Take a swing at George Will’s baseball quiz

Mets outfielder Cleon Jones once asked the home plate umpire whether a player could get thrown out of a game for thinking. The umpire said no. So Jones said: “Well, then, I think you’re doing a lousy job.” Do a good job thinking about:

1. Who hit the most home runs in a final season?

2. The players who hit 200 home runs in each league.

3. Who got more than 10 hits in a World Series with two different teams?

4. The three pitchers who notched 15 strikeouts in their first major league starts.

5. The team with the best record when the players’ strike ended the 1994 season.

6. The hitter with 43 home runs — on pace for 60.6 — when that season ended.

7. Who holds the Royals’ career home run record?

8. The three players since World War II to win batting titles with two different teams.

9. The youngest player to reach 3,000 hits.

10. The first three players whose careers began after World War II to hit 500 home runs.

11. Who is second to Brooks Robinson in most games played at third base?

12. Who is second to Nolan Ryan in most 10-strikeout games?

13. Which team started three future Hall of Famers in consecutive games in two different World Series?

14. The four players with 10 Gold Gloves and 400 home runs.

15. The first player to hit 50 home runs with two different teams.

16. Who hit 40 or more home runs in five consecutive seasons in the 1950s.

17. The two players since 1900 who had consecutive .400 seasons.

18. The Hall of Fame second baseman who got two or more hits in a record 13 consecutive games.

19. The two managers who won division titles with four different teams.

20. Who played the most games at shortstop?

21. The manager with the most victories (1,902) without winning a pennant.

22. The pitcher who in 1945 in 29 consecutive starts allowed fewer hits than innings he pitched.

23. The two MVP “Jackies.”

24. Who has the lowest single-season WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) since 1945.

25. The number of complete games pitched in 2023.

26. The pitcher with most complete games in a season since 1945.

27. The four third basemen with 3,000 hits.

28. The three first basemen to win consecutive MVP awards.

29. The player who won Gold Gloves with the Mariners, Indians and Giants.

30. The team that has lost the most World Series.

31. Who has the career highest percentage (20.7) of walks per plate appearances.

32. The youngest 20-game winner.

33. The only reliever to lead the American League in saves four consecutive seasons.

34. The Hall of Famer who played in the postseason with five different teams.

35. The two who played the most seasons (23) with one team.

36. Who had the most 40-home run seasons in the 1960s.

37. Who hit only 11 home runs in his first five seasons but ended with 573.

38. Who had just three home runs before June 1 but finished a season with 51.

39. The St. Louis Browns’ only MVP.

40. The only hitter since 1945 to lead the majors in batting by 50 or more points in a season.

BONUS QUESTION

Who said, “The only thing worse than a Mets game is a Mets doubleheader.”