Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” those one-of-a-kind accomplishment or statistics. I began research on today’s tidbit with a pretty simple goal – to look at the players who collected the most hits in their first ten MLB games. Well, as usual with Baseball Roundtable “one thing led to another” and things got a little crazy. I ended up looking at the players with the most hits, most home runs, most runs scored, most RBI and highest batting average in their first ten MLB games. It was a journey that took me from Bodhi “Bo Hart” of the 2003 Cardinals (most hits) to Sam Horn of the 1987 Red Sox (most runs) to Tom Hughes of the 1930 Tigers (highest average). Surprisingly, I came across very few well-known names along the journey.
The usual two disclaimers here. Given statistical accuracy and game formats, I am limiting myself to the Modern Era (post 1900) and not all Negro League game stats have been fully documented and incorporated into the MLB record book. (In 2020, the Negro Leagues from 1920-48 were designated major leagues.)
I started looking at the most hits in a player’s first ten games, so let’s start this post there.
Most Hits in First Ten MLB Games – 23
Bodhi “Bo” Hart, 2003 Cardinals
Hart sits atop this list with 23 hits in his first ten MLB games (.460 average). He might be a bit of a surprise, considering he was a Cardinals’ 33rd Round Draft pick (1999 MLB Draft, out of Gonzaga University – where he hit .320 in two seasons). He made his MLB debut (at 2B, batting eighth) June 19, 2003 – in his fifth professional season – after starting the season by hitting .297-7-31 in 67 games at Triple-A. In 77 games for the Cardinals that season, he went .277-4-28. Hart started his MLB career with a seven-game hitting streak and, in his first ten MLB games, he had seven multi-hit games (including two four-hit contests). After 27 games in the big leagues, Hart was still hitting .342, but pitchers reportedly had started feeding him a steady diet of breaking pitches – and he hit just .235 over his next 50 games, finishing the season at .277-4-28. In 2004, Hart didn’t make the Cardinals’ squad out of Spring training and hit just .154 in 11 games at the major-league level in what proved to be his final MLB season.
Hart played in just two MLB seasons (2003-04), hitting .272-4-30 in 88 games. From 2004 through 2008, he played at Triple-A and in Independent Leagues.
Craig Wilson, 1998 White Sox
Put me in, Coach. I’m ready to Play Anywhere. The only other player with at least 20 hits in his first 10 games, Wilson made his MLB debut on September 5, 1998, batting second and playing SS for the White Sox (versus the Yankees in Chicago). A thirteenth-round draft pick in 1992 (out of Kansas State University), Wilson had gone .306-14-69 in 120 games at Triple-A that season. He got off to a smashing start, going three-for-four, with two doubles and a home run in his debut game. He didn’t slow down much, notching eight multi-hit games (and collecting 20 hits) in his first ten MLB games. He ended his inaugural season at .468-3-10 in 13 games – taking the field at shortstop, second base and third base.
In his second MLB season (1999), Hughes spent the entire campaign with the White Sox, hitting .238-4-26 in 98 games and appearing at all four infield positions. He played just one more season in the major leagues. In 2000, he split time between Triple-A and the White Sox, with 28 MLB games (.260-0-4) and 62 Triple-A contests (.370-3-34.) From 2001-2004, he played at Double-A and Triple-A. His final MLB stat line was .272-7-40 in 139 games.
Where’s My Members Jacket?
Craig Wilson is a member of the Kansas State University Athletics Hall of Fame. A four-year starter at 2B/SS, he was the 1992 Big Eight Conference Baseball Player of the Year, an All-Big Eight First Teamer in 1991 and 1992 and Kansas State’s first baseball consensus All American. Over his four seasons at KSU, he hit .349-21-176 in 226 games. He was also a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Baseball Tam and the 1991 Pan American Baseball Team.
Now, before moving on to other categories, here’s a few tidbits on the 19–hit club.
- Curtis Goodwin (primarily a CF) played in five MLB seasons (1995-99 … Orioles, Reds, Rockies, Cubs, Blue Jays), going .248-3-56. His ten-game opening run included nine multi-hit games. In his first MLB season, he hit .263-1-24 in 87 games.
It’s an Oh-fer, but It Ain’t Over
In game four of his MLB career, Curtis Goodwin had his opening hot streak briefly interrupted. In a June 5 game against the Mariners, he went zero-for-four with four strikeouts. It was the only game in nis first 11 MLB contests that he did not collect at least two hits.
- Kirby Puckett went on to a 12-season MLB career (1984-95, Twins), ten All Star selections and the Baseball Hall of Fame. His final stat line was .318-207-1,085. He won one batting title and led the AL in hits four times and RBI once. In his first MLB season, he hit .296-0-31 in 128 games. His career was cut short by glaucoma.
- Terry Pendleton played in 15 MLB seasons (1984-98 … Cardinals, Braves, Marlins, Reds, Royals), going .270-140-946. He won one batting title, twice led the league in hits and was a one-time All Star. In his first MLB season (at 3B for the Cardinals), Pendleton hit .324-1-33 in 67 games. (It was the highest season average of his career.)
She’s Real Fine My 409
After 22 MLB games, Terry Pendleton’s career average was .409.
- Andy Pafko made his debut September 24, 1943 (in CF, batting fifth for the Cubs) and delivered a single, double and four RBI in his inaugural game. He had been called up from the Double-A Los Angeles Angels – where he was .356-18-118 in 157 games. Pafko went on to hit .379-0-10 for the Cubs in 13 games that September. He enjoyed a 17-season MLB career (1943-59 … Cubs, Dodgers, Braves), hitting .285-213-976. Adcock was a four-time All Star (1947-50), whose best season was 1950 (Cubs), when he hit .304-36-92).
- Gilbert “Gibby” Brack played in just three MLB seasons (1937-39 … Dodgers, Phillies), going .279-15-113 in 315 games. In his inaugural MLB season, he hit .274-5-38 in 112 games. After his three MLB seasons, Brack went on to nine more minor-league campaigns.
- Joe Ward played in three MLB seasons (1906, 1909-10 … Phillies, Yankees), going .237-0-47 in 166 games. In his rookie season, he hit .295-0-11 in 35 games. He then went back to the (independent) minors for the 1907-08 seasons (.283 & .321), before resurfacing with in the major leagues 1909. He went on to play in the minor leagues from 1911-1917 and 1919-20), completing a 15-season professional career.
Most Home Runs in First Ten MLB Games – Seven
Trevor Story
A Story-book start. Story was a first-round (Rockies) pick in the 2011 MLB Draft – out of Irving (Texas) High School, where he hit.488 in his senior season. He made his MLB debut on Opening Day 2016 (at SS, batting second) and moved right into the record books, becoming the first player to hit two home runs in an Opening Day MLB debut. He went on to homer in his first four MLB games, smacking six long balls in 19 at bats (six of his first seven MLB hits were home runs). In the process, he also became the first player to homer in the first four games of his career. He popped another homer in his seventh career game, becoming the first MLB player with seven homers after just six games of a season. Story finished his rookie season at .272-27-72 in 97 games. (He had thumb surgery in early August, which ended his rookie campaign early.) Injuries have been an issue for Story, who has played 100 games in four of nine MLB seasons (one the sub-100 seasons was the 2020 shortened Covid season). Story (still active – Red Sox) is a two-time All Star and has put up a .265-179-540, 129-steal stat line in nine seasons (Rockies, Red Sox). In 2020’s Covid-shortened season, he led the NL in triples (4) and stolen bases (15).
Aristides Aquino
And then the dam just burst. Just three seasons after Trevor Story set the record of seven home runs in a player’s first ten MLB games, Reds’ outfielder Aristides Aquino tied it. And he did it while at a disadvantage. Aquino made his MLB debut (in his eighth pro season) with a pinch-hit appearance on August 19, 2018 (a five-pitch strikeout). It was his only MLB at bat of the season (but the game counted against his opening ten).
In 2019, Aquino started at Triple-A and went.299-28-53 in 78 games, earning an August call up. He started slow, zero-for-six in his first three MLB games – but things began to turn around. On August 3, in his fourth MLB game and eighth MLB plate appearance (he had a single and a walk earlier in the game), Aquino hit a three-run home run off Dallas Keuchel. In his fifth MLB game (August 4) Aquino had just one plate appearance – a tenth inning pinch hit single. But the dam was about to burst. Aquino homered in three straight games (August 6,8,9) and stood at four career homers after nine career MLB games. Then, in his tenth MLB game – on August 10, he did better than homer in three straight games, he went deep in three straight innings (second, third and fourth) to tie Story’s first-ten-games record. Aquino went on to became the first MLB player with 10 home runs in his first 16 games. He finished with 14 home runs in August – still the most long balls ever in a month by a rookie. He finished the season at .259-19-47 in 56 games. In five MLB seasons (2018-22 … Reds), Aquino hit .211-41-108 in 244 games. In 2023-24, Aquino played in Japan, the Dominican and Mexico.
Most Runs Scored the First Ten MLB Games – 15
Sam Horn
Sam Horn was a first-round pick (Red Sox) in the 1982 MLB draft. He made it to the major leagues in 1987 (debut on July 25, at DH, batting fifth) – called up after hitting .321-30-84 in 94 games at Triple-A. He collected a single and a walk in five plate appearances in that first game – scoring twice. He would go on to score at least once in each of his first 10 games, while getting on base 19 times (14 hits, five walks) in 41 plate appearances. He finished his rookie season at .278-14-34 in 46 games. He went on to an eight-season MLB career (1987-93, 1995 … Red Sox, Orioles, Indians, Rangers), hitting .240-62-179 in 289 games.
Highest Average over first Ten MLB Games (minimum 30 plate appearances) – .545
Tom Hughes
Hughes made his major league debut on September 9, 1930 – and proceeded to hit .545 (18-for-33) over his first ten MLB games. Note: He came on a a pinch runner in his first game and did not get a plate appearance. He played in 17 games for the 1930 Tigers (hitting .373-0-5) and was back in the minors in 1931. He did not return to the major leagues and did not play professionally after the 1933 season.
Still A Champion
Tom Hughes is in the University of Texas Hall of Honor. He was a member of the 1928 Southwest Conferences Championship football team (half back) and the SWC Championship baseball squads of 1928 and 1929 (All SWC outfielder in 1929). He won the Norris Trophy as the school’s outstanding athlete in 1939.
Most RBI in First Ten MLB Games – 15
Mark Quinn
Quinn was selected by the Royals in the 11th round of the 1995 MLB draft (out of Rice University, where he hit .353-24-138in 114 games over two seasons). He made his MLB debut September 14, 1999 (after a .360-25-84 season at Triple-A). In his first MLB contests Quinn (DH, batting fifth) went three-for-four, with a double, two home runs, two run scored and four RBI, starting on his way to a record 15 RBI in his first ten MLB games.
Mark Quinn’s fifteen-RBI ten-game MLB career start was bookended by four-RBI games in games one and ten.
Quinn played in 17 games for the Royals in 1999, going .333-6-18. He played in four MLB seasons (1999-2002, Royals), going .282-45-167. His best year was 2000, when he hit .294-20-78 in 135 games. After 2002, he played through 2007 in the Padres, Rays, Cardinals and White Sox minor-league systems, the independent Golden League and Venezuelan Winter League.
Mitchell Page
Page was selected in the third round of the 1973 MLB draft (Pirates) and spent 1973-76 in the Pirates minor-league system. After a .294-22-83 Triple-A season in 1976, the Pirates traded Page to the A’s (part of an eight-player deal). That was Page’s ticket to the major leagues, as he made his MLB debut on April 9, 1977 (LF, batting third). In his first ten MLB games, Page hit three home runs and drove in 15 tallies – including a two-homer, six-RBI game in his sixth career contest. Page finished the season at .307-21-75 in 145 games. The campaign would mark his career highs in run (85), hits (154), doubles (28); triples (8), HR (21), RBI (75) and stolen bases (42) – as well as his highest average in any season in which he played at least 20 games. Page finished second to Eddie Murray in the Rookie of the Year balloting. Page went on to play in a total of eight MLB seasons (1977-83 for Oakland, 16 games in 1984 for the Pirates). He hit .266-72-59, with 104 steals in 673 games.
Dale Alexander
Alexander made his MLB debut in 1929 – after five minor-league seasons, in which he hit .320 or better in every one. He carried his hot bat right into the major leagues with the Tigers – driving in 15 runs in his first ten games and hitting .343-25-137 (and leading the AL with 215 hits) in his rookie season. Alexander played in five MLB seasons (1920-33 … Tigers, Red Sox), hitting .331-61-459 in 662 games and winning the 1932 batting title with a .367 average. Alexander promising career was cut short by a 1933 knee injury (and gruesome treatment, you can look it up) – although he did play in the minors until 1942.
Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baaseball-Almanac.com; Texas Hall of Honor; K-State Athletics Hall of Fame.
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