Q 01/05

In which city is the Rays' home ballpark, Tropicana Field, located?

A) Tampa proper

B) Bradenton

C) St. Petersburg

D) Clearwater Beach

Answer · why

C) St. Petersburg

The dome was built in the late 1980s as the Florida Suncoast Dome to lure a team; the Rays did not arrive until 1998.

Q 02/05

In which season did the franchise begin play as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays?

A) 2002

B) 1998

C) 2004

D) 2000

Answer · why

B) 1998

They joined alongside the Arizona Diamondbacks after decades of failed expansion and relocation bids.

Q 03/05

Which owner won the Tampa Bay expansion franchise in 1995, partly settling his suit over a blocked Giants purchase?

A) Vince Naimoli

B) Frank Morsani

C) Stuart Sternberg

D) Roy Disney

Answer · why

A) Vince Naimoli

He had agreed to buy the San Francisco Giants and move them to St. Petersburg in 1992 before MLB owners vetoed it.

Q 04/05

Naimoli's first choice of name, 'Sting Rays', was already owned by a minor-league club in which location?

A) Key West

B) Maui

C) Miami

D) Sarasota

Answer · why

B) Maui

The Maui club offered to sell the name for $35,000; Naimoli picked a different species of ray instead.

Q 05/05

Which alternative name did Naimoli offer to adopt if fans rejected 'Devil Rays' in a telephone poll?

A) Sharks

B) Mantas

C) Stingers

D) Whitecaps

Answer · why

B) Mantas

Some local pastors objected to the word 'devil', but fans approved the name.