Surprising baseball facts

[Fred]

In the history of the major leagues, there have been 24 perfect games (should be 25).

Two of the perfect games were thrown by Yankees (actually, 4 of the perfectos were thrown by 4 different Yankees).

Don Larsen and David Wells were two Yankees that threw to perfection and both attended the same high school (Pt. Loma High School - San Diego).

[Tomi]

Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays started and finished their careers in the same city but with different teams.

[Wrightfan85]

Originally Posted by Tomi

Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays started and finished their careers in the same city but with different teams.

I just got a 1973 Topps Willie Mays a few weeks back. He was pretty much done by the time he came to Queens but seeing the greatest player ever in a Mets uniform warms my heart. Happy they retired his number finally.

[John1941]

Ted Wingfield, who began his career as a shortstop for the Chattanooga Lookouts, struck out 1 batter in 74.2 innings for the 1927 Red Sox.

Red Barbary was a minor league catcher from 1941 to 1945. His pitching line for the Piedmont League Charlotte Hornets in 1942 was 1-0, 22 innings, 11 hits, 3 runs - and 1 game. The catcher won a 3-2 22 inning game.

Frank Shone won a pitching triple crown in his first full season as a pitcher. As a 31-year-old former PCL catcher, with Albuquerque in the West Texas-New Mexico League, he had a line of 21-7/223/3.85.

In 1942, for Sheboygan of the Wisconsin State League, Roman Wantuck had a 19-6 record, 2.70 ERA, .291 AVG, and hit 16 home runs in 62 games. He started the All-Star game as pitcher, threw 5 shut-out innings, and hit two home runs. He was killed in action in New Guinea June 16, 1944.

Sachio Kinusaga hit 504 home runs in his 23-year-career, all of it spent with the Hiroshima Carp, but never hit more than 31 in a season.

Craft Akard had a 18-1 record in his last pro season.

Katsuya Nomura was a catcher who hit 657 home runs.

In 1944 Roger Wolff was 4-15 with a 4.99 ERA for the Washington Senators. In 1945 he was 20-10 with a 2.12 ERA.

[jsfriedm]

Ted Williams homered in his final at bat...three different times. When he went back to war in 1952, nearing 34 years old, many thought he wouldn't come back and this would be his last at bat. He homered. All through 1954, he told people this was his last season, and he didn't play the first couple of months of 1955 because he was going through a nasty divorce and didn't want his wife getting alimony. He homered in his last at bat of 1954. And then, of course, he homered in his last at bat of 1960.

[Beercan collector]

Tony Gwynn had more four hit games (45)
Than Games with more than one strike out (34)
33 Were 2 strike out games .. he struck out three times only once

[Yoda]

What a shame that Teddy Z is no longer with us. I am sure he could have added many nuggets to this post.

[Mark17]

The Minnesota Twins have been in three World Series. Each time they won Games 1 and 2 (at home,) lost Games 3, 4, and 5 (on the road,) and won Game 6 (at home.)

[cgjackson222]

Hughie Jennings was hit by a pitch a record 272 times over 5,648 Plate Appearances. This included a stretch of 5 seasons, where he was hit a total of 202 times.

Ruben Sierra closed out his career with 15 straight years without being hit by a pitch over 5,769 Plate Appearances.

[Lobo Aullando]

And of course in 2019, the Washington Nationals won the first two (on the road), lost the next three (at home), and won the sixth (on the road).

Bizzarro world stuff.

Originally Posted by Mark17

The Minnesota Twins have been in three World Series. Each time they won Games 1 and 2 (at home,) lost Games 3, 4, and 5 (on the road,) and won Game 6 (at home.)

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by Yoda

What a shame that Teddy Z is no longer with us. I am sure he could have added many nuggets to this post.

He would have posted something like this:

What a great thread. Ted Williams's 3 last at bat home runs. How amazing is that? Each one could easily have been the last one. Let me add that if Johnny Vander Meer and Don Larsen never did another thing, throwing back-to-back no hitters and a perfect game in the World Series is more than enough. Can't see anyone topping those anytime soon. Or Joltin' Joe's 56 game hit streak, either.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Yoda

What a shame that Teddy Z is no longer with us. I am sure he could have added many nuggets to this post.

John,

Ted and I often spoke over email about how underappreciated Johnny Mize was as a ballplayer. To channel the spirit of Ted, and give an interesting Johnny Mize fact:

Mize played for the Great Lakes Naval Station baseball team, during the war where he hit .475, and smacked 17 homers in 51 games. He played with other notable major leaguers including Dom DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Sam Chapman, Johnny Lipon, and Pee Wee Reese. It's considered to be one of the best World War II teams ever assembled.

Ted and I also spoke a lot about Joe Page, former relief pitcher for the New York Yankees, who held the record for most victories as a reliever, until it was broken by Luis Arroyo. Page was very versatile and was a bit ahead of his time. One of the first "closers" out there!

- James

[molenick]

Speaking of Johnny Mize, in 1947 he hit 51 home runs and struck out 42 times. I don't know if that is a record ("most home runs in a season where you had fewer strikeouts than home runs") but I was not able to find anyone who beat 51.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Reminds me of a piece I once owned. The original collector had found a way to combine two hobbies into one: baseball autographs, and writing to postmasters in obscure towns for hand cancellations featuring names related to the autograph collection. I still have one or two from this assemblage, but the page is long gone.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Seven

John,

Ted and I often spoke over email about how underappreciated Johnny Mize was as a ballplayer. To channel the spirit of Ted, and give an interesting Johnny Mize fact:

Mize played for the Great Lakes Naval Station baseball team, during the war where he hit .475, and smacked 17 homers in 51 games. He played with other notable major leaguers including Dom DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Sam Chapman, Johnny Lipon, and Pee Wee Reese. It's considered to be one of the best World War II teams ever assembled.

Ted and I also spoke a lot about Joe Page, former relief pitcher for the New York Yankees, who held the record for most victories as a reliever, until it was broken by Luis Arroyo. Page was very versatile and was a bit ahead of his time. One of the first "closers" out there!

- James

James, so glad you got to know Ted and talk baseball. He was a wonderful guy and I am still in shock he is no longer with us. Best, your shipmate

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Yoda

James, so glad you got to know Ted and talk baseball. He was a wonderful guy and I am still in shock he is no longer with us. Best, your shipmate

My biggest regret was that we didn't correspond more often, maybe once a month. I treasure the Phil Rizzuto card that I purchased from him, as we always spoke about Scooter as well. It's amazing how the Hobby and baseball history allowed two people connect that were a touch over 50 years apart in age! Teds legacy will live on, as I'm sure we will talk about him until the cows come home. I pointed this out, in another thread, that he's probably debating with Jefferson Burdick in the great beyond!

Another interesting piece of trivia bringing up both Ted and Phil Rizzuto. Phil Rizzuto was the only player in the history of Major League Baseball to lead the league in Sacrifice Hits in the same year that he won MVP!

[Spike]

Three players hit a homer in their only PA for a franchise

* Les "Buster" Narum (BAL) May 3, 1963
* Jamie Quirk (CLE) Sept 27, 1984
* Gustavo Chacin (HOU) May 31, 2010

[TexasLeaguer]

In 1903, Joe McGinnity started and completed both games of a double-header three times in one month, winning all 6 games.

[Eric72]

As a pitcher, A.G. Spalding won over 250 games.

In a six year stretch.

By the time he was barely 26 years old.


He also has the highest all-time career win/loss percentage in baseball history.

[brianp-beme]

On August 17, 1957 at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia, Alice Roth was struck in the face by a foul ball off the bat of Richie Ashburn, resulting in a broken nose. After a brief delay for medical staff to attend to Ms. Roth, on the very next pitch, Ashburn lined another foul and hit the woman as she was being carried off on a stretcher. That ball broke a bone in her leg.

Brian

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

On August 17, 1957 at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia, Alice Roth was struck in the face by a foul ball off the bat of Richie Ashburn, resulting in a broken nose. After a brief delay for medical staff to attend to Ms. Roth, on the very next pitch, Ashburn lined another foul and hit the woman as she was being carried off on a stretcher. That ball broke a bone in her leg.

Brian

I grew up watching and listening to Phillies games. Richie Ashburn was a broadcaster during those years. This story came up from time to time. Richie apparently kept in touch with her throughout the years.

[Mungo Hungo]

Originally Posted by Spike

Three players hit a homer in their only PA for a franchise

* Les "Buster" Narum (BAL) May 3, 1963
* Jamie Quirk (CLE) Sept 27, 1984
* Gustavo Chacin (HOU) May 31, 2010

Narum and Chacin were taken out for pinch hitters at what would have been their next at bat.

Quirk was the only player to hit a walk off HR in his only PA for a franchise. He beat the Twins with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

That HR was enormously important for a team he had played for as recently as two years earlier and would play for again the following year (the Royals), as the Royals and Twins were in a tight AL West pennant race. His former and future teammates had asked him just a few days earlier to help them out if he got the chance.

[Lobo Aullando]

I had to look it up on Baseball Reference, not that I don't believe folks, it's just cool to see the line. But something else caught my eye.

He only had four PAs that year, and an average of .333... and an OBP of .250. A sac fly on 7/21 batted in the game-winning run for the White Sox (not the Indians, even). I suppose there's a good one for "lies, damned lies, and statistics."

Edited to add, it was a White Sox victory over the Indians, to boot.

Originally Posted by Mungo Hungo

Quirk was the only player to hit a walk off HR in his only PA for a franchise. He beat the Twins with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

That HR was enormously important for a team he had played for as recently as two years earlier and would play for again the following year (the Royals), as the Royals and Twins were in a tight AL West pennant race. His former and future teammates had asked him just a few days earlier to help them out if he got the chance.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

How about combining sports and cards? Reggie Smith hit 314 Home runs in his career. His rookie card is #314. I've never found another similar player.

[molenick]

When I was a kid learning about baseball history, I thought it was cool that several records matched the years they were set in: Alexander's 16 shutouts in 1916, Hornsby's .424 in 1924*, Maris's 61 in 1961.

* When I was learning about baseball stats, this was considered to be the highest single season average. This was before the Macmillan Encyclopedia which adjusted Lajoie's 1901 average from .422 to .426 (if I remember correctly) and which brought more recognition to 19th century statistics, which sometimes were excluded (people would say Hornsby had the "modern record" and Duffy was more of a footnote).

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by molenick

When I was a kid learning about baseball history, I thought it was cool that several records matched the years they were set in: Alexander's 16 shutouts in 1916, Hornsby's .424 in 1924*, Maris's 61 in 1961.

* When I was learning about baseball stats, this was considered to be the highest single season average. This was before the Macmillan Encyclopedia which adjusted Lajoie's 1901 average from .422 to .426 (if I remember correctly) and which brought more recognition to 19th century statistics, which sometimes were excluded (people would say Hornsby had the "modern record" and Duffy was more of a footnote).

Finally! Somebody else who did this!

I remember having a list of several besides the three you mentioned but the only one coming to mind right now is:

Lefty Grove, 31 wins in 1931

[Tabe]

Ted Williams:

- won two Triple Crowns
- won two MVPs
- hit .400
- hit .388
- led the majors with 145 RBI

ALL of these were accomplished in different seasons.


Joey Gallo:

Achieved 100 career home runs before 100 career singles, the only player to ever do that.


2019 LA Angels:

Until Trevor Cahill threw 4 innings at the end of September across 3 appearances, the Angels were on track to become the first team ever to have no pitchers with 100 IP. Cahill finished with 102.1.


Phil Niekro:

Led the NL in both wins AND losses in 1979 with a record of 21-20. He finished 6th in Cy Young voting and won a Gold Glove.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Ted Williams:

- won two Triple Crowns
- won two MVPs
- hit .400
- hit .388
- led the majors with 145 RBI

The truly astounding thing is that both seasons Williams won the Triple Crown, he was robbed of MVP. The media's undying hatred for the man was astounding. A top 3 hitter in our game.

[molenick]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Finally! Somebody else who did this!

I remember having a list of several besides the three you mentioned but the only one coming to mind right now is:

Lefty Grove, 31 wins in 1931

Yeah, in my mind there was others as well, but I can't think of them now. 31 wins in 1931 is a good one.

[bbcard1]

Johnny Cooney played for parts of three decades and had more than 3000 at bats. He hit two home runs in his career. They were on consecutive nights.

[paul]

How could Wilton Guerrero be 3 1/2 months older than his brother Vlad? Did his mother get pregnant when she already was pregnant? I thought that was impossible.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by paul

How could Wilton Guerrero be 3 1/2 months older than his brother Vlad? Did his mother get pregnant when she already was pregnant? I thought that was impossible.

Papa was a rollin' stone...

[G1911]

Originally Posted by paul

How could Wilton Guerrero be 3 1/2 months older than his brother Vlad? Did his mother get pregnant when she already was pregnant? I thought that was impossible.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/n...nd-birthdates/

Presumably it’s a result from the brothers lying about birth dates to seem younger and more attractive to MLB, and is not true.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by G1911

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/n...nd-birthdates/

Presumably it’s a result from the brothers lying about birth dates to seem younger and more attractive to MLB, and is not true.

Or they're half-brothers, which would also help explain some of the other discrepancies.

EDIT: Apparently not, just likely an uncorrected false date for Wilton's birth.

[Cory]

Somewhere on Twitter (or Facebook?) I always see crazy Tony Gwynn stats. Haven't committed any to memory, so I had to look some up (link below)-

Gwynn finished his career batting .302 with two strikes. That's easily the best mark for any player since numbers were first tracked by count in the mid-1970s. Wade Boggs comes in second at .262. In fact, in 1994, Gwynn batted an absurd .397 in two-strike counts. This one is mind-blowing to me - a 300 hitter with 2 strikes over a 20 year career.

Including postseason play, Gwynn faced 18 Hall of Fame pitchers for a total of 541 plate appearances. That’s essentially a full season’s worth of plate appearances exclusively against Hall of Famers. Gwynn batted .331/.371/.426.

Gwynn batted .300 in every season but his rookie year, giving him a record 19 straight seasons above .300. J.D. Martinez is the current leader with four straight .300-plus seasons.

Gwynn faced Greg Maddux 107 times in his career -- more than any other pitcher. He batted .415/.476/.521 against the four-time Cy Young Award winner and Hall of Famer. That's easily the highest average against Maddux for any player with at least 70 plate appearances. - I include this one as everyone needs to google the Maddux interview about Tony Gwynn.

https://www.mlb.com/news/19-facts-ab...ynn-c177069734