Who am I?

[Dave Visbeck]

Who am I? #423

Late in my career I earned a new season's record in something, surpassing the old record number that had been established some nineteen years earlier. That new record number I had did hold up for all of baseball for a little while, but after getting surpassed by somebody else, my total still held up for another 30+ years as the top number in the league I had played in.

I had a lot of fun and a few really enjoyable years in my career, especially when I was one of the "S" boys. I had my share of memorable games while with that team. While I was with another team there is one game that stands out for an odd reason. That game happened in my final season of play. It was kind of the high point in a bad season for me. I wish that Hank could be the one that tells you about what happened that afternoon. He said that in all his days of umpiring he had never before seen anything like it - and he also said he'd be surprised if it would ever be duplicated again anytime in the future of major league baseball, especially with a position player batting.

The game was against Boston. I went to bat four times in the game. In each of the four at-bats the count went full on me. Three times the at-bat ended with ball four being called by Hank ... and in the other at-bat, Hank called out, "strike three!" You're probably saying to yourself, so what? Well, of the 24 pitches I saw, not once did I offer to make a swing at a pitch ... and Hank had to call every pitch that was thrown! True story.

Who am I?

[JL25and3]

Who am I? #422

I hit 4 "Inside The Park" HRs in my career. Since this is question #422, I knew a young man and his dad who used to drive that state route to see me play. Who am I?

But he couldn't have hit his first on the ROAD!!!

He could have hit an inside-the-park HR in any stadium.

[MMantle7]

He could have hit an inside-the-park HR in any stadium.

Please excuse my old brain. I was thinking of walk-off HRs!! My fault!!

[Dave Visbeck]

Who am I? #423

Late in my career I earned a new season's record in something, surpassing the old record number that had been established some nineteen years earlier. That new record number I had did hold up for all of baseball for a little while, but after getting surpassed by somebody else, my total still held up for another 30+ years as the top number in the league I had played in.

I had a lot of fun and a few really enjoyable years in my career, especially when I was one of the "S" boys. I had my share of memorable games while with that team. While I was with another team there is one game that stands out for an odd reason. That game happened in my final season of play. It was kind of the high point in a bad season for me. I wish that Hank could be the one that tells you about what happened that afternoon. He said that in all his days of umpiring he had never before seen anything like it - and he also said he'd be surprised if it would ever be duplicated again anytime in the future of major league baseball, especially with a position player batting.

The game was against Boston. I went to bat four times in the game. In each of the four at-bats the count went full on me. Three times the at-bat ended with ball four being called by Hank ... and in the other at-bat, Hank called out, "strike three!" You're probably saying to yourself, so what? Well, of the 24 pitches I saw, not once did I offer to make a swing at a pitch ... and Hank had to call every pitch that was thrown! True story.

Who am I?

Hank, the umpire in this story, umpired 35 years.

[MMantle7]

Hank, the umpire in this story, umpired 35 years.

Dave, was the umpire Hank Soar?

[Dave Visbeck]

Dave, was the umpire Hank Soar?

Nope. A Hank before.

[Dave Visbeck]

Who am I? #423

Late in my career I earned a new season's record in something, surpassing the old record number that had been established some nineteen years earlier. That new record number I had did hold up for all of baseball for a little while, but after getting surpassed by somebody else, my total still held up for another 30+ years as the top number in the league I had played in.

I had a lot of fun and a few really enjoyable years in my career, especially when I was one of the "S" boys. I had my share of memorable games while with that team. While I was with another team there is one game that stands out for an odd reason. That game happened in my final season of play. It was kind of the high point in a bad season for me. I wish that Hank could be the one that tells you about what happened that afternoon. He said that in all his days of umpiring he had never before seen anything like it - and he also said he'd be surprised if it would ever be duplicated again anytime in the future of major league baseball, especially with a position player batting.

The game was against Boston. I went to bat four times in the game. In each of the four at-bats the count went full on me. Three times the at-bat ended with ball four being called by Hank ... and in the other at-bat, Hank called out, "strike three!" You're probably saying to yourself, so what? Well, of the 24 pitches I saw, not once did I offer to make a swing at a pitch ... and Hank had to call every pitch that was thrown! True story.

Who am I?

More for Who am I? #423

I was known to teammates as being kind of flaky. I'll give you a pretty good example. There was one game where our opponents had been spraying the ball all around me, and I was getting very frustrated. I stopped in the middle of left field, whirled several times, and threw my glove up in the air, and went over to the spot where it landed. I picked up my glove and took up that spot in the outfield.

Our pitcher had seen my antics, and he couldn't figure out why I was standing only a few feet from the left-field foul line. He stared at me for awhile and I didn't move. He then motioned me to reposition himself on the field. I refused to do so. After some time, with a long shake of his head, he gave up trying. He turned and climbed the mound to go back to work on the next batter. On the first pitch thrown, Clarke hit a screaming line drive that found its way straight into my glove ... with me not moving an inch. That scheme in the outfield had changed my luck in the field that day and that good luck continued on from that day forward.

[JL25and3]

Nope. A Hank before.

Probably Hank O'Day.

[Dave Visbeck]

Probably Hank O'Day.

Yep. Hank O'Day was the umpire behind the plate when the player in question took 24 straight pitches.

[Big_E]

Who am I? #423

Late in my career I earned a new season's record in something, surpassing the old record number that had been established some nineteen years earlier. That new record number I had did hold up for all of baseball for a little while, but after getting surpassed by somebody else, my total still held up for another 30+ years as the top number in the league I had played in.

I had a lot of fun and a few really enjoyable years in my career, especially when I was one of the "S" boys. I had my share of memorable games while with that team. While I was with another team there is one game that stands out for an odd reason. That game happened in my final season of play. It was kind of the high point in a bad season for me. I wish that Hank could be the one that tells you about what happened that afternoon. He said that in all his days of umpiring he had never before seen anything like it - and he also said he'd be surprised if it would ever be duplicated again anytime in the future of major league baseball, especially with a position player batting.

The game was against Boston. I went to bat four times in the game. In each of the four at-bats the count went full on me. Three times the at-bat ended with ball four being called by Hank ... and in the other at-bat, Hank called out, "strike three!" You're probably saying to yourself, so what? Well, of the 24 pitches I saw, not once did I offer to make a swing at a pitch ... and Hank had to call every pitch that was thrown! True story.

Who am I?

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2006/12/5/101326/544

Jimmy Sheckard

[Dave Visbeck]

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2006/12/5/101326/544

Jimmy Sheckard

Big_E ... knows those Cubbies!

[4LouGehrig]

Who am I? #424

Probably the greatest hitter of all-time, Ted Williams said I was the best pitcher he ever faced. I have never been self-serving but this is the ultimate compliment. Wow!!

Who am I?

[groovitude]

Who am I? #424

Probably the greatest hitter of all-time, Ted Williams said I was the best pitcher he ever faced. I have never been self-serving but this is the ultimate compliment. Wow!!

Who am I?

You wouldn't happen to be Joan Joyce, would you?

[4LouGehrig]

You wouldn't happen to be Joan Joyce, would you?

Very funny although she did strike him out in 1961.

[Yankee Tripper]

Very funny although she did strike him out in 1961.

Maybe funny but Groovitude is also correct with his answer - if you take hersay.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-opinio...ams-ever-faced

Years later, Joyce met a man who fished with Williams in the Florida Keys. The man said he had once asked Williams to name the toughest pitcher he ever faced. "And he said, you won't believe this, but it was a girl."

[groovitude]

Very funny although she did strike him out in 1961.

Wasn't meant to be a joke! The winky face was because I thought I'd figured out your clever ruse.

[Dave Visbeck]

Holy Toledo!

[Big_E]

Who am I? #424

Probably the greatest hitter of all-time, Ted Williams said I was the best pitcher he ever faced. I have never been self-serving but this is the ultimate compliment. Wow!!

Who am I?

You wouldn't happen to be Joan Joyce, would you?

Could also be Bob Feller. http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ob...zing_fastball/

Or perhaps Satchel Paige: http://baseball.about.com/od/majorle...ll-History.htm

Isn't this how they ended the movie "Clue"?

[4LouGehrig]

So far you're all wrong.

[Yankee Tripper]

So far you're all wrong.

So you're saying Teddy Ballgame had a lot of best pitchers he's faced?

[Dave Visbeck]

Maybe Steve Dalkowski.

[4LouGehrig]

So you're saying Teddy Ballgame had a lot of best pitchers he's faced?

No, just one.

[4LouGehrig]

Ted Williams batted .133 against this pitcher.

[Dave Visbeck]

George Zuverink?

[4LouGehrig]

So you're saying Teddy Ballgame had a lot of best pitchers he's faced?

After reading the various links, it appears TW said this about several pitchers but the one I'm looking for has not been named. Joe. D never faced him.