Espo’s Trivia Challenge: Mets Opening Day 2014

Dillon Gee became the 23^rd Mets pitcher to get the starting assignment in the team’s 52-year history.  Fourteen members of this group were one-hit wonders, breaking the seal just once and that was it.  Two of them are now Hall of Famers – Tom Seaver, and Tom Glavine  – and three of them are in the Mets Hall of Fame – Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Dwight Gooden.

So for this Opening Day edition of Espo’s Trivia Challenge, let’s have a little fun with the Mets record on Opening Day – their .654 winning percentage is the best in baseball – and other related matters:

1. 1.     Which of the following starters opened a season for the Mets more than once?

1. A.   AL JACKSON
2. B.   JERRY KOOSMAN
3. C.   BOB OJEDA
4. D.   PEDRO MARTINEZ

1. 2.     In what year did the Mets finally win their first Opening Day?

1. A.   1967
2. B.   1968
3. C.   1969
4. D.   1970

1. 3.     As noted, the Mets own baseball’s all-time winning percentage on Opening Days (.654, 34-18).  Which team owns the second highest winning percentage (.595)

1. A.   New York Yankees
2. B.   Baltimore Orioles
3. C.   Arizona Diamondbacks
4. D.   Seattle Mariners

1. 4.     Three times the Mets have enjoyed walk-off wins on Opening Day.  The first was when this player delivered an RBI single off Steve Carlton to beat the Phillies on April 8, 1975:

1. A.   John Milner
2. B.   Joe Torre
3. C.   Dave Kingman
4. D.   Jerry Grote

1. 5.     The second time the Mets won with a walk-off hit on Opening Day was when this player slugged a 10^th inning home run off Neil Allen to beat the Cardinals on April 9, 1985:  (Shame on any Mets fan over the age of 30 who doesn’t know this one.)

1. A.   KEITH HERNANDEZ
2. B.   MOOKIE WILSON
3. C.   GARY CARTER
4. D.   DARRYL STRAWBERRY

1. 6.     The last time the Mets won on Opening Day thanks to a walk-off hit was when this player banged out a 14^th inning single to beat the Phillies, 1-0, on April 1998:

1. A.   Rey Ordonez
2. B.   Butch Huskey
3. C.   Alberto Castillo
4. D.   Craig Paquette

1. 7.     Which of the following Mets starters never started for the team on Opening Day:

1. A.   Don Cardwell
2. B.   Jon Matlack
3. C.   Mike Torrez
4. D.   Pete Harnisch

1. 8.     On Opening Day, Andrew Brown became the latest Met to hit a home run in his first at-bat of the season.  The last Met to do was this hitter in 2010:

1. A.   David Wright
2. B.   Jeff Francouer
3. C.   Gary Matthews, Jr.
4. D.   Jose Reyes

1. 9.     The start of the 2014 season represents the 10^th consecutive Opening Day David wright has logged for the NY Mets.  This ties him with _____ for second place on the all-time Mets list for consecutive starts, and one behind _____ for the all-time lead of consecutive Opening Day lineups:

1. A.   Ed Kranepool and Bud Harrelson
2. B.   Tom Seaver and Bud Harrelson
3. C.   Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza
4. D.   Ed Kranepool and Tom Seaver

1. 10.                                                Two of the following teams have NEVER faced the Mets on Opening Day. Pick two answers:

1. A.   Colorado Rockies
2. B.   San Diego Padres
3. C.   Milwaukee Brewers
4. D.   Houston Colt 45s/Astros

>>>>> 

ANSWERS

1. 1.     A
2. 2.     D
3. 3.     D
4. 4.     B
5. 5.     C
6. 6.     C
7. 7.     B
8. 8.     A
9. 9.     B
10. 10.                                                C & D

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