On this date (July 15) in 1941, southpaw Clarence “Hooks” Lott took the mound for the Class D Paragould Browns (versus the Newport Dodgers) of the Northeast Arkansas League. Little did he know he was in for a bit of somewhat-unsatisfying, but record-setting, overtime.
Overtime? The 6’2”, 200-pound, 21-year-old lefty would pitch the entire contest – all 16 innings.
Somewhat unsatisfying? The game would end in a 1-1 tie – a “no decision” for the hard-working Lott.
Record-setting? Lott would fan 30 batters – still the professional baseball record for whiffs by a pitcher in an extra-inning game.
Were all those whiffs a surprise? Not really, about a month earlier – June 18 – facing the Batesville Pilots, Lott had set the record for the most strikeouts in a nine-inning game (25). That record stood until 1952, when Ron Necciai of the Bristol Twins fanned 27 – yes, 27 – in a 7-0 win over the Welch Minors (also Class D). For the BBRT story on Necciai’s game and career, click here. Spoiler alert: Necciai, who fanned 109 batters in 43 innings at Bristol that season (before being promoted to Class B) earned only one major-League victory in his professional career. Anyway, back to the Hooks Lott story.
Lott’s 1941 minor-league exploits did earn him a call up to the Saint Louis Browns in September of 1941, where gave up two runs on two hits and a walk in two innings (two appearances, no decisions). He also fanned one batter. Lott spend the 1942 season with the San Antonio Mission of the High-A Texas League, going 6-11, 4.26, before joining the Army in November of that year. He returned from military service in late 1945 – and started the 1946 season back in San Antonio. To make a long story a bit shorter, Lott made it back to the majors in 1947, getting in 24 games (nine starts) and going 3-9, 7.00 – fanning 52 batters (walking 66) in 79 2/3 innings. He was back in the minor leagues in 1947 and, though he pitched through the 1957 season, he never made it back to the major leagues (his final MLB stat line was 3-9, 7.05 – with 53 strikeouts and 67 walks in 81 2/3 innings).
Clarence Lott’s Moment(s) in the Major-League Sun
Clarence Lott threw two complete games at the major-league level. One was “especially” special.
On June 23, 1947, Lott (0-1, 16.20 for the St. Louis Browns) was claimed off waivers by the Giants. He quickly took a train to Chicago (where the Giants were slated to play the Cubs) and, on the day after the trade, tossed a two-hit shutout (five walks/seven strikeouts) in an 11-0 win.On July 27. Again, against the Cubs, Lott went the distance in a 7-3 win, giving up just one earned run on eight hits and two walks (seven strikeouts).
Lott pitched in 17 minor league seasons, toiling for an equal number of minor league teams. His best minor-league seasons were 1951-53 with the Saint Petersburg Saints of the Class B Florida International League, where he went: 22-12, 2.00; 24-9; 1.83; and 15-6, 1;99.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Stathead.com; “The time a pitcher struck out 30 batters in one game,” by Tim Hagerty, Sportingnew.com
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