Season Preview: 2007 AFC West

San Diego ran away and hid from the rest of the West last season, ran being the operative term, as they hitched their wagon to LaDanian Tomlinson and his record-smashing season, riding it to 14 wins. Kansas City limped into the playoffs behind the Chargers, Denver lost out on the playoffs, but lost things much more precious in the off-season, and Oakland was black-and-blue instead of black-and-silver. What will happen this year?

From bottom to top, the AFC West in the 2007-08 season:

Oakland Raiders: Good news: They got the number-one overall pick in the draft and used it wisely to pick JaMarcus Russell, the best quarterback available. Bad news: As of this writing, he still isn't signed yet, and recent signee Daunte Culpepper is penciled in as the starter for now, he of the eight starts in two years. Great news: Their third-ranked defense is still there. Flip side of that news: It was last year, too, on a 2-14 team, which now, in addition to its quarterback problems, has injury problems with new running back Dominic Rhodes. Not a good time to be a Raider, all in all. Prediction: 4-12, fourth place

Kansas City Chiefs: It's Offense by Subtraction time in Kansas City. They let Trent Green and Dante Hall go, and will try to see how far they get with Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzalez, apparently. It's hard to see Brodie Croyle or Damon Huard as long-term solutions, and even short-term at quarterback, they're iffy at best. So, it's up to the defense, right? The defense was middle of the road last year (16th last year, exactly middle) and can't carry this team far. It'll be tough times at Arrowhead this year. Prediction: 6-10, third place

Denver Broncos: To say that the Broncos had the off-season from hell is putting it mildly. Hours after the last game of the season, CB Darrent Williams was shot and killed outside a Denver nightclub. Then backup RB Damien Nash died from an unknown heart condition at a charity basketball event. It has to be a great relief to get back to the business of football. Offensively, they lost RB Tatum Bell to Detroit, but since this is the patented 1,000-Yard Season Machine, they'll just plug Travis Henry in and keep chugging. QB Jay Cutler is the man full-time now, and he still has WR Rod Smith to throw to, but only time will tell is this is a good thing or not. Defensively, a solid defense gets better with the additions of CB Dre Bly and DT Sam Adams to a unit that already had Champ Bailey and John Lynch. It's, thankfully, back to business, and business is good. Prediction: 10-6, second place

San Diego Chargers: However, business is great in San Diego, and it just starts, although it's a big start, with Tomlinson, who will be his consistently awesome self yet again. QB Phillip Rivers, in his first full season at the controls, showed just why the Chargers were quick to send Eli Manning away for him, and he should only get better from here. TE Antonio Gates is a great target, and gives Rivers possession catches, deep catches, whatever is needed. And the defense, led by Shawne Merriman is great against the rush (seventh in the league), a great thing when facing Johnson, Rhodes (when healthy), and (insert Denver 1,000-yard rusher here). Overall, too much team for the West to handle. Prediction: 11-5, division champion.

San Diego will be in a dog fight with Denver the whole season, but it'll be good for them to be in a long battle before the war of the postseason begins in January.

Season Preview: 2007 AFC South

Last year, Peyton Manning finally added the hardware to the hard stats, as the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl in rainy Miami. A different kind of reign is what the Colts have had in the South, a monsoon is more like it. The question is now, what have the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and Tennessee Titans done to catch up?

From bottom to top, the AFC South in the 2007-08 season:

Houston Texans: David Carr was hit more often than Yahoo the last five seasons, so obviously it was all his fault the Texans offense was horrible. No, it couldn't have been because of the offensive line, or the fact that they passed on Reggie Bush for DE Mario Williams, it was Carr's fault. Now we'll see for sure, as the Texans traded the ranch to Atlanta for Matt Schaub, who still doesn't have a line in front of him and still not much help at running back, despite the signing of Ahman Green. Their defense is good, now slightly better with Amobi Okoye, a great first-round draft pick, but not good enough to carry the offense, and Houston's hopes, to the playoffs. Prediction: 6-10, fourth place

Tennessee Titans: Vince Young is very good, no doubt, but this is his show from the jump this year, and he's going to have to prove that this is not going to be Atlanta North, that he has what Michael Vick doesn't seem to, the ability to consistently throw the ball. Oh, by the way, he's going to have to do it without top receiver Drew Bennett, who left for St. Louis. And without Travis Henry at running back. And without known commodities replacing either one. And with little support from what was last year the worst defense by yardage in the NFL. VY is good, but is he Superman? Prediction: 7-9, third place

Jacksonville Jaguars: Head coach Jack Del Rio basically cleaned house on his coaching staff, believing his Jaguars to be better than the 8-8 they were last year. This year will reveal if he was a prophet or not, since the team is largely unchanged from last year. They'll still have quarterback questions between Byron Leftwich and David Garrard, not a good thing, since neither may be the long or short term answer. They'll still have the number-two defense, a very good thing. They'll have RB Maurice Jones-Drew and WR Matt Jones, two positives, if they can repeat their performances of last season. All in all, though, they stood pat when they would've been better served to make some noise on the roster instead of in the press box. Prediction: 9-7, second place

Indianapolis Colts: The only real question mark in Indianapolis, as it usually is, is the defense. Only this time the question has changed, from “Where is it?” to “Which one will show up?” Will it be the one that got shredded like cheese against the run last regular season? Or will it be the one that shut down Larry Johnson and Jamal Lewis, and carried the Colts to the Super Bowl title in the playoffs? They resigned Dwight Freeney (great), but let Kato June become a Buccaneer (not so hot) and made no other real moves, so the Colts are gambling that the defense woke up. The offense...well, they've still got Manning, Joseph Addai, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark. They're more than OK. Prediction: 13-3, division champion.

So, the pieces are in place for the Colts to repeat as division champion. Now the bigger question is, will they repeat as world champion? Stay tuned!

Season Preview: 2007 AFC North

The Baltimore Ravens found themselves an offense last year that could hold up their end of the bargain with their stellar defense. Pittsburgh had an off year and still finished 8-8. The Cincinnati Bengals played pinball with the scoreboard on offense to cover for a lack of defense. And Cleveland was still looking for the glory days to return. Will anything change this season?

From bottom to top, the AFC North in the 2007-08 season:

Cleveland Browns: Patience is a virtue, as Brady Quinn can tell you after sitting there all day in that New York City theatre on Draft Day. It's about time for the Browns ownership to lose theirs. Time will tell if Quinn is the leader for this franchise, but he doesn't have a great history to follow (Tim Couch, Jeff Garcia, Cameron Frye, Derek Anderson anyone?) and not a great line in front of him. Then, they let Reuben Droughns walk to the Giants, and replaced him with a faded Jamal Lewis. And they made no real improvements to a defense ranked 27th in the league. Patience has its limits. This season may tell where the Browns' limit is. Prediction: 6-10, fourth place

Cincinnati Bengals: The legal problems, as bad as they are, aren't the reason Cincinnati has been mediocre two of the past three seasons, but it's a part of it. The over-emphasis on offense isn't the reason, either, but it's a part of it. The in-fighting that has boiled over into the press at times isn't it, either. A lack of star power (QB Carson Palmer, WR's Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh) can't be blamed. It's all of those things, mixed in with a big serving of lack of defense (30th last season, and now without two good players in Kevin Kaesviharn and Brian Simmons) to make a .500 Souffle. Now place it in the oven and bake it for an hour at 350. Serves 53. Prediction: 8-8, third place

Pittsburgh Steelers: If you need any other indicator of the success of the Steelers in the past 38 years than the fact that new head coach Mike Tomlin is only the third coach for Pittsburgh in that time frame, well, there are plenty, and possibly plenty ahead. This team faced coaching uncertainty as Bill Cowher mulled retirement and their starting quarterback dashing himself to pieces in a motorcycle wreck and still finished at .500. This year, with QB Ben Roethlisberger at full strength, RB Willie Parker being his usual solid self and the defense still among the best in the NFL, this team will return to the playoffs that seem to be more of a birthright than something that has to be earned for the gold and black. Prediction: 10-6, second place, wild card team

Baltimore Ravens: QB Steve McNair has brought something new to Baltimore, something that hasn't been there since the days of Johnny Unitas: a stable starting quarterback. In addition to that good news, there's the acquisition of Willis McGahee at running back, the return of WR's Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton, TE Todd Heap, and the continued emergence of WR Demetrius Williams. There's the good new news, and now the good old news: the defense is still the better unit. Ray Lewis returns to lead a unit that is loaded with All-Pros, like Ed Reed, Chris McAllister, Trevor Pryce, Terrell Suggs, and Bart Scott. The Ravens continue to serve notice that the road out of the AFC North runs through Charm City. Prediction: 12-4, division champion

So, Baltimore looks to repeat and to return to the Super Bowl, and Pittsburgh will look to stop that from happening. Welcome back to the AFC North.

Cycle Lanes

It was not so much a decision to commute to work, but a choice imposed by the fact that my car stuck in a garage waiting for parts. Not that I was resistant to the idea, the only factor having put me off was the time it would take and the thought of arriving in the office drenched with sweat..

A change of clothes in a backpack, and the anticipation of riding blissfully past the early morning traffic pushed these reservations to the side and I prepared my bike for travel, removing the chunky off-road tyres and replacing then with a semi-slick version more suited to the cycle lanes and paths

I soon discovered that, like the Sinclair C5 and garlic ice-cream, cycle lanes are one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time but don’t live up to expectations.

For their safety and convenience, pedestrians are segregated from road traffic so it does seem like common sense to separate cyclists too. At least that is what I thought until I experienced them firsthand. Less than a mile into my journey I had come to the conclusion that many cycle lanes are ill conceived, inconvenient and potentially dangerous.

The shared footpath versions are the worst by far. One the one hand cyclists are condemned for riding on the pavement and on the other someone has the bright idea of making some of them cycle lanes. Cyclists using these lanes are forced, when they end, to join the traffic again. It is evident to anyone, other than the non-cyclist who came up with the idea, that inconsistent regulations lead to confusion and widespread disregard.

While driving the same route I have often noted cyclists sticking to the road and ignoring the cycle lane. Now I know why. Either their bunny hop skills weren’t up to scratch or they were simply fed up joining, leaving, and rejoining the traffic.

More important than mere inconvenience is the fact that these cycle lanes are downright dangerous. There is inherent risk in allowing a bicycle travelling at speed to share a narrow strip with parents with pushchairs, people walking dogs, and children, separated by only a strip of white paint. It’s difficult to decide which of these is the most unpredictable.

More frustrating when you are trying to get to work and not just out for a leisurely ride is the fact that the cyclist is removed from the flow of traffic and so is no longer taken into account as a vehicle. The cyclist’s route is broken at every side road or turning point and is often forced to rejoin the road at totally unpredictable points.

But all is not lost. Some routes have a dedicated cycle lane at the side of the road. Separated from traffic and pedestrians they allow unimpeded travel but unfortunately I found some stretches to be poorly maintained. Littered with broken glass and dog excrement, and in many cases not wide enough to allow the cyclist to avoid drainage grills are a few of the obstacles encountered. Even those that are in good condition may not be as safe as they seem. One part of my journey takes me alongside a dual carriageway with a 50 mph speed limit. As it approaches the city it is joined by a second similar road giving a total of 4 lanes of fast moving traffic and the cycle lane finishes abruptly at the point where they join. Two lanes of busy rush hour traffic to cross before getting back to the cycle way and my annoyance only matched by car drivers wondering what that bicycle is doing in the middle of the road.

If cycling is to be encouraged then road planners must incorporate cycle routes into their planning. Tagging them on as an afterthought into an existing transport network is fraught with danger. As predicted I was covered in sweat when I reached the office, but it was more through stress than exertion.

The Amazing Record Of Utah Jazz Head Coach Jerry Sloan

Jerry Sloan started his coaching career with the team he starred for, the Chicago Bulls. In his three seasons as the head coach of the Bulls he would have one season with a record better than .500. He was let go midway through the 1981-82 season. If he never coached again in the NBA, no one at the time would've been shocked. But, later in the 1980s he was given another chance and was hired as head coach of the Utah Jazz. And the rest, as they say, is history.

In twenty seasons as the head coach of the Utah Jazz, Jerry Sloan's team has finished with a record below .500 only one time. This occurred in the 2004-05 season when the team had a record of 26-46. While he has never won a championship with the Jazz, despite going to the NBA Finals twice in the back to back seasons of 1996-97 and 1997-98, Sloan remains one of the most well respected coaches in the game. His team always competes and is known for its methodical offense and tenacious defense. Sloan seeks out hard working players and shies away from the prima donnas that seem to populate the rosters of other successful teams. These traits have endeared the team to its fans, making for games in Salt Lake City to be hostile territory for the visiting teams.

To have a winning record in 19 out of 20 seasons in the NBA is both amazing and unheard of. No other coach can match up to this, partially because few other teams have the patience to stick with a coach for this long of a term. This patience has paid off for the Utah Jazz as it has allowed them to retain a guaranteed Hall-of-Fame caliber basketball coach for what will most likely be the bulk of his coaching career.

How to Oil Your Baseball Glove

Some baseball players get a new glove every season. Others stick with the same piece of gear for several years – until the leather is nearly worn out, the laces are broken and most of the pocket’s signature is gone.

No matter how long you use your glove, you should oil it at least once every season. Since this task can take a day or two to complete, start a few days before the first practice of the new season. Your glove will have plenty of time to soak up the extra oil and you’ll have a supple, well-maintained glove the first time you take the field.

Here’s how to properly oil your glove. Whether this gear is brand-new or several years old, you can follow these directions to work that protective oil deep into the leather.

What You’ll Need
-A bottle of glove oil.
-An old toothbrush, preferably with softer bristles.
-Two or three hand towels that you don’t mind staining.
-A rubber band large enough to put over your glove when you’re finished oiling.
-A baseball that you don’t mind covering with glove oil.

First, wipe off any dirt or dust on the glove. If your gear has been in storage since last season ended, you might have a lot of dust to clean off before you can begin oiling.

Apply a small amount of oil to the toothbrush and apply to the laces. You should saturate every possible section of lace with the glove oil. Try to work oil into parts that you can’t see, but can reach. This will extend the time between re-lacings. While you’re doing this, you should tighten up the laces. In most cases, pulling the ends and re-knotting them works well.

When you’ve finished oiling all the lacing that you can reach, use the towel to wipe off any extra oil and move on to the rest of the glove. Fold up the towel so that you have a small square or rectangle.

When the towel fits comfortably into your hand, apply several drops of oil to one corner and start rubbing it into the glove. You can start almost anywhere you want, but save the inside – where your hand belongs – for last.

Use a circular motion to apply the oil. You don’t need to bear down on the glove: light pressure is more than enough to work the oil into the leather.

Move to the next section and continue oiling. You should get the outside of your glove as well as the inside (pocket part). Pay special attention to the spaces between the fingers as well as the pocket.

As you oil, your glove will change color. This is normal. The leather is supposed to darken as the oil soaks in. Don’t worry about using too much oil: you’ll take care of that problem when you’re finished.

Reapply oil to the towel as necessary. Depending on the size of your glove and how long it’s been since you last oiled, you could go through a few ounces of glove oil. That’s normal and shouldn’t worry you.

Finish oiling by unfolding the towel and wiping it around inside the glove. This part – where your hand spends its time – needs protection from your sweat, so wipe generously.

Now grab another towel and wipe off any excess oil. Put your baseball in the pocket and wrap the fresh towel around the outside. Secure everything with the rubber band and leave the glove in a cool, dry place for a couple of days.

Some people like to break in new gloves by putting them under weights for a day or two. You can stick your glove between your mattresses, for example, so that the pocket conforms to the baseball that you’ve tucked inside.

When you unwrap the towel in a couple of days, the glove will smell good and be ready for your first practice. You can oil again at the end of the season, before your glove goes into storage. In the meantime, enjoy the game and your freshly-oiled gear.

Youth Baseball Gear: Picking the Perfect Glove

Young baseball players are still learning the fundamental skills that they need to play a solid game. Every time they practice or play, they learn something new that they will always need on the field.

Shopping for the right baseball glove is vital to this learning process. When parents force their young players to use the wrong equipment, children pay less attention to developing fundamental skills.

You might think that the one-hundred-dollar, professional-grade glove is ideal for your tee-ball player, but he needs something that fits him much more than he needs the coolest glove in the entire league. He could be so busy trying to make the glove work that he can’t concentrate on making the play.

When you help your child find the right glove, you’re helping him do his best on the field. These tips will guide you and your player to the right gear for his position and size.

The first thing that you need to consider is your child’s position. If he plays outfield, you should not buy him a first-baseman’s mitt. You can buy him a second glove if he’s trying to learn a new position, but make sure that he has the right glove for his usual job. Otherwise he’ll waste lots of time and energy trying to make the wrong equipment fit his position – when he could be concentrating on making his body do its job.

Some leagues have rules about different gloves. There can be size restrictions as well as rules governing colors and other options. Ask your child’s coach or a league representative for information on these rules. This is easier and far less expensive than buying a glove, only to learn that your child’s league doesn’t allow that equipment on the field.

Some parents think that their children will “grow into” gloves. This might work for some sports equipment, but not in this case. Tee-ball players have in fact been given adult-sized gloves before – and their parents expected them to use these gloves like pros!

The problem with oversized equipment is that a child’s body isn’t large or strong enough to properly use the adult-sized gear. Most pros began playing ball with pint-sized gloves when they were your child’s age, so don’t be afraid to follow that example.

A glove that fits properly won’t fall off the child’s hand easily. Your child will also be able to lift and lower this glove with one arm. If he must use both arms to bring the glove off the ground after fielding a ground ball, the gear is probably too large. Try a smaller version.

And if you’re concerned about the cost of buying new gloves as your child grows into larger models, remember that you can trade or sell almost any sports equipment. Your city or town probably has a sports-themed consignment shop that will take outgrown gear. You can also trade with other parents or find an online store or auction to help you get rid of outgrown gear.

Glory Hunting in Football

The principle of glory hunting is one well established in football. It has got to the point where one can walk down any street in any British city and not be surprised to see Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal shirts. People apparently see nothing strange in showing their allegiance to a team, a city, to which they have no allegiance. They merely choose the football team they wish, and who would choose to support a team that won’t win anything?

However, as distasteful as it is to be abused by a United fan who couldn’t find Manchester on a map, they’re still better than foreign-based glory hunters. Whilst this could sound like thinly veiled xenophobia, there is reasoning behind it. Whilst an English fan might not have any connection to Chelsea, other than liking the fact they win things, he is at least supporting an English club (albeit one owned by a Russian, managed by a Brazilian, with a Czech in goal). The situation gets slightly stranger when listening to a thickly accented Malaysian voice describing his love for Liverpool and his hero worship of Steven Gerrard.

One of the stranger sights in the world of sport is witnessing a Manchester United match in a pub in Sofia with 30 voices singing pro-United songs in Bulgarian (with apparently all involved missing the irony). This can only serve to infuriate those who reckon themselves ‘true’ fans as one of the main Bulgarian sides, CSKA Sofia, had a match at the same time not 20 minutes away. CSKA Sofia are not a bad team (only Rangers and Celtic have won more domestic titles in Europe) but the Bulgarian ‘fans’ of more popular English teams have no desire to support their local side.

Football is a unifying force throughout the world; fans from any country can have something in common, something to spark a conversation. However, the predominance of the English Premier League, something which British football fans are told repeatedly is a good thing, means that the majority of football fans met, no matter the country, will support one out of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, or Liverpool. Passionately.

This lack of interest destroys domestic teams, as there are parts of the world that know that if they schedule a match at the same time as a Premiership match their attendance will drop dramatically. For example, there are teams in Africa, Asia, and America that are surrounded by football fans who could not care less about them, but will defend to the death Chelsea’s honour. Football should be, and is, a common denominator and a way for different cultures to interact and befriend each other. It just shouldn’t be over the same four teams. If people don’t support their local clubs and just choose a team that’s likely to win something then the passion for the game will drain away, and that benefits no one.

Debut of the Phillie Phanatic

Since the late 1970s or April 25, 1978 to be exact, the Phillie Phanatic has been one of baseball’s most successful mascots. Replacing Philadelphia Phil and Philadelphia Phillis as the team’s primary supporting fans, the Phillie Phanatic has been a steady presence in Philadelphia baseball ever since that day.

At the time of his debut, the Phillie Phanatic’s only competition for stardom and a claim to fame as the furriest and most engaging baseball mascot was the San Diego Chicken, a bright yellow chicken wearing an even brighter orange outfit and parading around the stadium for the Padres.

From his 6 feet, 6 inch stature to his 300 pound weight, this mascot offers a demanding presence that few eyes can avoid. Despite his clumsy walk or perhaps because of it, the Phillie Phanatic has a loyal following of fans that never dwindles. In fact, he is named after the fanatic fans who attended the Phillies’ games back in the 1970s and the days of disco.

The brain child of Dennis Lehman of Harrison and Erikson of New York City, the Phillie Phanatic’s waist is probably the largest anyone will ever see at a full 90 inches. His belly adds to the clumsiness that his huge feet wearing size 20 shoes create. With an extra long beak that is home to an even longer curled-up tongue, this mascot can really reach out to his fans and enjoys doing so to the screaming delight of those targeted by that bright red tongue.

The Phillie Phanatic’s bright green fur makes him easily recognizable, although he has occasionally turned this color in for fire engine red. He has deep black pupils in overly large white eyeballs beneath purple eyelashes and bright blue eyebrows. The Phillie Phanatic is every much a part of Philadelphia and Philadelphia baseball as any individual player on the team.

Intro blurb: The Phillie Phanatic’s debut in the late 1970s caused a big stir. HIs type of mascot had only been seen in professional baseball once before. Nonetheless, the fans reacted wildly as Philadelphia sports fans always do.

New York Yankees Trivia

The New York Yankees are the most storied franchise in all of baseball, and probably in all of professional sports. The boys in the pinstripes have been captivating fans for countless seasons, and there’s no sign of that changing any time soon. To find out if you’re as big of a champion off the field as the Yankees are on it, test your knowledge with this quiz!


The New York Yankees just won the World Series, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. How many championships has the team now won?
25
26
27
28

Prior to the 2009 World Series victory, when was the last time the Yankees were world champions?
1996
1998
2000
2001

The Yankees used to be known as the New York Highlanders. In what year did they become the Yankees?
1903
1908
1911
1913

In 1960, Roger Maris led the league in quite a few categories. Which of the following was NOT one of them?
RBIs
Home Runs
Slugging Percentage
Extra Base Hits

Which player wore number 32, which is now retired by the team?
Elston Howard
Ron Guidry
Reggie Jackson
Don Mattingly

Which Yankee pitcher holds the record for most wins in one season?
Roger Clemens
Andy Pettitte
Jack Chesbro
Whitey Ford

The Yankees have many nicknames. Which is not one of them?
America’s Team
The Bronx Bombers
The Bronx Zoo
The Pinstripers

Which stadium have the Yankees never called home?
The Polo Grounds
Giants Stadium
Shea Stadium
Brush Stadium

During which of the following decades did the Yankees not win a World Series?
1980s
1970s
1960s
1950s
1940s

How long is the team’s best streak of winning American League pennants?
10 years
8 years
7 years
5 years

Before moving to New York, where did the Yankees play?
Washington, DC
New Jersey
Baltimore
Philadelphia

Don Larsen is perhaps best known for pitching a perfect game in the World Series. In what year did this occur?
1954
1956
1958
1960

Who was the first right-handed Yankee to hit 40 home runs in one season?
Lou Gherig
Mickey Mantle
Joe DiMaggio
Babe Ruth

Which team has never been managed by the legendary Joe Torre?
Baltimore Orioles
New York Mets
Atlanta Braves
St. Louis Cardinals

For how many years was Lou Gherig named American League MVP?
One
Two
Three
Four


That’s all folks! To find out whether you hit a home run or struck out on the trivia, refer to the guide below:

0-3 Correct: T-Ball Enthusiast – To say Yankee trivia is your strong point is like saying that elephants are easy to hide. Nice try.

4-6 Correct: Cracker Jack Salesman – You’re a step above clueless, but no one’s going to be asking you to set a lineup anytime soon.

7-9 Correct: Fair-weather Fan – You know a bit about the team and may wear a hat around town, but when the going gets tough, you don’t know what’s going on.

10-12 Correct: Bench Warmer – You spend a lot of time in the dugout, but you’ve yet to have your moment under the lights. No worries, you’re almost there!

13-15 Correct: Yankee Skipper – It doesn’t get any better than this. You’re at the helm because you know everything there is to know about baseball’s greatest franchise. Congratulations!
New York Yankees Trivia

The New York Yankees are the most storied franchise in all of baseball, and probably in all of professional sports. The boys in the pinstripes have been captivating fans for countless seasons, and there’s no sign of that changing any time soon. To find out if you’re as big of a champion off the field as the Yankees are on it, test your knowledge with this quiz!


The New York Yankees just won the World Series, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. How many championships has the team now won?
25
26
27
28

Prior to the 2009 World Series victory, when was the last time the Yankees were world champions?
1996
1998
2000
2001

The Yankees used to be known as the New York Highlanders. In what year did they become the Yankees?
1903
1908
1911
1913

In 1960, Roger Maris led the league in quite a few categories. Which of the following was NOT one of them?
RBIs
Home Runs
Slugging Percentage
Extra Base Hits

Which player wore number 32, which is now retired by the team?
Elston Howard
Ron Guidry
Reggie Jackson
Don Mattingly

Which Yankee pitcher holds the record for most wins in one season?
Roger Clemens
Andy Pettitte
Jack Chesbro
Whitey Ford

The Yankees have many nicknames. Which is not one of them?
America’s Team
The Bronx Bombers
The Bronx Zoo
The Pinstripers

Which stadium have the Yankees never called home?
The Polo Grounds
Giants Stadium
Shea Stadium
Brush Stadium

During which of the following decades did the Yankees not win a World Series?
1980s
1970s
1960s
1950s
1940s

How long is the team’s best streak of winning American League pennants?
10 years
8 years
7 years
5 years

Before moving to New York, where did the Yankees play?
Washington, DC
New Jersey
Baltimore
Philadelphia

Don Larsen is perhaps best known for pitching a perfect game in the World Series. In what year did this occur?
1954
1956
1958
1960

Who was the first right-handed Yankee to hit 40 home runs in one season?
Lou Gherig
Mickey Mantle
Joe DiMaggio
Babe Ruth

Which team has never been managed by the legendary Joe Torre?
Baltimore Orioles
New York Mets
Atlanta Braves
St. Louis Cardinals

For how many years was Lou Gherig named American League MVP?
One
Two
Three
Four


That’s all folks! To find out whether you hit a home run or struck out on the trivia, refer to the guide below:

0-3 Correct: T-Ball Enthusiast – To say Yankee trivia is your strong point is like saying that elephants are easy to hide. Nice try.

4-6 Correct: Cracker Jack Salesman – You’re a step above clueless, but no one’s going to be asking you to set a lineup anytime soon.

7-9 Correct: Fair-weather Fan – You know a bit about the team and may wear a hat around town, but when the going gets tough, you don’t know what’s going on.

10-12 Correct: Bench Warmer – You spend a lot of time in the dugout, but you’ve yet to have your moment under the lights. No worries, you’re almost there!

13-15 Correct: Yankee Skipper – It doesn’t get any better than this. You’re at the helm because you know everything there is to know about baseball’s greatest franchise. Congratulations!