Over the weekend, I ran across an image posted on Facebook – – as I recall – – of Randy Johnson about to release a pitch with the caption that this was one of his 413 strikeouts in a previous MLB season. I thought to myself, “I don’t recall anyone ever striking out more than 400 batters in a season; if he did that there would have been a humongous hullabaloo and I would remember that.” Thank you, Google. It was not difficult to find a list of the MLB strikeout leaders by season and if you only consider the modern era – – post 1900 – – no pitcher ever struck out 400 batters in a season. Nolan Ryan struck out 383 batters in the 1973 season and that is the modern era record for strikeouts in a season.
However, that search and the verification that the image I saw was “fake news” did produce something I did not know and something I find interesting; the top 12 season leading totals for strikeouts in a season has the following entries:
- Randy Johnson is on the list 5 times
- Nolan Ryan is on the list 4 times.
- The other three pitchers on the list are Sandy Koufax (1965), Bob Feller (1946) and Rube Waddell (1904).
- Gerritt Cole is the only active pitcher who comes close to this “Top 12”. He is 14th on the list having struck out 326 batters in 2019.
Sticking with MLB stuff for the moment, Bob Costas announced that he will end his career of broadcasting MLB games after four-plus decades behind the microphone. His final game was the last one in the ALCS this year on TNT Sports. Costas is 72 years old, and his “retirement” only applies to play-by-play broadcasting. Costas will continue to be part of MLB network and will contribute to various studio programs on that network. I have always enjoyed Costas on the radio and on TV going all the way back to his time with Tony Kubek about 35 years ago.
I am sorry to know he will not be doing play-by-play anymore because I always thought he was outstanding in that endeavor. [Aside: I know it is bordering on blasphemy to say so, but I preferred to hear Costas than Scully doing a game.] However, I am glad to hear that he will still be involved with baseball communications on MLB Network and with some writing opportunities.
Have a great retirement, Good Sir. You have earned it and thank you for good works…
One more historical baseball note today … If you had a time machine – – like Mr. Peabody’s Wayback Machine – – you could set the date for July 2, 1963. A baseball game that day between the San Francisco Giants and the Milwaukee Braves provided a spectacle that has not been seen since then.
- The starting pitchers were Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn.
- At the end of the 15th inning, the score was tied 0-0 and both starting pitchers were still in the game.
- Marichal continued his shutout in the top of the 16th inning.
- With one out in the bottom of the 16tth inning, Spahn gave up a home run to Willie Mays to end the game 1-0.
- Warren Spahn threw 201 pitches in this game.
- Juan Marichal threw 227 pitches in this game.
In current baseball, managers get the vapors when a starting pitcher approaches 100 pitches in a game and/or must go through the batting order for a third time. According to the box score for that game, both pitchers went through the batting order 6 times and started on a seventh sojourn. Those were different times…
And speaking of “different times” let me close today with a quote from President Teddy Roosevelt. No US President would dare say this today:
“The reason fat men are so good natured is they can neither fight nor run.”
But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………
Curm, it’s likely one of those “Josh Gibson hit 800 homers” stats, where they count the barnstorming, etc. (though it only seems they do it for Gibson. Never add Ruth’s, etc. )
in 2001 he had 372 during the season, and 47 in the playoffs, for 419