Baseball is a game of numbers and, naturally, new Hall of Very Good inductee Jim Kaat’s lengthy Major League career has been built on there.
Here’s a look beyond the numbers of Kaat’s time in baseball.
1960
Following the 1960 season, the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota and renamed themselves the Twins. Along for the ride was Jim Kaat…he’d also became the last member of the Senators to play in the Major Leagues.
.290
From Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams to Dave Winfield and Jim Rice, Jim Kaat faced 50(!) Hall of Famers. Overall, they had a modicum of success, hitting .290 (378-for-1301) with 40 home runs.
283
Between his first win April 27, 1960 and his last August 7, 1982, Jim Kaat would compile 283 victories. Currently, there are only three hall of Fame-eligible pitchers with more wins…Roger Clemens (354), Bobby Mathews (297) and fellow Hall of Very Good inductee Tommy John (288).
43
When the St. Louis Cardinals won the 1982 World Series, Jim Kaat not only took home his first World Series ring, but he also became the oldest pitcher to do so at 43 years, 11 months and 13 days old.
25
At the time of his retirement during the 1983, Jim Kaat had pitched 25 seasons in the Majors…a record at the time. Since then, that total has been eclipsed by Nolan Ryan, Jamie Moyer and fellow Hall of Very Good inductee Tommy John.
16
From 1962-1977, Jim Kaat brought home a record 16-straight Gold Gloves…winning the last at the age of 38. Tied with Brooks Robinson, Kaat’s 16 Gold Gloves is ranks second all-time to Greg Maddux’s 18.
16
Through his 25 year career, Jim Kaat hit 16 career home runs. His team’s record during games in which he went yard? 12-4.
15
In 1962, Jim Kaat would collect 18 wins for the Minnesota Twins. It would be the first of a stretch of 15 seasons where the pitcher would win ten or more games.
7
Jim Kaat is one of 29 players to have played in four different decades, but he’s the only player to have played during seven different presidential administrations…Dwight Eisenhower (1959-1961), John F. Kennedy (1961-1963), Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969), Richard Nixon (1969-1974), Gerald Ford (1974-1977), Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) and Ronald Reagan (1981-1983).
7
Following his lengthy Major League career, Jim Kaat would take his act to the broadcast booth. From 1997-2005, he would win seven Emmy Awards for excellence in sports broadcasting.
*****
The Hall of Very Good™ Class of 2015 is presented by Out of the Park Developments, the creators of the wildly popular baseball simulation game Out of the Park Baseball. Out of the Park Developments has made a generous donation to The Hall.
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