Answers To MLBbro Trivia | Test Your Bro Knowledge
Welcome back to MLBbro.com’s first-ever baseball trivia contest.
Last week, we posted some trivia questions that dealt with the rich history of the Negro Leagues, MLB, and beyond from past and current eras. We’ve given y’all one week to get your answers ready.
Now, today we reveal the answers. Let’s go!!!!
Question 1
This MLB stolen base champion was a two-time all-conference selection while serving double duty as a punter and kicker. He also played on a national championship team at the same college. Who is he?
Answer: Vince Coleman
While at Florida A&M, Coleman played baseball and football for the Rattlers. Serving as a punter and kicker, the Jacksonville native was a two-time All-MEAC selection for both positions in 1980-81. His game-winning 34-yard field goal was the margin of victory when FAMU upset the Division 1-A Miami Hurricanes in 1979. A year earlier, Coleman was a member of the Rattlers’ NCAA 1-AA National Championship team.
Coleman’s football prowess came following the success of his cousin, Greg Coleman who was also a punter at Florida A&M in the 1970s and went on to a 12-year career in the NFL. Vince would be signed by the Washington Redskins as a free agent but quit after a week of training camp because the team wanted to convert him into a wide receiver.
That same year, Coleman was drafted in the 10th round of the MLB Amateur Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. During his baseball days at FAMU, he set the all-time single-season stolen base record for the Rattlers, with seven steals in a single game and 65 steals in 1981.
He also led the NCAA that season in both total steals and stolen base percentage. As a major leaguer, Coleman stole over 100 bases in each of his first three seasons, making him the only player in the 20th century to post three consecutive seasons of 100 or more steals and the first player in Major League history to steal 100 bases in the first three seasons of their career. He finished his career with 752 steals, sixth most in MLB history.
Question 2
Which player was the first black pitcher to throw a no-hitter in MLB history?
Answer: “Sad” Sam Jones
In a career that spanned from 1947 through 1964, Jones pitched for eight teams with the Negro Leagues and MLB. the Ohio native began his professional career with the Cleveland Buckeyes. In 1949, he was signed by the Cleveland Indians and would make his major debut in 1951.
Following the 1954 season, Jones was traded to the Chicago Cubs in a deal that involved future Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner. During that first season in Chicago on May 12, 1955, Jones would no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. He became the first black pitcher to toss a no-no in MLB history.
He achieved this after walking Gene Freese, Preston Ward (who was then pinch-run for by Roman Mejias) and Tom Saffell to begin the ninth inning. Jones then left the bases loaded by striking out Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente, and Frank Thomas in succession. During his career, Jones led the NL in strikeouts, and walks, three times: in 1955, 1956, and 1958.
One other significant note during Jones’ career. When he entered a game on May 3, 1952, 39-year-old rookie Quincy Trouppe, a Negro League veteran, was behind the plate. Together they formed the first black battery in AL history. Both Jones and Trouppe were briefly teammates for the Cleveland Buckeyes.
Question 3
Who is the only player to homer in the MLB All-Star Game and the Negro League East-West All-Star Classic?
Answer: Jim “Junior” Gilliam
While playing for the Baltimore Elite Giants in 1950, Gilliam homered in the East-West Classic for the East in their 5-3 loss at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
It was Gilliam’s third and final Negro League All-Star Classic appearance. A year later, the native of Nashville was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Two years later, he would make his MLB debut taking over second base from Jackie Robinson, who was shifted to the outfield and third base.
He led the NL Champs with 125 runs scored and his 17 triples led the league as Gilliam would earn Rookie of the Year honors, as well as The Sporting News’ Rookie of the Year Award.
In 1956, Giliiam was named to his first NL All-Star team and was tabbed a second time in 1959. In the second All-Star Game of that season played at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Gilliam connected off Billy O’Dell in the AL’s 5-3 win. Gilliam played his entire MLB career for the Dodgers until he retired in 1966.
Question 4
When Willie Mays hit his 600th career homer in 1969, he was pinch hitting for a player who would eventually become a perennial All-Star and a World Series champion. Who is he?
Answer: George Foster
Known more for his time with the Cincinnati Reds, Foster made his MLB debut with the Giants as a 20-year old in September of that season. On September 22, the future Hall of Famer pinch hit for Foster and connected for his 600th homer off Mike Corkins in the Giants’ 4-2 victory at Jack Murphy Stadium.
After serving as the fourth outfielder in San Francisco for the initial part of his career, Foster was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 1971. The rest as they say is history. By 1975, Foster would become one of the main cogs of the Big Red Machine.
For the next seven seasons, Foster was a 5-time All-Star, a 2-time World Series Champion as well as the NL’s MVP in 1977. That season, Foster was just the 10th player in major league history to reach the 50-homer mark, and the first ever Cincinnati Reds player. His 149 RBIs also led the majors. He finished fourth in the NL in batting, missing the Triple Crown by .018 behind Pittsburgh’s Dave Parker.
Question 5
Who is the only black catcher to ever win the Rookie of the Year Award?
Answer: Earl Williams
Ironically, Williams never played the position until he reached the majors in 1971 with the Atlanta Braves. The Somerset, NJ native began the season as the club’s fourth outfielder but injuries and retirements led to Williams ascension as Atlanta’s newest backstop.
After playing first base and third base most of the year, on May 23rd in a game against the New York Mets, Williams would make his professional debut as a backstop. He would make his first start behind the plate on June 20 against the Cincinnati Reds. He ended up appearing in 72 games at catcher, committing eight errors and catching 28% of potential base stealers.
Although he never developed into more than a poor defensive catcher, his offensive numbers – a .260 batting average, 33 homers and 87 RBIs – were enough to earn him 18 of 24 first place votes.
Williams also became the first Brave to win the Rookie of the Year Award since Sam Jethro in 1950 when the franchise was in Boston. The other first place votes went to Philadelphia outfielder Willie Montanez.
Bonus Question
What is the historical significance of September 1, 1971, and its impact on the game of baseball?
MLBbro.com Shines The Light On First All-Minority Starting Lineup In MLB History
On this date, the Pttsburgh Pirates fielded the first all-Black lineup in MLB history in a 10-7 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
THE LINEUP
Rennie Stennett 2B
Gene Clines CF
Roberto Clemente RF
Willie Stargell LF
Manny Sanguillén C
Dave Cash 3B
Al Oliver 1B
Jackie Hernández SS
Dock Ellis P
Five of those players — Clines, Stargell, Cash, Oliver and Ellis — were African American. Clemente hailed from Puerto Rico, Sanguillén and Stennett from Panamá, and Hernández from Cuba.
Recent Comments