The Many Ways to Win a Batting Title....
Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 10:31 am
I've intimated that I haven't liked the Mets practice the last two years of dwelling on individual accomplishments instead of just playing and winning games at the end of the year. But by no means, are they the first to think about it.
Batting titles are highly regarded by baseball fans.
So lets take a look at some 'dubious' batting titles that have a story behind them.
The 1910 batting title is still debated today. Coming into the last day of the season, the mostly hated Ty Cobb had a .385 batting average. The well liked Napolean LaJoie trailed in second place, but had a double header that day vs. the lowly St. Louis Browns.
The Browns Manager, liking LaJoie and not Cobb, ordered his third baseman to play on the outfield grass each time LaJoie came to bat. This was the dead ball era when whether a bunted hit or batted ball, a hit was still a hit. And whether bunted or struck, the player was not thought of any less in how that hit was obtained.
LaJoie went eight for eight, bunting each time, before reaching on a throwing error with his last at bat. The Browns Manager and Coach tried to bribe the official scorekeeper in making it a hit.
Later, they would both be thrown out of baseball for this.
While LaJoie came up just short percentage-wise of catching Cobb, both were given Chalmers automobiles, the prize for best batting title.
Ironically, it was found many years later, that Cobb had accidentally been given a two for three game twice in the counting of 1910 statistics. He ended with a .383 batting average and LaJoie, although tainted, is the batting average leader for 1910.
In 1976, George Brett was behind teammate Hal McRae when he stood up in the batters box on his last at bat of the season.
Brett lofted a ball to left field that 'got lost' by the Twins left fielder. It was scored as an inside the park homer for Brett.
He moved percentage points ahead of McRae who hit behind Brett and grounded out, cinching the title for Brett.
McRae was pissed. He flipped off the Twins dugout and had to be restrained from Twins Manager Gene Mauch when he stepped on the field.
McRae played the race card and said that his color was the reason Brett's ball was lost.
One more.
Most remember that Ted Williams was the last .400 hitter. Going into his last game, Williams was hitting .401 and was given the option by his Manager to play or not play in the season ending doubleheader.
Showing no cowardice and exuding confidence, Williams played and won the admiration of all by going six for eight in that doubleheader and ending the season with a .406 batting average.
But have you heard the opposite story?
Here it is-
Leon Goslin was not a very good outfielder. He got his nickname from teammates who would make fun of his arm flapping in trying to track a flyball. Flapping his arms like a goose taking flight to catch a fly ball, Leon would hardly ever be called by his rightful first name again.
Goose Goslin was one of the best hitters in baseball in the mid, late-twenties and early thirties. In 1928, the batting race came down to the final day.
Goslin, playing for the Washington Senators was tied with Heinie Manush, who played for the St. Louis Browns. And, as fate would have it, those two teams would play each other on that final day of the season. Both teams had long been eliminated from the pennant race, so the focus was on these two men.
Going into the ninth inning, Goslin had the batting title in hand and he was scheduled to bat. If making an out, the title would go to Manush. If not batting or getting a hit, the title would be his.
His Manager gave him the choice.
Goslin said he wanted to sit. The Manager shook his head in disappointment.
His teammates, in particular a fellow named Joe Judge, were enraged. His own teammates ridiculed him and called him yellow. Soon, most of Goslin's teammates were yelling at the tops of lungs.
The Manager was slow to name a pinch hitter, either to let Goslin have more time to think it over or to let his teammates have at him.
In that time, Goslin reconsidered and took a bat.
Goslin took two two strikes. Then, it occurred to him that if he got thrown out of the game, the at bat would not count. He stepped out of the box and began cussing the umpire over the two calls.
The umpire smiled.
"Goose, call me every name in the book, I don't care. We all know the score. You're not leaving this batters box with an ejection or a walk".
Goslin got what he called a 'lucky hit' and won the batting title.
Ironically, Goslin was traded for Manush a year later.
He also is in the Hall of Fame.
Batting titles are highly regarded by baseball fans.
So lets take a look at some 'dubious' batting titles that have a story behind them.
The 1910 batting title is still debated today. Coming into the last day of the season, the mostly hated Ty Cobb had a .385 batting average. The well liked Napolean LaJoie trailed in second place, but had a double header that day vs. the lowly St. Louis Browns.
The Browns Manager, liking LaJoie and not Cobb, ordered his third baseman to play on the outfield grass each time LaJoie came to bat. This was the dead ball era when whether a bunted hit or batted ball, a hit was still a hit. And whether bunted or struck, the player was not thought of any less in how that hit was obtained.
LaJoie went eight for eight, bunting each time, before reaching on a throwing error with his last at bat. The Browns Manager and Coach tried to bribe the official scorekeeper in making it a hit.
Later, they would both be thrown out of baseball for this.
While LaJoie came up just short percentage-wise of catching Cobb, both were given Chalmers automobiles, the prize for best batting title.
Ironically, it was found many years later, that Cobb had accidentally been given a two for three game twice in the counting of 1910 statistics. He ended with a .383 batting average and LaJoie, although tainted, is the batting average leader for 1910.
In 1976, George Brett was behind teammate Hal McRae when he stood up in the batters box on his last at bat of the season.
Brett lofted a ball to left field that 'got lost' by the Twins left fielder. It was scored as an inside the park homer for Brett.
He moved percentage points ahead of McRae who hit behind Brett and grounded out, cinching the title for Brett.
McRae was pissed. He flipped off the Twins dugout and had to be restrained from Twins Manager Gene Mauch when he stepped on the field.
McRae played the race card and said that his color was the reason Brett's ball was lost.
One more.
Most remember that Ted Williams was the last .400 hitter. Going into his last game, Williams was hitting .401 and was given the option by his Manager to play or not play in the season ending doubleheader.
Showing no cowardice and exuding confidence, Williams played and won the admiration of all by going six for eight in that doubleheader and ending the season with a .406 batting average.
But have you heard the opposite story?
Here it is-
Leon Goslin was not a very good outfielder. He got his nickname from teammates who would make fun of his arm flapping in trying to track a flyball. Flapping his arms like a goose taking flight to catch a fly ball, Leon would hardly ever be called by his rightful first name again.
Goose Goslin was one of the best hitters in baseball in the mid, late-twenties and early thirties. In 1928, the batting race came down to the final day.
Goslin, playing for the Washington Senators was tied with Heinie Manush, who played for the St. Louis Browns. And, as fate would have it, those two teams would play each other on that final day of the season. Both teams had long been eliminated from the pennant race, so the focus was on these two men.
Going into the ninth inning, Goslin had the batting title in hand and he was scheduled to bat. If making an out, the title would go to Manush. If not batting or getting a hit, the title would be his.
His Manager gave him the choice.
Goslin said he wanted to sit. The Manager shook his head in disappointment.
His teammates, in particular a fellow named Joe Judge, were enraged. His own teammates ridiculed him and called him yellow. Soon, most of Goslin's teammates were yelling at the tops of lungs.
The Manager was slow to name a pinch hitter, either to let Goslin have more time to think it over or to let his teammates have at him.
In that time, Goslin reconsidered and took a bat.
Goslin took two two strikes. Then, it occurred to him that if he got thrown out of the game, the at bat would not count. He stepped out of the box and began cussing the umpire over the two calls.
The umpire smiled.
"Goose, call me every name in the book, I don't care. We all know the score. You're not leaving this batters box with an ejection or a walk".
Goslin got what he called a 'lucky hit' and won the batting title.
Ironically, Goslin was traded for Manush a year later.
He also is in the Hall of Fame.