Q 01/05

Which letter, chosen by box-score pioneer Henry Chadwick, marks a strikeout on a baseball scorecard?

A) S

B) X

C) K

D) O

Answer · why

C) K

K is the last letter of the word struck, and Chadwick could not use S because it already stood for sacrifice. A backwards version marks a called third...

Q 02/05

Nolan Ryan, MLB's career strikeout leader, holds the record with seven of which pitching feat?

A) Pitching Triple Crowns

B) No-hitters

C) Immaculate innings

D) 20-strikeout games

Answer · why

B) No-hitters

No-hitters were Nolan Ryan's signature: his seven are three more than any other pitcher has thrown. He threw the last one at age 44.

Q 03/05

Randy Johnson earned which nickname after colliding with Montreal Expos teammate Tim Raines during batting practice?

A) The Big Hurt

B) The Freak

C) The Big Unit

D) The Rocket

Answer · why

C) The Big Unit

The Big Unit was Tim Raines's startled reaction to bumping into the 6-foot-10 rookie, and the name stuck. Johnson went on to 4,875 strikeouts, second ...

Q 04/05

Randy Johnson's fastball struck and killed which kind of bird in mid-flight during a 2001 spring training game?

A) A seagull

B) A pigeon

C) A sparrow

D) A dove

Answer · why

D) A dove

A dove crossed in front of the plate just as Johnson's fastball to Calvin Murray arrived. The umpire ruled it no pitch, neither a ball nor a strike.

Q 05/05

Walter Johnson, the first pitcher with 3,000 strikeouts, joined which Yankees slugger in the Hall of Fame's first class?

A) Babe Ruth

B) Lou Gehrig

C) Joe DiMaggio

D) Mickey Mantle

Answer · why

A) Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth, Johnson, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner were the first five players elected in 1936, a group nicknamed the Five Immortals.