SWC75
Bored Historian
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The Syracuse Chiefs did a marvelous job of making their presence in the community secret this season, (taking their games off the radio and having their 15 straight year of missing the playoffs). Therefore I doubt many people knew of the confrontation that took place on Monday, the last day of the season. Syracuse's Zach Walters and Buffalo's Mauro Gomez were tied for the International league lead in home runs with 29. In fact, ti was the Triple A home run lead. Their two teams were facing each other and thus they could decide the league and level home run crown. Neither hit one but it was fun watching them at bat, wondering what might take place. Walters came up the last time with the bases loaded and his team down by 2 but grounded into a double play. Amazingly they got the game in The storms that went by in the afternoon stayed just outside the left field fence. I saw Tex Simone giving a push gesture to someone he was talking to, as if he himself was keeping the storm away. The announced attendance was 5,088. I think they left out a decimal point.
When I came home, I wondered how many Syracuse Chiefs had won, or, in Zach's case, tied for the Triple A home run championship. Naturally i ahd to look it up. He's only the second Chief to achieve this, the other being Mack Jones in 1964. Even Hank Sauer didn't lead Triple A in home runs when he hit 50 back in 1947. He didn't even lead the league. "Howitzer" Howie Moss of Baltimore hit 53 that same season. Here is the full list, going back as far as I could find records, on-line and in some books I have on the minor leagues.
2013 Zach Walters, Syracuse and Mauro Gomez, Buffalo 29
2012 Dan Johnson, Charlotte 28
2011 Bryan LaHair, Iowa 38
2010 Mark Trumbo Salt Lake City 36
2009 Mitch Jones, Albuquerque 35
2008 Nelson Gomez, Oklahoma City 37
2007 Craig Brazell, Omaha and Scott Seabol, Albuquerque 32
2006 Kevin Witt, Durham 36
2005 Luke Scott, Round Rock 31
2004 Earl Snyder, Pawtucket and Kevin Witt, Memphis 36
2003 Graham Koonie Sacramento 34
2002 Ivan Cruz Memphis 35
2001 Phil Hiatt, Las Vegas 44
2000 Phil Hiatt, Colorado Springs 36
1999 J. R. Phillips, Colorado Springs 41
1998 Chris Hatcher, Omaha 46
1997 Paul Konerko, Albuquerque 37
1996 Phil Hiatt, Toledo 42
1995 Butch Huskey, Norfolk 28
1994 Billy Ashley, Albuquerque 37
1993 Sam Horn, Charlotte 38
1992 Steve Balboni, Oklahoma City 30
1991 Bernardo Brito, Portland and Luis Medina, Colorado Springs 27
1990 Phil Plantier, Pawtucket 33
1989 Denio Gonzalez, Colorado Springs 27
1988 Luis Medina, Colorado Springs 28
1987 Brad Kommisk, Denver 32
1986 Rich Lancelotti, Phoenix 31
1985 Danny Tartabull, Calgary 43
1984 Joe Hicks, Iowa 37
1983 Brian Dayett, Columbus 35
1982 Ron Kittle, Edmonton 50
1981 Mike Marshall, Albuquerque 34
1980 Randy Bass, Denver 37
1979 Karl Pagel, Wichita 39
1978 Champ Summers, Indianapolis 34
1977 Danny Walton Albuquerque 42
1976 Roger Freed, Denver 42
1975 Hector Cruz, Tulsa and Bob Hansen, Sacramento 29
1974 Bill McNulty, Sacramento 55
1973 Jim Fuller, Rochester 39
1972 Tom Paciorek, Albuquerque 27
1971 Adrian Garrett, Tacoma 43
1970 Hal Breeden, Richmond 37
1969 Bob Robertson, Columbus 34
1968 Dave Nicholson, Richmond 34
1967 Willie Kirkland, Hawaii 34
1966 Mike Epstein, Rochester 29
1965 Dave Roberts, Oklahoma City 38
1964 Mack Jones, Syracuse 39
1963 Dick Allen, Arkansas and Deron Johnson San Diego, 33
1962 Stan Plays, Hawaii 32
1961 Gene Oliver, Portland 36
1960 R. C. Stevens, Salt Lake City 37
1959 Pancho Herrera, Buffalo 37
1958 Rocky Nelson, Toronto 43
1957 Steve Bilko, Los Angeles 56
1956 Steve Bilko, Los Angeles 55
1955 Rocky Nelson, Montreal and Steve Bilko, Los Angeles 37
1954 Rocky Colavito, Indianapolis 38
1953 Jack Wallasea, Springfield/Buffalo 36
1952 Max West, San Diego 35
1951 Joe Gordon Sacramento 43
1950 Frank Kelleher, Hollywood 40
1949 Max West, San Diego 48
1948 Jack Graham, San Diego 48
1947 Howie Moss, Baltimore 53
1946 Jerry Witte, Toledo 46
1945 Frank Skaff, Baltimore 38
1944 Frank Kelleher, Hollywood 27
1943 Ted Norbert, Milwaukee 25
1942 Les Burke, Montreal 28
1941 Frank Kelleher, Newark 37
1940 Lou Novikoff, Los Angeles 41
1939 Vince DiMaggio, Kansas City 46
1938 Ollie Carnegie, Buffalo, 45
1937 Mike Hunt, Seattle 39
1936 Tom Winsett, Columbus 50
1935 Gene Lillard, Los Angeles 56
1934 Fank Demaree, Los Angeles 45
1933 Joe Hauser, Minnesota 69
1932 Buzz Arlett, Baltimore 54
1931 Dave Barbee, Hollywood 47
1930 Joe Hauser, Baltimore 63
1929 Ike Boone, Mission 55
1928 Smead Jolley, San Francisco 45
1927 Elmer Smith, Portland 40
1926 Elmer Smith, Portland 46
1925 Tony Lazzeri, Salt Lake City 60
1924 Jim Poole, Portland 38
1923 Paul Strand, Salt Lake City 43
1922 Bunny Brief, Kansas City 40
1921 Bunny Brief, Kansas City 42
1920 Earl Sheely Salt Lake City 33
1919 Earl Sheely, Salt Lake City 28
1918 Art Grigg, Sacramento and Earl Sheely, Salt Lake City 12
1917 Ken Williams, Portland 24
1916 Bunny Brief, Salt Lake City 33
1915 Bill Shaller, San Francisco 20
1914 Wally Pipp, Rochester 15
1913 Bert Coy, Oakland 18
1912 Bert Coy, Oakland, Tim Jordan, Toronto 19
1911 Gavy Cravath, Minnesota 29
1910 Ping Bodie, San Francisco 30
1909 Otis Johnson, Portland 13
1908 William Phyle, Toronto 16
1907 Buck Freeman, Minnesota 18
1906 Ed Green, Milwaukee 8
1905 Truck Egan, Tacoma 21
1904 Truck Egan, Tacoma 25
1903 Mike Grady, Kansas City 16
1902 Harry Lumley, Kansas City 8
It's interesting that minors started some serious home run hitting before the major did. Some of those names from the 20's, 30's and 40's, when the minors were still mostly independent and could pay salaries almost comparable to the majors are guys who would be major leaguers today and star major leaguers. Take some time to look up Joe Hauser, Ike Boone, Buzz Arlett, Ollie Carnegie and others. They have some interesting stories.
When I came home, I wondered how many Syracuse Chiefs had won, or, in Zach's case, tied for the Triple A home run championship. Naturally i ahd to look it up. He's only the second Chief to achieve this, the other being Mack Jones in 1964. Even Hank Sauer didn't lead Triple A in home runs when he hit 50 back in 1947. He didn't even lead the league. "Howitzer" Howie Moss of Baltimore hit 53 that same season. Here is the full list, going back as far as I could find records, on-line and in some books I have on the minor leagues.
2013 Zach Walters, Syracuse and Mauro Gomez, Buffalo 29
2012 Dan Johnson, Charlotte 28
2011 Bryan LaHair, Iowa 38
2010 Mark Trumbo Salt Lake City 36
2009 Mitch Jones, Albuquerque 35
2008 Nelson Gomez, Oklahoma City 37
2007 Craig Brazell, Omaha and Scott Seabol, Albuquerque 32
2006 Kevin Witt, Durham 36
2005 Luke Scott, Round Rock 31
2004 Earl Snyder, Pawtucket and Kevin Witt, Memphis 36
2003 Graham Koonie Sacramento 34
2002 Ivan Cruz Memphis 35
2001 Phil Hiatt, Las Vegas 44
2000 Phil Hiatt, Colorado Springs 36
1999 J. R. Phillips, Colorado Springs 41
1998 Chris Hatcher, Omaha 46
1997 Paul Konerko, Albuquerque 37
1996 Phil Hiatt, Toledo 42
1995 Butch Huskey, Norfolk 28
1994 Billy Ashley, Albuquerque 37
1993 Sam Horn, Charlotte 38
1992 Steve Balboni, Oklahoma City 30
1991 Bernardo Brito, Portland and Luis Medina, Colorado Springs 27
1990 Phil Plantier, Pawtucket 33
1989 Denio Gonzalez, Colorado Springs 27
1988 Luis Medina, Colorado Springs 28
1987 Brad Kommisk, Denver 32
1986 Rich Lancelotti, Phoenix 31
1985 Danny Tartabull, Calgary 43
1984 Joe Hicks, Iowa 37
1983 Brian Dayett, Columbus 35
1982 Ron Kittle, Edmonton 50
1981 Mike Marshall, Albuquerque 34
1980 Randy Bass, Denver 37
1979 Karl Pagel, Wichita 39
1978 Champ Summers, Indianapolis 34
1977 Danny Walton Albuquerque 42
1976 Roger Freed, Denver 42
1975 Hector Cruz, Tulsa and Bob Hansen, Sacramento 29
1974 Bill McNulty, Sacramento 55
1973 Jim Fuller, Rochester 39
1972 Tom Paciorek, Albuquerque 27
1971 Adrian Garrett, Tacoma 43
1970 Hal Breeden, Richmond 37
1969 Bob Robertson, Columbus 34
1968 Dave Nicholson, Richmond 34
1967 Willie Kirkland, Hawaii 34
1966 Mike Epstein, Rochester 29
1965 Dave Roberts, Oklahoma City 38
1964 Mack Jones, Syracuse 39
1963 Dick Allen, Arkansas and Deron Johnson San Diego, 33
1962 Stan Plays, Hawaii 32
1961 Gene Oliver, Portland 36
1960 R. C. Stevens, Salt Lake City 37
1959 Pancho Herrera, Buffalo 37
1958 Rocky Nelson, Toronto 43
1957 Steve Bilko, Los Angeles 56
1956 Steve Bilko, Los Angeles 55
1955 Rocky Nelson, Montreal and Steve Bilko, Los Angeles 37
1954 Rocky Colavito, Indianapolis 38
1953 Jack Wallasea, Springfield/Buffalo 36
1952 Max West, San Diego 35
1951 Joe Gordon Sacramento 43
1950 Frank Kelleher, Hollywood 40
1949 Max West, San Diego 48
1948 Jack Graham, San Diego 48
1947 Howie Moss, Baltimore 53
1946 Jerry Witte, Toledo 46
1945 Frank Skaff, Baltimore 38
1944 Frank Kelleher, Hollywood 27
1943 Ted Norbert, Milwaukee 25
1942 Les Burke, Montreal 28
1941 Frank Kelleher, Newark 37
1940 Lou Novikoff, Los Angeles 41
1939 Vince DiMaggio, Kansas City 46
1938 Ollie Carnegie, Buffalo, 45
1937 Mike Hunt, Seattle 39
1936 Tom Winsett, Columbus 50
1935 Gene Lillard, Los Angeles 56
1934 Fank Demaree, Los Angeles 45
1933 Joe Hauser, Minnesota 69
1932 Buzz Arlett, Baltimore 54
1931 Dave Barbee, Hollywood 47
1930 Joe Hauser, Baltimore 63
1929 Ike Boone, Mission 55
1928 Smead Jolley, San Francisco 45
1927 Elmer Smith, Portland 40
1926 Elmer Smith, Portland 46
1925 Tony Lazzeri, Salt Lake City 60
1924 Jim Poole, Portland 38
1923 Paul Strand, Salt Lake City 43
1922 Bunny Brief, Kansas City 40
1921 Bunny Brief, Kansas City 42
1920 Earl Sheely Salt Lake City 33
1919 Earl Sheely, Salt Lake City 28
1918 Art Grigg, Sacramento and Earl Sheely, Salt Lake City 12
1917 Ken Williams, Portland 24
1916 Bunny Brief, Salt Lake City 33
1915 Bill Shaller, San Francisco 20
1914 Wally Pipp, Rochester 15
1913 Bert Coy, Oakland 18
1912 Bert Coy, Oakland, Tim Jordan, Toronto 19
1911 Gavy Cravath, Minnesota 29
1910 Ping Bodie, San Francisco 30
1909 Otis Johnson, Portland 13
1908 William Phyle, Toronto 16
1907 Buck Freeman, Minnesota 18
1906 Ed Green, Milwaukee 8
1905 Truck Egan, Tacoma 21
1904 Truck Egan, Tacoma 25
1903 Mike Grady, Kansas City 16
1902 Harry Lumley, Kansas City 8
It's interesting that minors started some serious home run hitting before the major did. Some of those names from the 20's, 30's and 40's, when the minors were still mostly independent and could pay salaries almost comparable to the majors are guys who would be major leaguers today and star major leaguers. Take some time to look up Joe Hauser, Ike Boone, Buzz Arlett, Ollie Carnegie and others. They have some interesting stories.
