The SABR Baseball List & Record
Book: Baseballs Most Fascinating
Records and Unusual Statistics by
Society for American Baseball
Research
Loved It
From the authority on baseballresearch and statistics comes a vastand
fascinating compendium of uniquebaseball lists and records.The SABR
Baseball List & Record Book is an expansive collection of pitching, hitting,
fielding, home run, team, and rookie records not available online or in any
other book. This is a treasure trove of baseball history for statistically
minded baseball fans thats also packed with intriguing marginalia. For
instance, on July 25, 1967, Chicagos Ken Berry ended Game Two of a
doubleheader against Cleveland with a home run in the bottom of the
sixteenth inning -- Chicagos second game-winning homer of the day. The

comprehensive lists include Most Career Home Runs by Two Brothers
(Tommie and Hank Aaron have 768), Most Seasons with 15 or More Wins
(Cy Young and Greg Maddux each have 18), and Highest On Base
Percentage in a Season by a Rookie (listing every rookie above .400).
Unlike other record books that only list the record holders -- say, most RBI
by a rookie, held by Ted Williams with 145 -- SABR details every rookie to
reach 100 RBI. Other record books might note the last pitcher in each
league to steal home; here SABR has included every pitcher to do it. The
book also includes a number of idiosyncratic features, such as a rundown
of every player who has hit a triple and then stolen home, or every reliever
who has won two games in one day. Many of the lists include a comments
column for key historical notes and entertaining trivia (Bob Horner hit four
home runs in a 1986 game, but his team lost). This is a must-have for
every fans library.Edited by Lyle Spatz, Chairman of the Baseball Records
Committee for SABR
Personal Review: The SABR Baseball List & Record Book:
Baseballs Most Fascinating Records and Unusual Statistics by
Society for American Baseball Research
For those who are figure filberts and love strange statistics, this book is for
you!
This is a book produced by the Society for American Baseball Research
(SABR). This is, as the book says (page vii), "intended to fill what we in
SABR feel is a void in the reference publications that fans and media
depend upon." It is not intended to replace standard sources of statistics,
The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia. It provides other lists, not appearing in
standard references. For instance, the Introduction remarks that some
reference sources include records for most RBIs by a rookie, this volume
lists "every rookie who batted in at least 100 runs."
The book covers the time frame 1876-2006. And comparing statistics
across these periods is extraordinarily difficult!
Records are listed in numerical order from 001 to 740 (thus, there are 740
records examined). 001 is Most career games played (Pete Rose is # 1
with 3562); 740 is "Families with 3 or more brothers who played in the
major leagues" (the Delahanty's are # 1 with 5 brothers playing in the
bigs). By the way, both records are in the The Baseball Encyclopedia, if
memory serves. But what records are included in between!
Some random picks: Worst fielding average by a first baseman since 1946.
One player dominates with 3 of the 4 crummiest fielding averages. Any
guess? Dr. Strangeglove--Dick Stuart (1961, 1963, 1964). Here's
something exotic: Pinch-hit home run and one other home run in a game:
This has happened 26 times (all with 1), the most recent being Jeff
Salazar (Chicago White Sox) in 2006. What about most homers in a
season without winning the home run title? Sammy Sosa, of course, with
66 in 1998.

Another intriguing hitting record: Most career RBIs without a 100 RBI
season. Pete Rose ranks # 1 here. Others in the top 10 include Eddie
Collins, Craig Biggio, Sam Rice, and Julio Franco. And how's this? Game-
ending extra-inning home runs (16th inning and later)? The most recent is
Ramon Martinez in 2006; the earliest was Charley ("Old Hoss")
Radbourne, in 1886.
One last tidbit. Best stolen base duo in a season? With 246 steals, Arlie
Latham (129) and Charlie ("Old Roman") Comiskey (117) in 1887.
From1898 to the present? Vince Coleman (110) and Willie McGee (56),
for a total of 166 in 1985.
Anyhow, this book is a hoot for those who like offbeat statistics. Despite
the book's claim, you will find some of these statistics elsewhere. But
there are some interesting off-the-beaten-path stats.
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