The Perfect Quiz
by Jim Baker
(presented July 12, 2012)
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Answer Pool: Lee Richmond, John Montgomery Ward, Cy Young, Addie Joss, Charlie Robertson, Don Larsen, Jim Bunning, Sandy Koufax, Catfish Hunter, Len Barker, Mike Witt, Tom Browning, Dennis Martinez, Kenny Rogers, David Wells, David Cone, Randy Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Dallas Braden, Roy Halladay, Philip Humber, Matt Cain |
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| 1. |
Who are the only two pitchers to throw their perfectos against teams with an OPS+ over 100? Hint: The two games came against the same franchise within a three-year period. (3 pts each) |
Mark Buehrle and Dallas Braden, vs. TB Rays, 106 in 2009 and 105 in 2010 |
| 2. |
Who threw his against the eventual World Champions for that season? (2 pts) |
Tom Browning vs. 1988 Dodgers |
| 3. |
Excluding the two 19th Century games, whose perfect game was attended by the fewest people? (2 pts) |
Catfish Hunter vs. Minnesota, 6,298 in 1968 |
| 4. |
Whose perfect game had the largest attendance? (1 pt) |
Don Larsen, 64,519; 1956 World Series |
| 5. |
Who threw his in the heat of a pennant race in the last week of the season against the team that was in third-place, right behind his team in the standings? (Although neither team would finish first.) (2 pts) |
Addie Joss of Cleveland vs. Chicago White Sox in 1908 (Detroit would win the pennant) |
| 6. |
Which perfect-game pitcher got the most run support from his mates? (1 pt) |
Matt Cain, 10 runs; last month |
| 7. |
Which perfect-game author got to face his opposing moundsman for the last out of the game? (2 pts) |
Cy Young faced Rube Waddell, 1904 |
| 8. |
Who threw the first night game perfecto? (2 pts) |
Sandy Koufax vs. Cubs, 1965 |
| 9. |
Who was the youngest man to throw a perfect game? (3 pts) |
Monte Ward, age 20; 1880 |
| 10. |
Six of the perfect games have been thrown on the road. Who was the first to do it? He was even carried off the field on the shoulders of the opposing fans! (3 pts) |
Charlie Robertson in Detroit in 1922. Ty Cobb’s BA after the game was down to .083. |
| 11. |
Whose perfect game is the only to occur against an interleague opponent? (It’s also the only one with a rain delay.) (1 pt) |
David Cone, Yankees vs. Expos in 1999. |
| 12. |
Who is the only perfect-game spinner to also throw a no-hitter the same year? (2 pts) |
Roy Halladay, 2010. |
| 13. |
Which two franchises have been involved in the most perfect games, either winning or losing? (2 pts each) |
White Sox and Dodgers with four each. |
| 14. |
Seven current franchises have never been involved in a perfect game. Four are expansion teams, but two of them originated in the 19th Century. Name those two. (1 pt each) |
Pittsburgh and St. Louis. |
| 15. |
Who are the only two franchises to have reciprocal perfect games. (Their perfect games came against each other.) (Must have both. 3 points total.) |
Rangers and Angels; Mike Witt vs. Texas in 1984; Kenny Rogers vs. Angels 10 years later. |
| 16. |
Bonus: Name the player who was in the lineup for three teams that had perfectos thrown against them. (3 pts) |
Bonus: Alfredo Griffin: Barker in 1981, Browning in 1988 and Martinez in 1991. He batted leadoff in the first two games (in spite of OBPs of .243 and .259 in those years) and was pulled for a pinch hitter in his third PA of the last game). |