Category: Brain Teasers

Trivia: Which ancient wonder was the world’s tallest building for 3,800 years?

Colossus of Rhodes
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Library of Alexandria
Great Pyramid of Giza

The correct answer is Great Pyramid of Giza

So why is this answer correct? : Finished around 2570 BCE and rising 481 feet above the ground, the Great Pyramid of Giza was the world’s tallest structure until 1221 CE, when it was overtaken by Old St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. Churches and cathedrals would remain the world’s tallest buildings until completion of the Washington Monument in 1888.

Trivia: Johnny Vander Meer accomplished what unmatched feat?

800 career home runs
25 strikeouts in a game
200 steals in a season
Consecutive no-Hitters

The correct answer is Consecutive no-Hitters

So why is this answer correct? : 1938 marked the sophomore season for the Cincinnati Reds’ Johnny Vander Meer, who accomplished something no other baseball player has ever done. On June 1 against the Boston Braves and on June 15 versus the Brooklyn Cyclones, Vander Meer threw back-to-back no-hitters. He also went on to set the record for consecutive hitless innings, with 21.2.

Trivia: The world’s largest steel structure is what type of building?

Skyscraper
Stadium
Observation tower
Opera house

The correct answer is Stadium

So why is this answer correct? : Nicknamed “The Bird’s Nest,” the Beijing National Stadium — built for the 2008 Summer Olympics — is the world’s largest steel structure. The arena used 110,000 tons of steel during construction, though the steel serves no practical purpose and is entirely decorative. Originally, the steel was added to support a stadium roof, though the roof was cut from the final design.

Trivia: What was the first team to win the World Series?

St. Louis Browns
Boston Americans
Louisville Colonels
Baltimore Orioles

The correct answer is Boston Americans

So why is this answer correct? : It wasn’t until 1903 that the long-established National League granted equal status to the newer American League, and thus the World Series featuring the champions of both leagues was born. The inaugural event saw the Boston Americans (later known as the Red Sox) defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates five games to three in a best-of-nine series. The World Series was canceled the following year as the NL champion New York Giants refused to participate, though it resumed in 1905.

Trivia: In what country can you find the world’s tallest outdoor elevator?

Brazil
Germany
Australia
China

The correct answer is China

So why is this answer correct? : The Bailong Elevator is located in Hunan, China, within the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (which served as inspiration for the movie “Avatar”). With a name translating to “Hundred Dragons Elevator,” the structure opened in 2002 and rises 1,070 feet tall, making it the world’s tallest outdoor elevator. It offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and forest.

Trivia: Which slugger served in both World War II and the Korean War?

Joe DiMaggio
Hank Greenberg
Ted Williams
Willie Mays

The correct answer is Ted Williams

So why is this answer correct? : Though many Hall of Fame players defended their country in the line of duty, only Ted Williams left baseball behind on two separate occasions to serve in the U.S. Marines and Navy. Williams missed three seasons during the 1940s during WWII, and in 1952, left for Korea after playing only six games that season. He returned to the sport on August 6, 1953, to finish out his career.

Trivia: What is the world’s largest human-made lake by surface area?

Lake Guri
Lake Nasser
Lake Volta
Williston Lake

The correct answer is Lake Volta

So why is this answer correct? : Ghana’s Lake Volta spans 3,283 square miles, accounting for 3.6% of the country’s total land area. It is the largest artificial reservoir in the world by surface area. Measured by total volume, the largest human-made lake is Zambia’s Lake Kariba, containing around 47.5 trillion gallons of water (compared to Volta’s 39 trillion gallons).

Trivia: Which pitcher lent his name to a type of reconstructive arm surgery?

Steve Carlton
Jim Kaat
Bob Gibson
Tommy John

The correct answer is Tommy John

So why is this answer correct? : In 1974, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John’s career appeared to be over when the athlete tore his UCL to the point of disrepair. His surgeon, Dr. Frank Jobe, pioneered a new ligament-replacement procedure that saved not only John’s career but the careers of countless pitchers since. The surgery continues to bear John’s name today.

Trivia: Turkey’s 1915 Çanakkale Bridge is the longest of what type of bridge?

Suspension
Truss
Cantilever
Arch

The correct answer is Suspension

So why is this answer correct? : Completed in 2022 and connecting the city of Lapeseki on the Asian side of Turkey to Sütlüce on the European side, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge measures 15,118 feet in total length. It also has the longest main span of any suspension bridge at 6,637 feet between the supporting towers. Previously, those records were held by Japan’s Akashi Kaikyo Bridge.

Trivia: Bobby Thomson is responsible for what historic baseball event?

Shot heard ’round the world
Merkle’s Boner
Pine Tar incident
Eight men out

The correct answer is Shot heard ’round the world

So why is this answer correct? : In one of the most thrilling moments in baseball history, New York Giants slugger Bobby Thomson hit a game-ending, pennant-clinching home run against the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Ralph Branca that sent his team to the 1951 World Series. The home run was dubbed the “shot heard ’round the world,” and was accompanied by broadcaster Russ Hodges’ legendary call, in which he repeatedly exclaimed, “The Giants win the pennant!”