The Fans Speak Out - Letter to the Editor

Baseball Digest, Nov, 2000

An issue of the Fort Wayne News Sentinel last July 27 stated that Bartolo Colon of the Indians struck out the first six batters of a game, one shy of the American League record.

Didn't Bob Kuzava of the White Sox once strike out the first nine batters he faced in a game?

Denver C. Howard Fort Wayne, Ind.

Most strikeouts in succession at the start of an American League game are seven, a record set by Joe Cowley of the White Sox on May 28, 1986 against the Rangers.

On September 23 of the same year, Jim Deshaies of the Houston Astros registered eight straight strikeouts at the start of a game against the Dodgers, which remains the modern major league record in that category.

On August 26, 1949, Bob Kuzava of the White Sox whiffed six successive Red Sox batters, but his Ks were not posted from the start of the game.

Kuzava's strikeout victims included, in order, Vern Stephens, Bobby Doerr, Al Zarilla, Billy Goodman, catcher Matt Batts and pitcher Ellis Kinder. Batts and Kinder batted eighth and ninth in the order.

I have a bet with my wife about how the baseball field is laid out in Milwaukee County Stadium.

She says, the line through home plate to second base runs northwest to southeast. I say it runs southwest to northeast. We'll appreciate your help on this.

Dave Cotrone Athens, Wis.

A line from home plate to center field at County Stadium runs in a southeasterly direction. The Brewers' new Miller Park, which opens next spring, will feature the same direction. If you stand on home plate and look to center field, you will be looking southeast.

When did the symbol "K" come into existence to represent a strikeout? I can remember when it was recorded as "SO" on the scorecard.

Pete Thomas Phoenix, Ariz.

There are two versions of how the symbol "K" came to stand for strikeout. When Henry Chadwick invented a scoring system in 1861, he developed a series of letter symbols. He selected "K" for struck out and later, in 1883, explained his decision.

"It was the prominent letter of the word `strike." he said.

The second version is similar except that the symbol was created by baseball writer M. J. Kelly of The New York Herald and not by Chaduwick.

When a batter doesn't swing on a called third strike, the symbols generally used are either "KC" or a reverse "K".

I picked up two old 1909 baseball cards for my collection. Can you give me any information on the players whose pictures are on the cards: Groom who was with Washington, and Egan, with Cincinnati?

John S. Carini South Milwaukee, Wis.

Bob Groom was a right-handed pitcher for the Washington Senators from 1909 through 1913, for St. Louis in the Federal League, 1914-1915; St. Louis Browns in the American League, 1916-1917, and Cleveland Indians, 1918.

He finished his career with 119 wins and 150 losses. In 1909, his rookie year, he lost 26 games, most in the A.L. while winning seven. He also led the league in losses in 1917, dropping 19 games with the Browns.

On May 6, 1917, Groom pitched a 3-0 no-hit game against the White Sox. He was born in Belleville, Illinois, where he died in 1948 at age 63.

Dick Egan was a second baseman-shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds from 1908 through 1913. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1914-1915, and finished with the Boston Braves, 1915-1916.

He hit .249 lifetime with 3,080 at-bats and 167 stolen bases. He died in Oakland, California in 1947 at age 63.

In "The Fans Speak Out" section of the September Baseball Digest, you mistakenly stated that the 1999 New York Yankees set a team record for fewest errors in a season with 68, when, in fact, it was the New York Mets who set the record.

Michael Klein Rego Park, N.Y.

It was our mistake. The Mets, not the Yankees, set a new club fielding record for fewest errors last year. Their 68 miscues broke the old major league mark of 81, established by the Baltimore Orioles in 1998.

As a Mets fan, your mistake about the Yankees committing the fewest errors last season hurts. We all remember the dynamic defensive duo of Rey Ordonez at short and Edgardo Alfonzo at second. And no one can forget the work of Robin Ventura at third base either.

James C. Hull Austin, Tex.

I enjoyed the letter in the September issue recounting the game at Fenway Park on July 17, 1990 when two triple plays were completed.

My two friends and I were headed down to Fenway the next night, bemoaning the fact we had missed the game. We were wondering what could happen to top that.

Well, what did happen was the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins broke the record for most double plays by two teams in a nine-inning game.

And, if memory serves me, Wade Boggs broke a bat over his knee running out a groundout. I believe this was the year that ended his run of 200 or more hits in a season. Love that Fenway!

Wade Boggs

Collected 200 or more hits in a season for seven consecutive years:

Year   Hits

1983   210
1984   203
1985   240
1986   207
1987   200
1988   214
1989   205

Charley Wilder Dover, N.H.

In the game you saw with your friends, there were ten double plays completed, six by the Twins and four by the Red Sox, a record which still stands.