Rich Dubroff
The great Orioles offseason quiz
To mark Jim Palmer’s 75th birthday this week, the great Orioles teams of the past and the wacky 2020 season, and more, it’s time for the first offseason edition of the Great Orioles Quiz. The answers will be revealed on Monday.
- Jim Palmer hit two home runs in his career. The first came in 1965 against a pitcher who once was a 20-game winner, but is better known for his off-field accomplishments. Who was it?
- Against which opponent did Palmer win the most games?
- Who was the losing pitcher in the final game Palmer won?
- Palmer never allowed a grand slam. How many three-run home runs he did give up?
- The Orioles have faced 11 of the 14 other American League teams in the postseason. Name the three they haven’t faced.
- Who led the Orioles in batting in the 1979 World Series (position players only)?
- Everyone knows that Brooks Robinson had a great 1970 World Series, but one position player who also played in all five games had a higher batting average. Who was it?
- The Orioles won the 1970 World Series in five games, losing Game 4. Who was the losing pitcher?
- In the 1971 World Series, the Orioles hit five home runs. Who were the two players who each hit two?
- Name the only Oriole pitcher to homer in a World Series game.
- Paul Blair started two games in center field in the 1966 World Series. Who started the other two?
- Name the only position player to pitch for the Orioles in the 2020 season.
- No Orioles pitcher came to bat in 2020, but one scored a run. Who was it?
- The Orioles added one player to the active roster in the 2020 season who never appeared in a game. Name him.
- Austin Hays hit an inside-the-park home run on August 11 in Philadelphia. Before Hays did it, who was the last Oriole to hit an inside-the-park home run?
- Who was the last Oriole to homer three times in a game? (It did not occur in 2020.)
- The Los Angeles Dodgers have one former Oriole on their active postseason roster. Who is it?
- Name the Oriole player who sang the National Anthem on the day of his major league debut.
- Who was the winning pitcher the night the Orioles won their first game in 1988 after 21 straight losses to begin the season?
- In 1996, the Orioles went to the postseason for the first time since they won the 1983 World Series. Mike Mussina, Scott Erickson and David Wells started the most games. Four other pitchers had 10 or more starts. Name two.
- In 1997, the Orioles had a reliever who won 10 games. Who was it?
- What was the last Baltimore radio station other than 105.7 The Fan and WBAL to carry Orioles games?
- Who was the final batter in the last game at Memorial Stadium in 1991?
- Eddie Murray played for four other teams in addition to the Orioles. Can you name them?
- Next year, the Orioles will have a new pitching coach. Doug Brocail was their pitching coach in 2019 and 2020. How many pitching coaches did the Orioles have from 2010-2019?
- Which minor league team was affiliated with the Orioles for the longest time?
- Which Oriole player was an NBA teammate of Allen Iverson?
- In 2016, the Orioles stole just 19 bases. Who led them in steals with four?
- The Orioles traded Jeremy Guthrie to the Colorado Rockies just before spring training in 2012 for which two pitchers?
- Name the last Oriole pitcher to throw consecutive complete games.
Rich Dubroff Rich Dubroff grew up in Brooklyn as a fan of New York teams, but after he moved to Baltimore, quickly adopted the Orioles and Colts. After nearly two decades as a freelancer assisting on Orioles coverage for several outlets, principally The Capital in Annapolis and The Carroll County Times, Dubroff began covering the team fulltime in 2011. He spent five years at Comcast SportsNet’s website and for the last two seasons, wrote for PressBoxonline.com, Dubroff lives in Baltimore with his wife of more than 30 years, Susan.
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View Comments
I’m a 60 year old lifelong O’s fan but your quizzes always let me know how little I know about them. I’m usually lucky if I can get 1/3 of the answers correct.
David, I tried to make this one a little easier. There are a number I wouldn’t have known without looking up.
The one answer I’m absolutely certain of is #10 because I was sitting in my 5th grade class in 1970 listening to the game with a small transistor radio when the grand slam was hit and in my excitement I let out a scream which attracted the teachers attention. When he asked me what was going on I simply told him “Dave McNally just hit a grand slam.” Luckily for me he must’ve been an O’s fan as well and he just said “Alright!!”
Without Googling (Long time, no see, Rich). Though I read regularly!
1. Jim Palmer hit two home runs in his career. The first came in 1965 against Jim Bouton, who wrote Ball Four.
2. Palmer won the most games against the Indians, guess. Our Division. Lots of games.
5. The O's never faced Boston, Houston or Tampa Bay in the post-season.
6. Kiko Garcia led the Orioles in batting in the 1979 World Series (position players only)?
7. Boog Powell also played in all five games had a higher batting average.
8. Eddie Watt got the loss in Game 4.
9. Don Buford and Boog each hit two homers in the 1971 World Series.
10. Dave McNally was the only Oriole pitcher to homer in a World Series game.
11. Russ Snyder would have been the starting center fielder for the other two 1966 WS games.
18. Jim Traber sang the National Anthem on the day of his major league debut.
19. Mark Williamson won their first game in 1988 after 21 straight losses to begin the season?
20.. Scott Kamenicki would have been one ad Rocky Coppinger also in 1996.
21. Reliever with 10 wins in 1997 might have been Buddy Groom?
22. WFBR carried the games, frustratingly. Weak nighttime signal
Who was the final batter in the last game at Memorial Stadium in 1991?
24. Eddie was a Dodger and an Indian.
26. The Rochester Red Wings had something like a 20-year affiliation, maybe longer. The Frederick Keys probably come close.
29. Guthrie landed us Jason Hammel and (gosh his name started with an L...) - Matt Linstrom?
How did I do?
You’ll find out on Monday.
I think I know 5 answers, and guessed at 9 more. I have no clue about the other 16. Good quiz Rich.
Glad this wasn’t a final...nice job Rich...go O’s...
Fun quiz, Rich! I only knew about 10 of them offhand and had to look up the rest. I definitely learned some things I didn't know.
But for #5, by my count there are only three current AL teams they haven't faced in the postseason (assuming you're including Wild Card Games). And I have two answers for #14 -- one was on the opening day roster and opted out, the other was called up on Aug. 14 and DFAd two days later. (I'm avoiding naming them so I don't spoil the answers for anyone else.)
Thank you, Paul. You are correct. I made an error on question No. 5, which I have changed.