We encountered a very rough set of trivia questions in a Saturday night Stump! virtual game. An entire mystery round about home run champions – we tried to save face by putting “Hank Aaron” for every single answer (hey, one of them was correct)! The two of us playing were not in agreement about winningest Westminster Dog Show breeds, and we only wound up with 32 points going into the final question – which we missed. Oh well, mama said there would be trivia games like these!

The questions:

Round One

1) Planets – Since Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet, which planet in the Solar System is now farthest from the sun?

NERD POINT: In what year did Pluto’s designation change from planet to dwarf planet?

Space nerd Mike all over this for the points and the nerd bonus.

2) Soundtracks – The soundtrack to what 2000 film starring George Clooney won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2002? I bought this on CD! Big Rock Candy Mountain’s original version is actually kind of a filthy song involving hobos and little boys or something (if you are to believe stories floating around on the Internet). The song has been cleaned up over time, apparently. Then I proceeded to make up my own lyrics to the song which are too off color to share here, although one of the words rhymed with “bubble gum” (ahem)!

3) U.S. States – Name the four U.S. states whose postal abbreviations – when reversed – are the postal abbreviations for other U.S. states. Big miss for six (first sign this game wasn’t going our way).

4) Olympics – The Olympic Flame, a symbol of unity and friendship, is lit in what country to start the Olympic torch relay prior to an Olympic Games?

Give the first and last names of the people described in the following clues, all of whom have the initials “J.B.”

M1) British Army officer who had a hit song with “You’re Beautiful”

M2) Spanish actor who has appeared in the films No Country for Old Men and Skyfall

M3) Actress who has had main roles on the TV series As the World Turns, Dallas, and Lethal Weapon

M4) Founder of the Margaritaville chain of restaurants

Poor Mike was really hoping that I’d know #3 since for some reason he thought I used to watch Dallas. “No, I was a Dynasty girl,” I said. Moot point since this question was about the recent reboot of Dallas, not the Dallas with Larry Hagman and someone named Sue Ellen…Patrick Duffy. That theme song though (pretty damn good even if not as good as Dynasty’s Bill Conti theme song)!

Round Two

1) Voting – The Freedom Summer Project was a 1964 volunteer campaign to register as many African Americans to vote as possible in which Southern U.S. state? Miss.

2) Government – Who was Chief Justice of the United States during the impeachment proceedings of President Bill Clinton? Miss.

3) Teen TV – Audio – Series running 1999-2000 using the Joan Jett song “Bad Reputation.” The only question we would get right in this round,.

4) Design – Graphic designer Milton Glaser is known for his 1966 Bob Dylan poster, the DC bullet logo once used by DC Comics, and for what iconic New York City logo, designed in 1977? Miss.

Mystery – Home Run Leaders

And I’ll let Charlie Brown express our frustration here:

Name the player who is the all-time leader in career home runs in the history of the given MLB franchise.

I didn’t record these questions – one of them was Atlanta Braves. But I do remember the answers were Hank Aaron, Cal Ripken, Sammy Sosa and Darryl Strawberry. So the teams they played for then? Sorry about that, I think I was distracted by folding laundry at that moment or something!

Final Category – Competitions

Name one of the four non-terrier or non-spaniel breeds that have won most often, each with at least four wins.

I was talked out of my correct guess for a dog breed that is very popular and is usually very heavily groomed/primped. Even our dog expert Brad – when I messaged him this question after the game – couldn’t come up with a correct answer. Though Scottish Deerhound – a breed which Brad has owned for 20 years or so – was a recent Westminster champ (her name was Hickory).

Some team whose name I don’t remember with a perfect score (always suspicious in the virtual games) wound up first.

Maybe our trivial fortunes will be better next time! As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, James Franco!