Keeping the 20th Century and 21st Century series completely separate, this is 20th Century MLB Trivia Part III. I also kept your recent preference in mind: recognizable stars, with the difficulty coming from the clues rather than obscure names.
Question 1:
Which 22-year-old Yankees star led the American League with 46 home runs, 151 runs scored, and 418 total bases in 1937, drove in 167 runs, and still finished second in the AL MVP voting to Charlie Gehringer?
Question 2:
Which Brooklyn Dodgers legend won the 1949 National League MVP after batting .342, leading the league with 37 stolen bases and driving in a career-high 124 runs?
Question 3:
Which Giants superstar hit a career-high 52 home runs in 1965, led the National League in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and total bases, won his ninth Gold Glove, and captured his second MVP Award — 11 years after his first?
Question 4:
Which Pirates Hall of Famer batted .414 in the 1971 World Series, recorded a hit in all seven games and homered in Game 7 on his way to winning World Series MVP?
Question 5:
Which Mets ace posted career bests with a 1.76 ERA and 289 strikeouts in 1971, yet finished only second in the National League Cy Young voting?
Question 6:
Which pitcher struck out 383 batters in 1973, threw two no-hitters that season and went 21-16 with a 2.87 ERA — but still finished runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award?
Question 7:
Which Phillies third baseman hit 48 home runs in 1980, became a unanimous National League MVP, and then hit .381 with two homers and seven RBI to win World Series MVP?
Question 8:
Which Hall of Fame shortstop produced an incredible 11.5 bWAR in 1991, hitting .323 with 210 hits, 34 home runs and 114 RBI while playing for a team that lost 95 games — and still won the American League MVP Award?
Question 9:
Which Padres legend was batting .394 through 110 games in 1994, struck out only 19 times all season, and had his pursuit of .400 cut short by the players’ strike?
Question 10:
Which future Hall of Fame left-hander joined Arizona in 1999 and immediately led the majors with 271⅔ innings, 12 complete games and 364 strikeouts, posting a 2.48 ERA and winning the first of four consecutive Cy Young Awards?
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ANSWER KEY
1: Joe DiMaggio — DiMaggio was only 22 in 1937 and produced one of the monster seasons of his career: .346, 46 homers, 167 RBI, 151 runs and 418 total bases. Baseball-Reference credits him with 8.4 bWAR, tops among AL position players, yet Charlie Gehringer won the MVP after batting .371.
2: Jackie Robinson — Robinson hit .342, led the NL with 37 stolen bases and set a career high with 124 RBI in 1949. He received 12 of 24 first-place votes to capture his only MVP Award.
3: Willie Mays — Mays blasted a career-best 52 homers in 1965 while leading the league in OBP (.398), slugging (.645), OPS (1.043) and total bases (360). The award was his second MVP, coming 11 seasons after his first in 1954.
4: Roberto Clemente — Clemente hit safely in every game of the 1971 World Series, batted .414, and homered off Mike Cuellar in Game 7 to give Pittsburgh a lead it never surrendered. He was named World Series MVP.
5: Tom Seaver — Seaver went 20-10 with a 1.76 ERA and 289 strikeouts in 1971, both career bests. Despite that season, he finished second in Cy Young voting behind Cubs ace Fergie Jenkins.
6: Nolan Ryan — Ryan’s 383 strikeouts remain the Live Ball Era single-season record. He also threw two no-hitters, went 21-16 and posted a 2.87 ERA, but Baltimore’s Jim Palmer beat him for the Cy Young.
7: Mike Schmidt — Schmidt’s 48 home runs established a then-record for a third baseman. He received all 24 first-place MVP votes, then batted .381 with two homers and seven RBI as Philadelphia won its first World Series championship.
8: Cal Ripken Jr. — Ripken’s 1991 season was absurd: .323/.374/.566, 210 hits, 46 doubles, 34 homers, 114 RBI and 11.5 bWAR. Baltimore went just 67-95, but Ripken still won his second AL MVP.
9: Tony Gwynn — Gwynn finished the strike-shortened season at .394, the highest MLB batting average since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. He had 165 hits in 419 at-bats and struck out only 19 times in 475 plate appearances.
10: Randy Johnson — In his first season with Arizona, Johnson went 17-9 with a 2.48 ERA, struck out 364 batters and led MLB with 271⅔ innings and 12 complete games. He won the NL Cy Young, beginning a run of four straight Cy Young Awards from 1999 through 2002.
Thank you all for reading! Let us know how many you got correct in the comments below.
This one feels closer to what we want for the series: DiMaggio, Jackie, Mays, Clemente, Seaver, Ryan, Schmidt, Ripken, Gwynn and Randy Johnson. Big names, but you still have to know more than the obvious career highlights to get all 10.
If you went 10-for-10, you know your baseball history.
Stay tuned for 20th Century MLB Trivia Part IV.
I got 10-10, then again I’m older and saw each play except for answer 1 and 2. As a side note, my Dad who grew up in the Bronx and to his dying day at 92 in 2019 had a shrine in his home to answer one.