I was cruising down the LA freeway system yesterday, and the classic rock station played a couple one-hit wonder songs to which I dutifully rocked out (if you were on the freeways at the time, yes I was the *** weaving in and out of traffic at 90-100 mph).  That got me to thinking, who qualifies in baseball - who but for one thing would nobody but the diehard fan ever have heard of?  I'm not talking gimmicks like Eddie Gaedel; serious players who would have slipped into history unnoticed except for one thing.  Here are my three to start the list:

1.  Don Larsen, Perfect Game in the World Series.  Otherwise a career 81-91 journeyman pitcher for over half a dozen teams.

2.  Johnny Vander Meer, Back-to-Back No-Hitters.  Again, a sub-.500 lifetime pitcher (119-121), although a decent lifetime ERA of 3.44.

3.  Fred Merkle, Merkle's Boner.  A solid if not spectacular player with decent power for the dead-ball era (two double-digit HR seasons).

Mark "Hard Hittin'" Whiten:


Only 14 players in major league history have hit four home runs in a single game.  Only two players in major league history have had 12 RBI's in a single game.  Mark Whiten is on both of those lists.  On September 7th, 1993, Mark Whiten accomplished both feats in Cincinnati.


Fernando Tatis:

On April 23, 1999, Tatis did something totally unheard of before and since.  Players had hit two grand slams in a single game before - but none had ever hit two grand slams in a single inning.  What makes the accomplishment even more amazing is that he hit both slams off of the same pitcher - Chan Ho Park.  Everyone in attendance that night kept waiting for a pitching change to come along after he hit the first one - but it never came until after he hit the second one.

Buzz Capra

1974 Atlanta Braves:   16-8, NL-low 2.38 ERA, 217 IP, 11 CG, 5 SHO, 6.8 H/9.  No other season remotely close to those numbers.

Joe Mays

2001 Minnesota Twins:  17 wins, 3.17 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 233 IP.  Never below a 5.3 ERA after that.

Jim Hickman, 1970 Chicago Cubs

315/429/582  OPS 1.001  102 Runs, 115 RBI, 32 HR , 155 OPS+    No other year came remotely close.

Career 252/335/426   imagine what those would have been without 1970.

Bucky Dent
Aaron Boone

Mediocre infielders who hit a pennant winning HR against the Red Sox and never really did anything else of note

Bill Wambsganss

Unassisted triple play in the 1920 World Series...never really did anything else of note

Phillip Humber

Perfect game in 2012.  His ERA that year: 6.44.  Lifetime record: 16-23.

Dallas Braden.

Perfect game in 2010.  Lifetime record: 26-36.

Bud Smith.

No-hitter in 2001.  Lifetime record: 7-8.

Bobo Holloman.

No-hitter in 1953, his only season in MLB.  Record: 3-7, 5.23

Posted by seamar_116 on 7/22/2015 2:32:00 PM (view original):
Jim Hickman, 1970 Chicago Cubs

315/429/582  OPS 1.001  102 Runs, 115 RBI, 32 HR , 155 OPS+    No other year came remotely close.

Career 252/335/426   imagine what those would have been without 1970.

Also, partially responsible for the end of Ray Fosse's career.

LOVED BUZZ CAPRA

HE SPOKE AT ONE OF OUR LITTLE LEAGUE DINNERS. THINK THE PREVIOUS YEAR WAS HARRY PARKER OR MAC SCARCE

WONDER IF THEY HAD AGENTS, THEY PROBABLY GOT 150 BUCKS AND STORE COUPONS FOR APPEARING

Ok Contrarian23, you want to play rough Mr. Red Sox?

Dave Roberts - one stolen base
David Ortiz - one walk-off HR
Curt Schilling - one sock, bloody


Now that that is out of the way: 

Wally Pipp - for having a headache one day
Andy Hawkins - pitched a no-hitter and lost 4-0
Bill Wamsganss - unassisted triple play in the World Series
Bobby Thomson may be the king of this category - he was a very good player, but he is known for the most famous moment in baseball history
Mark Fydrich, for one great season but mostly cause he talked to the ball
Bill Mazeroski - best at the DP ever, but let's face it, known for a HR


Oh, and Carlton Fisk for one home run in a great World Series game.

Actually Dent was an all star for the whitesox and had an ok career for shortstops for that era,   If the giants had him as a ss in the 60's or early 70's they probably win a world series or 2,  or put  him on the Expos all those times they finished in 2nd and they win a couple as well.

EDDIE GAEDEL - WALKED 1000 OBP..... ONE WALK WONDER
JEFF BANNISTER 1-1.... 1000 BA.... 1000 OBP..... ONE HIT WONDER