Is This Beijing's Brainiest Bartender? Anthony Tao

“Mastermind” is a regular magazine column in which we quiz Beijing’s barkeeps on general knowledge as well as on a subject in which they consider themselves to be a specialist.

Contestant: Anthony Tao, Kro’s Nest

Specialist Subject: Baseball

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

How many muscles are in the human ear: six, eight or ten?
Muscles, huh? Muscles in the human ear. Muscles? Let’s go … ten. X

What’s the name of Indonesia’s national airline?
The national airline. I think Jetstar is Singaporean, right? It’s not something as silly as Jakarta Air, is it? I’ll just go with Jetstar. X

Name an animal that can move by jet propulsion.
Hmm. Animal … jet … propulsion … Jellyfish? √

Which metal is the best conductor of electricity?
Boy, I should get this. Let me think. Ooh. This is where my high school science memorization isn’t helping. Electrons. Metal. Eh … copper. X

Which capital city is largely powered by geothermal energy?
Let’s go with Reykjavik, Iceland. √

SPECIALIST SUBJECT

The first “modern” World Series took place in 1903. Who won?
The Boston Pilgrims beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. √

Who was the first President to throw the opening-day pitch: Harding, Taft or Wilson?
Oh, that’s a good one. I’m gonna go with Wilson. X

In which US state is the National Baseball Hall of Fame located?
Cooperstown, New York. Unless it’s Cooperstown, Pennsylvania. Oh, boy. New York. √

What is the “Green Monster”?
That’s the leftfield fence in Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. √

Who wrote the words to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”?
Oh, boy. Much more difficult. Believe it or not, I knew this at one time. Oh. Take me out to the ballgame. Take me out with the crowd. Buy me peanuts and Cracker Jack. I don’t care if we never get back. No. X

FINAL SCORE: 5/10

Answers: 1) six 2) Garuda 3) Many cephalopods can move by jet propulsion – jellyfish and octopus are just two examples 4) silver 5) Reykjavik 6) Boston Americans/Pilgrims 7) William Howard Taft 8) New York 9) A wall at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox 10) Jack Norworth

Verdict: OK, so Anthony isn’t a bartender, but he does oversee plenty of drinking at Kro’s Nest’s quiz night. For a quizmaster, we’d expect ten out of ten, but solid baseball knowledge gives Anthony a respectable five.

The Kro's Nest 乌巢. Daily 11am-midnight. 35 Xiaoyun Lu (opposite Renaissance Beijing Chaoyang Hotel, next to Kou Fu Ju restaurant), Chaoyang District (8391 3131) 朝阳区霄云路35号(国航大厦万丽酒店对面, 口福居旁)

Click here to see the March issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo: Nature Zhang