Q 01/05

Babe Ruth began his career as a star left-handed pitcher for which team before being sold to the Yankees?

A) Baltimore Orioles

B) Philadelphia Athletics

C) Boston Red Sox

D) Chicago White Sox

Answer · why

C) Boston Red Sox

He twice won 23 games in a season as a pitcher and won three World Series there before owner Harry Frazee sold him.

Q 02/05

Which position did Jackie Robinson play for the Dodgers on April 15, 1947, when he broke the color line?

A) Second base

B) Shortstop

C) Center field

D) First base

Answer · why

D) First base

He won the very first Rookie of the Year Award that season and the NL MVP two years later.

Q 03/05

Which uniform number was retired across every Major League team in 1997 in honor of Jackie Robinson?

A) 44

B) 45

C) 42

D) 47

Answer · why

C) 42

He was the first professional athlete in any sport to be so honored, and since 2004 every player wears it on Jackie Robinson Day.

Q 04/05

Mickey Mantle's nickname 'the Commerce Comet' came from the town where he grew up, in which state?

A) Kansas

B) Texas

C) Oklahoma

D) Missouri

Answer · why

C) Oklahoma

His father worked the lead and zinc mines there and trained him from childhood to switch-hit.

Q 05/05

Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run in 1974 came off which Dodgers pitcher?

A) Don Sutton

B) Al Downing

C) Tommy John

D) Claude Osteen

Answer · why

B) Al Downing

By coincidence the pitcher also wore number 44, the same as Aaron, in front of a Braves record crowd of 53,775.