You Don't Want To See Lindsey In 1931

So it is Jim Lindsey, another rather obscure player who finds his way on my list. But his ERA of 2.77 was more than 100 points less than the National League average in 1931 (3.86). Plus, I found Jim to be more of a "true" reliever than many of the pitchers back then. Jim started only two games for the Cardinals in '31. St. Louis won the World Series that year, and Lindsey pitched twice against the Philadelphia A's. He was not quite as effective as he'd been in the regular season, or in the previous Fall Classic. The Cards, nonetheless, won it all.

During the regular season, Jim won six games and saved another seven, helping out St. Louis' starting rotation (And even contributing a shutout in one of his two starts). That WHIP though, well it's not good.

Stat Set 1

Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Crandall	1913	35	27	0.771	97.2	4	4
Wolfgang	1914	24	12	0.500	119.1	9	5
Mays	1915	38	27	0.711	131.2	6	5
Danforth	1917	50	26	0.520	173.0	11	6
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Morton	1921	30	15	0.500	107.2	8	3
Baumgartner	1925	37	9	0.243	113.1	6	3
Marberry	1926	64	47	0.734	138.0	12	7
Haid	1928	27	14	0.519	47.0	2	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Lindsey	1931	35	19	0.543	74.2	6	4
Quinn	1932	39	29	0.744	64.1	5	4
Russell	1933	50	31	0.620	124.0	12	6
Brown	1938	51	32	0.627	132.2	15	9
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Beggs	1940	37	27	0.730	76.2	12	3
Murphy	1941	35	31	0.886	77.1	8	3
Adams	1943	70	52	0.743	140.1	11	7
Heving	1944	63	38	0.603	119.2	8	3
Maltzberger	1944	46	41	0.891	91.1	10	5
Christopher	1947	44	38	0.864	80.2	10	7
Page	1949	60	48	0.800	135.1	13	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Konstanty	1950	74	62	0.838	152.0	16	7
Wilhelm	1952	71	32	0.451	159.1	15	3
Paige	1952	46	35	0.761	138.0	12	10
Kinder	1953	69	52	0.754	107.0	10	6
Mossi	1954	40	18	0.450	93.0	6	1
Narleski	1955	60	36	0.600	111.2	9	1
Freeman	1956	64	47	0.734	108.2	14	5
Farrell	1957	52	32	0.615	83.1	10	2
Zuverink	1957	56	37	0.661	112.2	10	6
Hyde	1958	53	44	0.830	103.0	10	3
Duren	1959	41	29	0.707	76.2	3	6
Staley	1959	67	37	0.552	116.1	8	5
Face	1959	57	47	0.825	93.1	18	1
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
McDaniel	1960	63	47	0.746	104.1	12	4
Arroyo	1961	65	54	0.831	119.0	15	5
Fox	1961	39	25	0.641	57.1	5	2
Radatz	1963	66	58	0.879	131.1	15	6
Perranoski	1963	69	47	0.681	129.0	16	3
Lee	1964	64	39	0.609	137.0	6	5
Ellis	1964	52	32	0.615	122.1	10	3
Miller	1965	67	55	0.821	112.1	14	7
Regan	1966	65	48	0.738	116.2	14	1
Abernathy	1967	70	61	0.871	106.1	6	3
Wood	1968	88	46	0.523	159.0	13	12
Tatum	1969	45	33	0.733	86.1	7	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Williams	1970	68	36	0.529	113.1	10	1
McMahon	1970	61	44	0.721	94.1	9	5
Sanders	1971	83	77	0.928	136.1	7	12
Giusti	1972	54	44	0.815	74.2	7	4
Hiller	1973	65	60	0.923	125.1	10	5
Borbon	1973	80	36	0.450	121.0	11	4
Marshall	1974	106	83	0.783	208.1	15	12
Gossage	1975	62	49	0.790	141.2	9	8
Eastwick	1976	71	59	0.831	107.2	11	5
Lyle	1977	72	60	0.833	137.0	13	5
Sutter	1977	62	48	0.774	107.1	7	3
Blair	1978	70	56	0.800	100.1	7	6
Stanley	1978	52	35	0.673	141.2	15	2
Tekulve	1979	94	67	0.713	134.1	10	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
McGraw	1980	57	48	0.842	92.1	5	4
Fingers	1981	47	41	0.872	78.0	6	3
Caudill	1982	70	64	0.914	95.2	12	9
Hernandez	1984	80	68	0.850	140.1	9	3
Lamp	1985	53	11	0.208	105.2	11	0
Eichhorn	1986	69	38	0.551	157.0	14	6
Henke	1987	72	62	0.861	94.0	0	6
Burke	1987	55	30	0.545	91.0	7	0
Henneman	1988	65	51	0.785	91.1	9	6
Lancaster	1989	42	15	0.357	72.2	4	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eckersley	1990	63	61	0.968	73.1	4	2
Thigpen	1990	77	73	0.948	88.2	4	6
Henry	1991	32	25	0.781	36.0	2	1
Ward	1992	79	35	0.443	101.1	7	4
Rojas	1992	68	26	0.382	100.2	7	1
Wetteland	1993	70	58	0.829	85.1	9	3
Harvey	1993	59	54	0.915	69.0	1	5
Hoffman	1998	66	61	0.924	73.0	4	2
Urbina	1998	64	59	0.922	69.1	6	3
Williamson	1999	62	40	0.645	93.1	12	7
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Rhodes	2001	71	16	0.225	68.0	8	0
Smoltz	2003	62	55	0.887	64.1	0	2
Timlin	2005	81	27	0.333	80.1	7	3
Nathan	2006	64	61	0.953	68.1	7	0
Putz	2007	68	65	0.956	71.2	6	1
Rivera	2008	64	60	0.938	70.2	6	5
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Bell	2010	67	57	0.851	70.0	6	1
Cook	2012	71	23	0.324	73.1	6	2
Chapman	2012	68	52	0.765	71.2	5	5
Johnson	2012	71	63	0.887	68.2	2	1
Davis	2014	70	11	0.157	72.0	9	2
Rondon	2015	72	47	0.653	70.0	6	4
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L

Stat Set 2

Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Crandall	1913	6	?	?	?	2.86	42	3.9	1.290	0.5
Wolfgang	1914	0	?	?	?	1.89	50	3.8	1.073	1.8
Mays	1915	7	?	?	?	2.60	65	4.4	1.063	1.0
Danforth	1917	9	?	?	?	2.65	79	4.1	1.324	3.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Morton	1921	0	?	?	?	2.76	45	3.8	1.207	2.3
Baumgartner	1925	3	?	?	?	3.57	18	1.4	1.368	2.5
Marberry	1926	22	?	?	?	3.00	43	2.8	1.348	3.1
Haid	1928	5	?	?	?	2.30	21	4.0	1.064	0.4
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Lindsey	1931	7	1	0.875	?	2.77	32	3.9	1.634	1.1
Quinn	1932	13	?	?	?	2.66	24	3.5	1.383	1.1
Russell	1933	13	?	?	?	2.69	28	2.0	1.218	3.1
Brown	1938	5	?	?	?	3.80	55	3.7	1.500	0.4
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Beggs	1940	7	4	0.636	0	2.00	25	2.9	1.161	2.2
Murphy	1941	15	7	0.682	0	1.98	29	3.4	1.397	2.2
Adams	1943	9	2	0.818	0	2.82	46	3.0	1.254	3.0
Heving	1944	10	?	?	0	1.96	46	3.5	1.228	1.9
Maltzberger	1944	12	?	?	0	2.96	49	4.8	1.095	1.8
Christopher	1947	12	2	0.857	0	2.90	33	3.7	1.277	1.4
Page	1949	27	11	0.711	0	2.59	99	6.6	1.315	4.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Konstanty	1950	22	4	0.846	0	2.66	56	3.3	1.039	4.7
Wilhelm	1952	11	1	0.917	1	2.43	108	6.1	1.155	2.7
Paige	1952	10	5	0.667	1	3.07	91	5.9	1.254	3.4
Kinder	1953	27	8	0.771	4	1.85	39	3.3	1.140	4.5
Mossi	1954	7	0	1.000	0	1.94	55	5.3	1.022	3.3
Narleski	1955	19	2	0.905	6	3.71	94	7.6	1.281	2.5
Freeman	1956	18	3	0.857	2	3.40	50	4.1	1.344	2.6
Farrell	1957	10	3	0.769	0	2.38	54	5.8	1.320	2.4
Zuverink	1957	9	8	0.529	0	2.48	36	2.9	1.278	2.7
Hyde	1958	18	5	0.783	0	1.75	49	4.3	1.136	4.9
Duren	1959	14	7	0.667	1	1.88	96	11.3	1.200	3.8
Staley	1959	15	4	0.789	2	2.24	54	4.2	1.169	2.5
Face	1959	10	9	0.526	1	2.70	69	6.7	1.243	3.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
McDaniel	1960	26	6	0.813	1	1.29	95	8.2	0.863	6.0
Arroyo	1961	29	10	0.744	1	2.19	87	6.6	1.109	3.3
Fox	1961	12	2	0.857	3	1.41	32	5.0	1.012	2.6
Radatz	1963	25	3	0.893	0	1.97	162	11.0	1.096	5.7
Perranoski	1963	21	8	0.724	0	1.67	75	5.2	1.202	4.5
Lee	1964	19	8	0.704	1	1.51	111	7.3	1.058	4.3
Ellis	1964	14	2	0.875	1	2.57	125	9.2	1.054	3.1
Miller	1965	24	1	0.960	1	1.89	104	7.8	0.997	4.3
Regan	1966	21	7	0.750	1	1.62	88	6.8	0.934	5.0
Abernathy	1967	28	6	0.824	1	1.27	88	7.4	0.978	6.2
Wood	1968	16	5	0.762	7	1.87	74	4.2	1.006	5.4
Tatum	1969	22	1	0.957	2	1.36	65	6.8	1.042	4.3
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Williams	1970	15	4	0.789	7	1.99	76	6.0	1.032	2.8
McMahon	1970	19	5	0.792	0	2.96	74	7.1	1.219	3.0
Sanders	1971	31	4	0.886	0	1.91	80	5.3	1.064	4.1
Giusti	1972	22	5	0.815	0	1.93	54	6.5	1.058	2.3
Hiller	1973	38	0	1.000	0	1.44	124	8.9	1.021	8.1
Borbon	1973	14	5	0.737	6	2.16	60	4.5	1.421	2.5
Marshall	1974	21	12	0.636	9	2.42	143	6.2	1.186	3.1
Gossage	1975	26	5	0.839	1	1.84	130	8.3	1.193	8.2
Eastwick	1976	26	9	0.743	1	2.09	70	5.9	1.115	2.8
Lyle	1977	26	8	0.765	1	2.17	68	4.5	1.197	3.7
Sutter	1977	31	9	0.775	0	1.34	129	10.8	0.857	6.5
Stanley	1978	10	5	0.667	1	2.60	38	2.2	1.242	4.1
Blair	1978	28	5	0.848	2	1.97	91	8.2	1.246	4.1
Tekulve	1979	31	6	0.838	8	2.79	75	5.0	1.176	3.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
McGraw	1980	20	5	0.800	0	1.46	75	7.3	0.921	4.7
Fingers	1981	28	6	0.824	0	1.04	61	7.0	0.872	4.2
Caudill	1982	26	6	0.813	0	2.35	111	10.4	1.045	4.4
Hernandez	1984	32	1	0.970	0	1.92	112	7.2	0.941	4.8
Lamp	1985	2	5	0.286	8	3.32	68	5.8	1.164	1.3
Eichhorn	1986	10	4	0.714	7	1.72	166	9.5	0.955	7.4
Henke	1987	34	8	0.810	1	2.49	128	12.3	0.926	3.3
Burke	1987	18	4	0.818	5	1.19	58	5.7	0.890	4.3
Henneman	1988	22	7	0.759	2	1.87	58	5.7	1.051	3.3
Lancaster	1989	8	3	0.727	7	1.36	56	6.9	1.032	3.9
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Eckersley	1990	48	2	0.960	0	0.61	73	9.0	0.614	3.3
Thigpen	1990	57	8	0.877	0	1.83	70	7.1	1.038	3.4
Henry	1991	15	1	0.938	3	1.00	28	7.0	0.833	2.2
Ward	1992	12	4	0.750	24	1.95	103	9.1	1.135	3.1
Rojas	1992	10	1	0.909	13	1.43	70	6.3	1.043	3.9
Wetteland	1993	43	1	0.977	0	1.37	113	12.0	1.008	4.2
Harvey	1993	45	4	0.918	0	1.70	73	9.5	0.841	4.0
Hoffman	1998	53	1	0.981	0	1.48	86	10.6	0.849	4.1
Urbina	1998	34	4	0.895	0	1.30	94	12.2	1.010	3.2
Williamson	1999	19	7	0.731	5	2.41	107	10.3	1.039	2.8
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Rhodes	2001	3	4	0.429	31	1.72	83	11.0	0.853	2.5
Smoltz	2003	45	4	0.918	0	1.12	73	10.2	0.870	3.3
Timlin	2005	13	7	0.650	24	2.24	59	6.6	1.320	2.9
Nathan	2006	36	2	0.947	0	1.58	95	12.5	0.790	3.3
Putz	2007	40	2	0.952	0	1.38	82	10.3	0.698	4.0
Rivera	2008	39	1	0.975	0	1.40	77	9.8	0.665	4.3
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Bell	2010	47	3	0.940	0	1.93	86	11.1	1.200	1.9
Cook	2012	14	7	0.667	21	2.09	80	9.8	0.941	2.6
Chapman	2012	38	5	0.884	6	1.51	122	15.3	0.809	3.6
Johnson	2012	51	3	0.944	0	2.49	41	5.4	1.019	2.4
Davis	2014	3	3	0.500	33	1.00	109	13.6	0.847	3.7
Rondon	2015	30	4	0.882	8	1.67	69	8.6	1.000	2.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR

Notes

Baumgartner appeared as a starter twelve times

Wolfgang appeared as a starter eleven times.

Danforth appeared as a starter nine times.

Morton appeared as a starter seven times.

Paige and Mays appeared as a starter six times.

Marberry, Mossi, Lee and Ellis appeared as a starter five times.

Russell, Stanley and Adams appeared as a starter three times.

Brown, McDaniel, Wood, Crandall and Lindsey appeared as a starter two times.

Beggs, Quinn, Narleski and McGraw appeared once as a starter.

Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.



References

Sports Reference LLC. "Jim Lindsey Pitching Stats And History" | Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lindsji01-pitch.shtml. Web. 9 May 2016.

Sure Could Have Fooled Me

Stan Mikita, prior to this season (2015/16) was the last Chicago Blackhawk to win the scoring title. Back in 1967/68.

Stan, one of hockey's all-time greats, made winning the scoring title look almost too easy during a very competitive era. In Mikita's era, the centre had to compete against players like Alex Delvecchio, Jean Beliveau, Henri Richard, Red Kelly. They all played his position. Plus, there was Gordie Howe, Andy Bathgate, not to mention Stan Mikita's great teammate, Bobby Hull!

But all Stan did was win the Art Ross Trophy in 1963/64, 1964/65, 1966/67 and 1967/68. In '67, Stan was good for 97 points, which at the time was an NHL record for one season.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, they had (Up until 1967) another centre who would win the scoring title in 1968/69, setting a new single-season record for points with 126. And he's up it to an amazing 152 in 1970/71. But that man wasn't playing with Chicago anymore by the time that all rolled around. Bobby Hull got more than 100 points in '68/69 (As did Gordie Howe), but it was well short of the leader.

Who was this chap, you ask? Why Phil Esposito. Phil was foolishly traded by Chicago after they lost in six game to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1967 playoffs. The deal soon turned out to be a little one-sided. White the Hawks got a pretty good player in Pit Martin from the Boston Bruins, it was the Cubs who got someone who'd perfectly compliment their amazing rookie from 1966/67, some guy named Bobby Orr.

Orr took care of the scoring title himself with an amazing 120 points. And he was a defenceman. Even Phil Esposito, who was second himself, managed just 99 points. Mikita was third with 86. Stan stayed productive in the 1970s, but couldn't wrest the Art Ross from Esposito, Orr, Guy Lafleur, Bryan Trottier and Marcel Dionne.

When Chicago played the Edmonton Oilers in the first game of the 1979/80 NHL season, Mikita was playing his last season. The Oilers, arriving in the National Hockey League from the World Hockey League after '79, had an amazing player facing Mikita and company that night. Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky tied Dionne for the scoring lead that year with 137 points (Marcel declared the winner by having more goals), it was obvious the NHL had entered a new era. Gretzky had it to himself the next season, breaking Phil Esposito's single season record with 164 points. It was all his until Mario Lemieux took it upon himself to win in 1987/88. Wayne and Mario made it very difficult for anyone to come anywhere near them points-wise for the rest of the 80s and almost all of the 90s.

Not that the Blackhawks didn't have some firepower of their own. Arriving in 1980/81 was Dennis Savard, and was he ever an exciting player. 100 points came for him, many of them highlight-reel ones. He'd dance around the ice, and the Chicago crowd was pulled out of their seats time and time again. Now, he could catch Gretzky in his prime, but he brought a lot of respectability to the Hawks. In 1983 and 1985, Savard took Chicago all the way to the Campbell Conference Finals, where they lost to Gretzky's Oilers. Savard's best season was 1987/88. His 131 points trailed only Gretzky and Lemieux. Dennis Savard left Chicago after the 1989/90 season.

Chicago still iced some amazing teams in the 1990s, even getting to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1991/92, falling to Lemieux's Pittsburgh Penguins. Mario had a sidekick by then named Jaromir Jagr. Jagr would go on to win some scoring titles of his own. The 20th century ended without another scoring title by a Blackhawk.

The new century wasn't very kind to Chicago at first. Actually, beginning in 1997/98, the wheels came off the old chariot. Stars like Jeremy Roenick, Ed Belfour and Chris Chelios left, and what was left wasn't good enough to take the team anywhere in the standings or to compete for the scoring title. It was the Sedin twins out west in Vancouver who took home that honour as the second decade of the new century came to a close. Earlier, guys like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin (The new Penguin stars) and Alexander Ovechkin started to rack up some Art Ross to their name.

But Chicago started some resurgence as the decade neared it's end. The arrival of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane brought the battered Blackhawks out of the basement. Kane finished ninth in the Art Ross in 2009/10. Then, he finished fifth in scoring in 2012/13. There was hope. Toews has yet to make a top-ten appearance on the scoring lists, but has contributed greatly at both ends for Chicago.

Kane took his game to the next level in 2015/16. Having helped Chicago win Stanley Cups in 2009/10, '12/13 and 2014/15, he set his sights out on adding to his hardware collection this last season. He left 'em all in the dust. Finishing with 106 points, Patrick lead the league. Jamie Benn was a distant second with 89 points. Crosby had 85 for third. The stigma was over. And while the Hawks were eliminated by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of this year's postseason, there is no doubt that Chicago will be back next year with an excellent chance at a fourth Stanley Cup of the decade.

And maybe a few more scoring titles from Kane, too!


References

Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 8 May 2016.

World Series: Did You Know?

Pitchers Dutch Ruether and Hod Eller had quite a Fall Classic at the dish in 1919. And it wasn't just because the White Sox weren't trying. Ruether hit .667 and Eller hit .286. The had to earn most of their hits.

Ruether got Cincinnati off on the right foot in the opening tilt. Before, no doubt, an approving audience at Redland Field, he won 9-1 over Chicago, holding the mighty Sox to just six hits and one (unearned) run. The great Shoeless Joe Jackson had no hits. The Red pitcher had three in three at bats.

In the bottom of the fourth, it was 2-1 Cincinnati, when Dutch hit a two-run triple. Breathing room! And then Ruether scored the fifth Red tally moments later. Old Dutch wasn't through. He added a single in the bottom of the sixth and another triple in the last of the eighth. The ninth and final Cincy run as a result.

Hod Eller got his chance in game five in Chicago. But he didn't look like he or any of his teammates could do much with Claude, "Lefty" Williams. Yes, Williams was in on the fix, but he'd given Cincinnati all of four hits over eight innings in game two, which Lefty loss 4-2. Here, he'd give the Reds just four more hits over eight innings, again.

Eller could only pop out in the top of the third. Williams retired the side in order for the second straight inning, making it look easy. Eller was doing a bit of that himself: He fanned six batters in a row over the course of the third and fourth frames!

Then in the top of the sixth, with the crucial contest still scoreless, Eller delivered. He doubled to leadoff the inning. When he trotted around to score on a single, Hod had all the offence he needed. The Reds scored three more times of Williams that inning, although Ray Schalk behind the White Sox play didn't think one of them beat a throw from the outfield. He got ejected as a result. The next batter, Pat Duncan, hit a sacrifice to Shoeless Joe in left. That was the last run Williams would allow.

Eller batted again in the top of the seventh, and Williams fanned him. 1-2-3 went the Reds that inning and the next. While the Reds scored a fifth run off reliever Erskine Mayer, it was Eller who finished with a shutout!

So back home for game six (This series was best-of-nine), it looked all over. Dutch Ruether was back. He hit a double to left in the fourth to score the third Red run of the game. 3-0, to be exact. Ruether then scored the fourth run when Swede Risberg, the shortstop, made an error. Deliberate? I guess so.

But down 4-0, the White Sox rallied. Can you believe they knocked Dutch out of the game? Yep. Chicago came back to win in extras. But game seven was also at home, and Dutch actually became a part of it.

However, once again Chicago won, sending it back to the Windy City. Actually, it was all Chicago in this game. 4-1 was the final score. Ruether came in with the hot bat to hit for pitcher Ray Fisher. Ray had relieved Slim Sallee. Slim had been routed by the White Sox.

It was 4-0 when Ruether got to the dish in the bottom of the fifth. Two on, one down. All Dutch could do was pop to Weaver in foul territory at third. Weaver then grabbed Morrie Rath's grounder to end that threat.

So it was up to Hod Eller to finish off the White Sox. This time, they nailed Williams for four runs in the top of the first, as the visitors went for the quick kill. Eller ended the onslaught by flying out. Joe Jackson hit a home run off him in the bottom of the third, but the Reds made sure to score another run before Shoeless could do that. So it was 5-1. Would Eller do more?

He was hit by a pitch in the fourth, but stranded despite two singles by Cincinnati. Eller settled down after the Jackson home run and got the side out 1-2-3 in the fourth and fifth. And Hod got 'em going against the Sox bullpen with a single to start the top of the sixth. Not only did Eller score, but it was the Reds who tacked on three more. 9-1. Just like the final score in game one.

Eller fanned in the top of the seventh, although the Reds continued to get men on. The White Sox didn't that inning. They went down 1-2-3. Eller made the final out of the eighth, but the Reds were making this one a real rout as they scored again.

But Eller faltered himself in the bottom of the frame. A singled by Eddie Collins was followed by doubles by Weaver and Jackson. Okay, 10-3. What's the big deal. Then, some sloppy fielding by the Reds, which consisted of a misjudged fly and a dropped gimmie catch. Two more runs scored. 10-5. Amazingly enough, the carnage was caused by four fixers (Although Oscar Felsch was retired for the second out). Ray Schalk finally made the last out.

Hod didn't get to the dish in the top of the ninth. Rath started it with the sixteenth and final Cincinnati hit. He made it to second on a bunt, but no further. Eller needed just three more outs. The White Sox got two men on themselves before Weaver and Jackson were retired to end it.

The White Sox weren't giving it their all in some of the games. But the Reds certainly did their share of damage to earn some of their offence. Everyone has to get in on the act in the Fall Classic. The Cincinnati Reds had two pitchers who didn't shy away on the hill or at the dish.


References


Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. 91. Print.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. 76-81 Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 6 May 2016.

Common Denominator

"Gave up Pete Rose's 3,000th hit and surrendered the home run to Steve Rogers in the 1981 NLCS."

That would be one of the Montreal Expos best pitchers, Steve Rogers. You know, he might have twice led the league in losses in 1974 (22) and 1976 (17), but Steve also led the league in ERA 1982. But by going to '82, we are getting ahead of ourselves.

Steve won 17 games in 1977, and the next year, had an ERA of 2.47. Montreal, however, were 12-8 coming into Cincinnati 38 year ago today (May 5th). Rogers was on the mound. Rose was in the lineup for the Reds and stuck on 2,998 hits. In the bottom of the first, he reached via an error. Hit number 2,999 came in the bottom of the third. It was the Expos that hit back-to-back home runs the next inning, however. Johhny Bench cut that in half with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame.

In the bottom of the fifth, Charlie Hustle singled with two down. He ended up stranded on first, alas. So the 3,000 hit didn't have and affect on the game's outcome. And Pete could only ground out to end the seventh, and then something happened that did affect the outcome. Larry Parrish singled to centre to make it 4-1, Montreal. That was crucial, as Dan Driessen, the first DH to get to the plate in the World Series two years earlier, took Rogers out of the park for a two-run home run. 4-3 proved to be the final score as future Toronto Blue Jay Dave Collins grounded out to end that. Pete Rose was waiting in the on-deck circle when this all happened.

The Expos made it to the postseason for the first time in 1981, and promptly eliminated Pete Rose's new team, the Philadelphia Phillies. They happened to be the defending World Series Champions. That took Montreal one step closer to the World Series, as the Los Angeles Dodgers awaited them in the best-of-five National League Championship Series.

And all Montreal did was win two of the first three games. Better still, game four (And five if necessary) would be played at The Big O!

The Dodger had other ideas. They routed the home squad 7-1 in the fourth game. That set up the classic deciding fifth contest. The team's fought into the top of the ninth. Great pitching was the story. Montreal had three hits through eight frames of Los Angeles' incredible rookie, Fernando Valenzuela. Fernando had that screwball clicking.

Steve Rogers took over for Ray Burris to start the ninth for the home team. All Burris had done was fire a fine five-hitter over eight innings himself, staying right with the lefty from Mexico. Steve Rogers quickly got Steve Rogers out on two pitches. Ron Cey got ahead 3-1, but on the next pitch he too, was out. One more to go and the Expos had a chance to wrap this up in the bottom of the ninth, walk-off style!

That did not happen.

Rick Monday was at the dish. Like Cey, he got ahead 3-1. And he crushed the next pitch to where no man could make a play on it. The home run put the Dodgers up 2-1. Valenzuela quicky got the first two batters out in the bottom of the ninth, then got wild.

Gary Carter fell behind 1-2, then somehow coaxed a walk off him. Fernando poured in a strike the the next batter, Larry Parrish. Not long after, Larry was on first with another walk. If the ball got past the outfielders, it was game over. Valenzuela was removed.

The new pitcher was Bob Welch. The batter was Jerry White. But on the first pitch, White hit one to second basemen Davey Lopez. Lopez threw to first for the game's final out. So close, yet so far.

Years later, I met Steve Rogers at a baseball dinner in Mississauga. Steve was there, along with Ferguson Jenkins, Bill Lee and Jim Bunning. I got to talk to all of them. Steve signed my baseball. I can't remember what I said to him, but I know I didn't mention the 1981 ALCS or Pete Rose's 3,000th hit.


References


Carter, Bob. "Hustle Made Rose Respected, Infamous." ESPN: The Worldwide Leaders In Sports. ESPN. Web. 5 May 2016. <https://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016443.html>.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 5 May 2016.

World Series: Did You Know?

The last four home runs in 1964 were hit off pitchers with basketball experience. Bob Gibson and Steve Hamilton had some basketball history, as did Dick Groat, the St. Louis Cardinals' shortstop. But aren't we talking about baseball here?

Bob Gibson, the starting pitcher for the Cardinals in game seven of '64, went to Creighton University from 1954 to 1957 and played basketball, wearing his #45 that he would later been seen on the back of his Cardinal uniform. Gibby didn't stop there. He played with the famous Harlem Globetrotters later on in 1957, but in a St. Louis Cardinal uniform two season later. Hoot had found his home.

And Gibson was pitching with a 6-0 lead over the New York Yankees after 5 innings in the deciding game of '64. But then then great Mickey Mantle (Who coincidentally, also played some basketball at high school), hit his last ever World Series home run off him in the top of the sixth. Bobby Richardson and Roger Maris had singled before that. So the lead was cut in half. Gibby was pitching on just three days rest, and might have been tiring. Manager Johnny Keane kept him in there. However, the mighty Bronx Bombers kept coming at him, just like a point guard keeps bringing the ball up the court after you score a basket. Gibby gave up a two-out walk to Tom Tresh before the inning ended.

Rollie Sheldon, pitching in relief for the Yankees, retired the Cards 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame, to keep New York in the hunt. Hector Lopez batted for Rollie in the top of the seventh, only to fall victim to a Gibson K. After getting Phil Linz to fly out to Mike Shannon in right on the first pitch, it was time for Richardson to get his 13th hit of the 1964 Fall Classic. Eight of them had come off Gibson. Maris stepped in and hit the first pitch well, but right at Shannon in right. Gibson needed just six more outs.

Steve Hamilton, who played for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers for two seasons (1958/59 to 1959/60) came on to pitch for the Yankees. The big tall lefty looked overpowering. First, Lou Brock swung and missed for strike three. Then, Bill White took a called third strike. Ken Boyer, who'd collected two hits and two runs so far, came to the dish. Boyer was no stranger to basketball, either, having also played in high school. His younger brother Clete was right there at third base for the Yankees. Kenny was about to put his sibling's team down four as he took Hamilton out of the park to left on a 2-1 pitch. 7-3, St. Louis. Some more breathing room for the big tall right-hander pitching for the National Leaguers.

Gibson went back out in the top of the eighth and seemed to regain his form. Mantle flied out to Flood in centre. Bob then fanned Elston Howard. When Joe Pepitone popped out to Dal Maxvill at second, Bob Gibson had his first 1-2-3 inning since the top of the fourth. At this stage of the game, retiring the side in order is good for the arm. Hamilton would not be so lucky in the bottom of the frame.

Tim McCarver, Gibson's battery mate behind the plate for the Cardinals, greeted Steve Hamilton with a single to start the St. Louis half of the eighth. McCarver actually had to get it the hard way. He grounded to Pepitone at first. Pepi got to it and made the toss to Hamilton, but Tim beat the big pitcher to the bag. Mike Shannon reached on Clete Boyer's error. Maxvill got the bunt down. Were more runs on the way for Gibson? Pete Mikkelsen came in to stop the bleeding. Second and third, one out. Gibson was also just three outs away from nailing this thing down, so anything here was a nice bonus. And who better to get some more runs than Gibson himself. How about a three-pointer? No wait, wrong sport. How about a three-run home run? Gibson would go on to hit two home runs in the Fall Classic, but here, Bob failed to deliver.

He sent a grounder to third. Boyer was not going to make another mistake. But McCarver did. He headed towards home and New York had him in a rundown. Eventually, the shortstop Phil Linz made the putout. So now Shannon was on second and Gibson on first. They'd die there as Flood lined to Boyer to end it.

So, three more outs.

Gibson started it out on the right foot, getting Tom Tresh to fan. But Clete Boyer, who'd had quite an adventure in the field the previous inning, took Gibby to a full count. The payoff pitch was belted over Lou Brock's head in left for a home run. 7-4. Johnny Blanchard batted for Mikkelsen. Gibson fanned him, too. On a 1-2 pitch. Gibby's ninth of the game, thirty-first of the Fall Classic. His last.

Linz batted and was all that stood between the tremendous athlete and the complete game. Linz fouled one off. But Gibson's next pitch was sent to left. Over Brock's head, despite a tremendous effort to haul it in. Too far back and too high. 7-5. Bobby Richardson stepped up to the dish, with Roger Maris in the on-deck circle as the tying run. Gibson got him to pop up to Maxvill! Gibson had a complete game, and the St. Louis Cardinals were on top of the world in 1964.

But while this game seven was played on the baseball field, a lot of the men involved in it had spent at least some important moment of their lives on the basketball court some time prior.


References


Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. 305. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 3 May 2016.

Sports Reference LLC Basketball-Reference.com - Basketball Statistics and History. http://www.basketball-reference.com/. 3 May 2016.

Perry, Dayn. "Just Because: Bob Gibson, Basketball Star." Sports - CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores, Sports Video. CBS Sports, 5 Aug. 2013. Web. 3 May 2016. <http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/23028600/just-because-bob-gibson-basketball-star>.