___________________________<\/p>\n
Before we get started on this edition,\u00a0 here are links to the previous editions of this series.<\/p>\n
Please note: For still active pitchers, the stats are as they stood on the date of the post.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n If you go back through past editions of \u201cWho\u2019s Your Daddy?\u201d, you may find a few surprises \u2013 like how Will Clark<\/strong> owned Nolan Ryan<\/strong>; Jerry Lynch<\/strong>\u2018s .714 average versus Sandy Koufax<\/strong>; the fact that Brian Harper<\/strong> faced Roger Clemens<\/strong> 23 times and never struck out; how Ival Goodman<\/strong> (who averaged one home run each 47 at bats over his 10-season MLB career) poked six home runs in just 64 at bats against Carl Hubbell<\/strong>; or that Magglio Ordonez<\/strong> hit .500 in his career versus Mariano Rivera<\/strong> and never fanned against him.<\/p>\n ____________________________<\/p>\n As I looked back at past posts in the series, I realized the pitchers featured in these posts had been known for a variety \u00a0of pitches \u2013 blazing fastballs, sweeping curveballs, devastating change ups, wicked screwballs, darting splitters and more.\u00a0 However, this series has yet to feature a knuckleball specialist. Well, that time has come. \u00a0Today, we feature Hall of Famer, and premier knuckleballer, Hoyt Wilhelm.<\/p>\n As Usual, One Things Led to Another<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n In keeping with the Baseball Roundtable tradition – \u201cWhen I begin looking into something one thing always seems to lead to another,\u201d the selection of Hoyt Wilhelm for this series was prompted by a report that, when Padres\u2019 rookie knuckleballer Matt Waldron<\/strong> picked up a win\u00a0 over the A\u2019s on September 16, it was the first MLB win for knuckleball pitcher in nearly five years (since September 20, 2018).\u00a0 That started me thinking about MLB\u2019s best-ever knuckleballer and led me to feature Wilhelm in the “Who’s Your Daddy?” series. \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Before we get into the lineup of players who fared especially well against Wilhelm, let\u2019s take a look at his unique career.<\/p>\n Photo: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n Hoyt Wilhelm was less than 100 days shy of his thirtieth birthday when he made his major-league debut. \u00a0Yet, he still fashioned\u00a0 a 21-season, 1,070-appearance MLB pitching career \u2013 making his last MLB appearance (two scoreless inning in relief) just 16 days shy of his fiftieth<\/strong> <\/em>birthday. But I\u2019m getting ahead of myself.\u00a0 There is a lot more to the Wilhelm story.<\/p>\n At a time when the knuckleball was primarily used by pitchers who had \u201caged out\u201d of effective curves and heaters, Wilhelm began using the pitch (actually a fingertip-ball in his case) as his mainstay as a teenager. In 1942, after high school, Wilhelm signed with the Class-D North Carolina State League Mooresville Moors,\u00a0 who played just 12 miles from his home town of Huntersville. North Carolina. He went 10-3 for Mooresville before being drafted into the Army. He spent three prime years in the military, seeing plenty of combat and receiving a Purple Heart for wounds he suffered in the Battle of the Bulge.<\/p>\n Hoyt Wilhelm pitched his entire MLB career with a piece of shrapnel (from the Battle of the Bulge) lodged in his back. <\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n In 1952, Wilhelm stuck with the Giants and had a stellar rookie season \u2013 appearing in a league-leading 71 games, going 15-3 (his .833 winning percentage led the NL) and putting up a league-leading (among qualifiers \u2013 a minimum of 154 innings pitched) 2.43 earned run average. Surprisingly he finished a distant second in the Rookie of the Year balloting to another reliever, Joe Black<\/strong> of the Dodgers.\u00a0 Black got 19 votes to three for Wilhelm and one each for the Pirates\u2019 Dick Groat<\/strong> and the Braves\u2019 Eddie Mathews<\/strong>.\u00a0 As the chart below show, it seems like it should have been a lot closer.<\/p>\n A Unicorn<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Hoyt Wilhelm remains the only MLB pitcher to win an earned run title in a season in which he did not start a single game.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n To make a long story short, Wilhelm and his knuckler stayed in the big leagues through 1972.\u00a0 He pitched in 1,070 games (52 starts, more than half of them \u00a0in 1959). His 1,018 relief appearances are fifth all-time and his 1,871 relief innings are first all-time, as are his 124 career wins in relief.<\/p>\n How Much Did Hoyt Wilhelm\u2019s Knuckleball Flutter?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In his first 16 years in the major leagues, the teams Wilhelm suited up for led their league in passed balls in 15 campaigns. A couple of other indicators:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Side Note:\u00a0 The statistics for the Hoyt Wilhelm \u201cWho\u2019s Your Daddy?\u201d lineup are not as telling as for the starting pitchers who have been featured in these posts \u2013 primarily because batters did not rack up at bats at the same frequency (given Wilhelm’s role as a reliever). For example, 89 MLB batters had 50 or more at bats versus Bob Feller in his 18 MLB seasons, while just ten opposing batters reached up at least 50 at bats versus Wilhelm in 21 seasons. Still, the group featured here makes for an interesting lineup.<\/em><\/p>\n Wilhelm was an \u00a0All Star in five seasons (eight All Star selections due to the playing of two All Star games from 1959 through 1962) and led the AL in earned run average, appearances and winning percentage twice each.\u00a0 (Notably, he led the AL in ERA once as a reliever and once as a starter.) Wilhelm finished in the top three in pitching appearances in six times, and in the top three in saves five times. From 1964 through 1968 he pitched in 306 games, with a 1.74 ERA<\/p>\n While Wilhelm was used primarily as a starter in just one of his 21 MLB seasons (1959 Orioles).\u00a0 He proved he could go the distance. In 32 games that season (27 starts), he went 15-11, led the AL with a 2.19 ERA. Made the All Star team, threw 13 complete game and delivered \u00a0three shutouts.<\/p>\n Seeing Floaters? Just Swing.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n On September 20, 1958, Hoyt Wilhelm started on the mound for the Orioles (in Baltimore) versus a tough Yankee lineup that included the likes of Mickey Mantle, Bill Skowron, Elston Howard, Bobby Richardson and Hank Bauer. At the time, the Yankees were in first place at 89-58, while the Orioles were in seventh at 68-77. Wilhelm proved up to the task, no-hitting the Yankees in a 1-0 victory. (The only run coming on a seventh inning Gus Triandos\u2019 home run.) Wilhelm walked two and fanned eight in the 99-pitch outing.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Let’s start with a few statistics.<\/p>\n Put Me In Coach<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Hoyt Wilhelm faced Giants\u2019 3B\u00a0 Al Gallagher five times in his career \u2013 and never got him out (the most plate appearances for any player with a 1.000 on-base percentage versus Wilhelm). From 1970-72, Gallagher had five plate appearance versus Wilhelm and delivered three singles and two walks.\u00a0 Gallagher was a .263 hitter over four MLB seasons (1970-73 \u2026 Giants, Angels).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n On the flip side, you find another 3B \u2013 the Red Sox\u2019 Joe Foy.\u00a0 Foy faced Wilhelm 13 times over four seasons and never reached base against him (the most plate appearances versus Wilhelm for a hitter with 0.000 OBP versus the knuckleballer).\u00a0 Foy only got the ball out of the infield three times versus Wilhelm.\u00a0 Foy hit .248-58-291 over six MLB campaigns (1966-71 … Red Sox, Royals, Mets, Senators).<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Now for the lineup that best handled Wilhelm\u2019s flutterball.<\/p>\n Catcher \u2013 Roy Campanella<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Bowman Gum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n The knuckleball may have been hard to catch, but for at least a couple of catchers, it was not so hard to hit. Our starter at catcher is Hall of Famer \u00a0Dodger Roy Campanella<\/strong>, who hit .469-2-12 versus Wilhelm over 33 games (1952-57). Campanella\u2019s .469 average versus Wilhelm was the highest among any player with at least 20 career at bats against him. \u00a0His fifteen hits were the third-highest against the knuckleballer, as were his 12 RBI. Campanella did not get his first hit against Wilhelm until his ninth plate appearance against him (two walks, a sacrifice, five outs).\u00a0 From that point on, he went 15-for-15-28, with five walks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Campanella played ten years with the Dodgers (1948-57), hitting .276-242-856 and making eight All Star teams. He played\u00a0 ten years in the Negro National League II (1937-42, 1944-45), hitting .316-18-163, making three All Star squads and winning the 1944 Negro National League II batting title with .388 average.<\/p>\n Campanella was the National League MVP in 1951, 1953 and 1955.<\/p>\n Going Yard Twice<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n On August 13, 1953, Hoyt Wilhelm came on to relieve Al Worthington with his Giants leading the Dodgers 8-4, two men on and one out. Wilhelm got Jackie Robinson on an easy fly to second base, before Roy Campanella took a 2-1 pitch to deep RF for a three-run home run \u2013 cutting the margin to one. It stayed that way (8-7) until Campanella faced Wilhelm again with two outs in the top of the ninth.\u00a0 This time Campanella took Wilhelm yard to LF.\u00a0 The Giants eventually won 9-8 in ten innings. <\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Have to also give a shoutout to another catcher, Earl Battey,<\/strong> whose .414 average (12-for-29) versus Wilhelm was the second-highest among players with at least 20 at bats against him.<\/p>\n _______________________________________________________<\/p>\n First Base – Stan Musial<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stan Musial\u2019s record against Hoyt Wilhelm was a streaky one. From June 12, 1953 through May 2, 1954, Musial faced Wilhelm seven times and collected\u00a0 five hits (one single, one double and three home runs) and two walks (one intentional).\u00a0 Immediately after that streak of success, from June 20, 1954 through May 20, 1956, Musial faced Wilhelm nine times and got on base just once (an intentional walk). In those nine plate appearances, he got the ball out of the infield just once.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Musial was an All Star in 20 of his 22 MLB seasons. He was a three-time NL MVP, seven-time batting champion and led the league in a range of offensive categories: games (five times); runs scored (five times); hits (six times); doubles (eight times); triples (five times); RBI (twice); total bases six times); on-base percentage (six times); slugging percentage (five times); walks (once); and intentional walks (five times). He had a career batting average of .331 (3,630 hits in 10,972 at bats) and, despite 475 home runs, never led the league in homers.<\/p>\n An honorable mention at first base has to go to Steve Bilko<\/strong>, who hit .409 (9-for-22), with two homers and six RBI in 19 games versus Wilhelm. Bilko went\u00a0 .249-76-276 in ten MLB seasons (1949-54, 1958, 1960-62 … Cardinals, Angels, Dodgers, Reds, Cubs, Tigers).<\/p>\n ______________________________________<\/p>\n Second Base \u2013 Tie: Jackie Robinson & Gene Baker<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson hit .344 versus Wilhelm and drove in five runs in 34 games. \u00a0Robinson also drew nine walks (tied for fourth all-time against Wilhelm) for \u00a0a .500 on-base percentage versus the knuckleballer \u2013 second among MLB batters with at least 20 at bats versus Wilhelm.<\/p>\n Can\u2019t Touch That<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In Jackie Robinson\u2019s first six plate appearances versus Hoyt Wilhelm not a ball was put in play \u2013 yet he was on base four times.\u00a0 (three walks, one hit by pitch and two strikeouts.)\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Robinson played in 11 MLB seasons \u2013 1945 with the Kansas City Monarchs and 1947-58 with the Dodgers. He hit .313-141-761, with 200 stolen bases in 1,416 games. He was the 1949 NL MVP, when he led the league with a .342 average and 37 steals \u2013 to go with 122 runs scored, 203 hits, 16 home runs and 124 RBI.<\/p>\n Gene Baker<\/strong> hit .467 (7- for-13) versus Wilhelm \u2013 with his one walk versus Wilhelm, he matched Robinson\u2019s .500 on-base percentage. In \u00a0nine MLB seasons (1948, 1953-58, 1960-61 \u2026 Monarchs, Cubs, Pirates), Baker hit .263-42-255. He was an All Star in 1955 (with the Cubs), when he hit .268-11-52 and played in all 154 games.<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n Third Base \u2013 Rich Rollins<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Rich Rollins<\/strong> hit Wilhelm for a .353 average in 33 games, with one home run and six RBI. His best game against the knuckler came on September 7, 1963 \u2013 when Rollins went three-for-four with an RBI versus Wilhelm), who pitched the first eight innings of a game his Orioles lost to Rollins\u2019 Twins 4-2 in 12 innings. A Rollins\u2019 two-run single in the twelfth (off Bruce Howard) was the winning hit in the contest.<\/p>\n Rich Rollins played in 10 MLB seasons (1961-70 \u2026 \u00a0Twins, Pilots, Brewers, Indians).\u00a0 He hit .269-77-399 in 1,002 games.\u00a0 His best season was 1962, when he went .298-16-96, with 96 runs scored and made his only All Star team.<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Shortstop \u2013 Dick Groat<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Groat:\u00a0 Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n Dick Groat<\/strong> hit Hoyt Wilhelm at a .364 pace (8-for-22).\u00a0 Notably all eight hits were singles and he had just one RBI versus Wilhelm. \u00a0That .364 average, however, puts Groat among the top ten batters with at least 20 at bats versus Wilhelm.\u00a0 (He\u2019s also one of the most interesting \u201cathletes\u201d on this list \u2013 which may have swayed my selection slightly.)<\/p>\n Groat was an All-America at Duke University in both baseball and basketball.\u00a0 In fact, his best sport made have been hoops. As a senior (1951-52 college basketball season), he averaged 26 points and 7.6 assists per game (leading the NCAA in both categories) and was named the National Collegiate Player of the Year.\u00a0 In 1952, he also hit .370 and led the Duke baseball squad in hits, doubles, RBI and steals. Duke went 31-7 and made their first College World Series appearance that season.<\/p>\n Dick Groat was the first player elected to both the National Collegiate Basketball and Baseball Halls of Fame.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n In 1952-53, Groat (finishing his senior year at Duke) signed (and played) with the NBA\u2019s Fort Wayne Pistons. Shuttling \u00a0back and forth between classes at Duke during the week and Pistons games on weekends. He averaged 11.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a pro. In later interviews, Groat t noted \u201cI never had to practice, just play on the weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n That same year, Groat also signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played 95 games for the Pirates in 1952 \u2013 going straight from campus to the majors \u2013 hitting .284-1-29, providing superior defense and finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting.<\/p>\n A stint in military service, then disrupted his athletic career(s). After Groat retuned from serving two years in the military, Pirates\u2019 GM Branch Rickey convinced him to focus solely on baseball.\u00a0 Groat rejoined the Pirates \u2013 and the rest is history.<\/p>\n Groat played 14 MLB seasons (1952, 1955-67 \u2026 Pirates, Cardinals, Phillies, Giants), hitting .286-39-707, earning All Star honors in five seasons and being selected the 1960 NL Most Valuable Player (that season, he won the NL batting title with a .325 average). Groat also led NL shortstops in putouts in four seasons, assist twice and double plays turned at shortstop five times.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ____________________________<\/p>\n OF – Al Kaline<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Photo: From collection of User: JGHowes, self-scanned for Wikipedia. JGHowes at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n Hall of Famer Al Kaline<\/strong> hit .348 against Wilhelm in 48 games (66 at bats\/77 plate appearances). His four home runs tied for the second most versus Wilhelm, his 17 RBI were first, as were his 23 hits.\u00a0 In addition, his ten walks ranked second against Wilhelm (a tie with Bob Allison<\/strong>). Overall, he put up a .429 on-base percentage and a .606 slugging percentagte against the crafty knuckleballer.<\/p>\n That\u2019s The Way To Wrap It UP<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In his final five seasons against Wilhelm (1965-69), Kaline reached base in 15 of 20 plate appearances: six singles, one double, one triple, one home run, five walks, one safe on an error, five outs.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Kaline played 22 MLB seasons (1953-74) \u2013 all for the Tigers. He was an All Star in 15 of those seasons and led the AL in batting in one (1955 at .340). He retired with a .297 average, 3,007 hits, 399 home runs, 1,582 RBI and 1,622 runs scored \u2013 as well as 10 Gold Gloves. He hit over .300+ in nine seasons and had 25 or more home runs in seven.<\/p>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n OF \u2026 \u00a0Gary Geiger <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Gary Geiger<\/strong> hit .379 (11-for-29), with a triple, three home runs (fifth-highest versus Wilhelm) and six RBI\u00a0 in 17 games versus Wilhelm \u2013 and I needed someone with CF experience in the Garden.<\/p>\n Happy Fourth of July<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Gary Geiger celebrated Independence Day 1960 by collecting a walk, a surprise bunt single and a two-run home run versus Wilhelm – who had come on in relief of Steve Barber \u2013 as Geiger\u2019s Red Sox topped Wilhelm’s Orioles 10-7 in Boston.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Geiger played in 12 MLB seasons (1958-67, 1969-70 \u2026 Indians, Red Sox, Braves, Astros). \u00a0He career stat line \u00a0was .246-77-283 in 954 games.<\/p>\n Photo: Manny’s Baseball Land via tradingcarddb.com, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n Geiger, notably, started his professional career primarily as a pitcher (but with some time in the outfield as well). In 1955, Geiger went 20-7, 1.98 with the Class-D Hilton Cardinals, leading the league in complete games (26 in 27 starts), strikeouts (177) and shutouts (8). (All this, despite control problems: 115 walks in 236 innings). The Cardinals\u2019 organization had pretty solid pitching depth and, in 1956 (at Triple-A), Geiger \u00a0went 3-2, 3.78 in 29 games on the mound, but also hit .327 in 39 games.\u00a0 (He also walked 77 batters in 100 innings). The die was cast and Geiger\u2019s \u00a0professional career moved forward as an outfielder.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/a>After his release from the service, Wilhelm returned to \u00a0Mooresville, where he went 41-15 over two seasons and, in 1947, he was signed by the New York Giants.\u00a0 And, the rest, as they say, is history. Working primarily as a starter, he worked his way up from Class-B to Triple-A between 1948 and 1951 \u2013 going 56-46 and pitching to a 3.68 earned run average over 813 innings.\u00a0 For my home state (Minnesota) readers, Wilhelm spent the 1950-51 seasons with the Triple-A Minneapolis Millers – going 26-15, 4.41, primarily as a starter.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Blackvhoyt.jpg\")
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—The Hoyt Wilhelm -Who’s Your Daddy? ” Lineup—<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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<\/a>Hall of Famer Stan Musial<\/strong> hit .375 against Wilhelm over 24 games. His four home runs tied for second (career) against Wilhelm. Like Campanella above, Musial had a two-home run game against Wilhelm.\u00a0 It came on May 2, 1954 in the second game of a doubleheader between Musial\u2019s Cardinals and Wilhelm\u2019s Giants (in St. Louis). In that game, Wilhelm came in to open the bottom of the fourth, with the Giants up 8-3. Musial connected off him for a two-run homer in the fifth and a solo shot in the seventh (his only two at bats versus Wilhelm in the game). The Giants did hang on to win 9-7.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Musial-Will.jpg\")
<\/a>They Call Him The Streak<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Robbywil.jpg\")
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