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Status:
"Mike Johnson stand your ground"
(set 2 days ago)
Location: Glen Mills
938 posts, read 1,227,996 times
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Elroy (Roy) Face – Signed by Philadelphia pitched for Pittsburgh Pirates – In 1959 as a reliever he posted a remarkable 18-1 record losing that one game in an afternoon doubleheader with who else the “Philadelphia Phillies”. – Non HOF’er
Bob Buhl – Milwaukee Braves – The dynamic trio: Burdette, Spahn, Buhl led to Penants in 1957 and 1958. You have to think of them in the same vein as: Koufax, Drysdale and Sutton (1966). Who could learn more about hitters? Buhl roomed with Eddie Matthews on the road. He wasn’t a bad hitter either. In the top 10 in ERA 6 times and 5 times in the top 10 in wins. Non HOF’er
“Gorgeous George” Sisler – Left Handed 1st Baseman St. Louis Browns – Career .340 hitter and twice in his career batted over .400. Played with Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Ty once remarked he was “The nearest thing to a perfect Baseball Player”. Branch Rickey foremost Baseball innovator remarked: “The greatest player that ever lived”. Hall of Fame 1939.
"Sometimes excellence can be dimmed by the brilliance about you." (Norm Barnes, 2011)
Last edited by Norm Barnes; 06-05-2011 at 08:24 AM..
Reason: Spelling
Bob Buhl holds a batting record that I doubt anyone will ever come close to. From late '61 to early '63, he put 43 balls in play, without ever being credited with a hit. It was a streak of 85 consecutive ABs, with 42 Ks and 43 balls in play, and that doesn't even count 7 sac bunts, for an arguable total of 50 straight. In that stretch, he had an RBI, on a sac fly, and even stole a base. The streak ended when he singled to left off Al McBean, but he didn't even need a hit---it scored Eddie Mathews from third with one out. He had an earlier streak of 20 straight, then got a hit off Stan Williams, and went on to 43 more. But for that, it would have been 64 straight balls in play without one dropping for a hit.
All in all, Buhl was not the worst hitter in baseball history (Sandy Koufax was), and Buhl lbatted .089 career, and even hit two doubles.
Status:
"Mike Johnson stand your ground"
(set 2 days ago)
Location: Glen Mills
938 posts, read 1,227,996 times
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Buhl no hitter - Correction
[quote=jtur88;19455322]Bob Buhl holds a batting record that I doubt anyone will ever come close to. From late '61 to early '63, he put 43 balls in play, without ever being credited with a hit........
Right. Correction hitter he was not. 15 Seasons - 854 AB - .089 BA. Quite a surprise a pitcher than can't hit. Over that same line he did have a .974 Fielding % and he pitched even for the Chicago Cubs (51-52) not great but judge the team. How about the trade with the Phillies Ferguson Jenkins!!!!
Status:
"Mike Johnson stand your ground"
(set 2 days ago)
Location: Glen Mills
938 posts, read 1,227,996 times
Reputation: 617
Tracking the Record Breakers
[quote=NewToCA;19477519]True, there are a lot of "hidden" good players, who are lost in the historical discussions.
Any reason you highlighted these specific players?
Three events I remember following as a kid. I would go to the step pick up the "The Evening Bulletin" a Philly paper at that time and go to the sports section and during the time of its occurrence track: Ted Williams, Rod Carew and Stan Musial reaching for .400 BA, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris Contest for 61 Homers, and Elroy Face on way to 20 wins falling short at 18. Of all these fetes I feel that a reliever winning 18 games just short of 20 was remarkable for that time and virtually unattainable today. Sissler because of Ty cobb's comment which is a very high tribute from one who was already a legend. A "Squeaky Clean" type admiration. Bob Buhl came up in conversation because of the current Philly rotation and trying to go 4 deep - we came up 3 deep with: Koufax, etc, Spahn, Burdette, etc. but didn't feel that 4th ace to be so remarkable with any rotation I can or my friends could recall. It probably exists we just didn't recognize it.
For sheer, unadulterated accomplishment I nominate Pete Gray. You might be familiar with that name; he was the one-armed outfielder who made it to the majors with the St. Louis Browns in 1945, entirely on account of wartime player shortages.
Many people automatically dismiss Gray as a freak. But in 234 at-bats, he managed 51 hits--including six doubles and two triples--with 13 RBIs. He was also walked 13 times and had five stolen bases. (He even pinch hit successfully once!)
With two arms, Gray might easily have had a solid career as a major leaguer. As it was, as soon as the veterans came back for the '46 season, he was gone. But he did play that one season, and was as legitimate as practically anyone else that year.
Three events I remember following as a kid. I would go to the step pick up the "The Evening Bulletin" a Philly paper at that time and go to the sports section and during the time of its occurrence track: Ted Williams, Rod Carew and Stan Musial reaching for .400 BA, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris Contest for 61 Homers, and Elroy Face on way to 20 wins falling short at 18. Of all these fetes I feel that a reliever winning 18 games just short of 20 was remarkable for that time and virtually unattainable today. Sissler because of Ty cobb's comment which is a very high tribute from one who was already a legend. A "Squeaky Clean" type admiration. Bob Buhl came up in conversation because of the current Philly rotation and trying to go 4 deep - we came up 3 deep with: Koufax, etc, Spahn, Burdette, etc. but didn't feel that 4th ace to be so remarkable with any rotation I can or my friends could recall. It probably exists we just didn't recognize it.
Using your perspective, I'd probably consider Mike Marshall's relief pitching in 1973 and 1974 as a noteworthy achievement too.
In comparison, the modern era's best known one-armed player was Jim Abbott.
Obviously hitting is a lot different than pitching, especially with one arm. Abbott was 2 for 21 in his career with 3 sacrifices, 3 RsBI and 10 K's
Amazingly, Abbott got both his career hits off the same pitcher, the Cubs' Jon Lieber, in different games two weeks apart.
Gray's BA was .333 in his last year in the minors, with 5 HRs, and in the majors, his BA reached .260 by July 4m but pitchers then discovered the he could not check his swing on a curve ball, and he was very ineffective after that.
Abbott and Gray are both listed as "bats left, throws left". But I think if I had only one arm and tried to bat, I'd feel more comfortable swinging backhanded. In other words, batting from the left side of the plate with my right arm, and using my left shoulder and/or stump to jump-start the swing.. Gray apparently had a substantial stump, having had his arm amputated "above the elbow". As I recall, Abbott only had a couple of vestigial fingers growing out of his shoulder, characteristic of Thalidomide babies..
Eddie Gaedel is listed as "bats right, throws left". I wonder how they established that latter fact? Maybe he "signs autographs left". Since Bob Cain was a lefthander, Gaedel might have been a switch-hitter.
Last edited by jtur88; 06-10-2011 at 03:40 PM..
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Buhl no hitter - Correction
