Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Batters in post season: Home Runs >= 15 and Babe Ruth's final record 1926-1963.

Babe Ruth hit 15 Home Runs in seven World Series between 1921 and 1932, all with the New York Yankees.

Ruth had been in World Series 1915, 1916, 1918 with the Boston Red Sox. In 1915 he did not pitch but pinch hit once and made out. In 1916 and 1918 he was a starting pitcher: 3 starts, 3-0, 29 consecutive scoreless innings.

World Series batting for the Red Sox: 12 PA, 11 AB, one triple in 1918 against the Cubs.

His 129 WS At Bats (AB) includes no Home Runs in 11 Red Sox AB.

His 15 WS HR came in 118 Yankee AB.

Ruth hit at least one HR in 6 of his 7 Yankee WS (not 1922).

Here are the batters with at least 2 WS HR through 1921, Ruth's first WS:

https://stathead.com/tiny/Fa2Ru

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Generated 10/9/2024.

Batters with at least 3 WS HR through 1923, Ruth's third consecutive:

https://stathead.com/tiny/iVViO

For combined seasons, from 1903 to 1923, Playing in the AL or NL, in the postseason, requiring Home Runs >= 3 and At Bats >= 0, sorted by descending Home Runs.

Provided by Stathead.comFound with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 10/9/2024.

Irish Meusel was the brother of Yankee Bob Meusel. Irish played for the New York Giants 1921 (68 games) - 1926. He played in 4 WS with these HR:

1921 v. Yankees 1
1922 v. Yankees 1
1923 v. Yankees 1 (game 2)
1924 v. Washington 0

Aaron Ward played for the Yankees 1917-1926 and was the starting second baseman 1921-1925. Ward's WS HR:

1921 v. Giants 0
1922 v. Giants 2
1923 v. Giants 1 (game 2)

Ruth's WS HR through 1923:

1921 v. Giants 1
1922 v. Giants 0
1923 v. Giants 3 (game 2: 2, game 6)

Ruth had three career WS HR through 1923, game 2:

Start Time: 2:00 p.m. Local
Attendance: 40,402
Venue: Polo Grounds V
Game Duration: 2:07
Day Game, on grass
Yankees 4, Giants 2

HR: Aaron Ward (1, off Hugh McQuillan, 2nd inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF); Babe Ruth 2 (2, 1 off Jack Bentley, 5th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep RF Line, 1 off Hugh McQuillan, 4th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep RF).

HR: Irish Meusel (1, off Herb Pennock, 2nd inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF).

After that game the WS HR record since 1903 should have been tied at 3 by Baker, Gardner, Ward, Meusel and Ruth.

Ruth broke the record in the 6th and final WS game in 1923:

Attendance: 34,172
Venue: Polo Grounds V
Game Duration: 2:07
Day Game, on grass
Yankees 6, Giants 4

HR: Babe Ruth (3, off Art Nehf, 1st inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep RF Line).

However, Ruth did not hold the record. Goose Goslin of the Washington Senators hit three HR in both the 1924 and 1925 WS to become the WS HR record holder. Goslin hit 12 and 18 HR in those regular seasons.

Joe Harris, Goslin's teammate in 1925, also hit three HR in the 1925 WS. Really.

https://stathead.com/tiny/fzcx1

For combined seasons, from 1903 to 1925, Playing in the AL or NL, in the postseason, requiring Home Runs >= 3 and At Bats >= 0, sorted by descending Home Runs.

Provided by Stathead.comFound with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 10/9/2024.

https://stathead.com/tiny/FI6Ry

For combined seasons, from 1903 to 1926, Playing in the AL or NL, in the postseason, requiring Home Runs >= 3 and At Bats >= 0, sorted by descending Home Runs.

Provided by Stathead.comFound with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 10/9/2024.

The Yankees lost the 1926 WS to the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3. But Ruth hit three HR in game 4 to pass Goslin:

Wednesday, October 6, 1926
Attendance: 38,825
Venue: Sportsman's Park III
Game Duration: 2:38
Day Game, on grass
Yankees 10, Cardinals 5

HR: Babe Ruth 3 (3, 2 off Flint Rhem, 1st inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep RF Line; 3rd inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep CF-RF, 1 off Herman Bell, 6th inn, 1 on, 1 out to Deep CF).

Ruth hit a fourth HR in game 7 but the Cardinals won 3-2 in Yankee Stadium. Ruth walked with two out in the 9th but with Bob Meusel batting: B. Ruth Caught Stealing 2B (C-2B)

Through:

1927:

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Generated 10/9/2024.

1928:

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Generated 10/9/2024.

1929:

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Generated 10/9/2024.

1930:

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Generated 10/9/2024.

1931:

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Generated 10/9/2024.

1932 (Ruth's final WS):

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Generated 10/9/2024.

1938 (Gehrig's final WS):

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Generated 10/9/2024.

1963:

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Generated 10/9/2024.

Mantle ties Ruth but in almost twice as many AB.

1963 WS: (LA Dodgers sweep Yankees 4-0)

Game 4:

Attendance: 55,912
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Game Duration: 1:50
Day Game, on grass
Dodgers 2, Yankees 1

HR: Mickey Mantle (1, off Sandy Koufax, 7th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF-CF).

1964 WS: (Cardinals beat Yankees 4-3)

Game 3 (Mantle breaks Ruth's record):

Attendance: 67,101
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Game Duration: 2:16
Day Game, on grass
Yankees 2, Cardinals 1

HR: Mickey Mantle (1, off Barney Schultz, 9th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep RF).

Game 6: HRMickey Mantle (2, off Curt Simmons, 6th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep CF-RF)

Game 7:

Attendance: 30,346
Venue: Busch Stadium I
Game Duration: 2:40
Day Game, on grass
Cardinals 7, Yankees 5

HR: Mickey Mantle (3, off Bob Gibson, 6th inn, 2 on, 0 outs to Deep LF-CF); Clete Boyer (1, off Bob Gibson, 9th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep LF); Phil Linz (2, off Bob Gibson, 9th inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep LF Line).

Through 1968 the World Series games were the only post season games. Extra games to break a first place tie (Examples 1951 Dodgers - Giants; 1978 Yankees - Red Sox) were regular season games, NOT post season.

1982:

Provided by Stathead.comFound with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 10/9/2024.

Reggie tied the Mick in 1982 in his first season with the Angels after leaving the Yankees. In 1982 Reggie led the AL in HR for the fourth and final time with 39.

2003 (18 post season HR finally exceeded.)

Provided by Stathead.comFound with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 10/9/2024.

Williams took way more AB.

Now we'll look at the current list of post season HR >= 15, the Babe's final record 1926-1963.

October 9, 2024:

max2965032.50201720241587341112001433258018572135.326.470.7441.214302
min151298.6019151932411673542202030001930.211.312.443.76096
RkPlayerHRABAB/HRFromToGPARH1B2B3BRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSTBPlayer
1Manny Ramírez2941014.1419952009111493671176919078117291.285.394.544.937223Manny Ramírez
2Jose Altuve2743616.1520152024105484891187021056954375.271.337.505.841220Jose Altuve
3Bernie Williams2246521.1419952006121545831287729080857185.275.371.480.850223Bernie Williams
4Kyle Schwarber2122410.6720152024682734254276034504468.241.370.549.919123Kyle Schwarber
5Derek Jeter2065032.50199620121587341112001433256118566135.308.374.465.838302Derek Jeter
6Alex Bregman1937019.47201720249943463885117154315364.238.346.443.789164Alex Bregman
7Albert Pujols1930416.00200120228836057975918154125046.319.422.572.995174Albert Pujols
8Corey Seager1929915.74201520237834655753817148304279.251.347.505.852151Corey Seager
9George Springer1927614.53201520236730943744015038413174.268.346.529.875146George Springer
10Carlos Correa1832317.94201520238535838915419063103184.282.352.508.860164Carlos Correa
11Nelson Cruz1818710.39201020215020735522212038111945.278.348.631.979118Nelson Cruz
12Reggie Jackson1828115.61197119867731841784514148523370.278.358.527.885148Reggie Jackson
13Mickey Mantle1823012.7819511964652734259336240344354.257.374.535.908123Mickey Mantle
14Bryce Harper1719011.18201220245222840532312134813452.279.392.6211.013118Bryce Harper
15David Ortiz1730417.88200220168536951884722261015972.289.404.543.947165David Ortiz
16Jim Thome1723213.6519952012712673549292137003073.211.312.448.760104Jim Thome
17Carlos Beltrán1621513.442004201765256456634151421103733.307.412.6091.021131Carlos Beltrán
18Babe Ruth151298.6019151932411673742205233433330.326.470.7441.21496Babe Ruth
19Jayson Werth1522715.13200420176327138572713230604176.251.369.524.893119Jayson Werth
RkPlayerHRABAB/HRFromToGPARH1B2B3BRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSTBPlayer

So, ...