One-Hit Wonders
Len Levin, Bill Nowlin, Carl RiechersOver the years, millions have dreamed of playing major-league baseball, but only around 20,000 players have put on a big-league uniform. Some had lengthy careers, some much briefer-including a surprising number who had just one base hit: close to 1,400 of them. Some of these "one-hit wonders" were pitchers, and not expected to hit-though right-hander Fred Gladding had 68 plate appearances with just one hit. Others simply had short careers, like Archibald "Moonlight" Graham, a real-life figure depicted in Field of Dreams whose only major-league appearance consisted of a half-inning.
More than 50 SABR researchers, authors, and editors contributed to this book and present brief biographies of 70 players, telling the stories of some who might otherwise be overlooked-but who made the grade and got exactly one hit in the majors. Center fielder Skeeter Skelton had 43 plate appearances but just one hit. Gene Woodburn had just one hit, but four career RBIs (and the hit was...