$Unique_ID{BAS00034} $Title{Lives of the Players: K-L} $Author{} $Subject{Kaat Kaline Kamm Keefe Keeler Kell Keller Kelley Kelly Keltner Killefer Killebrew Kiner Klein Klem Kling Konstanty Koosman Koufax Kuhn Lajoie Landis Lazzeri Lemon Leonard Lindstrom Lloyd Lollar Lombardi Lopes Lopez Lundy Luque Lyle Lynn Lyons} $Log{ Jim Kaat*0031101.scf Al Kaline*0031201.scf Tim Keefe*0031301.scf Willie Keeler*0031401.scf George Kell*0031501.scf Joe Kelley (left) and Bowie Kuhn*0031601.scf George Kelly*0031701.scf King Kelly*0031801.scf Harmon Killebrew*0032101.scf Ralph Kiner*0032301.scf Chuck Klein*0032701.scf Jerry Koosman*0033001.scf Sandy Koufax*0033101.scf Bowie Kuhn (right) and Joe Kelley*0031601.scf Nap Lajoie*0033601.scf Kenesaw Mountain Landis (right) and Will Harridge*0026501.scf Bob Lemon*0034401.scf Fred Lindstrom*0034901.scf John "Pop" Lloyd*0035001.scf Sherm Lollar*0035201.scf Ernie Lombardi*0035301.scf Davey Lopes (sliding)*0035401.scf Al Lopez (right) and Herb Score*0035501.scf Al Lopez (right) and Bill Veeck*0035601.scf Adolfo Luque*0035701.scf Fred Lynn*0035801.scf Ted Lyons*0035901.scf} Total Baseball: The Players Lives of the Players: K-L Jim Kaat Pitcher, Was (A) 1959-60, Min (A) 1961-73, Chi (A) 1973-75, Phi (N) 1976-79, NY (A) 1979-80, StL (N) 1980-83 "I've never craved center stage," Kaat said, but only Warren Spahn, Eddie Plank, Steve Carlton, Lefty Grove, and Tommy John won more among lefties than Jim's 283. Three times a 20-game winner, he used a good fastball, guile, and a brutal conditioning program to pitch for a record twenty-five seasons. His best year was 1966 with Minnesota, when he led the league with 25 wins and won the Sporting News' Pitcher of the Year Award. His other 20-win seasons came with the White Sox in 1974-1975. Not only did Kaat put in a lot of years, he put in some workhorse seasons, going over 300 innings twice and over 200 twelve other times, in spite of several serious injuries. Kaat helped himself in ways other than with his arm. His .185 career batting average was fair for a pitcher and his 134 career sacrifices is the record for hurlers. He may have been the best-fielding pitcher ever, winning sixteen straight Golden Gloves. Al Kaline Outfielder, Det (A) 1953-74 Kaline accepted a $30,000 bonus to sign with Detroit in 1953. Two years later, without having spent a day in the minors, the twenty-year-old Kaline won the 1955 AL batting title with .340, the youngest champ ever. Al never hit that high again, but for twenty-two years he was an outstanding player for Detroit. Though never again spectacular with a bat, he was steady, accumulating 1,622 runs scored and 1,583 RBIs. Kaline finished with 3,007 hits, a .297 batting average, and 399 home runs. He played in eighteen All-Star Games. Kaline was a sensational defensive outfielder, with a powerful, accurate arm. He won eleven Gold Gloves. In 1971 he went through 133 games without an error. Although Al battled injuries his whole career--he broke his cheek bone, collar bone, rib, foot, finger, and arm at various times--he set an AL record with twenty years of 100 games or more. He played in only one World Series. In 1968 he hit .379 with eight RBIs to lead the Tigers to a victory in seven games over the Cardinals. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1980. Willie Kamm Third Baseman, Chi (A) 1923-31, Cle (A) 1931-35 The White Sox bought Kamm from San Francisco of the Pacific Coast League in 1923 for the then sensational price of $100,000 to try to plug the hole at third left by banned Black Soxer Buck Weaver. In a career trapped in the second division, Willie earned a reputation as one of the best-fielding third basemen ever. He led the AL at his position eight times in fielding average and was consistently among the leaders in all fielding categories except errors. Although he had no home run power, he was a good contact hitter, with a .281 career batting average. His .308 in 1928 was his single-season best. Tim Keefe Pitcher, Troy (N) 1880-82, NY (AA) 1883-84, NY (N) 1885-89, 1891, NY (P) 1890, Phi (N) 1891-93 Keefe was one of the first great changeup artists. For six straight years, 1883-1888, the unassuming righthander combined a fair fastball and curve with his changeup to win 32 games or more. Twice he went over 40. He ended his career with 342 victories. In 1888 he won 19 straight, including one twelve-inning effort. That's the year he and fellow Irishman Mickey Welch pitched the Giants to the NL flag. Tim was top in wins, percentage, ERA, strikeouts, and shutouts. In the championship series against the American Association's St. Louis Browns that October, he won all four of New York's victories. Tim's finest day came in 1883. He won both ends of a July 4 doubleheader--a one-hitter in the morning and a two-hitter in the afternoon. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1964. Willie Keeler Outfielder, NY (N) 1892-93, 1910, Bkn (N) 1893, 1899-1902, Bal (N) 1894-98, NY (A) 1903-09 At 5'4 1/2" and 140 pounds, "Wee Willie" looked like the batboy. He choked up a foot on his thirty-inch bat, the lightest in the league, stood stiff-legged, leaning over the plate, and chopped down on the ball, the famous "Baltimore Chop." The ball bounced into the air, and before it came down, Willie was safe at first. Or if the infielders charged in, he'd bounce it over their heads. His "I hit 'em where they ain't" has been quoted more often than the Gettysburg Address. He hit .424 in 1897, second best ever, to lead the NL, and followed with a league-topping .385 in 1898. He had four other seasons over .370. His .341 career average ranks him thirteenth all-time. He had over 200 hits eight years in a row. The ultimate singles hitter, 2,511 of his 2,932 hits were for one base. Keeler hit in 44 straight games in 1897. No one kept such records then, but in all the years since, only Rose has tied it and only DiMaggio has surpassed it. A brilliant bunter, he is one of the men responsible for the modern foul-strike rule. He could bunt fouls by the hour until they changed the rule and began calling them outs after two strikes. Known as an outstanding right fielder, he played his first major league games as a lefthanded-throwing third baseman. A practical joker in moments of leisure, Keeler was deadly serious on the field. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939. George Kell Third Baseman, Phi (A) 1943-46, Det (A) 1946-52, Bos (A) 1952-54, Chi (A) 1954-56, Bal (A) 1956-57 Kell gave the Tigers and several other AL clubs some steady fielding and .300 hitting after World War Two. He led the league in batting average in 1949, just inching out Ted Williams by .0002 with a .3429 mark. Kell was safely in front of Williams as he approached his last at-bat of the season. Teammates urged him to let a pinch hitter bat in his place since an out would lose him the title. He refused and took his place in the on-deck circle, but before he could bat a teammate ended the inning and the season by hitting into a double play. In nine seasons, Kell batted over .300. Never a power hitter, Kell is one of the few modern hitters to have over 100 RBIs with fewer than 10 home runs, a feat he achieved in 1950. Kell had an excellent throwing arm and was sure-handed. He led AL third basemen in fielding average seven times, in assists four times, and in putouts and double plays twice. In 1983 he was named to the Hall of Fame. Charlie Keller Outfielder, NY (A) 1939-43, 1945-49, 1952, Det (A) 1950-51 Until a congenital back problem forced him to the sidelines, Keller seemed destined to take his place as one of the greatest of all the Yankees' hitters. "King Kong" played with Joe DiMaggio and Tommy Henrich in the Yankee outfield that helped win four flags in five years, 1939-1943. He used the New York short porch to propel as many as 33 home runs and averaged 98 RBIs a year. Though Keller hit .300 only three times, pitchers respected him and regularly gave him 100 walks. He was a hard man to double up. Charlie was a great October hitter. In 1939 he hit .438 in the World Series; his two homers and four RBIs won the third game, 7-3, and it was he who barreled into the Reds' Ernie Lombardi to score the deciding run in the tenth inning of the final game. In the 1941 Series, Keller hit .389. In the fourth game, after Henrich reached first on Mickey Owen's passed ball, Charlie doubled in the two runs that won the game. Then he scored the run that won the fifth and final game. In 1942 his two-run homer in the second game tied the score in the eighth, though the Cardinals went on to win the game and the Series. Following another pennant winner in 1943, he went into the Navy. He returned in 1945 and played until 1951, but the back problem limited him to only one more season of more than 83 games. He retired to raise horses on his Maryland farm, Yankeeland. Joe Kelley Outfielder, Bos (N) 1891, 1908, Pit (N) 1891-92, Bal (N) 1892-98, Bkn (N) 1899-01, Bal (A) 1902, Cin (N) 1902-06. Manager, Cin (N) 1902-05, Bos (N) 1908 Kelley was the heavy-hitting left fielder for the famous Baltimore Orioles of the 1890s. Joe played on six pennant winners in seven years, 1894-1900. The final two were with the Brooklyn Superbas, whom he captained. He hit over .300 for eleven consecutive seasons. In 1894, when he hit .393, he went 9-for-9 in a doubleheader, still the record. Two years later he hit .364. His lifetime average was .317. Kelley was a speedy outfielder with a powerful arm. He used to come to the park at nine in the morning to practice his bunting and running. A handsome if vain man, he kept a mirror under his cap and liked to sneak looks at himself in the outfield. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971. George "Highpockets" Kelly First Baseman, NY (N) 1915-17, 1919-26, Pit (N) 1917, Cin (N) 1927-30, Chi (N) 1930, Bkn (N) 1932 Kelly was the slick-fielding, clutch-hitting first baseman for a Giants team that won four straight NL pennants, 1921-1924. John McGraw, the New York manager, said that Kelly made "more important hits" for him than any player he ever had. He led the NL in RBIs with 94 in 1920, then knocked home over 100 in each of the pennant-winning seasons. In 1924 he led the league again with 136. A good home run hitter, he led the NL in 1921 with 23 and set a record in 1924 with 7 homers in 6 games. The lanky "Highpockets" had one of the most powerful arms in the league. His on-the-money throw across the infield completed a brilliant double play to end the 1921 World Series. He consistently ranked high in assists and holds the NL records for most putouts and most chances in a season. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1973. Mike "King" Kelly Outfielder/Catcher/Manager, Cin (N) 1878-79, Chi (N) 1880-86, Bos (N) 1887-89, 1891-92, Bos (P) 1890, Cin-Mil (AA) 1891, Bos (AA) 1891, NY (N) 1893 With his dark hair, black mustache, and flashing white smile, the King was a matinee idol and the subject of a popular song, "Slide, Kelly, Slide." ("If your batting doesn't fail ya, they will take ya to Australia / Slide, Kelly, on your belly, slide, slide, slide.") Mike rode to the park in a silk hat, ascot, and patent leather shoes, in a carriage pulled by two white horses (and sometimes by his "cranks," or fans). He was one of the best-dressed men in America. He went on the stage reciting "Casey at the Bat" and made $3,000 for the use of his picture on advertisements. He was a big gambler and was often seen at the races. Mike was one of the first hitters to perfect the hit-and-run, one of the first catchers to give finger signals, and one of the first outfielders to play close to back up infield plays. And despite the song, he was one of the first runners to use the hook slide. His most famous slide knocked the ball out of George Wright's hand to clinch the 1882 flag. He also liked to catch the ump asleep (they had only one then) and cut from first base to third base without going near second. He'd take a similar shortcut from second base to home. In all, Kelly sparked Anson's White Stockings to five flags in seven years, 1880-1886. He led the NL in hitting with .354 in 1884 and .388 in 1886. In 1887 Boston bought him for a record price, and he became "the $10,000 Beauty." He reputedly kept $5,000 of his purchase price for the use of his likeness for promotional purposes. Mike hit .322 his first year with them and stole 84 bases. Kelly also managed and batted the Bostons to the Players League flag in 1890. Mike played all nine positions. Once, while sitting on the bench, a foul fly came back. "Kelly now catching," he shouted and made the catch. They changed the substitute rule after that. Anson always said, "Mike's only enemy is himself." He died of pneumonia at the age of thirty-six, penniless after giving his only suit of clothes to a tramp while on a boat to Boston to recite "Casey" one more time. The city gave him a grand funeral send-off. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1945. Ken Keltner Third Baseman, Cle (A) 1937-44, 1946-49, Bos (A) 1950 Keltner was the AL's top-fielding third baseman in the 1940s. He led AL third sackers in fielding average three times, assists four times, and double plays five times. With Keltner on third and Lou Boudreau at short, Cleveland fans saw some of the best fielding of the decade. Ken's habit of taking a quick look at the ball in his hand before he gunned it to first was imitated by Cleveland schoolboys. Keltner is best known for the two fine plays he made to stop Joe DiMaggio's hit streak at 56. A fair hitter with some long-ball power, his best year was 1948, when he hit 31 homers, knocked in 119 runs, and hit .297, as the Indians won a tight race and the Series. Bill Killefer Catcher, StL (A) 1909-10, Phi (N) 1911-17, Chi (N) 1918-21. Manager, Chi (N) 1921-25, StL (A) 1930-33 Killefer was a typical catcher of the dead-ball era--a good handler of pitchers, strong-armed, reliable on defense, and a rotten hitter. He averaged .238 over thirteen seasons and crushed a grand career total of 4 home runs. His primary claim to fame is that he was Grover Alexander's favorite catcher. They first hooked up in 1911, Alex's rookie year with the Phillies. Their partnership continued when they were traded in tandem to the Cubs after the 1917 season and lasted until Killefer took over as the Cubs' manager and retired as a player in 1921. There seems little doubt that he was an intelligent player whose handling helped Alexander be one of baseball's greatest pitchers. There's no way of knowing how many games Alex might have won with a catcher who had less brains and more RBIs. Harmon Killebrew First Baseman/Third Baseman/Outfielder, Was (A) 1954-60, Min (A) 1961-74, KC (A) 1975 A few eyebrows went up among the Old School observers when Killebrew was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984. The Killer didn't fit the traditional mold of so many enshrined in Cooperstown. He didn't hit for breathtaking batting averages; not once in his career did he bat above .288 for a full season, and his career average was a mere .256. Shortstops do better. He was no jackrabbit on the bases; he stole 19 in twenty-two seasons. Catchers do better. He didn't dazzle anyone with his glove; he played three positions without ever winning even a Pyrite Glove, much less real gold. He wasn't even a colorful character, just a modest, nice guy who came to work, did his job, and went home to his wife and children. Killebrew was a one-dimensional player. Of course, that one dimension--smashing home runs in gargantuan quantities--produced more runs for his team than all the singles of a half dozen "good" hitters. And unless there's been a sudden and secret change in the rules, the object of hitting is to score runs. Killebrew lifted 573 lordly blasts over the fences. Only one AL player hit more--Babe Ruth. In home run frequency, Harmon is third behind only Ruth and Ralph Kiner. Such slugging helped win the Killer spots on The Sporting News' All-Star teams at three different positions--3B, 1B, and OF. Eight times he went over 40 homers; six times he led or tied for the league lead. Harmon was MVP in 1969, when he led the league with 49 homers and 140 RBIs. He had 1,584 RBIs for his career. And while that .256 batting average draws no raves, he drew 1,559 walks, which puts his on-base percentage up over .375. Ralph Kiner Outfielder, Pit (N) 1946-53, Chi (N) 1953-54, Cle (A) 1955 Kiner never said, "Home run hitters drive Cadillacs"; Fritz Ostermueller did. But he was talking about Ralph. Kiner was like Killebrew a "one-dimensional ballplayer," who was worth more than most two- or three-dimensional players who ever lived. Such is the structure of baseball that blasting one three-run home run will help a team more than a leaping one-handed catch, or two or three steals of second. Moaned Warren Spahn: "Kiner can wipe out your lead with one swing." No one except Babe Ruth ever dominated home run hitting the way Kiner did from 1946 to 1952, as he led or tied for the NL leadership in his first seven major league seasons. Aaron, Mays, Killebrew, Jackson, Foxx, and others hit more, but Ralph averaged 40 every 550 at-bats; only Babe did better. In 1947 he hit 51; in 1949 he raised that to 54, the second-highest total in NL history. Like the Babe, Ralph got a lot of walks, going over 100 six times. He was usually found on The Sporting News' All-Star team, and by 1951 Ralph was the highest-paid player in the league. But the big difference between them was that the Yankees, with a strong supporting cast, won pennants on Babe's homers; the Pirates were usually last in spite of Ralph's. Kiner, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1975, became a TV commentator for the Mets in the year of their inception, 1962, and remains behind the mike as one of the hardiest of all baseball's voices. Chuck Klein Outfielder, Phi (N) 1928-33, 1937-44, Chi (N) 1934-36, Pit (N) 1939 Philadelphia's Baker Bowl, the Phillies' home through the 1930s, had a short right field that was batter-friendly, to say the least. No player ever took better advantage of the situation than Klein, a powerful lefthanded hitter whose pokes against and over the Bowl's cozy wall helped him produce a startling five-year record. In 1929, his first full season, he led the NL with 43 home runs, while hitting .356 and driving in 145 runs. He beat Mel Ott by one for the homer crown when Phillie pitchers walked Mel five straight times on the final day, including once with the bases full. The next year he was awesome: .386, 40 homers, 170 RBIs--but did not lead the league in any of those categories in that hit-happy year. He continued his assault in 1931: .337, 31 home runs, and 121 RBIs, the last two figures leading the league. He was named MVP in 1932, when he led again in homers with 38, while driving in 137 and hitting .348. In 1933 he climaxed his five years of excellence with a Triple Crown: .368, 28, 120. Traded to the Cubs in 1934, he continued to be a productive hitter, but without his best friend, the wall, his great days were over. He finished his career with an even 300 homers and a .320 batting average. The wall even helped Klein to a defensive record. In 1930 he threw out 44 runners from his up-close and personal right field spot. Other players had the same wall to shoot for in the era; nobody used it better. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1980. Bill Klem Umpire, 1905-40 In a career that stretched from 1905 through 1940, Bill Klem was considered the greatest umpire of all time. He's credited by some with being the first umpire to use hand signals and the first to use the smaller chest protector. Klem officiated in eighteen World Series, a record. When Bill broke in, there was only one ump per game, and he literally dodged bottles from angry fans. When a player advanced on Klem to argue, he drew a line in the dirt with his shoe and called it "the Rio Grande." One step over, and the player was out. Bill kind of resembled a catfish, but saying so to his face was another cause for automatic ejection. He once slugged it out with outfielder Goose Goslin in a hotel elevator. Baseball was "more than a game, it's a religion," Klem said. "I never missed one," he always said of his calls. But after he retired, he would add, "in here," tapping his heart. Klem was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1953. Johnny Kling Catcher, Chi (N) 1900-08, 1910-11, Bos (N) 1911-12, Cin (N) 1913. Manager, Bos (N) 1912 Kling was the peppery catcher for the great Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance Cub teams of the century's first decade. A good defensive catcher, he pulled his weight as a hitter with a career average of .271. That was a little unusual in those days, when backstops were catchers first and hitters only if convenient. He was also rated as one of the best handlers of pitchers in the game. Certainly the record of the Cubs' moundmen during that period did nothing to tarnish that reputation. The Cubs, with "Noisy" Kling behind the plate, won three straight pennants, 1906-1908. He sat out 1909, and they finished second. When he returned in 1910, they won another flag. Casimir "Jim" Konstanty Pitcher, Cin (N) 1944, Bos (N) 1946, Phi (N) 1948-54, NY (A) 1954-56, StL (N) 1956 Big, bespectacled Jim was one of the early relief chiefs, and like so many, he had one truly great year. In 1950 he led the NL with 22 saves and 16 relief wins for the Whiz Kid Phils, who just nipped the Dodgers for the pennant on the last day of the 1950 season. He was named MVP. He was the surprise starter in the World Series against New York, when Phillie ace Robin Roberts needed rest after pitching the season finale. He dueled Vic Raschi for eight innings, gave up just one run on a double and two flies, and lost 1-0. Jerry Koosman Pitcher, NY (N) 1967-78, Min (A) 1979-81, Chi (A) 1981-83, Phi (N) 1984-85 Quietly Koosman emerged as a solid 222-game winner trapped mostly with inferior teams. As a rookie in 1968, Jerry was 19-12, with a 2.08 ERA, setting a rookie record with 7 shutouts. (His other record was striking out 62 times in 1968 as a batter.) Koosman had a sore arm in 1969 but still posted a 17-9 record to join Seaver in sparking the Mets to their dramatic World Series win. Kooz's contribution: a two-hit shutout of the Orioles in Game Two, a 5-3 victory in Game Five, and an overall Series ERA of 2.04. Jerry added another win in the 1973 Series. He won 21 games for the 1976 Mets and 20 for the 1979 Twins. In 1983 he went 11-7 to help the White Sox reach the playoffs. Sanford "Sandy" Koufax Pitcher, Bkn (N) 1955-57, LA (N) 1958-66 For five fabulous years, 1962-1966, Sandy Koufax did things with a baseball that no other lefty has done: five ERA titles, four no-hitters, three Cy Youngs, and one MVP. And much of it was achieved pitching while in excruciating pain. Wild as a youngster, Koufax labored for six years to compile a 36-40 record. Then he found his groove and became a star. In 1965 Koo struck out 382, breaking Waddell's season record of 349. He also threw a perfect game. In 1966 he won more games, 27, and pitched more shutouts, 11, than any NL lefty in one year in this century. Then his arm went bad, and he walked away at the age of thirty "while I could still comb my hair." Koufax won only 165 games, but no man who won twice that many ever reached the same heights. In 1972, at thirty-six, he was the youngest man ever elected to Cooperstown. As a fastball hurler, Koufax ranked with Ryan, Johnson, Feller, Grove, and Gooden. Unlike Grove and Johnson, Sandy had a dandy curve too. He whiffed 18 men in one game twice, in 1959 and 1962. His World Series ERA was 0.95, although his won-lost record was only 4-3. Four of the ten runs against him were unearned. Bowie Kuhn Commissioner, 1969-84 A Princeton lawyer, Bowie Kuhn replaced "the unknown soldier," General William Eckert, as commissioner for three controversial terms. Considered the owners' commissioner--as indeed every commissioner is--Kuhn resisted players' demands for more money, saying greedy players would bankrupt the teams. Player-negotiator Marvin Miller called it Kuhn's "annual poor-mouth speech." Ironically many owners also opposed Kuhn, and he was bypassed in the negotiations with Miller. Charles Finley of Oakland led the "dump Bowie" movement, which almost succeeded until two owners changed their votes. Kuhn would later void Finley's sales of $3.5 million worth of stars, which helped to drive the combative Finley out of the game. One of Kuhn's moves was to sanction playing the World Series at night. He appeared at the first night game on a cold October evening wearing no top coat to dramatize how "mild" the weather was. But he was wearing thermal skivvies underneath. Napoleon "Larry" Lajoie Second Baseman, Phi (N) 1896-1900, Phi (A) 1901-02, 1915-16, Cle (A) 1902-14. Manager, Cle (A) 1905-09. One of the best second basemen of all time and, by all accounts, the most graceful, Lajoie was also one of the most successful righthanded hitters. An established star with the NL Phillies, where he'd hit .378 in 1899, he jumped to Connie Mack's AL Philadelphia A's in 1901. The presence of Lajoie, Cy Young, and a few others helped legitimize the AL as a major league. Lajoie's .426 in the league's first year is still the highest batting average ever achieved in the American League. The following year an injunction by the Phillies forced AL president Ban Johnson to shift Lajoie to Cleveland, where he spent the bulk of his career. In 1903, 1904, and 1910, he led the AL in batting with averages of .344, .376, and .384. Lajoie's status was such that the team was named after him during his tenure--the Cleveland Naps. He managed the club from 1905 to part of 1909 and got them as high as second in 1908. Late in the 1909 campaign, he gave up the reins because he felt the cares of managing were hurting his play. Lajoie was a powerful line-drive hitter who pulled the ball. In 1910 the popular second baseman was locked in a tight batting race with Ty Cobb, despised by nearly everyone in the AL. The winner of the race was to receive a gift of a new Chalmers automobile. On the final day of the season the St. Louis Browns' manager ordered his young third baseman to play extremely deep on Lajoie during a doubleheader, ostensibly because of Larry's ability to smash the ball. Lajoie went 8 for 8, with seven of the hits being bunts, but lost the title to Cobb by .0007. He was given the auto anyway. In 1981 Paul MacFarlane of The Sporting News discovered that Ty got credit for an extra hit that year and Lajoie should have won the title. Commissioner Kuhn ruled that, damn the facts, the records remain as they had been. Lajoie hit over .300 in sixteen of his twenty-one seasons and finished with 3,242 hits for a .338 average. He accumulated 1,599 RBIs and scored 1,502. He led AL second basemen in fielding six times. In 1937 he was named to the Hall of Fame. Kenesaw Mountain Landis Commissioner, 1920-44 Baseball's first commissioner and only true czar, Landis demanded and got autocratic power to clean up the Black Sox scandal ruthlessly. By doing so, he restored public confidence in the integrity of baseball. He went on to rule the game with a power never wielded since. Historian David Q. Voigt calls him one of the five most influential men in baseball history. A shock of white hair, a thin, unsmiling mouth, and a crushed fedora hat--this was the image of Landis, who restored integrity to the game and ruled it for more than two decades. As a federal judge, Landis had won fame by fining John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil trust $29 million and for jailing ninety-four Socialist Labor Party leaders during World War One. But he refused to rule in the Federal League's suit against the NL and AL, saying it "would be a blow against a national institution." It won him the job as commissioner. Landis banned the Black Sox for life, though no court had convicted them. He banned several other players for less publicized fixing charges. He suspended Babe Ruth for barnstorming without permission. On the other hand, he was zealous in defending player rights. He opposed the farm system, and though he could not stop it, he released two hundred Tiger and Cardinal farm hands into free agency on the grounds that they were being "covered up" by the teams. Team owners bridled under his iron rule and never again granted a commissioner such powers. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1944, a month after his death. Tony Lazzeri Second Baseman, NY (A) 1926-37, Chi (N) 1938, Bkn (N) 1939, NY (N) 1939 Poor Lazzeri. As a twenty-two-year-old Yankee rookie, he was the victim of the most famous strikeout in history. He whiffed with the bases loaded against a hung-over Grover Alexander in the 1926 World Series. But with a tiny change of wind, Tony could have been the hero; before striking out he hit a long drive to left that faded foul by a few inches. "A few feet more," said Alex, "and he'd have been the hero and I'd have been the bum." Like his nemesis Alexander, Lazzeri was a victim of epilepsy. And like Alex, he overcame it to have an outstanding career. Ironically Lazzeri hit a World Series grand slam ten years later in 1936. Overall he played second base for six Yankee pennant winners and helped the Cubs to a flag in 1938. He drove in over 100 runs in seven different seasons and finished with a .292 career batting average. Tony also had one of the greatest minor league years ever--202 runs, 222 RBIs, and 60 HRs for San Francisco of the Pacific Coast League in 1925 (of course, they played a 197-game season). Bob Lemon Pitcher, Cle (A) 1941-42, 1946-58. Manager, KC (A) 1970-72, Chi (A) 1977-78, NY (A) 1978-82 Lemon was the ace of perhaps the finest pitching staff in AL history--the Indians of 1948-1956, with Bob Feller, Early Wynn, Mike Garcia, Herb Score, and others. Lem won 207 games for Cleveland, yet didn't become a pitcher until he was nearly twenty-six years old. As a third baseman, he played ten games with the Tribe before going into military service for World War Two. He demonstrated that he was not a good enough hitter to replace Ken Keltner at third for the Indians. Moreover, his arm was erratic. He seemed unable to throw a ball straight. When he returned to the Tribe in 1946, the decision was made to turn his liability into a virtue by making him a pitcher. He showed promise in 1947 when he won 11. By 1948 he was a star. As the Indians won their first pennant in 28 years, he pitched a no-hitter, 10 shutouts, and won 20 games. He added two more wins in the World Series. He had seven 20-win seasons from 1948 to 1956. Three times he led the AL in victories, including 1955, when he won "only" 18. Lem helped himself with his glove and bat. Often used as a pinch hitter, his 37 home runs are second all-time among pitchers. In 1978 Lem took over as manager of the Yankees when they were 10 1/2 games behind the Red Sox and split with dissension. With patient handling--plus a raft of Red Sox injuries--Bob achieved one of the unforgettable modern miracles by bringing the Yankees back to a last-day tie with Boston and a playoff victory. Lemon was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976. Walter "Buck" Leonard First Baseman, Negro League, 1933-50, Brooklyn Royal Giants, Homestead Grays They called Leonard "the black Gehrig." Like Lou, Buck was a durable first baseman with plenty of lefthanded power. He teamed with Josh Gibson to give the Homestead Grays a mighty one-two home run punch as the Grays won nine straight Negro National League flags, 1937-1945. When Gibson left the club, 1940-1941, for Mexico, the Grays won on Buck's power alone. In 1939 Leonard led all black batters with .492. He also slugged 7 homers in the short season, hitting them at a rate of 66/550 at-bats. Runner-up Gibson hit 6 (a rate of 59/550). Buck's entire career has not yet been compiled, but one estimate of his Negro League record puts his batting average at .336. He was also one of black baseball's most popular players. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. Freddie Lindstrom Third Baseman/Outfielder, NY (N) 1924-32, Pit (N) 1933-34, Chi (N) 1935-36 Lindstrom was a victim of pebbles. It was his bad luck that when he was an eighteen-year-old Giants rookie in the seventh game of the 1924 Series, not one but two balls hit pebbles and bounced over his head. The first, in the eighth inning, let in the tying run. The second, in the twelfth, lost the game for the Giants. Ironically Lindstrom went on to be considered one of the NL's best-fielding third basemen until a foot injury in 1931 forced him to the outfield. When he became a Giants regular in 1925 and began showing his hitting ability, New York fans called him "the Boy Wonder." A consistent .300 hitter, his top seasons were 1928, when he led the NL with 231 hits and batted .358, and 1930, when he hit .379 and swatted 22 home runs. In 1935 he helped the Cubs to a pennant as an outfielder. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 197 John Henry "Pop" Lloyd Shortstop, Negro League, 1905-31, Macon Acmes, Cuban-X Giants, Philadelphia Giants, Leland Giants, Lincoln Giants, Chicago American Giants, Brooklyn Royal Giants, Columbus Buckeyes, Bacharach Giants, Hilldale, New York Black Yankees "You could put Wagner and Lloyd in a bag together," Connie Mack once said, "and whichever you pulled out, you wouldn't go wrong." They called Lloyd "the black Wagner," and Honus said he considered it an honor. Starting in 1905, Lloyd established himself as the finest shortstop in black baseball and one of the finest ever. He played for independent black teams and in Cuba, where he was adored. They called him Cuchara, which means "scoop" or "shovel." Much like Wagner, he would scoop up a grounder and fire it to first in a hail of dust and pebbles that he'd also shoveled up with the ball. His finest hour came in 1909 against Ty Cobb and the Tigers in five exhibition games in Havana. Cobb did not steal a base, as Lloyd tagged him out three times. Lloyd hit .500 against the Tiger pitchers; Cobb hit .369 against the Cubans. The Georgia Peach was so angry and embarrassed he stomped off the field, vowing never to play blacks again. At bat, Lloyd was a scientific hitter, spraying line drives where the ball was pitched. Although he was in his mid-thirties when the Negro National League was formed, Lloyd played for a dozen years and compiled a league average of .342. His best season was 1928 when he hit .564 and led the league in home runs at the age of 44. More than a great shortstop and hitter, Lloyd was the model gentleman of black ball, as Mathewson was the paragon role model of the white game. "Gosh bob it!" was his strongest oath. In 1977 he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Sherm Lollar Catcher, Cle (A) 1946, NY (A) 1947-48, StL (A) 1949-51, Chi (A) 1952-63 Lollar put the Stop-Stop in the Go-Go White Sox of the 1950s. The underrated catcher anchored the Sox, a team built on speed, defense, and pitching. On the base paths, Sherm literally anchored the Sox' running attack as he brought out various allusions to snails, molasses, and Ernie Lombardi. Nevertheless, as one of the few Sox with punch in his bat, he earned his keep on offense. In their pennant year of 1959, he socked 22 homers. He excelled in defense. He was a rock behind the plate and an excellent handler of pitchers, absolutely crucial in the Sox scheme. And when the opposition tried a little go-going of its own, it was usually gone. In 1954 Sherm played for five months straight without permitting a single stolen base. Ernie Lombardi Catcher, Bkn (N) 1931, Cin (N) 1932-41, Bos (N) 1942, NY (N) 1943-47 Lombardi was the slowest runner in the Hall of Fame, including executives, pioneers, and exhibits. "Schnozz" was a big, muscular guy, with a banana nose, an easygoing manner, and feet of pure lead. His lack of foot speed was legendary. Infielders played shallow in the outfield and could still throw him out. It was said he had to hit .400 to bat .300. He was a cinch double play anytime they got the runner at second; if they couldn't trust the infielder's arm, he could carry it to first. Nonetheless, Lombardi was one of baseball's greatest catchers. He is the only catcher to ever lead his league in hitting while amassing 400 or more at bats. In 1938, he hit .342 and was voted the MVP. His career average was .306. He hit with tremendous power--he had to because he never got a "leg" hit--but on a line. His home run totals were modest: a high of 20 in 1939 and 190 for his career. He was considered barely adequate as a defensive catcher in his day, whenever he let a pitch get even a few steps away from him, it was a passed ball for sure. He was on the receiving end of Johnny Vander Meer's two no-hitters and one of the keys to Cincinnati's two straight pennants in 1939-1940. Lombardi was criticized unfairly for his famous "snooze" in the fourth and final game of the 1939 World Series. What actually happened is this: With Yankee runners at the corners and the score tied in the tenth, Joe DiMaggio singled the go-ahead run home. The right fielder misplayed the ball and Charlie Keller, running from first, came charging homeward. He hit Lombardi where the chest protector doesn't cover, and while Ernie fell to the ground in agony, DiMaggio scored. The play didn't lose the Series, but it probably kept Ernie out of Cooperstown until 1986, nine years after his death. Davey Lopes Second Baseman, LA (N) 1972-81, Oak (A) 1982-84, Chi (N) 1984-86, Hou (N) 1986-87 Lopes was the kind of player who earns a reputation as "pesty." Translated, that means he won a lot of games for his team without piling up big statistics. He was okay in the field, but no world beater. He never led NL second basemen in fielding, but he did top them a couple of times in errors. He had a .263 career batting average and hit 28 homers in 1979, but it was the only time he socked more than 17. He did steal bases, leading the league in 1975-1976 and totaling 557. What made that part of his game significant was that he was almost never caught. He had one string of 38 straight successes. Davey was a member of the Dodger infield with Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey, a group that played together from 1973 to 1980. By doing all the little things, Lopes played in four World Series. Al Lopez Catcher, Bkn (N) 1928, 1930-35, Bos (N) 1936-40, Pit (N) 1940-46, Cle (A) 1947. Manager, Cle (A) 1951-56, Chi (A) 1957-65, 1968-69 Until Bob Boone broke it in 1987, Lopez had the record for most games caught. A good take-charge backstop, he played for nineteen seasons, mostly with second division clubs, and hit a decent .261. He learned a lot of baseball and a lot more patience. Both helped him become one of baseball's greatest managers. Taking over the helm at Cleveland in 1951, he chased the Yankees to three straight second-place finishes. The ex-catcher's Tribe teams were built on great pitching, with Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Mike Garcia, and home runs. Unfortunately for Cleveland, the Yankees always seemed to have enough pitching and more of everything else. But in 1954 the Senor's Indians won 111 games, the AL record, to win the pennant. Al moved to the White Sox in 1957 and won his second flag two years later. He did it with mirrors, since the Sox had almost no power. Owner Bill Veeck said a typical rally was two bloopers, an error, a passed ball, and two walks. A hit batsman would be "the final crusher." Thirty-five of their wins were by one run. Lopez was a popular leader. If he had any fault, said Veeck, it was that "he was too decent." From 1949 to 1964 Lopez was the only manager other than a Yankee to win an AL pennant. He also brought his clubs in second ten times. In 1977 he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Dick Lundy Shortstop, Negro League, 1916-48, Bacharach Giants, Lincoln Giants, Hilldale, Baltimore Black Sox, Philadelphia Stars, Newark Dodgers, New York Cubans, Newark Eagles, Jacksonville Eagles "King Richard" was one of the top shortstops of blackball history, possessing a strong arm, sure hands, and exceptional range. Although batting records are incomplete, the clever switch-hitter hit in the .330 range over his long career. He hit .400 four times between 1921 and 1930 in the United States and Cuba. Big, graceful, and a natural leader, Lundy played on several championship teams. In 1925, when he and "Pop" Lloyd, the nonpareil of black shortstops, were both members of the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants, Lloyd moved over to second base because of the younger man's then-superior range. Lundy replaced Lloyd as manager of the Bacharachs and led them from fourth to two straight pennants, while hitting .329 and .306. In 1933-1934 he was a starting shortstop in the first two black All-Star Games. Adolfo "Dolf" Luque Pitcher, Bos (N) 1914-15, Cin (N) 1918-29, Bkn (N) 1930-31, NY (N) 1932-35 One of Cuba's first major league pitching stars, Luque was the leading pitcher in the NL in 1923. He was 27-8 for the second-place Reds, with a league-leading 1.93 ERA. Two years later, he led the NL in ERA again with a 2.63 mark. In twenty years of pitching, twelve with the Reds, he won 193 games. The pride of Havana even found a new career at age 43. He became the bullpen stopper of the New York Giants and led the NL in relief wins with 8. Always hot-tempered, he reportedly stomped into the opposing team's dugout one day in response to some unkind words and popped Casey Stengel on the nose. Albert "Sparky" Lyle Pitcher, Bos (A) 1967-71, NY (A) 1972-78, Tex (A) 1979-80, Phi (N) 1980-82, Chi (A) 1982 Lyle won 99 games in relief and saved 238. Every one of his 899 pitching appearances was in relief. The durable lefthander was a big factor in getting the Yankees into the 1976 and 1977 World Series, with 23 saves the first year and 26 the next, when he also won 13 and earned the Cy Young Award. Sparky used his slider to write a fine postseason record in 1977. With New York losing the LCS two games to one, Lyle pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings to beat Kansas City and even the series. The next day he went 1 1/3 more scoreless innings as the Yanks rallied to win. Two days later he pitched 3 1/3 more innings of one-hit ball to beat the Dodgers in the World Series opener. Then in 1978 his world was shattered when the Yanks paid millions to sign free agent Goose Gossage. Goose pushed Sparky right off the bullpen bench, and he spent the season in mop-up roles. He told of it in his book, The Bronx Zoo. A flake and clubhouse cutup, Sparky once leaped nude onto a birthday cake, only to learn later that it was intended for Yankee manager Ralph Houk. Fred Lynn Outfielder, Bos (A) 1974-80, Cal (A) 1981-84, Bal (A) 1985-88, Det (A) 1988-89, SD (N) 1990 Lynn had one of baseball's most remarkable rookie years in 1975--he is the only man to win the MVP his first year in the majors. The Red Sox won the pennant as Lynn, their center fielder, hit .331, led the league in doubles and runs, cracked 21 homers, and batted in 105 runs. Fred continued to hit with good power, getting up to 39 home runs in 1979, when he won the batting title with .333. In 1982 Lynn helped California win the division title, then walloped .611 in the LCS. He won four Gold Gloves. Yet Fred's career was a disappointment in view of its brilliant beginning. His batting average fell through the 1980s, as did his RBIs. Many of his problems stemmed from frequent injuries--too frequent, say his critics. Ted Lyons Pitcher, Chi (A) 1923-42, 1946. Manager, Chi (A) 1946-48 Lyons pitched twenty-one seasons for the White Sox. During those years, the Sox finished in the second division sixteen times. Fans in other cities celebrated pennants; in Chicago they celebrated Ted Lyons. Possibly the most popular player ever to take the mound in the Windy City, he earned fans' devotion with his upbeat personality, indomitable spirit, and by being one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He came straight out of Baylor University, skipped the minors, and relieved in the first major league game he ever saw. By the next year he was a regular starter. Using a good fastball, curve, and knuckler, he won 20-plus three times with the second-division White Sox: in 1925, 1927, and for the last time in 1930. In 1931 a sore arm cost him his fastball and nearly his career. Although he was no longer the dominating pitcher he had been in the 1920s, he used control and guile to remain the Sox stopper through the 1930s. Near the end of the decade, he became a "Sunday" pitcher, always pitching on that day because the biggest crowds showed up then. Lyons won 260 games for the Sox, many fewer than he might have won for stronger teams, but he never complained. In 1955 he was named to the Hall of Fame.