Knowledge Test No. 15

1.

The World Series has had many of its noteworthy achievements performed by members of the New York Yankees. It figures that the team with the most World Series appearances should have many of the Fall Classic's most memorable events credited to some of its many stars. One such memorable event was the very first pinch-hit home run in the World Series. It was struck by a legendary Yankees Hall of Famer. Generally, Cooperstown inductees are not well known pinch-hitters, but this Yankees great was the first player to slug a World Series pinch homer. Can you name him?

2.

The League Championship Series that we know today began in 1969 when Kansas City, San Diego, Montreal and Seattle (later Milwaukee) joined the major leagues and the four-division configuration was introduced. Several Hall of Famers have performed magnificent feats in LCS play. Can you name the Hall of Famer who was the first player to steal home in an LCS game?

3.

Following 10 stellar campaigns with the Cincinnati Reds, Hall of Famer Frank Robinson was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1966. Robinson had a distinguished run with the Redlegs. In 1956, he tied the all-time rookie record for homers with 38. In 1961, he won the NL MVP when he led Cincinnati to its first pennant in 21 years. But he was shipped out of Cincy after being called "an old 30" by Reds management. He finished his tour with the Reds with 324 homers. In '66, Robinson hit 49 homers in leading Baltimore to its first pennant ever. He won the Triple Crown and another MVP, making him the first man to win an MVP in both leagues. He hit a total of 179 homers for the Orioles and finished his career with 586 bombs, which is fourth all time after Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Willie Mays (660). Robinson's Orioles run gave him the distinction of hitting 100 or more homers for two teams in different leagues. Mark McGwire accomplished the same feat with the A's and Cards. So did Dave Kingman (Mets and A's). If Tampa Bay's Fred McGriff hits 22 homers in 2001, he'll become the latest slugger to hit 100-plus homers for three different clubs. Darrell Evans was another. Can you name the Hall of Famer, who was the first slugger to hit 100 homers for three different clubs?

4.

There is a Hall of Famer-known more for his batting than his slugging-who once hit three homers in a game. Many Hall of Famers had a three-homer game, so it's not exactly a momentous feat. But this Hall member's three-homer game came in a contest in which he had six hits in six at-bats, which is a momentous feat. It marks the only time that a player who went six-for-six made three of his six hits round-trippers. Can you name this Hall of Famer?

5.

Another Hall of Famer, who was known for his slugging, hit three homers in a game an eye-popping six times in his career. He won four home run crowns for two different clubs and had his six three-homer games for three different clubs. Can you name the four-time home run king with an all-time record six three-homer games?

6.

There have been several distinguished pitching brother acts in major-league history. Several of these pairs of brothers saw one of the two make the Hall of Fame. It could happen to the Martinez brothers of today. Pedro is right in the prime of a potential Hall of Fame career. Brother Ramon-former all-star and 20-game winner-will not be going to Cooperstown, unless of course it's to witness the induction of Pedro. In the case of the Cy Young-winning Perrys, it was Gaylord who went to the Hall, but not two-time 20-game winner Jim. In another case, the brother who didn't make the Hall hit his only lifetime homer off of the brother who did get enshrined at Cooperstown. Can you name these two pitching brothers?

7.

There is a Hall of Fame pitcher whose exploits in the All-Star Game were anything but legendary. In fact, his 13 runs allowed is the All-Star Game career record. He allowed those 13 runs by giving up 19 hits in only 11 innings of work. Can you name the Hall of Fame hurler who set the all-time record for All-Star futility?

8.

In 1993, future Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson led off a game for the Oakland A's with a home run. That is something that Henderson has done more than any player by a huge margin. Later that same day, Henderson strode to the plate in the second game of a rare twin-bill and did it again, becoming only the second player in major-league history to lead off both games of a doubleheader with home runs. Can you name the Hall of Famer, who was the only other player in history to accomplish the same feat?

9.

Several Hall of Fame pitchers have thrown more than one no-hitter. Nolan Ryan leads the way with a record seven no-nos. His list of no-hit victims comprised, in order, Kansas City, Detroit, Minnesota, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Oakland and Toronto. In the next start following his 1973 gem against the Royals, Ryan had a near no-hitter against Baltimore that was broken up in the eighth inning by a Mark Belanger blooper that dropped behind second base between four Angels. If the Express had completed that no-hitter against the Orioles, it would have made him the second pitcher to throw two consecutive no-hitters (Johnny Vander Meer was the first). And then his 1975 gem against the O's would have made him the second pitcher to record two no-hitters against one club. Can you name the Hall of Famer, who's the only pitcher in history to throw two no-hitters against the same team?

10.

Hall of Famer Ed Delahanty is the only man with a four-homer game to his credit to also have a game in which he hit four doubles. Many of The Game's most illustrious sluggers appear on the list of players who slugged four home runs in one game, including one Hall of Fame player who also had a game in which he hit three triples. Can you name the Hall of Famer with a four-homer game and a three-triple game to his credit?

11.

As we indicated in the last question, a guy who hits a lot of triples is generally not a big home run hitter. Only one player in major-league history has as many as 175 triples and 175 home runs. In fact, he hit several hundred more homers than triples. Can you name the Hall of Famer with more than 175 triples who also finished with way more than 175 home runs? Hint: It's not Goose Goslin.

12.

Two hundred hits in a season is the milestone for outstanding production from a big-league hitter. But there have been a handful of hitters who actually amassed 250 hits in a season. Nap Lajoie never did it. Neither did Ty Cobb, who came painfully close at 248. George Sisler's 257 leads the parade. Just last season, Anaheim's Darrin Erstad threatened to reach the 250-hit plateau, if not Sisler's mark. He fell short at 240. Nearly all of the 250-hit men are in the Hall of Fame. Philadelphia's Lefty O'Doul, with 254 in 1931, is the only player with a 250-hit season, who's not in the Hall. One 250-hit guy actually failed to lead the league in hits the year he reached the magic number. Can you name the Hall of Famer, who failed to lead his league in hits the year he had his 250-hit season?

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