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Ask The Experts
October 4, 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.

» Last week's Ask the Experts
» Check out the Ask the Experts Archive

» Have a question? Ask the experts at BOLexperts@idealog.com!
(Due to the volume of mail received, we cannot guarantee a response.)

» Are you an expert? Let us know by writing to BOLexperts@idealog.com.

AARON VS RUTH
Q: If you considered home runs in All-Star Games and post-season play would Hank Aaron still have the home run title? How many extra did Aaron and Ruth have that were not counted in their career totals?
-- Jrcluss@aol.com
A: Hank Aaron hit 755 career regular season homers, in addition to two in All-Star Games, seven in the World Series and seven in League Championship Series. Babe Ruth hit 714 in his career, in addition to one in an All-Star Game and fifteen in World Series play. The totals come out to 773 homers to 730 homers, still in favor of Aaron.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
ALL-STARS
Q: Can you tell me how the All-Star Game came to be? Who came up with the idea of bringing the best players all together to play one game?
-- Mark Silvestri
A: The first All-Star Game was played on July 6, 1933 in Chicago. It was the idea of Chicago Tribune editor Arch Ward, who felt it would go well with the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition going on in the city. The idea appealed to the league presidents and the commissioner, and the game stuck.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
FIRST FEMALE OWNER
Q: Who was the first female owner in baseball history, in what year and what team did she own?
-- John Churavy
A: On March 24, 1911, Matthew Stanley Robison, president of the Cardinals, died unexpectedly, leaving the club and the bulk of his estate to his niece, Helene Hathaway Britton, who became the first female owner of a club.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
SCORELESS INNINGS
Q: Who holds the record for most innings pitched without a run being scored and where does Maddux rank during his current streak?
-- Ken Keeling
A: The record for consecutive scoreless innings is 59, set by Orel Hershiser in 1988. Greg Maddux's streak was recently broken up by the New York Mets, coming to a close at 39.1 scoreless innings. Pitching 40 or more scoreless innings has been twenty times.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
FIRST HOMER
Q: Do you know what team Babe Ruth hit his first home run off of?
-- Marc Goldberg
A: Babe Ruth hit his first homer on May 6, 1915, against the New York Yankees, off of pitcher Jack Warhop. The 20-year-old Ruth, a member of the Red Sox, hit four homers that season.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
GAS HOUSE GANG
Q: Who were the starting position players and pitchers for the Gas House Gang?
-- Seth Damm
A: The term "Gas House Gang" is most strongly attributed to the 1934 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals:

C: Spud Davis
1B: Ripper Collins
2B: Frankie Frisch (manager)
3B: Leo Durocher
SS: Pepper Martin
OF: Jack Rothrock, Ernie Orsatti, and Joe Medwick
Starters: Dizzy Dean, Paul Dean, Tex Carleton, Bill Walker, and Wild Bill Hallahan
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
COMPLETE GAMES
Q: What is the record for the most consecutive complete games?
-- Sentonbomb35@aol.com
A: The record for consecutive complete games hurled by a pitcher is a whopping 39, set by Jack Taylor of St. Louis in 1904.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
DIVISION SERIES
Q: When did divisional post-season play begin?
-- JJFauci@cs.com
A: The playing of Divisional Series in addition to the League Championship Series and World Series began in 1995, when an extra division in each league and the wild card were introduced.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman
MISSING STATS
Q: Could you please tell me the statistics of John Whitehead who played for the White Sox along with what year he started with the team? I believe it was 1935 or 1934.
-- C. Gage
A: John Whitehead pitched for the White Sox and Browns, playing from 1935-1940 and in 1942. He started his career with eight consecutive wins, but finished with a career record of 49-54 with a 4.60 ERA.
Back to top-- Alex Friedman

» New questions and answers are posted every Wednesday.