George Will's Opening Day Quiz

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...ions_p001_f013


A Pirates coach once managed a team “that was so bad we considered a 2-0 count on the batter a rally.”

You can be better than that at identifying:

QUESTION 1 OF 37
The only pitcher since 1960 to average more than 20 wins over a 10-year span.

Bob Gibson

Juan Marichal

Roger Clemens

Greg Maddux
QUESTION 2 OF 37
Who holds the Reds’ career home run record.

Johnny Bench

Eric Davis

Frank Robinson

Ted Kluszewski
QUESTION 3 OF 37
Who holds the Reds’ single-season home run record.

Ken Griffey Jr.

Tony Perez

Joey Votto

George Foster
QUESTION 4 OF 37
The pitcher who started five games with his team facing postseason elimination and whose team won all five.

Whitey Ford

John Smoltz

Curt Schilling

Andy Pettitte
QUESTION 5 OF 37
The only player to lead his league in hits five consecutive years.

Nap Lajoie

Tris Speaker

Nellie Fox

Ichiro Suzuki
QUESTION 6 OF 37
The MVP pitcher who won 16 games, all in relief, for the 1950 Phillies.

Jim Konstanty

Blix Donnelly

Bubba Church

Milo Candini
QUESTION 7 OF 37
The first Canadian-born MVP.

Ferguson Jenkins

Larry Walker

Eric Gagné

George Selkirk
QUESTION 8 OF 37
The Hall of Fame pitcher who holds the record for the worst single-season ERA (minimum 50 innings pitched).

Roy Halladay

Rube Marquard

Goose Gossage

Catfish Hunter
QUESTION 9 OF 37
The player who had the most career hits without winning a batting title.

Carl Yastrzemski

Cap Anson

Paul Waner

Derek Jeter
QUESTION 10 OF 37
The hitter with the most home runs in a season against one team.

Albert Pujols (12) against the Chicago Cubs in 2006

Jimmie Foxx (10) against the New York Yankees in 1929

Lou Gehrig (14) against the Cleveland Indians in 1936

Hank Aaron (15) against the Houston Colt .45s in 1962
QUESTION 11 OF 37
The pitcher who reached 500 strikeouts in the fewest innings.

Aroldis Chapman

Nolan Ryan

Tom Seaver

Walter Johnson
QUESTION 12 OF 37
The only pitcher since 1920 with at least 100 postseason innings and an ERA under 1.00.

Jon Lester

Mariano Rivera

Dave Stewart

Jim Palmer
QUESTION 13 OF 37
Who was caught just 13 times while stealing 104 bases in a season.

Maury Wills

Lou Brock

Rickey Henderson

Vince Coleman
QUESTION 14 OF 37
The three two-time MVPs who are not in the Hall of Fame.

Zoilo Versalles, Thurman Munson, Vida Blue

Elston Howard, Dick Groat, Jackie Jensen

Dolph Camilli, Mort Cooper, Lou Boudreau

Dale Murphy, Roger Maris, Juan González
QUESTION 15 OF 37
The Hall of Famer who hit more than 500 home runs but never 40 in a season.

Harmon Killebrew

Jim Thome

Eddie Murray

Chipper Jones
QUESTION 16 OF 37
Who reached base in 84 consecutive games.

Ted Williams

Joe DiMaggio

Stan Musial

Willie Keeler
QUESTION 17 OF 37
The two future Hall of Famers traded for one another.

Vladimir Guerrero, Tony Gwynn

Gabby Hartnett, Kiki Cuyler

Tony Lazzeri, Luke Appling

Orlando Cepeda, Joe Torre
QUESTION 18 OF 37
The only team to twice win the World Series after being behind three games to one.

Philadelphia Athletics

New York Yankees

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pittsburgh Pirates
QUESTION 19 OF 37
The first National League player to win consecutive MVP awards.

Rogers Hornsby

Ernie Banks

Carl Hubbell

Willie Mays
QUESTION 20 OF 37
Who hit the most career home runs in a single park.

Mel Ott, Polo Grounds

Sammy Sosa, Wrigley Field

Babe Ruth, Yankee Stadium

Mike Schmidt, Veterans Stadium
QUESTION 21 OF 37
The two players who got 200 hits in a season 10 times.

Rod Carew, Derek Jeter

Al Simmons, Bill Terry

Pete Rose, Ichiro Suzuki

Wade Boggs, Ty Cobb
QUESTION 22 OF 37
The player who went the longest (11 years) between MVP awards.

Nolan Ryan

Cal Ripken Jr.

Yogi Berra

Willie Mays
QUESTION 23 OF 37
The teammates who each had 159 RBIs in 155 games in 1949.

Vic Wertz, Hoot Evers

Ted Williams, Vern Stephens

Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges

Bobby Thomson, Johnny Mize
QUESTION 24 OF 37
The only player with at least 40 home runs, 30 stolen bases, 30 doubles and 100 walks in the same season.

Jeff Bagwell

Dick Allen

Roberto Clemente

Roy Campanella
QUESTION 25 OF 37
The pitcher with the most wins in the 1940s.

Dizzy Trout

Spud Chandler

Hal Newhouser

Bob Feller
QUESTION 26 OF 37
The first player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season with five different teams.

Fred McGriff

José Canseco

Alfonso Soriano

Gary Sheffield
QUESTION 27 OF 37
The team that took the longest time (until its 97th season) to win a World Series.

Boston Red Sox

Philadelphia Phillies

Pittsburgh Pirates

Detroit Tigers
QUESTION 28 OF 37
The Dodgers pitcher with the most wins since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

Clayton Kershaw

Fernando Valenzuela

Orel Hershiser

Don Sutton
QUESTION 29 OF 37
The first pitcher after 1900 to strike out at least 300 in a season.

Rube Waddell

Cy Young

Noodles Hahn

Christy Mathewson
QUESTION 30 OF 37
The first pitcher to reach the Hall of Fame without ever starting a game.

Sparky Lyle

Dan Quisenberry

Bruce Sutter

Lee Smith
QUESTION 31 OF 37
Who holds the Pirates’ career home run record.

Ralph Kiner

Barry Bonds

Dave Parker

Willie Stargell
QUESTION 32 OF 37
Who holds the Pirates’ single-season home run record.

Ralph Kiner

Barry Bonds

Dave Parker

Willie Stargell
QUESTION 33 OF 37
The three who won the pitchers’ Triple Crown (leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts) three times.

Walter Johnson, Grover Alexander, Sandy Koufax

Lefty Grove, Bob Feller, Roger Clemens

Hippo Vaughn, Dazzy Vance, Steve Carlton

Dwight Gooden, Randy Johnson, Justin Verlander
QUESTION 34 OF 37
The expansion team that in its third season played in the postseason.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Colorado Rockies

Seattle Mariners

Toronto Blue Jays
QUESTION 35 OF 37
Who hit 10 home runs in one week in the ‘year of the pitcher,’ 1968.

Boog Powell

Willie McCovey

Reggie Jackson

Frank Howard
QUESTION 36 OF 37
Bonus question: Who said, ‘In 10 years, Ed Kranepool has a chance to be a star. In 10 years, Greg Goossen has a chance to be 30.’

Marv Throneberry

Choo-Choo Coleman

Pumpsie Green

Casey Stengel
QUESTION 37 OF 37
Second bonus question: Who said, ‘I couldn’t have done it without the players.’

Connie Mack

Leo Durocher

Sparky Anderson

Casey Stengel