Surprising baseball facts

[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.

[GeoPoto]

A few squirts re Cecil:

< Prior to beginning his almost four years in uniform, Travis had a career batting average of .327; after 800 post-war at-bats he finished at .314, which is still the all-time record for an American League shortstop and third overall at shortstop behind Honus Wagner and Arky Vaughan.

< In August 1947 when Cecil retired, the Senators celebrated "Cecil Travis Night", which was attended by former Supreme Allied Commander, Dwight Eisenhower; Travis was showered with gifts, including a fancy DeSoto automobile and a 1,500-pound Hereford bull.

< Despite frostbite suffered during the Battle of the Bulge, Travis refused to blame his military service for derailing his baseball career: saying simply, that his four years away from the game were "too long." He said, "We had a job to do, an obligation, and we did it. I was hardly the only one."

< Bob Feller and Ted Williams lobbied unsuccessfully for Travis' Hall of Fame induction. But as Travis philosophically said: "I was a good player, but I wasn't a great one."

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1705855237

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by GeoPoto

A few squirts re Cecil:

< Prior to beginning his almost four years in uniform, Travis had a career batting average of .327; after 800 post-war at-bats he finished at .314, which is still the all-time record for an American League shortstop and third overall at shortstop behind Honus Wagner and Arky Vaughan.

< In August 1947 when Cecil retired, the Senators celebrated "Cecil Travis Night", which was attended by former Supreme Allied Commander, Dwight Eisenhower; Travis was showered with gifts, including a fancy DeSoto automobile and a 1,500-pound Hereford bull.

< Despite frostbite suffered during the Battle of the Bulge, Travis refused to blame his military service for derailing his baseball career: saying simply, that his four years away from the game were "too long." He said, "We had a job to do, an obligation, and we did it. I was hardly the only one."

< Bob Feller and Ted Williams lobbied unsuccessfully for Travis' Hall of Fame induction. But as Travis philosophically said: "I was a good player, but I wasn't a great one."

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1705855237

Great post, sir. You summed it up perfectly.

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by 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.

That's really neat--do you have any others?

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

That's really neat--do you have any others?

Just one. These had to be part of a larger collection, but to date, I've only ever seen the two or three I purchased.

There just has to be a town named John. The collector got a little sloppy here.

[Salfino]

Here's another one. In 1989, the first year they kept count, Nolan Ryan averaged 127 pitches per start. He also had a game with 167 five days after throwing 150. He was 42. FIP ERA: 2.51. 301 Ks.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Imagine Ryan with a little better control, and imagine him at least part of his career on better teams. 375 wins? That's only another 2 per year.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Imagine Ryan with a little better control, and imagine him at least part of his career on better teams. 375 wins? That's only another 2 per year.

1973 Ryan body with 1991 Ryan experience and skill would have been unreal.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Imagine Ryan with a little better control, and imagine him at least part of his career on better teams. 375 wins? That's only another 2 per year.

I would say imagine his control improving earlier. The second half of his career nobody would've confused him with Maddux, but his walk numbers became respectable for a power pitcher.

EDIT: Not going after you Pete, I don't look at who I'm responding to. Didn't realize I hit you 2x in a row until it was done.

[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!

[Yoda]

Well, here is one back: I dated Phil Rizutto's daughter, Penny, in college. Ted knew her well and approved.

[chadeast]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Well, here is one back: I dated Phil Rizutto's daughter, Penny, in college. Ted knew her well and approved.

Whoa, you just jarred loose an old memory! My roommate in college dated Tommy John's daughter. I believe her name was Tamara IIRC.

[Utter Chaos]

Ichiro after 6,000 career at bats:

Overall: 2000 for 6000 = .333333333...........
Home: 980 for 2940 = .333333333...........
Away: 1020 for 3060 = .333333333...........

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by Utter Chaos

Ichiro after 6,000 career at bats:

Overall: 2000 for 6000 = .333333333...........
Home: 980 for 2940 = .333333333...........
Away: 1020 for 3060 = .333333333...........

That's pretty cool

[Utter Chaos]

Art Fowler (first game was 4/17/1954) made his debut almost 30 years after his brother Jesse (7/29/1924).

Wilton Guerrero (5'11, 145 lbs, born 10/24/74) is 4 inches shorter, 90 pounds lighter and 3 1/2 months older than his brother Vladimir (6'3, 235, 2/9/75)

In 1976 Tony Perez had 32 doubles, 6 triples, 19 home runs, and 91 RBI's for the Reds. The following year for the Expos he had 32 doubles, 6 triples, 19 home runs, and 91 RBI's.

In 1974, Tommy McCraw had 34 hits, 8 doubles, 0 triples, 3 homers, and 17 RBI's for the Angels. In July he was purchased by Cleveland and would go on to have 34 hits, 8 doubles, 0 triples, 3 homers, and 17 RBI's for the Indians.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Well, here is one back: I dated Phil Rizutto's daughter, Penny, in college. Ted knew her well and approved.

I can guess the rest. After a few dates, things are going really well, and you and Penny start going at it pretty heavy. Then all of a sudden Phil comes into the room and says:

Okay, here we go, we got a real pressure cooker going here
Two down, nobody on, no score, bottom of the ninth
There's the windup, and there it is
A line shot up the middle, look at him go
This boy can really fly
He's rounding first and really turning it on now
He's not letting up at all
He's gonna try for second, the ball is bobbled out in center
And here comes the throw, and what a throw
He's gonna slide in head first
Here he comes, he's out
No, wait, safe-safe at second base
This kid really makes things happen out there
Batter steps up to the plate, here's the pitch-he's going
And what a jump he's got, he's trying for third
Here's the throw, it's in the dirt-safe at third
Holy cow, stolen base, he's taking a pretty big lead out there
Almost daring him to try and pick him off
The pitcher glances over, winds up, and it's bunted
Bunted down the third base line, the suicide squeeze is on
Here he comes, squeeze play, it's gonna be close, here's the throw, here's the play at the
Holy cow, I think he's gonna make it

[Yoda]

Mark, brilliant. I loved it; however, whatever may have happened between Penny and me is a taboo subject. A gentleman never tells.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

This is one of the most jaw-dropping baseball facts I ever personally unearthed:

While researching a bunch of players during a very hectic week of going over the Heilbroner Baseball Bureau information cards when they were together in their entirety for the final time, I took thousands of photos of cards of interest. These cards all had the players' home addresses on them from when they first started in pro ball.

There was a gentleman named Rollie Miller whose MLB career consisted of 2 IP for the 1941 Senators. He grew up in a tiny house in St. Louis.

I have this curiosity about certain blighted US cities in relation to former addresses of ballplayers. If I'm dealing with cities like St. Louis, Baltimore, Detroit, and the like, I hop on Google Streetview to see if the house still stands and what the neighborhood looks like in the present day. I did this with Rollie Miller's childhood home. It was in shambles, and was at the time listed for some paltry sum of $14 or $19K. Its most memorable feature was this green metal awning over one window which had a white letter monogrammed on the front.

Time goes by. Maybe a few weeks, maybe a few months. I'm still poring over these photos I took of the Heilbroner cards. Another MLBer with a St. Louis address comes along in my research. Again, I type the address into Streetview. It's the exact same house as Rollie Miller's! Same green monogrammed awning, same asking price. Rollie Miller was white. His parents must have sold the place and at some point the neighborhood transitioned from white to black, and this later, black player's family moved into the Rollie Miller house and spawned a Major Leaguer of their own!

Unfortunately, I can't for the life of me recall who this player was, but have a recollection that he debuted in the late 1950's. That, coupled with his ethnicity and living in St. Louis definitely narrows it down, but I can not locate the photo I took of his Heilbroner card with the same address. It will turn up again when I'm researching something unrelated.

Just think of that! This has to be the only case of two completely unrelated Major Leaguers being raised in the same house, a generation apart. This is something that nobody would have ever known if it wasn't for my unrelated interest in blighted neighborhoods.

[packs]

Long thread and this might have been posted, but in 1987 Don Mattingly set the record for most grand slams in a single season with six. He never hit another grand slam in any other season and those are the only grand slams of his career.