Forgotten Seasons

WILLIE MAYS-1957

Willie Mays had some outstanding seasons, including two in which he hit more than fifty home runs when fifty home runs were still worth fifty home runs, but perhaps his greatest offensive year was 1957, the last year of the New York Giants' franchise. It certainly is a season that is rarely mentioned when discussing Willie's best years, but he had a truly remarkable season.

Willie hit .333 with 35 home runs and a .626 slugging average, which are fine accomplishments, but what is significant is the he had 26 doubles and 20 triples to go along with 35 home runs. Few modern player hit double figures in doubles, triples and home runs, but Willie didn't just hit double figures---the number of triples he hit start with the digit 2.

Neither Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Henry Aaron, Frank Robinson, Carl Yastrzemski, Bobby Bonds, nor Barry Bonds never hit as many as 20 triples in a season.

In 1957, Willie walked 76 times, struck out 62 times, and stole 38 bases to become a "30-30" player for the second consecutive season. It is no exaggeration to state that Willie could have accomplished the "30-30" feat more than twice but when he played, baseball players performances were judged by what was seen on the field, not on a statistics sheet. Hitting 30 home runs and stealing 30 bases was not thought of as anything but an interesting accomplishment. In 1958, Willie had 29 home runs and 31 bases. He played the game to win, not to collect nice numbers.

Willie's home park, the Polo Grounds, was considered by many to have been a home run friendly park and for a pull hitter, it was. But the distance was 455 feet to left center field, 480 feet to center field, and 449 feet to right center field, which helps explain Willie's triples. Few sights were more thrilling than seeing Willie hit a ball into the gap, approach second base, not slow down as his cap came off, and then slide into third. It was more exciting than any home runs, with the exception of many that Willie's cross town rival, Mickey Mantle, hit.

PAUL O'NEILL-1994

Major League Baseball wants fans to forget the 1994 dispute between management and players that ended the season when the players were forced to walk out on August 12. As politicians and

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