Thursday Trivia XI

Participation may be down because of the tournament. Play or don't. Internet research is discouraged; common sense and institutional sports knowledge are.

A very solid lineup of what I think are tough, but interesting, questions today. Gentlemen, and ladies, start your craniums.

1. Of players with more than 500 hits with the franchise, who has the highest batting average in the history of the Chicago Cubs?
ANSWER: Riggs Stephenson is correct, at .3359, or .336. Bill Madlock has a higher average (.3362) but doesn't have 500 hits with the Cubs.

2. (I'm trusting a source on this question) Who was the last sixth man to lead his NBA team in scoring for an entire season?
ANSWER: Freeman Williams for the 1980-81 San Diego Clippers. Starters on that team were Swen nater, Brian Taylor, Michael Brooks, Phil Smith and Joe Bryant. Williams was No. 6 in minutes played but outscored everyone. He averaged 19.3 points per game in 24 minutes per game.

3. Who was the first player from one of the six 1967 NHL expansion franchises to lead the NHL in scoring?
ANSWER: Marcel Dionne of the 1980 Los Angeles Kings is correct.

4. Who are the only major-league players since 1995 to hit for the cycle TWICE.
ANSWER: Brad Wilkerson (2003, 2005) and John Olerud (1997, 2001) are correct. Olerud is also one of two players to have hit a cycle in each league; Bob Watson is the other.

5. (After much research, I'm virtually 100 percent certain of the answer to this question. If I'm proven there is another answer, more power to you, but I could only find documentation on one team).

This major-college football team played regular-season games in the PERMANENT home venues of FIVE DIFFERENT major-league baseball teams IN THE SAME SEASON. Name the team. Bonus points for naming the venues.

Just to clear up any confusion, it would be like the 2008 Kansas Jayhawks playing games at Coors Field, Kaufman Stadium, Busch Stadium, Wrigley Field and Minute Maid Park.

The LA Coliseum doesn't count, as it was the Dodgers' temporary venue. (And it's not in the answer anyway.)

ANSWER: The 1948 NYU Violets, who were a major-college team at the time, played Fordham at the Polo Grounds; Boston University at Fenway Park; Rutgers at Yankee Stadium; Brooklyn College at Ebbetts Field, and Georgetown at Griffith Stadium.


BONUS QUESTION: Since we're talking about cycles, who is the only major-league player to hit for the cycle three times in his career?

ANSWER: Bob Meusel, who hit for the cycle three times, in 1921, 1922 and 1928.

 

1 is Riggs Stephenson

 

1. Mark Grace
2. John Starks

 

1. Riggs Stephenson

EDIT: Dammit, beaten by another Cubs fan.

 

Regarding No. 2 -- Straight points, or Average?

 

Grace only holds the Cubs record for career avg. for a lefthanded hitter.

 

Doc,

Both.

 

Ben Gordon led his team in scoring two years ago, but not in average. Eddy Curry did.

 

2. Havlicek?

 

Is No. 5 Army? (Ebbets Field, Yankee Stadium, Polo Grounds in NYC, Veterans Stadium in Philly and Memorial/Municipal Stadium in Baltimore)

2. McHale?

 

For No. 5 are we talking current MLB stadiums or current and former MLB stadiums?

I know Notre Dame has played at Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds so I'll guess it's the Irish. I just need to come up with three more ballparks.

 

Remember, No. 5 isn't "played in five major-league stadiums all-time." It's "played in five major-league stadiums in ONE SEASON."

No correct answers on No. 5 yet.

or for the NBA puzzler.