1. The Washington Senators began their American League franchise endeavors in 1901. The franchise had some great Hall of Fame players such as Walter Johnson, Clark Griffith, Bucky Harris, Goose Goslin, Sam Rice, Joe Cronin, and Lefty Gomez. The franchise moved in 1960 to Minnesota. How many World Series did the Washington Senators team win before they moved to Minnesota? 4; 3; 1; 0
2. In 1998, the New York Yankees entered the World Series with 114 wins in the season, and beat the San Diego Padres four games to none. Which of the following teams won 111 games in a season, but lost in the World Series that season? Cleveland Indians; Brooklyn Robins; Seattle Mariners; Philadelphia Athletics.
3. Which pitcher had the dubious honor of giving up the very first World Series grand slam? Dick Coffman; Burleigh Grimes; Larry Jansen; Deacon Phillippe.
4. Major League Baseball began in 1901 with the merge of the National and American Leagues. 1903 saw the first World Series between the two leagues. In 50 seasons of these merged leagues, which of the following National teams won at least two World Series titles? St. Louis Browns; Philadelphia Phillies; Brooklyn Dodgers; Cincinnati Reds.
5. Who was the first manager in history ejected from a World Series game? Whitey Herzog; Bobby Cox; Earl Weaver; Leo Durocher.
6. Babe Ruth was the first player in history to hit three home runs in one game of a World Series in 1926. Who was the next player to do this? Mickey Mantle; Lou Gehrig; Babe Ruth; Reggie Jackson.
7. Who was the first pitcher in Major League history to strikeout more than 20 batters while pitching less than 20 innings in a World Series? Bill Dinneen; Mickey Lolich; Sandy Koufax; Bob Gibson.
8. Andres Galarraga was a profile in courage after missing the entire 2000 season while undergoing chemotherapy for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Who was he playing for at the time? Expos; Braves; Cardinals; Rockies.
ANSWERS
1. The correct answer is one.
2. Cleveland Indians.
3. Burleigh Grimes. The first World Series grand slam was hit in 1920. With the Brooklyn Robins (later Dodgers) facing the Cleveland Indians, the Indians wasted no time in game five of the World Series. In the bottom of the first inning, Brooklyn’s Burleigh Grimes gave up three singles to Charlie Jamieson, Bill Wambsganss, and Tris Speaker, before having Elmer Smith come to bat with the bases loaded with nobody out. Smith hit the historical shot, and the Indians led 4-0, and would win the game 8-1.
4. Cincinnati Reds.
5. Earl Weaver managed the Baltimore Orioles from 1968-1986. In his second season in Baltimore, Earl helmed the team to a 103-53 record. It happened in the 1969 World Series against the “Amazin’ Mets”. New York put the Orioles down four games to one. Weaver took the Orioles to a 1970 World Series crown, then his third consecutive AL pennant in 1971. Earl was ejected from a game 97 times in his managing career.
6. Babe Ruth. Ruth hit three shots in game four of the 1926 series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The next time a player hit three home runs in one World Series game was in 1928, and it was the Babe again, against the same Cardinals.
7. Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers.
8. Braves. Galarraga played for the Expos, Cardinals, Rockies, Braves, Rangers, Giants, and Angels. The Venezuela-born player was nicknamed “The Big Cat.”