Let’s all agree on this point: There are too many strikeouts in baseball and too few strikeout quizzes.
Welcome to the Sun-Times Chicago Baseball Quiz, All-Strikeout Edition. I am your quiz master, Bill Chuck. These quizzes are designed to be fun and can be played on your own, or you can test your family, friends, neighbors or colleagues. The questions are easy if you know the answers. Other than stats, there will be no math. There will be a nice mix of Cubs and White Sox and a blend of history and current events.
Let’s all agree on this point: There are too many strikeouts in baseball and too few strikeout quizzes.
Are you ready for the Chicago Nine?
Just remember what Yogi Berra said: “Ninety percent of this game is half mental.”
1. From 2010 to 2019, which of these pitchers led Chicago in strikeouts?
a. Chris Sale
b. Jon Lester
c. Jose Quintana
d. Kyle Hendricks
2. Who holds the Cubs’ record with three games of five strikeouts?
a. Sammy Sosa
b. Javy Baez
c. Geovany Soto
d. Corey Patterson
3. Ernie Banks had 32 games with exactly three strikeouts. Which of these Hall of Famers had fewer three-strikeout games than Ernie?
a. Willie Mays
b. Mickey Mantle
c. Hank Aaron
d. Frank Thomas
4. It took 17 innings, but one Cub became the only one to strike out six times in a game. Who was it?
a. Hobie Landrith
b. Kyle Schwarber
c. Don Hoak
d. Jody Davis
5. On Wednesday, May 6, 1998, Kerry Wood pitched one of the greatest games in baseball history when he struck out 20 Astros and allowed just one hit. Who got the one hit?
a. Craig Biggio
b. Jeff Bagwell
c. Ricky Gutierrez
d. Moises Alou
6. While playing for the White Sox, how many times did Frank Thomas wear a Golden Sombrero (strike out four times in a game)?
a. Eight c. Three
b. Four d. One
7. Fergie Jenkins, always one of my favorites, was tough against everyone. Which one of his fellow Hall of Famers did he strike out the most times?
a. Willie Stargell
b. Tony Perez
c. Lou Brock
d. Orlando Cepeda
8. Chris Sale has spent his career in Sox, pitching for the Pale Hose from 2010 to 2016 and the BoSox from 2017 to 2019. For which team has he had more 10-strikeout games?
a. White Sox
b. Red Sox
c. The same for each
9. Each of these Chicago players had a strikeout streak of at least 20 games. Who was the one who had a streak that exceeded 30 games?
a. Javy Baez
b. Adam Dunn
c. Daniel Palka
d. Jim Thome
QUIZ ANSWERS
1. Jose Quintana
2. Sammy Sosa
3. Hank Aaron
4. Don Hoak
5. Ricky Gutierrez
6. One
7. Tony Perez
8. Red Sox
9. Adam Dunn
