Sports Trivia - Horseshoes, Mickey Mantle, Boston Red Sox, Speed skating, Roger Maris, Belmont Raceway, and More!

 

Sports and game trivia questions and answers.

What Major change was made in 1967 in the uniforms worn my major league baseball players?
A :The fabric was switched from flannel to double knit.

How many home runs did Mickey Mantle hit in 1961, the year his New York Yankee teammate Roger Maris hit a then-record-setting 61?
A: 54.

What key word was eliminated from the Olympic charter in 1971?
A: Amateur.

How many more career wins did major league pitcher Gaylord Perry have than his older brother Jim Perry?
A: 99, Gaylord had 314 wins; Jim, 215.

In professional ice hockey, what is the maximum length permitted for the blade of a hockey stick.
A: For all players except the goaltender, the blade is limited to 12-1/2 inches in length;  for a goaltender, it can be up to 15-1/2 inches long.

What is the standard pitching distance in the game of horseshoes?
A: 40 feet for men; 30 feet for women and juniors.

What did Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams do in his last major league at-bat in September 1960?
A: He hit a home run off "Baltimore's Jack Fisher. It was his 521st homer.

Who is the shortest player to lead the National Basketball Association in rebounding?
A: Charles Barkley, at 6 foot 5 inches. He led in rebounding, with a 14.6 per game average for the 1986-87 season, when he was with the Philadelphia 76ers.

In 1988, Christa Rothenburger-Luding of East Germany became the only Olympic competitor to earn medals in winter and summer games of the same ear. What events did she win?
A: Speed skating (gold and silver medals) and cycling (sliver medal). Her feat cannot be duplicated because winter and summer games are now held in different years.

What annual sports even ws introduced in 1933 as an adjunct to the Chicago World's Fair?
A: Baseball's All-Star Game. The first All-Star Game was played at Comiskey Park. The America League, managed by Connie Mack, defeated the National League, managed by John McGraw; 4-2.

In horseracing, what's a walkover?
A: A race in which a horse is uncontested and simply has to walk the course to win. Spectacular Bid won the1980 Woodward stakes at Belmont Raceway in a walkover.

What first name was shared by baseball managers Birdie Tebbetts and Sparky Anderson?
A: George.

In 1996, how much of the $12.9 million earned by basketball oddball Dennis Rodman was compensation for playing for the Chicago Bulls?
A:  $3.9 million. Most of his earnings came from endorsements, and some came from his best-selling book, Bad as I Wanna Be.

How did Ernie Shore of the Boston Red Sox get to pitch the only perfect game thrown by a reliever?
A: Starting pitcher Babe Ruth was thrown out of the 1917 game for cussing out the umpire after throwing four balls to the lead-off batter. Shore took over on the mound and retired the next 27 batters.

How many players compete on an equestrian polo team? How about a water polo team?
A: Equestrian, 4; water, 7.