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Blanton Attempt
2008-10-26 19:29
by Mike Carminati

The Phils are beating the Rays 6-2 in the middle of the sixth inning of game 4 of the World Series, and Joe Blanton, besides pitching an inspired game so far, has been an unexpected hero at the plate. Blanton went deep for the first time in his career in the fifth and established a little corner of history for himself.

Blanton is now just the fifth man, and the first in forty years, to hit his first career home run in the World Series. Here are the rest with their previous regular-season ABs:

PlayerYrWS HRPOSCareer AB
Joe Blanton20081P26
Mickey Lolich19681P381
Frank Demaree19321OF56
Rosy Ryan19241P207
Larry Twitchell18871OF280

Blanton is also the first pitcher to hit a World Series homer in 34 years. Something that has been done no more than 18 times in baseball history:

PlayerYrHRPrimary POS
Joe Blanton20081P
Ken Holtzman19741P
Dave McNally19701P
Dave McNally19691P
Mickey Lolich19681P
Bob Gibson19681P
Jose Santiago19671P
Bob Gibson19671P
Mudcat Grant19651P
Lew Burdette19581P
Bucky Walters19401P
Jesse Haines19261P
Jack Bentley19241P
Rosy Ryan19241P
Jim Bagby19201P
Dave Foutz188911B
Ed Crane18891P
Bill George18881OF

Note that I list the primary position for the 19th century players who may have hit a home run in the Series as a position player or a pitcher. The record is incomplete. That's why I say that it has been done no more than 18 times.

Comments
2008-10-26 22:27:07
1.   Cliff Corcoran
If the record is incomplete, wouldn't it be "at least 18 times," or, to sound more impressive "only 18 times that we know of"?
2008-10-26 22:37:42
2.   Mike Carminati
No, because these guys pitched AND homered in the postseason. I just can't confirm whether they did both at the same time since they also played other positions. There is no one that we do not know of (unless the HR was not recorded at all).
2008-10-27 00:20:27
3.   Cliff Corcoran
2 Ah, I gotcha. Thanks for clarifying.

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