Question 1:
Which New York Giants ace threw three complete-game shutouts in just six days during the 1905 World Series, allowing only 13 hits and one walk across 27 innings?
Question 2:
Which Philadelphia Athletics slugger won the 1933 American League Triple Crown by hitting .356 with 48 home runs and 163 RBI, and also hit for the cycle with nine RBI in a game that August?
Question 3:
Which Yankees catcher hit .322 with 28 home runs and 124 RBI in 1950 while striking out only 12 times in 656 plate appearances?
Question 4:
Which superstar was traded from Cincinnati to Baltimore after the 1965 season, then immediately won the 1966 AL Triple Crown by hitting .316 with 49 home runs and 122 RBI — becoming the first player to win MVP Awards in both leagues?
Question 5:
Which Red Sox legend won the 1967 Triple Crown and, with Boston fighting for the pennant, went 20-for-37 with three home runs and 14 RBI over his final 37 at-bats?
Question 6:
Which Phillies left-hander went 27-10 with a 1.97 ERA and 310 strikeouts in 1972 for a team that won only 59 games all season?
Question 7:
Which Red Sox ace went 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 238 strikeouts in 1986, won both the AL Cy Young and MVP Awards, and became the first pitcher to strike out 20 batters in a nine-inning MLB game?
Question 8:
Which Hall of Fame shortstop hit .303 with 40 doubles, 43 stolen bases and 75 RBI in 1987 despite hitting zero home runs, then finished second in NL MVP voting?
Question 9:
Which Pirates superstar hit .301 with 33 home runs, 114 RBI and 52 stolen bases in 1990, produced 9.7 bWAR, and won the first MVP Award of his career?
Question 10:
Which Cardinals slugger hit 70 home runs in 1998, walked 162 times, posted a .470 OBP and 1.222 OPS — but still finished second in NL MVP voting?
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ANSWER KEY
1: Christy Mathewson — Mathewson’s 1905 World Series is still difficult to comprehend. He threw three complete-game shutouts in six days, allowing only 13 hits and one walk over 27 scoreless innings as the Giants defeated Philadelphia. Baseball Hall of Fame
2: Jimmie Foxx — Foxx won the 1933 Triple Crown with a .356 average, 48 homers and 163 RBI. During that same season, he went 4-for-5 with a cycle and nine RBI against Cleveland, which was then an American League single-game record. MLB.com
3: Yogi Berra — In 1950, Berra batted .322 with 28 homers and 124 RBI, yet struck out just 12 times in 656 plate appearances. For comparison, he hit more than twice as many home runs as he had strikeouts. He finished third in AL MVP voting that season. Baseball Reference
4: Frank Robinson — After Cincinnati traded him to Baltimore, Robinson responded by hitting .316 with 49 homers and 122 RBI, sweeping the Triple Crown categories and unanimously winning the AL MVP. Combined with his 1961 NL MVP in Cincinnati, Robinson became the first — and remains the only — player to win the MVP in both leagues. Baseball Hall of Fame
5: Carl Yastrzemski — Yaz hit .326 with 44 home runs and 121 RBI to capture the Triple Crown and lead Boston’s “Impossible Dream” team from ninth place the year before to the American League pennant. Over his final 37 at-bats, Yastrzemski collected 20 hits with three homers and 14 RBI. Baseball Hall of Fame
6: Steve Carlton — Carlton won 27 of Philadelphia’s 59 games, meaning he personally earned the victory in 45.8% of all Phillies wins that season. He also led the NL in wins, ERA and strikeouts to capture the pitching Triple Crown and his first Cy Young Award. Baseball Hall of Fame
7: Roger Clemens — Clemens went 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 238 strikeouts in 1986 and won both the Cy Young and MVP. Earlier that season, on April 29, he struck out 20 Mariners to break the existing nine-inning strikeout record of 19. Baseball Reference
8: Ozzie Smith — The Wizard had arguably his best offensive season in 1987, batting .303 with 182 hits, 40 doubles, 75 RBI, 43 steals and zero homers while continuing to provide elite defense. Smith finished second to Andre Dawson in the NL MVP voting and received nine first-place votes. MLB.com
9: Barry Bonds — Before the San Francisco version of Bonds, there was the all-around Pittsburgh monster. Bonds hit .301/.406/.565 with 33 homers, 114 RBI and 52 stolen bases in 1990. His 9.7 bWAR helped earn him his first NL MVP, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. MLB.com
10: Mark McGwire — McGwire famously finished 1998 with 70 home runs, but the rest of the numbers were equally ridiculous: 147 RBI, 162 walks, a .470 OBP, .752 slugging percentage and 1.222 OPS. Despite winning the historic home run race, he finished second in MVP voting to Sammy Sosa. MLB.com
Thank you all for reading! Let us know how many you got correct in the comments below.
I like the mix on this one: Mathewson, Foxx, Yogi, Frank Robinson, Yaz, Carlton, Clemens, Ozzie, Bonds and McGwire. There really aren’t any “who the hell is that guy?” answers, but the clues should still make people work.
If you went 10-for-10, you know your baseball history.
Stay tuned for 20th Century MLB Trivia Part V.
Shame on me. I missed question 2