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RUTH AND HOILES, TWO OF THE ALL-TIME GREATS
Q: Who are the players that have hit game-winning grand slams in the bottom of the ninth?
-- Kathy Berndt
A: From the minute they first pick up a bat, kids dream about stepping to the
plate in the bottom of the ninth, with the bases loaded and their team down by
three, and cranking the game-winning home run. Players rarely ever get such
an opportunity for a one-run victory, much less capitalize on it. There have been
only 21 grand slams of this variety, called "ultimate" grand slams, in major
league history. Here is the complete list:
A: The Dead Ball Era essentially began with the invention of baseball, though some argue that the period truly began in 1900. It was so called because of the distinct lack of offense, low batting averages and a dearth of home runs. Though other factors played a part, the most glaring cause of these trends was the ball itself. The rules governing the manufacture of baseballs stated that the balls had to be wound tight, but they never specified how tight. Stitching processes being somewhat inferior, the balls tended to have a looser covering. At that time, the same ball was used the entire game, making the cover even looser as the game went on. Even if a ball flew into the stands, ushers would retrieve it and it would be used for the next pitch. Obviously, the ball took a lot of damage over the course of a game, and by the end it was extremely difficult for batters to see, much less hit hard.
The height of the Dead Ball Era was 1905, when the major-league batting average was .249, and only three American Leaguers hit over .300. Elmer Flick
won the batting title with a .308 average, higher only than Carl Yastrzemski's .301 title in 1968. Every AL pitching staff had an ERA under 3.00, and Christy Mathewson won the NL ERA title with a 1.28.
As a result of tighter stitching on the balls, 1920 marked the beginning of the end for this pitchers’ paradise. Trick pitches, like the spitball, were also outlawed. After Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman was tragically killed by a pitch on August 16, 1920, the rules committee decided that only clean (and therefore easily seen) balls could be used. The unscuffed balls resulted in higher batting averages, and the tighter stitching made those hits go farther, resulting in a home run explosion. The new era of offense began with a bang, as Babe Ruth batted .376 and smashed an unheard-of 54 homers. His .847 slugging percentage that season is still the standard.
A: Over the last half-century, the Sox have a significant edge in the battle for
Chicago baseball supremacy. Their record over that period is 4,060-3,816, a
.515 winning percentage. The Cubs’ record is 3,667-4,203, only a .466 clip. In
that span the Sox have played .600 ball (the current equivalent of 98 or more
wins) during four seasons, while enduring only two years of under .400 ball (the
current equivalent of 64 or fewer wins). The hapless Cubbies, on the other hand,
have not had a single season of .600 ball, yet have suffered through six
seasons under .400. Overall, Chicago baseball is only .491 in that span. And,
lest we let Chicagoans forget, neither team has won a championship since
1917, and the city’s only World Series appearance since 1950 was the Sox’s
1959 loss to the Dodgers.
A: Before Ted Turner bought the Braves in 1976, the club had been owned for
three decades by contractor Lou Perini. With star pitchers Warren Spahn and
Johnny Sain returning from the war, Perini had high hopes for the franchise
when he purchased it in 1946. Except for a first-place finish in 1948, however,
the team struggled mightily, and in 1953 Perini moved it to the vacant market of
Milwaukee. The relocation was nothing less than a sterling success, as
attendance rose a whopping 649% over the previous season. Led by aces
Spahn and Bob Buhl and sluggers Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews, in 1957
the Braves captured their first championship in 43 years. Despite the team’s
continued success, attendance dropped steadily over the next several years,
and Perini was forced to move again in 1966, this time to Atlanta. After Aaron
left the team in 1975, Perini sold the reeling club to Turner.
THE CHICAGO WHITE MEN JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME RING TO IT
Q: How did the White Sox get their name?
-- Scott Roman
A: The current Chicago White Sox are actually named after their old crosstown
rivals from the National League, the Chicago White Stockings (now the Cubs).
The White Stockings, a successful early franchise, were so named because of
the long white stockings they played in. Many of those early clubs, including
the Hartford Dark Blues, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Cincinnati Red Stockings,
and Providence Grays, took their names from their clothing. Sox owner Charlie Comiskey supposedly shortened the team name in order to make it easier to fit
into newspaper headlines.
Q: How many one-hitters have there been in New York Mets history?
-- Chip
A: No Met pitcher has ever thrown a no-hitter, though several ex-Mets have done so. However, 11 Mets have hurled complete-game one-hitters a total of 18
times. Tom Seaver had five, and Gary Gentry, Jon Matlack, and Doc Gooden
each had two. In two of his performances, Seaver had a no-hitter going into the
ninth. Gentry made his only two mistake pitches to the wrong guys, as the two
hits he allowed were to future Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Roberto Clemente. Bobby Jones has the Mets’ only postseason one-hitter, a
dominating performance against the Giants in the 2000 NLDS. The team has
also had three combined one-hitters.
Q: Who holds the career record for home runs by a pitcher?
-- K.J. Bopp
A: While Babe Ruth is the consensus pick for best slugging pitcher of all time
(in 1915 he fell just three dingers short of the league leader, in almost 300 fewer
at-bats), he should perhaps be considered a hitter trapped in a pitcher’s body.
Considering only players who pitched their entire careers, the all-time home run
leader is Wes Ferrell. Ferrell had a total of 36 jacks over a 13-year career with
the Indians, Red Sox, Senators, Yankees, Dodgers, and Braves. From 1931-36
he went on quite a tear, belting 34 homers while hitting over .280.
In 1931 he matched his opponents stroke for stroke. Batters hit nine home runs
off of him that year, but he also smacked nine of his own. Those nine set the
single-season mark for a pitcher, which still stands today. There is a chance
that it could be surpassed this season, as Rockies’ hurler Mike Hampton has
five as of June 22, with three months to go. Of course, Ferrell never had the
luxury of hitting in the thin air of Coors Field.
Q: What are Frank White's chances of getting into the Hall of Fame?
-- Mark Baker
A: For those who don’t know, Frank White started at second base for the
Kansas City Royals from 1973 to 1990. He was a sterling fielder, leading the
league in fielding percentage on three occasions and winning eight Gold
Gloves. He went to four All-Star games and won a championship in 1985.
Unfortunately for White, the rules of baseball require everyone to participate in
the offense as well as the defense. A .255 lifetime hitter, he also supplied little
power.
To determine his Hall of Fame chances, it is helpful to have a basis for
comparison. Recent Hall inductee Bill Mazeroski serves this purpose perfectly.
Like White, Maz won eight Gold Gloves and was considered a superior
defensive player. Maz hit .260 for his career, also with little power. Both men
had one shining moment in the postseason – Maz with his 1960 World Series-winning home run and White with his big Game Three in the 1985
Series. Maz’s career on-base percentage was slightly higher. White’s career
slugging percentage was slightly higher. Neither had any one great season at
the plate.
So, what does this all add up to? After examining the information, I can
conclusively say that Frank White’s Hall of Fame chances are…up in the air.
His career closely resembles Mazeroski’s, so one could argue that he too
belongs in Cooperstown, but personally I don’t think either one should be in.
Maz was elected three decades after he retired by the Veterans Committee,
which has a self-imposed mandate to elect someone every year. So if the
system stays as is, White also has a chance of getting in somewhere down
the line. However, there’s a reason why he hasn’t been selected yet.
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