On this date (May 22) in 1962, the Yankees Roger Maris set an MLB record (since broken) by drawing four intentional walks in a single game. As the Yankees squeezed by the Angels 2-1 in 12 innings (in New York), Maris drew five walks (four intentional) in six trips to the plate. (Andre Dawson, Cubs, drew five intentional passes in a 16-inning game on May 22, 1990. Maris still holds a share of the AL record.)
Here’s how Maris ’evening went it went:
Second inning – Fly out to center, leading off (facing Dean Chance)
Fourth Inning – Walk with no one on and one out (Chance)
Sixth Inning – Intentional walk with runners on second and third and no outs (Chance)
Eighth Inning – Intentional walk with a runner on second and one out (Ryne Duren)
Tenth Inning – Intentional walk with a runner on second and two out (Jack Spring)
Twelfth Inning – Intentional walk with a runner on third and one out (Tom Morgan).
A BIT OF IRONY
While Maris set the record for intentional walks in a single game in 1962, he did not draw a single intentional pass in 1961 – when he hit 61 round trippers (the most home runs ever by a player not drawing a single intentional pass in a season). In fact, his 61-home run season is the only season in his MLB career that Maris did not draw a single IBB. (It helps to have Mickey Mantle hitting behind you.)
Barry Bonds – King of the Intentional Walk
Notably, when you talk intentional walks, the conversation pretty much has to focus on Barry Bonds. (We need to keeping in mind, however, that IBB’s did not become an official statistic until 1955.) Bonds holds the records for:
- IBB in a season – 120 with the Giants in 2004. (Bonds, in fact, holds the top three spots. The first non-Barry on the list is the Giants’ Willie McCovey with 45.) In 2004, Bonds also set the single-season mark for total walks with 232. Note: Only three players had as many total walks as Bonds had intentional walks in 2004 – Bobby Abreu, Lance Berkman, and Todd Helton (127 each).
- IBB in a career – 688. Second Place goes to the still active Albert Pujols of the Angels with 310 as this is written. Stan Musial comes in third at 298.
- Most seasons leading the league in IBB – 12.
- Most IBB’s in a nine-inning game – four (twice) on May 1 and September 22, 2004.
Barry Bonds hit .362 with 45 home runs and 101 RBI the year he drew an MLB record 120 intentional walks (2004). The season he hit 73 home runs (2001), he drew only 35 free passes. That season, Sammy Sosa led MLB with 37 free passes (and hit 64 dingers).
A few other free-pass marks:
- Most IBB in a season in the American League – 33 by Ted Williams in 1957 and John Olerud in 1993.
- Most IBB to a rookie – 16 to Mariners’ OF Al Davis in 1984, when he hit ..284-27-116 and was the AL Rookie of the Year.
- Most intentional walks received by a team in a game – Six, provided by the Cardinals (to the Giants) in a 5-2 loss On July 19, 1975 – with three going to number-eight hitter catcher Dave Rader.
WHAT SKIPPER? PUT HIM ON? THERE’S NO PLACE TO PUT HIM?
Six players have received intentional walks with the bases loaded: Abner Dalrymple (August 2, 1881); Nap Lajoie (May 23, 1901); Del Bissonette (May 2, 1928); Bill Nicholson (July 23, 1944); Barry (of course, he did) Bonds (May 28, 1998); and Josh Hamilton (August 17, 2008).
Primary Resources: Baseball-Almanac.com; Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com.
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