The Fall Classic – The True Octoberfest – Some Targets for Players to Shoot for

We now know the 2022 Fall Classic will feature the Astros and the upstart Phillies. As we contemplate that matchup, it’s time for Chapter Two of Baseball Roundtable’s “Octoberfest” – a look at some World Series targets that players from these two squads will look to match, surpass or avoid. My last post looked a single-game World Series records and you can find those stories by clicking here.  (I’ll include the link again at the end of this post.)

This post will move from single-game Fall Classic records to single-season World Series marks. Next up will be a post on a handful of World Series Baseball Roundtable remembers fondly: three I attended, one i followed on the radio, one I watched on TV.

—–WORLD SERIES BATTING RECORDS—–

Single World Series Highs – Batting Average ( .750) & On-Base Percentage (.800.)

Billy Hatcher, Reds, 1990 (9-for-12).

In the 1990 World Series, as the Reds swept the heavily favored  A’s, Cincinnati CF  Billy Hatcher touched up Oakland A’s pitching for a .750 average (nine hits in 12 at bats). Overall, Hatcher made 15 plate appearance in the Series and got on base 12 times (.800 on-base percentage).

In Game One …  Hatcher walked in his first plate appearance and then added two doubles and a single.

In Game Two … He tacked on a single, two doubles, a triple and an intentional walk.

In Game Three … In the first inning,  A’s starter Mike Moore retired Hatcher on a ground out  (double play) – stopping Hatcher’s streak of getting on base at nine consecutive World Series plate appearances. He finished the contest two-for-five.

In Game Four … Hatcher was hit by a pitch in his first plate appearance (on an 0-2 pitch from Dave Stewart). Hatcher  was caught attempting to steal second and then was pulled from the game (taken for x-rays related to the HBP).

As noted, the Reds swept the series, outscoring the A’s 22-8, with Hatcher scoring six runs and driving in two. Hatcher, by the way, was not selected as MVP of the Series.  That honor went to Reds’ RHP Jose Rijo, who picked up two wins in two starts, going 15 1/3 innings and giving up just one run – on nine hits and five walks, while fanning 14.

Billy Hatcher, a career (12-seasons … 1984-95) .264 hitter, was pretty darn good in the post season. In 14 post-season games, he hit .404.

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Most Hits in a Single World Series – 15

William “Judy” Johnson 1924 Hilldale Club

Judy Johnson, Hilldale Club … In 1924 – as the Eastern Colored League Champion Hilldale Club faced off against the Negro National League Champion Kansas City Monarchs (in the first Negro League World Series) – third  baseman Judy Johnson of the Hilldale Club smacked a World Series record 15 hits in ten games. (The Series was a best-of-nine affair and featured one-tie.) Johnson went 15-44 (.341) in the series, with five doubles, one triple, one home run, seven runs scored and seven RBI – as Hilldale lost the Series to the Monarchs five  games-to-four.

Johnson, a Baseball Hall of Famer, was considered one of – if not the best – third baseman in the Negro Leagues  – an excellent fielder and slashing hitter.   Johnson played 11 Negro League seasons (1923-27, 1929, 1932-36), putting up a .304-25-457 line (709 games). He hit .325 or better in five of his first seven seasons.

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Most hits in a World Series Best-of Seven Format – 13

Bobby Richardson, Lou Brock, Marty Barrett

Thirteen – Not a Lucky Number

All three players who collected 13 hits in a seven-game World Series rapped those safeties in a losing cause (as did best-of-nine format record-holder Judy Johnson.

Bobby Richardson, Yankees … In 1964, as the Yankees faced the Cardinals in the Fall Classic, Yankees’ 2B Bobby Richardson rapped out a seven-game Series record 13 hits – hitting .406, with three runs scored and three RBI. Richardson, batting second, had at least one hit in every game and multiple hits in Games One, Two, Five, Six and Seven.

Despite Richardson’s work at the plate, the Cardinals won the Series four games-to-three. The victory was due, in large part, to the pitching of Series MVP Bob Gibson, who started three games and went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 27 innings. Gibson’s success did not come at Richardson’s expense. The Yankee second-sacker went seven-for-fourteen against Gibson in the Series.

Richardson hit .267-4-50 in 159 1964 regular-season games.

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Marty Barrett, Red Sox … Red Sox’ 2B Marty Barrett collected 13 hits in 30 at bats (.433) versus Mets’ pitchers in the 1986 World Series – scoring once and driving in four runs, as the Red Sox lost to the Mets four games-to-three. Barrett had a least one hit in every game and multiple hits in all but Games One and Seven. In Game Six, a 6-5 ten-inning loss to the Mets, Barrett got on base five times in six plate appearances – three singles and two walks, scoring one run and driving in two.

Barrett hit .286-4-60 in 158 1986 regular-season games.

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Lou Brock, Cardinals …  Cardinals’  LF and leadoff hitter Lou Brock went 13-for-28 (.464) in the 1968 World Series, as the Redbirds lost to the Tigers four games-to-three. Brock scored six runs, drove in five. His 13 hits included three doubles, a triple and two home runs. He also swiped a Series record seven bases.  Brock hit safety in every contest.

A Single Short of a Cycle

In Game Four of the 1968 World Series, Lou Brock nearly hit for the cycle, missing just the single.  Brock led off the game with a home run to center off Denny McLain; grounded out in the second; tripled in the fourth off Joe Sparma; grounded out in the sixth; and hit a three-run double (and stole third) off John Hiller in the eighth.  The Cardinals won that one 10-1.

In the 1968 regular season, Brock hit .279-6-51, with a league-leading 62 steals.

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Most Home Runs in a World series – Five

Reggie Jackson, Chase Utley, George Springer

Reggie Jackson, Yankees … Yankees’ RF Reggie Jackson earned Series MVP honors in 1977, as the Yankees topped the Dodgers in six games.  Jackson hit .450 for the Series, with a World Series record-setting five home runs. He led all batters with eight RBI. Jackson etched his name into World Series history in the Series final game, as the Yankees won 8-4. Jackson poled a Series record-tying three home runs in the game – on successive at bats and on the first  pitch of each at bat (from three different pitchers).

Jackson  had gone .286-32-100 in the regular season.

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Chase Utley, Philllies … In the 2009 World series, Phillies’ 2B Chase Utley rapped five home runs  in a losing cause (the Phillies fell to the Yankees in six games). Utley’s  stat line for the Series was .286-5-8. He homered twice in each of the Philllies’ wins (Games One and Five) and once in  Game Four.

During the regular season, Utley it .282-31-93.

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George Springer, Astros … Astros’ CF George Springer was a dynamo in the 2017 World Series (and was the Series MVP). He hit .379-5-7, with eight runs scored and seven RBI, as the Astros topped the Dodgers four games-to-three. Springer homered in  Games Two, Four, Five, Six and  Seven.

During the regular season, Springer hit .283-34-85.

In the 2017 World Series George Springer also set a World Series record for total bases, with 29 – on five home runs, three doubles and three singles.

 

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Most RBI in a World Series – 12

Bobby Richardson

Bobby Richardson, Yankees … Yankees’ 2B Bobby Richardson drove in a record 12 runs in the 1960 World Series, as his Yankees lost to the Pirates four games-to-three – despite outscoring the Pittsburgh squad 55-27. Richardson hit .367-1-12 in the loss – leading all players in runs scored (eight, tied with Mickey Mantle), as well as RBI. In Game Three of the Series, Richardson went two-for-five, with a Grand Slam and a World Series Record (since tied) six RBI.  Richardson’s performance earned him World Series MVP honors and he is still the only Series MVP from a losing team.

Richard played 12 MLB seasons (was an All Star in seven seasons), hitting .266-34-390. He hit .305 in 36 World Series games.

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Most Runs Scored in a World Series – 10

Monte Irvin, Paul Molitor, Reggie Jackson

Monte Irvin, Newark Eagles … In the 1946 Negro League World Series (Newark Eagles of the Negro National League versus Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League), Newark SS Monte Irvin scored ten runs, crossing the plate in every game but the opener. (The Monarchs won the Series four games -to-three.) Irvine hit .462-3-8 for the Series.  His big game came in Game Six, when he collected three hits (two home runs), scored four runs and drove in three in a 9-7 Newark win.

In 1946, Irvin hit a league-leading .369, with six home runs and 54 RBI in 57 games. In 18 MLB seasons, Irvine hit .305-137-687.

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Paul Molitor, Blue Jays… In the 1993 World Series (as the Blue Jays topped the Phillies in six games), Blue Jays’ DH Paul Molitor went 11-for-24 (.458), with two home runs and seven RBI. He scored a Series record-tying ten runs. He did the bulk of his  damage in Games Three and Six. In Game three, he went three-for-four, with a single,  triple and  home run, three RBI and three runs scored.  In Game Six, Molitor again had a single, triple and home run, with two RBI and three runs scored.

For the regular  season, Molitor  hit .322-22-111, with 121 runs scored – leading the league with 211 hits.

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Reggie Jackson, Yankees … Yankees’ RF Reggie Jackson scored ten runs in the 1977 World Series, as his Yankees bested the Dodgers in six games. Notably, he drove himself in on half of those run-scoring occasions (he had a record five home runs in the Series). On the season, Jackson was .286-32-100. In the World Series, he went .450-5-8.

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WAY TO GO SLUGGER

Yankees’ 1B Lou Gehrig set the World Series slugging record in 1928 (as the Yankees topped the Cards in four games). He had six hits in 11 at bats, with five going for extra bases (one double and  four home runs) for a 1.727 slugging percentage. Gehrig scored five times and drove in nine runs over the four games.  In the regular season, the Yankee slugger went .374-47-147, leading the league in home runs and RBI.

Most Doubles in a World Series – Seven

Newt Allen

Newt Allen, Monarchs … As the Kansas City Monarchs prevailed in the 1924 Negro Leagues World Series five games-to-four (with one tie),  Monarchs’ 2B Newt Allen hit .282 (11-for-39, with eight runs scored and two RBI). Seven of his eight safeties, however, were two-baggers. That might have been a bit of a surprise. During the regular season, Allen hit .258-2-32 – and had only eight doubles in 73 games (298 at bats). Allen hit .289 in 19 Negro League seasons (1923-32, 19370, 44, 1947), hitting over .300 seven times.

Most Doubles in a World Series Best-of-Seven Format – Six

Pete Fox

Pete Fox, Tigers … The record for doubles in a World Series under the best-of-seven format is six, by Tigers’ RF Pete Fox. The two-baggers came in  the 1934 Series, which the Tigers lost to the Cardinals four games-to-three. Fox  went 8-for 28 in the Series (.286), collecting six doubles and two singles.  During the regular season Fox went .285-2-44. He played in 13 MLB seasons, hitting .298-65-693 in 1,461 games. Fox hit over .300 in five seasons, with a high of .331 in 1937, In 13 seasons, he hit .285 or better in 11.

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THIS ONE’S ON US

 In the 2002 World Series (Angels/Giants), the Giants’ Barry Bonds drew a single-World Series’ record 13 walks (in 30 plate appearances).

Most Triples in a World Series – Four

Tommy Leach

Tommy Leach, Pirates … 3B Tommy Leach of the Pirates  hit a record four triples in the 1903 World Series, as his Pirates’  squad lost to  the Boston Americans five games-to-three in a best-of-nine matchup. Leach hit .273 (9-for-33) in the Series, with three runs scored and Series-leading eight RBI.   In the regular season, Leach hit .298-7-87, with 17 triples. Over 19 MLB seasons, he hit .269-63-812, with 172 three-baggers.

 

Most Triples in a World Series Best-of-Seven Format – Three

Billy Johnson, Mark Lemke

Billy Johnson, Yankees … Yankees’ 3B Billy Johnson legged out three triples as the Yankees topped the Dodgers four games-to-three in 1947.   Johnson hit .269 (7-for-26) in the Series. In the regular season, he was .285-10-95, with eight triples.  In nine MLB seasons 1943, 1946-53, Johnson hit .271-61-487.

Mark Lemke, Braves… After hitting just two triples in 136 1991 regular-season games, Braves’ 2B Mark Lemke hit three in seven games, as the Braves lost the 1991 World Series to the Twins four games-to-three. Lemke, who hit .234-2-23 on the season, hit .417-0-4 in the Series. In 11 MLB seasons, Lemke hit .246-32-270.

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Most Stolen Bases in a World Series  – Seven

Lou Brock

Lou Brock, Cardinals … Lou Brock of the Cardinals is the only player to steal seven bases in a single World Series – and he did it twice. In the 1967 World Series, Brock stole seven bases in seven attempts.  He tied his own record with seven steals (in nine attempts) in the 1968 World Series.

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Most Strikeouts in a World Series – 17

Cody Bellinger

Cody Bellinger, Dodgers … The Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, 2017 NL Rookie of the Year, struck out a World Series’ record 17 times (28 at bats) in the 2017 World Series (versus the Astros). This included two games in which he fanned four times. For the Series, Bellinger hit .143 (4-for-28), with one home run and five RBI. In six seasons, the Dodgers’ 1B/OF has hit .248-152-422.  In 2019, a .305-47-115 earned him NL MVP honors.

Ouch!

In 1968, Cardinals’ SS/2B Dal Maxvill went 0-for-22 in the World Series (versus the Cardinals).  It’s the most at bats without a hit in a World Series. He did walk three times and score one run. In his defense, it was “The Year of the Pitcher.”

—–WORLD SERIES PITCHING RECORDS—–

Most Wins in a World Series – Three

Deacon Phillippe, Bill Dinneen, Nip Winters, Christy Mathewson, Babe Adams, Jack Coombs, Smoky Joe Wood, Red Faber, Stan Coveleski, Harry Brecheen, Lew Burdette, Bob Gibson, Mickey Lolich, Randy Johnson

Christy Mathewson … While 14 pitchers have recorded three wins in a single World Series, only the Giants’ Christy Mathewson threw three complete-game shutouts in single World Series (1905 against the Philadelphia Athletics). In his three starts, Mathewson threw 27 innings, giving up just 13 hits and one walk, while fanning eight.

 

 

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Most Games Started (5), Most Complete Games (5) and Most Innings Pitched (44) in a World Series

Deacon Phillippe

Deacon Phillippe. Pirates … The 1903 World Series (Boston Americans versus Pirates) was a best-of-nine affair and (as far as the record books go)  the Pirates’ Deacon Phillippe made the best of it – setting the World Series records for Games Started (five– Games One, Three, Four, Seven and Eight); Complete Games (five); and Innings Pitched (44). And, he did it all in the span of 13 days (October 1-13). Phillippe went 3-2, 3.07 in the Series, Notably, he walked just three batters in his 44 innings, while fanning 22.

Phillippe pitched in 13 MLB seasons (1899-1911), going 189-109, 2.59 and completing 242 of 289 regular-season starts. In 1903, he was 25-9, 2.43 for the Pirates and completed 31 of 33 starts.

 

 

 

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Most Starts World Series Best-of-Seven Format – Four

Johnny Wright

Johnny Wright, Homestead Grays … Johnny Wright started  four games and relieved in one, as the Homestead Grays topped the Birmingham Black Barons four games-to-three (with one tie) in the 1943 Negro League World Series. Retrosheet.org indicates Wright started Games One,  Two, Four, Six, and Eight and relieved in Game Two,   He went 2-1, 1.16 over 31 innings.

Wright pitched 10 MLB seasons (1937-45, 1947) and went 42-20, 3.09  His 1943 year was far and away his best – leading the Negro National  League in wins (18), ERA (2.54), starts (22), complete games (15), innings pitched (181) and strikeouts (94). It was the only season in which he won more than four games.

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Most Complete Games in a World Series Best-of-Seven Format – Three

George Mullin, Babe Adams, Jack Coombs, Christy Mathewson (twice) Charles Bender, Hippo Vaughn, Stan Coveleski, Waite Hoyt, Carl Mays, Art Nehf, Walter Johnson,  Bobo Newsom, Lew Burdette, Bob Gibson, Mickey Lolich

We won’t seeing this again.

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Most Strikeouts in a World Series  – 35

Bob Gibson

 

Bob Gibson, Cardinals … In the 1968 World Series, as his Cardinals lost to the Tigers four games-to-three, Bob Gibson went 2-1, 1.67 tossing three complete games and fanning a Series record 35 in 27 innings.  In Game One of the Series, he showed why 1968 was The Year of the Pitcher – fanning a World Series single-game record 17 batters – shutting  out the Tigers 4-0. During the regular season, Gibson had gone 22-9, 1.12 and tossed 13 complete-game shutouts.

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Games Pitched In a World Series – Seven

Darold Knowles, Brandon Morrow

Darold Knowles, A’s … In 1973, the A’s Darold Knowles became the first pitcher to appear in all seven games of a World Series. While he threw high-leverage innings, he wasn’t overworked. Knowles threw 6 1/3 innings, walking five, fanning five and giving up one (unearned) run. He earned two saves – as did Rollie Fingers, who pitched in six of the seven contests (13 2/3 innings.  For the Series, A’s relievers pitched 31 of the 66 innings.

Knowles pitched in 16 MLB seasons (1965-80), going 66-74, 3.12 with 143 saves.

Brandon Morrow, Dodgers … Brandon Morrow appear in all seven games of the 2017 World Series (which the Dodgers lost to the Astros four games-to-three). It was a bit of an up-and-down ride, as Morrow gave up five runs in 5 1/3 innings. On the season, Morrow had gone 6-0, 2.06, with two saves.

In a 12-season MLB career, Morrow went 51-43, 3.96 with 40 saves. In 2018, he recorded 22 saves and a 1.47 ERA for the Cubs.

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YOU’VE GOT TO EARN YOUR WAY ON

Carl Mays (1921 Yankees) pitched the most innings in a single World Series without issuing a walk – 26. That series, he went 1-2, 1.73 in thee complete-game starts, as the Yankees lost to the Giants five games-to-three. Just six pitchers have walked zero batters while pitching at least ten innings in a World Series.

Earned Run Average In  A World  Series  – 0.00 (at least 15 innings pitches).

Christy Mathewson, Waite Hoyt, Carl Hubbell, Whitey Ford, Joe McGinnity, Dusty Mails

A few tidbits on each:

Christy Mathewson, Giants … Mathewson, as noted earlier, threw three complete-game shutouts in the 1905 Series. He’s the only pitcher to accomplish that feat – and it seems like a pretty safe record.

Waite Hoyt, Yankees … Like Mathewson, Hoyt pitched 27 innings in the Series (1921) without giving up an earned run. He did  give up two unearned runs. One of those came in Game Eight (It was a best of nine format) – and Hoyt took a 1-0 loss.

Carl Hubbell, Giants … In the 1933 Series, Hubbell pitched 20 innings in two starts (over four days) and gave up three unearned runs. He got the victory in both games – 4-2 in Game One and 2-1 (11 innings) in Game Six.

Whitey Ford, Yankees … Whitey Ford pitched a pair of complete-game shutouts (18 innings) in the 1960 World Series. It was pretty smooth sailing. The Yankees won the games by scores of 10-0 and 12-0

Joe McGinnity, Giants … Joe McGinnity gave up three unearned runs in two 1905 Series starts (17 innings pitched). He started Game Two of the Series and gave up three unearned run, taking a 3-0 loss to the Athletics. In Game Four, He twirled a complete-game shutouts, topping the A’s 1-0.

Duster Mails, Indians … Duster Mails is the unicorn on this list – the only one not in the Hall of Fame.  Mails started one game and relieved in two games in the 1920 Series. His one start was a complete game shutout over the Brooklyn Robins (a 1-0 win). Mails added 6 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Mails pitched in seven MLB seasons (1915-16, 1920-22, 1925-26), going 35-25, with a 4.10 ERA. In 1920, the Indians traded for him (a minor-league deal in late August)– and he was key to their AL pennant. (The Indians finished two games ahead of the White Sox.)

Not a Bad Move

From September 1 through October 1, 1920, Duster Mails made nine appearances for the Indians (eight starts). He went 7-0, 2.13, with six complete games (two shutouts) Mails pitched professionally from 1914-1935.  In 17 minor-league seasons, he went 207-193.

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; Retrosheet.org; The World Series, The Dial Press, 1976.

For a look at World Series single-game records, click here. 

For past posts ranking the World Series Top Ten Shutouts (click here) and Ranking the Top World Series Walk-Off Home Runs click here.

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