Cool Clubs and Fun Facts: Interesting Baseball Trivia

Baseball trivia is always entertaining, as are lists of obscure feats and accomplishments. Here are just a few completely random facts and lists that I compiled.

50/20 club
50 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season

Brady Anderson (1996 – 50 HR, 21 SB)
Ken Griffey, Jr. (1998 – 56 HR, 20 SB)
Willie Mays (1955 – 51 HR, 24 SB)
Alex Rodriguez (2007 – 54 HR, 24 SB)

Brady Anderson is the only player to hit 50 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season as well as hit 20 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season.

.200/20 club
.200 average or less and 20 home runs in the same season

Rob Deer (1991 – 25 HR, .179 AVG)
Willie Kirkland (1962 – 21 HR, .200 AVG)
Mark McGwire (2001 – 29 HR, .187 AVG)
Ruben Rivera (1999 – 23 HR, .195 AVG)

Mark McGwire is the only player of the above group to hit .300 with at least 20 home runs in a season as well.

40/40 club
40 home runs and less than 40 strikeouts in the same season

Joe DiMaggio (1937 – 46 HR, 37 K)
Lou Gehrig (1934 – 49 HR, 31 K)
Ted Kluszewski (1953 – 40 HR, 34 K, 1954 – 49 HR, 35 K, 1955 – 47 HR, 40 K)
Johnny Mize (1948 – 40 HR, 37 K)
Mel Ott (1929 – 42 HR, 38 K)

The only member of the 50/50 club is Johnny Mize, who hit 51 home runs and struck out only 47 times in 1947.

.350/50 club
.350 average or better and 50 home runs in the same season

Jimmie Foxx  (1932 – 58 HR, .364 AVG)
Mickey Mantle (1956 – 52 HR, .353 AVG)
Babe Ruth (1920 – 54 HR, .376 AVG, 1921 – 59 HR, .378 AVG, 1927 – 60 HR, .356 AVG)
Hack Wilson (1930 – 56 HR, .356 AVG)

20/20 club
20 stolen bases and less than 20 runs scored in the same season

Matt Alexander  (1976 – 20 SB, 16 R)
Donell Nixon (1987 – 21 SB, 17 R)
Harry Pattee (1908 – 24 SB, 19 R)

Matt Alexander is the only player with less than 50 career hits to score 100 or more runs in his career. He had 111 runs and only 36 hits.

20/0/0 club
20 doubles with no other extra base hits in the same season

Jimmy Collins (1907 – 29 2B)
Dave Eggler (1872 – 20 2B)
Ron Hunt (1972 – 20 2B)
Jo-Jo-Morrissey (1933 –20 2B)
Steve O’Neill (1916 – 23 2B)
Frank Taveras (1980 – 27 2B)

Jon Lieber, Clem Koshorek and Lynn McGlothen hold the record for most career doubles without another extra-base hit with 17.