A needed moment of fun, with a prize!
 

There's no way I can enforce it, but WITHOUT LOOKING IT UP, can anyone tell me the only major leaguer to lead the league in strikeouts as a pitcher and Batting Average as a hitter? I'll send you something cool if you get it right first.

I'll say Ruth, also without looking it up. Did I win?:)

no, his best finish in strikeouts was 3rd.

Hard to believe he only won one batting title as well!

Bob Gibson?

Great hitter, as a pitcher, but never even close to qualifying for a batting title.

I know Waler Johnson could hit. How bout him?

nope same problem as Gibby, never enough AB's to qualify. Another thing that links Gibson and Wajo, both hit 24 career HR's!

How about that heavier set guy for the Cubs a few years ago, like in 2010? I can't even remember his name :P

2nd guess-- Mr. Hubbell?

I won't answer since I had to look it up. There is no way I would have guessed it, but now that I know I am going to have to store that is a fun fact.

nope, think you mean Zambrano who could rake, but neither he nor hubbell ever qualified for a batting title. There was also the pitcher for Arizona who could really a hit a few years back who flirted with converting, might have been Micah Owings? Not him either. :)

Cy Seymour?

Thanks for being honest! I collect oddball trivia like this. It's getting harder and harder to ask questions that can't be looked up and I knew this one could so your candor is appreciated.

is it
 

Ankiel? just a guess can't think of many people that were both pitcher and everyday player

1898 won 25 games led league in BB's and K's (and HBP's and WP's) He was a hard thrower without any real good idea where the ball was going.

Instead of trying to right his control issues he switched to center field where in 1905 he had a season for the ages leading the league in Hits, Doubles, Triples, RBI, Batting Average, Slugging, and OPS!

http://www.ebssportscards.com/images...rbatting02.jpg


http://www.ebssportscards.com/images...throwing02.jpg

send me your address and I'll send you your prize. You have to post it after you receive it though.

good one
 

ill remember this one.

Another thing I found when I looked it up, he is second to Ruth in Wins+Hits over a career.

Just back from the store - no answer yet? Is it one guess per? I have another guess from earlier than the Big Train (though he probably didn't have the ABs either).

Either way, it's a probably 19th C pitcher since ABs keep out all the 20th century pitchers...

Great trivia question, thank you for the contest ASC!

Whoops. Congrats - great trivia...

Now that it's over, there's a guy named Heckler (sp?) who was a great hitter/pitcher for the Pirates before the turn of the previous century...

Guy Hecker also qualifies as he led his league in k's in 1884 and in batting in (I think) 1886.

Mike Hampton ?

I like Cy .............. :)

Attachment 262171

Interesting that his career was from 1896 - 1913.

BUT he stopped pitching by 1900, moving to outfield.

A sometimes wild pitcher, The New York Times described him as having a "$10,000 arm and a $00,000 head". :p

Fun stuff, Scott :rolleyes:

Good trivia question--
 

I'd guess it's most likely to be a 19th century guy.
There are so few full-time, modern-day pitchers that would qualify for a batting title.
In fact, are there any 20th century pitchers who qualified for a batting title and pitching titles as well?
[I do realize that strikeouts might not require a minimum inning parameter.]

I also don't think it's a 20th century pitcher because I'd think I would've read/heard it before; add to that, I don't know 19th century nearly as well.

I'm now going to contradict all my rationalization and guess Wes Ferrell, who just popped into my mind. I do know he holds some batting marks for pitchers, but did he have enough AB's to qualify?

I have 7-8 other good hunches, but I won't name them, not to spoil the fun.

Happy Friday, guys! I just wanted to post a thank you to Scott for the great card he sent me as the trivia contest prize. Im not so good at posting pics but if you take a look at post #14 on this thread it is the Seymour throwing card. It looks even better in person with sharp colors and no surface wrinkles. The packaging was great as well. It arrived just the same as a card that I actually paid for should arrive.

Howard

A picture of the happy (I swear, he said he was happy!) winner with his prize.

http://www.ebssportscards.com/images/seymour.jpg

He (hi Howard) doesn't look happy.

I am going with...
 

Drysdale. My mom grew up in Hollywood and has commented on how good of a hitter he was.

Er, looks like I was late to the party, duh.