Test your local, national baseball knowledge with this trivia quiz – Allentown Morning Call
Think you know local and national baseball?
If you’re a trivia buff, then this is your chance to test your skills with questions featuring national, Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley athletes and teams connected to America’s “Grand Old Game.”
The test includes multiple choice plus true and false answers that cover regular season play, the All-Star Game, and the World Series. Take this quiz and see how well you score with trivia about our national pastime.
The answers are at the end. No cheating!
1. Which president started the custom of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to start the baseball season?
A. Teddy Roosevelt in 1901. B. William Howard Taft in 1910. C. Woodrow Wilson in 1920. D. Calvin Coolidge in 1929.
2. Which statement is true about the World Champion New York Yankees of 1927?
A. Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs and Lou Gehrig 47. B. Led the American League every day of the season. C. Won the AL flag by 19 games with a record at the time of 110 wins. D. All of the above.
3. The American League, led by Philadelphia Athletics‘ manager Connie Mack, defeated the National League, 4-2, in the first-ever All-Star Game played at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in 1933?
A. True. B. False.
4. During the 1938 season, this All-Star pitcher became the only player to throw back-to-back no-hitters in the history of baseball?
A. Bob Feller. B. “Lefty” Grove. C. Carl Hubbell. D. Johnny Vander Meer.
5. In 1942, Boston’s Ted Williams led the American League in batting, home runs, RBIs, runs produced, total bases, slugging average and on-base percentage, but did not win the MVP award?
A. True. B. False.
6. In 1944 this pitcher and future All-Star for Cincinnati was the youngest person ever, at age 15, to play in a major league game?
A. Johnny Antonelli. B. Harvey Haddix. C. Joe Nuxhall. D. Warren Sphan.
7. Although Pete Gray lost his right arm in a truck accident as a child, he became a one-armed outfielder who was MVP of the Southern League in 1944 and then played in 77 major league games for the St. Louis Browns in 1945 hitting .218 with 6 doubles. He came from which Pennsylvania town?
A. Kingston. B. Nanticoke. C. Scranton. D. Wilkes-Barre.
8. Right-hander Robin Roberts and southpaw Curt Simmons from Egypt and Whitehall High School, who were the ace pitching combo of the Phillies during the 1950s, were also together in 1952, 1953, and 1957 as National League All-Stars.
A. True. B. False.
9. At 5-6, 139 pounds, left-hander Bobby Schantz of the Philadelphia Athletics, who posted an AL-best of 24 victories in 1952, became the smallest MVP selection in the history of baseball. Schantz is from which Pennsylvania town?
A. Lancaster. B. Lebanon. C. Pottstown. D. Pottsville.
10. On Jan. 14, 1954 Joe DiMaggio, who retired from the New York Yankees after the 1951 season, married which glamour girl and Hollywood movie star?
A. Betty Grable. B. Rita Hayworth. C. Marilyn Monroe. D. Jane Russell.
11. The Amazin’ New York Mets stunned the baseball world when they beat Baltimore by taking four straight after Tom Seaver lost the opener in the 1969 World Series. Who was the Mets manager?
A. Yogi Berra. B. Gil Hodges. C. Joe Pignatano. D. Casey Stengel.
12. Gary Lavelle, who was drafted out of Bethlehem High School by the San Francisco Giants, went on to a 13-year major league pitching career. His biggest thrill was when he pitched for the National League in the 1977 All-Star game in venerable Yankee Stadium and they won the game.
A. True. B. False.
13. Reggie Jackson of the World Champion New York Yankees became known as “Mr. October” during the 1977 World Series as he batted .450, belted a record five home runs, and joined Babe Ruth as the only player to hit three home runs on three successive pitches. Jackson went to which Philadelphia area High School?
A. Abington. B. Cheltenham. C. Radnor. D. Upper Darby.
14. Cincinnati’s player/manager Pete Rose ended his playing days in 1986. Over his 24-year career, which included a stint with the Phillies, he was chosen for the All-Star game 17 times at five different positions — first base, second base, third base, left field, and right field.
A. True. B. False.
15. What natural disaster in the Bay area prompted Commissioner Fay Vincent to cancel Game 3 and cause a ten-day delay in the 1989 World Series between San Francisco and Oakland?
A. Drought. B. Earthquake. C. Flood. D. Tornado.
16. In 1990 he became the first player in major league history to win batting titles in three different decades.
A. George Brett. B. Carlton Fisk. C. Darryl Strawberry. D. Mark McGwire.
17. How old was Seattle pitcher Jamie Moyer, out of Souderton High School and Saint Joseph’s College, when he was chosen his first All-Star game in 2003?
A. 28. B. 30. C. 35. D. 40