Top Ten: 755 Hank Aaron, 749* Barry Bonds, 714 Babe Ruth, 660 Willie Mays, 600* Sammy Sosa, 586 Frank Robinson, 583 Mark McGwire, 582* Ken Griffey, Jr., 573 Harmon Killebrew, 569 Rafael Palmiero.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The following statistics pertain only to the ten players listed above:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Average # HR per year (highest individual year in parentheses):
1. 50, McGwire (70); 2. 46, Ruth (60); 3. 42, Sosa (66); 4. 41, Bonds (73) and Griffey (56); 6. 38, Killebrew (49); 7. 37, Aaron (47); 8. 36, Mays (52); 9. 34, Robinson (49); 10. 33, Palmiero (47).
Batting average:
1. Ruth .342, 2. Aaron .305, 3. Mays .302, 4. Bonds .299, 5. Robinson .294, 6. Griffey .290, 7. Palmiero .288, 8. Sosa .273, 9. McGwire .263, 10. Killebrew .256.
Average RBI's per year:
1. Ruth 143, 2. McGwire 122, 3. Griffey 116, 4. Sosa 115, 5. Aaron 113, 6. Bonds 109, 7. Robinson, Killebrew, & Palmiero 105, 10. Mays 103
Lifetime at-bats:
1. Aaron 12,364; 2. Mays 10,881; 3. Palmiero 10,472; 4. Robinson 10,006; 5. Bonds 9,683; 6. Sosa 8,640; 7. Griffey 8,583; 8. Ruth 8,398; 9. Killebrew 8,147; 10. McGwire 6,187.
HR frequency (HR hit every x-times AB):
1. McGwire 10.6; 2. Ruth 11.8; 3. Bonds 12.9; 4. Killebrew 14.2; 5. Sosa 14.4; 6. Griffey 14.7; 7. Aaron 16.4; 8. Mays 16.5; 9. Robinson 17.1; 10. Palmiero 18.4.
==============================================
Barry Bonds needs seven HR's to overtake Aaron's record of most HR's. Of the other active players, Ken Griffey, Jr., is likely to reach the 700 mark before the end of his career, and Sammy Sosa needs 100 more to get there.
Alex Rodriguez currently has 491 HR's, with a season high of 57 and an average of 44 a year and has maintained a .306 batting average over his 14 seasons. If he can maintain this rate for another seven seasons, he should break Bonds' upcoming HR record. A-Rod averages 127 RBI's a year, and with a total 7,031 at bats, his HR frequency is once every 14.3 times at bat.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Close Encounter of the Oprah Kind
This week, Oprah had a couple of replays, shows originally aired as a result of shock-jock Don Imus, and the Kat insisted that I send Oprah a link to my "Why Empower Imus?" blog, although I contended that it was old news; nevertheless, at the Kat's insistence, I sent it. Hated to fill up Oprah's box will out-of-date material, but I caved.
In the mid-`70's, my office was across the street from WTVF-TV, Nashville's Channel 5, where Oprah was employed. My boss, a really sharp dresser and cosmopolitan-looking guy, asked me if I'd like to film a commercial, modeling a jogging suit. He told me it was a paying gig. I told him that's OK, I'll still do it. I learned that he had been offered the job, but he told me that being paid for modeling was something akin to using his body to make money. I had no such scruples, and, turning in my leave slip, I headed across the street for the filming on the following day.
Ruth Ann was applying make-up, and I must have been objecting to the method or the amount she was applying. Oprah came walking by and simply stepped in and took over, very quickly finishing me off with powder and brush so I didn't shine so much. I was surprised how she just stepped in and did the job very quickly, when she wasn't even involved with the commercial. It was like we knew each other, though we'd never met, and I had the feeling that I was in the presence of a perfectly efficient human being. I'm smiling, thinking about it. Oprah wasn't world-famous then.
But she was on her way.
In the mid-`70's, my office was across the street from WTVF-TV, Nashville's Channel 5, where Oprah was employed. My boss, a really sharp dresser and cosmopolitan-looking guy, asked me if I'd like to film a commercial, modeling a jogging suit. He told me it was a paying gig. I told him that's OK, I'll still do it. I learned that he had been offered the job, but he told me that being paid for modeling was something akin to using his body to make money. I had no such scruples, and, turning in my leave slip, I headed across the street for the filming on the following day.
Ruth Ann was applying make-up, and I must have been objecting to the method or the amount she was applying. Oprah came walking by and simply stepped in and took over, very quickly finishing me off with powder and brush so I didn't shine so much. I was surprised how she just stepped in and did the job very quickly, when she wasn't even involved with the commercial. It was like we knew each other, though we'd never met, and I had the feeling that I was in the presence of a perfectly efficient human being. I'm smiling, thinking about it. Oprah wasn't world-famous then.
But she was on her way.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Why Empower Imus?
Basketball players from both Rutgers and Tennessee have opined that shock-jock Imus has tarnished their seasons. Hey, players: Don't give this joker credit for ruining anything. He didn't. He can't. He has demonstrated simply how ignorant he is by his woefully pathetic attempts at humor, and a person this ignorant can only be pitied, that is, if you want to give him any thoughts at all.
Ruin the season. No! Ruin the championship game. Hell, no! Certainly, it is upsetting that someone can do what this man did, but the quick withdrawal of sponsorships followed by the withdrawal of his employment status should signal any other such ignorant person what might happen to him/her should such a stunt be pulled again.
My daughter is a Rutgers graduate. I am a Tennessee graduate. Neither of us gives Imus a second thought.
He doesn't deserve it.
Basketball players, like the coach used to tell us: "shake it off", and realize that public attestations that this ignorant person has somehow lessened great achievement might only give another misguided person inspiration to make similar ignorant statements. Don't give these idiots that fuel.
Ignore it. Don't give it any more press.
Imus can't ruin Tennessee's championship season.
Imus can't ruin Rutgers' exciting and surprising arrival at the Championship game.
These achievements are forever.
Imus is gone.
Ruin the season. No! Ruin the championship game. Hell, no! Certainly, it is upsetting that someone can do what this man did, but the quick withdrawal of sponsorships followed by the withdrawal of his employment status should signal any other such ignorant person what might happen to him/her should such a stunt be pulled again.
My daughter is a Rutgers graduate. I am a Tennessee graduate. Neither of us gives Imus a second thought.
He doesn't deserve it.
Basketball players, like the coach used to tell us: "shake it off", and realize that public attestations that this ignorant person has somehow lessened great achievement might only give another misguided person inspiration to make similar ignorant statements. Don't give these idiots that fuel.
Ignore it. Don't give it any more press.
Imus can't ruin Tennessee's championship season.
Imus can't ruin Rutgers' exciting and surprising arrival at the Championship game.
These achievements are forever.
Imus is gone.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Monday, January 1, 2007
Boise State (12-0)* vs. Oklahoma (12-1)* _____ 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
New Year's Day, 2007 - I must admit a bit of irritation when I first saw the Fiesta Bowl matchup of Boise State vs. Oklahoma. I mean, why couldn't they match Boise State, with no losses in 2006, against Rutgers, with only one loss on the year, instead of sticking them in bowls against two powerful Big 12 teams, Oklahoma and Kansas State? Before the Sooners caught their breath, Boise State had a 14-0 lead and led 28-10 at halftime. With about two minutes left in the game, Oklahoma scored to bring the score to 28-26. The Sooners had to go for two to tie, hoping to take the game to overtime. It took three tries, because of two penalties, but the Sooners tied it. With a little more than a minute left to play, the Broncos had other ideas about going to overtime, but the first pass was intercepted by Oklahoma and returned for a TD. Leading 35-28, Oklahoma kicked off for the second time in only a few seconds, and with 52 seconds left in the game, Boise State started driving and scored with 4 seconds left in the game on the most unusual, best-looking, and most smoothly executed hook-and-lateral play I've seen in more than fifty years of watching college football.
35-35. Overtime begins, and Oklahoma scores on the first play.
42-35. Oklahoma. Time after time, it appears that Boise State is stopped, but they grind out two first downs then score with the quarterback going in motion to the left and a receiver taking the snap, rolling to the right sideline and throwing a pass to the tight end.
42-41 Oklahoma. Boise State reveals its Statue of Liberty with a fake pass towards a Bronco trio in the right corner of the end zone, and with the ball well-hidden on the right hip, the handoff is made and no one can catch the runner to the left corner of the end zone.
Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42. In 61 years of life (and I attended my first college game at age 8), I don't think I've ever been so elated at the end of a bowl game.
And for an absolutely perfect ending, a Boise State star player (the one who carried the ball across the goal line for the winning two-point conversion) proposed to the head cheerleader on national t.v. at the end of his post-game interview.
*** stars in my eyes ***
==========================================
It's been quite a day, January 1, 2007. After the Boise State victory, it no longer seems to matter that Arkansas lost to Wisconsin, that West Virginia defeated Georgia Tech, or that Penn State topped Tennessee, all three come-from-behind victories (I predicted the first two and missed the third, but I wanted the other three to win). Auburn came through with a win over Nebraska, as predicted, and as desired, and so did Southern Cal, showing the nation that if either team in the Rose Bowl deserved to play for the National Championship, maybe it wasn't Michigan after all, as so many people had opined. The Trojans more or less trounced the Wolverines. Like a number of other pollsters, I have a rating system which had Ohio State and Michigan ranked first and second. But that's on paper. On the field, things are often a bit different than they are on paper.
I now love Boise State, obnoxious blue field and all. Their uniform colors may hurt my eyes, but their spirit inspires my soul. Go, Broncos! You guys made me happy today.
<><><><><> old guy disclaimer <><><><><><><>
It's late; I'm in my sixties; If I missed some of the
details, y`all give me a break - This is the way I
remember it. Feel free to post a comment to this
blog to correct my imperfect recollection.
~~~~~~~~ about the records~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The title shows the team records prior to the bowl game.
Since Oklahoma didn't really lose to Oregon, I have not
recorded that game as a loss. The NCAA record books
will record the final records, after playing the bowl game,
as 13-0 for Boise State and 11-3 for Oklahoma.
35-35. Overtime begins, and Oklahoma scores on the first play.
42-35. Oklahoma. Time after time, it appears that Boise State is stopped, but they grind out two first downs then score with the quarterback going in motion to the left and a receiver taking the snap, rolling to the right sideline and throwing a pass to the tight end.
42-41 Oklahoma. Boise State reveals its Statue of Liberty with a fake pass towards a Bronco trio in the right corner of the end zone, and with the ball well-hidden on the right hip, the handoff is made and no one can catch the runner to the left corner of the end zone.
Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42. In 61 years of life (and I attended my first college game at age 8), I don't think I've ever been so elated at the end of a bowl game.
And for an absolutely perfect ending, a Boise State star player (the one who carried the ball across the goal line for the winning two-point conversion) proposed to the head cheerleader on national t.v. at the end of his post-game interview.
*** stars in my eyes ***
==========================================
It's been quite a day, January 1, 2007. After the Boise State victory, it no longer seems to matter that Arkansas lost to Wisconsin, that West Virginia defeated Georgia Tech, or that Penn State topped Tennessee, all three come-from-behind victories (I predicted the first two and missed the third, but I wanted the other three to win). Auburn came through with a win over Nebraska, as predicted, and as desired, and so did Southern Cal, showing the nation that if either team in the Rose Bowl deserved to play for the National Championship, maybe it wasn't Michigan after all, as so many people had opined. The Trojans more or less trounced the Wolverines. Like a number of other pollsters, I have a rating system which had Ohio State and Michigan ranked first and second. But that's on paper. On the field, things are often a bit different than they are on paper.
I now love Boise State, obnoxious blue field and all. Their uniform colors may hurt my eyes, but their spirit inspires my soul. Go, Broncos! You guys made me happy today.
<><><><><> old guy disclaimer <><><><><><><>
It's late; I'm in my sixties; If I missed some of the
details, y`all give me a break - This is the way I
remember it. Feel free to post a comment to this
blog to correct my imperfect recollection.
~~~~~~~~ about the records~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The title shows the team records prior to the bowl game.
Since Oklahoma didn't really lose to Oregon, I have not
recorded that game as a loss. The NCAA record books
will record the final records, after playing the bowl game,
as 13-0 for Boise State and 11-3 for Oklahoma.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)