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<\/a>Photo: Bain News Service, publisher, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n
In this post, we\u2019ll take a look at another of those seemingly unreachable career marks, Hall of Famer Eddie Collins<\/strong> 512 sacrifice hits (bunts). No one is even within 100 of that total and the current leaders among active players are Clayton Kershaw with 110 and Elvis Andrus with 103. Couple that with the fact that the bunt has fallen into disfavor (perhaps giving way to the three-run home run) as a strategic weapon and you can see why Collins’ mark should continue stand the test of time.<\/p>\n How the Game Has Changed<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In 1915,\u00a0 24 major-league teams (American, National and Federal Leagues) laid down a record 4,441 sacrifice bunts. In 2022, 30 major-league teams (playing a longer schedule) recorded only\u00a0 390 sacrifice hits (bunts).\u00a0 Looked at in another way, in 1915 fans could expect to see 2.4 sacrifice bunts per game, while in in 2022 those in the ballpark could anticipate seeing one sacrifice bunt ever 6.2 games.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n For those who like to know such things, the 2022 leader in sacrifice bunts was the Arizona Diamondbacks <\/em>with 31.\u00a0 The Braves almost had a perfect (in a way) season, with only one sacrifice bunt<\/em>. It came off the bat of rookie CF Micheal Harris<\/em> in the final game of the season<\/em> (October 4 at Miami). It was in the fourth inning and, after DH William Contreras<\/em> and 2B Avisail Garcia<\/em> opened the inning with singles (putting runners on first and second with no outs), Harris sacrificed them to second and third, respectively. The sacrifice, by the way, did not pay off. What followed was a strikeout, intentional walk and another strikeout, with no runs scoring. <\/strong>Roundtable Note: In that 1915 record season, no team had fewer than 120 sacrifice bunts and the White Sox led the way with 270.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n Despite his MLB-record 512 career sacrifice bunts, Eddie Collins never led his league in sacrifices.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n _____________________________<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n A Couple of Other Players Who Were Part of Sacrifice Royalty<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Ray Chapman<\/strong>, an infielder with the Indians from 1912 to 1920 (when he was fatally injured by a pitch from Carl Mays), holds the record for sacrifice bunts in a single season with 67 in 1917. That season, Chapman hit .302-2-36, with 98 runs scored and 52 stolen bases. Chapman laid down forty or more sacrifices in five of his nine MLB seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n George \u201cMule\u201d Haas<\/strong> \u2013 an outfielder\/first baseman for the Athletics, White Sox and, very briefly, Pirates \u2026 1925, 1928-38 \u2013 led the American League in sacrifice hits six times, including five consecutive seasons (1930-34).<\/span><\/p>\n _________________________________<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n A little more about Collins.<\/p>\n Collins was a graduate of Columbia University, where he played quarterback on the football team and shortstop on the baseball squad.\u00a0 He was considered one of the smartest players in the game \u2013 on and off the field. \u00a0He was also considered one of the most confident (or, as some reported, arrogant) and competitive players in the game (his nickname as \u201cCocky\u201d); as well as a supportive (but also demanding) teammate and an individual of notable dedication and integrity. Roundtable Note: Collins was a member of the 1919 White Sox team that was involved in he 1919 World Series \u201cBlack Sox Scandal,\u201d but reportedly, because of his solid reputation, was not approached by any of the suspected participants.<\/em><\/p>\n High Praise from the Georgia Peach and Others<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In Joe Posnanski\u2019s book \u201cThe Baseball 100,\u201d Posnanski notes that Hall of Famer Ty Cobb<\/strong> once said of Collins, \u201cNot only does he play the game, he thinks it. If anyone tells you he wasn\u2019t the greatest second baseball of all time, you argue with him\u201d. <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Hall of Famer John McGraw<\/strong> on Eddie Collins \u2026 from\u00a0 \u201cCollins Revered as One of the Game’s Best Second Basemen,\u201d by Bill Francis, included in the Baseball Hall of Fame \u201cHall of Famer Facts Series.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cHe <\/em><\/strong>(Collins)<\/em> is a steady and brilliant fielder, getting balls that no other second baseman would try for. He is also one of the fastest thinkers I have ever watched, judging plays and executing them with great accuracy … Collins is not playing for individual glory, which is what I like about him. He is always ready to dump down the bunt when that looks like the play \u2026 He is a \u00a0finished ballplayer of the \u00a0thinking type, and, to my mind, the greatest the world. \u201c<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Also from the Hall of Famer Fact Series, Hall of Famer Connie Mack<\/strong> said of Collins, \u201cI want to point out that \u00a0he was a great batsman, one of the best players \u00a0defensively \u00a0and a daring base runner. Then he topped all these \u00a0things by being the brainiest player that ever guarded the keystone.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n For those who like the such stats as Wins Above Replacement, Eddie Collins ranks 13th<\/sup> All-time at 124.4. For some comparison, that puts him one spot on the list behind Rogers Hornsby<\/strong> and one ahead of Ted Williams<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Eddie Collins at the Plate<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Collins \u00a0was not just a master at giving himself \u00a0up (sacrifices) for the team, he was also a master at getting on base. He put up a career .333 average and his 3,315 hits are twelfth all-time.\u00a0 He also is in MLB\u2018s top-20 all-time in on-base percentage (.424, 14th<\/sup>). \u00a0In today\u2019s game, can you imagine regularly calling on a hitter with that record for reaching base to lay down even\u00a0 an occasional sacrifice? (It seems even less likely when you consider what Collins could do once he was on base.\u00a0 His 741 stolen bases are eighth all -time.)<\/p>\n A few other Collins all-time rankings: singles \u2013 2,643 (third); triples \u2013 187 (12th<\/sup>); walks \u2013 1,499 (19th<\/sup>); runs scored \u2013 1,821 (18th<\/sup>).<\/p>\n Collins was also about a steady a producer on offense as you can be.\u00a0 Within his .333 career average:<\/p>\n Collins was also solid in the clutch, hitting .355 with runners in scoring position and ramping up his game in the pressure-filled final months of the annual pennant race (.350 in August and .356 in September\/October for his career). Career-wise, Mays was his\u00a0 weakest month \u2013 but still over .300 (.314).<\/p>\n Eddie Collins hit .300 or better (actually .308 or higher) in 16 of the 18 seasons in which he played at least 100 games. <\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n A few other tidbits from Collins\u2019 career in the batter\u2019s box.<\/p>\n Power was not part of Collins’ game. He hit only 47 home runs in 25 seasons. Notably, he did play 13 of his 25 seasons in the “Dead Ball Era,” generally accepted as ending with Babe Ruth’s 29-homer season in 1919.\u00a0 Collins’ final stat line was ,333-47-1,299, with 1,821 runs scored and 741 stolen bases.<\/p>\n In 1914, Eddie Collins won the Chalmers Award (forerunner to the Most Valuable Player Award).\u00a0 That season, he hit .344-2-85, with 58 steals and a league-lading 122 runs scored.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Eddie Collins on the Bases<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Eddie Collins, while not the fastest runner of his time, was one of the game\u2019s best base runners \u2013 studying pitchers (especially) and catches intensely.,<\/p>\n As noted, his 741 stolen bases are eighth all-time. He led the league in steals three times, finished \u00a0the AL\u2019s top four 12 times\u00a0 and swiped 40 or more bases in ten seasons. Note: Collins is also eighth all-time in caught stealing .<\/em><\/p>\n Collins is also one of just four players (since 1900) to steal six bases in a game \u2013 and the only MLB player to do it twice. And, he accomplished the feat twice in an 11-day span.<\/p>\n Eddie Collins in the Field<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Despite leading American League second baseman in fielding percentage nine times and \u00a0finishing second seven times, Eddie Collins is not even in the top 200 among second basemen with at least 500 games at the keystone sack.\u00a0 (He\u2019s 211th).\u00a0 Then again, take a look at the equipment available as he started his major league career.<\/p>\n Photo: Author Unknown; Public Domain via WikiCommons<\/p><\/div>\n Here’s a few stats that reflect his play in the field . Collins is:<\/p>\n In, 1938, Eddie Collins – \u00a0then General Manager of the Red Sox – scouted and signed a slender young outfielder named Ted Williams.\u00a0 Commenting on the signing,\u00a0 Collins is quoted to have said it was an easy\u00a0 decision, \u201cYour Aunt Susan could have picked Teddy out of 1,000 players.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Primary Resources:<\/em> Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; The Baseball 100<\/em>, Joe Posnanski, Avid Reader Press, 2021; \u201cThe Baseball Legend Who Wore \u2018Clean Sox,\u2019\u201d Columbia College Today<\/em>, Spring 2020<\/em>, by Thomas Vinciguerra; \u201cCollins Revered as One of Game\u2019s Best Second Basemen,\u2019 \u00a0Baseball Hall of Fame \u201cHall of Famer Facts\u201d series, by Bill Francis.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Baseball Roundtable is also on the Anytime Baseball Supply<\/em> Top 66 Baseball Sites list.\u00a0 For the full list, click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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