Two things I enjoy doing are: (1) watching the Montreal Expos and (2) watching the Toronto Blue Jays. Since I'm really trying to hold off on spewing invective and aren't quite sure if this blog has a profanity filter, I'll put off writing about them until things look a little brighter. So, two other things I enjoy doing are: (1) finding obscure or old feats in baseball and (2) jotting them down for future reference. It's amazing what you accumulate over time. So I thought I'd share my version of "Believe It Or Not." So, I've arranged them chronologically and will feature this again in future:
*1900*
And you thought Ed Sprague was bad....
New York Giants' third baseman "Piano Legs" Hickman committed 86 errors.
*1901*
Here's a double play combo that only the Mets could love....
The Phillies keystone combo -- Bill Hallman and Monte Cross -- hit .184 and .197 respectively.
How old is Armando Benitez really?....
In a four game series Detroit swept Milwaukee winning each game in their last at bat. In the first game of the series; Milwaukee lead in the ninth 13-4 and lost the game 14-13.
How old is Pedro Martinez really?....
Philadelphia's Chick Fraser hits 31 batters.
*1902*
You'd think they'd try an intentional walk....
Texas Leaguer Nig Clarke went 8-for-8 with eight home runs.
How old is Rey Ordonez really?....
Phillies 2B/SS Pete Childs slugs a mighty .206 over 403 AB. His career SLG was .231 and his career OPS was a awe-inspiring (in a bad way) .523.
*1903*
Manager Bill Armour must have thought the same way as Cito Gaston did, let 'em keep playing to show you haven't lost confidence in them....
Cleveland Naps SS John Gochnauer made 98 errors. Of course he must've been a heckuva hitter to stay in the lineup--right? Wrong. He hit a lusty .185.
Effectively wild?
On September 18, Chick Fraser no-hits the Cubs. At least no-hit their bats.
Why the Phillies sucked so bad for so long (or call him the original Dick Allen)....
Bill Keister led his team in HR and RBI while batting .320. Did he win team MVP? Not sure--they released him, you can say the Phillies gave their team a kick in the Keister.
Do you think Alan Trammell has actually thought of doing it?....
Detroit Tigers' manager Win Mercer commits suicide in the preseason.
*1904*
Couldn't they just spit on him like regular ballplayers?....
Giants players led by skipper John McGraw beat an umpire unconscious during spring training. Had that happened in this era the ump would likely be forced by Don Fehr to apologize to the players for bruising their knuckles thereby risking their careers.
He didn't play for the Yankees however....
Jim O'Rourke caught a game for the New York Giants--he was 52.
*1905-06*
There aren't your Daddy's Braves....
The Boston Braves had four 20-game losers in their rotation: Irv Young 20-21 Vic Willis 12-29 Chick Fraser 14-21 and Kaiser Wilhelm 3-23. Interestingly, all four pitchers surrendered 122 earned runs that year.
And just to prove it wasn't a fluke....
After that kind of abysmal season the best thing to do is revamp the pitching staff, right? Wrong. With three new starters the Braves still have a quartet of 20-game losers: Irv Young 16-25 Vive Lindaman 12-23 Jeff Pfeffer 13-22 and Gus Dorner 8-25.
And you thought Don Baylor was tough on pitchers....
The Cubs/Cardinals right-hander Jack Taylor tosses 118 consecutive complete games (streak ended in 1906) and the PCL's Rube Vickers hurls an all time organized baseball record 526 innings.
*1907*
Why? He wasn't managing the Tigers....
Red Sox skipper Chick Stahl commits suicide during Spring Training.
This would be a funny salary arbitration hearing to listen in on....
Detroit won the pennant with a 92-58 ledger. Tigers right-hander George Mullin is a 20 game loser (20-20) that year.
*1908*
And you thought Don Baylor was tough on pitchers (part two)....
The Chicago Cubs Ed Reulbach tosses shutouts in both ends of a doubleheader. Walter Johnson tossed three shutouts over a four day stretch against the New York Highlanders (Yankees).
*1909*
In the "But you can't measure his contributions with raw statistics! He had great intangibles and could call one hell of a game and offered leadership in the clubhouse!" department....
In 1909, Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Bill Bergen catches 112 games--and hits a magnificent .139. Bergen had over 3000 ML at bats and hit .170. His career OBP was .194 and he slugged .201 giving him a jaw-dropping, eye-popping career OPS of .395! On August 23, 1909 Bergen goes 7-for-7 in throwing out base stealers.
This wouldn't happen if baseball had a salary cap....
Honus Wagner made the most money of his career in 1909--$10,000.
Then why did they call him "Home Run" Baker?....
The Philadelphia Athletics Frank Baker collects an AL rookie record 19 triples.
*1910*
This is what happens when you clone Rey Ordonez and Brian Hunter....
White Sox Hall-of-Famer Ed Walsh led the AL in ERA (1.26) and lost 20 games (18-20). The White Sox that year slugged a lusty .261.
What makes Scott Boras wake up in a cold sweat screaming....
Player salaries at this point in time range from $900-$12,000.
But did they call him "The Chairman of the [Emery] Board"?....
Canadian Yankee (O.K. Highlander) Russ Ford who popularized the "emery ball" sets an AL rookie record with 26 wins and eight shutouts. After a two-year stint in the Federal League Ford retired as he no longer could throw his best scuff.
Do you think [manager] Jack O Connor and [3B] Roy Hartzwell weren't on Ty Cobb's Christmas card list?....
Nap Lajoie wins the AL batting title over Cobb by going 8-for-8 on the final game of season. Seven of Lajoie's hits were bunt singles up the third base line.
Good thing he didn't go 5-for-5 or they might have had him shot....
On September 30, 21-year old Ray Jansen of the St. Louis Browns makes his major league debut and goes 4-for-5 (all singles). He never plays another game in the major leagues.
*1911*
The blind leading the blind....
1911 is the first year that baseball employs more than one umpire on the field.
Well, at least it gives Miguel Batista and Josh Towers something to shoot for....
On May 13, the New York Giants score 10 runs in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals before the Cards get their first out.
*1912*
Mo Vaughn matched this in an afternoon at Wendy's...
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Chief Wilson legs out 36 triples. His next highest season total was 14 which he accomplished the following year. "Shoeless Joe" Jackson sets the AL mark that year with 26.
*1913*
But did they have to burp him afterward?....
Mel Acosta, a 17-year old rookie with the Washington Senators becomes the youngest player to get a pinch hit in AL history.
*1914*
You can never have too much pitching....
On July 1, The Boston Red Sox debuts a rookie southpaw who pitches seven innings to beat the Cleveland Naps. His name?--Babe Ruth.
Obeying the Eighth Commandment....
Cardinals SS (and future Hall-of-Fame manager for the Yankees) Miller Huggins is caught stealing 36 times (in 68 attempts).
*1915*
Isn't it ironic?....
On May 5, Red Sox southpaw hurler Babe Ruth hits his first career HR off of Jack Warhop--of the New York Yankees.
Well, at least it wasn't for Ernie Broglio....
The Cleveland Indians get Braggo Roth and cash from the Chicago White Sox--for OF Joe Jackson.
You can never have too much pitching II....
St. Louis Browns feature a rookie southpaw who beats the immortal Walter Johnson in his major league debut--George Sisler.
And his grandchildren still don't believe him....
On April 24, the Red Sox decided to pinch hit Hack Cady for the pitcher. It was the last time Babe Ruth was pinch hit for.
Something for Rick Ankiel and Mark Wohlers to shoot for....
The Philadelphia A's give the ball to rookie southpaw Bruno Haas. Haas walks 16 as the A's lose (not surprisingly) 15-7.
Remember me?....
Bill Hinchman returns to the majors with Pittsburgh after spending 1910-14 in the minors (he played for Cleveland in 1909). He'll lead the NL in triples the following year.
*1916*
The name game....
Former major league utility infielder John "I guess I didn't" Dodge is killed by a pitch thrown by "Shotgun" Rogers in a Southern Association game.
I guess the fans in the outfield bleachers never got the memo....
Chicago Cubs owner Charles Weegham is the first team owner who allows fans to keep balls hit out of play.
April games do count....
The New York Giants finish fourth in the NL with a 86-66 despite having a 26-game winning streak.
*1917*
Oh no, No-no-No-no....
On May 2, Cincinnati Reds right hander Fred Toney (24-16, 2.20 ERA), and Chicago Cubs southpaw Hippo Vaughn (23-13, 2.01 ERA) throw mutual no-hitters through nine innings. Toney will win it in ten [innings]: 1-0.
Ernie row your Babe a-Shore....
On June 23, Babe Ruth walks the first batter of a game against the Senators, argues the [ball four] call and is ejected. Ernie Shore comes into the game, picks the runner off first, and retires the next 26 hitters to face him.
Win one for the Gipper....
The Pittsburgh Pirates hire Hugo Bedzek as their manager. His previous job? A college football coach.
*1918*
Our pitcher who Art in trouble, hollowed be our bats....
On August 1, Boston Braves southpaw (184-120, 3.20 ERA lifetime) Art Nehf throws 20 shutout innings. The Braves (and Nehf) lose 2-0 in the 21st.
Of course they didn't have commercials--or TV for that matter....
On August 31, the New York Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 1-0. The game lasted just 57 minutes.
*1919*
"They stole them on the pitcher--honest"....
On July 7, Giants catcher Mike Gonzalez allows eight stolen bases in a single inning.
This will hoit. This Joe didn't even get a song by Simon and Garfunkel and he never bagged Marilyn Monroe....
Western Leaguer Joe Wilhoit of Wichita registers hits in a record 69 consecutive games.
Would you like that hot dog to go?....
On September 28, the Giants beat the Phillies 6-1 in a record 51 minutes.
We've got the beat today, or more pointedly Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT. Like me Rich is a baseball history buff. (or did he say he reads about baseball history in the buff?) Regardless of his sartorial habits (or lack thereof) it's a fun site and feel free to drop a comment or several on his musings. Personally, I like the fact that he mixes sabermetrics with his history; what do I mean? Well, you'll just have to surf over and find out for yourself.
Best Regards
