This week we bring you another two-fer, one concerning pitchers, and the other concerning batters.
We were the first team on which four pitchers each won twenty or more games that season. Name the team and the four pitchers.
We were the first team on which four batters each hit thirty or more home runs that season. Name the team and the four batters.
Pictured: HOF'er Bob Lemon (from the 1958 Topps series). Starting with the 1948 season, Lemon won twenty or more games seven times during a nine-season span. In 1951, though, he won only 17 games. Too bad, because three of his teammates won twenty or more games that season (Bob Feller: 22-8; Mike Garcia: 20-13; and Early Wynn: 20-13).
Batters: 1977 Dodgers: Garvey, Cey, Baker, Reggie Smith
Pitchers: 1970 Orioles: McNally, Palmer, Cuellar, Dobson
Posted by: Howard Wasserman | September 11, 2010 at 10:33 AM
You're batting .500, Howard.
Posted by: Tim Zinnecker | September 11, 2010 at 10:37 AM
Didn't the 1954 Indians have 4 20-game winners? (Feller, Lemon, Wynn, ?)
Posted by: David | September 11, 2010 at 01:01 PM
Bob Feller's last great year was 1951. He never won more than 13 games in a season thereafter. But Lemon and Wynn each hit the 20-win mark in 1954. See links above.
Posted by: Tim Zinnecker | September 11, 2010 at 02:15 PM
OK, here it is: 1920 White Sox: Faber, Williams, Kerr, and Cicotte. Just before they dropped the hammer.
Posted by: Howard Wasserman | September 11, 2010 at 05:31 PM
Howard, I've always thought that the Orioles were the only team to field four 20-game winners in the same season. But you and I have discovered that the Orioles were the SECOND team to accomplish the feat.
As for teams with a lineup that included four batters, each with at least 30 home runs in the same season, see this link for other teams that repeated what the Dodgers were the first to do:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090908&content_id=6863766&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi
Posted by: Tim Zinnecker | September 11, 2010 at 05:51 PM