Quiz – Boxscore Sleuthing (solved)

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In 2013, a particular batting feat occurred for the 11th game in the past 10 seasons, in the games shown below. Prior to 2004, this same batting feat had happened only 24 times in major-league history.

What is this unusual batting feat that has become more commonplace (relatively speaking) in recent years?

Rk Date Tm Opp Rslt
1 Apr 10, 2013 LAA OAK L,5-11
2 Aug 12, 2011 ATL CHC W,10-4
3 Aug 29, 2009 CHW NYY L,0-10
4 Aug 4, 2009 NYM STL L,7-12
5 Sep 2, 2008 NYY TBR W,7-2
6 Jun 7, 2008 FLA CIN W,8-7
7 May 27, 2008 BOS SEA L,3-4
8 Aug 22, 2007 TOR OAK L,1-4
9 Jul 2, 2007 HOU PHI W,7-5
10 May 3, 2007 TEX NYY L,3-4
11 Aug 28, 2005 CIN PIT W,7-2
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com:
Generated 12/9/2013.

Hint: 1994 is the only other season with multiple games

Congratulations to John Autin! He correctly identified that a player recorded his 1000th extra-base hit in each of these games. More on this under-appreciated milestone after the jump.

After passing 500 doubles in 2012 (and tying Joe Medwick as the youngest player to do so, right to the day!), Albert Pujols passed a related milestone in 2013 with scarcely a mention, becoming the 35th player to pass 1000 extra-base hits, the 4th youngest in age and 3rd fastest in games to reach the milestone.

Here are the members of the 1000 extra-base hit club, in order of induction. The table indicates the year each player reached 1000 and their extra-base hit and game total at the end of that season.

Rk Player XBH From To Age G
1 Ty Cobb 1033 1905 1925 18-38 2727
2 Tris Speaker 1053 1907 1926 19-38 2585
3 Babe Ruth 1024 1914 1929 19-34 1790
4 Rogers Hornsby 1001 1915 1933 19-37 2203
5 Lou Gehrig 1040 1923 1936 20-33 1842
6 Jimmie Foxx 1023 1925 1940 17-32 1978
7 Mel Ott 1025 1926 1944 17-35 2560
8 Stan Musial 1020 1941 1955 20-34 1988
9 Ted Williams 1048 1939 1958 20-39 2076
10 Willie Mays 1068 1951 1966 20-35 2157
11 Hank Aaron 1016 1954 1967 20-33 2119
12 Ernie Banks 1004 1953 1970 22-39 2489
13 Frank Robinson 1032 1956 1971 20-35 2329
14 Carl Yastrzemski 1025 1961 1979 21-39 2862
15 Pete Rose 1015 1963 1984 22-43 3371
16 Reggie Jackson 1013 1967 1985 21-39 2573
17 Mike Schmidt 1002 1972 1988 22-38 2362
18 George Brett 1019 1973 1991 20-38 2410
19 Dave Winfield 1008 1973 1992 21-40 2707
20 Andre Dawson 1014 1976 1994 21-39 2506
21 Eddie Murray 1003 1977 1994 21-38 2706
22 Cal Ripken 1017 1981 1999 20-38 2790
23 Barry Bonds 1014 1986 2000 21-35 2143
24 Rafael Palmeiro 1048 1986 2002 21-37 2413
25 Ken Griffey 1002 1989 2005 19-35 2125
26 Sammy Sosa 1033 1989 2007 20-38 2354
27 Craig Biggio 1014 1988 2007 22-41 2850
28 Frank Thomas 1012 1990 2007 22-39 2251
29 Manny Ramirez 1052 1993 2008 21-36 2103
30 Luis Gonzalez 1018 1990 2008 22-40 2591
31 Alex Rodriguez 1007 1994 2008 18-32 2042
32 Gary Sheffield 1003 1988 2009 19-40 2576
33 Jim Thome 1000 1991 2009 20-38 2284
34 Chipper Jones 1018 1993 2011 21-39 2387
35 Albert Pujols 1031 2001 2013 21-33 1958
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/9/2013.

9 thoughts on “Quiz – Boxscore Sleuthing (solved)”

  1. Voomo Zanzibar

    All but one include a player with at least 350 homers hitting a homer.
    Many of them involve two players or more who would go on to hit 600 homers or 500 homers.
    ……….that’s all i got.

    Reply ↓
  2. oneblankspace

    Is the order of teams (which is Tm, which is Opp) significant?

    The White Sox had only one hit in that game, but it was a double by Thome (412th of his career). ARodriguez homered (576) for New York (A).

    Reply ↓
  3. John Autin

    The theme is 1,000th extra-base hits.

    But the first game on the list features Albert’s 1,001st extra-base hit, by B-R’s stats. Could there be an error on B-R? Their stats show his 1,000th was April 10, as does another online item. I did find a tweet saying April 13.

    Anyway, the second game features Chipper’s 1,000th XBH. The third feature’s Thome’s 1,000th XBH. These next ones are guesses: The fourth game is Sheffield, the 5th is A-Rod, the 6th is Luis Gonzalez, the 7th is Manny, the 8th is Big Hurt, the 9th is Biggio, the 10th is Sosa and the 11th is Junior.

    Reply ↓
    1. John Nacca

      According to BBref, 35 players have reached 100 career XBH. So by taking the clue at the beginning (11 times in the past 10 seasons)…and adding the next clue (only 24 prior times), that’s gotta be it.

      Too bad about Todd Helton, he retires with 998. Big Papi is 31 away. Next closest is….Alfonso Soriano (???) with 903.

      Reply ↓
    2. Doug Post author

      Congratulations John,

      You have it. The error on Albert’s game is mine (adding three numbers in my head, and getting it wrong).

      Any idea why this is such an unknown milestone? Only 35 players have done it, yet no build-up when the event draws near. Just a mention in passing after it happens. Strange.

      Aren’t you glad I didn’t use the clue of the list of pitchers who gave up the 1000th XBH?

      Reply ↓
      1. John Autin

        Doug, I fully agree that 1,000 XBH is an unappreciated milestone. I feel the same way about Total Bases. How many people know that Hank Aaron is not just #1 in career Total Bases, but with a lead over #2 (Musial) that is greater than the gap from #2 to #9?

        Reply ↓

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