Baseball quick quiz

Collect ten points for each question answered correctly. Answers on page 90 (If you score 80 or better, you are a baseball expert, 70 or better, superior; between 60 and 70, good, and between 40 and 60, average.

1. There are only three players who have hit 200 or more career home runs in both the American and National League. Collect ten points if you can identify two of these three sluggers.

2. In 1966, Tim McCarver of the St. Louis Cardinals became the first catcher in major league history to lead his league in triples since 1900. Who is the only other catcher to top his league in triples: Carlton Fisk, Ivan Rodriguez, John Wathan or Craig Biggio?

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3. Among the 27 players with 3,000 or more career hits through the 2007 season, ten of them finished their careers with a batting average below .300. Collect one point for each of these ten players you can identify.

4. Who is the oldest player to win a World Series MVP Award: Willie Stargell, Paul Molitor, Randy Johnson or Roberto Clemente?

5. There have been nine pitchers who have won both the Cy Young and MVP Award in the same season. Collect ten points if you can identify five of these nine hurlers.

6. Excluding pitchers, there have been 135 Most Valuable Player Award winners from 1931 through 2007. Among those MVPs, only 26 batted below .300 the year they captured the award. Which of those 26 posted the lowest batting average at .267: Roger Maris, Marly Marion, Harmon Killebrew or Reggie Jackson?

7. There are 14 players with 600 or more career doubles. Among these players, who is the only one not to lead his league in doubles during his career: George Brett, Carl Yastrzemski, Pete Rose or Barry Bonds?

8. There are three active players who have had five or more 200-hit seasons during their careers. Collect ten points if you can identify two of these three players.

9. Since 19659 when the save rule became an official statistic, three different closers have recorded 40-save seasons with three different teams including Jeff Reardon and John Wetteland. Who is the only other reliever to register 40 saves with three different clubs: Randy Myers, Jose Mesa, Billy Wagner or Rod Beck?

10. Who holds the record for most career extra-base lilts (1,477): Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Stan Musial or Babe Ruth?

Quiz Answers

1. The three players who hit 200 or more home runs in both leagues are Frank Robinson f(243 A.L., 343 N.L.), Mark McGwire (363 A.L., 220 N.L.) and Fred McGriff (224 A.L., 269 N.L.)

2. Joining Tim McCarver of the Cardinals, who paced the N.L. with 13 triples in 1966, Carlton Fisk of the Red Sox is the only other catcher to be a league-leader in triples when he topped the American League in 1972 with nine.

3. The ten players to finish their careers with 3,000 or more hits and a batting average below .300 include: Carl Yastrzemski (3,419, .285), Eddie Murray (3,255, .287), Cal Ripken (3,184, .276), Robin Yount (3,142, .285), Dave Winfield (3,110, .283), Craig Biggio (3,060, .281), Rickey Henderson (3,055, .279), Lou Brock (3,023, .293), Rafael Palmeiro (3,020, .288) and Al Kaline (3,007, .297).

4. The oldest player to capture World Series MVP honors is Willie Stargell who was 39 in 1979 when he helped lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a Fall Classic championship. Randy Johnson was 38 when he captured the honor in 2001 with Arizona and Roberto Clemente, 1971 Pirates, and Paul Molitor, 1993 Blue Jays were 37.

5. The nine pitchers to win both the Cy Young and MVP Award In the same season are Don Newcombe (1956 Dodgers), Sandy Koufax (1963 Dodgers), Denny McLain (1968 Tigers), Bob Gibson (1968 Cardinals), Vida Blue (1971 A's), Rollie Fingers (1981 Brewers), Willie Hernandez (1984 Tigers), Roger Clemens (1986 Red Sox) and Dennis Eckersley (1992 A's).

6. The league MVP Award winner who finished with the lowest batting average was Roger Maris of the Yankees in 1961. Marls won the award with a record-breaking 61 home runs and a league-leading 142 RBI while finishing "with a .267 BA.

7. During his career, Barry Bonds clubbed 601 doubles and never led the National League in two-base hits. Bonds' single-season high was 44 in 1998.

8. The three active players who have had five or more 200-hit seasons in the major leauges through 2007 are Ichiro Suzuki (7), Derek Jeter (6) and Michael Young (5).

9. Besides Jeff Reardon (Expos, Twins, Red Sox) and John Wetteland (Expos, Yankees, Rangers), the only other closer to save 40 games in a season with three different teams is Jose Mesa who did it with the Indians, Phillies and Pirates.

10, Hank Aaron holds the mark for most career extra-base hits with 1,477. Barry Bonds had 1,440, Stan Musial, 1,377, and Babe Ruth, 1,356.

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