With the Yankees out of the excitement and drama of post-season play this year, and with fans of so many other teams feeling the blues, here is a bunch of hot stove league brain-teasers to keep all of you in the game.
1. Who wore No. 7 before Mickey Mantle? ______
2. Whose number (and what was it) was retired by both the New York Mets and Yankees? ______
3. Who caught Dave Righetti’s no-hitter on July 4, 1983?
A. Butch Wynegar B. Cliff Johnson C. Yogi Berra
4. Name the four managers who have piloted both the Yankees and the Mets. ______
5. In 1977, who nicknamed Reggie Jackson “Mr. October”?
A. Willie Randolph B. Thurman Munson C. Goose Gossage D. Mickey Rivers
6. Name the player Derek Jeter replaced in 1996 to become the regular shortstop.
A. Andy Fox B. Pat Kelly C. Alvaro Espinoza D. Tony Fernandez
7. What former Yankee was the first pitching coach for the New York Mets in 1962?
A. Joe Page B. Red Ruffing C. Vic Raschi D. Johnny Sain
8. Elston Howard was the first black player on the Yankees in 1955. Who was second? ______
9. Who did George Steinbrenner buy the Yankees from? ______
10. Trick question: Which of the following was not a Babe Ruth nickname?
A. “Bambino” B. “Wali of Wallop” C. “Rajah of Rap” D. “Caliph of Clout”
11. Name the National Football League coaching legend who played briefly for the Yankees.
A. Tom Landry B. George Halas C. Jim Thorpe D. Curly Lambeau
12. First baseman Wally Pipp has gone down in history for being the player Lou Gehrig replaced. What other distinction belongs to Pipp?
A. He was a baseball manager. B. He came from the same neighborhood Gehrig grew up in. C. He was a home run champ. D. He made money endorsing aspirin.
13. Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers—each off a different pitcher. What pitcher gave up Jackson’s third home run?
A. Burt Hooton B. Charlie Hough C. Elias Sosa D. Don Sutton
14. Reggie Jackson was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of what team?
A. Oakland A’s B. Baltimore Orioles C. New York Yankees D. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
15. What Yankee pitcher has the most World Series victories?
A. David Cone B. Allie Reynolds C. Whitey Ford D. Lefty Gomez
16. In defeating the Oakland A’s in the 2001 American League Division playoffs, what did the Yankees accomplish that no team ever had done before in a three-of-five-game series?
A. Limited their opponents to a total of two runs B. Had a perfect fielding percentage C. Won three straight after losing two games at home D. Hit at least one home run in every game
17. What Yankees MVP appeared in the fewest games in the year in which he won the award? ______
18. Easy one: What was Yogi Berra’s given name? ______
19. What uniform number was retired by the Yankees to honor a player who never was on the team?
A. Jackie Robinson B. Bob Feller C. Dom DiMaggio D. Pee Wee Reese
20. Who remains the only Yankee to hit four home runs in one game?
A. Lou Gehrig B. Reggie Jackson C. Babe Ruth D. Yogi Berra
ANSWERS
1. Fourteen other Yankees wore the number in their career, the last two being Bob Cerv and Cliff Mapes, who wore the number at times during Mantle’s rookie season.
2. Casey Stengel’s No. 37 was retired by both the Mets (1965) and Yankees (1966).
3. A. Butch Wynegar
4. Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel, Joe Torre, Dallas Green
5. B. Thurman Munson
6. D. Tony Fernandez
7. B. Red Ruffing
8. Harry Simpson, 1957
9. CBS
10. Sorry about that. We said it was a trick question—all of the choices were nicknames for the Babe.
11. B. George “Papa Bear” Halas got into six games for the 1919 Yankees.
12. C. Pipp was an American League home run champion in 1916-17.
13. B. Charlie Hough
14. C. New York Yankees
15. C. Whitey Ford, 10. He started 22 World Series games.
16. C. They won three straight after losing two games at home.
17. Pitcher Spud Chandler appeared in 30 games when he won the American League award in 1943.
18. Lawrence Peter
19. Jackie Robinson
20. Lou Gehrig
Written by acclaimed sports author and oral historian Harvey Frommer, with an intro by pro football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford, When It Was Just a Game tells the fascinating story of the ground-breaking AFL–NFL World Championship Football game played on January 15, 1967: Packers vs. Chiefs. Filled with new insights, containing commentary from the unpublished memoir of Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram, featuring oral history from many who were at the game—media, players, coaches, fans—the book is mainly in the words of those who lived it and saw it go on to become the Super Bowl, the greatest sports attraction the world has ever known. Archival photographs and drawings help bring the event to life.
Dr. Harvey Frommer is in his 39th year of writing books. A noted oral historian and sports journalist, the author of 42 sports books including the classics: best-selling “New York City Baseball, 1947-1957″ and best-selling Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball, his acclaimed Remembering Yankee Stadium was published in 2008 and best-selling Remembering Fenway Park was published to acclaim in 2011.
