Ultimate Baseball Trivia

[nate]

Lazzeri hit for the cycle.

[fan_since79]

Yes!

 

What was special about the cycle, though?

[nate]

I think he did it in reverse, HR first.  That or it was a natural cycle.

[fan_since79]

Natural cycle, and to this day it remains the only natural cycle that ended in a grand slam.

 

Lazzeri went 5-6 and drove in 6 runs. Gehrig also had 6 RBI, and Ruth homered for good measure.

 

The Yankees beat the A's 20-13. Both teams combined for 36 hits and 14 walks.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHA/PHA193206030.shtml

 

[nate]

Ah, nice.  I remember hearing about it on one of those baseball history shows.  Bet that was a fun game for those that attended.

[fan_since79]

Gehrig almost hit a fifth home run in the 9th, but a leaping catch by A's centerfielder Al Simmons at the deepest part of Shibe Park (468 feet) robbed him.

 

Both Gehrig's and Lazzeri's feats were overshadowed by the stunning announcement the same day of John McGraw's retirement after 30 years of managing the NY Giants.

[Angel Oracle]

Okay, which player has the lowest ever BA for a batting champion in either league? 

This one is likely a breather after some of the toughies so far. 

[Lhalo]

Yaz? I think I heard it mentioned on the radio not too long ago.

[Angel Oracle]

Yaz is correct, .301 in 1968 led the AL.

The highest AL team BA in 1968 was just .240 by the A's. 

 

The average BA was just .231, and the average SLG% was just .340 (per wikipedia).

Yep, the next season the mound was lowered.   That + NL AND AL expansion = batting explosion.

[fan_since79]

Which player has the best strikeout-to-home run ratio in baseball history? He has slightly more career strikeouts than homers (250 home run minimum).

 

Hint: was an outfielder.

[Mark68]

I want to say Don Baylor. I know he rarely struck out.

[Angel Oracle]

Sam Crawford?

[Brent Maguire]

Ted Williams?

[fan_since79]

Williams is close. He has the 4th best.

 

During one memorable year, the player in question hit 30 home runs and struck out only 13 times in 622 plate appearances.

 

Another clue: pre-1960.

[Brent Maguire]

Joe DiMaggio?

[fan_since79]

Joe DiMaggio?

You got it!

 

Joltin' Joe struck out 369 times in his career and hit 361 home runs, an all-time low ratio of 1.02.

[fan_since79]

Yogi Berra was second, with a career 1.16 SO/HR ratio.

 

414 Strikeouts, 358 home runs.

[Angel Oracle]

Okay, this one should be fun.

Name the 1980 A'ths starters who started 159 of the 162 games in 1980 and completed 93 games between them?

[fan_since79]

That one's too tough for me. I have no idea.

[Angel Oracle]

First clues:

Only one of them exceeded 125 Ks and was a top lefty prospect for them in the mid 70s.

Another started out in the Pirates org. 

Another lost 20 games that season.

Another pitched in ST for the Halos several years later.

Another is a current MLB pitching coach for a contending team. 

[fan_since79]

Still drawing blanks.

 

I know their manager was Billy Martin, but the rest is a blank.

[Brent Maguire]

You got it!

 

Joltin' Joe struck out 369 times in his career and hit 361 home runs, an all-time low ratio of 1.02.

Knew he had a few seasons where he had absurdly low strikeouts so I assumed he was at least up in the top 3. 

[Brent Maguire]

Sheesh AO, tough one for a guy who hasn't been watching even close to that long. 

 

Here's one that might be tougher than it seems:

 

Who has the most doubles of all time?

[fan_since79]

Knew he had a few seasons where he had absurdly low strikeouts so I assumed he was at least up in the top 3. 

During his 56-game hitting streak, DiMaggio struck out FIVE times.

[Lou E Ville]

Name the only catcher to catch TWO perfect games.