Random unbelievable baseball facts, trivia, and/or oddities

ScooterD · 07-30-2020, 04:41 PM

The boards are full of knowledge of baseball’s history. Use this thread to share some of it with everyone. Just state a fact/oddity or treat it as a trivia thread to test and educate others.

I’ll start:

In a normal, contemporary 162-game season, winning or losing 100 games is fairly rare. Connie Mack’s managerial record equates to one manager coaching a team to:

37 100-win seasons
39 100-loss seasons
And Nearly half a season of just ties (75)

Numbers that will never be matched.

JustRachel · 07-30-2020, 04:50 PM

I'm sure many here know this, but it's one of my favorite baseball oddities.

Babe Ruth is credited for half of a combined no-hitter, and all he did to earn it was walk the first batter and get himself ejected for arguing with the umpire. It was reported that after his ejection, he punched that umpire too.

Ernie Shore came in to replace him. The man that had been walked, the Senators 2nd baseman, was promptly caught stealing. After that, Shore retired the next 26 batters to complete the no-hitter.

coltsnsox07 · 07-30-2020, 05:03 PM

Richie Ashburn hit a foul ball that struck a female fan Alice Roth squarely in the face, breaking her nose. The game was then paused as medics came in to tend to Roth. As they were carrying her away on a stretcher, play was resumed and Ashburn fouled off the first pitch thrown to him, this foul subsequently struck Roth again as she was being carried off!

SupermanBrandon · 07-30-2020, 05:07 PM

Frank Thomas played in the Yankees organization

3rdpedal · 07-30-2020, 05:08 PM

i found my new favorite thread

smanzari · 07-30-2020, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SupermanBrandon

Frank Thomas played in the Yankees organization

Nah man, that was Ricky Davis. I can see the confusion as Thomas & Davis do look similar.

rjp087 · 07-30-2020, 05:14 PM

Clem Labine (50s Dodgers, Dem Bums, 3xWS champ) retired Stan Musial 49 consecutive at-bats, over the course of multiple seasons, as Clem was namely a relief pitcher.

Told myself if I ever met Musial I'd ask him what was it about Labine, but he's dead now so, oh well.

rngrdanny22 · 07-30-2020, 05:16 PM

Greg Maddux only pitched to a 3-0 count 310 times, and 177 of those were intentional walks.

It took 13 years for Joey Votto to popup to the first baseman.

JustRachel · 07-30-2020, 05:22 PM

Joe Sewell played 14 years and recorded over 2,200 hits. He only struck out a total of 114 times in his career. In 1925 he had 204 hits with only 4 strikeouts.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

rjp087 · 07-30-2020, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coltsnsox07

Richie Ashburn hit a foul ball that struck a female fan Alice Roth squarely in the face, breaking her nose. The game was then paused as medics came in to tend to Roth. As they were carrying her away on a stretcher, play was resumed and Ashburn fouled off the first pitch thrown to him, this foul subsequently struck Roth again as she was being carried off!

Never knew the fan's name (or gender), but I've also heard that story, and also that he went to the hospital afterward and gave them his bat, which he had autographed.

smanzari · 07-30-2020, 05:33 PM

- Ralph Kiner led the National League in Home Runs for 7 Years Straight.

- Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter whille tripping acid

- All baseballs in organized baseball are rubbed with mud from one particular hole in New Jersey

- Bobby Richardson won a World Series MVP while being on the losing team

- Doc Medich (Rangers) saved a fan in the stands from a Heart Attack

- $0.10 Beer night was a thing .... Once.

- Jackie Robinson broke Baseball's Color Barrier, followed by the Business World's (/VPs) working for Chock Full O'Nuts Coffee

- John Dillinger and Fidel Castro both played organized "professional" baseball

rman112 · 07-30-2020, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjp087

Never knew the fan's name (or gender), but I've also heard that story, and also that he went to the hospital afterward and gave them his bat, which he had autographed.

It later splintered and got stuck in her leg, causing a terrible infection.

ScooterD · 07-30-2020, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coltsnsox07

Richie Ashburn hit a foul ball that struck a female fan Alice Roth squarely in the face, breaking her nose. The game was then paused as medics came in to tend to Roth. As they were carrying her away on a stretcher, play was resumed and Ashburn fouled off the first pitch thrown to him, this foul subsequently struck Roth again as she was being carried off!

Speaking of Richie Ashburn....

The inaugural 1962 NY Mets’ season was so abysmal, that it even ended with a triple play that resulted the final MLB appearance by each of the players involved - including HOFer Richie Ashburn.

awz50 · 07-30-2020, 05:36 PM

Triple crown was won in the same city, same year

Birdman284 · 07-30-2020, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjp087

Clem Labine (50s Dodgers, Dem Bums, 3xWS champ) retired Stan Musial 49 consecutive at-bats, over the course of multiple seasons, as Clem was namely a relief pitcher.

Told myself if I ever met Musial I'd ask him what was it about Labine, but he's dead now so, oh well.

It's a great story - and Labine did pitch well against Musial, but he held him to 10 for 42...

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Clem_Labine

Tomi · 07-30-2020, 05:51 PM

Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays all started and finished their careers playing in the same city but with different teams.

rjp087 · 07-30-2020, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman284

It's a great story - and Labine did pitch well against Musial, but he held him to 10 for 42...

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Clem_Labine

Ah, rats.

As a Cubs fan, I liked telling that story. Oh well. Thanks for the correction.

HickryHornDevil · 07-30-2020, 05:59 PM

Warren Spahn had 363 career wins
Warren Spahn had 363 career hits

Art Vandelay · 07-30-2020, 06:39 PM

If Tony Gwynn had continued playing, he could have went 0 for his next 1172 AB and still finished as a career .300 hitter.

ScooterD · 07-30-2020, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HickryHornDevil

Warren Spahn had 363 career wins
Warren Spahn had 363 career hits

Won 167 games after turning 35... 165 of which were complete games.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

If Tony Gwynn had continued playing, he could have went 0 for his next 1172 AB and still finished as a career .300 hitter.

^^^^ truly amazing and underrated fact

mfw13 · 07-30-2020, 06:54 PM

Ron Hassey is the only player to have caught two perfect games.

Ted Barrett is the only umpire to have called balls & strikes for two perfect games.

blitzaceod · 07-30-2020, 07:01 PM

Brandon McCarthy had the nicest career in history with 69 wins and an ERA of 4.20

JrFinest · 07-30-2020, 07:20 PM

Herman Long should be a hall of famer.

His nickname was “The Flying Dutchman.” When they began to use it late in the 1890’s for a kid named Honus Wagner, it was a tribute to Herman Long.

Take a look at the results from the first-ever Veterans’ Committee vote, conducted in 1936:

1937 Veterans’ Committee ballot, Long got one vote.

Buck Ewing 39.5 Votes, Elected 1939
Cap Anson 39.5 Votes, Elected 1939
Wee Willie Keeler 33 Votes, Elected 1939
Cy Young 32.5 Votes, Elected 1937
Ed Delahanty 21.5 Votes, Elected 1945
John McGraw 17 Votes, Elected 1937
Old Hoss Radbourn 16 Votes, Elected 1939
Herman Long 15.5 Votes
King Kelly 15 Votes, Elected 1945
Amos Rusie 11.5 Votes, Elected 1977
Hughie Jennings 11 Votes, Elected 1945
Fred Clarke 9 Votes, Elected 1945
Jimmy Collins 8 Votes, Elected 1945
Charles Comiskey 6 Votes, Elected 1939
George Wright 6 Votes, Elected 1937

56Horsehide · 07-30-2020, 07:22 PM

Fernando Tatis Jr's Dad - from Wikipedia

Tatís had the best season of his career in 1999 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit 34 home runs with 107 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, with a .298 batting average. On April 23, 1999, Tatís made baseball history when he hit two grand slams in one inning.[1] He is the only batter in MLB history to accomplish this feat.[2] Tatís hit both of his grand slams against starting pitcher Chan Ho Park of the Los Angeles Dodgers. With these 2 grand slams Tatís also set a Major League record with eight runs batted in during a single inning.[3]

A

JrFinest · 07-30-2020, 07:27 PM

In the early days of the game, pitchers were allowed to add momentum to their throw by taking a running start from behind the mound.

This was also the case when they started throwing overhand in the 1880's.

Friendly reminder the catchers didnt use gloves back then.

07-30-2020, 04:41 PM	#1
ScooterD Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 5,406	Random unbelievable baseball facts, trivia, and/or oddities The boards are full of knowledge of baseball’s history. Use this thread to share some of it with everyone. Just state a fact/oddity or treat it as a trivia thread to test and educate others. I’ll start: In a normal, contemporary 162-game season, winning or losing 100 games is fairly rare. Connie Mack’s managerial record equates to one manager coaching a team to: 37 100-win seasons 39 100-loss seasons And Nearly half a season of just ties (75) Numbers that will never be matched.

07-30-2020, 05:08 PM	#5
3rdpedal Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 948 peaceSeekingVeteran 3rdpedal	i found my new favorite thread __________________ Ask me about my COMC Sales & Flipping Visualization Tool. PM me for the link. Looking for 2019 Topps S1 #48 PNC Park Platinum 1/1 & Printing plates & 2019 Update Cole Tucker Parallels

07-30-2020, 05:14 PM	#7
rjp087 Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Gouverneur, NY Posts: 426	Clem Labine (50s Dodgers, Dem Bums, 3xWS champ) retired Stan Musial 49 consecutive at-bats, over the course of multiple seasons, as Clem was namely a relief pitcher. Told myself if I ever met Musial I'd ask him what was it about Labine, but he's dead now so, oh well. __________________ Looking for: 2018 Topps A&G Sean Evans Framed Mini Auto #MA-SE

07-30-2020, 05:36 PM	#14
awz50 Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: New Hampshire>>>Arizona>>>>Florida Posts: 33,430 awz50	Triple crown was won in the same city, same year __________________ Collecting Baseball Hof Autographs 248/351 Blowouts Official Red Sox face of the franchise Eduardo Rodriguez Super Collector

07-30-2020, 07:01 PM	#22
blitzaceod Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Westminster, CA Posts: 1,775 blitzaceod blitzaceod	Brandon McCarthy had the nicest career in history with 69 wins and an ERA of 4.20 __________________ Primary PCs: Kershaw, Betts, Griffey Jr and Jerry Rice Looking for 2013 Bowman Chrome Kershaw White Ice and Superfractor (Finder's fee for help with these) Also keeping an eye out for other Dodgers, 49ers, and Trout

07-30-2020, 04:50 PM	#2
JustRachel Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 5,663	I'm sure many here know this, but it's one of my favorite baseball oddities. Babe Ruth is credited for half of a combined no-hitter, and all he did to earn it was walk the first batter and get himself ejected for arguing with the umpire. It was reported that after his ejection, he punched that umpire too. Ernie Shore came in to replace him. The man that had been walked, the Senators 2nd baseman, was promptly caught stealing. After that, Shore retired the next 26 batters to complete the no-hitter.

07-30-2020, 05:03 PM	#3
coltsnsox07 Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 22,259	Richie Ashburn hit a foul ball that struck a female fan Alice Roth squarely in the face, breaking her nose. The game was then paused as medics came in to tend to Roth. As they were carrying her away on a stretcher, play was resumed and Ashburn fouled off the first pitch thrown to him, this foul subsequently struck Roth again as she was being carried off!

07-30-2020, 05:07 PM	#4
SupermanBrandon Banned Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: TN Posts: 15,843	Frank Thomas played in the Yankees organization

07-30-2020, 05:16 PM	#8
rngrdanny22 Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 12,372	Greg Maddux only pitched to a 3-0 count 310 times, and 177 of those were intentional walks. It took 13 years for Joey Votto to popup to the first baseman.

07-30-2020, 05:22 PM	#9
JustRachel Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 5,663	Joe Sewell played 14 years and recorded over 2,200 hits. He only struck out a total of 114 times in his career. In 1925 he had 204 hits with only 4 strikeouts. Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

07-30-2020, 05:33 PM	#11
smanzari Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: N/A Posts: 10,674	- Ralph Kiner led the National League in Home Runs for 7 Years Straight. - Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter whille tripping acid - All baseballs in organized baseball are rubbed with mud from one particular hole in New Jersey - Bobby Richardson won a World Series MVP while being on the losing team - Doc Medich (Rangers) saved a fan in the stands from a Heart Attack - $0.10 Beer night was a thing .... Once. - Jackie Robinson broke Baseball's Color Barrier, followed by the Business World's (/VPs) working for Chock Full O'Nuts Coffee - John Dillinger and Fidel Castro both played organized "professional" baseball

07-30-2020, 05:51 PM	#16
Tomi Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Posts: 139	Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays all started and finished their careers playing in the same city but with different teams.

07-30-2020, 05:59 PM	#18
HickryHornDevil Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 103	Warren Spahn had 363 career wins Warren Spahn had 363 career hits

07-30-2020, 06:39 PM	#19
Art Vandelay Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 990	If Tony Gwynn had continued playing, he could have went 0 for his next 1172 AB and still finished as a career .300 hitter.

07-30-2020, 06:54 PM	#21
mfw13 Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 17,703	Ron Hassey is the only player to have caught two perfect games. Ted Barrett is the only umpire to have called balls & strikes for two perfect games.

07-30-2020, 07:20 PM	#23
JrFinest Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,117 jrfinest_cards	Herman Long should be a hall of famer. His nickname was “The Flying Dutchman.” When they began to use it late in the 1890’s for a kid named Honus Wagner, it was a tribute to Herman Long. Take a look at the results from the first-ever Veterans’ Committee vote, conducted in 1936: 1937 Veterans’ Committee ballot, Long got one vote. Buck Ewing 39.5 Votes, Elected 1939 Cap Anson 39.5 Votes, Elected 1939 Wee Willie Keeler 33 Votes, Elected 1939 Cy Young 32.5 Votes, Elected 1937 Ed Delahanty 21.5 Votes, Elected 1945 John McGraw 17 Votes, Elected 1937 Old Hoss Radbourn 16 Votes, Elected 1939 Herman Long 15.5 Votes King Kelly 15 Votes, Elected 1945 Amos Rusie 11.5 Votes, Elected 1977 Hughie Jennings 11 Votes, Elected 1945 Fred Clarke 9 Votes, Elected 1945 Jimmy Collins 8 Votes, Elected 1945 Charles Comiskey 6 Votes, Elected 1939 George Wright 6 Votes, Elected 1937

07-30-2020, 07:22 PM	#24
56Horsehide Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Iowa Posts: 59	Fernando Tatis Jr's Dad - from Wikipedia Tatís had the best season of his career in 1999 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit 34 home runs with 107 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, with a .298 batting average. On April 23, 1999, Tatís made baseball history when he hit two grand slams in one inning.[1] He is the only batter in MLB history to accomplish this feat.[2] Tatís hit both of his grand slams against starting pitcher Chan Ho Park of the Los Angeles Dodgers. With these 2 grand slams Tatís also set a Major League record with eight runs batted in during a single inning.[3] A

07-30-2020, 07:27 PM	#25
JrFinest Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,117 jrfinest_cards	In the early days of the game, pitchers were allowed to add momentum to their throw by taking a running start from behind the mound. This was also the case when they started throwing overhand in the 1880's. Friendly reminder the catchers didnt use gloves back then.