A strong case can be made for George Herman “Babe” Ruth as the greatest ballplayer of all time – based on his prowess as a pitcher and a hitter. On the mound, he twice won more than twenty games in a season. At the plate he topped forty home runs in 11 campaigns. He won one league earned run average title and one batting title. He led his league in games started, complete games and shutouts once each and was the leader in home runs 12 times and RBI five times.
This post, however, is not about Babe Ruth, but rather about Werner Joseph “Babe: Birrer. As regular BBRT readers know, BBRT has a keen interest in players who have short, but somehow memorable careers. In this post, I’d like to take a look at a player who had a short career, just 56 games over three seasons – but had one “Ruthian” day at the ballpark.
The player was Werner Birrer and the date was July 19, 1955 – when the 26-year-old rookie right-hander made just his 19th MLB appearance. The Tigers were playing the Orioles in Detroit and Birrer relieved Tiger starter Frank Lary in the top of the sixth inning with a runner on second, no outs and the Tigers leading 5-4. Birrer pitched out of the jam (strikeout, ground out, fly out) and preserved the lead. He went on to pitch three more scoreless frames and the Tigers’ scored seven more times to win 12-4. It was how six of those seven runs scored that earned Birrer the nickname “Babe.” Birrer came up in the bottom of the sixth (facing George Zuvernick) with runners on first and second and two outs. He launched a three-run home run to deep left field. He came up again in the bottom of the eighth inning (this time against Art Schallock) with runners on first and third and no outs. The result? Another three-run dinger to deep left. Four scoreless innings on the mound and two three-run long balls in two at bats – a Ruthian day, indeed. (Little did the rookie know those would be the only home runs and only RBI of his MLB career.)
Coming into the game, Birrer was 1-1, 4.63 on the mound (in 18 appearances) and was hitting just .143 (one-for-seven) with a double. He would finish the season at 4-3, 4.15 and with a .158 batting average (3-for-19). On July 30 of that same season, Birrer tossed his only MLB complete game – giving up just two runs on ten hits and two walks (with one strikeout) as the Tigers topped the Red Sox 5-2 in Boston.
Birrer, ultimately played in three MLB seasons (1955-Tigers, 1956-Orioles, 1958-Dodgers). On the hill, he went 4-3, 4.36 in 56 appearances, completing one game in three starts. At the plate, he hit .259 (7-for-27). Birrer who played in six minor-league seasons (1947-54 & 1955 (a gap due to military service) before being called up, played professionally until 1966 (primarily at the Triple-A level).
To close out, here are a few MLB “pitchers and the long ball” tidbits (all part of my #WhyIHateTheDH sentiments).
- The Boston Braves Jim Tobin holds the record for the most home runs in a game by a pitcher at three. In a May 13, 1942 game against the Cubs, Tobin flied out to deep right field in the third inning; homered to lead off the fifth; homered again to lead off the seventh; and hit a two-run home run with two outs in the eighth (to break a 4-4 tie). Notably, the day before, Tobin was used as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of a Braves’ 9-8 loss to the Cubs and delivered a two-run homer. So, he had homered four times in the space of five at bats. On the mound, he earned the victory (a complete game – five runs, three earned, five hits and three walks) – as the Braves topped the Cubs 6-5. Tobin, by the way, went 105-112, 3.44 in nine MLB seasons (1937-45). As a hitter, he hit .230 (183-for-796, with 17 home runs and 102 RBI. He was used as pinch hitter more than 100 times. Side note: Guy Hecker of the American Association Louisville Colonels also hit three home runs in a game on August 18, 1886.
- Just five pitchers have gone deep in a game in which they pitched a no-hitter – and Rick Wise is the only hurler to hit two long balls while pitching a no-no. Wise’s achievement came on June 23, 1971, as his Phillie topped the Reds 4-0 in Cincinnati. Wise gave up just one walk (three strikeouts) in his no-hitter – and he drove in three of the Phillies’ four runs with a two-run home run in the fifth inning and a solo shot in the eighth. Others to homer while pitching a no-hitter include Frank Mountain (Columbus Buckeyes, American Association – June 5, 1884); Wes Ferrell (Cleveland Indians– April 29, 1931); Jim Tobin (Boston Braves – April 27, 1944); Earl Wilson (Boston Red Sox – June 26, 1962). For those who like the back story, Wise pitched in 18 MLB seasons (1964, 1966-82 … Phillies, Cardinals, Red Sox, Indians, Padres). He was a two-time All Star and wrapped up his career with a 188-181, 3.69 record (wining 15 or more games in six seasons).
The Day My Twins Were “Catfished”
Okay, this tidbit is not about pitchers and the long ball. Let me just note that, with no MLB baseball being played, my mind tends to wander.
On May 8, 1968, Catfish Hunter threw a perfect game against the Minnesota Twins – a 4-0 win in Oakland. Not only did he dominate the Twins from the mound (11 whiffs in the perfect outing), he also roughed them up at the plate. Although he didn’t homer (like the players featured in this post), Hunter had a double, two singles, and three RBI I the contest. Note: There have been 23 perfect games in MLB history, the pitchers twirling those gems have recorded at least one base hit in six of them.
- Wes Ferrell Holds the MLB record for most home runs in a season by a pitcher (9) and in a career by a pitcher (37). Side note: Ferrell also hit one home run as pinch hitter. In 1931, Ferrell went .319-9-30 in 48 games (40 as a pitcher). All nine of his home runs game in games in which he appeared on the mound. Ferrell played 15 MLB seasons (1927-41), was a two-time all Star, won 20 or more games in six seasons, led his league in complete games four times and innings pitched three times. He ended his career with a 193-128, 4.04 record. As a hitter, he went .280 (329-for-1176), with 38 home runs and 208 RBI.
- Ken Brett is the only pitcher to homer in four straight starts. From June 9 to June 23, 1973, Brett started four games and won them all – tossing three complete games (and one of 7 1/3 innings) and putting up a 2.88 ERA, He also homered in each of those four contests (the only hits he had) – going 4-for-13 and driving in five runs. Brett had a 14-season MLB career (1967, 1969-81), going 83-85, 3.93. At the plate, he hit .262 (91-for-347), with ten home runs and 44 RBI,
- Braves’ right-hander Tony Cloninger got the Independence Day fireworks started early in 1966. On July 3 of that season, Cloninger became the first (and still only) pitcher – as well as the first National Leaguer (any position) – to hit two Grand Slam home runs in a game. In the Braves 17-3 win over the Giants (in San Francisc0), Cloninger hit a Grand Slam in the top of the first, added a second Grand Slam in the fourth and poked an RBI single in the eighth. He ended the day three-for-five, with an MLB one-game record (for pitchers) nine RBI. He also pitched a complete-game, seven -hitter. That season, Cloninger hit .234, with five home runs and 23 RBI in 111 at bats. On the mound, he was 14-11, 4.12.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Stathead.com, MLB.com
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