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“Reds/Braves Players in the April 26, 1959 Game” Photo Gallery
Lew Burdette and Johnny Logan
Willard Schmidt
Frank Thomas
Bob Rush
Warren Spahn
Vida Pinson
Jerry Lynch
Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron (Getty Images)
Joe Nuxhall
Del Crandall
Frank Robinson
Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Joe Adcock
Another Edition of Baseball Oddities:
Ouch!
Hit by a Pitch Twice…In the Same Inning!
Well, that’s one way to get your name in the record books!
I have to admit I’ve never heard of a Reds pitcher named Willard Schmidt (seen in the featured photo above). He had a rather mediocre seven-season career in the Bigs from 1952-1959, playing for the Cardinals (1952-’53, 1955-’57), and Reds (1958-’59) Over his career, he posted a 31-29 record with a 3.93 ERA, 323 strikeouts, 11 complete games, and one shutout. His best season was with the Cardinals in 1957, when he compiled a 10-3 record to lead the National League with a .769 winning percentage.
And yet, even with this record, the 6’1”, Hays, Kansas, native found a way to get into the baseball record books, although not particularly a way he would have intended.
A Real Baseball Oddity!
In a game between the Reds and the Braves at Crosley Field on Sunday, April 26. 1959 – 66 years ago today – Schmidt came to the plate in the bottom of the third inning. After his teammate Roy McMillan led off the inning with a single, Schmidt, batting second in the inning, was plunked by Braves pitcher Lew Burdette. As it turned out, this was the start of a big inning for the Reds.
After two groundouts by Vida Pinson and Jerry Lynch, hits by Johnny Temple, Frank Robinson, and Gus Bell followed. Then a walk to Frank Thomas. The rally continued with a single by Ed Baily. The Reds batted around as Roy McMillan, the tenth batter to come to the plate, came through with his second hit of the inning. This brought up Willard Schmidt for the second time.
And…you guessed it!...Schmidt was hit again, this time by Bob Rush, who had relieved Burdette. So for the first time in major league history, a batter – pitcher Willard Schmidt – was hit by a pitch twice in the same inning! The frame finally ended as Johnny Temple grounded out. Six runs had crossed the plate, which provided the winning margin as the Reds hung on to beat the Braves 11-10.
Braves Lineup Loaded!
It’s always fun to look through the box score of old games. Coming off their two consecutive pennants in 1958 and 1959, the Braves’ lineup was loaded with familiar names like Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock, Frank Torre, Wes Covington, Del Crandall, and Johnny Logan. In addition to Burdette and Rush, the pitching staff included the great lefty, Warren Spahn. The Braves finished the season with an 86-70-1 record, two games behind the pennant-winning and World Series-winning Dodgers. The Reds, with stars Frank Robinson and Vida Pinson in their lineup, didn’t fare as well, finishing in fifth place with a 74-80 record.
Old-timers like me will fondly remember the familiar umpiring crew for the game: Ed Sudol behind the plate, Tom Gorman at first, Dusty Boggess at second, and Stan Landes at third.
Well, as I said, that’s one way to get your name into the record books. I’m sure Willard Schmidt would have preferred a less painful way!
It Happened Again!
As an interesting side note and coincidence, the “twice-hit-by-pitch-in-one-inning” record would be matched in 1962, when it happened again, this time to Willard Schmidt’s teammate, Frank Thomas.
Gary Livacari
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Photo Credits: All from Google search
Stats and game summary from Baseball-Reference.com
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