Goodbye February. Hello Grapefruit League.

I don't have to tell most Red Sox fans in New England and the Northeast what a brutal winter this has been. Boston has been blitzed the last couple of months with snow, and down here in NYC, it has been cold and miserable, even if the snowfall totals have been a lot less.

February is coming to a merciful end. Good riddance.

And that means that baseball is returning. The Red Sox open their Spring Training schedule on Tuesday with the traditional doubleheader against the college kids, Northeastern and Boston College. Then on Thursday they play their Ft. Myers rival Minnesota Twins to open up the MLB Grapefruit League schedule.

Courtesy of  Redsox.com, here is the complete broadcast schedule of the games from Florida. (There are a few games that will not be broadcast either on TV or radio.):

Date	Opponent	Time(ET)	TV	Radio
March
Tuesday, March 3	vs. Boston College	1:05 PM		WEEI 850
Tuesday, March 3	vs. Northeastern U.	1:05 PM		WEEI 850
Thursday, March 5	@Minnesota	7:05 PM	MLBN	WEEI 93.7
Saturday, March 7	vs. Minnesota	1:05 PM		WEEI 93.7
Sunday, March 8	@NY Mets	1:10 PM	NESN	WEEI 93.7
Wednesday, March 11	@NY Yankees	1:05 PM	MLBN
Friday, March 13	vs. NY Yankees	7:05 PM	NESN, MLBN	WEEI 93.7
Saturday, March 14	vs. Pittsburgh	1:05 PM		WEEI 93.7
Sunday, March 15	@Philadelphia	1:05 PM	NESN	WEEI 93.7
Tuesday, March 17	vs. Atlanta	1:05 PM	NESN, MLBN
Saturday, March 21	@Pittsburgh	1:05 PM	NESN, MLBN (delay)	WEEI 93.7
Sunday, March 22	vs. Philadelphia	1:05 PM	NESN, MLBN (delay)	WEEI 93.7
Friday, March 27	@Atlanta	1:05 PM	ESPN
Saturday, March 28	@Tampa Bay	1:05 PM	MLBN (delay)	WEEI 93.7
Sunday, March 29	vs. Tampa Bay	1:05 PM	NESN, MLBN	WEEI 93.7
Monday, March 30	vs. Minnesota	7:05 PM	NESN, MLBN	WEEI 93.7
Tuesday, March 31	@Tampa Bay	1:05 PM	NESN, MLBN (delay)
April
Wednesday, April 1	vs. Toronto	1:05 PM	NESN
Thursday, April 2	@Minnesota	7:05 PM	MLBN
Friday, April 3	vs. Minnesota	7:05 PM	NESN	WEEI 93.7
Saturday, April 4	@Minnesota	1:05 PM	NESN	WEEI 93.7

Plenty of Odd Stuff For Trivia On Sunday

Trivia Night will return to Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant on Sunday night, March 1st at 7 PM. The bar was  a bit empty last week, as the Academy Awards ceremony probably kept most folks home. So we will give "Academy Awards Trivia" another go as the Special Category. It will seven questions about the Oscars down through the years. The Q Train lightning round will be "Odd Numbered Trivia." I will ask you ten general knowledge questions, with all answers being odd numbers between 1 and 50. And every answer will be a different one.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"What is the second largest planet in our solar system?"

We'll get going at 7 PM. Foley's is located at 18 West 33rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. There will be drink specials throughout the Trivia Night. I hope to see many of you this Sunday night for a great night of Trivia to kick off the month of March!

A Baseball Weekend In Boston

My good friend and fellow Red Sox fanatic Alan Burnce is part of a nonprofit organization called Open Road, which is based out of Portland, Oregon and does fine work helping teenagers.

Alan recently alerted me to a fund raising effort that is currently going on, and it involves the Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Open Road currently has a raffle going on that the winner will get two tickets to the complete weekend series between the Red Sox and Yankees at Fenway Park from May 1-3. The package also includes a three-night stay at the Hotel Buckminster, which is just a stone's throw from the Fens (and where the plot to throw the 1919 World Series was supposedly hatched by the Black Sox, for you baseball history buffs).

The winner also gets complete roundtrip airfare included in the package, from anywhere in the contiguous 48 states in the US. One ticket is $25, three tickets are $70, and five tickets are $110. Please click this link to get more information on the complete fund raising effort. The sweepstakes concludes on March 20th.

So, if you'd like to see the Red Sox wallop the Yankees this May, while doing something special to help out teenagers in the Portland, Oregon area, I encourage you to take a chance and grab a ticket.

You've got be in it to win it. All the best to Alan and all the good folks at Open Road.

"Playing Pepper 2015: Boston Red Sox"

I had the pleasure in taking part in a survey of Red Sox bloggers this past week to see our thoughts on the team and the upcoming 2015 season.

It is done through the Baseball Bloggers Alliance, which I am a proud member. Daniel Shoptaw, who runs the fine St. Louis Cardinals blog C70 At The Bat, surveyed four of us this spring about questions like where the Red Sox will finish in 2015, our opinions of the Sox offseason, how ex-Cardinals Joe Kelly and Allen Craig will fare this season, and who will make the most strides this season on the club.

Please do check out "Playing Pepper 2015: Boston Red Sox," and check out some of my deep thoughts about the upcoming season.

My thanks to Daniel for letting me participate in his survey.

We're Back Next Sunday at 7 PM

Well, as the previous post's headline said, the Oscars DID dominate Trivia on Sunday. And I'm guessing that a lot of folks stayed home and watched the show, and unfortunately, we didn't have enough people for a proper Trivia Night, so it did not happen last night.

But we will return with another edition of Sunday Night Trivia at Foley's next Sunday, March 1st, at 7 PM. Hope to see you then.

The Oscars Dominate Trivia On Sunday

Our second edition of Sunday Night Trivia at Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant will feature "Academy Awards Trivia" as the Special Category, in honor of the Oscar ceremony that will be starting later that evening. It will be seven questions in the recent history of the awards. The Q Train lightning round will be "First Oscar Win Trivia", as I will give you the names of ten current actors and actresses and you have to tell me which film they won their first (or only) Oscar for.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Since 1980, the shekel has been the currency of what country?"

We get started at 7 PM on Sunday night, and thankfully it will be about 30 degrees warmer than it was last Sunday! Foley's is at 18 West 33rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, across from the Empire State Building, and the bar's phone number is 212-290-0080. Hope to see many of you for a great night of Trivia before another work week begins!

Slappy's Flying Circus Is Back In Town

And no one is impressed. (Well, maybe one guy is.)

Trivia Q&A: February 15

It was an absolutely brutally cold night on Sunday night, as we did our very first Trivia Night at Foley's on 33rd Street. Just a small crowd turned out, but everything went well. Those in attendance enjoyed it, and Foley's has a terrific staff, and that made the night enjoyable for me. It is a great place to do Trivia, with lots of tables and a great sound system.

The team of Polka Kings won the night, getting 46 points and winning by nine points. Congratulations to Cato and Bob on their victory, and I appreciate seeing them so much, as they have been loyal regulars from my other Trivia venues.

The first weather forecasts for next Sunday are a whole lot better, with temperatures possibly reaching 40 degrees. Let's hope so! And once again, thanks to those of you who turned out last night.

Current Events
1. The Economist recently selected what North American city as "The World's Best City to Live In", based on factors including safety, livability and cost of living?
2. What city was chosen last Thursday to host the 2016 Democratic Convention?
3. What electronics retailer recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and will sell off more than 2400 stores?
4. An 1892 oil painting, done by what 19th century French artist, was recently sold at a London auction for close to $300 million, one of the highest prices ever to be paid for an artwork?
5. What pop singer won for Grammys at last Sunday night's Grammy Awards?
6. Dean Smith, the legendary college basketball coach who won 879 games in Division 1, died last week at the age of 83. What school did he win the majority of games at?
7. What company became the first American one to be valued at more than $700 billion last week?

Presidential Trivia
1. What 20th century president was the first to be inaugurated on January 20th?
2. At 6' 4", who was the tallest US president?
3. Who was the last US president who did not attend college?
4. Name 1 of the 2 presidents who were buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
5. Who was the only US president born in California?
6. Name 1 of the 2 US presidents who never delivered a State of the Union address.
7. Who was the oldest man elected president?

States' Largest City Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Texas
2. Connecticut
3. Kansas
4. Delaware
5. New Jersey
6. Tennessee
7. Florida
8. Missouri
9. Alaska
10. North Carolina

General Knowledge
1. The Great Barrier Reef is located on what ocean? ( 1 pt)
2. How many pawns does one player get in a chess game? ( 1 pt)
3. The rover called Sojourner explored what planet in 1997? ( 1 pt)
4. Who was the first cartoon character to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? ( 2 pt)
5. Latka Gravas was a fictional character on what TV sitcom? ( 2 pt)
6. The cities of Carlsbad and Las Cruces are found in what US state? ( 2 pt)
7. How many black keys are there on a standard piano? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. Vermont was the first state to enter the Union after the original 13 colonies. What state was second to join in 1792? ( 4 points)
2. With the Kansas City Royals winning the AL pennant in 2014, what MLB team has now gone the longest without making the playoffs? ( 5 points)
3. What western US state is the leading gold-producing state in the US in 2014? ( 4 points)
4. Curtis Strange is in the Hall of Fame in what sport? ( 3 points)
5. In May 2014, Eric Garcetti became the first Jewish mayor of what US city? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Toronto; 2. Philadelphia; 3. Radio Shack; 4. Paul Gauguin; 5. Sam Smith; 6. North Carolina; 7. Apple.

Presidential Trivia
1. FDR; 2. Abraham Lincoln; 3. Harry Truman; 4. JFK and William H. Taft; 5. Richard Nixon; 6. James Garfield and William Henry Harrison; 7. Ronald Reagan.

States' Largest City Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Houston; 2. Bridgeport; 3. Wichita; 4. Wilmington; 5. Newark; 6. Memphis; 7. Jacksonville; 8. Kansas City; 9. Anchorage; 10. Charlotte.

General Knowledge
1. Pacific; 2. eight; 3. Mars; 4. Mickey Mouse; 5. "Taxi"; 6. New Mexico; 7. thirty-six.

IQ Trivia
1. Kentucky; 2. Toronto Blue Jays; 3. Nevada; 4. golf; 5. Los Angeles.

A New Trivia Era Begins Tomorrow at Foley's

On Sunday night, we begin a new era in my Trivia Night as we will debut at Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant, which is located at 18 West 33rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, at 7 PM.

It will be every Sunday at 7 PM, and it will be the same format that many of you have been at my Trivia Night have known and loved: 5 categories, 2 special categories (including "The Q Train" lightning round), with the staple categories of General Knowledge, Current Events and IQ Trivia.

The prizes will be similar as well. $50 gift certificate to the pub for the winners, $20 gift certificate for second, and a pitcher of beer for third place. We'll also have a pitcher for the Best Team Name.

We will kick off out inaugural night at Foley's with "Presidential Trivia" as the Special Category, in honor of this being Presidents Day weekend. It will seven questions about the men who have occupied the highest office in the land. The Q Train lightning round will be "States' Largest City Trivia," as I will give you 10 US states, and you will tell me what the current largest city in population there is.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"The rover called Sojourner explored what planet in 1997?"

We get started at 7 PM. The phone number for Foley's is 212-290-0080. It's one of New York's finest sports bars, across from the Empire State Building, and now Trivia has returned there as well. It's going to be a bit chilly tomorrow night, but I hope to see many of you then!

A Happy and Blessed Truck Day To You All

Despite Boston being blitzed by snow over the last few weeks, the annual tradition of Truck Day is going on as scheduled at Fenway.

It is the first sign of spring and the return of baseball. Here's what the Red Sox will be sending down to Ft. Myers:

• 20,400 baseballs
•1,100 bats
• 200 batting gloves
• 200 batting helmets
• 320 Batting Practice tops
• 160 white game jerseys
• 300 pairs of pants
• 400 t-shirts
• 400 pairs of socks
• 20 cases of bubble gum
• 60 cases of sunflower seeds

It's been a brutal winter in New England and the Northeast, but spring is around the corner.

I'll be celebrating the day with some of my BLOHARDS cohorts at Foley's this afternoon. Enjoy Truck Day, everyone!

New Logo, Same Great Trivia

We've got a new logo for our new Trivia Night at Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant, and it is the one above.

We get going this Sunday night, February 15th at 7 PM. It will be the same great Trivia Night you have all come to know and love at the other places I have done Trivia before: 5 categories, 2 special categories, $50 gift certificate to the bar for the winners.

I will posting the Sneak Peek question and the two special categories here on the blog every Saturday, and I put the Q&A for the night every Monday morning.

Looking forward to getting back in the saddle again. Just hoping the weather cooperates on Sunday. See you then!

We've Got a New Trivia Home

I'm very pleased to announce that my Trivia Night has a brand new home: at Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant, which is at 18 West 33rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, right across the street from the Empire State Building.

I will be doing Trivia every Sunday night, and at an earlier time than I have usually done it: 7 PM. We will get started on February 15th, two weeks from this Sunday night. It will be the same Trivia you have come to know and love over the years: 5 categories, 2 special categories, and the staples of Current Events, General Knowledge and IQ Trivia. First place will be a $50 gift certificate to the bar, and the other prizes will be determined before we get going.

I'm really thrilled to be hosting Trivia in one of the best known sports bars in New York City. For those of you unfamiliar with Foley's, check out their web site here.

I thank all of you for your support and loyalty over the years, and I hope you can make it out on Sunday nights for Trivia. See you in a couple of weeks!

You Can Never Have Enough Lefties

The Red Sox pulled off a small trade yesterday, and surprisingly sent minor league pitcher Anthony Ranaudo to Texas for lefty reliever/starter Robbie Ross.

Ranaudo was a number one draft pick by the Sox in 2010, and was the Pitcher of the Year in AA in 2013 at Portland, and the International League Pitcher of the Year in 2014. He was up for seven starts last season and got roughed up, going 4-3 with a 4.81 ERA, walking more than he struck out in 39 1/3 innings, and allowed 10 home runs.

The Red Sox have lots of depth in terms of starting pitching at the high minor league level, so they saw Ranaudo as expendable. And you can never have enough relievers, especially those who throw left handed.

Ross, who is 25 and from Kentucky, was terrific in his first two full seasons in Texas in 2012 and 2013. But they tried to make him a starter last year, and he got hit hard, going 1-6 with a 5.70 ERA. And he was returned to the pen and couldn't get his groove back, putting up a 7.85 ERA. Ross figures to be a late-inning arm out of the pen. Here's more on Robbie Ross.

Ross joins Craig Breslow, Drake Britton and Tommy Layne as left starters in the Red Sox bullpen.

The Sox may or may not be finished as far as adding arms to the pitching staff, as the pitchers and catchers report in 3 1/2 weeks. Interesting to see that James Shields is still out there unsigned. I'm still betting that Boston will not be his landing site.

"You Can't Make This Stuff Up"

I just finished reading the new autobiography by legendary sportscaster Al Michaels about his career behind the mic called "You Can't Make This Stuff Up: Miracles, Memories and the Perfect Marriage of Sports and Television."

It's an enjoyable read from one of the best-known voices on television. Michaels doesn't take himself too seriously as he guides his readers through his formative years growing up in Brooklyn, going to Ebbets Field, a short move to Long Island, and then going to Southern California, where his broadcasting career began.

He began his professional career in baseball, doing the AAA Hawaii Islanders games before moving over to the Cincinnati Reds radio booth in 1971. He moved over to the San Francisco Giants in 1974 before going to ABC in 1977 to do college football, where his national career began to take shape.

Michaels has been part of two of the most famous sporting events of the later 20th century, the 1980 gold medal win by the US hockey team, and the lead announcer of the 1989 World Series when it was struck by an earthquake and eventually delayed the series by 10 days. He gives insights into both events that take the reader back to one glorious, and one tragic, time in American history.

He has a passion for hockey, even before he made his legendary call back at Lake Placid in 1980. And golf is his current all-consuming passion, and does plenty of name-dropping on who he's hit the links with: everyone from Michael Jordan to former president George W. Bush.

Michaels even talks about some of his forays outside the sports world, when he talks of his appearance on "The Dating Game" ( you can see that on YouTube), "Hawaii Five-O" (the original series with Jack Lord, who doesn't come off too well in Michaels' retelling), and a cameo role in the 1998 comedy film "BASEketball" (which Michaels did against his better judgment). The book also includes some funny tidbits like his swiping a phone from a hotel in 2000 that Al Gore might have used on Election Night that year, and his great fandom for Howard Stern and his raunchy radio show.

But I found the most interesting parts of the book were how Michaels retells his relationships with the most controversial people in his sporting life, and dedicated a chapter to each. He has little love for Howard Cosell, who he was partnered with on Monday Night Baseball back in the early 1980s, as Cosell had turned bitter against ABC and the sports he was covering and really didn't hide that fact. Michaels worked with O.J. Simpson during the 1984 Summer Olympics and had nothing but nice things to say about him in terms of his working relationship. But, of course, the majority of the chapter about Simpson is on the murder of his wife and friend, and Michaels' working with ABC News on the day of the slow-speed chase in L.A.

Michaels talks in detail about his long tenure on "Monday Night Football" with his various partners, from John Madden to Boomer Esiason. And about the difficult conversion he had to make in moving over to Sunday Night Football on NBC.

"You Can't Make This Up" is generally a fun read that I would definitely recommend if you've followed Al Michaels' career, like I have. Lots of fascinating stories and name dropping throughout the book. He's lived an interesting life covering the world of sports, and as the legendary broadcaster Curt Gowdy once told him, "Never get jaded." It sure sounds like Al Michaels has heeded that advice.

First Trivia Update

Hello Trivia players: I thought I would give you all an update on the progress of my next Trivia Night. I recently spoke to a bar owner I know in Midtown Manhattan, and he is seriously considering taking me on as a host. It is a well-known establishment (I will reveal the place when and if it becomes a reality), and the best night for them to have Trivia is on Sunday night at 8 PM. I have no problem with that, and I hope that can fit into your schedules. If it happens there, the first night will probably be the Sunday following the Super Bowl (that would be February 8th).

I should hear back from him soon, and when I do I will let you know any further updates. I am also looking for a second place to do it during the week, preferably on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. Please do drop me a line if you know of an establishment seeking a new Trivia host. Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year, and I look forward to hosting a new Trivia Night soon. Be well, everyone!

Pedro. Unit. Biggio. Smoltz.

For the first time since 1955, four players were elected to the Hall of Fame today, as Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Craig Biggio and John Smoltz will all be enshrined in Cooperstown this coming July.

Johnson was the top vote-getter with 97.3% of the 549 votes cast. It is the 7th highest percentage ever.

Pedro was second at 91.1%. 49 writers did not for him. There were some writers who left Pedro and Johnson off their ballots simply because they felt they were both a synch to make it, and wanted to include more than 10 maximum they could vote for. (This is the reason the ballot must be expanded to 12 or 15 maximum.)

Smoltz and Biggio both received over 82% of the vote. Mike Piazza just missed this time, getting 69.9%. With just Ken Griffey Jr. the only sure bet to be elected to the Hall, Piazza's chances next year are very good for election. Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Curt Schilling all did better than last year, and they trending upwards to an eventual Hall of Fame election.

Both Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens did slightly better than in 2014, but are still in the upper 30% range, still nowhere close. Mark McGwire got just 10% of the vote in his next-to-last time on the ballot. Nomar Garciaparra got just 5.5% in his ballot, and he figures to be like Don Mattingly, a great player who was a "shooting star" who will never get in.

Congratulations to one of the greatest Red Sox players of all-time, and to the other three very worthy newest Hall of Famers.

Here are the official results, courtesy of baseballhall.org:

Ballots Cast: 549

Needed for Election: 412

Votes	Player	Percentage
534	Randy Johnson	97.3%
500	Pedro Martinez	91.1%
455	John Smoltz	82.9%
454	Craig Biggio	82.7%
384	Mike Piazza	69.9%
306	Jeff Bagwell	55.7%
302	Tim Raines	55.0%
215	Curt Schilling	39.2%
206	Roger Clemens	37.5%
202	Barry Bonds	36.8%
166	Lee Smith	30.2%
148	Edgar Martinez	27.0%
138	Alan Trammell	25.1%
135	Mike Mussina	24.6%
77	Jeff Kent	14.0%
71	Fred McGriff	12.9%
65	Larry Walker	11.8%
64	Gary Sheffield	11.7%
55	Mark McGwire	10.0%
50	Don Mattingly	9.1%
36	Sammy Sosa	6.6%
30	Nomar Garciaparra	5.5%
21	Carlos Delgado	3.8%
4	Troy Percival	0.7%
2	Aaron Boone	0.4%
2	Tom Gordon	0.4%
1	Darin Erstad	0.2%
0	Rich Aurilia	0.0%
0	Tony Clark	0.0%
0	Jermaine Dye	0.0%
0	Cliff Floyd	0.0%
0	Brian Giles	0.0%
0	Eddie Guardado	0.0%
0	Jason Schmidt	0.0%

*All candidates in italics received less than 5% of the vote on ballots cast and will be removed from future BBWAA consideration

Happy 2015, Everyone

This is our 4,646th post at The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, and the 179th and final one for 2014.

It's been an interesting one, and more of a difficult one than anything else. The Red Sox wound up in last place, the Vikings improved slightly over 2013, Notre Dame got off to flying start before slumping badly at the end.

We saw our latest Trivia Night come to an end just earlier this week, and I worked very little in my background acting career. I'm going to try to revive that in 2015. And hopefully have a new Trivia Night up and running soon in the new year.

We saw the opening of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum last May, and I was totally moved to tears by it. I am proud to have made a contribution to it, and it is one of the proudest things I have ever done in my life. If you ever find yourself in Lower Manhattan, make a point of going to see it.

I put up the fewest posts in any year on this blog in 2014. I wrote mostly about just Trivia and the Red Sox, and little less frequently. I've noticed that I have been trending downwards as the years progress on this site. Not sure if that will continue in 2015.

Thanks to all of you for your support and good wishes throughout the year. I want to wish all of you a very happy and blessed 2015. Hopefully good things lie ahead for all of us!

Trivia at the Caledonia is Now Over

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Tuesday Night Trivia at the Caledonia Scottish Pub is now over, after just 7 months.

The bar was just recently sold, and the owner decided to end Trivia Night, and let our good friend and bartender Keith go as well. The irony of this move is that the Trivia Night was really gaining momentum, and we filled the bar every Tuesday night since Labor Day. And it would only get better with the winter, as that is usually the best time of year for Trivia, with folks coming out in bad weather to get their Trivia fix.

I want to thank Keith, who is a good friend, and for the opportunity to do Trivia at the Caledonia. He was a blast to work with, and brought back pleasant memories of my days doing Trivia years ago.

And I especially want to thank all of you who came out and enjoyed my Trivia Night this year. It was such a pleasure meeting so many of you, and especially to those of you who have been with me in the other places I have done Trivia before. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

I will keep all of you updated here on my blog with relevant updates as to where my new Trivia venue will be, and also on my Facebook page, "The Mighty Quinn's Trivia Empire."

I wish all of you all the best for a Happy 2015, and I'll see you down the road one day for another Trivia Night somewhere. Be well everyone!

To You and Yours, a Very Merry Christmas

I want to wish you all, no matter where you see this post from, a very Merry Christmas.

May Santa be good to all of you, and may the spirit of the season fill all of you with peace and joy.

As I do every year, here is the famous Yule Log, which is broadcast every Christmas morning on WPIX Channel 11 in New York from 9 AM until 1 PM.

Enjoy the holidays everyone!

Trivia Q&A: December 23

We returned from our one-week hiatus, and had a great night of Trivia on Tuesday. The bar was filled, and it was great to see a few old friends, Peter, Ruth and Amy, in for Trivia for the first time at the Caledonia.

We had a short delay at the start, as the console we do the Trivia on was being transported from another bar in Brooklyn, but everyone was really into the Trivia once we got going. We had a three-way tie after two rounds, and we had a tie after round four, and the same two teams were deadlocked after IQ Trivia concluded.

The tie was broken when I asked "How much did Robert Downey Jr. earn as the highest-paid actor in America in 2014? The team of The Nightmare Before Christmas: Home Alone With Kim Jung Un guessed $67 million (it was $75 million) and won the night, with 52 points. Congrats to Mike and his friends on their first ever win on Trivia Night. Second place went to When I Think About You, I Touch My Elf , and third place went to I Wish This Microphone Was a Dick (which won for Best Team Name, as I got nothing but guffaws every time I read it) with 44 points.

Current Events
1. Who was selected recently as Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2014?
2. What Internet giant was named the best company in America to work for by the career site Glassdoor?
3. What rapper was the highest paid musician of 2014, earning $620 million, according to Forbes magazine?
4. What Hollywood iconic star was nominated for a Golden Globe for the 29th time recently, the most by anyone in the combined film and TV categories?
5. What Hollywood star recently petitioned the Massachusetts Parole Board for a pardon over a 1998 assault conviction and has the blessing of the man he once assaulted?
6. A time capsule was unearthed recently near the Massachusetts State House that is believed to have been buried by two of America's earliest patriots. Name 1 of the 2 men.
7. What female cable personality was selected as the "Most Annoying TV Host" by a Ranker.com poll for 2014?

Christmas Trivia
1. In "A Charlie Brown Christmas," what Christmas song does Lucy ask Schroeder to play for her on the piano?
2. What Christmas movie was primarily set at West 11th Street in Cleveland, Ohio?
3. In what country is the Christmas tree believed to have originated?
4. "A Christmas Carol" was written by what 19th century author?
5. What Tchaikovsky ballet is a favorite during the Christmas season?
6. What horror film star was the narrator of the classic Christmas TV special "How the Grinch Stole Christmas?"
7. What Christmas song, released in 1958, is still the only one to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart?
BONUS: 8. What are 2 of the 3 main rituals of the holiday of Festivus?

Christmas Film Trivia By Decade ("The Q Train")
1. It's a Wonderful Life
2. Home Alone
3. The Santa Clause
4. Scrooged
5. Love Actually
6. A Christmas Story
7. Miracle On 34th Street
8. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
9. The Nightmare Before Christmas
10. White Christmas

General Knowledge
1. What two colors make gray? ( 1 pt)
2. Assuming the thumb is the first finger, what number is the ring finger? ( 1 pt)
3. What is the 17th letter of the alphabet? ( 1 pt)
4. Arbor Day is the last Friday in what month? ( 2 pt)
5. Lake Pontchartrain is found in what US state? ( 2 pt)
6. Hankook, Cooper and Pirelli all manufacture what product? ( 2 pt)
7. A fletcher is a person who makes what type of product? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What US president once gave a speech in Milwaukee with a bullet wound in his chest, and survived? ( 4 points)
2. What country has Stella Artois beer been brewed in since 1926? ( 3 points)
3. "Silent Gray Fellow" was an early 20th century nickname for what present-day motor vehicles? ( 5 points)
4. What Canadian artist had the highest-selling country album of all-time in 1997? ( 4 points)
5. What actor won an Academy Award each for playing the characters of Popeye Doyle and Little Bill Daggett in films over 20 years apart? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Ebola doctors; 2. Google; 3. Dr. Dre; 4. Meryl Streep; 5. Mark Wahlberg; 6. Paul Revere & Samuel Adams; 7. Nancy Grace.

Christmas Trivia
1. "Jingle Bells;" 2. "A Christmas Story;" 3. Germany; 4. Charles Dickens; 5. "The Nutcracker;" 6. Boris Karloff; 7. "The Chipmunk Song;" 8. The Festivus Pole, Airing of Grievances & The Feats of Strength.

Christmas Film Trivia By Decade ("The Q Train")
1. 1940s (1946); 2. 1990s (1990); 3. 1990s (1994); 4. 1980s (1988); 5. 2000s (2003); 6. 1980s (1983); 7. 1940s (1947); 8. 2000s (2000); 9. 1990s (1993); 10. 1950s (1954).

General Knowledge
1. Black and white; 2. four; 3. Q; 4. April; 5. Louisiana; 6. tires; 7. arrows.

IQ Trivia
1. Theodore Roosevelt; 2. Belgium; 3. Harley-Davidson motorcycles; 4. Shania Twain; 5. Gene Hackman.