First, a Bit About Baseball
Which legendary New York Yankees outfielder, known as “The Sultan of Swat,” held the career home run record with 714 home runs until 1974?
Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth had 2,873 career hits and 714 home runs. He was awarded the Most Valuable Player Award in 1923, was a seven-time World Series champion, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
What is the only mammal capable of sustained flight?
The bat. Bats are the only mammals that have the ability to fly, due to their wing structure. A bat’s wings consist of both bones and membranes that allow for a powerful downward stroke, called a thrust. In turn, they get a lift from the air.
How many leagues are there in Major League Baseball? Can you name them?
Two: the National League and the American League. These two leagues were independent of one another in the 19th century. It was not until 1903 that the two merged and became Major League Baseball as we know it today.
What is the term for an animal that is primarily active at night?
Nocturnal. Famously nocturnal, bats’ eyes are sensitive and have adapted to low-light conditions. This evolution allows them to navigate and hunt for insects more effectively in the dark.
What is the name for the annual final championship between the best two teams from each league of Major League Baseball?
The World Series. The first World Series was played in 1903 between Boston and Pittsburgh. Prior to the World Series, both the National League and American League operated independently. Although the first World Series was nine games, a seven-game series has been the standard since 1922.
Which baseball player, known as “The Iron Horse,” set a record by playing in 2,130 consecutive games for the New York Yankees?
Lou Gehrig. Lou Gehrig’s talents on the field led him to become the first baseball player to have his number retired. The New York Yankees retired Gehrig’s number 4 on July 4, 1939.
What is the term for a baby bat?
A pup. Most bats will have only one pup per year, and a mother bat can find her pup among thousands of other bats by its sound and scent.
Who was the famous catcher for the New York Yankees known for his humorous quotes and winning 10 World Series championships during his career?
Yogi Berra. Berra is considered one of the best catchers of all time and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Over his career, he helped the Yankees reach the World Series 14 times and win 10 championships.
What is the term for the way that bats navigate and locate prey in the dark by way of sound?
Echolocation. Bats emit high-frequency sound waves that bounce off objects in their environment, and they interpret the returning echoes to determine the size, distance, and texture of objects.
What is the name of the movie that tells the true story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1943?
A League of Their Own. The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was created in 1943 during World War II, when Major League Baseball was affected by the number of men drafted to the war
Who was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball’s modern era, breaking the color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers?
Jackie Robinson. A hero of American history, Robinson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, and in 2005, George W. Bush awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal.
What is the only continent where bats are not found naturally?
Antarctica. Antarctica is one of the few places in the world where bats are not found. Conversely, the tropics have the biggest variety of bat species. Central and South America are responsible for one-third of the world’s bat species.
What New York Yankee recently broke the record for the most home runs in the American League in a single season?
Aaron Judge. In 2022, Judge hit 62 home runs, breaking fellow Yankee Roger Maris’ record of 61 home runs hit in 1961.
Which state is home to Bracken Cave, the world’s largest bat colony?
Texas. Bracken Cave, located 20 minutes from San Antonio, is home to the world’s largest bat colony. The cave is home to more than 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats.
What is the name of the song traditionally sung during the seventh-inning stretch of a baseball game?
“Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” The songwriters wrote the tune from the perspective of fictional baseball fan Katie Casey, whose boyfriend asks her where she’d like to go out on a date. She replies, “Take me out to the ball game…”
Which baseball player, known as “The Splendid Splinter,” was the last Major League Baseball player to hit over .400 in a season, achieving a .406 average in 1941?
Ted Williams. Ted Williams was not only a phenomenal baseball player but also a soldier. Williams lost five years of playing time because he served in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps during WWII and the Korean War.
What is the diet of most bats primarily composed of?
Most bats are insectivores (feeding on insects). Their diet consists of insects, which is extremely beneficial for farmers and their crops as well as public health. A bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes per hour, which has a large effect on limiting illnesses transferred by mosquitoes.
Who was the baseball player who was accused of betting on his own team and later banned from baseball?
Who was the baseball player who was accused of betting on his own team and later banned from baseball?
What mythical creature is the bat often associated with?
Vampires/Dracula. The myth of vampires has existed since ancient Greece; however, it was not until the 16th century that explorers found a particular bat that fed on blood—Desmodus rotundus. Later nicknamed the vampire bat, this bat was the beginning of the association between bats and vampires.
What salty snack replaced chewing tobacco in Major League Baseball?
: Sunflower seeds. In the early 1900s, baseball players were notorious for chewing tobacco during the games. Although some players were known to chew sunflower seeds rather than tobacco in the 1950s, it was not until 1968 that a young player named Reggie Jackson and his love for sunflower seeds started the popular trend.
Where is the Baseball Hall of Fame located?
Cooperstown, New York. In 1935, a Cooperstown philanthropist named Stephen C. Clark was looking for a way to honor the game when he came up with the idea for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
What is the name of the substance produced by bats that is used as a highly effective and natural fertilizer?
Guano. Guano, or bat manure, is high in potassium nitrate, which makes for a great fertilizer. Guano can also be used for gunpowder and explosives, and it was during the American Civil War
Which baseball position is often referred to as the “hot corner”?
Third base. Third base is referred to as the hot corner because it is the position where the infielder stands closest to the batter. Often, right-handed hitters will hit the ball at incredible speeds down the third base line, which is why teams will usually put their best defensive player on third base.
What position do bats sleep in?
Upside down. Unlike other animals capable of flight, a bat cannot run to gain enough momentum to fly and cannot generate enough power to fly from a standing position. It is theorized that bats sleep upside down so they can simply “hop out of bed” and take flight.
What company is the exclusive supplier of baseballs for Major League Baseball: Spalding or Rawlings?
Rawlings. Rawlings has been the exclusive supplier of Major League baseballs since 1987. The baseballs are made in Costa Rica, and the company reports that it takes up to 10 days to make one ball.