Sporcle Saturday: Albert Belle makes his mark
Good morning!
Listening to Josh and Jim preview the White Sox outfield situation for this upcoming season, they briefly mentioned Albert Belle and his torrid 1998 campaign, when he mashed his way to a franchise-record 99 extra base hits (and 399 total bases!).
As it so happens on the same day in which the podcast aired, twenty-five years previously (1997) Albert Belle made his debut for the Sox. His line? 2-5 with a double, a dinger and 3 RBI in a 6-5 victory in Toronto. It also marked the first time in MLB history that a single player was paid more than an entire MLB roster: Belle’s $10 million salary for the season outpaced the Pittsburgh Pirates’ team salary of $9,071,667.
Here’s hoping Eloy Jimenez or Luis Robert (or new outfielder AJ Pollock, for whom the White Sox just traded as I was about to schedule this!) can challenge for that franchise record and for today, you’re tasked with naming other single-season leaders in extra base hits throughout White Sox franchise history. There are 77 entries: how many can you name? Good luck!
Quiz Parameters
- I’ve allotted 10 minutes for completion attempts.
- For hints, I’ve provided the number of XBHs, season, and position.
- To qualify, a player must have logged at least 60 XBHs.
Useless information to amaze, annoy, confuse, and/or confound your friends and family:
- The last season a White Sox left fielder led the team in extra base hits was 2016, with 61.
- Likewise, the last season a White Sox center fielder led the team in extra base hits was 1979, with 63.
- And, finally, right field: 2012, with 70.
All data from stathead.com
Author
77/77 with exactly 5 minutes left. Let’s hope we had 3 or 4 names to that list this year!!
77/77 with 4:10 left. I kept spelling the 1940 first baseman’s name like that of an old Expos’ manager before I realized my mistake.
Related to last week’s subject, a lot of young, promising players hampered by injuries in this one.
Only 69. Not sure why 2004 leaves obvious gaps for me. Didn’t associate the 2B with the person.