http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...articleid=1350598&srvc=sports&position=recent
Baseball’s 3,000-hit club might not be exclusive but it has its share of great players, stories
By Dan O’Neill*/*St. Louis Post-Dispatch**| **Saturday, July 9, 2011**|**http://www.bostonherald.com**|**MLB Coverage
ST. LOUIS – When New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter collects his 3,000th hit, he will join one of baseball’s most distinguished clubs. Perhaps how distinguished is a matter of perspective.
"It took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball," Henry Aaron once said. "I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."
Aaron is one of the 27 players who have reached the milestone. All but two - Pete Rose and Rafael Palmeiro - are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose, the career leader with 4,256 hits, has been banished for gambling improprieties. Palmeiro, who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, received only 11 percent of the ballot in his first year of eligibility.
Where 3,000 hits ranks in baseball’s "Fab Four" lineup of career milestones makes for rich debate. Twenty-five players, nearly the same number, have hit 500 or more home runs. That enrollment could swell considerably in the years to come, with a number of players on striking-distance pace, including Albert Pujols (425), entering Friday’s games.
There are 24 pitchers with 300 or more career victories, a roster that won’t grow any time soon. The highest victory total among active major league pitchers belongs to 44-year-old Tim Wakefield [stats] (198 wins), who is unlikely to get 102 more in this lifetime. Next in line is Roy Halladay, who is 120 wins shy at age 34.
The 3,000-strikeout society is more exclusive with only 16 members. Given the expanded role of bullpens in recent times, membership represents an endangered species. Florida’s 35-year-old Javier Vazquez, perhaps nearing the finish line, is the active player closest to the mark with 2,436 strikeouts. The embalmed Wakefield is next (2,103), while 30-year-old CC Sabathia (1,904) is the only active pitcher younger than 34 who has eclipsed the 1,800 mark.
But, if it isn’t the rarest of baseball feats, 3,000 hits certainly is among the most romantic, an exotic stamp of career credibility that has eluded some of the game’s best. The list of also-rans includes Rogers Hornsby (2,930), Babe Ruth (2,873), Al Simmons (2,927), Lou Gehrig (2,721), Ted Williams (2,654), Willie Keeler (2,932), Frank Robinson (2,943), Mel Ott (2,876) and - 762 home runs notwithstanding - Barry Bonds (2,935).
Baseball’s changing environment has impacted the 3,000 hits enrollment, as it has other career standards. When Stan Musial laced his 3,000th hit in 1958, he became only the eighth player to reach the mark, and the first in 16 years. No one got to 3,000 hits during the 1960s. But with baseball expanding from 16 to 30 teams, with the American League adopting a designated hitter, 19 players have climbed the mountain since. Paul Molitor, the 21st to accomplish the feat in 1996, had 3,319 hits in his career, 1,407 of them as a designated hitter.
The circumstances surrounding hit No. 3,000 are often compelling and sometimes ironic. Aaron, who retired as baseball’s career home run king (755) and remains the career extra-base hits leader (1,477), cracked the 3,000 barrier in 1970 with an infield single off Cincinnati pitcher Wayne Simpson.
In contrast, Wade Boggs, often vilified during 11 seasons in Boston for his lack of power, owner of 2,253 career singles, pounded a home run for his 3,000th. Boggs kissed home plate to complete his trot into history.
Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th became especially meaningful after the fact. Clemente doubled off Mets lefty Jon Matlack for No. 3,000 on Sept. 30, 1972. Three months later, the 38-year-old outfielder died in a plane crash, trying to bring aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Thus, Clemente’s 3,000th came in his last regular-season at-bat. For trivia types, however, it was not Clemente’s last regular-season game.
The division-winning Pirates - no, really - played a three-game set with the Cardinals to end the ’72 season. Though he did not start any of those final games, Clemente entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of Pittsburgh’s 6-2 victory on Oct. 3.
Cleveland is the only franchise to have as many as three players reach 3,000 wearing its uniform. Two of baseball’s most storied properties _ the Yankees and Dodgers _ have none. Two players have collected a 3,000th hit while wearing the Cardinals’ iconic birds on the bat. In both instances, the blows came against the Chicago Cubs, an insult that seemed especially injurious on Aug. 13, 1979 at Busch Memorial Stadium.
Infamously traded to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio in 1964, a 40-year-old Lou Brock banged his 3,000th hit off the hand of Cubs pitcher Dennis Lamp. The accomplishment put the exclamation point on a remarkable farewell season for the "Base Burglar," who batted .304, stole 21 bases and took home the league’s Comeback Player of the Year Award as a parting gift. Upon reaching on the infield hit, Brock was swarmed by teammates and photographers, congratulated by Musial and cheered wildly by 44,457 in attendance.
"The fans of St. Louis deserve to see 3,000 hits," Brock said into a public address microphone. "I’m happy that it did happen here. I’m No. 1 in line. I’ve never seen it before either. I’m happy to have been a part of it."
For storybook quality, Musial’s 3,000th hit might stand alone. After winning his seventh batting championship in 1957, Musial began the ’58 season 43 hits shy of the magical mark. He commenced pursuit with extreme prejudice, opening the season with a 17-game hitting streak that included 12 multiple-hit games. On May 11, the 37-year-old Musial went 5-for-8 in a Sunday doubleheader sweep of the Cubs, raising his batting average to .494 and raising his total to 2,998.
The Cardinals opened a two-game set in Chicago on May 12 and Musial doubled in a 6-4 victory at Wrigley Field. Now one hit away, he privately told Cardinals coach Terry Moore how much he wanted to "save the big one" for the fans in St. Louis. Moore relayed the sentiments to manager Fred Hutchinson, who called Musial in his hotel room that evening and told him he would sit out the next day. But the next afternoon, his team trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Hutchinson sent Musial to pinch-hit for pitcher Sam Jones. And as only broadcaster Harry Caray could put it, "Holy Cow! He came through."
With just over 5,600 in the stands, Musial doubled into the left-field corner for hit No. 3,000, helping the club rally for a 5-3 victory. The Cardinals shortstop that day, Dick "Ducky" Schofield, was in the on-deck circle when Musial made history. "It was exciting," said Schofield, who lives in Springfield, Ill. "I came up next and I walked. I think the pitcher, (Moe) Drabowsky, was so flustered. He was still wondering what happened with Musial.
"It was a big deal and it couldn’t have happened to a better guy. When Stan did it, you only had eight teams in the league, you played fewer games, played a lot of doubleheaders. ... I think when he did it, it was maybe a little bit harder to do than now. But you can’t take anything away from somebody who gets 3,000 hits. It’s still quite an accomplishment."
As special as Musial’s hit was, what followed was a Mark Twain narrative, an experience Musial called "one of the best moments of my career." As the Cardinals took the train back to St. Louis that evening, it made a station stop in Clinton, Ill. Surprisingly, some 75 people were gathered, chanting "We want Musial!"
The train stopped again further down the line in Springfield, where more than 100 awaited, shouting Musial’s name and singing "For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow." As before, Musial emerged to sign autographs and shake hands. "I remember he was waving to the fans from the back of the train as we pulled away," Schofield said. "It was something."
Finally, the train reached Union Station in St. Louis at 11:15 p.m. Close to 1,000 Stan-atical fans crowded around the platform, calling for "The Man" of the hour. An emotional Musial addressed the crowd, saying, "I never realized that batting a little ball around could cause so much commotion. Now I know how (Charles) Lindbergh must have felt when he returned to St. Louis." Without hesitation, a man called out, "What did he hit?" and the crowd erupted in laughter.
It seems silly to suggest hit No. 3,001 of a career could be more dramatic than the one before it, but goose bumps don’t lie. The following evening at Busch Stadium, Musial was honored before the game and received a standing ovation as he strode to the plate in the first inning. Before everyone could sit down, he drove a pitch from Giants lefty Johnny Antonelli onto the pavilion roof for a home run. Musial added two more hits that night, on his way to 3,630 hits, fourth most in history.
Lindbergh, presumably, had quite a few less.
___
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view.bg?articleid=1350598
Related Articles:
Rays-Yankees rained out; Jeter’s pursuit delayed
/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view.bg?articleid=1350495
Derek Jeter pulls himself from All-Star game
/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view.bg?articleid=1350478
Baseball’s 3,000-hit club might not be exclusive but it has its share of great players, stories
By Dan O’Neill*/*St. Louis Post-Dispatch**| **Saturday, July 9, 2011**|**http://www.bostonherald.com**|**MLB Coverage
ST. LOUIS – When New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter collects his 3,000th hit, he will join one of baseball’s most distinguished clubs. Perhaps how distinguished is a matter of perspective.
"It took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball," Henry Aaron once said. "I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."
Aaron is one of the 27 players who have reached the milestone. All but two - Pete Rose and Rafael Palmeiro - are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose, the career leader with 4,256 hits, has been banished for gambling improprieties. Palmeiro, who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, received only 11 percent of the ballot in his first year of eligibility.
Where 3,000 hits ranks in baseball’s "Fab Four" lineup of career milestones makes for rich debate. Twenty-five players, nearly the same number, have hit 500 or more home runs. That enrollment could swell considerably in the years to come, with a number of players on striking-distance pace, including Albert Pujols (425), entering Friday’s games.
There are 24 pitchers with 300 or more career victories, a roster that won’t grow any time soon. The highest victory total among active major league pitchers belongs to 44-year-old Tim Wakefield [stats] (198 wins), who is unlikely to get 102 more in this lifetime. Next in line is Roy Halladay, who is 120 wins shy at age 34.
The 3,000-strikeout society is more exclusive with only 16 members. Given the expanded role of bullpens in recent times, membership represents an endangered species. Florida’s 35-year-old Javier Vazquez, perhaps nearing the finish line, is the active player closest to the mark with 2,436 strikeouts. The embalmed Wakefield is next (2,103), while 30-year-old CC Sabathia (1,904) is the only active pitcher younger than 34 who has eclipsed the 1,800 mark.
But, if it isn’t the rarest of baseball feats, 3,000 hits certainly is among the most romantic, an exotic stamp of career credibility that has eluded some of the game’s best. The list of also-rans includes Rogers Hornsby (2,930), Babe Ruth (2,873), Al Simmons (2,927), Lou Gehrig (2,721), Ted Williams (2,654), Willie Keeler (2,932), Frank Robinson (2,943), Mel Ott (2,876) and - 762 home runs notwithstanding - Barry Bonds (2,935).
Baseball’s changing environment has impacted the 3,000 hits enrollment, as it has other career standards. When Stan Musial laced his 3,000th hit in 1958, he became only the eighth player to reach the mark, and the first in 16 years. No one got to 3,000 hits during the 1960s. But with baseball expanding from 16 to 30 teams, with the American League adopting a designated hitter, 19 players have climbed the mountain since. Paul Molitor, the 21st to accomplish the feat in 1996, had 3,319 hits in his career, 1,407 of them as a designated hitter.
The circumstances surrounding hit No. 3,000 are often compelling and sometimes ironic. Aaron, who retired as baseball’s career home run king (755) and remains the career extra-base hits leader (1,477), cracked the 3,000 barrier in 1970 with an infield single off Cincinnati pitcher Wayne Simpson.
In contrast, Wade Boggs, often vilified during 11 seasons in Boston for his lack of power, owner of 2,253 career singles, pounded a home run for his 3,000th. Boggs kissed home plate to complete his trot into history.
Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th became especially meaningful after the fact. Clemente doubled off Mets lefty Jon Matlack for No. 3,000 on Sept. 30, 1972. Three months later, the 38-year-old outfielder died in a plane crash, trying to bring aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Thus, Clemente’s 3,000th came in his last regular-season at-bat. For trivia types, however, it was not Clemente’s last regular-season game.
The division-winning Pirates - no, really - played a three-game set with the Cardinals to end the ’72 season. Though he did not start any of those final games, Clemente entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of Pittsburgh’s 6-2 victory on Oct. 3.
Cleveland is the only franchise to have as many as three players reach 3,000 wearing its uniform. Two of baseball’s most storied properties _ the Yankees and Dodgers _ have none. Two players have collected a 3,000th hit while wearing the Cardinals’ iconic birds on the bat. In both instances, the blows came against the Chicago Cubs, an insult that seemed especially injurious on Aug. 13, 1979 at Busch Memorial Stadium.
Infamously traded to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio in 1964, a 40-year-old Lou Brock banged his 3,000th hit off the hand of Cubs pitcher Dennis Lamp. The accomplishment put the exclamation point on a remarkable farewell season for the "Base Burglar," who batted .304, stole 21 bases and took home the league’s Comeback Player of the Year Award as a parting gift. Upon reaching on the infield hit, Brock was swarmed by teammates and photographers, congratulated by Musial and cheered wildly by 44,457 in attendance.
"The fans of St. Louis deserve to see 3,000 hits," Brock said into a public address microphone. "I’m happy that it did happen here. I’m No. 1 in line. I’ve never seen it before either. I’m happy to have been a part of it."
For storybook quality, Musial’s 3,000th hit might stand alone. After winning his seventh batting championship in 1957, Musial began the ’58 season 43 hits shy of the magical mark. He commenced pursuit with extreme prejudice, opening the season with a 17-game hitting streak that included 12 multiple-hit games. On May 11, the 37-year-old Musial went 5-for-8 in a Sunday doubleheader sweep of the Cubs, raising his batting average to .494 and raising his total to 2,998.
The Cardinals opened a two-game set in Chicago on May 12 and Musial doubled in a 6-4 victory at Wrigley Field. Now one hit away, he privately told Cardinals coach Terry Moore how much he wanted to "save the big one" for the fans in St. Louis. Moore relayed the sentiments to manager Fred Hutchinson, who called Musial in his hotel room that evening and told him he would sit out the next day. But the next afternoon, his team trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Hutchinson sent Musial to pinch-hit for pitcher Sam Jones. And as only broadcaster Harry Caray could put it, "Holy Cow! He came through."
With just over 5,600 in the stands, Musial doubled into the left-field corner for hit No. 3,000, helping the club rally for a 5-3 victory. The Cardinals shortstop that day, Dick "Ducky" Schofield, was in the on-deck circle when Musial made history. "It was exciting," said Schofield, who lives in Springfield, Ill. "I came up next and I walked. I think the pitcher, (Moe) Drabowsky, was so flustered. He was still wondering what happened with Musial.
"It was a big deal and it couldn’t have happened to a better guy. When Stan did it, you only had eight teams in the league, you played fewer games, played a lot of doubleheaders. ... I think when he did it, it was maybe a little bit harder to do than now. But you can’t take anything away from somebody who gets 3,000 hits. It’s still quite an accomplishment."
As special as Musial’s hit was, what followed was a Mark Twain narrative, an experience Musial called "one of the best moments of my career." As the Cardinals took the train back to St. Louis that evening, it made a station stop in Clinton, Ill. Surprisingly, some 75 people were gathered, chanting "We want Musial!"
The train stopped again further down the line in Springfield, where more than 100 awaited, shouting Musial’s name and singing "For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow." As before, Musial emerged to sign autographs and shake hands. "I remember he was waving to the fans from the back of the train as we pulled away," Schofield said. "It was something."
Finally, the train reached Union Station in St. Louis at 11:15 p.m. Close to 1,000 Stan-atical fans crowded around the platform, calling for "The Man" of the hour. An emotional Musial addressed the crowd, saying, "I never realized that batting a little ball around could cause so much commotion. Now I know how (Charles) Lindbergh must have felt when he returned to St. Louis." Without hesitation, a man called out, "What did he hit?" and the crowd erupted in laughter.
It seems silly to suggest hit No. 3,001 of a career could be more dramatic than the one before it, but goose bumps don’t lie. The following evening at Busch Stadium, Musial was honored before the game and received a standing ovation as he strode to the plate in the first inning. Before everyone could sit down, he drove a pitch from Giants lefty Johnny Antonelli onto the pavilion roof for a home run. Musial added two more hits that night, on his way to 3,630 hits, fourth most in history.
Lindbergh, presumably, had quite a few less.
___
Baseball’s 3,000-hit club might not be exclusive but it has its share of great players, stories
By Dan O’Neill*/*St. Louis Post-Dispatch**| **Saturday, July 9, 2011**|**http://www.bostonherald.com**|**MLB Coverage
ST. LOUIS – When New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter collects his 3,000th hit, he will join one of baseball’s most distinguished clubs. Perhaps how distinguished is a matter of perspective.
"It took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball," Henry Aaron once said. "I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."
Aaron is one of the 27 players who have reached the milestone. All but two - Pete Rose and Rafael Palmeiro - are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose, the career leader with 4,256 hits, has been banished for gambling improprieties. Palmeiro, who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, received only 11 percent of the ballot in his first year of eligibility.
Where 3,000 hits ranks in baseball’s "Fab Four" lineup of career milestones makes for rich debate. Twenty-five players, nearly the same number, have hit 500 or more home runs. That enrollment could swell considerably in the years to come, with a number of players on striking-distance pace, including Albert Pujols (425), entering Friday’s games.
There are 24 pitchers with 300 or more career victories, a roster that won’t grow any time soon. The highest victory total among active major league pitchers belongs to 44-year-old Tim Wakefield [stats] (198 wins), who is unlikely to get 102 more in this lifetime. Next in line is Roy Halladay, who is 120 wins shy at age 34.
The 3,000-strikeout society is more exclusive with only 16 members. Given the expanded role of bullpens in recent times, membership represents an endangered species. Florida’s 35-year-old Javier Vazquez, perhaps nearing the finish line, is the active player closest to the mark with 2,436 strikeouts. The embalmed Wakefield is next (2,103), while 30-year-old CC Sabathia (1,904) is the only active pitcher younger than 34 who has eclipsed the 1,800 mark.
But, if it isn’t the rarest of baseball feats, 3,000 hits certainly is among the most romantic, an exotic stamp of career credibility that has eluded some of the game’s best. The list of also-rans includes Rogers Hornsby (2,930), Babe Ruth (2,873), Al Simmons (2,927), Lou Gehrig (2,721), Ted Williams (2,654), Willie Keeler (2,932), Frank Robinson (2,943), Mel Ott (2,876) and - 762 home runs notwithstanding - Barry Bonds (2,935).
Baseball’s changing environment has impacted the 3,000 hits enrollment, as it has other career standards. When Stan Musial laced his 3,000th hit in 1958, he became only the eighth player to reach the mark, and the first in 16 years. No one got to 3,000 hits during the 1960s. But with baseball expanding from 16 to 30 teams, with the American League adopting a designated hitter, 19 players have climbed the mountain since. Paul Molitor, the 21st to accomplish the feat in 1996, had 3,319 hits in his career, 1,407 of them as a designated hitter.
The circumstances surrounding hit No. 3,000 are often compelling and sometimes ironic. Aaron, who retired as baseball’s career home run king (755) and remains the career extra-base hits leader (1,477), cracked the 3,000 barrier in 1970 with an infield single off Cincinnati pitcher Wayne Simpson.
In contrast, Wade Boggs, often vilified during 11 seasons in Boston for his lack of power, owner of 2,253 career singles, pounded a home run for his 3,000th. Boggs kissed home plate to complete his trot into history.
Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th became especially meaningful after the fact. Clemente doubled off Mets lefty Jon Matlack for No. 3,000 on Sept. 30, 1972. Three months later, the 38-year-old outfielder died in a plane crash, trying to bring aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Thus, Clemente’s 3,000th came in his last regular-season at-bat. For trivia types, however, it was not Clemente’s last regular-season game.
The division-winning Pirates - no, really - played a three-game set with the Cardinals to end the ’72 season. Though he did not start any of those final games, Clemente entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of Pittsburgh’s 6-2 victory on Oct. 3.
Cleveland is the only franchise to have as many as three players reach 3,000 wearing its uniform. Two of baseball’s most storied properties _ the Yankees and Dodgers _ have none. Two players have collected a 3,000th hit while wearing the Cardinals’ iconic birds on the bat. In both instances, the blows came against the Chicago Cubs, an insult that seemed especially injurious on Aug. 13, 1979 at Busch Memorial Stadium.
Infamously traded to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio in 1964, a 40-year-old Lou Brock banged his 3,000th hit off the hand of Cubs pitcher Dennis Lamp. The accomplishment put the exclamation point on a remarkable farewell season for the "Base Burglar," who batted .304, stole 21 bases and took home the league’s Comeback Player of the Year Award as a parting gift. Upon reaching on the infield hit, Brock was swarmed by teammates and photographers, congratulated by Musial and cheered wildly by 44,457 in attendance.
"The fans of St. Louis deserve to see 3,000 hits," Brock said into a public address microphone. "I’m happy that it did happen here. I’m No. 1 in line. I’ve never seen it before either. I’m happy to have been a part of it."
For storybook quality, Musial’s 3,000th hit might stand alone. After winning his seventh batting championship in 1957, Musial began the ’58 season 43 hits shy of the magical mark. He commenced pursuit with extreme prejudice, opening the season with a 17-game hitting streak that included 12 multiple-hit games. On May 11, the 37-year-old Musial went 5-for-8 in a Sunday doubleheader sweep of the Cubs, raising his batting average to .494 and raising his total to 2,998.
The Cardinals opened a two-game set in Chicago on May 12 and Musial doubled in a 6-4 victory at Wrigley Field. Now one hit away, he privately told Cardinals coach Terry Moore how much he wanted to "save the big one" for the fans in St. Louis. Moore relayed the sentiments to manager Fred Hutchinson, who called Musial in his hotel room that evening and told him he would sit out the next day. But the next afternoon, his team trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Hutchinson sent Musial to pinch-hit for pitcher Sam Jones. And as only broadcaster Harry Caray could put it, "Holy Cow! He came through."
With just over 5,600 in the stands, Musial doubled into the left-field corner for hit No. 3,000, helping the club rally for a 5-3 victory. The Cardinals shortstop that day, Dick "Ducky" Schofield, was in the on-deck circle when Musial made history. "It was exciting," said Schofield, who lives in Springfield, Ill. "I came up next and I walked. I think the pitcher, (Moe) Drabowsky, was so flustered. He was still wondering what happened with Musial.
"It was a big deal and it couldn’t have happened to a better guy. When Stan did it, you only had eight teams in the league, you played fewer games, played a lot of doubleheaders. ... I think when he did it, it was maybe a little bit harder to do than now. But you can’t take anything away from somebody who gets 3,000 hits. It’s still quite an accomplishment."
As special as Musial’s hit was, what followed was a Mark Twain narrative, an experience Musial called "one of the best moments of my career." As the Cardinals took the train back to St. Louis that evening, it made a station stop in Clinton, Ill. Surprisingly, some 75 people were gathered, chanting "We want Musial!"
The train stopped again further down the line in Springfield, where more than 100 awaited, shouting Musial’s name and singing "For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow." As before, Musial emerged to sign autographs and shake hands. "I remember he was waving to the fans from the back of the train as we pulled away," Schofield said. "It was something."
Finally, the train reached Union Station in St. Louis at 11:15 p.m. Close to 1,000 Stan-atical fans crowded around the platform, calling for "The Man" of the hour. An emotional Musial addressed the crowd, saying, "I never realized that batting a little ball around could cause so much commotion. Now I know how (Charles) Lindbergh must have felt when he returned to St. Louis." Without hesitation, a man called out, "What did he hit?" and the crowd erupted in laughter.
It seems silly to suggest hit No. 3,001 of a career could be more dramatic than the one before it, but goose bumps don’t lie. The following evening at Busch Stadium, Musial was honored before the game and received a standing ovation as he strode to the plate in the first inning. Before everyone could sit down, he drove a pitch from Giants lefty Johnny Antonelli onto the pavilion roof for a home run. Musial added two more hits that night, on his way to 3,630 hits, fourth most in history.
Lindbergh, presumably, had quite a few less.
___
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view.bg?articleid=1350598
Related Articles:
Rays-Yankees rained out; Jeter’s pursuit delayed
/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view.bg?articleid=1350495
Derek Jeter pulls himself from All-Star game
/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view.bg?articleid=1350478
Baseball’s 3,000-hit club might not be exclusive but it has its share of great players, stories
By Dan O’Neill*/*St. Louis Post-Dispatch**| **Saturday, July 9, 2011**|**http://www.bostonherald.com**|**MLB Coverage
ST. LOUIS – When New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter collects his 3,000th hit, he will join one of baseball’s most distinguished clubs. Perhaps how distinguished is a matter of perspective.
"It took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball," Henry Aaron once said. "I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."
Aaron is one of the 27 players who have reached the milestone. All but two - Pete Rose and Rafael Palmeiro - are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose, the career leader with 4,256 hits, has been banished for gambling improprieties. Palmeiro, who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, received only 11 percent of the ballot in his first year of eligibility.
Where 3,000 hits ranks in baseball’s "Fab Four" lineup of career milestones makes for rich debate. Twenty-five players, nearly the same number, have hit 500 or more home runs. That enrollment could swell considerably in the years to come, with a number of players on striking-distance pace, including Albert Pujols (425), entering Friday’s games.
There are 24 pitchers with 300 or more career victories, a roster that won’t grow any time soon. The highest victory total among active major league pitchers belongs to 44-year-old Tim Wakefield [stats] (198 wins), who is unlikely to get 102 more in this lifetime. Next in line is Roy Halladay, who is 120 wins shy at age 34.
The 3,000-strikeout society is more exclusive with only 16 members. Given the expanded role of bullpens in recent times, membership represents an endangered species. Florida’s 35-year-old Javier Vazquez, perhaps nearing the finish line, is the active player closest to the mark with 2,436 strikeouts. The embalmed Wakefield is next (2,103), while 30-year-old CC Sabathia (1,904) is the only active pitcher younger than 34 who has eclipsed the 1,800 mark.
But, if it isn’t the rarest of baseball feats, 3,000 hits certainly is among the most romantic, an exotic stamp of career credibility that has eluded some of the game’s best. The list of also-rans includes Rogers Hornsby (2,930), Babe Ruth (2,873), Al Simmons (2,927), Lou Gehrig (2,721), Ted Williams (2,654), Willie Keeler (2,932), Frank Robinson (2,943), Mel Ott (2,876) and - 762 home runs notwithstanding - Barry Bonds (2,935).
Baseball’s changing environment has impacted the 3,000 hits enrollment, as it has other career standards. When Stan Musial laced his 3,000th hit in 1958, he became only the eighth player to reach the mark, and the first in 16 years. No one got to 3,000 hits during the 1960s. But with baseball expanding from 16 to 30 teams, with the American League adopting a designated hitter, 19 players have climbed the mountain since. Paul Molitor, the 21st to accomplish the feat in 1996, had 3,319 hits in his career, 1,407 of them as a designated hitter.
The circumstances surrounding hit No. 3,000 are often compelling and sometimes ironic. Aaron, who retired as baseball’s career home run king (755) and remains the career extra-base hits leader (1,477), cracked the 3,000 barrier in 1970 with an infield single off Cincinnati pitcher Wayne Simpson.
In contrast, Wade Boggs, often vilified during 11 seasons in Boston for his lack of power, owner of 2,253 career singles, pounded a home run for his 3,000th. Boggs kissed home plate to complete his trot into history.
Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th became especially meaningful after the fact. Clemente doubled off Mets lefty Jon Matlack for No. 3,000 on Sept. 30, 1972. Three months later, the 38-year-old outfielder died in a plane crash, trying to bring aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Thus, Clemente’s 3,000th came in his last regular-season at-bat. For trivia types, however, it was not Clemente’s last regular-season game.
The division-winning Pirates - no, really - played a three-game set with the Cardinals to end the ’72 season. Though he did not start any of those final games, Clemente entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of Pittsburgh’s 6-2 victory on Oct. 3.
Cleveland is the only franchise to have as many as three players reach 3,000 wearing its uniform. Two of baseball’s most storied properties _ the Yankees and Dodgers _ have none. Two players have collected a 3,000th hit while wearing the Cardinals’ iconic birds on the bat. In both instances, the blows came against the Chicago Cubs, an insult that seemed especially injurious on Aug. 13, 1979 at Busch Memorial Stadium.
Infamously traded to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio in 1964, a 40-year-old Lou Brock banged his 3,000th hit off the hand of Cubs pitcher Dennis Lamp. The accomplishment put the exclamation point on a remarkable farewell season for the "Base Burglar," who batted .304, stole 21 bases and took home the league’s Comeback Player of the Year Award as a parting gift. Upon reaching on the infield hit, Brock was swarmed by teammates and photographers, congratulated by Musial and cheered wildly by 44,457 in attendance.
"The fans of St. Louis deserve to see 3,000 hits," Brock said into a public address microphone. "I’m happy that it did happen here. I’m No. 1 in line. I’ve never seen it before either. I’m happy to have been a part of it."
For storybook quality, Musial’s 3,000th hit might stand alone. After winning his seventh batting championship in 1957, Musial began the ’58 season 43 hits shy of the magical mark. He commenced pursuit with extreme prejudice, opening the season with a 17-game hitting streak that included 12 multiple-hit games. On May 11, the 37-year-old Musial went 5-for-8 in a Sunday doubleheader sweep of the Cubs, raising his batting average to .494 and raising his total to 2,998.
The Cardinals opened a two-game set in Chicago on May 12 and Musial doubled in a 6-4 victory at Wrigley Field. Now one hit away, he privately told Cardinals coach Terry Moore how much he wanted to "save the big one" for the fans in St. Louis. Moore relayed the sentiments to manager Fred Hutchinson, who called Musial in his hotel room that evening and told him he would sit out the next day. But the next afternoon, his team trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Hutchinson sent Musial to pinch-hit for pitcher Sam Jones. And as only broadcaster Harry Caray could put it, "Holy Cow! He came through."
With just over 5,600 in the stands, Musial doubled into the left-field corner for hit No. 3,000, helping the club rally for a 5-3 victory. The Cardinals shortstop that day, Dick "Ducky" Schofield, was in the on-deck circle when Musial made history. "It was exciting," said Schofield, who lives in Springfield, Ill. "I came up next and I walked. I think the pitcher, (Moe) Drabowsky, was so flustered. He was still wondering what happened with Musial.
"It was a big deal and it couldn’t have happened to a better guy. When Stan did it, you only had eight teams in the league, you played fewer games, played a lot of doubleheaders. ... I think when he did it, it was maybe a little bit harder to do than now. But you can’t take anything away from somebody who gets 3,000 hits. It’s still quite an accomplishment."
As special as Musial’s hit was, what followed was a Mark Twain narrative, an experience Musial called "one of the best moments of my career." As the Cardinals took the train back to St. Louis that evening, it made a station stop in Clinton, Ill. Surprisingly, some 75 people were gathered, chanting "We want Musial!"
The train stopped again further down the line in Springfield, where more than 100 awaited, shouting Musial’s name and singing "For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow." As before, Musial emerged to sign autographs and shake hands. "I remember he was waving to the fans from the back of the train as we pulled away," Schofield said. "It was something."
Finally, the train reached Union Station in St. Louis at 11:15 p.m. Close to 1,000 Stan-atical fans crowded around the platform, calling for "The Man" of the hour. An emotional Musial addressed the crowd, saying, "I never realized that batting a little ball around could cause so much commotion. Now I know how (Charles) Lindbergh must have felt when he returned to St. Louis." Without hesitation, a man called out, "What did he hit?" and the crowd erupted in laughter.
It seems silly to suggest hit No. 3,001 of a career could be more dramatic than the one before it, but goose bumps don’t lie. The following evening at Busch Stadium, Musial was honored before the game and received a standing ovation as he strode to the plate in the first inning. Before everyone could sit down, he drove a pitch from Giants lefty Johnny Antonelli onto the pavilion roof for a home run. Musial added two more hits that night, on his way to 3,630 hits, fourth most in history.
Lindbergh, presumably, had quite a few less.
___
