Baseball and other Trivia

Baseball trivia questions and answers.

What action did temperamental relief pitcher Pedro "Borbon take when the Cincinnati Reds traded him to the San Francisco Giants in 1979?
A: He put a voodoo curse on the Reds.

Ty Cobb's first name was Tyrus. What was the first name of that other baseball great Cy Young?
A :Denton. He was nicknamed cy--for Cyclone--because of the destruction wrought by his famous fastball.

"Lefty" historically has been the most common nickname in baseball. What were the real first names of Hall of Fame southpaws Lefty Grove and Lefty Gomez?
A: Robert and Vernon, respectively.

What great ball player played first base in high school and had pitched only one season in college when he was given a bonus to pitch in the major leagues?
A: Sandy Koufax, who was 19 in 1954 when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him up with a $14,000 bonus and an annual salary of $6,000.

What baseball-playing brothers came in first and second in the race for the National League batting title in 1966?
A: The Alou brothers, Matty and Felipe. Matty's batting average with the Pittsburgh Pirates was .342; Felipe's average with the Atlanta Braves was .327.

What was baseball great Babe Ruth's response when he was asked why he deserved a higher salary than President Herbert Hoover?
A: "Why not? I had a better year." Ruth's salary at the time (1931) was $80,000; Hoover's $75,000.

Who was the only major league baseball player to hit a home run to win the seventh game of a World Series?
A: Bill Mazeroski, who clinched the 1960 series for the Pittsburgh Pirates with his homer off Ralph Terry of the New York Yankees.

What was baseball great Stan Mulsial's advice to those trying to hit a spitball?
A: "Hit it on the dry side."

How many times did the "Father of Baseball," Abner Doubleday, mention that sport in his 67 diaries?
A: Not once.

Who was the only rookie in baseball history to be honored as rookie of the year and most valuable player in the same season?
A: Outfielder Fred Lynn, in 1975, when he helped the Boston Red Sox capture the American League pennant by batting .331.

What baseball team introduced the sacrifice bunt, the squeeze play, the hit-and-run play, and double-steal?
A: The Baltimore Orioles--before the turn of the century.

Why did baseball manager Hal Lanier order all television sets removed from the Houston Astros clubhouse in 1986?
A: The players were skipping infield practice to watch "Wheel of Fortune."

In 1950, baseball commissioner Ford Frick ordered New York Giant second baseman Eddie Stanky to stop performing "the Stanky maneuver." What was it?
A: Jumping up and down and waving wildly to distract batters. As one baseball executive said of Stanky: "He cannot hit, he cannot throw; and he cannot outrun his grandmother. But if there's a way to beat the other team, he'll find it."

What famous sports commentator announced his first major league baseball game without ever having seen one before?
A: Red Barber, in 1934 for the Cincinnati Reds.

Fun Baseball Trivia Questions with Answers.

Baseball trivia questions and answers.