Since this delayed season began, baseball has been playing catch-up. Every day there is a game to watch. Even the quizmaster is blending months together, as you can see by my mid-June questions about May.
As fans, I know it’s exhausting. So take a few minutes for yourself today. Do something
relaxing. Read a book. Talk to a neighbor. Take a nap. Before you know it, it will be the first day of summer, then July 4, then the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, then the trade deadline. Before you know it, it will be August — and I’ll be asking questions about June.
Have some fun, and good luck on the quiz.
1. In May, the White Sox went 15-12 and the Cubs went 12-16. Which team had the better ERA?
a. White Sox
b. Cubs
c. The same
2. Two teams did not hit a triple in May. Which ones?
a. Cubs b. White Sox
c. Yankees d. Braves
3. In May, Jose Abreu and Patrick Wisdom led the Sox and Cubs in extra-base hits. Who had more?
a. Abreu
b. Wisdom
c. The same
4. In May, Paul Goldschmidt led the majors in extra-base hits. Who had more, Jose Abreu and Patrick Wisdom combined or Goldschmidt?
a. Goldschmidt
b. Abreu and Wisdom
c. The same
5. In May, Willson Contreras tied a Cubs record by getting hit by eight pitches in a month. Whose record did he tie?
a. Kris Bryant b. Anthony Rizzo
c. Marlon Byrd d. His own
6. On June 2, we remembered and honored Lou Gehrig. The date is significant because he became the Yankees’ starting first baseman on that date in 1925 and died at the age of 37 on that date in 1941. In between, on June 3, 1932, Gehrig became the first player in the 20th century to hit four home runs in a game. Pat Seerey is the only Chicago player to achieve that feat (July 18, 1948), doing it for the Sox. Who are the two players who hit four dingers in a game against a Chicago team?
a. Mike Schmidt b. J.D. Martinez
c. Mike Cameron d. Chuck Klein
7. In head-to-head contests, the White Sox lead the Cubs 73-65. Since 2013 — that’s 10 seasons of baseball — who leads the intracity rivalry?
a. The White Sox
b. The Cubs
c. They have same record
8. In 1970 and 1972, Johnny Bench was the National League MVP (he could have won it every year). In each case, the runner-up was a Cub. Who were they or who was he?
a. Billy Williams b. Ron Santo
c. Rick Monday d. Fergie Jenkins
9. The Braves are coming to Wrigley Field next week. It won’t come as any surprise to you that Henry Aaron leads all Braves with 50 homers at Wrigley. Who is the active leader for homers by a Braves player in the Friendly Confines?
a. Freddie Freeman b. Jason Heyward
c. Ozzie Albies d. Ronald Acuna
ANSWERS
1. The Sox’ ERA was 4.32, 20th in the majors. The Cubs’ ERA was 3.97, 14th in the majors. The major-league average was 4.10.
2. The Cubs hit seven triples and the Yankees hit one, which leaves the Sox and Braves bereft of triples.
3. They had the same.
4. Jose Abreu and Patrick Wisdom each had 11 extra-base hits for a total of 22, one shy of Paul Goldschmidt’s 23.
5. In the final month of the 2020 season, Willson Contreras was hit by eight pitches. It’s hard enough being a catcher without being battered as a batter.
6. On April 17, 1976, the Phillies’ Mike Schmidt hit four homers against the Cubs. On May 2,
2002, the Mariners’ Mike Cameron did it against the White Sox.
7. With the Sox taking three of four this season, each team has won 24 games and lost 24 games in the last 10 seasons.
8. In 1970, Johnny Bench received 326 points; Billy Williams finished second with 218. In 1972, Bench received 263 points; Williams finished second with 211.
9. Of course, it’s Freddie Freeman — who is now with the Dodgers — with seven. I just put the other names there to tantalize you.
Shameless plug: My book with Bob Ryan, ‘‘In Scoring Position: 40 Years of a Baseball Love Affair,’’ will make a great gift for Father’s Day.
Write me at walkoffs@gmail.com, and you might be a part of the quiz.
