Q 01/05

The name Padres, Spanish for 'fathers', honours which group?

A) The Jesuit priests of Baja California

B) The Franciscan friars of the local mission

C) The Dominican friars of Old Town

D) The Carmelite friars of Point Loma

Answer · why

B) The Franciscan friars of the local mission

The Franciscan friars of the local mission, founded by Junípero Serra in 1769, gave their name first to a minor-league club in 1936. The 1969 expansio...

Q 02/05

Which veteran pitcher won the 1978 Cy Young Award as a Padre, the first to win it in both leagues?

A) Greg Maddux

B) Goose Gossage

C) Gaylord Perry

D) Rollie Fingers

Answer · why

C) Gaylord Perry

Gaylord Perry, so notorious for doctoring the ball that he called his memoir Me and the Spitter, won 21 games at 39. He had taken the American League ...

Q 03/05

The Pacific Coast League Padres of 1937 won a title led by which 18-year-old San Diego native?

A) Bob Lemon

B) Joe DiMaggio

C) Ted Williams

D) Don Larsen

Answer · why

C) Ted Williams

Ted Williams signed with his hometown Padres while still at Hoover High School. Red Sox executive Eddie Collins spotted him on a trip to look over oth...

Q 04/05

Which fast-food magnate bought the Padres in 1974 to keep them from leaving town?

A) Glen Bell

B) Carl Karcher

C) Dave Thomas

D) Ray Kroc

Answer · why

D) Ray Kroc

Ray Kroc, the McDonald's chief, lasted one home game before losing patience. On opening night in 1974 he took the stadium microphone and told 39,000 f...

Q 05/05

A grocery-chain owner's 1973 deal to buy the Padres would have moved them to which city?

A) Denver, Colorado

B) Washington, D.C.

C) Toronto, Ontario

D) New Orleans, Louisiana

Answer · why

B) Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. looked so certain to get the team that Topps printed 1974 baseball cards showing Padres players under a Washington name. Then Joseph ...