Highlighted Year: Charlie “Togie” Pittinger, 1902

Pitcher, Boston Beaneaters

Age: 30

3^rd season with Beaneaters

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 175 

Prior to 1902:

A native of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, Charles Pittinger played semipro baseball where he demonstrated an outstanding fastball in addition to bouts of wildness. He also developed an effective curve. In 1895 he pitched in the Cumberland Valley League with Martinsburg and Carlisle. Signing with Roanoke of the Virginia League in 1896 he was released after one appearance and he returned to the Cumberland Valley League with the Chambersburg Maroons where he posted a 5-7 record and 2.91 ERA with 10 complete games and 44 strikeouts over 99 innings pitched. Late in August he joined Milton of the Central Pennsylvania League where he finished out the year. Starting 1897 with a town team in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Pittinger excelled and moved on to Brockton of the New England League where he produced a 14-4 tally and 1.01 ERA with 16 complete games and 52 strikeouts over 170 innings. Signed by the Beaneaters for 1898, during spring training he was notified of his wife’s illness and went home to care for her and their daughters. Farmed out to Brockton, Pittinger went 6-0 in seven appearances and returned to Boston, where he went unused before joining a semipro team in August. Requesting that the Beaneaters trade or release him, the club turned down offers for him and he was sent to the Springfield Ponies of the Eastern League in 1899, where he compiled a 9-5 record before leaving the team for the remainder of the season due to another apparent episode of bad health on the part of his wife. He stuck with Boston in 1900 and although the pattern of family illness again caused his departure from the club, he returned in June and was sent down to Worcester of the Eastern League where he went 13-5 with 18 complete games. Returning to the Beaneaters in September he experienced difficulties and finished with a major league record of 2-9 with a 5.13 ERA. Actively shopped in the offseason, Pittinger returned to Boston in 1901 and showed improvement as he compiled a 13-16 tally for the fifth-place club with a 3.01 ERA, 27 complete games, and 129 strikeouts over 281.1 innings. Along the way he suffered a scare when hit in the head by a batted ball in a game against Brooklyn. Although he lost consciousness, he was back in action a few days later. Having received overtures from the American League, he signed a contract with the Beaneaters for 1902. Despite an imposing physique and apart from his nickname of “Togie”, he was regularly mocked in the press for his appearance and called “Horse Face” and “Dog Face”.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 46 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 46 [2]

Games Started – 40 [2]

Complete Games – 36 [2]

Wins – 27 [2, tied with Vic Willis]

Losses – 16 [8, tied with Bill Phillips, Pop Williams & Henry Thielman]

PCT - .628 [9]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 7 [4]

Innings Pitched – 389.1 [2]

Hits – 360 [2]

Runs – 139 [4]

Earned Runs – 109 [2]

Home Runs – 4 [3, tied with Frank Kitson, Mal Eason & Luther Taylor]

Bases on Balls – 128 [1]

Strikeouts – 174 [3]

ERA – 2.52 [17]

Hit Batters – 16 [3]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 6 [10, tied with four others]

League-leading bases on balls issued were +17 ahead of runner-up Bill Donovan

Midseason Snapshot: 11-8, ERA - 3.15, SO - 78 in 168.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis Cardinals 9/10

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 6/14

Batting

PA – 153, AB – 147, R – 6, H – 20, 2B – 1, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 10, BB – 1, SO – 56, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .136, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 4, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 109

Put Outs – 20

Assists – 83

Errors – 6

DP – 2

Pct. - .945

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The Beaneaters (aka Nationals) went 73-64 to finish third in the NL, 30.5 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in saves (4, tied with St. Louis Cardinals) & bases on balls issued (372). The slow-starting Beaneaters finished May in fourth place at 15-19 before rallying in June and July to advance to third at 42-37. A lesser performance in August and September, during which Pittinger went 7-7, locked the club into its third-place finish.

Aftermath of 1902:

Strongly pursued by American League clubs during the 1902 season, Pittinger signed a two-year contract with the Beaneaters at $4000 per year. Prior to 1903 spring training, he injured his arm while practicing with the Dickinson College baseball team and went on to post a disappointing 18-22 record and 3.48 ERA with 35 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 140 strikeouts over 351.2 innings while also leading the league with his 22 losses and in hits allowed (396), home runs allowed (12), and walks issued (143), while also unleashing 14 wild pitches. Furthermore, off the field in a family tragedy, Pittinger’s oldest daughter died. With the Beaneaters disappointed in Pittinger’s pitching performance, he returned in 1904 and had a marginally better season as he compiled a 15-21 tally and 2.66 ERA with 35 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 146 strikeouts over 335.1 innings although he still topped the circuit in walks issued (144). In the offseason, his relationship with the Beaneaters having soured beyond repair, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. On the field with the Phillies in 1905, Pittinger had a fine season, tying for the most pitching appearances in the NL with 46 and posting a 23-14 record with a 3.09 ERA, 29 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 136 strikeouts over 337.1 innings. Off the field there was another tragedy as his wife died from a heart ailment. He held out in 1906 and missed spring training and further lost time due to health problems on his way to a disappointing 8-10 tally and 3.40 ERA in only 20 appearances. Initially refusing to sign with the Phillies for 1907, Pittinger threatened to jump to the Tri-State League but finally reported to the Phillies and went 9-5 with a 3.00 ERA until the effects of diabetes caused him to leave the club and ended his career at age 35.For his major league career he produced a 115-113 record with a 3.10 ERA, 187 complete games, 23 shutouts, and 832 strikeouts and 734 walks over 2040.2 innings. With Boston he went 75-84 with a 3.08 ERA, 141 complete games, 16 shutouts, and 616 strikeouts and 545 walks over 1471.2 innings. Following his playing career he operated a restaurant and grocery store in Carlisle, Pennsylvnia prior to his death from the effects of diabetes in 1909 at age 37, his short life having been mired in tragedy and controversy. 

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Omar Daal, 1999

Pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks

Age: 27

2^nd season with Diamondbacks

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 160 

Prior to 1999:

A native of Venezuela, Daal lived in Maracaibo until age 12 when his family moved to Valencia. Playing youth baseball and proving to be mediocre as a first baseman and outfielder, he took up pitching with far better results. After pitching for a minor league club, he advanced to the Magallenas where he drew the interest of a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers who signed him to a contract at age 18. Initially a relief pitcher with minor league teams in the Dominican Republic and the Venezuelan winter league, he also was given the opportunity to start on occasion. Daal had an ordinary fastball and excellent curve which he delivered with good control. He would also develop a slider and changeup. With teams at the Class AA and AAA levels in 1993, he appeared in 47 games (all but 5 in relief) and produced a 2-8 record with 5 saves and a 5.45 ERA. He started the 1993 season with Albuquerque of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League but the 21-year-old southpaw was soon called up to the Dodgers, who were in need of a lefthander in the bullpen. He stuck with LA for the remainder of the season, strictly as a reliever, and went 2-3 with a 5.09 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 35.1 innings pitched. Daal split time between Albuquerque and the Dodgers in the strike-shortened 1994 season and with the Dodgers appeared in 24 games of short relief out of the bullpen and produced no decisions while compiling a 3.29 ERA and 9 strikeouts over 13.2 innings. It was more of the same in 1995 as he appeared in 28 games for the Dodgers and posted a 4-0 tally, albeit with a 7.20 ERA. Daal was traded to the Montreal Expos in the offseason. With his new club in 1996, Daal was very effective out of the bullpen until encountering a rough spot in mid-August. In the season’s last month he was given the opportunity to start and finished with 64 appearances, 6 of them starts, resulting in a 4-5 record and 4.02 ERA with 82 strikeouts over 87.1 innings. Optimistic coming into 1997, the situation turned sour in Montreal and he was waived following 33 relief appearances that resulted in a 1-2 tally and astronomical 9.79 ERA. Picked up by the Toronto Blue Jays, he was sent down to Syracuse of the Class AAA International League where he went 3-0 with an 0.53 ERA in five starts and was called up to Toronto as a starter/reliever with decent results. Taken by the Diamondbacks in the expansion draft for the 1998 season, he became part of the starting rotation when LHP Joel Adamson was sidelined by a torn rotator cuff and went on to post an 8-12 record and 2.88 ERA with 3 complete games that included a shutout and 132 strikeouts over 162.2 innings. He received a two-year contract extension for $6 million.

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in 32 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 32

Games Started – 32

Complete Games – 2 [16, tied with nineteen others]

Wins – 16 [10, tied with Shane Reynolds & Pete Harnisch]

Losses – 9

PCT - .640 [16]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [8, tied with twenty-one others]

Innings Pitched – 214.2 [11]

Hits – 188

Runs – 92

Earned Runs – 87

Home Runs – 21

Bases on Balls – 79 [15]

Strikeouts – 148 [18, tied with Jason Schmidt]

ERA – 3.65 [10]

Hit Batters – 7 [18, tied with eight others]

Balks – 2 [10, tied with fifteen others]

Wild Pitches – 3

Midseason Snapshot: 8-5, ERA - 3.47, SO - 91 in 124.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 8 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 6/8

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) vs. LA Dodgers 7/23

Batting

PA – 77, AB – 69, R – 8, H – 16, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 2, SO – 10, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .232, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 6, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 49

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 34

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .959

Postseason Pitching: G – 1 (NLDS vs. NY Mets)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, ERA – 6.75, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 4, H – 6, R – 3, ER – 3, HR – 0, BB – 3, SO – 4, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

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The Diamondbacks went 100-62 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 14 games over the San Francisco Giants in their second season of existence. The Diamondbacks overcame a poor 1-5 start that featured three ninth-inning blown saves and were 40-26 atop the NL West by June 16. A slump heading into July was ended by a trade for RHP Matt Mantei, who became the closer in the bullpen. The club regained its footing, taking over first place to stay on July 24 and clinching the division title on Sept. 24. Lost NLDS to New York Mets, 3 games to 1.

Aftermath of 1999:

Things went wrong for Daal in 2000 and he had a 2-10 record and 7.22 ERA when he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in July as part of the deal for RHP Curt Schilling. The move to Philadelphia provided a boost to Daal’s confidence but he still ended up with a 4-19 tally and 6.14 ERA with 96 strikeouts over 167 innings while he gave up 208 hits. As a fifth starter in 2001, Daal produced a 13-7 record and 4.46 ERA with 107 strikeouts over 185.2 innings. Traded back to the Dodgers in the offseason, he was utilized as a starter and long reliever in 2002 and went 11-9 with a 3.90 ERA and 105 strikeouts over 161.1 innings. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles where a sore arm hindered his performance and sidelined him for three months. Following rotator cuff surgery, he missed the 2004 season and retired at 31 after drawing interest from Japanese teams and not having recovered his ability to pitch. For his major league career, Daal compiled a 68-78 record in 392 appearances,164 of which were starts. He produced a 4.55 ERA with 5 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 806 strikeouts over 1198.2 innings. With the Diamondbacks he appeared in 85 games, 71 of them starts, and went 26-31 with a 4.11 ERA, all 5 of his complete games and both shutouts, and 325 strikeouts over 473.1 innings. His start against the Mets in the 1999 NLDS marked his only postseason action.  

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20), pitching wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10), or have been participants in the annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Rusty Staub, 1970

Outfielder, Montreal Expos

Age: 26 (April 1)

2^nd season with Expos

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1970:

A native of New Orleans, the red-haired Daniel Joseph Staub received the nickname of “Rusty” as an infant. He played on the New Orleans Jesuit High School baseball team as a first baseman while his brother Chuck was in center field. His American Legion team won the national championship in 1960 and Jesuit High School won the Louisiana AAA title in 1961. He signed a contract with the Houston Colt .45s, who were a year away from joining the National League as an expansion team, for a $100,000 bonus. After hitting well in the Arizona Fall League in ’61, Staub was assigned to the Durham Bulls of the Class B Carolina League where he had an excellent season, batting .293 with a league-leading 23 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .430 OBP, and a .483 slugging percentage. The 19-year-old Staub started the 1963 season with Houston following a strong spring showing, and with veteran Pete Runnels at first base, Staub started the year in right field. He struggled during his rookie season and hit .224 with 17 doubles, 6 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .309 OBP. A poor start in 1964 caused Staub to be sent down to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .314 in 71 games with 20 home runs, 45 RBIs, a .427 OBP, and a .646 slugging percentage. Returning to the Colt .45s in September he finished the major league portion of his season with a .216 batting average (up from .202 when he was demoted), 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a .272 OBP. Houston had been emphasizing youth in its team building, of which Staub was a key component. The renamed club moved into the Astrodome in 1965 and Staub started off slowly but came on to hit .281 in the season’s second half to finish at .256 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .339 OBP. His batting production was far better on the road than in the spacious new ballpark, and like other outfielders he struggled to keep track of fly balls against the dome’s background. Staub showed great improvement in 1966, batting .280 with 28 doubles, 13 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a .345 OBP. In the field, his 13 assists placed second among NL right fielders and demonstrated the strength of his throwing arm. He was an All-Star for the first time in 1967 as, with his outstanding swing and line-drive power, he led the NL with 44 doubles while hitting .333 with 10 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .398 OBP, and .473 slugging percentage. As the Astrodome was not conducive to home run hitters, Staub tailored his swing accordingly. Staub held out for eight days in 1968 before signing a $45,000 contract. Shifted to first base he batted .291 with 37 doubles, 6 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .373 OBP, and was again an All-Star. Having run afoul of manager Harry Walker, Staub was traded during the offseason to the expansion Expos, where he returned to right field. In the first season of divisional play in the NL and AL, the first year club finished in the NL East cellar. Typically pitching challenged, they were unable to make the most of the power displayed by outfielders Mack Jones and Staub, plus the surprising rookie third baseman Coco Laboy. Staub batted .302 with 26 doubles, 5 triples, 29 home runs, 79 RBIs, a .426 OBP, and a .526 slugging percentage. He was Montreal’s lone All-Star representative.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

RF – 160, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 699 [9]

At Bats – 569

Runs – 98 [15, tied with Willie McCovey]

Hits – 156

Doubles – 23

Triples – 7 [17, tied with five others]

Home Runs – 30 [12]

RBI – 94 [15, tied with Lee May]

Bases on Balls – 112 [2]

Int. BB – 11 [11, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 93

Stolen Bases – 12 [19, tied with Cleon Jones, Pete Rose & Don Kessinger]

Caught Stealing – 11 [9, tied with Matty Alou & Tony Taylor]

Average - .274

OBP - .394 [8, tied with Ken Henderson & Jim Wynn]

Slugging Pct. - .497 [17]

Total Bases – 283 [15]

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 11 [4, tied with Carl Morton & Pat Jarvis]

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, 3B – 3, HR – 15, RBI – 55, AVG – .293, SLG – .517, OBP - .430

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 5/30 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at NY Mets 7/11, (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 8/1, (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 8/1 (total 4 HR in double-header), (in 5 AB) at Houston 8/14

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Atlanta 6/6

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 3 (.667)

Fielding

Chances – 327

Put Outs – 308

Assists – 14

Errors – 5

DP – 4

Pct. - .985

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The second-year Expos went 73-89 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Eastern Division, 16 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates, while leading the league in fewest hits (1284), and lowest batting average (.237). Going 1-10 to start the season, the Expos quickly found themselves in the NL East cellar. With a lack of hitting to back up some decent pitching, the club surprisingly broke even in July and had a winning record in September. But after rising to fifth place on Sept. 30, a loss in the season finale sealed their last-place finish.

Aftermath of 1970:

Immensely popular in Montreal and called “Le Grand Orange” by the French-speaking fans, Staub became an active promoter of the young club throughout Canada, developed several business sidelines in the city, took classes in French, and even became a wine connoisseur and chef. He played in all 162 games for the Expos in 1971 despite a wrist injury and hit .311 with 34 doubles, 19 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .392 OBP, and a .482 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the fifth straight year (including all three in Montreal). But while he was prospering on the field, the Expos were not and in 1972 Staub was dealt to the New York Mets for three young players (SS Tim Foli, 1B Mike Jorgensen, and OF Ken Singleton). He performed well for the Mets in 1972 until suffering a broken wrist when hit by a pitch in June. The injury required surgery that effectively ended his season. Limited to 66 games he batted .293 with 9 home runs, 38 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .452 slugging percentage. Back in action in 1973, Staub hit .279 with 36 doubles, 15 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .361 OBP. The Mets, who were in last place in the NL East in early August, surged to the division title, albeit with only an 82-79 record. They defeated Cincinnati in the NLCS, helped in no small part by Staub’s three home runs. Injuring his shoulder when hitting the outfield fence following a key catch in Game 4, his throwing was hindered in the seven-game World Series loss to the Oakland Athletics, although he batted .423 with 11 hits that included a home run. In 1974, struggling with his weight and an assortment of injuries, he hit a disappointing .258 with 19 home runs, 78 RBIs, and a .347 OBP. His production improved in 1975 to .282 with 19 home runs, 105 RBIs, a .371 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. In the offseason, the Mets dealt Staub to the Detroit Tigers in a four-player trade that most prominently included LHP Mickey Lolich, going from Detroit to New York. While Lolich flopped with the Mets in 1976, Staub prospered with his new club, batting .299 with 28 doubles, 15 home runs, 96 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a .433 slugging percentage. Utilized exclusively as a Designated Hitter in 1977, but despite being unhappy at not playing in the outfield, his bat remained productive as he hit .278 with 34 doubles, 22 home runs, 101 RBIs, a .336 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. Staub was still a DH exclusively in 1978 and was again productive, batting .273 with 30 doubles, 24 home runs, 121 RBIs, a .347 OBP, and a slugging percentage of .435. Seeking a contract extension, Staub held out in 1979 and threatened to retire to run his restaurant in New York. He eventually rejoined the club in May but by July 20 he was hitting only .236 with 9 home runs and 40 RBIs. Staub was traded back to the Expos at that point, who were now contenders in the NL East. Used primarily as a first baseman and pinch-hitter upon his return to Montreal, he batted .267 in 38 games with 3 homers and 14 RBIs. During spring training in 1980, Staub was dealt once again, this time to the Texas Rangers where he again found himself typically appearing as a DH. Playing in 109 games he hit .300 with 23 doubles, 9 home runs, 55 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .459 slugging percentage. A free agent in the offseason, Staub finished out his career with the Mets from 1981 to ’85 as a pinch-hitter and backup at first base. His .317 batting average in 1981 was his best of those last seasons with the Mets, and he hit a total of 13 home runs with 102 RBIs during those seasons as well. For his major league career, Staub batted .279 with 2716 hits that included 499 doubles, 47 triples, and 292 home runs. He scored 1189 runs and compiled 1466 RBIs, a .362 OBP, and a .431 slugging percentage. With the Expos he batted .295 with 290 runs scored, 531 hits, 86 doubles, 18 triples, 81 home runs, 284 RBIs, a .402 OBP, and a .497 slugging percentage. Appearing in 11 postseason games he hit .341 with 4 homers and 11 RBIs. A six-time All-Star, Staub finished in the top 20 in league MVP voting four times. He also became the first major league player to reach 500 hits with four different teams. The Expos (now Washington Nationals) retired his #10 and he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, the New York Mets Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Beyond his playing career he operated two restaurants in New York and became a broadcaster for radio and telecasts of Mets games for several seasons. He also set up two charitable foundations, the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children Benefit Fund and the Rusty Staub Foundation to assist food pantries. Staub died in 2018 at the age of 73.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason. 

Highlighted Year: Dave Lemanczyk, 1979

Pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays

Age: 29 (Aug. 17)

3^rd season with Blue Jays

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 235 

Prior to 1979:

A native of Syracuse, New York, Lemanczyk (pronounced Leh-MAN-chick) was a star quarterback at Westhill High School, but preferred baseball, where he was primarily a catcher on the school team,  and basketball. After graduating from high school in 1968 he moved on to Hartwick College where he played basketball in addition to baseball. In his first college start he pitched a one-hitter with 15 strikeouts and went on to set a school record with 70 strikeouts as a senior. Lemanczyk, who majored in history, world religion and philosophy, graduated in 1972 and was drafted and signed by the Detroit Tigers. Initially assigned to Lakeland of the Class A Florida State League, the hard-throwing Lemanczyk posted an impressive 7-1 record and a 1.77 ERA with 55 strikeouts over 66 innings before being promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League where he went 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 80 innings. A fine Grapefruit League performance earned him a spot on Detroit’s opening day roster in 1973. Following an unimpressive relief performance in his first major league appearance, Lemanczyk was returned to Toledo, where he experienced difficulties and was demoted to the Montgomery Rebels of the Class AA Southern League where he returned to form and went 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA that included a no-hitter against Asheville. Returning to Toledo, he narrowly missed tossing another no-hitter and he finished with a combined minor league record of 9-9 with a 4.19 ERA, 4 shutouts, and 112 strikeouts over 144 innings pitched. After another strong spring performance in 1974, Lemanczyk started the season in Class Triple AAA with the Evansville Triplets of the American Association. He was called up to the Tigers a month into the season. Rarely used during his first five weeks with the club and prone to giving up home runs, his performance suddenly improved during July. Starting three times in 22 appearances he ended up with a 2-1 tally and 4.00 ERA with 10 games finished and 52 strikeouts over 78.2 innings. Typically used out of the bullpen in 1975 (6 of his 26 appearances were starts), Lemanczyk posted a 2-7 record and 4.46 ERA for the woeful Tigers. Sent down to Evansville in 1976, he returned to Detroit in June and while starting in 10 of his 20 appearances, Lemanczyk went 4-6 with a 5.09 ERA and 51 strikeouts over 81.1 innings. In the offseason he was selected by the Blue Jays in the AL expansion draft and secured a spot in the new club’s starting rotation in the spring. Personable and prone to be candid, the tall and husky Lemanczyk’s best pitch was his fastball, which he threw at variable speeds. He went on to top Toronto’s pitchers in wins with his 13-16 record in 1977 along with a 4.25 ERA, 11 complete games, and 105 strikeouts over 252 innings. With a penchant for occasional wildness, he also unleashed 20 wild pitches. A dreadful start in 1978 caused Lemanczyk to be demoted to the bullpen where he went on to finish with a 4-14 tally and 6.26 ERA in 29 appearances that included 20 starts. Six weeks pitching in the Florida Instructional League during the offseason helped to fix his mechanics and confidence as he prepared for the 1979 season.

1979 Season Summary

Appeared in 22 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 22

Games Started – 20

Complete Games – 11 [17, tied with Paul Splittorff]

Wins – 8

Losses – 10

PCT - .444

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [6, tied with seven others]

Innings Pitched – 143

Hits – 137

Runs – 65

Earned Runs – 59

Home Runs – 12

Bases on Balls – 45

Strikeouts – 63

ERA – 3.71 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 6 [11, tied with six others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 11 [4, tied with Tom Underwood & Tommy John]

Midseason Snapshot: 7-7, ERA - 3.33, SO – 56 in 127 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 9 IP) vs. Cleveland 5/21

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at Texas 4/24

Fielding

Chances – 34

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 20

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .941

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Blue Jays went 53-109 to finish seventh (last) in the AL Eastern Division, 50.5 games behind the division-winning Baltimore Orioles. The pitching staff led the league in highest ERA (4.82), fewest saves (11) & most runs surrendered (862) The Blue Jays went through a dismal stretch between April 15 and June 5 in which they produced a 9-39 record which entrenched them in the AL East cellar. Lemanczyk performed well until an inflamed nerve in his back that was first detected in June later cost him all feeling in his right leg. Placed on the DL in August, he returned in September and was mostly ineffective in his remaining appearance.

 Aftermath of 1979:

Seemingly healthy heading into 1980, Lemanczyk got off to a disappointing start and was traded to the California Angels in June where he spent the remainder of the season almost exclusively in the bullpen. A strong finish didn’t prevent him from being released in the offseason. His combined record was 4-9 in 31 appearances with a 4.75 ERA. Invited to spring training with the Chicago White Sox in 1981, he failed to make the team and suffered a similar fate with the New York Yankees, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career, Lemanczyk appeared in 185 games, 103 of them starts, and produced a 37-63 record and 4.62 ERA with 30 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 429 strikeouts over 913 innings. With the Blue Jays he appeared in 95 games with 82 starts, 25 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 240 strikeouts over 575 innings. His All-Star selection in 1979 was the only one of his career and he never played in the postseason. Following his major league career, he participated in the Men’s Senior Baseball League in 1988 and he operated a baseball training center in Lynbrook, New York. Lemanczyk was named to the Hartwick College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995, the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, and the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013. 

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

 

Highlighted Year: Chuck Hinton, 1964

Outfielder, Washington Senators

Age:  30 (May 3)

4^th season with Senators

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1964:

A native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Hinton became known as an athlete with good speed in his youth. While attending the segregated Booker T. Washington High School, he played American Legion baseball. Moving on to Shaw University in Raleigh on a baseball scholarship, Hinton also played football and basketball. Following a tryout in Washington during the summer of 1956, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles for $200 a month plus a $500 bonus. Assigned to the Phoenix Stars of the Class C Arizona-Mexico League as a reserve catcher, in 29 games he batted .271 with a .340 on-base percentage. He went to the outfield after the injured starting backstop he was covering for returned to action. Drafted into the Army, Hinton missed the next two seasons although he kept honing his baseball skills. Returning to action in 1959 with Aberdeen of the Class C Northern League, he was used primarily in the outfield due to his speed and strong throwing arm and batted .358 with 22 doubles, 7 triples, 20 home runs, 108 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, a .443 OBP, and a .551 slugging percentage. Hinton started the 1960 season with the Vancouver Mounties of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, but when his production sagged he was sent back to Class C and Stockton of the California League where he hit a league-best .369 with 22 doubles, 7 triples, 20 home runs, 88 RBIs, 34 stolen bases, a .477 OBP, and a .628 slugging percentage. Selected by the Senators in the AL expansion draft in the offseason, he started the 1961 season with Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association and was called up to Washington in May. Filling a need for a righthanded-hitting outfielder, Hinton saw significant playing time and batted .260 with 13 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs, 22 steals, and a .337 OBP. He broke out in 1962 to contend for the league batting title until late in the season while hitting .310 with 25 doubles, 6 triples, 17 home runs, 75 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, a .361 OBP, and a .472 slugging percentage. Hinton had a disappointing season in 1963, capped by a September beaning that knocked him out of action for two weeks and left him with vision problems. He ended up batting .269 with 20 doubles, 12 triples, 15 home runs, 55 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, a .340 OBP, and a .426 slugging percentage. A fan of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, he expressed an interest in playing pro football in addition to baseball, a desire which went unrealized.

1964 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

LF – 131, 3B – 2, PH – 6, PR – 3, 3B – 2, CF – 1, RF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 575

At Bats – 514

Runs – 71

Hits – 141

Doubles – 25 [16, tied with eight others]

Triples – 7 [7, tied with Dick McAuliffe]

Home Runs – 11

RBI – 53

Bases on Balls – 57

Int. BB – 7 [15, tied with eight others]

Strikeouts – 77

Stolen Bases – 17 [5]

Caught Stealing – 6 [8, tied with Tony Oliva, Chico Salmon & Mike Hershberger]

Average - .274 [19, tied with Rocky Colavito]

OBP - .346

Slugging Pct. - .414

Total Bases – 213

GDP – 21 [3]

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3   

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 18, 3B – 4, HR – 8, RBI - 38, SB – 8, AVG - .305, OBP - .364

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Most hits, game – 3 on fourteen occasions

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eleven occasions

HR at home – 6

HR on road – 5

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting/running – 1 for 5 (.200) with 1 R & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 269

Put Outs – 258

Assists – 7

Errors – 4

DP - 3

Pct. - .985 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Senators went 62-100 to finish ninth in the AL, 37 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, while leading the league in batting strikeouts (1124), fewest hits (1246), lowest batting average (.231), and lowest OBP (.299). Hindered by a weak offense, the Senators were at 19-29 by the end of May but dropped into the AL cellar thanks to a 13-32 stretch that commenced in late June. Entering September while apparently heading toward another disastrous finish, they still managed to do better than the Kansas City Athletics. Hinton led the league in batting for much of the first half of the season but was hindered by a wrist injury when hit by a pitch that sidelined him for an extended period and reduced his effectiveness.

Aftermath of 1964:

In the offseason, Hinton was traded to the Cleveland Indians for two players. In 1965 he appeared in the outfield and at first and second base and batted .255 with 17 doubles, 6 triples, 18 home runs, 54 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, a .336 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. Appearing primarily in left and center field in 1966, Hinton hit .256 with 12 home runs, 50 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, a .323 OBP, and a .402 slugging percentage. 1967 brought no improvement as Hinton batted .245 with 19 doubles, 10 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .304 OBP. In the offseason he was dealt to the California Angels for outfielder Jose Cardenal. In a 1968 season that was difficult for hitters in general, Hinton finished at .195 with 7 home runs, 23 RBIs, and a .259 OBP. The result was that Hinton was traded back to Cleveland prior to the 1969 season. Appearing in 94 games as a backup outfielder/third baseman, he batted .256 with a .303 OBP. He lasted two more years before being released by the Indians after the 1971 season, thus concluding his major league career. Overall Hinton batted .264 with 1048 hits that included 152 doubles, 47 triples, and 113 home runs. He scored 518 runs and compiled 443 RBIs, 130 stolen bases, a .332 OBP, and a .412 slugging percentage. With the Senators he batted .280 and scored 275 runs with 83 doubles, 30 triples, 49 home runs, 217 RBIs, 92 stolen bases, a .347 OBP, and a .428 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star just once and never appeared in the postseason. Following his playing career, he was head coach of the Howard University baseball team for 28 years. Hinton died in 2013 at age 78.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Don Leppert, 1963

Catcher, Washington Senators

Age: 31

1^st season with Senators

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 220 

Prior to 1963:

A native of Indianapolis, Leppert participated in football and track in high school. While serving in the Air Force, he played service baseball. Signed by the Milwaukee Braves in 1955, the 23-year-old catcher played for two teams at the Class A level. Leppert batted a combined .260 with 13 home runs, 42 RBIs, a .336 on-base percentage, and a .507 slugging percentage, impressing the Braves with his power potential and strong throwing ability. In 1956 Leppert was with Wichita of the Class AAA American Association where, dealing with chronic injuries, he hit .230 with 8 home runs, 21 RBIs, and a .297 OBP. In 1957 he was in Class AA with Austin of the Texas League where he batted .233 with 20 home runs, 59 RBIs, and a .297 OBP. Playing with a broken thumb in 1958, he had a .229 average, 11 home runs, 28 RBIs, and a .293 OBP. Having kept going through the injuries, he had considered retiring but moved on to the Dallas Rangers of the American Association in 1959 where his hitting improved to .270 with 13 home runs, 66 RBIs, and a .332 OBP. He stayed with the Rangers, now representing Dallas-Fort Worth and affiliated with the Kansas City Athletics in 1960, where the feisty backstop batted .256 with 17 home runs, 63 RBIs, a .326 OBP, and a .446 slugging percentage. Dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the offseason, Leppert started the 1961 season in Class AAA with the Columbus Jets of the International League. Hitting .386 with a .450 OBP, he was called up to the Pirates in June to back up veteran catchers Smoky Burgess and Hal Smith. With Smith lost in the expansion draft, Leppert saw more action with the Pirates in 1962, hitting .262 in 45 games with 3 home runs, 18 RBIs, and a .327 OBP. In the offseason he was traded to the Senators for a minor league player.

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in 73 games

C – 60, PH – 18

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 234

At Bats – 211

Runs – 20

Hits – 50

Doubles – 11

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 6

RBI – 24

Bases on Balls – 20

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 29

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .237

OBP - .305

Slugging Pct. - .374

Total Bases – 79

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 1

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 7, HR - 5, RBI - 19, AVG - .262, OBP - .326

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 4 AB) vs. Boston 4/11

Longest hitting streak – 5 games

Most HR, game – 3 (in 4 AB) vs. Boston 4/11

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 2

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Boston 4/11

Pinch-hitting – 6 for 14 (.429) with 2 R, 1 2B, 4 BB & 2 RBI 

Fielding

Chances – 306

Put Outs – 281

Assists – 20

Errors – 5

Passed Balls – 8

DP - 4

Pct. - .984

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Senators went 56-106 to finish tenth (last) in the AL, 48.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. The Senators started poorly and finished April in the AL cellar and they rarely peeked out -despite a 11-3 stretch in July. Mickey Vernon was replaced by Gil Hodges as manager in May. Leppert became a fan favorite with his three-home run game in April, but while he continued to hit well during most of the season’s first half, which provided a justification for his becoming Washington’s All-Star representative, his production dropped off during the second half and he lost the starting job at catcher to Ken Retzer.      

Aftermath of 1963:

In 1964, Leppert appeared in 50 games as he backed up Mike Brumley behind the plate and batted .156 with 3 home runs, 12 RBIs, and a .224 OBP. He was back in Class AAA in 1965 with the Hawaii Islanders of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he hit .338 with 5 home runs, 19 RBIs, and a .400 OBP. Following one more minor league season with Columbus of the International League, Leppert’s playing career came to an end at age 34. For his major league career, he batted .229 with 122 hits that included 22 doubles, 2 triples, and 15 home runs. He scored 46 runs and produced 59 RBIs and a .289 OBP. With the Senators he batted .207 with 69 hits, 26 runs scored, 14 doubles, 9 home runs, 36 RBIs, and a .275 OBP. He was hired as a minor league manager by the Pirates in 1967, followed by a stint as a coach with Pittsburgh, which lasted until 1976. He moved on to the expansion Toronto Blue Jays as a coach for three years and then moved on to the Houston Astros where he coached until 1985. He served as a minor league manager for the Minnesota Twins until becoming a field coordinator in the club’s farm system. Leppert died in 2023 at age 91, having lasted far longer as a coach, minor league manager, and farm system coordinator than he lasted as a major league player who was once an All-Star.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Craig Reynolds, 1978

Shortstop, Seattle Mariners

Age: 25

2^nd season with Mariners

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 175 

Prior to 1978:

A native of Houston, Texas, Reynolds was named the city’s Top High School Athlete while a senior at John H. Reagan High School. Selected in the first round of the 1971 amateur draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, after signing he was sent to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League where he batted .318 with 8 doubles and a .378 on-base percentage. He also committed 25 errors at shortstop. Moving to Gastonia of the Class A Western Carolinas League in 1972, he hit .240, again with a near total absence of power, but with better results defensively. Reynolds spent most of 1973 with Salem of the Class A Carolina League where he improved his batting average to .287 and displayed more clout with 18 doubles, 5 triples, 13 home runs, 86 RBIs, and a .334 OBP. With teams at Class AA and AAA in 1974, he batted a combined .299 with 12 doubles, 6 home runs, 34 RBIs, and a .359 OBP. In 1975 with the Charleston Charlies of the Class AAA International League, Reynolds hit .308 with 22 doubles, 6 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .342 OBP. He also saw brief action with the Pirates and batted .224 in 31 games. Back with Charleston in 1976, Reynolds produced a .290 average with 21 extra-base hits, 47 RBIs, and a .337 OBP. He received a September call-up to the Pirates and was traded along with a minor league second baseman to the expansion Mariners in the offseason for reliever Grant Jackson. Moving into the lineup as the new club’s starting shortstop, Reynolds hit a better-than-anticipated .248 with 12 doubles, 4 home runs, 28 RBIs, and a .277 OBP.

1978 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

SS – 146, PH – 1, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 604

At Bats – 548

Runs – 57

Hits – 160 [19, tied with Roy Smalley]

Doubles – 16

Triples – 7 [11, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 5

RBI – 44

Bases on Balls – 36

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 41

Stolen Bases – 9

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .292 [17, tied with Sixto Lezcano]

OBP - .336

Slugging Pct. - .374

Total Bases – 205

GDP – 4

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 11 [18, tied with Dave Chalk & Butch Wynegar]

Sac Flies – 6

Midseason snapshot: 3B – 4, HR - 3, RBI - 29, AVG. - .306, OBP - .344

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at Oakland 8/6, (in 5 AB) vs. Texas 10/1

Longest hitting streak – 16 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 3

Most home runs, game – 1 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at NY Yankees 6/14 – 10 innings

Pinch-hitting/running – 0 for 1 (.000) with 1 R

Fielding

Chances - 733

Put Outs – 243

Assists – 461

Errors – 29

DP – 102

Pct. - .960

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Mariners went 56-104 to finish seventh (last) in the AL Western Division, 35 games behind the division-winning Kansas City Royals. The Mariners dropped into the AL West cellar in April and never rose above fifth place the rest of the way. Disappointing play from some of the standouts of the inaugural season combined with front office instability to damage the club’s chances. Reynolds was one of a few stars for the struggling team.

Aftermath of 1978:

In the offseason Reynolds returned to his hometown as he was dealt to the Houston Astros for LHP Floyd Bannister. The Astros, emphasizing pitching and defense, contended in 1979 and Reynolds batted .265 with 20 doubles, 9 triples, 39 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, and a .292 OBP, often contributing timely hits. His defense was solid and he was once again an All-Star. Reynolds’ offense dropped off in 1980 to .226 with 9 doubles, 6 triples, 3 home runs, 28 RBIs, 2 stolen bases, and a .262 OBP while the Astros won their first ever division title. In the strike-shortened 1981 season Reynolds tied for the NL lead in triples (12, including a record-tying three in one game). Beyond that he hit .260 with 10 doubles, 4 home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .286 OBP. In 1982, Reynolds lost his starting job to Dickie Thon, an up-and-coming shortstop with more batting punch. Transitioning into a new role as a utility infielder, he appeared in 54 games and batted .254 with 6 extra-base hits, 7 RBIs, and a .321 OBP. Making 65 appearances in his backup role in 1983, Reynolds hit .214 with a .260 OBP. Thon suffered impaired vision as the result of an early-season beaning in 1984 and Reynolds was called upon to fill in at shortstop, which he did effectively, batting .260 with 15 doubles, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a .286 OBP. With Thon back in action in 1985, Reynolds was utilized less, but performed well when needed, hitting .272 with 18 doubles, 8 triples, 4 home runs, 32 RBIs, and a .293 OBP. The Astros returned to the top of the NL West in 1986 and Reynolds, splitting time with Thon at short, batted .249 with 6 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .274 OBP. The club lost to the New York Mets in a six-game NLCS, but Reynolds appeared in four of the games and hit .333. With Thon again hindered by vision problems in 1987, Reynolds saw considerable action at shortstop and batted .254 with 17 doubles, 4 home runs, 28 RBIs, and a .303 OBP. In 1988, with Rafael Ramirez taking over at shortstop, Reynolds returned to a utility role and hit .255 with a .290 OBP while appearing in 78 games. His playing career came to an end after one more season in 1989. For his major league career, he batted .256 with 1142 hits that included 143 doubles, 65 triples, and 42 home runs. He scored 480 runs and produced 377 RBIs, 58 stolen bases, and a .291 OBP. With the Mariners he batted .273 with 98 runs scored, 264 hits, 28 doubles, 10 triples, 9 home runs, 72 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, and a .311 OBP. Reynolds appeared in 12 postseason games with the Pirates and Astros and hit .241 with a double and no RBIs. He was a two-time All-Star. Following his playing career, he worked in wealth management in Houston prior to becoming a Baptist minister.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.