Inspired by the Baseball Quick Quiz in Baseball Digests of yesteryear, this quiz will test your MLB knowledge. Answers can be found below the second picture, so don’t scroll down until you’re ready to check. Test yourself and then leave your score in the comments below. Questions are worth 10 points unless noted otherwise. It’s out of 100, and according to Baseball Digest, “If you score 80 or better, you earn an expert’s rating; 70 or better, superior; between 60 and 70, good; and between 40 and 60, average.”
1. Which came first in Chicago: lights at Wrigley Field or a new ballpark for the White Sox, then called Comiskey Park?
2. Which Padres pitcher (the franchise leader in wins) is perhaps best known for surrendering Pete Rose’s record-breaking 4,192nd career hit?
3. Which well-known actor, an Emmy and Golden Globe winner, is the son of MLB’s seventh Commissioner?
4. The 1981 season saw three World Series co-MVPs: Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager. What team did they play for?
5. In 1988, the Baltimore Orioles set an MLB record for most consecutive losses to start a season with 21. Which two Hall of Famers were on that team?
6. Between 1980-1989, Rickey Henderson led the American League in stolen bases in nine of those ten seasons. Who was the only other player to lead the league in stolen bases?
7. Only one player drafted No. 1 overall in the ’80s is currently in the Hall of Fame. Who was that 1987 selection?
8. There were three labor strikes in the 1980s: 1980, 1981, and 1985. Which strike did not see the cancellation of any regular season games?
9. A Philadelphia Phillie won the National League Cy Young Award four of the ten seasons of the ’80s. Name any of them.
10. Cal Ripken Jr.’s record-breaking 2,632 consecutive games streak began on May 30, 1982. What position did he play that day?
1. The first night game was played at Wrigley in 1988, Comiskey Park opened in 1991
2. Eric Show
3. Paul Giamatti, son of Bart Giamatti, who served as Commissioner for only five months before his passing
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray
6. Harold Reynolds of the Seattle Mariners
7. Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners
8. 1980
9. Steve Carlton (twice, 1980 and 1982), John Denny (1983), Steve Bedrosian (1987)
10. Third base