As we head to the start of the regular season, I’m taking a look back at three unique moments in Baseball history. These moments are often forgotten by everyone, except the most keen historians. Baseball fans should not forget these moments for they represent a bridge between our game's past and future. Part one features a great slugger who doubled one season as an awesome reliever.
Bonus: Is Scott Kazmir the new Cliff Lee?
Jimmie Foxx may have been the strongest hitter to ever play the game of baseball. He retired with 534 home runs, which at the time was second most in Major League history, only trailing The Bambino himself. His .609 career slugging percentage is fifth best in baseball history to this day. Very few men exerted the power and strength which Foxx did on the diamond.
Yet no matter how strong, every baseball player eventually loses to Father Time. Foxx found himself in that predicament entering the 1945 season. He signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, looking to energize his career after a horrible season prior. How bad was the prior season? Foxx had one hit in 20 at bats, which produced a horrible .050 batting average, during the 1944 season with the Cubs.
The Phillies saw Foxx as an attraction, hoping his fame and past prestige would draw fans to the stands. He only saw 89 games as a hitter in 1945, batting .268 with seven home runs. However it was his work on the mound of all places which made heads roll and opposing batters cry in Philadelphia.
Foxx had pitched once in a Major League game prior to the 1945 season. He threw a scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers as a member of the Red Sox in August of 1939. Yet he never started a game, or even thought to work as a pitcher until the Phillies put him on the mound.
Foxx pitched in nine games for the Phillies during the 1945 season, posting a 1.59 ERA in 22.2 innings of work. He only allowing 13 hits while striking out 10 batters. Seven of the nine games were in relief, which means Foxx started two games for the Phillies.
His first major league start was the defining moment for Foxx as a pitcher. He was certainly going to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a hitter, but his pride as an athlete was at stake. How would opposing hitters react to facing the greatest power hitter of their era? Many laughed at the notion that Foxx could start and win a major league game. Many were wrong.
Foxx made his first start on August 19, 1945 against the Cincinnati Reds. Despite being 45-67 on the seasons, the Reds were a club filled with veterans, who weren't going to roll over for Foxx. If anything, they wanted to hit Foxx harder and embarrass the 37 year old. Foxx wasn't going to allow that to happen.
He went 6.2 innings, giving up two runs, on four hits while striking out five. Reds' hitters were blown away by his pitching abilities and couldn't believe they were being made a fool of. Foxx also drove in a run at the plate. Vince DiMaggio, older brother of Joe DiMaggio, had two hits and scored two runs to help back up Foxx. The Phillies defeated the Reds 4-2, giving Foxx his first Major League win in his first Major League start.
Foxx retired after the 1945 season with .325 career batting average and a .428 OBP. His 1922 RBIS are in the Top 10 most in MLB history. He won three MVPs was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951. However, fans should not forget Foxx's exploits on the mound. In 10 career games, Foxx went 1-0, with a 1.52 ERA.
Foxx was a great hitter, but fans should remember he was also a good pitcher.
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