Most of them were a while ago: the all-time leader is Lenny Harris with 927 games, then Mark Sweeney, Dave Hansen, Greg Gross, Vander Wal, Smoky Burgess from a bit earlier, Manny Mota.
And yet, the single-season record was shattered in 2017: 109 games pinch-hitting, that's 14 more than the previous record. If you remember who, there's no need to post a comment: anyone else can find the answer on the Marlins page. It's the man with 136 games and only 215 PA.
Sure, but you would never call him a 'pure' pinch-hitter (even if that was what he was for that particular season). '17 Marlins: talk about a throwback team, they also had a guy that stole 60 bases!
I never collected an entire season, but I did have an entire set of the 1974 “Washington N.L.“ cards ... which have since disappeared. Wish I still had them, not because I could sell them, but because they remind me of one of the many “baseball is coming back!“ moments in DC over the years.
I feel like these comments call for their own triple slash rate stats: Percent of ballplayers who were totally lying about this/ Percent of Topps stringers who understood the ballplayer they were talking to was lying/ Percent of Topps editors who understood they were about to print a gigantic fib for the young boys of America to believe. I'm going with: .550/.350/.175
So, like, if a guy's a true red ass who never talks to stringers, and the stringer has to invent a hobby because they're under orders not to return without a hobby for everyone on the 40-man roster, that doesn't show up in the first stat - it's like the Base on Balls of baseball card bubble comments - but that's why true sabermetricians know you need to look past the topline stat, because it still shows up in the second figure cuz the stringers know what's what.
Voros McCracken pointed out that pitchers don't really control whether Topps prints a little of the lie or a lot of it; turns out hurlers only (for the most part - there's debate about this) control truisms, total whoppers, and flat refusals to comments. So your more knowledgeable fan will look to an advanced stat like Fibs Intentionally Provided.
She is one of the people with the weird ability to know exactly what she was doing on any specific date in her life. Like, if you said "November 12, 1974" she can instantly recall it.
She was on Letterman once in the 80s or early 90s, and they were talking about that. Letterman started giving out famous dates like "November 22, 1963" and "July 4, 1976." Then he did the date of the moon landing, July 20, 1969. And Henner got a shocked look on her face. She then revealed that that was the day she lost her virginity.
I remembered watching it, but it was on her Wikipedia page for a while (may still be) and there are various references to it on the web. I think when I first wrote this in 2007 it was a running gag on my old blog, so a link, rather than an explanation, was appropriate.
That’s where I thought you were going. I was impressed by Jerry Lucas’ ability to recall numbers from the Manhattan phone book on Johnny Carson. I bought his “Jerry Lucas Memory Book” to learn his system. It didn’t stick. One day my wife yelled to me “You forgot your Memory Book” as I left without it.
This also happened on the Bob Costas late-night interview program, LATER. One of the most-played moments when the show was lazy and ran episodes of just clips.
I've heard her in other interviews get quizzed on random dates. She usually immediately recalls the day of the week, what she had to eat, where she was, etc. It's really remarkable. But I didn't know when she lost her virginity. The things I learn from this baseball newsletter, I swear.
I'm "working" on completing 1953 Bowman (color), 1965 & 1966 Topps, in between buying and selling old SIs (many signed). It's a great hobby, but even during the shutdown nothing eclipses working on the house, which is more a full-time job than a "hobby."
"from December 2007, back when no one read me at all."
I did!
I remember back then, not understanding the Kato Kaelin reference even after googling everyone. Does Curt still see Andy McCluskey? Maybe he could ask Andy if he knows anything about the axe murder at the house across the road from Andy's school in 1966?
I am trying to remember how I first came across Shysterball in 2007. Maybe Buster Olney on ESPN.com- he did lots of lists of interesting baseball writing on the web.
Curt no longer sees Andy McCluskey. The connection was that Curt's GF of 20+ years was childhood friends with McCluskey's wife Toni. Because Toni is from San Diego, McCluskey and her lived there much of the year, raised their son there, etc. Curt and his GF would hang out with the McCluskeys a fair amount. Lived with them for several months when his house was having mold abated. Curt babysat Andy's son for many years.
McCluskey and Toni divorced a few years back, so Andy dropped out of the scene. Curt still sees the son, who is in his 20s now, from time to time.
2) I read Craig's stuff when he wrote for Bull Magazine, way back in 2002. Have no idea how I found Bull Magazine, but I did end up notifying Rob Neyer how good it was -- who for some reasons was reading my emails. So suspect you got the Shysterball links from one of Neyer's ESPN posts.
I have a complete set of 1974 Topps that I bought on ebay years ago because that was the set I collected the most when I was a kid. I like the flags on the borders and the whole layout in general. They also have the comics on the backs.
Dave [Winfield] was born on same day Bobby Thompson hit his NL pennant-winning homer. (Picture of stork with baby hanging from mouth and a baseball flying past it)
Nolan [Ryan] operates a sporting goods store in the off-season. (Baseball player with a football trophy.)
Reminds me of when most teams had roster spots for 'pure' pinch-hitters. Who was the last one? Sweeney?
John Vander Wal (Pirates) was one.
Most of them were a while ago: the all-time leader is Lenny Harris with 927 games, then Mark Sweeney, Dave Hansen, Greg Gross, Vander Wal, Smoky Burgess from a bit earlier, Manny Mota.
And yet, the single-season record was shattered in 2017: 109 games pinch-hitting, that's 14 more than the previous record. If you remember who, there's no need to post a comment: anyone else can find the answer on the Marlins page. It's the man with 136 games and only 215 PA.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIA/2017.shtml
Sure, but you would never call him a 'pure' pinch-hitter (even if that was what he was for that particular season). '17 Marlins: talk about a throwback team, they also had a guy that stole 60 bases!
I never collected an entire season, but I did have an entire set of the 1974 “Washington N.L.“ cards ... which have since disappeared. Wish I still had them, not because I could sell them, but because they remind me of one of the many “baseball is coming back!“ moments in DC over the years.
https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/1974-topps-washington-nationals-the-year-topps-jumped-the-gun/
“Topps — 12/23/2007” : Brothers :: “Field of Dreams” : Fathers
Better go call my brother today...
I feel like these comments call for their own triple slash rate stats: Percent of ballplayers who were totally lying about this/ Percent of Topps stringers who understood the ballplayer they were talking to was lying/ Percent of Topps editors who understood they were about to print a gigantic fib for the young boys of America to believe. I'm going with: .550/.350/.175
So, like, if a guy's a true red ass who never talks to stringers, and the stringer has to invent a hobby because they're under orders not to return without a hobby for everyone on the 40-man roster, that doesn't show up in the first stat - it's like the Base on Balls of baseball card bubble comments - but that's why true sabermetricians know you need to look past the topline stat, because it still shows up in the second figure cuz the stringers know what's what.
Bullshit Anecdotes/Oral Bullshit Perceived/Sluggers' Lies Gainsaid
Voros McCracken pointed out that pitchers don't really control whether Topps prints a little of the lie or a lot of it; turns out hurlers only (for the most part - there's debate about this) control truisms, total whoppers, and flat refusals to comments. So your more knowledgeable fan will look to an advanced stat like Fibs Intentionally Provided.
I don’t get the Marilu Henner reference
She is one of the people with the weird ability to know exactly what she was doing on any specific date in her life. Like, if you said "November 12, 1974" she can instantly recall it.
She was on Letterman once in the 80s or early 90s, and they were talking about that. Letterman started giving out famous dates like "November 22, 1963" and "July 4, 1976." Then he did the date of the moon landing, July 20, 1969. And Henner got a shocked look on her face. She then revealed that that was the day she lost her virginity.
I remembered watching it, but it was on her Wikipedia page for a while (may still be) and there are various references to it on the web. I think when I first wrote this in 2007 it was a running gag on my old blog, so a link, rather than an explanation, was appropriate.
That’s where I thought you were going. I was impressed by Jerry Lucas’ ability to recall numbers from the Manhattan phone book on Johnny Carson. I bought his “Jerry Lucas Memory Book” to learn his system. It didn’t stick. One day my wife yelled to me “You forgot your Memory Book” as I left without it.
This also happened on the Bob Costas late-night interview program, LATER. One of the most-played moments when the show was lazy and ran episodes of just clips.
Ah, maybe I'm confusing it with that then. I can see that being on Costas rather than Letterman.
Found the Costas clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UidGrceG5Z8
I've heard her in other interviews get quizzed on random dates. She usually immediately recalls the day of the week, what she had to eat, where she was, etc. It's really remarkable. But I didn't know when she lost her virginity. The things I learn from this baseball newsletter, I swear.
I'm "working" on completing 1953 Bowman (color), 1965 & 1966 Topps, in between buying and selling old SIs (many signed). It's a great hobby, but even during the shutdown nothing eclipses working on the house, which is more a full-time job than a "hobby."
Mike Torrez getting the 1973 BSOHL award.
"from December 2007, back when no one read me at all."
I did!
I remember back then, not understanding the Kato Kaelin reference even after googling everyone. Does Curt still see Andy McCluskey? Maybe he could ask Andy if he knows anything about the axe murder at the house across the road from Andy's school in 1966?
I am trying to remember how I first came across Shysterball in 2007. Maybe Buster Olney on ESPN.com- he did lots of lists of interesting baseball writing on the web.
An old-timer!
Curt no longer sees Andy McCluskey. The connection was that Curt's GF of 20+ years was childhood friends with McCluskey's wife Toni. Because Toni is from San Diego, McCluskey and her lived there much of the year, raised their son there, etc. Curt and his GF would hang out with the McCluskeys a fair amount. Lived with them for several months when his house was having mold abated. Curt babysat Andy's son for many years.
McCluskey and Toni divorced a few years back, so Andy dropped out of the scene. Curt still sees the son, who is in his 20s now, from time to time.
1) Fun piece!
2) I read Craig's stuff when he wrote for Bull Magazine, way back in 2002. Have no idea how I found Bull Magazine, but I did end up notifying Rob Neyer how good it was -- who for some reasons was reading my emails. So suspect you got the Shysterball links from one of Neyer's ESPN posts.
https://web.archive.org/web/20020802002319/http://www.bullmag.com/index.php
I read this and then fell back asleep. I dreamt of additional jobs Curt went on to: bowling alley owner/manager and VCR repairman
I have a complete set of 1974 Topps that I bought on ebay years ago because that was the set I collected the most when I was a kid. I like the flags on the borders and the whole layout in general. They also have the comics on the backs.
Dave [Winfield] was born on same day Bobby Thompson hit his NL pennant-winning homer. (Picture of stork with baby hanging from mouth and a baseball flying past it)
Nolan [Ryan] operates a sporting goods store in the off-season. (Baseball player with a football trophy.)
I might update the Josh Wilker link to the current incarnation: https://cardboardgods.net/