Followers

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Bobby Richardson Class of AL Second Sackers

TRIVIA QUESTION: While Bobby Richardson was known for batting lead-off for the Yankees, he did NOT bat lead-off in every game of the 1960 Series. How many times did he bat first in the 1960 Series?

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION IN THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: In the 1968 All-Star Game, Harmon Killebrew's career almost came to an end when a throw from shortstop to first caused the hulking first sacker to do a split. The injury limited him the rest of the year. The throw came from all-star shortstop, Jim Fregosi. 

He might be overlooked today but during the 12 seasons Bobby Richardson anchored second base for the New York Yankees, he was a town favorite. Overlooked perhaps because of Mantle, Maris, Berra and even Pepitone, the sterling defensive whiz had some solid years at the plate and even garnered fame with an award no one else of his stature ever got.

Richardson's career .266 BA belied his value and even his bat. Twice he hit .300 or better which for a lead off man who drew few walks, such an average was extremely important. Most years however he hovered around the .260 mark. He only smacked 34 homers in his career, but he did lead the league in hits with 209 in 1962. He also had 692 AB, one of three times he led the league in the category.

Of course with the team around him scoring so many runs so often, he had far more opportunities than most. However, it was in the post season where he excelled and especially in the strange 1960 Series against Pittsburgh.
The second baseman most noted for the series is Bill Mazeroski, whose walk off homer in Game 7 capped a wild set and sent the Yankees down to defeat. Maz could have easily been named MVP. He hit two key home runs in the seven games and played flawlessly at second. Richardson WAS named MVP.

Richardson was the only member of a World Series losing team to be named Most Valuable Player. He clubbed 11 hits and drove in a Series record 12 runs in the seven games. He also had 2 doubles, 2 triples and a home run while batting .367. Again it was the team around him giving him the opportunities because they scored 55 runs. Still, it was Richardson who drove in 12 of them and scored 8 in 30 AB's. 
The following year in the Yankees Series win against the Reds, he had 9 hits in the five game series and batted .391. In the 1964 Series which New York lost to St. Louis, he batted .401 with 13 hits in 32 AB. The Series went seven games. 

There would be no more post seasons for Richardson as New York began to slide. He'd retire after the 1966 season. Three times he led the AL in singles, twice in sacrifice bunts and three times striking out the fewest times per at bats. While Richardson never led the AL in fielding he often led in other defensive categories including four times being involved in double plays.


"NEW SPECIAL OFFER"
Need to get out of a baseball hitting slump, or a golf swing slump? Order my new book "Beating the Slump; An athlete's guide to a better career." See it on Amazon for only $5.99. That is for the Paperback, you can also order Kindle on that link. You can also order paperback copies directly from me via the email below for my other books.

You can get a signed paper back copy of the above book
"Tales of My Baseball Youth - a child of the sixties"
for $15 Shipping Included 
Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Thank you to those of you who purchased my book after reading this column.

Also: Please check out our new Western Short Film. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-gun-western-feature-film/#/

 
Please share this blog with your friends and colleagues and leave a comment at the bottom of the blog if you have one. Thank YOU VERY MUCH!! Please pick up a copy of my book "Tales of My Baseball Youth; A Child of the 60's" at www.bobbrillbooks.com, or on Amazon.     

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Killer Instincts Harmonize

TRIVIA QUESTION: When Harmon Killebrew got injured stretching for a throw at first base in the 1968 All-Star game, the throw came from shortstop. Who was the shortstop?

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION IN THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: In 1962 legendary manager Birdie Tebbetts oversaw the Milwaukee Braves to a fifth place finish with a record of 86-76. It was a one year stint for Birdie as he replaced Chuck Dressen and was replaced in 1963 by Bobby Bragan. While Tebbetts, who took over in the final weeks of the 1961 season, improved the Braves by three games, Bragan actually failed to reach the 1962 mark of 86 wins set by Tebbetts. Bragan managed 84 wins. 

 Having met the man and hosted him in my baseball card store for a public signing, I can attest to the fact Harmon Killebrew was one of the nicest guys I ever met, and certainly one of the most pleasant ballplayers to grace the diamond. On that diamond however, he terrorized the pitchers of the 1960's arguably more than any other. I once said of him "Harmon Killebrew was so strong he could 'break' a baseball with his bat." He may never have done that but if it could happen, I'd bet dollars to donuts he'd be the first.
                 (Home Run Derby Killebrew vs. Mays)
While his reign began in the 1950s it's the 1960s we concentrate on in this column and when 1960 rolled around it set Killer off on a string of homer years for the decade. Every year save one, he pounded the ball deep. That one year was 1968 (the year of the pitcher) when an injury in the all-star game almost cut short his career. 
When the decade turned the corner from the 1950's Killebrew fell off. The 24 year old slugger, coming off a league leading 42 homer season slipped to 31 in only 124 games. He even trailed teammate Jim Lemon who had 38. Then however, it was Killebrew off to the races.

In the Home Run Race of 1961 when Roger Maris hit 61 and Mickey Mantle blasted 54, few remember it was Killebrew in third with 46 (tied with Jim Gentile) and 122 RBI. The next three years saw HR totals of 48, 45 and 49. He led the AL in each season. Two of those seasons he led the majors. 

A dip to 25 in an injury shortened 1965 pennant winning season which saw him only play in 113 games, preceded a rebound to 39 in 1966. The following season it was a first place tie with 44 homers with Triple Crown Winner Carl Yastrzemski

The 1968 season was awful. It was thought an awkward stretch at first base in the All-Star Classic might be career ending. Killebrew was never the same during the season and played in only 100 games, hitting 17 homers and batting a lowly .210. 

You can see the video of the game in 1968 at this link, and the play where Killebrew got hurt is at 1:06:35 of the YouTube video. 
However, he would not be denied as he led the Twins to the AL West title in 1969. He rebounded to bang a league leading 49 homers, 140 RBI and a .276 BA. His league topping on-base percentage was an amazing .427 as he drew 145 walks (20 of them intentional)! At age 33 Killebrew played in all 162 games. It was the third time in his career he played in all of his club's games. He was named AL MVP for his efforts.

He followed up the decade with 41 more homers in 1970 but began to fade with age. When he called it a career, Harmon Killebrew finished with 573 home runs, 1584 RBI and 1559 bases on balls. His .256 lifetime BA was considered respectable for a slugger of his caliber. Six times he either led or tied for the league lead in home runs, nine times he drove in 100 or more runs, in seven seasons he drew over 100 walks and only once did he ever top the league in strikeouts. 

He played all but one season, his last, as a Washington Senator/Minnesota Twin (a final season in Kansas City) and after 22 seasons he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984. Harmon Killebrew died May 17, 2011. 


"NEW SPECIAL OFFER"
Need to get out of a baseball hitting slump, or a golf swing slump? Order my new book "Beating the Slump; An athlete's guide to a better career." See it on Amazon for only $5.99. That is for the Paperback, you can also order Kindle on that link. You can also order paperback copies directly from me via the email below for my other books.

You can get a signed paper back copy of the above book
"Tales of My Baseball Youth - a child of the sixties"
for $15 Shipping Included 
Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Thank you to those of you who purchased my book after reading this column.

Also: Please check out our new Western Short Film. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-gun-western-feature-film/#/

 
Please share this blog with your friends and colleagues and leave a comment at the bottom of the blog if you have one. Thank YOU VERY MUCH!! Please pick up a copy of my book "Tales of My Baseball Youth; A Child of the 60's" at www.bobbrillbooks.com, or on Amazon.     



Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Tommie Aaron, the Other Brother's Best Day

TRIVIA QUESTION: Who managed the Milwaukee Braves during the 1962 season?

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION IN THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: In 80 games at the age of 35, Bubba Morton was the only Angel to bat .300 or better with more than 100 at bats during the 1967 season. He hit .313 in 201 ABs. Morton's career average was .267. Jim Fregosi led the regulars hitting .290 that season. 

The Aaron Brothers (Hank and Tommie) are often the answer to a trivia question of which pair of brothers hit the most home runs in major league baseball. Of course with 755 for Hank and Tommie's 13, it was an obvious answer. Few remember the impact Tommie had however and perhaps being overshadowed by his much more talented brother pushes the point. Tommie was a good player in his own right but his most memorable game likely came during his rookie season; 1962.
Only a few more than 6000 people saw the Philadelphia Phillies invade County Stadium in Milwaukee Thursday afternoon, April 26, 1962. Few who were there would forget it because the home town Braves destroyed the visiting Phils 10-4 in an early season contest.


Tommie, who would play six different positions in his career including three in the outfield, was the lead-off hitter for Milwaukee facing Jack Hamilton. It was Tommie Aaron's game from the start. He led off the bottom of the first with a single. After Mack Jones grounded out sending Tommie to second and brother Hand K'd, Eddie Mathews singled him home with the first run of the game, 1-0. Mathews would come around to score on a Frank Bolling double giving the Braves a 2-0 lead.

The lead help up until the third when Don Demeter singled in a run to make it 2-1. Tommie struck out in the second but it was only one of two times Phil's pitchers got him out that day. In the fourth Bob Hendley singled home Joe Adcock making it 3-1 and Tommie came to the plate facing Hamilton again. This time with Roy McMillan on second and Hendley on first, Tommie belted a Hamilton pitch high and deep to left for a three run homer, 6-1 Braves.

  (Topps often used the same picture for many different years of cars.)
It was Tommie Aaron's first career home run and the first of 13 in his career. In the fifth Del Crandell doubled in two more and the route was on. In the inning Tommie moved from left field to first base after Adcock was lifted for a pinch runner. But he was not through.

In the sixth, Tommie again came up with Hendley on base and promptly tripled him home, scoring himself on a flyball by brother Hank. It was 10-1. In the eighth Tommie grounded out and when the final score was clocked in, the Braves beat the Phillies 10-4. 

For Tommie Aaron it was a career day. His first home run, and he lit up the box score going three for five, scoring three runs and had four RBI. He homered, singled and tripled, registering eight total bases. In his career he became the first sibling to join his brother in a league championship series. The 1962 season was by far his best. He hit eight homers and while only batting .231 he had 20 doubles and played in a career high 141 games. A third of his lifetime at bats, and more than half of his home runs came during his rookie season. He retired after the 1971 season with seven years in the big leagues.                                                      
       
  (While the video above may be a great day in Aaron's life there was one more)

Neither team did much with the Phils finishing in 7th, the Braves in 5th, but for Tommie Aaron that April day in 1962 was special. He died of leukemia at the age of only 45. 
 
"NEW SPECIAL OFFER"
Need to get out of a baseball hitting slump, or a golf swing slump? Order my new book "Beating the Slump; An athlete's guide to a better career." See it on Amazon for only $5.99. That is for the Paperback, you can also order Kindle on that link. You can also order paperback copies directly from me via the email below for my other books.

You can get a signed paper back copy of the above book
"Tales of My Baseball Youth - a child of the sixties"
for $15 Shipping Included 
Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Thank you to those of you who purchased my book after reading this column.

Also: Please check out our new Western Short Film. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-gun-western-feature-film/#/

 
Please share this blog with your friends and colleagues and leave a comment at the bottom of the blog if you have one. Thank YOU VERY MUCH!! Please pick up a copy of my book "Tales of My Baseball Youth; A Child of the 60's" at www.bobbrillbooks.com, or on Amazon.