There’s a gentleman named George Will. He is a conservative thinker, commentator, prognosticator, author, as well as a big time baseball fan.
Each year for a number of years he has a quiz that is presented with Opening Day.
Here it is for 2019.
Good luck!
And… I also want to thank George. Whether I agree with any of his political or social views is
far less important than his genuine fondness for our National past time.
George Will’s 2019 Opening Day baseball quiz
Can’t see the quiz? Click here.
1
What two players hit over .400 in a season without winning the batting title?
Ted Williams and Roger Hornsby
Nap Lajoie and Billy Hamilton
Joe Jackson and Ty Cobb
George Sisler and Ed Delahanty
2
Who is the only third baseman in history to have at least 50 doubles and 30 home runs in a season?
3
What third baseman lost the 1953 American League batting title, and hence the Triple Crown, on a close play at first on the last out of the season?
4
Who won that batting title?
5
What six-time all-star’s first major league hit was a grand slam?
6
Who is the only pitcher with 100 saves and 100 complete games?
7
What four players have more than 500 home runs and at least three World Series rings?
Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, David Ortiz
Alex Rodriguez, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle
Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Albert Pujols, Ty Cobb
David Ortiz, Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, Manny Ramirez
8
Who took his team to the postseason in his first four years managing?
9
Who has the most first-inning home runs in MLB history?
10
Who won 27 games with 317 strikeouts and a 1.73 ERA in his last season?
11
Whose team managed only two base runners while he pitched a perfect game?
12
Who is the shortest Hall of Famer?
13
Who went 7-2 with a 1.89 ERA and averaged nine innings a start in nine World Series games?
14
What franchise won the World Series in three cities?
15
What World Series winner had the worst regular-season record?
16
What team had a Triple-Crown winning hitter and Triple-Crown winning pitcher (most wins, most strikeouts, lowest ERA) in the same season?
17
What two hitters had an extra-base hit in 14 consecutive games?
Joe DiMaggio and Pete Rose
Paul Waner and Chipper Jones
Willie Keeler and Ty Cobb
Jimmy Rollins and George Sisler
18
Who was the most recent pitcher to have four consecutive 20-win seasons?
19
Who averaged 301 innings per season during the 1950s with 237 complete games?
20
What was the only World Series featuring two teams not among the original 16 of 1901?
San Francisco Giants vs. Detroit Tigers in 2012
Kansas City Royals vs. New York Mets 2015
Miami Marlins vs. Cleveland Indians 1997
Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros 2005
21
What four players hit home runs before they were 20 and after they were 40?
Hank Aaron, Carl Yastrzemski, Pete Rose, Al Kaline
Ty Cobb, Rusty Staub, Gary Sheffield, Alex Rodriguez
Ty Cobb, Cal Ripken Jr., Pete Rose, Brooks Robinson
Rusty Staub, Cal Ripken Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., Phil Cavarretta
22
Who was the youngest to get 100 homers and 100 stolen bases?
23
What team won three games in a World Series by 10 or more runs?
1985 Kansas City Royals
24
Who hit the most extra-inning home runs?
25
Who holds the record for most consecutive World Series games with a hit?
26
What pitcher had 311 more strikeouts than walks in a season?
27
Who wore the uniform of all four New York teams?
28
What two players hit home runs for 11 different teams?
Joe Gerhardt and Deacon McGuire
Kenny Lofton and Royce Clayton
Todd Zeile and Matt Stairs
Paul Bako and Henry Blanco
29
Which three managers led four different franchises in the postseason?
Tony La Russa, Billy Martin, Casey Stengel
Billy Martin, Davey Johnson, Dusty Baker
Lou Piniella, Billy Martin, Casey Stengel
Tony La Russa, Lou Piniella, Dusty Baker
Billy Martin, Davey Johnson, Lou Piniella
Dusty Baker, Casey Stengel, Tony La Russa
30
What NL and AL managers hold their league records for most average wins over three consecutive seasons?
Frank Chance and Earl Weaver
Lou Piniella and Joe Girardi
Joe Torre and Tony La Russa
Bobby Cox and Joe McCarthy
31
What pitcher won the most games over three consecutive seasons?
32
What pitcher led his league in fewest walks per nine innings and most strikeouts per nine innings in the same season?
33
Who hit the most career walk-off home runs?
34
FIRST BONUS QUESTION: What Philadelphia Phillies manager, explaining why he retired after the first game of the 1960s season, said, “I’m 49 years old and I want to live to be 50”?
35
SECOND BONUS QUESTION: What Phillies manager said “Even Napoleon had his Watergate” and “Mike Andrews’s limits are limitless”?