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Post by my2cents on Jan 14, 2024 7:45:56 GMT -5
I’m continuing for 0 for a career question.
This one is a little obscure, by I’m not BAMNing it because that’s too easy. Lots of hints though.
So the question is what player has the most plate appearances without ever hitting a single?
Obviously, it’s a pitcher and not a starter.
Here’s the hints - had a 10 year career - played in the 50’s and 60’s -was great in the minors, but couldn’t translate it to the majors -played for 6 teams including the Yankees -had a great knuckleball - only had 1 hit, a double
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Post by Lefteroo on Jan 14, 2024 11:10:46 GMT -5
Bobby Tiefenauer?
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Post by my2cents on Jan 14, 2024 15:22:36 GMT -5
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Post by Lefteroo on Jan 14, 2024 15:31:38 GMT -5
Holy smokes, I'm stunned. I remember his knuckleball, and that he had a short stint with the Bombers. Time frame was right - I saw him pitch in person at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium in 1965 vs. Twins - he fit all your clues - so I threw him out there. Thrilled I got it right.
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Post by my2cents on Jan 14, 2024 16:35:37 GMT -5
Holy smokes, I'm stunned. I remember his knuckleball, and that he had a short stint with the Bombers. Time frame was right - I saw him pitch in person at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium in 1965 vs. Twins - he fit all your clues - so I threw him out there. Thrilled I got it right. He called the pitch a flutterball, which is faster than the typical knuckleball. Catchers hated to catch for him.
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Post by Lefteroo on Jan 15, 2024 14:17:00 GMT -5
His personal catcher in Cleveland was Phil Roof.
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Post by my2cents on Jan 16, 2024 6:06:26 GMT -5
His personal catcher in Cleveland was Phil Roof. Here’s some great stuff from SABR Teammates would not warm up Tiefenauer on the sidelines without a facemask. “Manager Bucky Harris was worried lest one of his catchers might get hurt trying to handle the knuckler.” In the first game of a doubleheader versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, catcher Hal Smith switched to an oversized mitt when Tiefenauer entered in the fifth inning. The mitt was designed by general manager Paul Richards to corral the fluttering knuckler but had little use otherwise. In the 7th inning future Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente attempted to score the go-ahead run by tagging from third base on a fly ball to right field. In a play previously rehearsed, Tiefenauer tossed his glove to Smith while the throw from Roman Mejias was still in the air. The catcher successfully tagged Clemente with the pitcher’s glove, preserving a 6-6 tie. Houston went on to score four runs in the next frame to provide Tiefenauer the win. They won the nightcap to register the first twin-bill sweep in Houston’s history.
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Post by jimbue2 on Jan 16, 2024 11:35:13 GMT -5
$hit lefty beat me to it … knuckleball was dead give away
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Post by Lefteroo on Jan 16, 2024 12:40:12 GMT -5
I knew you'd love seeing the names Bobby Tiefenauer and Phil Roof, Mike!! Glad I could put them up here. I LOVE the story that 2 cents posted about Tiefenauer and Hal Smith. Fabulous! I remember and have posted about Clint Courtney using the Paul Richards outsized mitt to catch Hoyt Wilhelm. In a game at Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle had homered for our first two runs, but we trailed 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth after a Jackie Brandt HR for Baltimore. We had a man on first and two out, and Mantle was up again. Hoyt induced a foul pop, but Courtney dropped it because of that mitt! Mantle homered on the next pitch, and we held on and won 4-3. I got so much pleasure from that sequence that I never forgot it. I found the account of the game - even mentions Courtney's drop. www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1960/B08150NYA1960.htm
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Post by my2cents on Jan 16, 2024 13:10:28 GMT -5
I knew you'd love seeing the names Bobby Tiefenauer and Phil Roof, Mike!! Glad I could put them up here. I LOVE the story that 2 cents posted about Tiefenauer and Hal Smith. Fabulous! I remember and have posted about Clint Courtney using the Paul Richards outsized mitt to catch Hoyt Wilhelm. In a game at Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle had homered for our first two runs, but we trailed 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth after a Jackie Brandt HR for Baltimore. We had a man on first and two out, and Mantle was up again. Hoyt induced a foul pop, but Courtney dropped it because of that mitt! Mantle homered on the next pitch, and we held on and won 4-3. I got so much pleasure from that sequence that I never forgot it. I found the account of the game - even mentions Courtney's drop. www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1960/B08150NYA1960.htmI figured this was a Lefty one. Baseball is such an interesting sport. I love what SABR is doing to add something beyond the stats. Some bio’s are better than others. Tiefenauer’s was a good one.
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