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. a) Mike Schmidt b) Barry Bonds c) Harmon Killebrew d) David Ortiz

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

a) Adam Dunn, Dave Winfield, Jose Canseco, Jeff Bagwell, Dave Kingman

b) Frank Robinson, Fred Mcgriff, Albert Pujols, Ken Griffey Jr., Mark Mcgwire, Carlos Beltrán and Vladimir Guerrero

c) Eddie Murray, Nelson Cruz, Andre Dawson, Carlos Delgado, Frank Thomas, Reggie Jackson

d) Miguel Cabrera, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Willie Mays, Rafael Palmeiro, Gary Sheffield

3. Who got more than 10 hits in a World Series with two different teams. a) Stuffy Mcinnis b) Roger Maris c) Paul Molitor d) Lonnie Smith

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

a) Bob Feller, Karl Spooner, J.R. Richard

b) Fernando Valenzuela, Hoyt Wilhelm, Warren Spahn

c) John Tudor, Walter Johnson, Juan Marichal

d) Nolan Ryan, Max Scherzer, Jim Kaat

5. The team with the best record when the players’ strike ended the 1994 season. a) Los Angeles Dodgers b) New York Yankees c) Chicago White Sox d) Montreal Expos

6. The hitter with 43 home runs - on pace for 60.6 - when that season ended. a) Kirby Puckett b) Matt Williams c) Paul O’neill d) Ken Griffey Jr.

7. Who holds the Royals’ career home run record. a) George Brett b) Steve Balboni c) Hal Mcrae d) Buddy Biancalana

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

a) Rod Carew, Carlos Beltrán, Tony Gwynn

b) Bryce Harper, Alex Rodriguez, Frank Robinson

c) Bill Madlock, D.J. Lemahieu, Luis Arráez

d) Wade Boggs, Vladimir Guerrero, Vada Pinson

9. The youngest player to reach 3,000 hits. a) Tris Speaker b) Stan Musial c) Pete Rose d) Ty Cobb

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

a) Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays

b) Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews

c) Willie Mccovey, Reggie Jackson, Ernie Banks

d) Eddie Mathews, Willie Mccovey, Frank Robinson

11. Who is second to Brooks Robinson in most games played at third base. a) Adrián Beltré b) Graig Nettles c) Mike Schmidt d) Ron Santo

12. Who is second to Nolan Ryan in most 10-strikeout games. a) Roger Clemens b) Bob Gibson c) Christy Mathewson d) Randy Johnson

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

a) 1910 and 1911 Philadelphia Athletics

b) 1995 and 1996 Atlanta Braves

c) 1998 and 1999 New York Yankees

3) 1972 and 1973 Oakland Athletics

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

a) Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt, Ken Griffey Jr., Andruw Jones

b) Roberto Clemente, Gary Sheffield, Chipper Jones, Johnny Bench

c) Andre Dawson, Mike Piazza, Dale Murphy, Al Kaline

d) Cal Ripken Jr., Joe Carter, Jim Edmonds, Ivan Rodriguez

15. The first player to hit 50 home runs with two different teams. a) Alex Rodriguez b) Mark Mcgwire c) Alfonso Soriano d) Jimmie Foxx

16. Who hit 40 or more home runs in five consecutive seasons in the 1950s. a) Stan Musial b) Duke Snider c) Mickey Mantle d) Henry Aaron

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

a) Nap Lajoie and George Sisler

b) Willie Keeler and Tris Speaker

c) Ty Cobb and Rogers Hornsby

d) Eddie Collins and Ted Williams

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

a) Rogers Hornsby b) Nellie Fox c) Frankie Frisch d) Joe Morgan

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

a) Terry Francona and Tony La Russa

b) Sparky Anderson and Buck Showalter

c) Davey Johnson and Billy Martin

d) Jim Leyland and Lou Piniella

20. Who played the most games at shortstop. a) Omar Vizquel b) Cal Ripken Jr. c) Derek Jeter d) Ozzie Smith

21. The manager with the most victories (1,902) without winning a pennant. a) Felipe Alou b) Chuck Dressen c) Joe Cronin d) Gene Mauch

22. The pitcher who in 1945 in 29 consecutive starts allowed fewer hits than innings he pitched. a) Bob Feller b) Hal Newhouser c) Spud Chandler d) Johnny Sain

23. The two MVP “Jackies.” a) Smith and Jones b) Gleason and Mason c) Robinson and Jensen d) Collins and Chan

24. Who has the lowest single-season WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) since 1945. a) Pedro Martinez b) Dean Chance c) Sandy Koufax d) Eric Gagné

25. The number of complete games pitched in 2023. a) 59 b) 17 c) 35 d) 8

26. The pitcher with most complete games in a season since 1945. a) Tom Seaver b) Jim “Catfish” Hunter c) Ferguson Jenkins d) Bob Feller

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

a) George Brett, Paul Molitor, Wade Boggs, Adrián Beltré

b) Edgar Martinez, Brooks Robinson, Chipper Jones, Eddie Mathews

c) George Brett, Eddie Mathews, Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt

d) Ken Boyer, Graig Nettles, Ron Santo, Wade Boggs

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

a) Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Ryan Howard

b) Willie Mccovey, Paul Goldschmidt, Hank Greenberg

c) Jimmie Foxx, Frank Thomas, Albert Pujols

d) Orlando Cepeda, Johnny Mize, Cap Anson

29. The player who won Gold Gloves with the Mariners, Indians and Giants. a) Félix Hernández b) Omar Vizquel c) Ichiro Suzuki d) Roberto Alomar

30. The team that has lost the most World Series. a) Atlanta Braves b) Chicago Cubs c) New York Yankees d) Detroit Tigers

31. Who has the career highest percentage (20.7) of walks per plate appearances. a) Ted Williams b) Henry Aaron c) Honus Wagner d) Babe Ruth

32. The youngest 20-game winner. a) Joe Nuxhall b) Randy Johnson c) Clayton Kershaw d) Dwight Gooden

33. The only reliever to lead the American League in saves four consecutive seasons. a) Mariano Rivera b) Dan Quisenberry c) Lee Smith d) Tug Mcgraw

34. The Hall of Famer who played in the postseason with five different teams. a) Rickey Henderson b) Goose Gossage c) Gaylord Perry d) Waite Hoyt

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

a) Tony Gwynn, Lou Gehrig

b) Craig Biggio, George Brett

c) Carl Yastrzemski, Brooks Robinson d) Bill Dickey, Ernie Banks

36. Who had the most 40-home run seasons in the 1960s. a) Henry Aaron b) Harmon Killebrew c) Willie Mays d) Rocky Colavito

37. Who hit only 11 home runs in his first five seasons but ended with 573. a) Manny Ramirez b) Alex Rodriguez c) Harmon Killebrew d) Reggie Jackson

38. Who had just three home runs before June 1 but finished a season with 51. a) Roger Maris b) Ralph Kiner c) Mickey Mantle d) Babe Ruth

39. The St. Louis Browns’ only MVP. a) Heinie Manush b) Luke Sewell c) George Sisler d) Goose Goslin

40. The only hitter since 1945 to lead the majors in batting by 50 or more points in a season. a) Roberto Clemente b) Rod Carew c) Ted Williams d) Larry Walker Bonus question: Who said, “The only thing worse than a Mets game is a Mets doubleheader.” a) Marv Throneberry b) Casey Stengel c) Ralph Kiner d) Keith Hernandez

Answers

1. d, 2. b, 3. c, 4. a, 5. d, 6. b,

7. a, 8. c, 9. d, 10. b, 11. a, 12. d,

13. b, 14. a, 15. d, 16. b, 17. c, 18. a, 19. c, 20. a, 21. d, 22. b, 23. c,

24. a, 25. c, 26. d, 27. a, 28. c, 29. b, 30. c, 31. a, 32. d, 33. b, 34. a,

35. c, 36. b, 37. c, 38. b, 39. c, 40. b, Bonus. b