Ted Williams, Bob Feller, and seasons lost to military service

#1 05-25-2009, 09:28 AM

If you have a minute, you might enjoy this article on Ted Williams, Bob Feller, and how their career stats were affected by time lost to military service. Happy Memorial Day!
http://www.examiner.com/x-5758-Chica...n-the-Military

J.McMurry · #2 05-25-2009, 09:38 AM

Dont forget Spahn, he would have had 400+ wins if not for the years lost to military service.

calvindog · #3 05-25-2009, 10:33 AM

Spahn's call up was at the very beginning of his career and I would say the impact was not nearly as pronounced as military service was to the careers of Williams (who was called up twice) and Feller. Feller would have won 330+ games and Williams would have had probably close to 700 HRs and maybe 3500 hits.

J.McMurry · #4 05-25-2009, 10:59 AM

I see your point, and I don't disagree.
I'm just presenting Spahns' case solely from the point of becoming the 3rd pitcher in the history of the game to have 400 wins.

calvindog · #5 05-25-2009, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.McMurry

I see your point, and I don't disagree.
I'm just presenting Spahns' case solely from the point of becoming the 3rd pitcher in the history of the game to have 400 wins.

I would say that there is a very high probability that he would have gotten to 400, I agree. Spahn would have been in a much different place historically had he won 400.

dennis · #6 05-25-2009, 05:02 PM

big john mize,phil rizzuto and enos slaughter all hall of famers all lost 3 prime years to the military. joe gordon 2. no one would question rizzuto as a hall of famer if he had those 3 years stats. joe dimaggio and hank greenberg would be 400 HR club members if not for their years lost.and in that year lost to service would stan musial have got 25 homers to put him in the 500 HR club? also,IMO, 3 prime years stats would put the other dimaggio brother, dom into the baseball hall of fame.

mybuddyinc · #7 05-25-2009, 11:04 AM

Let's not forget Lou Brissie, quite a story:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3101709

Article from 2007, Lou's still with us today !!

Oh, in 1941 he did pretty good for the Savannah Indians:

23-5 record, 1.91 ERA and 278 strike-outs in 254 innings.