Month: July 2017

July 28: Some no-hitters ugly

JULY 28, 1976 | OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – Chicago White Sox pitchers Blue Moon Odom and Francisco Barrios combined to no-hit the Oakland A’s on this date in 1976. Odom started the game against his old team. Barrios relieved him in the 6th. It was the kind of performance that demonstrated that combined no-hitters are not always masterpieces.

So why would a pitcher throwing a no-hitter be lifted? Let me count the ways; 1) because he walked 9 batters in 5 innings, 2) it was a 2-1 game, 3) it was a key divisional rivalry (the White Sox and A’s were both in the American League West in 1976). The Sox ended up winning the contest 2-1.

The Odom-Barrios no-hitter was the fourth combined no-no in major league baseball history at the time. The first was by pitcher Babe Ruth and Ernie Shore. Ruth started the game in 1917. He walked the first batter, but protested the call so vehemently he was kicked out without retiring a batter. His replacement, Ernie Shore proceeded to retire the next 27 hitters for a no-hitter.

There have been seven more combined no-hitters as of this writing. Two of them required six pitchers; when the Astros no-hit the Yankees on June 11th 2003, and when Seattle beat the Dodgers on June 8th, 2012.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
Combined no-hitters

JULY 27: The Little Giant

JULY 27, 1927 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS • 18-year old Mel Ott hit his first major league home run on this date in 1927. Being that he was just 5’9” and would hit 510 more home runs in his 22-year career, Ott was referred to as “The Little Giant.”

The Little Giant arrived on the scene at age 17. It wasn’t because a lot of stars were off to war. It was 1926, the First World War had been over for several years and World War II wouldn’t start for another 15.

The Gretna, Louisiana native had many great years, but his greatest may have been at the ripe old age of 20. Here are some of his 1929 stats – before he was old enough to vote:

Batting average         .328
Home runs                       42
RBI                                   151
Runs scored                 138     

Mel Ott played his entire career with the New York Giants (today’s San Francisco Giants). He was named to 9 All-Star games. Tragically, his life came to an end at age 49 when his car was hit head-on in foggy conditions.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
Mel Ott Stats

July 26: Catfish, Billy & Ray enter Hall of Fame

July 26, 1987 | COOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK – Three “stars” were inducted into the Hall of Fame on this date in 1987. Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Billy Williams and Ray Dandridge didn’t lust for headlines or seek attention so you know Catfish, Billy and Ray enter the Hall of Fame because of shear talent.

Catfish Hunter was a 20-game winner five times, four with Oakland A’s and once with the New York Yankees. He was in the starting rotation for five World Series Champions, usually the ace of the staff; three with the A’s and two with the Yankees.

The Hertford, North Carolina native finished his career with 224 wins and 166 losses and an earned run average of 3.26. Sadly, James Augustus Hunter was stricken with Lou Gehrig’s disease later in life and died at age 53 of injuries suffered in a fall probably caused by his illness.

Billy Williams spent most of career with the Chicago Cubs. He was NL Rookie of the Year in 1961, a 6-time All-Star, set a record for consecutive games played with 1,117 (later broken by Steve Garvey with 1,207). He finished his career with a .290 career batting average and 426 home runs. “Sweet Swingin” Billy Williams had at least 20 home runs for 14 seasons and at least 84 RBI for 13.

Ray Dandridge was a star of the Negro Leagues, so unfortunately much of American didn’t see him play. He played for teams in Detroit, Nashville and Newark.

He also played in the Mexican League in 1940 with and against Major Leaguers. He led the league with a .369 batting average but it was his fielding at 3rd base that sparkled. Monte Irvin, who played against major leaguers and Negro Leaguers said Dandridge was the one of the best 3rd basemen he’d ever seen.

Dandridge was finally signed by the New York Giants in 1949 but sent to Triple-A Minneapolis. Despite being named league MVP and leading his team to the championship, Dandridge was never called up to the majors.

  • Little known fact: Catfish Hunter hit .350 for the A’s in 1971 (before the DH), 36 hits in 103 at bats, 1 HR, 12 RBI.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The disappearance of 20-game winners
The Hall of Fame

July 22: Most hits 9-innings

July 22, 1962 | BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – Floyd Robinson of the Chicago White Sox went 6 for 6, all singles, on this date in 1962. That tied him with about two dozen other American Leaguers for the most hits in a 9-inning game.

The National League record is 7 held by Rennie Stennett of the 1975 Pittsburgh Pirates.

Floyd Robinson had a great year in 1962. He hit .312, drove in 109 runs (on just 11 home runs). He led the league in doubles with 45. But he played for a team that was otherwise anemic offensively.

The White Sox team batting average was .257. Robinson was the only regular to hit over .300. The team leader in home runs was Al Smith with 16.

Three years removed from playing the Dodgers in the 1959 World Series, the Sox finished 5th, 11 games out in 1962. Despite their lousy hitting, the Sox contended for the next few years behind the pitching of Gary Peters, Joel Horlen, Juan Pizzaro and others:

1963
Peters            19-8
Pizzaro          16-8
Horlen           11-7

1964
Peters            20-8
Pizzaro          19-8
Horlen           13-9

1965
Fisher             15-7
John                10-7
Horlen           13-13

Despite 90+ wins the Sox finished second to the New York Yankees each year (this was before divisional play).

Year   Wins
1963  94
1964  98
1965  95

When a team’s key offensive statistic is 6-singles by the same player in a game, over-taking the Bronx Bombers becomes a tall order.

July 13 – Ed Delahanty : A Tragic Star

1896 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Ed Delahanty became the second major league player to hit four home runs in one game on this date in 1896. Bobby Lowe of the Boston Beaneaters (the current Atlanta Braves) was the first to do it in 1894.

Despite Delahanty’s display of power, the Chicago Cubs beat the Phillies at old West Side Grounds in Chicago, 9 to 8.

Reports indicate Delahanty’s four home runs were all inside-the-park, which was common in those days. While the stands were reachable down the foul lines at 340 feet, centerfield was well over 500 feet – a lot of room for a ball to roll around in, and a chance for a hitter to run all the way home.

Delahanty had a fine career. He hit over .400 three times, finished with a lifetime average of .346, drove in 1,464 runs and scored 1,599 times in a 16-year career.

He met a tragic and mysterious end, however. Exactly what happened is not known, but on July 2, 1903 he fell into Niagara Falls. His mangled body was pulled from the falls seven days later. The story is, while traveling by train through Niagara Falls after playing in Detroit, Delahanty was kicked off the train for being drunk and disorderly. He was last seen walking across the bridge over the falls. Some questioned whether Delahanty fell, suggesting he may have met with foul play.

Regardless of the circumstances of his death, Ed Delahanty lives on in Cooperstown. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
July 13, 1886 game info
Society for American Baseball Research 
Ed Delahanty” Career