Sunday, June 11, 2023

2023-06-05 Top Ten career batting averages

MONDAY  — 05-Jun

Q.  Which Hall of Famer's 792 doubles are the most in major league history?

Hint: #1  He also tops the career outfield assist list.

Hint: #2  He is the only player to have three 20+ game hitting streaks in one season.

A.  TRIS SPEAKER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Pete Rose is next with 746.

-  #1  His 449 OF assists are considerably ahead of  Ty Cobbs’ 392.

-  #2  30, 20, 20 in 1912. Twenty-one other players have had two 20+ hit streaks in a season.

FCR -  Tom Hannon, Amesbury, Massachusetts

Incorrect guesses:  Ty Cobb, Joe Medwick, Stan Musial, Carney Lansford, George Sisler, Tris Speaker

 

TUESDAY — 06-Jun

Q.  Who was the first major leaguer to hit a home run in twenty-four consecutive seasons?

Hint: #1  He won two batting titles with batting averages lower than his career average.

Hint: #2  He appeared in the movie Angels in the Outfield.

A. TY COBB   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  HRs = 1905-1928.  In 1905, 1906, 1919 & 1928 in that streak he had only 1 for the year.  Only Rickey Henderson, with homers in all 25 of his major league seasons (1979-2003), had a longer streak.

-  #1  In 1907 (.350) & 1908 (.324) Cobb won AL batting titles.  In 1907 he led the majors.  Both numbers are well below his career average of .366.

-  #2  Hall of Famers Cobb, Joe DiMaggio & Ralph Kiner all appeared in the 1951 version of AITO.

FCR -  Jim Williams, West Allis, Wisconsin

Incorrect guesses:  Carl Yastrzemski, Rod Carew, Stan Musial, Darryl Strawberry, Tony Gwynn, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Jimmy Piersall, Paul Waner, Carney Lansford

 

WEDNESDAY  — 07-Jun

Q.  Who is the only major leaguer to win three hitting Triple Crowns?

Hint: #1  His defense was so good that a fellow Hall of Famer once noted, “He was Willie Mays before we knew who Willie Mays was."

Hint: #2  Among the thirteen men depicted in Kansas City in the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s Field of Legends display of life-size bronze statues, he is positioned farthest from home plate.

A.  OSCAR CHARLESTON      [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Charleston paced the Negro National League in 1921 with 15 HR, 91 RBI, .433 BA in 77 games and the Eastern Colored League in both 1924    (15, 63, .405 in 54 G) & 1925 (20, 97, .427 in 71 G).  Among all other major league hitters, only Ted Williams, Rogers Hornsby and Josh Gibson had two TCs.

-  #1   This observation was made by Buck O’Neil, who was inducted in 2022.  Much of Charleston’s early career was spent as the Negro Leagues’ premier center fielder, but he was a gifted all-around athlete.

-  #2  Stationed in CF in this display, Charleston is joined by Satchel Paige (P), Josh Gibson (C), Buck Leonard (1B), Pop Lloyd (2B), Ray Dandridge (3B), Judy Johnson (SS), Cool Papa Bell (LF), Leon Day (RF), Martin Dihigo (batter), Bob Motley (umpire), Buck O’Neil (manager) and Rube Foster (owner/founder).

FCR -  Keith Sims, Bloomington,, Indiana

Incorrect guesses:  Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson

 

MIDWEEK BONUS — 07-Jun

Q.  Which former Cowboy ranks at least twice in four of the Braves’ franchise history leader board all-time top ten:  Seasonal batting average, on-base percentage, runs and stolen bases?

Hint: #1  Ahead of him on the leader board of career on-base percentage are only Ted Williams, Babe Ruth & John McGraw.

Hint: #2  Ahead of him for most runs scored in a season is… nobody!

A.  BILLY HAMILTON   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  BA = 5th (.369 in 1898), 6th (.366 in 1896);

On-base % = 3rd (.480 in 1898), 4th (.478 in 1896), 8th (.461 in 1897) & 10th (.449 in 1900);

Runs = 3rd (153 in 1896) & 4th (152 in 1897);    AND

Stolen Bases = 2nd (83 in 1896) & 5th (66 in 1897)

He played for the Kansas City Cowboys for both the seasons of their existence, 1888 & 1889.

  #1  The 3 Hall of Famers career OBP ahead of his .455 are .482, .474 & .466 respectively.

-  #2  Hamilton scored 198 times in 1894.  He scored MLB-leading numbers 2 additional times and the league once more.  The leader among current players is Charlie Blackmon who scored 137 X for COL in 2017.

FCR -  Jason, Winston, Riverside, California

Incorrect guesses:  Deion Sanders, Chipper Jones, Rickey Henderson, Hugh Duffy

 


THURSDAY— 08-Jun

Q.  Who was the first pinch hitter in a major league All-Star Game?

Hint: #1  Yellow Horse Morris, Bruce Ogrodowski, Chicken Hawks, Willie McCovey and he are all buried in the same cemetery.

Hint: #2  He pitched for the Yankees the year before Ruth built the famous “house”.

A.  LEFTY O’DOUL   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans. In the 1933 ASG, MLB’s 1st & O’Doul’s only, NL manager John McGraw lifted C Jimmy Wilson, putting in O’Doul to bat.  He then did what Wilson had done in his only PA in the 3rd, he grounded out.  Before going out on defense, O’Doul was replaced by future Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett.  (Hartnett K’ed in his only AB.)

-  #1  These 5 & 15 other former major leaguers have found their final resting place in the Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California, just south of San Francisco.

-  #2  O’Doul pitched for NYY in 1922 but only for 16 innings and wasn’t on the WS roster.  He had also thrown for them in  1919 & 1920.  In 1923, he pitched for BOS.

FCR -  Warren Kent, Whitehall Michigan

Incorrect guesses:  Dolph Camilli

 

 

FRIDAY — 09-Jun

Q.  Which left-hand hitting Hall of Fame Detroit center fielder of the 1920s had the third highest batting average of that decade playing for Motown?

Hint: #1  He had an unusually close relationship with his bats.

Hint: #2  According to a reliable source, he hit more career major league home runs during his unique era than anyone.

A.  TURKEY STEARNS   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Between 1923 and 1929 playing for the Detroit Stars, Stearnes batted .360, just one point lower than Ty Cobb did between 1920-1926 while playing for the Tigers.  However, right-handed-batting right fielder Harry Heilmann topped them both with his .364 amassed for the Tigers during 1920-1929.

-  #1  Stearnes carried a 34-inch model to hit for average, & a 35-inch version when swinging for the fences.  These he kept in sturdy violin cases &, after a particularly difficult game, would sometimes talk to them while lying in his hotel room’s bed.  Teammates would overhear him thanking his bats for delivering big hits or admonishing them for popping up.  "If I had used you," one teammate recalls Stearnes saying to a bigger bat, "I would have hit a home run."

-  #2  Although Negro League records are admittedly incomplete, Baseball-Reference.com’s tabulation of their statistics after MLB recognized them as major leagues 2020 puts Stearnes’ 187 HRs just ahead of the totals of Mule Suttles (180) & Josh Gibson (166).

FCR -  Jay Caldwell, St. Petersburg, Florida

Incorrect guesses:  Heinie Manush, Sam Crawford, Ty Cobb, Earl Averill, Joe Jackson

 

 

SATURDAY — 10-Jun

Q.  Which Hall of Famer managed and made the last out of a watershed World Series?

Hint: #1  No doubt a colorful manager, he managed the Browns, Reds and others.

Hint: #2  Twenty-one men under his managerial and coaching guidance have been elected to the Hall of Fame.

Hint: #3  He is the only qualifying position player in the NL to finish seasons batting over .400 in the twentieth century thrice.

A.  ROGERS HORNSBY   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In 1926, Hornsby was player/manager of the St. Louis Cardinals. They beat NYY 4-3 with the last out of the 7th game seeing Babe Ruth attempting to steal 2nd base with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th.  Hornby, playing 2nd took the throw from C Bob O’Farrell, tagged Ruth well in time and began to celebrate.  No NL team has won the WS more times than STL, but this was their first.

-  #1  In all he managed 6 major league teams:  STL (2 yrs.), NYG (1), BSN (1), CHC (3), SLB (6) & CIN (3).

-  #2  Hall of Famers besides himself that Hornsby managed:  Pete Alexander, Richie Ashburn, Ernie Banks, Jim Bottomley, , Kiki Cuyler, Rick Ferrell, Burleigh Grimes, Chick Hafey, Jesse Haines, Gabby Hartnett, Gil Hodges, Travis Jackson, George Kelly, Freddie Lindstrom, Satchell Paige, Edd Roush, George Sisler, Billy Southworth, Bill Terry, Billy Williams & Hack Wilson.  He also had these teammates and/or staff on his teams:  Dizzy Dean, Leo Durocher  Billy Herman, Miller Huggins, Mel Ott, Branch Rickey, Casey Stengel & Bobby Wallace.

-  #3  Hornsby hit .401 in 1922; .403 in 1925 & .424 in 1924.  This last is the highest NL BA in the modern era.

FCR -  Jeff Fink, Howell, New Jersey

Incorrect guesses:  Miller Huggins, George Sisler, Julio Franco, Joe Jackson, Sam Thompson, Satchel Paige

 

WEEKEND BONUS — 10-Jun

Q.  Who was the first player to collect more RBI than the number of games he played that season in consecutive seasons? (Min 75 RBI)

Hint: #1  He won seven Triple Crown categories, but never more than two in the same year.

Hint: #2  He also won titles in stolen bases, triples, doubles, hits, SLG, OBP, OPS, OPS+ & total bases, to name a few seven times placed in the MLB’s top ten leaders for seasonal WAR.

A.  ED DELAHANTY   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In 1893, he played 114 G & had 131 RBI & followed that up with 146 RBI in 132 G in 1894, both playing for PHI.

-  #1  Use this for his otherworldly stats:  Ed Delahanty or this Ed Delahanty

-  #2            "

FCR -  Ken Kirk, Corning, New York

Incorrect guesses:  George Brett , Ken Williams, Nap Lajoie, Joe DiMaggio, Barry Bonds

 

 

SUNDAY  — 11-Jun

Q.  Who was the last Black Sox hitter to twice hit over .400 in a season?

Hint: #1  He is the only Hall of Famer born on Leap Day.

Hint: #2  He is the oldest player to hit a home run in a major-league game.

A.  JUD WILSON   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Stroked .422 in 1927 for the BBS & NLG & .404 in 1929 for BBS.

-  #1  Wilson was born on 29-Feb-1896 per official 1900 U.S. Census data.  Meaning that the date engraved on both his plaque at the Hall of Fame & on his tombstone (28-Feb-1894) was erroneous.

-  #2  Julio Franco had previously held this distinction when he went swimming pool on Randy Johnson on 04-May-2007 at 48 years 251 days old.  However, when MLB recognized Negro League statistics in 2020, Wilson became the record holder based on the homer he hit at Yankee Stadium on 23-Sept-1945(1) at 49 years 206 days old.

FCR -  Bill Suphan, Scottsdale

Incorrect guesses:  Eddie Collins,

 

 

WEEK’S FINALE  — 11-Jun

Q.  Which famous slugger was too embarrassed to meet with Ty Cobb?

Hint: #1  He formed special relationships with three notable gals.

Hint: #2  His wife’s autograph has been, at times, highly sought.

Hint: #3  His middle name of Walker is known to very few.

A.  JOE JACKSON   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Sometime following WWII,  Cobb visited Jackson in Jackson’s hometown & the story goes that Jackson was so ashamed for having been on the Black Sox that he didn’t say anything to Cobb until addressed him by name.  Read the heartwarming story here.

-  #1  Jackson became so closely attached to his favorite baseball bats that he gave them names. His dearest he called “Black Betsy"— a hefty ~40 ounces -- but he was also sweet on "Blond Betsy" and “Caroliny".  

-  #2  Jackson was illiterate, unable to neither read nor write.  Jackson's inability to sign many autographs resulted in his wife signing items for the slugger.  As a result, any autographed item said to be signed by Jackson comes with the risk that it actually wasn't signed by the ballplayer. However, in 2021, an authenticated Joe Jackson-signed photograph from 1911 sold at auction for $1.47 million, which is the most ever paid for a signed sports photograph. It is the only known Jackson-signed photo of himself in existence.

-  #3  More people know Jackson by his pseudonym “Shoeless Joe”, but the name given to him at birth was Joseph Walker Jackson.

FCR -  Art Mugalian, Minneapolis

Incorrect guesses:  Roberto Clemente, Joe DiMaggio, Barry Bonds, Ralph Kiner, Leo Durocher

 

WEEK’S THEME – Top Ten qualifying players in career batting averages. 

 

#   Name             AVG          PA             Yrs            WAR         Rank*

2. Charleston..... .365........ 3,885.......... 18............ 48.1........... 8

1. Cobb.............. .366...... 13,103.......... 24.......... 151.5........... 1

8. Delahanty...... .346........ 8,402.......... 16............ 69.6........... 4

10. Hamilton....... .344........ 6,283.......... 14............ 63.2........... 5

3. Hornsby........ .358........ 9,481.......... 23.......... 127.1........... 3

4. Jackson....... .356........ 5,697.......... 13............ 62.2........... 6

6. O'Doul........... .349........ 3,660.......... 11............ 25.6......... 10

9. Speaker......... .345........ 10,15.......... 22.......... 134.9........... 2

7. Stearnes......... .348........ 4,279.......... 18............ 49.5........... 6

5. Wilson........... .350........ 3,563.......... 21............ 33.4........... 9

*WAR rank on this list

Note:  Ted Williams missed making this list by the margin of one hit:  Hamilton = .344421; Williams = .344407.

 

First Correct Respondent identifying themeWarren Kent, Whitehall, Michigan (after Hornsby)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Tues    -  Most games played in center field (2,000 or more games)

 

Wed     -  HOF outfielders with lifetime batting average >.333 and 200 Stolen bases

            -  HOF center fielders who also pitched in a game

            -  HOFers who primarily played CF

            -  Top 10 Highest lifetime Batting Averages for Left handed hitting Center Fielders

            -  Most seasons hitting >.300 for Left handed hitting Center Fielders

 

Thur     -  Top 10 lifetime Batting Average leaders for Left handed hitters

            -  Top Left handed lifetime batting average leaders in the Hall of Fame 

 

 

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