Continuing with our trivia, we are keeping with the 20th century for this week.
Someone had mentioned that the questions last week were too easy. I would say these are slightly harder. We will be posting every week, so gradually getting more difficult!
Question 1:
Which Washington Senators ace went 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA in 1913 and produced 15.1 bWAR, the highest single-season total by a pitcher in the modern era?
Question 2:
Which Cardinals second baseman won the 1925 National League MVP after hitting .403 with 39 home runs and 143 RBI?
Question 3:
Which Red Sox legend hit .406 in 1941, posted a .553 on-base percentage and produced 10.4 bWAR—yet still finished second in AL MVP voting?
Question 4:
Which Yankees superstar won the 1956 Triple Crown by hitting .353 with 52 home runs and 130 RBI, then received every first-place vote for AL MVP?
Question 5:
Which Hall of Fame pitcher went 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA, 268 strikeouts, and 13 shutouts in 1968, winning both the National League Cy Young and MVP Awards?
Question 6:
Which member of the Big Red Machine hit .327/.466/.508 with 17 home runs and 67 stolen bases in 1975, producing roughly 11 WAR while winning the National League MVP?
Question 7:
Which 20-year-old Mets ace went 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA and 268 strikeouts in 1985, winning the pitching Triple Crown and producing 12.2 bWAR?
Question 8:
Which Dodgers pitcher finished the 1988 regular season with 59 consecutive scoreless innings, then went on to win the Cy Young Award, NLCS MVP and World Series MVP in the same year?
Question 9:
Which Oakland superstar hit .325 with 28 home runs and 65 stolen bases in 1990, winning the American League MVP over 51-home-run slugger Cecil Fielder?
Question 10:
Which Braves ace went 19-2 with a 1.63 ERA in 1995, walked only 23 batters in 209⅔ innings, and became the first pitcher to win four consecutive Cy Young Awards?
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ANSWER KEY
1: Walter Johnson — Johnson’s 1913 season remains staggering more than a century later: 36-7, 1.14 ERA and 15.1 WAR. The Baseball Hall of Fame notes that his 15.1 WAR is the highest single-season mark by a pitcher in the modern era.
2: Rogers Hornsby — Hornsby hit .403/.489/.756, blasted 39 homers and drove in 143 runs in 1925 while producing 10.2 bWAR. He won the first of his two NL MVP Awards.
3: Ted Williams — Williams became the last major leaguer to hit .400, finishing at .406 with 37 homers and a .553 OBP. Despite producing 10.4 bWAR, Williams finished second in MVP voting to Joe DiMaggio, whose 56-game hitting streak helped carry the Yankees to the pennant.
4: Mickey Mantle — Mantle’s 1956 season produced the Triple Crown: .353, 52 home runs and 130 RBI. He also posted a .464 OBP and .705 slugging percentage and was the unanimous AL MVP.
5: Bob Gibson — Gibson dominated the “Year of the Pitcher,” going 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA, 268 strikeouts and 13 shutouts. He won both the Cy Young and NL MVP, and MLB lowered the pitching mound beginning the following season amid historically dominant pitching.
6: Joe Morgan — Morgan was the engine of Cincinnati’s championship team, batting .327 with a .466 OBP, 17 homers and 67 steals. He won the NL MVP and helped the Reds defeat Boston in the World Series.
7: Dwight Gooden — At only 20 years old, Gooden went 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA, 268 strikeouts, 16 complete games and eight shutouts. His 12.2 bWAR led the league, and he unanimously won the NL Cy Young Award.
8: Orel Hershiser — Hershiser finished 1988 by throwing an MLB-record 59 consecutive scoreless innings. He then helped carry Los Angeles to the championship, winning the NLCS MVP and World Series MVP after already capturing the NL Cy Young.
9: Rickey Henderson — Rickey hit .325/.439/.577, tied his career high with 28 home runs, stole 65 bases and scored 119 runs. He edged Cecil Fielder for the 1990 AL MVP despite Fielder leading MLB with 51 homers and 132 RBI.
10: Greg Maddux — Maddux went 19-2 with a 1.63 ERA and allowed only 23 walks in 209⅔ innings. The performance earned him his unprecedented fourth consecutive Cy Young Award, and it was his second straight unanimous win.