The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum all are commemorating and encouraging the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history.
With that in mind, welcome to the Woman’s History Month edition of the quiz.
As I said to my children every day as they headed to school, “Have fun and learn a lot.”
1. Chicago’s entry in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League played from 1948 to 1951 and their home was Shewbridge Field. What was the name of the team?
a. Chicago Cubbettes
b. Chicago Colleens
c. Chicago Chicks
d. Chicago Beans
2. The Yankee’s Low-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons, has named the first woman to manage in affiliated minor-league history. Who is she?
a. Rachel Green
b. Rachel Balkovec
c. Rachel Dratch
d. Rachel Folden
3. On May 8, 2021, Beth Mowins became the first woman to call one of the Cubs’ regular-season games. The accomplished announcer has many other achievements. Which of the following are true?
a. Mowins was the first woman to call a nationally televised NFL game
b. Mowins was the first woman play-by-play announcer to call college basketball, the NBA, and the NFL for CBS Sports
c. Mowins was the play-by-play voice for softball during the Olympics on NBC
d. All of the above
4. Who was the first woman analyst for nationally televised MLB games?
a. Jessica Tandy
b. Jessica Mendoza
c. Jessica Walter
d. Jessica Jones
5. Who was the first woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame?
a. Effa Manley
b. Lavonne “Pepper” Paire
c. Dottie Schroeder
d. Dottie Collinswright
6. The Marlins have the first woman GM. Who is she?
a. Kim Ng
b. Kimmy Schmidt
c. Kim Novak
d. Kim Cattrall
7. Those of you who are regular readers of the quiz (heaven help you) will know that I have tipped my hat to Zachary Taylor Davis, the architect of several significant Chicago buildings, including Wrigley Field and the original Comiskey Park. Davis should be honored in the Hall of Fame along with this current architectural genius (and that’s not hyperbole):
a. Stefani Germanotta
b. Janet Marie Smith
c. Melissa Kaplan
d. Dana Owens
8. On ‘‘Seinfeld,’’ the greatest sitcom of all time, George Costanza worked for the Yankees, and in real life, Jerry is a huge Mets fan. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (who attended Northwestern) played Elaine and was a fan of which team?
a. Cubs
b. Orioles
c. White Sox
d. Dodgers
9. The daughter of this player who was a
No. 1 draft pick and played 12 of his 18 seasons in the major leagues with the Cubs, including two as an All-Star, is the White Sox’ director of minor-league operations. Who is the daughter?
a. Jasmine Dunston
b. Jennifer Coolidge
c. Grace Guerrero Zwit
d. Lauren Shehadi
ANSWERS
1. The Colleens were managed by former MLBer Dave Bancroft. Bancroft was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1971.
2. Rachel Balkovec has been a professional coach for 10 seasons. Rachel Green was Jennifer Aniston’s character on ‘‘Friends,’’ Rachel Dratch was a regular on ‘‘Saturday Night Live,’’ and Rachel Folden is a minor-league hitting coach for the Cubs.
3. You knew that this had to be an “all of the above’’ answer.
4. Jessica Tandy was a star of stage and screen. Jessica Walter was brilliant as the mother on ‘‘Arrested Development.’’ Jessica Jones is a character in the Marvel Universe. And the great Jessica Mendoza is a terrific MLB and college baseball and softball announcer for ESPN.
5. Paire, Schroeder, and Collins were all players in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Effa Manley co-owned the Newark Eagles baseball franchise in the Negro League. In addition, she actively worked in support of civil rights and organized boycotts against businesses owned by whites who would not hire Black employees for any position other than that of elevator operator.
6. Novak and Cattrall are actresses and Kimmy Schmidt was a fictional TV character. Kim Ng is not only the first female GM in the history of major North American men’s pro team sports, but she is also the first East Asian American to lead an MLB team. From 1990 to 1996, she worked as a member of the White Sox organization.
7. Stefani Germanotta is known professionally as Lady Gaga. Dana Owens is the real name of Queen Latifah. Melissa Kaplan is my wonderful neighbor. Janet Marie Smith has been described as the godmother of modern baseball stadiums. She developed Camden Yards, revitalized Fenway Park, freshened up Dodger Stadium, and deserves to be honored in the HOF.
8. In the episode, ‘‘The Letter,’’ Elaine refuses to remove her Baltimore Orioles baseball cap while sitting in George Steinbrenner’s box seat and she and the gang are subsequently ejected from Yankee Stadium.
9. Jennifer Coolidge currently stars in ‘‘The White Lotus.’’ Lauren Shehadi is one of the most talented people on-air at the MLB Network and Turner Sports. In 1982, Grace Guerrero Zwit became the first woman to work in the White Sox’ baseball operations department. She is retiring after 40 years and Jasmine Dunston, Shawon Dunston’s daughter, is taking her role as the White Sox’ director of minor-league operations.
Hope you had fun (and learned a lot) with this week’s quiz. Write me or tweet. See you next Saturday.
