Strange but true: baseball stories, facts, and figures

Baseball Digest, Feb, 2003 by Allen Lewis

ONLY TWO PENNANT-WINNING TEAMS since 1900 in the American or National League led their league in errors and one even won the World Series that season despite the shoddy defense.

The 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates committed 224 errors but still beat out the New York Giants by eight and one-half games for the pennant. In the World Series, the Bucs defeated Hall of Famer Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators, four games to three, and committed two less errors than the American League champions.

In 1965, the Minnesota Twins, who had finished seventh the season before, committed 172 errors but beat out the Chicago White Sox by seven games. In the World Series that year, the Twins committed only five errors but lost in seven games to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had six miscues.

Counting the Federal League, three champions led in errors. Indianapolis led the league in 1914 with a whopping 289 miscues but edged Chicago by one and one-half games.

All three championship teams made up for their poor defense by leading their league in both runs scored and batting average.

When the Philadelphia Phillies won their first National League pennant in 1915, they used only 23 players. That same season, the Philadelphia A's, the defending American League champions, employed 58 players, finishing last with only 43 victories.

One of the most unusual victories by a pitcher happened on July 27, 1930, at Cincinnati. Right-handed rookie Ken Ash, a 28-year-old hurler from West Virginia relieved and made only one pitch.

Chicago first baseman Charlie Grimm hit the pitch into a triple play and Ash was removed for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the inning as the Reds rallied for the winning run in a 6-5 win over the Cubs, making Ash the pitcher of record.

Right-hander Henry Schmidt, a 30-year old Texan starred in the Pacific Coast League in 1902, and was acquired by the Brooklyn Dodgers for the 1903 season. The rookie won 21 games and lost 13 for the fifth-place Dodgers, hurling 29 complete games, including five shoutouts.

After the season, manager Ned Hanlon and the Dodgers were dumfounded when Schmidt announced he wouldn't sign with the club because he wanted to go back to the Coast League. He never pitched again in the major leagues.

On August 2, 1939, Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio completed what was probably the greatest catch he ever made at Yankee Stadium against the Detroit Tigers.

In the ninth inning, with Earl Averill on first, Hank Greenberg hit a tremendous drive to center field. DiMaggio turned and raced back to within two feet of the monuments on the wall, and caught the ball over his shoulder. Averill was near third and would have been doubled up, but shortstop Frank Crosetti's relay hit him in the back.

Forgetting that the Tigers were handing the Yankees a 7-2 defeat, ending rookie Atley Donald's 12-game winning streak with his first big league loss, the crowd gave DiMaggio an ovation that lasted for several minutes and his Yankee teammates swarmed all over him.

In a Pacific Coast League game on August 31, 1938, Dick Ward of the San Diego Padres pitched 13 and two-thirds of hitless innings but missed no-hit glory because it took his mates 16 innings to score.

Ward beat Ray Prim of the PCL-leading Los Angeles club, 1-0, but gave up two singles in the 14th inning, and issued the first of his four walks in the ninth.

Great players aren't always outstanding pinch-hitters. Ty Cobb had a .217 average (15-for-69) and Pete Rose batted .250 (21-for-84). Babe Ruth hit a mere .194 (13-for-67), Ted Williams .297 (33-for-111) and Jackie Robinson .175 (7-for-40).

On the other hand, Hall of Famers Max Carey hit .405 (17-for-42), Tris Speaker .333 (20-for-60) and Al Kaline .322 (37-for-115).

How Some Hall of Famers Fared As
Pinch-Hitters

Player              PH AB   H     BA

Rod Carew            124    40   .323
Frank Robinson        87    28   .322
Harry Heilmann        75    23   .307
Rogers Hornsby        86    26   .302
Bill Terry           113    34   .301
Goose Goslin          75    22   .293
Lloyd Waner          134    39   .291
Joe Cronin           104    30   .288
Johnny Mize          187    53   .283
Stan Musial          126    35   .278
Jimmie Foxx          112    30   .268
Duke Snider          223    59   .265
Lou Brock            125    33   .264
Roberto Clemente      73    19   .260
Willie McCovey       254    66   .260
Eddie Collins        105    27   .257
Reggie Jackson       121    31   .256
Charlie Gehringer     91    23   .253
Enos Slaughter       306    77   .252
Yogi Berra           178    44   .247
Willie Mays           94    23   .245
Mickey Mantle        106    25   .236
Ernie Lombardi       281    66   .235
Willie Stargell      236    55   .233
Ernie Banks           62    14   .226
Orlando Cepeda        77    17   .221
Chuck Klein          137    28   .204
Harmon Killebrew     118    24   .203
Hank Aaron            86    17   .197
Johnny Bench         114    22   .193
Walter Johnson       110    21   .191
Carlton Fisk         104    18   .173