This past Christmas I received a great gift, The Ballplayers: Baseball's Ultimate Biographical Reference. It's filled with about every player who has played in the major leagues. The best thing I have found in The Ballplayers is the random guys that had very little impact on the game but they still put them in there.Since it is spring training and baseball season is around the corner I thought on days that I am a little scatter brained or have nothing of interest to say I'll give you one of the guys I have found. If you know of one of these kinds of players with a weird background post a comment and I'll try to add them in.
Bill Bergen played from 1901-11 for Reds and Dodgers. 974 games .170 BA, 2HR, 193 RBI
The worst hitter to play regularly in the ML, his .170 career BA is 42 points below any other batter with 2500 or more at-bats. His .139 in 1909 is the lowest mark ever for a batting title qualifier. In the lineup for his arm, his 202 assists the same year are the ninth best by a catcher; that July, he set a 20th century record for throwing out seven would be basestealers.
I think I found the Babe Ruth of my Hall.
Bill Bergen played from 1901-11 for Reds and Dodgers. 974 games .170 BA, 2HR, 193 RBI
2 comments:
Bill's brother (Marty) murdered his wife and kids with an ax, then slit his own throat with a razor.
So, y'know, even though Bill's maybe the worst hitter in baseball history, he's still not the black sheep of the Bergen family.
Mom: Why can't you hit over .200!
Bill: Shut up mom at least I didn't kill my family!
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