Baseball quiz: 75 and counting

With that many days left till baseball openers, here’s something to keep your head in the game.

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1990 MLB All-Star Game: Batting Practice

Managers Jim Leyland of the Pirates, Don Zimmer of the Cubs, Tony LaRussa of the Athletics and Roger Craig of the Giants look on during batting practice before the 1990 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field.

Steve Goldstein/Getty Images

Do you know the number of balls in a standard game of

Bingo in the United States? It’s 75.

Do you know the age limit for a member of the Canadian Senate? It’s 75.

Do you know the anniversary the NBA is celebrating? It’s 75.

Do you know there are 75 days remaining until Opening Day? And somebody better unlock the door and get things going.

Good luck with this quiz.

1. As coach of the Bears, Mike Nagy went 34-31 (.523 winning percentage). Is that percentage higher or lower than each of the following Chicago managers (answer for each)?

a. Tony La Russa c. Bob Lemon

b. Chuck Tanner d. Don Zimmer

2. The warm, wonderful and witty Bob Saget played Danny on the hit sitcom ‘‘Full House.’’ The character’s last name was the same as which former Chicago manager?

a. Tony La Russa c. Bob Lemon

b. Chuck Tanner d. Don Zimmer

3. Which of these guys on the Hall of Fame ballot did not play for the White Sox or the Cubs? 

a. Joe Nathan c. Bobby Abreu

b. A.J. Pierzynski d. Jimmy Rollins 

4. One of the things I love about the White Sox and the Cubs is that they were each born and raised in one fabulous city. The same only can be said for one of the following teams. Name that team. 

a. Baltimore Orioles

b. Milwaukee Brewers 

c. Detroit Tigers 

d. San Francisco Giants 

5. While baseball had Jackie Robinson, cinema had Sidney Poitier. Poitier was the first Black man to win the Oscar for best actor for his work in 1963’s ‘‘Lilies of the Field.’’ In 1963, two Chicago batters were the city leaders with 25 home runs each. The runners-up each had 22. Which two batters had 25 and which two had 22?

a. Pete Ward c. Ron Santo

b. Dave Nicholson d. Billy Williams

6. The record-holder for the most times hit by a pitch in a season by a member of the Cubs is held by Anthony Rizzo. The White Sox’ season record is shared by Minnie Minoso and Carlos Quentin. Who was hit by more pitches in a season? 

a. Anthony Rizzo b. Minnie/Carlos 

7. The movie ‘‘A League of Their Own’’ celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Who was the director of this classic baseball film? 

a. Garry Marshall c. Rob Reiner

b. Penny Marshall d. Laverne DeFazio

8. Harry Caray first sang ‘‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’’ for the White Sox and then for the Cubs. The tradition of singing the song started for which of the following reasons?

a. He was a trained operatic singer.

b. He sang in a group known as ‘‘The Off-Tones’’ in offseasons.

c. It was the only song he knew the words to. 

d. It was a theme to a beer commercial he starred in.

9. Betty White would have been 100 on Jan. 17, which means that Babe Ruth hit 552 home runs during her life. That is more than any player hit while wearing a Chicago uniform. But is it more or less than each of the following sluggers?

a. Mike Schmidt c. Mickey Mantle

b. David Ortiz d. Reggie Jackson

ANSWERS

1. Higher than La Russa (.515); higher than Tanner (.492); lower than Lemon (.525); higher than Zimmer (.507).

2. Bob Saget won our hearts as Danny Tanner. Chuck Tanner, who managed the Sox in 1970-75, won 401 games and lost 414.

3. Bobby Abreu played for both New York teams and both Los Angeles teams, as well as the Phillies and Astros, but he never played for the Sox or Cubs.

4. The Orioles were the St. Louis Browns. The Brewers were the Seattle Pilots. The Giants were originally from New York. The Tigers always have played in Detroit.

5. Santo and Williams led the Cubs with 25 homers, and Ward and Nicholson led the Sox with 22.

6. In 1956, Minoso was hit by 23 pitches, the same as Quentin in 2011. In 2017, Rizzo was hit by 24 pitches. In 2019, Rizzo was hit by 29 pitches. And in 2015, Rizzo was hit by 30 pitches.

7. Penny Marshall, who was Garry’s sister, Rob Reiner’s ex-wife and played Laverne, was the director.

8. ‘‘That is the only song I know the words to,’’ Caray was quoted as saying.

9. More than Schmidt (548), Ortiz (541) and ‘‘The Mick’’ (536) but fewer than Reggie (563).

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