Sunday, March 31, 2013

Heinie Manush: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1964


Born: July 20, 1901

1920: Played in Pacific Coast League

1920-22: Minor leagues

1921: Signed by Tigers

Debut: April 20, 1923 (Tigers)

1926: Won batting title (.378)

1927: Traded to Browns

1930: Traded to Senators

1933: 33-game hit streak

1933: Senators win Pennant, but lose World Series

1933: Ejected from Game 4 for pulling an umpire’s tie back and letting it snap

1934: Fastest player to 100 hits

1935: Traded to Red Sox

1936: Signed by Dodgers

1938: Selected off waivers by Pirates

1939: Retired

1939-44: Managed in minors

Post-War: Scouted for Braves

1953-54: Coach for the Senators

1964: Elected to Hall of Fame

1971: Died

1972: Elected to Alabama Sports Hall of Fame

Accomplishments:

1926 Batting Champ

1934 All Star

.330

2524 hits

110 home runs

1183 RBI

1287 runs

491 doubles

160 triples

506 walks-345 strikeouts

.377 OBP

.479 slugging

.856 OPS

3665 TB

100 runs: 6x

Led league in hits: 2x

200+ hits: 4x

30+ doubles: 10x

40+ doubles: 6x

Led league in doubles: 2x

10+ triples: 8x

15+ triples: 3x

20 triples (1928)

Led league in triples (17): 1933

100+ RBI: 2x

Hit .300: 10x

Hit .350+: 4x

.400 OBP: 3x

.500 slugging: 7x

300 TB: 3x

Postseason: .111, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .311 OPS (1933 World Series)

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Tim Keefe: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1964


Born: January 1, 1857

Debut: August 6, 1880 (Troy Trojans)

1883: Signed by Mets

1883: Won both ends of a double header. Won Game 1 with a one-hitter and Game 2 with a two-hitter.

1885: Purchased by Giants

1887: Had nervous breakdown

1888: Won Triple Crown (35-12, 1.74 ERA, 335 strikeouts)

1888: Won 19 consecutive games

1890: Jumped to Player’s League. He challenged the reserve clause and supported an early player’s union.

1891: Signed by Phillies

1893: Released/Retired

1933: Died

1964: Elected to Hall of Fame

Accomplishments:

342-225

Triple Crown (1888)

Lowest ERA in history (0.86 in 1880)

2.63 ERA

594 starts-554 CG

5049.2 IP

2564 strikeouts

Led league in wins: 2x

20+ wins: 7x

30+ wins: 6x

40+ wins: 2x

Led league in win % (.745): 1888

Led league in ERA: 3x

Sub 2 ERA: 3x

0.86 ERA (1880)

Led league in games: 2x

Led league in GS: 2x

Led league in CG: 2x

Led league in SHO (8): 1888

Led league in IP: 2x

Led league in strikeouts: 2x

200 strikeouts: 6x

300 strikeouts: 3x

Led league in WHIP: 4x

1000 WHIP (or lower): 5x

Post season: 4-3, 2.66, 0.967 WHIP, 61 IP, 46 strikeouts (3 series)

Monday, March 18, 2013

Miller Huggins: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1964


Miller Huggins

Born: March 27, 1879

1899-1903: Played minor league ball

c. 1900: Graduated with law degree; William Howard Taft advised him to play baseball to make more money.

1904: Purchased by Reds

Debut: April 15, 1904 (Reds)

1908: Played in the Cuban-American series

1909: Broken ankle limited him to 57 games

1910: Traded to Cardinals

1913: Became player-manager for Cardinals (346-415)

1917: Contract expired; moved to New York Yankees

1921-22: Won Pennant

1923: Yankees won World Series

1925: Won battle with Babe Ruth by suspending him

1926: Won Pennant

1927-28: Won World Series

1929: Died of pyaemia

1932: Earned monument at Yankee Stadium

1964: Elected to Hall of Fame

Accomplishments:

3x World Champion

6 AL Pennants

1413-1134 (.555)

Managed 1927 Yankees (110-44)

Won 90+ games: 7x

Won 100+ games: 2x

As a player:

.265

9 HR

318 RBI

.696 OPS

.382 OBP

Led league in games (156): 1907

948 runs

100 runs: 3x

324 steals

20+ steals: 9x

30+ steals: 6x

41 steals (1906)

1003 walks-556 strikeouts

100+ walks: 3x

Led league in walks: 4x

.400 OBP: 2x

Led league in  OBP (.432): 1913

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Burleigh Grimes: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1964


Burleigh Grimes

Born: August 18, 1893

1913: Made pro debut

Debut: September 10, 1916 (Pirates)

1918: Traded to Robins (Dodgers)

1920: Spitball banned, but Grimes was grandfathered in and allowed to continue using the pitch.

1920: Robins lose World Series to Indians

1927: Traded to the Giants.

1928: Traded to the Pirates.

1930: Traded to the Braves.

1930: Traded to the Cardinals.

1930: Cards lose World Series to A’s

1931: Cards win World Series (Grimes: 2-0, 2.04 ERA, 1.019 WHIP)

1931: Traded to the Cubs.

1932: Cubs blasted in World Series by Yanks

1933: Signed by Cardinals.

1934: Signed by Yankees.

1934: Signed by Pirates

1934: Retired the last legal spitball pitcher

1937-8: Dodger Manager (131-171)

1930s-50s: Scout and minor league manager

1942-4, 1952-3: Managed Toronto Blue Jays (International League)

1943: Won International League Pennant

1964: Elected to Hall of Fame

1985: Died

Accomplishments:

1931 World Champion

Once threw at a batter on the on-deck circle

270-212 record

3.53 ERA

497 GS-314 CG

35 Shutouts

4180 IP

1512 Ks

1.365 WHIP

Led league in wins: 2x

15+ wins: 10x

20+ wins: 5x

Led league in win % (.676): 1920

Sub 3.50 ERA: 6x

Sub 3 ERA: 4x

Led league in games: 2x

Led league in GS: 3x

15+ CG: 12x

20+ CG: 5x

25+ CG: 5x

30+ CG: 3x

Led league in CG: 4x

Led league in shutouts (4): 1928

200+ IP: 13x

250+ IP: 8x

300+ IP: 5x

Led league in IP: 3x

Led league in strikeouts (136): 1921

Postseason: 3-4, 4.29 ERA, 56.2 IP, 28 Ks, 1.324 WHIP (4 World Series)

As a manager: 131-171 (2 seasons)

Monday, March 11, 2013

Red Faber: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1964


Born: September 6, 1888

1909: Drafted by Pirates

1910: Pitched Perfect Game in minors

1912: Purchased by De Moines from Pirates

1913: Purchased by White Sox

Debut: April 17, 1914 (White Sox)

1915: Threw 67 pitches in a complete game 3-hitter

1917: Won 3 games in 2 days

1917: Set record with 4 decisions in a single World Series (3-1 record)

1917: White Sox won World Series

1918: World War I service

1919: Suffered from flu much of the season, which cost the Sox the World Series

1919: Black Sox throw World Series.

1920: Spitball banned; Faber is grandfathered in

1921: Won 25 games for a team that won 62. (25-15, 2.48 ERA, 1.149 WHIP)

1929: Pitched a 1-hitter at age 40

1934: Released by White Sox

1934: Retired the last spitball pitcher in AL

He worked as a coach and later on the Cook County highway survey team into his late 70s.

1964: Elected to Hall of Fame

Died: 1976

Accomplishments:

1917 World Champion

254-213

3.15 ERA

483 starts-283 CG

4086 IP

1471 strikeouts

1.302 WHIP

29 Shutouts

Won 15+ Games: 7x

Won 20+ games: 4x

Led league in ERA: 2x

Sub 3.50 ERA: 8x

Sub 3 ERA: 7x

Sub 2.50 ERA: 3x

1.92 ERA (1917)

Led league in games (50): 1915

Led league in GS (39): 1920

Led league in CG: 2x

10+ CG: 13x

15+ CG: 10x

20+ CG: 4x

30+ CG: 2x

Led league in saves (4): 1914

200+ IP: 10x

250+ IP: 4x

300+ IP: 3x

Led league in IP (352): 1922

Led league in WHIP: 2x

Postseason: 3-1, 2.33 ERA, 0.889 WHIP, 27 IP, 2 CG, 9 Ks (1917 World Series)

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Luke Appling: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1964


Born: April 2, 1907

1930: Signed by Atlanta Crackers (left Oglethorpe College)

1930: Committed 42 errors

1930: Purchased by White Sox

Debut: September 10, 1930 (White Sox)

1936: Won first batting title ever by an AL shortstop (.388). It was the highest average for a 20th century SS

1938: Broke his leg (played 81 games)

1943: Won batting title (.328)

1944-5: World War II service

1945: Returned from WWII (played 18 games)

1950: Retired

1964: Elected to Hall of Fame

1967: Managed the A’s after years in the minors (10-30)

1960s-70s: Coached for several teams

1975: Sox retired Appling’s #4

1980s: Braves hitting coach

1982: Homered in an Old Timer’s Game at age 75 (Oldest person to ever homer)

1991: Died

Accomplishments:

2x Batting Champ

7x All Star

.310 average

1319 runs

2749 hits

440 doubles

102 triples

45 home runs

1116 RBI

179 steals

1302 walks-528 strikeouts

.399 OBP

.798 OPS

3528 TB

Led league in games (155): 1943

111 runs (1936)

204 hits (1936)

30+ doubles: 4x

42 doubles (1937)

10+ triples: 3x

128 RBI (1936)

27 steals (1943)

100+ walks: 3x

Hit .300: 13x

Led league (.419 OBP): 1943

.400 OBP: 8x

.508 slugging (1936)

.981 OPS (1936)

As a manager: 10-30 (1 season)

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Gregory becomes Pope (590)


It was the height of the Dark Ages. Gregory the Great was the most prolific writer among the Popes up to this time. He created the modern mass, wrote music, and re-energized missionary work. Gregory also was a solid diplomat, humanitarian, and created Gregorian chant. All in the midst of the Dark Ages!

Bio:

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Rupert Jones: 1984 Detroit Tigers


Born: March 12, 1955

1973: Drafted by Royals

Debut: August 1, 1976 (Royals)

1976: First player selected by Mariners in the expansion draft

1978: Set record with 12 OF putouts vs. Tigers

1978: Had appendectomy which cut his season short

1979: Traded to Yankees

1980: Separated his shoulder hitting a wall

1980: Yanks lose ALCS

1980: Traded to Padres

1984: Signed with Tigers

1984: Hit ball out of Tiger Stadium

1984: Tigers win World Series

1985: Signed with Angels

1986: Angels lose ALCS

1988: Went to minors and later Japan

1989: Retired

Accomplishments:

1984 World Champion

2x All Star

.250

147 HR

579 RBI

.746 OPS

1103 hits

143 Steals

Led league in games: 162 (1979)

109 runs (1979)

34 doubles (1981)

20+ Home Runs: 3x

20+ steals: 2x

33 steals (1979)

Monday, March 4, 2013

Jean Luc Picard timeline


Born: 2305

2322: Rejected by Starfleet Academy

2323: Accepted into the Academy

2323: Became the first freshman to win Academy Marathon

2327: Stabbed through the heart by a Nausicaan. He needed a replacement heart to survive.

2327: Graduated from academy

c. 2330: Led an away mission to Milika III to save an ambassador. It proved a key moment in his life leading to the captaincy.

c. 2330: Attends the wedding of Sarek’s son (assumed to be Spock)

2333: Assumes command of Stargazer when the captain was killed.

2350s: Cardassian wars

2354: Jack Crusher is killed. Picard must notify Beverly and her son Wesley.

2355: Stargazer was attacked and severely damaged in a Ferengi attack at the Battle of Maxia. Picard destroyed the enemy using the “Picard Maneuver.”

2355: Enrolled as a PhD student at the University of Alpha Centuri.

2364: Picard assumes command of USS Enterprise-D

2364: First contact with Q

2365: First contact with the Borg

2366: Assimilated by the Borg, later rescued by Enterprise-D. Borg invasion halted at Earth.

2368: Linked into a computer program that makes Picard live a lifetime in 25 minutes. He assimilates the doomed Kataan culture for others to remember.

2369: Lore leads Borg group, but is defeated by Data and Picard

2370: Time jumps into alternate realities with Q.

2371: Enterprise-D is destroyed at Veridian III. Picard stops Dr. Soran and meets James T. Kirk. Kirk is killed.

2373: Another Borg invasion is repulsed by the Enterprise in 2063.

2374: Gorn Crisis

2375: Picard rebels against orders and helps the Ba’ku save their homeworld against  the Son’a and Section 31.

2375: End of Dominion War

2376: Gateway Crisis

2379: Encounters a clone of himself, is kidnapped, escapes, defeats Shinzon, but Data is killed.

2381: Son is born

2381: Borg invasion/Genocide

2382-84: Typhon Pact Incidents

2384: Data returns

2384: Attempted assassination of the Federation President by the Breen

2384: Body Electric Crisis

2385: Retires as captain and becomes an ambassador

2387: Romulus destroyed. Picard, Enterprise-E, and Spock work to save the galaxy and stop Nero.

2402: Retires