Jan. 19, 2004

It’s time for Irish baseball fans to step up to the plate and take their shots … in the ND Baseball Trivia Corner. The point values are weighthed by difficulty, with a maxmimum of 100 points (plus bonus points). Check the next Trivia Corner for the answers to these questions. (submissions for future questions can be sent to lafleur.4@nd.edu).

2004 Season

Single (1 pt) – Who are the tri-captains for the ’04 Irish squad?

Double (2 pts) – Who was the winning pitcher in game 1 of the ’03 Blue-Gold series?

Triple (3 pts) – Notre Dame is slated to face three first-time opponents in ’04. Name two of them (bonus point for naming all three).

Home Run (4 pts) – Which Irish player also is an accomplished musician, playing the cello?

Coaches

Single (1 pt) – Where did Paul Mainieri coach prior to coming to Notre Dame?

Double (2 pts) – What was Hall of Famer “Jake” Kline’s real first name?

Triple (3 pts) – What are the alma maters of current assistants David Grewe and Terry Rooney?

Home Run (4 pts) – Paul Mainieri’s son Nick will serve as a reserve catcher on 2004 Irish squad. At least nine other Notre Dame head coaches (spanning all varsity sports) have coached their son or daughter with the Irish. Name at least six of those coaches to receive the four points (bonus point for each correct answer beyond six).

Paul Mainieri Era

Single (1 pt) – What city has been a regular Spring Break destination for the Irish during the past decade?

Double (2 pts) – Name the two Mainieri-era players who each were twice named Academic All-Americans (bonus point: what were their majors)?

Triple (3 pts) – Notre Dame has gone on the road for three NCAA Regionals during the Mainieri era. Who were the host schools for those Regionals? (single bonus points for naming each of the teams ND faced on the opening day of those Regionals).

Home Run (4 pts) – Notre Dame has played one BIG EAST series in a Major League park. Name it (bonus point: who were ND’s starting pitchers in that doubleheader?).

2002 CWS Season

Single (1 pt) – What is host city for the College World Series (bonus point for providing the stadium name)?

Double (2 pts) – What Irish player was forced to wear a protective mask while batting, during the second half of the ’02 season?

Triple (3 pts) – Name the winning pitcher who delivered Notre Dame’s first BIG EAST Tournament title?

Home Run (4 pts) – List five of the seven other teams that participated in the ’02 CWS (one bonus point for naming all seven).

By The Numbers

Single (1 pt) – How many consecutive 40-win seasons have the Irish posted?

Double (2 pts) – What is the distance (in feet) from home plate to center field at Eck Stadium?

Triple (3 pts) – How long was ND’s midseason winning streak in 2003 (bonus: what team ended the streak)?

Home Run (4 pts) – How many total seasons was Jake Kline involved with ND baseball, as a player, assistant or head coach (bonus point: what was his wife’s name)?

Alums

Single (1 pt) – Name two of the three former Notre Dame players who played in the Major Leagues during the 2003 season (bonus point for naming all three).

Double (2 pts) – This former Irish catcher currently serves as the governor of Indiana.

Triple (3 pts) -Two former ND baseball players received prestigious 2003 awards from the ND Alumni Association. Name them (one bonus point for correctly adding their hometowns while at ND).

Home Run (4 pts) – Can you name the former ND basketball star who now is a vice president with a Major League Baseball club? (also must name the team)

Great Games

Single (1 pt) – Who stroked the triple that sparked the 9th-inning comeback vs. Rice in the 2002 CWS?

Double (2 pts) – Name the pitcher whose gutsy complete-game effort eliminated host Florida State from the 1993 NCAA East Regional (bonus point: what was the score?).

Triple (3 pts) – Who hit the game-ending home run to cap a 2-out rally vs. Central Michigan in 2001, leading to the ND program’s first No. 1 ranking?

Home Run (4 pts) – List the three pitchers who combined on the near no-hitter vs. Miami in a 2000 showdown at Eck Stadium (bonus point for naming the score).

Modern Era (1960-94)

Single (1 pt) – What conference did Notre Dame compete in prior to joining the BIG EAST?

Double (2 pts) – What is the name of the minor-league facility where the Irish played a portion of their schedule during the 1988-93 seasons.

Triple (3 pts) – Steve Sollmann and this 1964 shortstop are the only ND middle infielders to earn All-America honors. Name him (bonus point for adding his hometown while at ND).

Home Run (4 pts) – This football/basketball/baseball star was ND’s first three-sport athlete of the second half of the century. Name him.

Old School (pre-1960s)

Single (1 pt) – What future pro baseball Hall of Famer helped popularize baseball on the Notre Dame campus?

Double (2 pts) – Where did the ND baseball team play its home games, prior to 1977.

Triple (3 pts) – Name the pitcher who tossed a shutout in the 1957 College World Series (bonus point: name the opponent).

Home Run (4 pts) – Steve Sollmann’s six-run game in the 2002 NCAAs tied a 102-year-old record in the ND record book. Who was the first ND player to score six runs in a game (bonus: name the opponent)?

Fungos

Single (1 pt) – Name the benefactor (and namesake) of Notre Dame’s home stadium.

Double (2 pts) – Name the South Bend Tribune reporter who has been on the Irish baseball beat for nearly 50 seasons (bonus point: what is his alma mater?).

Triple (3 pts) – Paul Mainieri’s father Demie is a Hall-of-Fame coach. What is Demie’s nickname (bonus point: what is his wife’s name)?

Home Run (4 pts) – The ND baseball program’s list of all-time monogram winners includes players from 43 states. Name four of the seven states to clear the fences and receive four point (one bonus point for each additional correct state).