an inside-the-park home run in the MLB All Star game.
97. Hitting in the clutch. Name the player who holds the record (tied) for consecutive pinch hits in a season (8), as well as the AL record for 24 pinch hits in a season. Hint: While he played for eight teams in a 18-season career (1941-62), he was probably most popular with the Athletics and Phillies.
98. You gotta trust your bench. Can you name the player-manager who, on June 17, 1943, called upon himself to pinch hit in both games of a double header –and delivered a pair of three-run homers. Hint: The future HOFer was in his 18th season as a player and 11th as a manager.
99. Another player-manager. Name the player who broke the managerial color line in both the NL and AL. Hint: One of MLB’s most decorated players.
For the Answers click here.
