Archives for February 2023

Book Review – The Greatest Summer in Baseball History: How the ’73 Season Changed Us Forever

February 20, 2023 by

The Greatest Summer in Baseball History:  How the ’73 Season Changed Us Forever

 

By John Rosengren

Sourcebooks, Naperville, IL

$16.99 

(To be released April 1, 2023 … May be pre-ordered at indiebound.org and amazon.com)

 

In  1973, Major League Baseball appeared to be at a crossroads.  The game was facing the blowback from 1972’s first-ever players’ strike; the balance of power between players and owners had changed dramatically; the American League had adopted a controversial rule change (the Designated Hitter); racial animus was coming to the forefront as Henry Aaron closed in on the iconic Babe Ruth’s career home run record; Reggie Jackson was redefining the image of the baseball superstar; and George Steinbrenner and Charlie Finley were breaking the norms as baseball owners.  Forbes Magazine, in fact, predicted major league baseball “could well vanish from the scene in twenty years.”

In The Greatest Summer in Baseball History: How the ’73 Season Changed Us Forever, award-winning author John Rosengren gives readers a vivid picture of the forces and individuals that helped redefine baseball in 1973 – putting the game on a new, more colorful (and, at times. more controversial) path.

In his well-researched and well-written book, Rosengren provides the expected descriptions of the on-field action in pennant races, post-season games and record-chasing endeavors. He also takes readers behind the scenes (into the dugouts, clubhouses and executive offices), examining the personalities who were reshaping the game. He also ties the course of the baseball season with the events of the times (like the Watergate Scandal, the withdrawal from Vietnam, the Billy Jean King/Bobby Riggs Battle of the Sexes and George Steinbrenner’s legal troubles.

Rosengren tells the tale of the 1973 MLB season without pulling any punches. For example, he details how  a resurgent Orlando Cepeda successfully put his mark on the Designated Hitter position, as well as how a declining Willie Mays struggled through his final MLB season (with the Mets). When recounting Reggie Jackson’s 1973 season, Rosengren reports that Reggie Jackson led the American League in home runs, RBI and game-winning hits, but also notes that Jackson was a new kind of superstar, one who played for the ego and the money.

With his usual thoroughness, Rosengren traces the development of Jackson’s ego all the way from his high school days (football scholarship offers from 48 colleges) until his trade to the Yankees, when he  announced “I did not come to New York to be a star, I brought my star with me.” As he describes Jackson’s approach to stardom – often irritating and even offensive to many (even his teammates) – Rosengren notes that Jackson also added a new level of excitement to the game.

“Jackie Robinson changed the color of the game; Reggie infused it with color. He broke the duller barrier.”  

                                                               The Greatest Summer in Baseball History

Baseball Roundtable Note: “The Greatest Summer in Baseball History: How the ’73 Season Changed Us Forever” was first published in 2008 under the title “Hammerin’ Hank, George Almighty and the Say Hey Kid: The Year that Baseball Changed Forever.”  The book is being re-released this year, the 50th anniversary of the 1973 season.

Without giving too much away, let’s take a look at a few examples of how Rosengren approaches the stories of the 1973 season.  We’ll start with Hank Aaron’s 1973 season, unfolding as he approached the iconic Babe Ruth’s hallowed 714 career home runs (Aaron would close 1973 with 713 regular-season long balls). Rosengren details Aaron’s on-field accomplishments, as well as the stress of the pursuit and the mountain of racially-based  threats against not just Aaron himself, but also his family.

“It (the pursuit of Ruth’s record) should have been the most enjoyable time of my life, and instead it was hell.”

            Hank Aaron, noted in The Greatest Summer in Baseball History

What intrigued me was that Aaron was nearly as disturbed by Atlanta’s indifference to his pursuit of the record as he was by the race-based hate mail. For example, on Hank Aaron Poster Day at Atlanta Stadium (April 29, 1973) – when the Braves planned to give out posters to the first 20,000 youngsters –  a total of only 12,152 (youngsters and adults) were reported in attendance. After the game, Aaron commented that  “Atlanta overwhelmed me with its indifference.” Later in the season, when Aaron popped his 711th round tripper (September 17), only 1,362 fans showed up in Atlanta. “That was a pretty strong statement of what Atlanta though of me and my record,” Aaron observed.

There were, of course, positive moments – and Rosengren shares those as well. On August 6, “Hank Aaron Day” was held in the former home of the Braves, as Aaron’s Atlanta squad took on the Brewers in an exhibition game in Milwaukee. There, Aaron basked in an extended standing ovation from more than 33,000 fans. There was a similar response at the 1973 All Star Game and Atlanta fans did come around, putting 40,000 plus in the seats (and out of their seats for a five-minute  standing ovation) for Atlanta’s final home game of the season.

The point here is that – as with other topics in the book – Rosengren enables us to relive the significant events of 1973, the good and the bad.  And, he does it with detail and accuracy, as well as with entertaining and active prose.

Rosengren also gives readers a look at the Mets, who made won the NL East title and made it to the World Series, despite being in last place on August 30 and not topping .500 to stay until September 22.-

“Excitement for the Mets in New York seemed directly proportional to disgust for the Nixon Administration.”

                                                        The Greatest Summer in Baseball History

Rosengren shares a game-by-game account of the of the 1973 Mets/Reds NL Championship Series – identifying the heroes and the goats.  Part of the tale that particularly grabbed me took place in Game Two.  In the fifth inning of that contest – with the  Reds up 9-3 – Pete Rose (breaking up a  double play) took out Mets’ shortstop Buddy Harrelson.  The action resulted in a bench-clearing brawl.  It was not your usual push-and-shove in-field match, but one marked by some pretty heavy punches. (Rosengren includes a blow-by-blow account, including Reds’ pitcher Pedro Borbon’s taking a bite out of a Mets player’s cap.)  Once the field was cleared, the excitement was far from over. When Rose took his place in left field the next inning, the fans greeted him with what Rosengren terms ”a barrage of insults and an artillery of garbage.” It took more than ten minutes and a visit to the outfield by peacekeeper Willie Mays to quiet the crowd.

“I’m no damn little girl out there. I’m supposed to give the fans their money’s worth and try to bust up double plays – and shortstops.  I’ll be honest, I was trying to knock him into left field.”

                          Pete Rose, after his NLCS collision with Bud Harrelson

Rosengren tells the story of the 1973 World Champions A’s  and the deep rift between the players and owner Charlie  Finley.   A rift so deep that, at one point, the A’s players discussed going on strike during the 1973 World Series. Rosengren shares the story of Reggie Jackson flipping the bird at owner Charlie Finely after delivering a pinch-hit home run and gives readers a look at Finley –  defying post-heart attack doctors’ orders – and continuing his meddling ways from a wheelchair (with a bottle of yellow heart pills in his pocket).

And, there’s much more in the book, including (but, as they say, not limited to):

  • Orlando Cepeda overcoming gimpy knees to be named 1973’s first-ever Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year;
  • The rift(s) between, Hank Aaron and Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn; Willie Mays and Mets’ skipper Yogi Berra; George Steinbrenner and the Federal Court system;
  • The forces behind, skepticism surrounding and impact of the Designated Hitter rule;
  • George Steinbrenner’s zealous efforts to prove Gaylord Perry was throwing spitballs;
  • Willie Mays’ moments of struggle and moments of glory in his final season.

Ultimately, The Greatest Summer in Baseball History is a highly informative and entertaining look at a watershed year for baseball. If you’re a baseball fan, you’ll enjoy the action and  John Rosengren’s take on the people, events and social forces that shaped the season and the future course of the National Pastime.

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About the Author

John Rosengren is an award-winning journalist and author, whose articles have appeared in more than 100 publications, ranging from The Atlantic to Sports Illustrated. He is a lifelong baseball fan and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research.

He has written ten books including:

The Fight of Their Lives: How Juan Marichal and John Roseboro Turned Baseball’s Ugliest Brawl into a Story of Forgiveness and Redemption

Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes

Classic Baseball: Timeless Tales, Immortal Moments

Blades of Gory: The Story of a Young Team Bred to Win

Alone in the Trenches:  My Life as a Gay Man in the NFL. (With Esera Tuaolo)

Life is Just a Party (short story collection)

Clean Heart (Novel)

Rosengren is a Pulitzer Prize nominee.  Among his many awards is the 2017 Donald Robinson Award for Investigative Journalism.

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A Brief Interview with the Author

Roundtable:    When did you first develop your passion for baseball?

Rosengren: I fell in love with baseball as a young boy. My father took me to Twins games at Met Stadium and passed along his love for the game through his stories and explanations of how the game was played. That love grew with my collection of Topps baseball cards, which I still have tucked into a few shoe boxes in my basement.

 

Roundtable: Did you ever play organized ball … from Little League on?

Rosengren: I started playing T-ball in as a six-year-old and continued playing until my junior year of high school when I was an outfielder on the JV team. I returned to the game in my 40’s, playing catcher and outfield for the Richfield Rockets in the 35-over wooden bat Federal League.

 

Roundtable:  What spurred you to delve so deeply in the 1973 season?

Rosengren: I wanted to write a book that chronicled a season and figured the ’73 season, with all of the events that happened that year, was one of the most formative years in the history of the game. It also happened to be a significant year in the history of our country, so 1973 was a rich subject. It helped that I remembered the season fondly from my youth, because that increased my interest in learning more about it.

 

Roundtable:  How long did the research for The Greatest Summer take and were there any specific challenges to getting the full picture?

Rosengren: I spent about two years researching the season until I got to the point where I felt I could tell its story with authority.

 

Roundtable:  Is there a specific goal or philosophy you bring to your efforts when putting together  a book?

Rosengren: I want to be able to tell a story in a compelling way and to write about substantial subjects. The racial injustice exposed by the opposition Hank Aaron faced in his pursuit of Ruth’s career home run mark is an example of the gravitas that makes this more than simply “a baseball book.”

 

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Voice Your Opinion on MLB Rules Changes

February 14, 2023 by

Pitch clocks, Banned Shifts, Ghost Runner Permanency, Electronic Strike Zones and more … Baseball Roundtable Wants Your Opinions on new MLB Rules for 2023 and a couple of changes that could be on the horizon.  Click here for the survey.  We’ll keep it open until the end of February

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Triple Crown Moundsmen – Big Names with Big Seasons

February 12, 2023 by

In Baseball Roundtable’s last post, we took a look at MLB’s (batting) Triple Crown Winners – with an emphasis on those who earned that distinction in multiple seasons. (For that post, click here.)  This post will look at a less publicized Triple Crown category, focusing on those  hurlers who won MLB’s pitching Triple Crown (Wins-Earned Run Average, Strikeouts); again emphasizing those with multiple qualifying seasons.  The list reads like w “Who’s Who” of moundsmen. You might recognize some of them by their  nicknames The Left Arm of God, The Big Train, Rocket, Big Six and a couple of well-known Lefty’s.”  Of the 32 pitchers who have recorded at least one Triple Crown season, 19 are in the Hall of Fame  (three of those not in the Hall have yet to be eligible).

So, let’s get on with it.

Pitchers with Three Triple Crown Seasons

Asterisk = Hall of Famer

 

Sandy Koufax* … 1963, 1965, 1966

Photo: Publicity still, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax (aka “The Left Arm of God”) earned three pitching Triple Crowns in the midst of one of the most dominant streaks in MLB pitching history. From 1962 through 1966, Koufax went 111-34, with a 1.95 earned run average and 1,444 strikeouts in 1377 innings. In that five-season stretch, Koufax led the NL in:

  • Earned Run Average all five seasons;
  • Wins in three campaigns;
  • Shutouts three times;
  • Strikeouts three times (all three with 300+ whiffs);
  • Complete games twice;
  • WHIP four times;
  • Strikeouts per nine innings four times.

 

In that five-season span, he also won three Cy Young Awards earned one  NL MVP Award and threw four no-hitters (one a perfect game).

“I can see how he won 25 games. What I don’t understand is how he lost five.”

                      Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra on Sandy Koufax (1963)

If it were not for traumatic arthritis in his  pitching elbow – which forced his retirement at age 30 (after one his finest seasons) – Koufax probably would have eventually moved into first place on his own in the pitching Triple Crown list.  In his final MLB season, Koufax led all of MLB in wins (27); ERA (1.73); strikeouts (317); innings pitched (323); starts (4, tied); complete games (27); shutouts (tied, five).

For his career Koufax was 165-87, 2.76, with 2,396 whiffs in 2,324 innings.

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A Tale of Two Pitchers

Sandy Koufax started as a hard thrower who, some observed, saw his control diminish as his velocity increased.  In Spring Training 1961, it has been reported, Dodgers’ catcher Norm Sherry, urged Koufax to loosen his group on the ball, take a little bit off his fastball and make more use of his curve and change-up.

As the chart below shows that advice apparently made an impression (or, perhaps, Koufax just matured – he was only 25 in 1961).

“I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss her ball and stated trying to make then hit it.”

                                                           Sandy Koufax

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Walter Johnson* … 1913, 1918, 1924

Photo: Charles M. Conlon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hall of Famer Walter “The Big Train”  Johnson notched three Triple Crown seasons in a  21-season MLB career that saw him win 417 games with 12 seasons of 20 or more wins. In his first Triple Crown season, Johnson also led the AL in complete games (29), shutouts (11), innings pitched (346), WHIP (0.78). He also notched (among qualifiers) the fewest walks per nine innings and most strikeouts per nine innings. That performance earned him one of his two AL MVP Awards. His second MVP Award would come 11-seasons later (1924), when he as picked up his third pitching Triple Crown.

How good was Walter Johnson?  In his  career, he led the American League in:

  • Strikeouts 12 times;
  • Wins six times;
  • ERA five times;
  • Starts four times;
  • Complete games six times;
  • Shutouts seven times;
  • Innings pitched five times.

Between 1910 and 1916, Johnson won 25 or more games in every season. You get the idea.

No Need to Dust Off  Plate … Nobody’s Coming Home

Walter Johnson’s 110 career shutouts are the all-time MLB high,  20 ahead of runner-up Grover Cleveland (Pete) Alexander.

Johnson finished his career with a 417-279 record (second in wins only to Cy Young); a 2.17 ERA; 531 complete games (fifth all-time) in 666 starts;  and 3,509 strikeouts (ninth all-time).

“His fastball looked about the size of a watermelon seed and it hissed at you as it passed.”

                                           Hall of Famer Ty Cobb on Walter Johnson

______________________________________________

Grover Cleveland Alexander* … 1915, 1916, 1920

Photo: Mattingly23, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Grover Cleveland (Pete) Alexander made his MLB debut with the Philllies in 1911 – at the age of 24 – and he wasted no time in showing his potential on the major-league stage.  In that rookie season, he led the National League  in wins (28 – versus 13 losses), complete games (31), shutouts (7) and innings pitched (367),  while finishing fifth in ERA and second in strikeouts.

Of note is the fact that Alexander Alexander’s professional baseball career almost ended before he ever made it to a major-league mound. In a July 1909 Missouri League game, Alexander, running between first and second, was hit in the head by the shortstop’s attempted double play relay. According to Jan Finkel’s Society for American Baseball Research Alexander biography “”Reports vary, but he was unconscious between 36 and 56 hours. He awoke suffering from double vision, which he endured during the fall and winter into the next spring.” It’s possible the injury contributed to epilepsy that would later take its toll on the future Hall of Famer.

In his first Triple Crown season (1915), Alexander led the NL not only in wins (31), ERA (1.22) and strikeouts (241), but also in complete games (36), shutouts (12), innings pitched (376 1/3) and  WHIP (0.842).

Lucky Number Seven

In his first seven MLB seasons (1915-17), Pete Alexander led the NL in wins and strikeouts five times each (three times reaching 30 or more victories).

Over his 20-season MLB career, Alexander led the NL in wins six times, ERA five times, complete games six times, shutouts seven times, innings pitched seven times and strikeouts six times.

Alexander’s baseball career was interrupted in 1917 by military service in World War. He reportedly suffered from shell shock (which we would now term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), as well as ear and arm injuries.  His injuries, coupled with epilepsy and ongoing issues with alcohol, likely had had an impact on Alexander’s mound achievements.  For example, in his first seven seasons (1911-1917), Alexander led the NL in strikeouts five times. In his final 13 seasons (post World War I service), he led the league in whiffs just once.  From 1911 through 1917, Alexander was 190-88, winning an average of 24 games  per season with a 2.12 ERA. From 1918 through his retirement in 1930, he went 183-120, winning an average of 14 games per season) and posting  a  2.96 Era.

Still, Alexander maintained the pinpoint control that was his trademark as a moundsman. Over his 20-season MLB career, he walked only 1.6 batters per nine frames and, from 1914 through 1929, walked just 1.4 batters per nine innings, never reaching 2 batters per nine frames in any season.

Put It There, right There, Pal

Over his MLB career, Pete Alexander recorded the fewest walks per nine innings in his league five times and finished in the top two a total of ten times.   

Over his 20-MLB seasons, Alexander went 373-208, 2.56 with 436 complete games and 90 shutouts  in 600 starts (696 appearances). His 373 MLB wins are third all-time and his 90 shutouts second, (first in the NL). He won 20 or more games nine times, with 30 or more wins in three of those seasons. He led the NL in ERA five times, complete games six times, shutouts seven times, innings pitched seven times and strikeouts six times. His 16 shutouts in 1916 remain tied for the most-ever in a single MLB season.

“He (Pete Alexander) could pitch into a Tin Can. His control was always remarkable – the finest I’ve ever seen.”

            Grantland Rice in “Winningest Pitchers: Baseball’s 300-Game Winners”

Another Roundtable” one thing leads to another” moment: ” Grover Cleveland Alexander is the only MLB player named after a past president, who later had a future president play him in a movie. (Ronald Reagan played Alexander in the 1952 movie The Winning Team.)

 

Players with Two Pitching Triple Crowns

Asterisk = Hall of Famer

Roger Clemens … 1997, 1998

Roger Clemens put together consecutive Triple Crown seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997 and 1998. They were his age-34 and age-35 seasons, 14th and 15th MLB campaigns.  By the start of the 1997 season, he was already a five-time All Star with a 192 MLB wins on his resume.

Clemens played in 24 MLB seasons (1984-2002 … Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees,Astros) – taking the mound from age 21 to age 44.  He led his league in wins four times, ERA seven times, strikeouts five times, complete games three times and shutouts six times. Along the way, Clemens won a record  seven Cy Young Awards and was the 1986 American League MVP. His overall stats were: 354-184 (ninth in career  MLB wins), 3.12, with 4,672 strikeouts (third) in 4,916 2/3 innings pitched (16th).

Twenty Times Two

Roger Clemens is the only MLB pitcher to record 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game twice. In those two games (April 29, 1986 and September 18, 1996)  – both for the Red Sox – he pitched 18 innings, gave up eight hits and one run, while walking zero and fanning 40. For those who liked to know such things, the one run came on a Gorman Thomas (Mariners) home run on a 1-2 pitch in the top of the seventh inning of the 1986 outing.

___________________________________________________________

Lefty Gomez* … 1934, 1937

Photo: Goudey Gum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hall of Famer Vernon “Lefty” Gomez, captured the American League pitching Triple Crown in 1934 and 1937. Those were the only two seasons in which Gomez led  the AL in wins, the only two seasons he led in ERA and two of the only three seasons he led in strikeouts. He also led the AL in complete games once, shutouts three times and innings pitched once

Gomez finished with a career mark of 189-102 (including four seasons of 20+ wins), 3.34, with 1,468 strikeouts in 2,503 innings pitched, and 173 complete games in 320 starts.  He was 6-0, 2.86 in seven World Series starts.

Quick with the Quip

Lefty Gomez was known as one of baseball’s most engaging and entertaining characters, His plaque in the New York Yankees’ Monument Park reads “Noted for his excellent wit, as he was fast with a quip and a pitch.”

Gomez pitched in 14 MLB seasons (1930-42 for the Yankees and one game in  1943 for the Senators). He was an All Star in seven seasons.

__________________________________________________

Lefty Grove* … 1930, 1931

Photo: Goudey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hall of Famer Robert “Lefty” Grove notched back-to-back Triple Crown seasons for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1930 and 1931.  Those campaigns were part of a seven-season stretch (1927-33) in which he won 20 or more games each season (31 in 1931), leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts four times each.

 

Put Me In Coach

In his 1930 Triple Crown season, Gomez not only led the Al in wins, ERA and whiffs, he also topped the league in saves (noted retroactively) with nine. That season, he made 52 starts and 18 relief appearances. He was 23-2, 2.55 as a starter and 5-2, 2.03, with nine saves  as a reliever.

Grove pitched 17 MLB seasons (1925-41 … Athletics, Red Sox) going 300-142, 3.06, with 298 complete games in 457 starts.  He led the AL  strikeouts seven times – his first seven MLB seasons (1925-31). He also led the league in ERA nine times, complete games three times, shutouts three times,  He was the 1931 AL MVP.

_______________________________________________

Christy Mathewson* … 1905, 1908

Photo:  trialsanderrors

In Hall of  Famer Christy “Big Six” Mathewson’s second Triple Crown season (Giants 1908), he not only led the National League in wins (37) ERA (1.43) and strikeouts (259), but also in pitching appearances (56), saves (5), starts (44), complete games (34), shutouts (11), innings pitched 390 2/3 and WHIP (0.827).

Christy Mathewson was, in many ways, the All-American boy (one of his nicknames was “The Gentleman Hurler) – handsome, honest, well-educated, well-read and well-spoken. At Bucknell University, he played football, basketball and baseball and  was a bright student, a class president and a member of the band, glee club and a pair of literary societies.

“Christy (Mathewson was the greatest pitcher who ever lived. He had knowledge, judgment, perfect, control and form. It was wonderful to watch him pitch, when he wasn’t pitching against you.”

                                              Hall of Fame Manager Connie Mack

Mathewson played in 17 MLB seasons (1900-16 … Giants, except for one game with the Reds in 1916).  He won 20 or more games in 13 seasons (30 or more four times) and led NL in wins four times, ERA five times, complete games twice, strikeouts five times and shutouts four times. He led in strikeouts-to-walks ratio nine times, including eight consecutive seasons (1907-14).

Mathewson finished his career with a 373-188 record, a 2.13 ERA, 2,507 strikeouts (in 4,788 2/3 innings)  and 435 complete games in 552 starts.

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Pitchers with Single Triple Crown Seasons

Asterisk = Hall of Famer

2020 –  Shane Bieber, Indians. American League … 8-1, 1.63 ERA, 122K

2011 –  Justin Verlander,  Tigers, American League  … 24-5, 2.40 ERA, 250K

2011 – Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers, National League… 21-5, 2.28 ERA, 248K

2007 – Jake Peavey, Padres, National League … 19-6, 2.54 ERA, 240K

2007 was the only season in which Jake Peavey led the league in wins.  In fact, it was the only season in which he won more than 15 games.  He led the NL in strikeouts twice and ERA twice in his 15 MLB seasons.

2006 –  Johan Santana, Twins, American League … 19-6, 2.77 ERA, 245K

2002  – Randy Johnson*, D-backs, American League … 24-5, 2.32 ERA, 334K

Randy Johnson had five seasons of 300+ whiffs, including four consecutive (1999-2002).

1999  – Pedro Martinez*, Red Sox, American League…. 23-4, 2.07, 313K

In 1999, Pedro Martinez led the AL in wins by five, won the ERA title by 1.37 earned runs per nine frames and had 113 more strikeouts than the AL runner-up.

1985  – Dwight Gooden, Mets, National League … 24-4, 1.53 ERA, 268K

1972  – Steve Carlton*, Phillies … 27-10, 1.97, 310K

Steve Carlton won the 1972 pitcher Triple Crown for the last-place  Phillies (who finished 59-97).

1945  – Hal Newhouser*, Tigers, American League … 25-9, 1.81 ERA, 212K

1943 – Johnny Wright, Homestead Grays, Negro National League II … 18-3, 2,54 ERA,  94K

1940  – Bob Feller*, Indians, American League … 27-11, 2.61 ERA, 261K

1939  – Bucky Walters, Reds, National League … 27-11, 2.29, 137K

1938  – Ray Brown*, Homestead Grays, Negro National League II … 14-0, 1.88 ERA, 70K

Between 1935 and 1942 (eight seasons), Ray Brown led the Negro National League II in wins six times. 

1934 – Stuart “Slim” Jones, Philadelphia Stars, Negro National League II … 20-4, 1.24 ERA, 164K

1924  – Arthur “Dazzy” Vance*, Brooklyn Robins, National League … 28-6, 2.16 ERA, 262K

Dazzy Vance led the NL in strikeouts in seven straight seasons (1922-28).

1918 – James “Hippo” Vaughn, Cubs, National League … 22-10, 1.74 ERA, 148K

1913  – George “Rube” Waddell*, Athletics, American League 27-10, 1.48 ERA, 287K

In 1902, Rube Waddell started the season with the Los Angeles Angels of the California League. He joined the Philadelphia Athletics in mid-season (making his first appearance June 26). He went on (in that short span) to win 24 games (the league’s second-highest total), put up the league’s second-best ERA (2.05) and lead the league in strikeouts (205).  He would go on to lead the league in whiffs in each of the next five seasons.

1901 – Denton “Cy”  Young*, Boston Americans, American League … 33-10, 1.62 ERA, 158K

1894 – Amos Rusie*, New York Giants, National League … 36-13, 2.78 ERA, 195K

1889 –  John Clarkson*, Boston Beaneaters, National League … 49-19, 2.73 ERA, 284K

1888 – Tim Keefe*, New York Giants, National League … 35-12, 1.74 Era 335K

1884  – Guy Hecker, Louisville Eclipse, American Association … 52-20, 1.80 ERA, 385K

In 1886, Guy Hecker went 26-23, 2.87 on the mound  – and led the American Association in batting with a .341 average. He appeared in 49 games on the mound, 22 at first base and 17 in the outfield.

1884 – Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn*, Providence Grays, National League  60-12, 1.38 ERA, 441K

In 1884, Old Hoss Radbourn started 73 games and completed 73 games. He also come on in relief in two games and appeared in seven games in the outfield, five at first base, two at shortstop and one at second base.

Side Note: Some sources credit Radbourn with “only” 59 wins in 1884, baseball-reference lists the total at 60.

1877 – Tommy Bond, Boston Red Stockings, National League … 40-17, 2.11 ERA, 170K

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com, “The Baseball 100,” by Joe Posnanski, Avid Reader Press, 2021.

 

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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Filed Under: BB Fun Facts

A Look at MLB Triple Crown Winners – Starting with “Three-for-Three” Oscar Charleston

February 7, 2023 by

Major League Baseball, in 2020, declared the Negro Leagues from 1920-1948 to be Major Leagues.  That change should prompt a new look at some old trivia – and some adjustments in how we view the record books. The inclusion of Negro  League statistics is possible to a great extent by the work of the creators of the Seamheads.com Negro League Data Base, as well as the finding of study by the Negro League Researchers and Author Group and the work of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.  Baseball-Reference.com also deserves kudos for its efforts to incorporate Negro League statistics into its data base.  Note: Keep in mind, MLB is counting only league records not barnstorming or exhibition exploits, there were not uniform record-keeping standards during the era and statistics and game records are not yet fully incorporated.

These efforts, as noted, are producing  some changes in the Major-League record books – many of particular interest to trivia buffs. For example, Mike Schmidt, with eight MLB home runs title, has long been considered number-two in that category – trailing only Babe Ruth’s 12 home run crowns.  Well, between 1930 and 1946 Josh Gibson won 11 Negro National League II home run titles. Then, there is Satchel Paige, long listed as one of a handful of pitchers with a losing record  to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. With the addition of his eligible Negro Leagues stats from 1927-47, he is now credited with a 121-81 major league won-lost mark. And there are other popular trivia question answers that have or may change.  For example, Leon Day of the Newark Eagles has joined Bob Feller as one of (now) only  two pitchers to have  thrown an Opening Day no-hitter.  And, Baseball-reference.com now shows a handful of Negro League players who fashioned a .400 batting average in the seasons after Ted Williams’ .406 in 1941. Most of those involved season in which the player appeared in less than 50 games.  However, in 1943, the Homestead Grays’ Josh Gibson hit .466 in 69 games.

With this situation in mind, Baseball Roundtable will present occasional post that reflects the inclusion of Negro League statistics into the MLB record books.  Let’s start with Triple Crown winners.

Q:  Name the four major-league players who have won multiple (batting) Triple Crowns.

 

Three Triple Crowns – Oscar Charleston – 1921, 1924, 1925

Photo: Almendares baseball club (Cuba), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hall of Famer Oscar Charleston (OF/1B) was one of the stars of the Negro Leagues. Among major leaguers, his .364 career average (over 18 seasons and 916 games …  1920-27, 1929, 1933-41– 916) trails only Ty Cobb’s .366 (among players with 3,000 career major-league plate appearances).   Charleston led his league in runs scored six times,  home runs five times, RBI four times, total bases four times, batting average three times (each time hitting over .400), hits three times, triples three times, doubles twice, stolen bases twice. In his prime seasons 1920-27  -ages 23-30), Charleston averaged .384,with 108 home runs and 623 RBI in 596 games.

In his book “The Baseball 100,” Joe Posnanski placed Oscar Charleston at number-five, behind only Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron.

Hall of Famer Honus Wagner on Oscar Charleston

“Oscar Charleston could have played on any big league team in history if he had been given the opportunity. He could hit, run and throw. He did everything a great outfielder is supposed to do. I’ve seen all the great players in the many years I’ve been around and have yet to see one greater than Charleston.

Pittsburgh Courier, August 21, 1954

Charleston spent much of his MLB career as a player-manager and led the Pittsburgh Crawford to Negro National League II pennants in 1933, 1935 and 1936.

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Two Triple Crowns – Ted Williams, Josh Gibson, Rogers Hornsby

Ted Williams … 1942, 1947

Photo: Baseball Digest, back cover, May 1949 issue. [1], Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hall of Fame outfielder Ted Williams might have won three or more triple Crowns if it wasn’t for World War II. He won his first Triple Crown in 1942 (at the age of 23) with a .356-36-137. Teddy Ballgame missed the 1943-45 seasons due to military service and came back to win a second Triple Crown in 1947 with a .343-32-114 line.   In 1949, William missed a third Triple Crown by just one base hit. He led the AL with 43 home runs, tied for the RBI lead with 159, but lost the batting title to the Tigers’ George Kell by .3427 to .3429. Side Note: In 1946, in his first year back on the big-league diamonds after a three-season absence, Williams hit .342-38-123 – finishing second in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories. 

Williams played in  19 MLB seasons (1939-42, 1946-60), all for the Red Sox. An All Star in 17 seasons, he led the AL in runs scored six times, batting average six times, total bases six times, home runs four times, RBI four times and doubles twice. He also led the AL  in on-bases percentage 12 times and  slugging percentage nine times. The two-time MVP also led the AL in walks eight times and  and intentional walks nine times.  Williams hit .316 or higher in 18 of his 19 MLB seasons. His only season under that figure was 1959, when – as a 40-year-old, he hit .254-10-43 in 103 games.

Ted Williams’ final stat line was .344-521-1,839, with 1,798 runs scored (2,292 games). Looking at his spots in MLB’s career top 20: He is eleventh all time in average (among players with 3,000 plate appearances); first in on-base percentage (.482); second in slugging percentage (.634); 20th in runs scored; 20th in home runs; 16th in runs batted in; 20th in extra-base hits; fourth in walks; and sixth in intentional walks.

Ted Williams had two .400+ batting average seasons. His iconic .406 in 1941 (.406-37-120 in 143 games) and 1953 – after returning from flying more than 30 combat missions  in Korea.  He was mustered out in time to get in 37  games over the final two months of the season. Over those contets, Williams went 37-for-91 (.407), with 13 home runs and 34 RBI. 

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Josh Gibson 1936, 1937

In 1936, Pittsburgh Crawfords’ catcher Josh Gibson won the Negro National League II Triple Crown with a .389-18-66 line in 50 games. He came back even stronger in 1937, with a second Triple Crown (with the Homestead Grays), improving on all three stats (.417-20-73).  Overall, Gibson played 14 (now) MLB seasons (1930. 1933-40, 1942-46). He led his league in home runs 11 times, RBI seven times, total bases six times, runs scored five times and average three times. He was a nine-time Negro Leagues All Star. In 1943, Gibson appeared in 69 games for the Homestead Grays hitting .466, scoring 93 runs, hitting 20 homers and driving in 109.   He led the league in home runs and RBI, but lost the batting title to Tetelo Vargas of the New York Cubans, who hit .471 in 30 games.

For his career (598 games), Gibson hit .374-165-730. Note: His 2,511 plate appearances fall short of the 3,000 necessary to make the career batting average list.

Gibson would most likely have moved well up the statistical rankings had he not suffered significant health problems. In 1943, he collapsed at home and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He passed away in 1947 at the age of 35. From 1943-46, despite health issues, Gibson hit .382-50-249 in 209 games – leading the Negro National League II in home runs all four seasons.

Josh Gibson led the Negro National League II in home runs for seven straight seasons (1933-39) and led the league in RBI in six of those campaigns.

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Rogers Hornsby – 1922 and 1925

Rogers Hornsby, in putting up a .358 carer batting average, hit .400+ in three season – winning the National League batting title all three times  (1922, 1924, 1925) and capturing the NL Triple Crown in 1922 and 1925. Both of Hornsby’s Triple Crowns were “no-doubters. In 1922, the powerful second baseman won the batting title by 47 points, had a 16-home run edge over the NL second finisher and topped the runner-up in RBI by 20.  In 1925, he won the NL batting crown by 36 points, the home run crown by 15 dingers and led in RBI by 13.

Hornsby played 23 MLB seasons (1915-37 … Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Cubs, Browns).  He hit .358, with 2,930 hits,  301 home runs 1,584 RBI and 1,579 runs scored in 2,259 games, He led his league in batting average seven times, total bases seven times,  runs scored five times, hits four times, doubles four times, RBI four times,  triples twice and  home runs twice.  Hornsby’s .358 career average is the highest in MLB-history for a right-handed batter (minimum 3,000 plate appearances.)

In the six seasons from 1920 through 1925, Rogers Hornsby averaged .397 – and won six consecutive batting titles.

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Here are your one-time Triple Crown winners:

2012 … Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers, American League  … .330-44-139

1967 … Carl Yastrzemski, Boston Red Sox, American League … .326-44-121

1966 … Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles, American League … .316-49-122

1956 … Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees, American League … .353-52-130

1942 … Ted Strong, Kansas City Monarchs, Negro American League … .364-6-32

1942 … Lennie Pearson, Newark Eagles & Homestead Grays Negro National League II … .347-11-56

1937 … Joe (Ducky) Medwick, Cardinals, National League … .374-31-154

1934 … Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees, American League … .363-49-166

1933 … Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics, American League … .356-48-163

1933 … Chuck Klein, Philadelphia Phillies, National League … .368-28-120

1930 … Willie Wells, St. Louis Stars, Negro National League … .411-17-114

1926 … George (Mule) Suttles, St. Louis Stars, Negro National League, … .425-32-130

1923 … Oscar (Heavy) Johnson, Kansas City Monarchs, Negro National League … .406-20-120

1912 … Henry (Heinie) Zimmerman, Chicago ?Cubs, National League … .372-14-104

1909 … Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers, American League … .377-9-107

1901 … Napoleon (Nap) Lajoie, Philadelphia Athletics, American League … .426-14-125

1887 …  James (Tip) O’Neill, St. Louis Browns, American Association … .435-14-123

1878 … Paul Hines, Providence Grays, National League … .358-4-50

Note: RBI were not an official MLB statistic until 1920. 

Primary Resources:  Seamheads.com; Baseball-Reference.com

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Filed Under: BB Fun Facts