Frank Robinson: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1982

Born: August 31, 1935

1953: Signed by Cincinnati Reds

Debut: April 17, 1956 (Reds)

1956: NL Rookie of the Year

Late 1950s: Attended Xavier College

1958: Won Gold Glove

1961: Reds win Pennant

1961: NL MVP (.323, 37, 124, 117 runs, .404 OBP, .611 SLG, 1.015 OPS, 333 TB)

1965: Traded to Baltimore Orioles

1966: AL MVP (.316, 49, 122, 122 runs, .410 OBP, .637 SLG, 1.047 OPS, 367 TB)

1966: Won Triple Crown

1966: Only player to hit a ball out of Memorial Stadium

1966: Orioles win World Series

1966: World Series MVP

1969: Orioles win Pennant

1970: Hit back-to-back Grand Slams

1970: Orioles win World Series

1971: ASG MVP

1971: Orioles win Pennant

1971: Traded to Los Angeles Dodgers

1972: Traded to California Angels

1974: Traded to Cleveland Indians

1975: Became player-manager for Indians (186-189)

1975: First African-American manager (homered in first AB as manager)

1975-7: Indians Manager

1981-84: Giants Manager (264-277)

1982: Elected to Hall of Fame (89.2%)

1988-91: Orioles Manager (230-285)

1989: AL Manager of the Year

1999: Finalist for All Century Team

1999-2002: VP of On field Ops for Baseball

2002-2006: Managed Expos/Nationals (385-425)

2003: Statue in Cincinnati

2005: Presidential Medal of Freedom

2007-present: Various executive positions with MLB

2012: Statue in Baltimore


Accomplishments:
2x World Champion

2x MVP

14x All Star

1971 ASG MVP

1966 World Series MVP

1966 Triple Crown

1966 Batting title

1966 Babe Ruth award

1966: Player of the Year

1956 ROY

1958 Gold Glove

1989 Manager of the Year

2x Player of the Month

.294

586 HR

1,812 RBI

1,829 Runs

2,943 Hits

528 Doubles

204 SB

.389 OBP

.537 SLG

.926 OPS

5,373 TB

198 HBP

100+ Runs: 8x

208 Hits (1962)

30+ Doubles: 7x

51 Doubles (1962)-Led League

20+ HR: 17x

30+ HR: 11x

49 HR (1966)-Led League

100+ RBI: 6x

20+ SB: 3x

Hit .300: 9x

.400 OBP: 6x

.500 SLG: 14x

.600 SLG: 3x

1.000OPS: 4x

300 TB: 8x

Led league in Runs: 3x

Led league in OBP: 2x

Led league in SLG: 4x

Led league in OPS: 4x

Led league in TB (367): 1966

Led league in HBP: 7x

Led league in IBB: 4x

Led league in SF (10): 1961

Postseason: .238, 10 HR, 19 RBI, .887 OPS (8 Series)

Lou Whitaker

A timeline...

Born: May 12, 1957

Debut: September 9, 1977

1978: Won Rookie of the Year

1983: Appeared in episode of Magnum P.I. with Alan Trammell

1983: Lou’s best season (.320, 12, 72, 94 runs, .380 OBP, .837 OPS)

1984: Tigers win World Series

1985: Cleared the Tiger Stadium roof with a homer

1985: Whitaker forgot his jersey for the ASG. He bought a replica and used a magic marker to fill in the #1 on the back. It currently resides in the Smithsonian.

1986: Homered in All Star Game

1986: Entire Tiger infield hit 20 homers

1987: Tigers win AL East (Lose ALCS to Minnesota)

1989: Hit career best 28 homers with 85 RBI

1992: 2000^th hit

1992: 200^th homer

1995: Whitaker and Trammell become longest running double play combination in history

1995: Retired

2001: Removed from HOF consideration after garnering 2.9% of the vote. 5% was needed to remain on the ballot.

2015: Eligible for review for HOF candidacy

Accomplishments:
1984 World Champion

1978 ROY

5x All Star

4x Silver Slugger

3x Gold Glove

.276 career average

Hit .300+: 2x

Led league in games played (109) in 1981

100+ Runs: 2x

1386 career runs scored

2369 career hits

206 hits (1983)

420 doubles

30+ doubles: 3x

40 doubles (1983)

244 home runs

20+ home runs: 4x

1084 RBI

20 steals (1979)

1197 walks-1099 strikeouts

.363 career OBP

.412 OBP (1993)

.518 slugging (1995)

Postseason: .204 with 1 HR and 1 RBI (2 postseasons)

Top 10 First Basemen of All Time

Lou Gehrig #1. The rest are not in any order...

Albert Pujols

Lou Gehrig

Hank Greenberg

Jimmie Foxx

Harmon Killebrew

Willie McCovey

Johnny Mize

Eddie Murray

Bill Terry

George Sisler

Top 10 Catchers of All Time

Here are my Top 10 Catchers of All Time. Johnny Bench is #1 (obviously)!  The rest are in no particular order.

Johnny Bench

Yogi Berra

Gary Carter

Ivan Rodriguez

Mike Piazza

Mickey Cochrane

Carlton Fisk

Bill Dickey

Roy Campanella

Ernie Lombardi

Top 10 Right Fielders of All Time

Not in any order...other than Ruth is #1. Ichiro is probably the most glaring omission.

Babe Ruth

Hank Aaron

Al Kaline

Roberto Clemente

Sam Crawford

Mel Ott

Reggie Jackson

Frank Robinson

Paul Waner

Dave Winfield

Top 10 Designated Hitters of All Time

The greatest DH is David Ortiz. I know many claim Edgar Martinez, but look at Papi's postseason and that sets him apart. A lot of these other guys played multiple positions. If Frank Thomas had played his entire career at DH, then he'd be #1 with his numbers.

In no particular order:

Paul Molitor


Don Baylor

David Ortiz

Edgar Martinez

Frank Thomas

Harold Baines

Chili Davis

Brian Downing

Hal McRae

Andre Thornton

Top 10 Philadelphia Phillies Moments

Robin Roberts wins 20th and Pennant (October 1, 1950): The Phillies won their first pennant since 1915 behind Robin Roberts 20th victory. He won a 10 inning 4-1 victory over Brooklyn clinching the pennant. Dick Sisler’s 3-run home run in the 10th provided the margin of victory. He was Philadelphia’s first 20-game winner since 1917. The Phillies lost the World Series to the Yankees.


Jim Bunning’s perfect game (June 21, 1964): Jim Bunning pitched a perfect game on Father’s Day 1964. The father of seven struck out 10 New York Mets en route to a 6-0 victory. Of the 90 pitches thrown, an amazing 79 were strikes.

Carlton wins 27 (1972): The 1972 Philadelphia Phillies won 59 games and Steve Carlton won 27 of them. Without Steve Carlton, the Phillies went 32-87. For 1972, Lefty led the league in wins (27), ERA (1.97), game starts (41), complete games (30), innings (346.1), and strikeout to walk ratio (3.56). His Whip was under 1. Considering the Phillies season, Carlton’s performance was one for the ages.

Phils: 23 Cubs: 22 (May 17, 1979): Mike Schimdt’s solo home run in the 10th off Bruce Sutter won the wildest game in decades 23-22. The teams combined for 45 runs, 50 hits, and 11 home runs. Dave Kingman hit three, Mike Schmidt two, and pitcher Randy Lerch hit one.

Maddox grabs liner and ends NLCS (October 12, 1980): The Phillies survived the NLCS against Houston to win their first pennant in 30 years. Four of the five games went extra innings. Philadelphia had to rally against Nolan Ryan with a 5 run 8th and then won the game in extra innings. The series ended with a line drive to centerfielder Garry Maddox.

Boone and Rose (October 21, 1980): The Phillies won their first championship ever in 1980 defeating Kansas City. In the deciding game, a pop up near the dugout was almost dropped by Bob Boone. The ball hit his glove, popped up, and landed in Pete Rose’s mitt for an out. That play really defined the 1980 Phillies.

Schmidt hits 500 (April 19, 1987): Mike Schmidt hit a two-out, three-run shot off Don Robinson in Philadelphia’s 8-6 win over Pittsburgh. The blast was Schmidt’s 500th career homer. The shot solidified Mike Schmidt’s standing as baseball’s greatest third baseman and player of the eighties.

Schilling spits at Braves (October 6, 1993): The Braves had an aura about them. They were the class of the National League and two-time defending champions. That did not impress Curt Schilling. While leaving the field, he spat on the ground to impress the fact he was not intimidated. His Phillie teammates shared his sentiments and beat the Braves for the pennant. They lost the World Series to the Blue Jays.

Phillies: 4 Rays: 3 (October 27, 2008): Philadelphia beat the Tampa Bay Rays for their second championship and first since 1980. Cole Hamels won the Series MVP. After splitting the first two games in Tampa Bay, the Phillies took over and swept the three games at home.

Rollins double (October 19, 2009 Game 4 NLCS): Philadelphia led the Dodgers 2 games to 1 going into Game 4 of the 2009 NLCS. In Game 4, Los Angeles led 4-3 going into the 9th. The Phils rallied against Jonathan Broxton and Jimmy Rollins doubled in two runs for a 5-4 win and a 3-games-to-1 series lead. Philadelphia closed out the Dodgers in Game 5 for their second straight pennant.

Montreal Expos Greatest Moments

Expos: 11 Mets: 10 (April 8, 1969): The Montreal Expos won their first game in franchise history against the eventual World Champion Mets. Rusty Staub, pitcher Dan McGinn, and Coco Laboy homered in the victory. The Mets made it exciting with a four run 9th inning, but the Expos held on for the win. They finished 1969 with a 52-110 record.


Bill Stoneman throws first no-hitter (October 2, 1972): Bill Stoneman not only threw the first no-hitter in Expos history, but the first one outside of the United States. Stoneman’s control left him that day as he walked 7. However, he did strikeout 9 in the 7-0 victory.

Gary Carter’s 3 home run game (April 20, 1977): Hall of Famer Gary Carter was a one man show against the Pirates. He hit three homers and drove in 4 in an 8-6 loss to Pittsburgh. All three came off of starter Jim Rooker.

Ross Grimsley wins 20 (October 1, 1978): Ross Grimsley defeated the St Louis Cardinals 5-1 to win his 20th game of the 1978 season. Grimsley made the All-Star team and finished 7th in Cy Young balloting that season. He is the only pitcher to win 20 for the Expos/Nationals franchise.

Bill Gullickson strikesout 18 Cubs (September 10, 1980): By 1980, the Expos emerged as contenders in the NL East. They had a strong core of young players including pitcher Bill Gullickson. On September 10, Gullickson beat the Cubs 4-2 while striking out 18 batters. The Expos finished second to the World Champion Phillies that season. Gullickson enjoyed a successful major league career.

Expos advance to NLCS (October 11, 1981): The 1981 strike led to an extra playoff round in which first and second half division winners faced off for the right to play in the LCS. In the NL East, Montreal battled the World Champion Phillies for five games in the Divisional Series. Montreal won Game 5 behind Steve Rogers by a score of 3-0. It remains the only postseason series victory for the Expos/Nationals. Montreal lost the NLCS to the Dodgers.

Pete Rose gets 4000 hit (April 13, 1984): Only Pete Rose and Ty Cobb reached 4000 hits. Interestingly, Rose got his 4000th hit as a member of the Expos. He is best known for his days as a Red or Phillie. Montreal beat Philadelphia 5-1 that day. Rose did not remain an Expo for long. He soon took over as player/manager in Cincinnati.

Dennis Martinez perfect game (July 28, 1991): Dennis Martinez and his Dodger counterpart, Mike Morgan, hooked up on July 28, 1991. Morgan allowed no earned runs, but lost 2-0 because Martinez was perfect. El Presidente struck out 5 Dodgers and allowed no base runners.

Best Record in Baseball (1994): The 1994 Montreal Expos had the best record in baseball when the season ended. Unfortunately, the players and owners spat cancelled the postseason. As a result, the best team in franchise history did not get a chance to play for something. The team was subsequently broken up. Failed politicians and squabbling between the team and province of Quebec eventually led to the Expos moving to Washington D.C.

Pedro is perfect (June 3, 1995): Pedro Martinez was unhittable one June game in 1995. The Padres boasting a lineup that included Tony Gwynn could not get on base. However, the Expos could not score on Joey Hamilton either. Pedro took perfection into extra innings. With no one out, Bip Roberts breaks up the perfecto with a double. The Expos beat the Padres 1-0.

Florida Marlins Top 10 Moments

Marlins: 6 Dodgers: 3 (April 5, 1993): The Marlins won their first game 6-3 over the Dodgers behind Charlie Hough. Jeff Conine was the hitting star going 4-for-4. Walt Weiss had two hits and two RBI. Benito Santiago also had two hits and one RBI. Bryan Harvey finished up for the save. Florida finished their inaugural season 64-98.


Al Leiter’s no-hitter (May 11, 1996): The Colorado Rockies could rake. On May 11, 1996, their bats fell silent in the face of Al Leiter. The lefty walked just two without surrendering a hit in Florida’s 11-0 destruction of Colorado. It was the first no-hitter in Marlins’ history.

Livan strikes out 15 (Game 5 NLCS October 12, 1997): With the help of a generous strike zone, Livan Hernandez struck out 15 Atlanta Braves en route to a 2-1 victory. Amazingly, Hernandez surrendered three hits and a run. Umpire Eric Gregg was the main story. His strike zone that day was ridiculously large.

The Marlins win the Pennant (Game 6 NLCS October 14, 1997): The fish took the momentum they gained in Game 5 and parlayed it into a 7-4 victory over the two-time defending NL Champion Braves. The victory ended Atlanta’s stranglehold on the NL Pennant and sent Florida to its first World Series.

Edgar Renteria’s Single (Game 7 World Series October 26, 1997): Edgar Renteria ended an exciting World Series between the Marlins and Indians with a walk off single in the 11th inning of Game 7. The Fish trailed 2-1 in the 9th. However, Cleveland could not hold onto the lead. Tony Fernandez committed a key error leading to the tying run and sending the game into extra innings. Thirteen years later, Renteria had the key hit for the Giants in their improbable World Series victory.

Pudge holds the ball (Game 4 NLDS October 4, 2003): The Marlins defeated the Giants in an exciting four game NLDS. The Giants won the first contest 2-0. Florida bounced back for a 9-5 win in Game 2. Game 3 went 12 before Florida rallied for 2 in the final frame. In Game 4, they led 7-5 in the 9th and almost blew it. Ugeth Urbina allowed one run and had the tying run thrown out at home to earn the world’s ugliest save. J.T. Snow plowed into Ivan Rodriguez who held on to the ball for the win. The game eliminated the NL Champion Giants and advanced the Fish to the LCS.

Bartman (Game 6 NLCS October 14, 2003): The Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908. They have not appeared in a Fall Classic since 1945. In 2003, they were a couple of outs away from advancing. Then, a ball sailed toward the stands and the rest is history. The Cubs collapsed. The Marlins forced Game 7.

Marlins: 9 Cubs: 6 (Game 7 NLCS October 15, 2003): The Marlins and Cubs entered into a slugfest to win the pennant. Cubs starter Kerry Wood did not have his good stuff, but did hit a homer. It was not enough. Miguel Cabrera homered for the Marlins, Brad Penny and Josh Beckett pitched 5 relief innings surrendering one run, and the Fish won their second pennant.

Fish upset Yanks (Game 6 World Series October 25, 2003): In one of the biggest upsets in World Series history, the Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games. Josh Beckett won Series MVP with a 1-1 record, complete game shutout in Game 6, 19 strikeouts in 16 innings, and a 0.796 WHIP. Brad Penny won 2 games for the Fish.

Anibal Sanchez No-Hitter (September 6, 2006): The Diamondbacks were used to good pitching. The franchise boasted Schilling and Johnson. However, it was Marlin Anibal Sanchez who pitched like an ace on September 6, 2006. Sanchez won his seventh game allowing four walks and no hits. Not bad for a rookie who made his debut that June 25. He finished the year 10-3 and would not complete a full major league season until 2010. The Fish won 2-0.

Cincinnati Reds Top 10 Moments

Charles “Bumpus” Jones throws a no-hitter in his Major League debut (October 15, 1892): Charlie Jones made his Major League debut on the last day of the 1892 season. In his only appearance of the season, the Reds rookie defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 issuing four walks and allowing no-hits. The Pirates scored an unearned run on an error. Jones made his final big league appearance on July 14, 1893. He finished his career with a 2-4 record and a 7.99 ERA.

Johnny Vander Meer’s two consecutive no-hitters (1938): On June 11, 1938, Johnny Vander Meer no-hit the Boston Braves in a 3-1 win. Four days later, he repeated the feat against Brooklyn. The Dodger fans openly supported Vander Meer as the game moved into the late innings. After the double event, Vander Meer pitched 3 2/3 additional hitless innings to set a record. To date, no one has surpassed his 21 2/3 consecutive hitless innings.

Reds: 2 Tigers: 1(October 8, 1940 Game 7 World Series): Cincinnati and Detroit battled to a seventh game in 1940. Detroit led 1-0 behind Bobo Newsom until the bottom of the 7th inning when the Reds scored two. Paul Derringer held the lead and the Reds won their first title since 1919.

The Moose Wild Pitch (October 11, 1972 Game 5 NLCS): The defending World Champion Pirates led the Reds 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth of Game 5 of the NLCS. Johnny Bench led the inning off with a game tying shot off Dave Giusti. With two on and two out, and Bob Moose on the mound for the Bucs, George Foster scored on a wild pitch. The Reds won the game 4-3 and the pennant three games to two.

The Big Red Machine finally breaks through (October 22, 1975 Game 7 World Series): The Reds led the Red Sox three-games-to-two heading back to Fenway for Game 6. The Sox won a spectacular battle in extra innings on Carlton Fisk’s home run. It seemed that Boston had the momentum. In Game 7, Boston raced out to an early 3-0 lead. The Reds scored two in the sixth to make it a game. In the seventh, Tony Perez tied the game with a solo shot. The teams remained tied until the ninth when Joe Morgan won the World Series with a single to center scoring the winning run. It was the Reds first title in 35 years.

Sweep! (October 21, 1976 Game 4 World Series): The Reds coasted through the 1976 postseason winning all seven games. In Game 4 of the World Series, the Big Red Machine pummeled the Yankees. Johnny Bench slammed two homers in the 7-2 win. Manager Sparky Anderson stirred some controversy earlier in the week when he claimed it was not fair to compare anyone to Johnny Bench. It was meant as a compliment to Bench, but New Yorkers took it as a slam against Thurman Munson.

Pete Rose’s 44 game hitting streak (1978): It started on June 14, 1978 with a two hit game against the Cubs. It did not end until August 1. Pete Rose became the first person to seriously challenge Joe Dimaggio’s 56 game hitting streak when he extended it past 40. The streak ended at 44 games and sixty-six hits when Gene Garber struck out Rose. Garber leapt for joy and that particular at-bat is what he will be remembered for.

4192 (September 11, 1985): On September 11, 1985, Pete Rose surpassed Ty Cobb to become baseball’s all time hit leader. Between Cobb’s retirement and Rose’s accomplishment, only Hank Aaron (3771) and Stan Musial (3630) came within striking distance of 4000 hits. The Riverfront Crowd roared for their hometown hero. Steve Garvey called it the loudest ovation he had ever heard (and Garvey was present for Reggie Jackson’s three homers at Yankee Stadium). Rose admits he did not know what to do and finally broke down.

Browning’s Perfect (September 16, 1988): Tom Browning won 20 games as a rookie and a World Series in 1990. In between, he tossed a perfect game against the eventual World Champion Dodgers. Adding to the drama, the Reds only scored one unearned run on Tim Belcher. Browning finished the perfect performance in the ninth by retiring Rick Dempsey, Steve Sax, and pinch hitter Tracy Woodson.

Rijo trumps Stewart (October 20, 1990 World Series Game 4): The Reds led their division wire-to-wire in 1990 and upset the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS. They led the World Series against the heavily favored World Champion A’s three-games-to-none. Oakland led early in Game 4. As the game progressed, Reds starter Jose Rijo seemed to get stronger. Eventually, he emphatically rallied the troops. The Reds responded with two in the eighth to take the lead. Randy Myers pitched the 9th for the save and the Reds achieved the improbable by sweeping the A’s. Jose Rijo won the World Series MVP award with two wins and a microscopic 0.59 ERA.

Houston Astros Top 10 Moments

The Astrodome Opens (April 9, 1965): Not sure if indoor baseball on Astroturf qualifies as a great moment, but it is noteworthy. The Astrodome was the world’s first domed sports facility. The idea originated in the early fifties, but it took Houston’s brutal climate to motivate someone to build it. The first ballgame was an exhibition between Houston and the New York Yankees. Mickey Mantle hit the first homer in the dome’s history. The first regular season game occurred three days later with the Phillies beating Houston 2-0 behind Dick Allen’s home run.


Houston: 1 Philadelphia: 0 (October 10, 1980 Game 3 NLCS): The Astros took a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five NLCS with an 11 inning win over Tug McGraw and the Phillies. They won the game in the 11th inning on a sacrifice fly by Denny Walling. The Astros failed in their two attempts to close out the series. Four of the five games went into extra innings with Philadelphia winning the last two for the pennant.

Nolan Ryan’s 5th No-Hitter (September 26, 1981): Nolan Ryan passed Sandy Koufax for most career no-hitters in 1981. By this point in his career, it seemed unlikely that Ryan would be able to toss another no-no. He beat the Dodgers 5-0. Later in his career, he’d throw two more no-hitters.

Mike Scott’s no-hitter wins NL West (September 25, 1986): Almost five years to the day that Nolan Ryan tossed his gem, Mike Scott equaled the feat. In this case, Scott victimized San Francisco and clinched the NL West with the win. Scott struck out 13 in the 2-0 win. It remains the only no-hitter to clinch a postseason berth.

Scott k’s 14 Mets (October 8, 1986 Game 1 NLCS): Mike Scott capped off his Cy Young campaign with a 1-0 victory in Game 1 of the 1986 NLCS. He bested Dwight Gooden and the Mets by scattering five meaningless hits and striking out 14. He returned to even the series at 2 with a Game 4 win. Luckily for the Mets, they managed to win the series in six. Mets players admit they had no chance against Scott in a Game 7.

The 22 inning game: Astros: 5 Dodgers: 4 (June 3, 1989): It took 7 hours and 14 minutes, but the Astros outlasted the Dodgers. Jim Clancy beat reserve infielder Jeff Hamilton. The Dodgers ran out of pitchers, so Tommy Lasorda used Hamilton in the 21st inning. The Astros won on a walk off single by Rafael Ramirez which scored Bill Doran. The following day, Houston beat Los Angeles in 13 innings. The two teams combined for 35 innings and 11 hours and 31 minutes of baseball over two days.

Chris Burke’s 18th inning home run (October 9, 2005 Game 4 NLDS): The Astros have a history of extra inning playoff games. From a Houston perspective, the Braves and Astros NLDS game is perhaps the best of the lot. The game lasted nearly 6 hours and Houston ran out of pitchers. Roger Clemens was forced to pitch three innings in relief before Burke ended the series with a dramatic home run off Joey Devine.

Clemens in Relief (October 9, 2005 Game 4 NLDS): It’s rare that the same game will score two appearances on a best of list, but that NLDS game has to be considered one of the greatest ever played. Roger Clemens lost three days earlier to John Smoltz. He wanted a measure of revenge and was given the opportunity. He pitched three lockdown innings to win the game and save Houston’s bacon.

Astros in pennant in 6 games (2005): Houston lost a hard fought series to St Louis in 2004. They avenged that loss and advanced to their first, and only, World Series with a six game NLCS victory over the Cardinals. Roy Oswalt earned MVP honors and a tractor from Houston’s owner. The ‘stros went on to lose the World Series to the White Sox.

Craig Biggio gets 3000 hits (June 28, 2007): Craig Biggio scored five hits, including his 3000th, in Houston’s victory over Colorado. Carlos Lee won the game in the 11th with a slam, but Biggio was the story. He needed three hits to reach the magic number and he managed five safeties to finish the game with 3002. He finished his career with 3060 hits and is the only Astros player to ever reach the 3000 hit plateau.

Top 10 Pittsburgh Pirates Moments

Babe Adams wins Game 7 on a shutout; it is his 3rd win of the World Series (Game 7 World Series October 16, 1909): Honus Wagner and the Pirates defeated Ty Cobb and the Tigers in an epic World Series. Babe Adams was the hero for the Bucs as he pitched three complete game victories. The other Pirate starters went 1-3. It was Pittsburgh’s first world title.


Kiki Cuyler wins the World Series (Game 7 World Series October 15, 1925): The World Champion Senators led the Pirates 7-6 going into the bottom of the 8th. The Pirates rallied for three to take the lead and deflate Walter Johnson. The Bucs tied the game with 2 outs. With 2 on and 2 out, Max Carey reached on an error loading the bases. The next batter, Kiki Cuyler, hit a ground rule double to right scoring the go-ahead runs. The Senators went down in order in the 9th. The Pirates won their second title.

Ralph Kiner wins 7th straight home run crown (1952): The Pirates enjoyed success in the early twentieth century. By mid-century, they were terrible. Ralph Kiner provided one bright spot by winning seven home run crowns in a row. Beginning in 1946, Kiner stroked 23, 51, 40, 54, 47, 42, and 37. He finished his Hall of Fame career with 369 blasts.

Dale Long homers in eight straight games (May 19-28, 1956): Dale Long hit 27 roundtrippers in 1956. Starting on May 19, he hit at least one in eight straight games breaking the previous record of six. Long included Warren Spahn, Curt Simmons, and Carl Erskine among his victims. The Dodgers and Don Newcombe finally ended the streak. The record has since been tied by Don Mattingly (1987) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1993).

Harvey Haddix is almost perfect (May 26, 1959): Harvey Haddix pitched a perfect game into the 13th inning before allowing a base runner. Unfortunately, the Pirates failed to score. In the 13th, the Braves managed some base runners and Joe Adcock doubled in the winning run. Haddix lost the perfect game, the no-hitter, the shutout, and the ballgame.

Mazeroski’s home run (Game 7 World Series October 13, 1960): Bill Mazeroski won one of the greatest games ever played with a 9th inning walk-off. The Pirates led Game 7 early by a score of 4-0. The Yanks rallied to take a 5-4 lead in the 6th. The game see-sawed into the 9th. The Pirates looked to win the series with a 2-run lead, but New York rallied. With the game tied 9-9 in the bottom of the 9th, Maz hit a Ralph Terry pitch over the left field wall for the first World Series walk-off in history. It was Pittsburgh’s first title since 1925.

Steve Blass beats O’s 2-1 (Game 7 World Series October 17, 1971): The Orioles and Pirates engaged in a classic World Series which was decided in seven games. Pirate starter Steve Blass experienced an extreme case of nerves which Baltimore manager Earl Weaver attempted to fan when he came out to chat with the umpires. Weaver’s efforts had the opposite effect. Blass calmed down and pitched the game of his life. He stopped the O’s on 4 hits and was supported by a homer from Roberto Clemente. The Pirates scored their second run in the 8th. Blass only allowed one in out dueling Mike Cuellar.

Roberto Clemente gets his 3000th , and final, hit (September 30, 1972): Roberto Clemente scored his 3000th hit off Mets righthander John Matlack. The right fielder accomplished the feat in front of his home fans and represented a goodbye of sorts. It was his last regular season at-bat of his career. During the offseason, Clemente died in a plane crash.

Rennie Stennett goes 7-7 (September 16, 1975): The Pirates massacred the Chicago Cubs 22-0. In the process, Rennie Stennett hit safely in all seven at bats. He is the only twentieth century player to accomplish this.

Pops brings it home (Game 7 World Series October 17, 1979): Willie Stargell had a dream that he would do something great in Game 7. In the 6th inning, with the Bucs trailing the Orioles, Stargell hit the go-ahead homer. His two-run shot off Scott McGregor proved the game winner. The Bucs tacked on two in the 9th for a 4-1 victory. Pittsburgh’s “family” overcame a 3-1 deficit and the death of manager Chuck Tanner’s mother to beat a high powered Oriole team. To date, it is the Pirates last title.

Top 10 St Louis Cardinals Moments

Rogers Hornsby hits a 20th century high .424 (1924): Rogers Hornsby’s numbers were ridiculous. He hit .400 over a five year span during the twenties. He hit .400 three times during that stretch with a high of .424 and that was not even his best year!

Grover Alexander strikes out Tony Lazzeri (October 10, 1926 Game 7 World Series): Grover Cleveland Alexander celebrated his Game 6 World Series victory with a drinking binge. Supposedly, he was drinking out of a flask throughout Game 7 when called upon to save the Cardinals. Starter Jesse Haines loaded the bases with two out in the seventh. Alexander trudged in, but refused to warm up lest he allow the Yanks know his true condition. New York sent rookie second baseman, and future Hall of Famer, Tony Lazzeri to bat. Alexander struck out the rookie saving the game for the Cardinals. He pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning and got the first two out in the 9th when he walked Babe Ruth. With Bob Meusel at the plate, Ruth decided to steal second. He was gunned down and St. Louis claimed the World Series.

Cards upset the A’s (1931): St. Louis won 101 games in 1931. Despite this, the “Gashouse Gang” were decisive underdogs in the World Series. Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics won the 1929 and 1930 World Series titles and 107 regular season games in 1931. The two sides battled to a seventh game. St. Louis won the game 4-2 clinching the championship.

Whitey Kurowski’s World Series clinching home run (October 5, 1942 Game 5 World Series): Whitey Kurowski’s homer is often forgotten. In 1942, the Cardinals led the Yankees 3 games to 1 in the World Series. The two teams entered the 9th inning of Game 5 tied at 2. With one out, Kurowski slammed a two-run homer to provide the series winning margin.

Enos Slaughter’s Mad Dash (October 15, 1946 Game 7 World Series): The Red Sox and Cardinals went to the bottom of the 8th inning of Game 7 of the World Series tied 3-3. From Mel Allen’s recreated broadcast: "Enos Slaughter is on first base with two away. Harry Walker at bat. Bob Klinger on the mound. He takes the stretch. Here's the pitch... there goes Slaughter. The ball is swung on, there's a line drive going into left-center field. It's in there for a base hit. Culberson fumbles the ball momentarily and Slaughter charges around second, heads for third. Pesky goes into short left field to take the relay from Culberson... And here comes Enos Slaughter rounding third, he's going to try for home. Here comes the throw and it is not in time. Slaughter scores!" Boston failed to score in the 9th. Neither team returned to the Fall Classic until the sixties.

Gibson wins Game 7 (1964 and 1967): Bob Gibson cemented his reputation as an ace with a pair of Game 7 victories. In 1964, the underdog Cardinals defeated the mighty Yankees. Three years later, Gibson bested the “Impossible Dream” Red Sox. The following year, he added to his legend with a game for the ages.

Bob Gibson strikes out 17 Tigers (October 2, 1968 Game 1 World Series): Bob Gibson dominated the Detroit Tigers like few pitchers have ever dominated. He struck out 17 batters en route to a 4-0 victory. Gibson allowed five hits in outdueling 31 game winner Denny McLain. Al Kaline and Norm Cash each struck out three times. Gibson nailed Willie Horton, Jim Northrup, and Bill Freehan twice each. The Cardinal righty returned to defeat Detroit 10-1 in Game 4, but the Tigers finally beat the ace in Game 7 breaking the air of invincibility.

Keith Hernandez 2-run single sparks Game 7 win (October 20, 1982 Game 7 World Series): Milwaukee led St. Louis 3-1 in the bottom of the 6th inning with Cy Young Winner Pete Vuckovich on the hill. St. Louis put two on with one out in the frame when the Brewers went to the pen. Rollie Fingers was unavailable and Bob McClure entered the game instead. Keith Hernandez lined a two-run single tying the score. George Hendrick followed with the game winning hit. The Cards tacked on two additional runs for good measure. Four years later, Hernandez repeated his feat tying Game 7 of the 1986 World Series for the Mets with a two-run single.

Go Crazy Folks! (October 14, 1985 Game 5 NLCS): The switch hitting Ozzie Smith never homered left handed. Then, he met Los Angeles Dodgers relief ace Tom Niedenfuer. In the bottom of the 9th inning, Smith homered for the victory and a 3-2 series lead for the Cardinals. The homer is also known for the great call by Cards announcer Jack Buck.

Should have pitched to Van Slyke (October 16, 1985 Game 6 NLCS): The Dodgers led the Cardinals 4-3 in the 9th inning of Game 6 of the 1985 NLCS. They hoped to force a seventh game. With two on, Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda agonized over whether to walk slugger Jack Clark and pitch to Andy Van Slyke. He chose to pitch to Clark and Niedenfuer coughed up another game winning home run. St. Louis went to the World Series.

Top 10 Moments in Los Angeles Dodgers History

In chronological order (Brooklyn included):

Jackie Robinson desegregates baseball (April 15, 1947): Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play Major League Baseball since 1887. That season, baseball owners entered into a “gentlemen’s agreement” barring blacks from the majors. That barrier remained until Branch Rickey decided to reincorporate blacks into America’s pastime. Although there were better players, Rickey chose Robinson because of his tough demeanor. The first season proved difficult on Robinson as he became the target of racial epitaphs and taunts. However, his success on the field helped changed many minds and led to desegregation in society as a whole.

Johnny Podres beats Yanks (October 4, 1955): In 1955, the Dodgers FINALLY won a World Series defeating the hated Yankees in seven games. Johnny Podres was Brooklyn’s hero as he won both his starts. He won Game 3 by an 8-3 score and then shutout the Yankees 2-0 in Game 7 to deliver the title. A couple seasons later, the Dodgers left Brooklyn for California where they went on to greater success.

Koufax is perfect (September 9, 1965): Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game against the Cubs. He faced a lineup that included Hall of Famers Billy Williams and Ernie Banks plus Ron Santo. Former batting champion Harvey Kuenn came in to pinch hit against the ace of aces. Koufax needed to be perfect that evening. The Cubs Bob Hendley pitched a one-hitter. The Dodgers won 1-0.

Koufax wins Game 7 (October 14, 1965): Sandy Koufax and Jim Kaat faced off in Game 7 of the 1965 World Series. Koufax allowed three hits shutting out the Twins. For the series, he boasted a 2-1 record with a 0.38 ERA.

Fernandomania! (1981): The Dodgers integrated baseball in 1947. In 1981, they cornered the Hispanic market by promoting Fernando Valenzuela to the big club and watching him have a season for the ages. He started the 1981 season 8-0 with five shutouts. His success, stocky physique, and demeanor made Fernando a star. He won the 1981 Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and Silver Slugger. He also won the key game of the World Series that year as the Dodgers captured their first title since 1965.

Blue Monday (October 19, 1981): The Dodgers and Expos battled to a decisive Game 5 in the National League Championship Series. With the score tied at one in the 9th inning, Montreal brought in Ace Steve Rogers to pitch. He surrendered a game winning home run to Rick Monday sending the Dodgers to the World Series where they defeated the Yankees.

Hershiser breaks Drysdale’s record (1988): Orel Hershiser surpassed Don Drysdale’s record of 58 2/3 scoreless innings. Manager Tommy Lasorda allowed Hershiser to pitch into extra innings in the final regular season contest to break the record. Hershiser won the Cy Young that season leading the league with 23 wins. The streak ended in 1989 at 60 innings.

Mike Sciocia homer stuns Mets (October 9, 1988): The Mets looked to take a commanding 3-1 NLCS lead on the Dodgers when Mike Scioscia launched a 9th inning 2-run homer to tie the game and force extra innings. In the 12th, Kirk Gibson won it with a home run. Orel Hershiser pitched the bottom half to earn a save. The game turned the series around and the Dodgers won the pennant.

Gibson does Roy Hobbs (October 15, 1988): The Athletics led the Dodgers 4-3 in the 9th when they called Hall of Fame relief ace Dennis Eckersley in to finish the game. Manager Tommy Lasorda decided to roll the dice and sent injured Kirk Gibson into the game to pinch hit. Gibson could barely walk and looked bad on Eckersley’s fastball. With two outs and two strikes, Gibson launched a dramatic game winning walk off and then hobbled around the bases. Eck threw a slider.

4 Straight HR tie game/Nomar wins game (September 18, 2006): The Dodgers hit four straight home runs in the 9th inning to tie a game with San Diego. In the 10th, the shell shocked Padres took a one-run lead, but could not hold it. In the bottom half, Nomar Garciaparra hit a two-run shot to win the game.

Top 10 Colorado Rockies Moments

The Colorado Rockies have only been around since 1993, but they've still managed some exciting moments.

Eric Young leads off the first Rockie home game with a homerun (April 9, 1993): The Rockies beat the Expos 11-4 in their first home game in history. Eric Young paced that victory with a 4-for-4 day which included a leadoff homer. Charlie Hayes also homered for the Rockies and Bryn Smith pitched seven shutout innings for the win.

Andres Galaragga’s 6 hit game (July 3, 1995): In a classic steroid era contest, the Rockies beat the Astros 15-10. In the game, Andres Galaragga went 6-for-6 with 4 runs scored and 5 RBI. He also blasted two home runs. The two teams combined for 25 runs on 34 hits.

Rockies clinch the Wildcard (October 1, 1995): The Rockies beat the Giants 10-9 to clinch their first postseason appearance. Larry Walker and Eric Young both had three hits including a home run.

Dante Bichette becomes first Rockie to hit for the cycle (June 10, 1998): In an interleague contest, Dante Bichette hit for the cycle against the Texas Rangers. Bichette drove in 5 in Colorado’s 10-9 victory.

Rockies score in every inning (May 5, 1999): The Rockies scored a run in every inning in a 13-6 win over the Cubs. Larry Walker and Neifi Perez each had three hits and Dante Bichette had four. Perez and Chris Sexton each drove in three runs. Eleven years later, the Rockies scored 12 in the 8th inning beating Chicago 17-2.

Jason Jennings’ ML debut (August 23, 2001): Jason Jennings had one of the greatest debuts in ML history when he hit a homer and tossed a shutout. Jennings scattered five hits and walked four. At bat, he went 3-for-5 with 2 RBI. Jennings went 62-74 for his career which appears to have ended.

Was Holliday safe? (October 1, 2007): San Diego and Colorado played an extra game to determine the NL Wild Card. In the 13th inning, San Diego held an 8-6 lead with Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman on the hill. The Rockies scored three in the bottom of the frame to clinch a playoff berth. The final run came as Matt Holiday slid home. Personally, I thought he was out...

Rockies sweep Phillies in NLDS (October 6, 2007): The Rockies were one of the hottest teams to ever appear in baseball’s postseason. They continued their regular season hotness by sweeping past the up-and-coming Phillies. They won the series 4-2, 10-5, and 2-1.

Rockies beat the Diamondbacks 6-4 to win their first pennant (October 15, 2007): After sweeping the Phillies, the Rockies went on to sweep the Diamondbacks in the NLCS. They won the series 5-1, 3-2, 4-1, and 6-4. Matt Holliday was NLCS MVP. After winning their first pennant by sweeping through the NL playoffs, the Red Sox swept Colorado in the World Series.

Ryan Spilborghs’ walk-off grand slam in 14th (August 24, 2009): The Giants scored three in the 14th inning. The Rockies countered with 5 in the bottom of the inning capped off by Ryan Spilborghs’ grand slam. The two teams combined to use 15 pitchers in the 6-4 game. It was the first walk off grand slam in Rockies’ history.

Top 10 Tampa Bay Rays Moments

Rays first game (March 31, 1998): Tampa Bay lost its first game 11-6 to Detroit. They won the following day 11-8 for the first victory in franchise history.

Wade Boggs gets 3000 (August 7, 1999): Wade Boggs was a singles hitter. Ironically, his 3000th career hit was a home run. He is the only member of the 3000 hit club to do this.

Fred McGriff hits 400 (June 2, 2000): Fred McGriff became the fifth player in history to hit 400 homers without having a 40-homer season. He hit #400 against the Mets.

Lou Pinella’s first game (March 31, 2003): Carl Crawford hit a 3-run walk-off to beat the Red Sox in Lou’s first game as Devil Rays’ manager.

Rays: 7 Twins: 2 (September 20, 2008): Rays win the AL East and clinch their first playoff birth.

Evan Longoria hits 2 HR in Game 1 ALDS (October 2, 2008): Rays win their first playoff game.

Rays: 6 White Sox: 2 (Game 4 ALDS October 6, 2008): Rays win their first playoff series.

Rays: 3 Red Sox: 1: (Game 7 ALCS October 19, 2008): Rays win their first pennant.

Rays: 4 Phillies: 2 (Game 2 World Series October 23, 2008): Rays first their first World Series Game.

Matt Garza no-hitter (July 26, 2010): Matt Garza no-hit the Tigers 5-0 for the franchise’s first no-hitter. He allowed only a second inning walk to Brennan Boesch and faced the minimum.

Top 10 Toronto Blue Jays Moments

Blue Jays: 9 White Sox: 5 (April 7, 1977): Toronto wins its first game…in the snow.

Blue Jays: 5 Yankees: 1 (October 5, 1985): Jays win their first AL East Title and make their first postseason appearance. They blew a 3-1 lead in the ALCS losing to the Royals in 7.

George Bell hits 3 homeruns on opening day (April 4, 1988): Bell hit three homers off Bret Saberhagen in a 5-3 Jays victory. Jimmy Key went 6 innings for the win.

Dave Stieb pitches consecutive one hitters (1988): Dave Stieb was one of the best pitchers of his era. In 1988, he lost no-hitters with 2-outs in the 9th on consecutive starts. In 1989, he had a perfect game broken up in the same fashion.

Dave Stieb no-hits Cleveland (September 2, 1990): Finally! Dave Stieb throws a no-hitter after three near misses blanking the Indians 3-0. With a little luck, he could have had four no-hitters in three seasons.

Roberto Alomar’s homerun off Dennis Eckersley (ALCS Game 4 October 11, 1992): The A’s built a 6-1 lead on Toronto in Game 4 of the 1992 ALCS. The Jays led the best-of-seven series 2-1 going into the game. The Jays cut the lead to 6-4 going into the 9th. With Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley looking to close the game, Roberto Alomar slammed a two-run homer to tie the game. Toronto won in extra innings to take a 3-1 series. The Jays series victory ended the run for that version of the Athletics.

Dave Winfield’s double (Game 6 World Series October 24, 1992): The Jays won their first World Series in six games over the Atlanta Braves. In the 11th inning, Dave Winfield hit a two-run two-out double scoring two. The Braves scored one in the bottom half of the inning, but Toronto held on for the win.

Joe Carter (Game 6 World Series October 23, 1993): The Blue Jays win their second World Series on Joe Carter’s three run walk-off homerun.

Roger Clemens fans 18 (August 25, 1998): Clemens proved he was not washed up. He whiffed 18 Royals and allowed only 3 hits in the shutout.

Carlos Delgado hits 4 home runs (September 25, 2003): The Blue Jays needed each one of Carlos Delgado’s home runs. They beat the Devil Rays 10-8.

Top 10 Moments in White Sox History

White Sox: 8 Cubs: 6 (Game 6 1906 World Series): The hitless wonders upset a 116 win Cubs team to win their first World Series. Going into the series, few gave the White Sox a chance.


White Sox: 4 Giants: 2 (Game 6 1917 World Series): The White Sox won their second championship by defeating the Giants in 6 games. Two years later, they threw the World Series launching a curse that took Ozzie Guillen and 88 years to break.

White Sox win first pennant since 1919 (1959): Led by Hall of Famers Al Lopez, Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox, and Early Winn, the Sox broke their 40 year pennant drought and went to the World Series. Following the pennant clincher, Chicago sounded their air raid sirens causing a minor panic as some worried about a Russian nuclear attack. The Sox lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Fisk returns to Boston (April 10, 1981): In his return to Fenway after leaving as a free agent, Carlton Fisk homers in a 5-3 White Sox victory.

White Sox: 7 Brewers: 6 (May 8-9, 1984): The White Sox and Brewers played 25 innings. Harold Baines ended the 25 inning fiasco with a home run. Tom Seaver won the game in relief, started the next game, and won two games in one day.

Frank Thomas becomes All Time White Sox Home Run leader (September 15, 1996): Frank Thomas hits 3 HR off the Red Sox to become White Sox All-Time HR leader. The White Sox won the game 6-1.

AJ runs to first (2005 ALCS Game 2): In a 1-1 ninth inning tie, Angels catcher Josh Paul failed to tag A.J. Pierzynski after a strikeout. He rolled the ball to the mound and A.J. ran to first. The Angels messed up and the inning continued. Chicago won a few pitches later on a Joe Crede hit.

Geoff Blum’s home run (2005 World Series Game 3): With the Sox leading 2-0 on the series, Geoff Blum hit a 14th inning home run to give the Sox a 6-5 lead. They’d score another to lead 7-5. Mark Buehrle entered the game and earned a save giving the Sox a 3-0 series lead on Houston.

White Sox: 1 Astros: 0 (Game 4 2005 World Series): The White Sox win first series since 1917 with a 1-0 victory in Game 4. Jermaine Dye drove in the only run with an 8th inning single.

Mark Buehrle is perfect (July 23, 2009): Mark Buehrle threw MLB’s 17th perfect game and beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0. The perfecto was saved by an amazing catch by DeWayne Wise in centerfield.

Top 10 Moments in Cleveland Indians History

Bill Wambsganss’ unassisted triple play (1920 World Series Game 5): There have been 15 unassisted triple plays in big league history. The second one occurred in the World Series. The game also featured the first World Series grand slam. Cleveland won 8-1.


Cleveland: 3 Brooklyn: 0 (Game 7 1920 World Series): Stan Coveleski won his third game of the series propelling the Tribe to their first World Championship. Cleveland outscored the Dodgers 21-8 in the best-of-nine series.

Bob Feller strikesout 18 Tigers (October 2, 1938): Roger Clemens once struck out 20 Tigers. The 1996 Tigers were terrible. On the other hand, Bob Feller struck out 18 Tigers during their glory years. The Tigers fielded a team that included Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg. Detroit won the game 4-1, but no one remembers! The 18 strikeouts was a major league record at the time.

Bob Feller’s opening day no-hitter (April 16, 1940): In 1940, Bob Feller tossed the only opening day in MLB history. Feller walked 5 and struck out 8 while beating the White Sox 1-0.

Indians: 4 Braves: 3 (1948 World Series Game 6): The Tribe wins its second and latest world title in the first politically incorrect World Series. Hall of Famer Joe Gordon homered in the victory.

Frank Robinson becomes baseball’s first black manager (1975): Baseball desegregated in 1947. Nearly thirty years later, Frank Robinson became the first African American field manager. In his first game, the Tribe beat the Yankees behind player-manager Robinson’s home run.

Len Barker’s perfect game (May 15, 1981): The eighties were a wasteland for Indians baseball. Len Barker provided Cleveland’s greatest moment of the decade when he beat Toronto 3-0. It is one of twenty perfect games in baseball history.

Cleveland: 5 Boston: 4 (1995 ALDS Game 1): In the bottom of the 13th, Tony Pena’s home run lifted Cleveland to victory. The game featured five homers and 14 pitchers. The Cleveland victory stretched Boston’s postseason losing streak to 11 games.

Indians win first Pennant since 1954 (1995 ALCS Game 6): Dennis Martinez beat Randy Johnson 4-0. Cleveland led 1-0 after 7. The Tribe scored three in the 8th to blow the game open. Carlos Baerga homered to cap the scoring.

Tony Fernandez pennant winning home run (Game 6 ALCS-11th inning): Cleveland beat Baltimore 1-0 in 11 innings to win their second pennant in three years. The Fernandez home run was Cleveland’s third hit or the game. The Indians went on to lose their second World Series.

Top 10 Moments in KC Royals History

Although they have fallen on hard times the last decade and a half, the Royals were once one of the class organizations in MLB. From 1976-1985, they made seven postseason appearances. They also boasted one of baseball's all time greats in George Brett.

Here are the top 10 moments in Royals history in chronological order:

Steve Busby's No-hitter (April 27, 1973): Busby no-hit the Detroit Tigers for the first no-no in Royals history. Busby walked 6 and struck out 4.

Larry Gura shuts out A’s 4-0 to win AL West (September 29, 1976): The Royals franchise entered the American League in 1969. They won their first division title in 1976. Larry Gura's shutout propelled the Royals into their first postseason. The team won three straight division titles losing to New York in the playoffs each time.

George Brett hits 3 HR off Catfish Hunter in Game 3 ALCS (October 6, 1978): George Brett became the second player in LCS history to hit three homers in a game. His effort led KC to a 6-5 victory over New York. Bob Robertson in 1971 and Adam Kennedy in 2002 also hit three in one game. Unfortunately, the Royals lost the ALCS to New York.

George Brett hits .390 (1980): George Brett made a run at hitting .400 in the 1980 season. He finished at .390 and led the league in hitting, slugging, and on-base percentage. He also had 118 RBI in 117 games in winning the MVP. It remains the highest average for a full season since Ted Williams in .406 in 1941. Tony Gwynn hit .394 in a strike shortened campaign.

Royals: 4 Yankees: 2 (October 10, 1980): George Brett hit a dramatic third deck three run home run off Goose Gossage at Yankee Stadium sending the Royals to their first World Series. The Royals finally slayed the dragon after three postseason defeats.

The Pine Tar Incident (July 24, 1983): With 2 out in the ninth, George Brett hit another dramatic homer off Goose Gossage giving the Royals a 5-4 lead. Yankee manager Billy Martin protested Brett's bat claiming it violated pine tar rules. The umpires ruled Brett out and the KC third baseman charged the men in blue. Eventually, the league ruled in Brett's favor, KC returned to New York to finish the game, and the Royals beat the Yankees 5-4.

Comeback from 3-1 down to beat Toronto (1985): The Royals fell behind the Toronto Blue Jays 3 games to 1. Danny Jackson shut out the Jays in Game 5. George Brett's homer helped beat Doyle Alexander in Game 6. The Royals closed out the Jays with a 4 run sixth inning against Dave Stieb winning their second pennant.

Royals: 11 Cardinals: 0 (October 27, 1985): The Royals fell behind the Cardinals 3-1. As in the ALCS, Danny Jackson pitched the Royals to a Game 5 win. The Royals won a contested matchup 2-1 on a blown call at first base and a Cardinal meltdown. In Game 7, pitcher Bret Saberhagen put his cleats to the Cards throats, St. Louis came apart at the seams, and the Royals shutout their cross state rivals. The Royals won their first World Title.

George Brett wins batting title (1990): George Brett became the first player to win batting titles in three decades. In 1976, he hit .333. In 1980, Brett hit .390. Ten years later, .329 led the league. Brett remains the only player to achieve this.

George Brett gets 3000th hit (1992): The greatest Royal of them all collected his 3000th hit in 1992. He finished the season at .285 before retiring in 1993. The Hall of Famers ended his career with 3154 hits and a .305 average.