Ask The Experts
September 13, 2000

Our mailbox is always full of esoteric questions from our readers. So every week, we pass along some of their most interesting queries to baseball historians who know the answers.

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PINPOINT CONTROL
Q: What is the longest streak for consecutive innings pitched without issuing a walk, and who accomplished this feat?
-- Scott Crain
A: The record for most consecutive innings pitched in a season without walking a batter is 84.1, accomplished by Bill Fischer in 1962.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
HITTING MACHINES
Q: What two players won eight batting titles and at what age did they accomplish this?
-- Rdafybabe@aol.com
A: Tony Gwynn and Honus Wagner each were crowned batting champion eight times, and Ty Cobb holds the record with 12 titles. Cobb won nine in a row and 12 in 13 years, with his final batting title coming in 1919, at age 32. Wagner's final crown came in 1911 at age 37, and Gwynn's most recent year atop the leaderboard was in 1997, at age 37.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
TEAM EFFORT
Q: What is the record for most home runs hit in a major league game, for a single team and for two teams combined?
-- Dawna Nimedez
A: The record for most home runs hit by a team in a game is 10, set by the Toronto Blue Jays on September 14, 1987. On May 28, 1995, the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox combined for 12 homers, the highest combined total ever.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
SLUGGING PERCENTAGE
Q: What determines a batters slugging percentage?
-- IronFish07@aol.com
A: Slugging percentage is computed by dividing a player's total bases by number of at-bats. A player who goes 2-4 with a double and a single would have 3 total bases in 4 at-bats, for a slugging percentage of .750.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
STILL WAITING
Q: When was the last time the Sox or Cubs were in the World Series?
-- LynKaiser@aol.com
A: The Cubs last made it to the World Series in 1945, and have not won a championship since 1908. The Red Sox last appeared in 1986, but, in part to the infamous Bill Buckner play, have not won since 1918.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
SATCHEL PAIGE
Q: What year(s) did Satchel Paige play for the Pittsburgh Crawdads?
-- Alan & Daryl Ann Hudson
A: According to The Negro Leagues Book, edited by Dick Clark and Larry Lester, Satchel Paige played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1932-37.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
LOST AND FOUND
Q: I have found a book by Tom Meany, titled Babe Ruth, The Big Moments of the Big Fellow. The copyright is 1947 by the A.S. Barnes and Company. I would like to know if you have any idea of the value of this book.
-- Ann Marie Lallier
A: The book is priced between $12 and $50 on Amazon.com.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Q: Who has the Mets record for most doubles in a season?
-- Hotnluvnit@cs.com
A: The New York Mets record for doubles is held by Bernard Gilkey, who hit 44 in 1996.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
ROOKIE CY YOUNG
Q: Who is the only rookie pitcher to win a Cy Young award?
-- Cubsfan061687@aol.com
A: Fernando Valenzuela was the only rookie ever to win the Cy Young award. In 1981, he was 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA in the shortened season. He led the league in innings, strikouts, and shutouts, and led the Dodgers to a World Series win.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
RUDI'S B-DAY
Q: When was Joe Rudi born? We have a son named Joe Rudy that was born on June 23, 2000.
-- adana@inreach.com
A: Joe Rudi was born on September 7, 1946. He was part of the A's three consecutive championship teams from 1972-4.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman

» New questions and answers are posted every Wednesday.