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Post by inger on Sept 3, 2024 11:13:38 GMT -5
A-Rod leads all AL batters with 696 HR. If we disqualify him for cheating, Harmon Killebrew leads with 573…
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Post by inger on Sept 3, 2024 11:23:42 GMT -5
Jackie Robinson’s debut is well-covered in the press, but it’s nearly forgotten that it was Johnny Sain that was the first to pitch to Robinson…for the record… ground out, reach on error, and hit into a DP…
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Post by inger on Sept 3, 2024 11:26:20 GMT -5
In Italian, Tommy Lasorda’s last name translates to either “The Deaf” or “Deaf Women”…
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Post by ypaterson on Sept 3, 2024 11:49:21 GMT -5
Larry Doby was the second African American player in MLB and the second African American manager in the American League. I guess he always had to try harder !!!
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Post by inger on Sept 3, 2024 13:03:04 GMT -5
In the modern era (post 1901) two NL players won a batting title without hitting a HR. Ginger Beaumont in 1902, Zack Wheat in 1918. The only AL player was Rod Carew, in
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Post by inger on Sept 3, 2024 13:04:15 GMT -5
In the modern era (post 1901) two NL players won a batting title without hitting a HR. Ginger Beaumont in 1902, Zack Wheat in 1918. The only AL player was Rod Carew, in 1972…
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Post by azbob643 on Sept 3, 2024 14:38:00 GMT -5
A-Rod leads all AL batters with 696 HR. If we disqualify him for cheating, Harmon Killebrew leads with 573…  |
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Post by inger on Sept 4, 2024 11:06:46 GMT -5
CHUCK KNOBLAUCH
On 02-May-2001, Minnesota fans took advantage of the abundant ammo that the Twins’ $1 “Dome Dogs” provided, to pelt the Yankees’ new left fielder with their affordable comestibles. A torrent of the wurst kind filled the air so relentlessly that the G was stopped until a ceasefire had been brokered. What offense had Knoblauch committed to warrant such vigilante retributive justice? He hadn’t followed Kirby Puckett’s example by staying in the Twin Cities for less money…
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Post by pippsheadache on Sept 4, 2024 12:20:34 GMT -5
TONY OLIVA Still the only AL player to win the batting title his first two seasons, Oliva hit .323 in 1964 & .321 in 1965. He led again in 1971 with a .337 mark. In a twin-bill, this Twin had 3 H in the G of 29-Jun-1969(1) & 5 H in the nightcap 29-Jun-169(2) to finish his day with eight straight hits… Tony Oliva was one of the greatest hitters of his era but seems somewhat shortchanged in baseball history. Part of the reason of course is that like Don Mattingly his peak years were somewhat truncated by injury. Playing in the peak of a pitcher- dominated era, in his eight full seasons (1964-1971) before he tore up his knee, he had the second-highest BA of any major league hitter. Here are the other contenders: Roberto Clemente -- .334 Tony Oliva -- .314 Matty Alou -- .314 Pete Rose -- .313 Joe Torre (!) -- .309 Hank Aaron -- .305 Frank Robinson -- .300 Carl Yastrzemski -- .293 Willie Mays -- .288 Al Kaline -- .288 That's the Top Ten I could find. Obviously it's just a snapshot, and BA is of course only one factor in evaluating a hitter, and these players were all at different stages of their careers. But it does highlight what I thought even at the time, that Tony Oliva was about as dangerous as anyone in his time. He was never the same after his injury. They finally did put him in the HOF in 2020, about 40 years too late. A few things jumped out at me when I put together that list. First I would never have thought that Clemente was so far out in front of the pack. And second I was surprised that Torre was that high up the ladder. A note on two other guys who might have been included. The crazy batting machine that was Rico Carty actually hit .322 over that stretch, but he missed two entire seasons (68 and 71) due to illness and injuries, plus in general he had trouble staying on the field, so I didn't think it was fair to compare him to players who were out there for the duration. And the enormously talented but troubled Alex Johnson (another one whose name rarely comes up anymore) hit .300 over that period, but for a variety of reasons he only played in more than 100 games three times over that eight-year span, so I left him off. The Twins of the late 60s had Oliva, Killebrew and Carew in that lineup plus another very fine player in Bob Allison. That was a really tough quartet to navigate. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Sept 4, 2024 12:26:40 GMT -5
A-Rod leads all AL batters with 696 HR. If we disqualify him for cheating, Harmon Killebrew leads with 573… Inger maybe I'm missing some context (wouldn't be the first time), but The Bambino hit all but six of his 714 HRs in the AL. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Sept 4, 2024 12:42:01 GMT -5
DAVE STENHOUSE Here’s the kind of rookie All-Star we’ve been waiting for. (At least have, Kaybli, you’ll love this guy). The Rhode Island native was the first Rookie ever to start and All Star game. Stenhouse’s rookie season was with manager Mickey Vernon’s 1962 Washington Senators. On July 27, he was 10-4, 2.73. The rest of the way he went 1-8, 5.53. After that 10-4 start he went 6-25 for remainder of his career. Total 16-29. He was a team mate of the all time single game K record holder. Teammate Tom Cheney pitched all 16 innings, striking out 21 Orioles in the G on 12‑Sep‑1962. Cheney had injury issues already before that 16 inning effort, and finished his career at 19-29…so similar… Father Stenhouse debuted in relief for WSA on 18-Apr-1962. Son Mike Stenhouse’s first MLB game was as a pinch-hitter on 03‑Oct‑1982. Alas, Mike’s career also went south quickly and he finished with a .190 batting average… A guy from that same time whose career trajectory was somewhat similar to that of Dave Stenhouse was Don Schwall. He came up the year before Stenhouse with Boston in 1961 and went 15-7 to win ROY. He also pitched in the All Star Game, even though he did not start. He did hang around longer than Stenhouse, compiling a 49-48 career mark, but he would be on the short list of most forgotten Rookies Of The Year. There are some pretty good contenders though. I do remember Stenhouse pitching in that 62 All Star Game. I really cared about it back then -- it was almost World Series level excitement back then. I was always all in on the AL and I remember thinking "how is a guy like Dave Stenhouse going to work around players like Willie Mays and Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson?" |
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Post by inger on Sept 4, 2024 13:30:18 GMT -5
A-Rod leads all AL batters with 696 HR. If we disqualify him for cheating, Harmon Killebrew leads with 573… Inger maybe I'm missing some context (wouldn't be the first time), but The Bambino hit all but six of his 714 HRs in the AL. No. I missed Babe Ruth somehow. I’m delighted that he still owns the record… |
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Post by inger on Sept 5, 2024 13:35:48 GMT -5
RON HANSEN
Most fielding chances in a double header? SS Hansen had a record 28 chances on 25-Aug1965(1) & 25-Aug1965(2). He did not make an error. His White Sox team beat the Red Sox by a score of 3-2 in both G.
Hansen hit 20 HR in 1964. No SS on CHW had hit more than 12 HR since their franchise launch in 1901. It would be another 36 years before it was done again, by Jose Valentin.
Ron is the only one ever to win a ROY and complete an unassisted triple play. Hansen was ROY in 1960 w/BAL. UTP took place in the bottom of the 1st on 30-Jul-1968while playing for WSA. The UTP wasn’t during his rookie season, but that title is forever… 😂
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Post by pippsheadache on Sept 5, 2024 15:59:15 GMT -5
RON HANSEN Most fielding chances in a double header? SS Hansen had a record 28 chances on 25-Aug1965(1) & 25-Aug1965(2). He did not make an error. His White Sox team beat the Red Sox by a score of 3-2 in both G. Hansen hit 20 HR in 1964. No SS on CHW had hit more than 12 HR since their franchise launch in 1901. It would be another 36 years before it was done again, by Jose Valentin. Ron is the only one ever to win a ROY and complete an unassisted triple play. Hansen was ROY in 1960 w/BAL. UTP took place in the bottom of the 1st on 30-Jul-1968while playing for WSA. The UTP wasn’t during his rookie season, but that title is forever… 😂 As I'm sure you remember Inger, Ron Hansen was a nice SS. Like Tony Kubek at 6'3", he was an early big man SS. He also had a little power by the standard of his day, although the chronic serious back issues took their toll. I thought he was actually quite a bit like Kubek defensively with his long strides and strong arm. He led AL shortstops in assists four times and four times got MVP votes. He had a brief spell with the Yankees in 1970 and 1971, serving as a backup to Stick Michael when the Yanks wanted a little more offense in the lineup. His OPS+ in 1970 was nearly three times that of Michael. He was a pretty decent player for many years, and I am happy to see that he is still alive at age 86. He would have been a baseball card guy for both of us and even for guys maybe ten years younger than you. |
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Post by inger on Sept 5, 2024 21:42:20 GMT -5
TED EASTERLY
Though born in Nebraska, Easterly was raised in Southern California & was according to parents, friends & relatives, a youth out of control. He got his start in baseball while in reform school.
Highly respected catcher Deacon McGuireliked the potential of young Easterly, notwithstanding the differences in personality.
He was Cy Young’s favorite catcher during the time they were teammates on CLE in 1909, 1910 & part of 1911. Not only did Easterly catch Young’s 480th win in Easterly’s first start on 20-Apr-1909, he was Young’s catcher for 14 of Young’s 19 W’s that season…
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