POINT OF FACT
? Floyd Robinson broke a White Sox team record last season that had stood for 37 years. What was it?
•He hit 45 doubles (to lead the American League). The previous high for the White Sox had been Earl Sheely's 43 doubles in 1925 (equaled by Bibb Falk a year later).
? a) What team led the major leagues in winning one-run games? b) losing one-run games?
•a) The Pirates, fourth in the National League, won 32 one-run games out of 54 played. But the Phillies, seventh in the NL, had the best percentage in the majors (26-14, .650). b) The Mets, the losingest team in baseball, also lost the most one-run games—39 out of 58.
? Tommy Davis of the Dodgers led the major leagues with 153 RBIs last season. Who was the last player in each league to exceed Davis' total?
•Ted Williams and Vern Stephens of the Red Sox each knocked in 159 runs in 1949. Davis had the most RBIs in the National League since Joe Medwick's 154 in 1937.
? Did any pitcher win five games from one team last season?
•Yes, there were nine. Joey Jay of the Reds, Jack Hamilton and Art Mahaffey of the Phillies and Vern Law of the Pirates each won five games from the Houston .45s. Bob Friend of the Pirates, Jim Golden of the .45s and the Giants' Jack Sanford each took five from the Mets, and Bob Purkey of the Reds won five games from the Pirates. The lone American Leaguer, Ralph Terry of the Yankees, won five from the Twins.
?Earl Wilson and Bill Monbouquette of the Red Sox each threw a no-hit game last season. Have two pitchers from the same team ever done this before?
•Yes, seven times since 1900. Most recent of these were Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette of the Braves in 1960 and Carl Erskine and Sal Maglie of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956.